Mikel Arteta knows biggest problem Arsenal face after 'worst performance' in Fulham defeat
After Arsenal’s defeat to West Ham Mikel Arteta said his side were wanting in both boxes. Against Fulham they lacked everything in between.
Whereas the loss to West Ham had felt like it had been coming — dicing with the defeat due to deficiencies in attack had been a running theme of Arsenal’s season — the performance against Fulham was quite the shock.
It may seem like literally a year ago, but Arsenal actually took the lead at Craven Cottage. Gabriel Martinelli had briefly looked back to his old self, cutting in from the left to fire a shot that Bernd Leno could only palm into the path of Bukayo Saka. Even that goal though had come from a moment of transition rather than any of the stupendous build up play that has been so customary with Arsenal this season. Fulham were unfortunate to be behind and didn’t take long to rectify that.
Sensing a weakness in the Arsenal full back positions — an area from where they have conceded goals in their last three matches now — Fulham targeted the wide areas with immediacy as soon as they regained the ball. Willian had a chance while Raul Jimenez forced David Raya into a smart stop. This was to be a warning shot as the Mexican stretched to turn home Antonee Robinson’s superb delivery only minutes later, with Ben White out of position and Jakub Kiwior floundering at the back post.
Even then, the expectation was that Arsenal would eventually kick into gear, but the moment never came. Fulham instead grew stronger and were fully deserving of their goal that came from Bobby De Cordova-Reid after a scramble from a corner. Substitutes Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Reiss Nelson did little to add to the limp offensive display offered up by Eddie Nketiah, Saka and Martinelli before them.
Read on football.london
