I’m almost upset that the Serbian bête noire, Aleksandar Mitrović, has joined the exodus to Saudi Arabia. I’d just coined the adjective “Mitrovician”. Then again, that does sound like one of those dinosaur periods. Anyway, Mitrović’s departure is both boon and bane. On one hand, with him in the lineup, we’d know what to expect: lots of balls into the box, lots of crosses and hoped-for set-pieces, and enough shithousery to make Diego Costa green with envy. On the other, without him Fulham get a little less predictable, which is not the same as “more dangerous”. All the same, we’d do well to be wary.
At first blush, one might be tempted to ask, “why worry?” After all, Fulham barely eked past one of the sides already pencilled in for relegation (Everton) before then getting their hats handed to them at home to Brentford. We might commiserate with the Cottagers here: TIm Ream drew a second yellow for a very innocuous coming together with Brentford’s Yoane Missa, their hips bumping just a bit, and Missa makes the most of it. We’ve seen similarly soft second yellows (not to mention straight reds), haven’t we? According to Ream and Marco Silva, he PGMOL have admitted that it was wrong to award the penalty and send Ream off. Long story short: the injustice may pour a bit of petrol into their veins.
Speaking of vendettas, the man who nodded the ball into Wissa’s path is none other than former Wolves striker Raúl Jiménez, who may still bear some ill will against the Arsenal for our overjoyous celebrations at Wolves’ expense, and, more personally, for the tête-à-tête he had with David Luiz that very nearly ended his career. For himself, Jiménez says that he bears no ill will against Luiz, but one should never underestimate the allure of exacting some measure of revenge, however delayed it may be. If Jiménez can find a way to fill a more-Mitrovician role, he may just find some degree of revenge.
Last not not least, there’s the small matter of Bernd Leno. There was a time when he ranked among our best players. He’d been a shot-stopping, old-school keeper of the best sort when we needed some kind of solidity under Unai. The arrivals of Arteta and then Ramsdale relegated Leno to the bench, aborting what looked to be the possible coronation as Germany’s new Neuer. Shunting him off to Fulham may then feel like the kind of indignity that could inspire Leno to deliver the kind of MOTM-level performance we frankly could do without.
At our end, we might just see the returns of Zinchenko and Jesus, which would reduce the kind of shoehorning Arteta’s been reduced to in our first two matches. If Zinchenko is fit enough to start, Partey would return to the #6 role and White would return to RB, with Magalhães and Saliba getting reacquainted. Here’s where it gets tricksy in the best of ways. There’s quite the selection dilemma. Against Fulham, we can probably get away with a more-aggressive, attack-minded set-up. Between Partey, Rice, and Havertz, perhaps we rest Partey, who’s been putting demanding shifts as the inverted RB, ask Rice to play the 6, and ask Havertz to play from the left as the 8. Ødegaard plays on the right in his #10. Ahead of them, then, we’d have Martinelli, Jesus, and Saka.
That’s…that’s a potentially devastating, eviscerating lineup capable of reducing opponents to ribbons. Against sides such as Fulham, especially at home, we really do have to look for a 4-0 or even a 5-0 result. No disrespect intended, Fulham. It’s just that we have our eyes on a Prem title, and goal-difference could be a difference-maker. After two sputtering but positive results, it’s time to kick on with a vengeance. To quote one C. Montgomery Burns, release the hounds!
Hopefully they prove a soft touch and Arsenal as they are wont to do, cruise and do not mess up. That would allow the newly recovered to ease in and for the rest of the team, assuming Arteta does not screw around with keeping them on too long, to rest in anticipation of MU and other fixtures. I realize that piling on and getting a decent goal differential might prove valuable in May, but a lack of injuries and fewer tired legs may be more valuable.
I think we’re starting to see that there’s enough depth to allow for rotation. If we can find an early lead, Arteta should certainly take advantage of that to rotate as early as possible. WIthout looking past Fulham, we do have to think ahead to Man U, who are out of sorts at the moment but always seem to find their footing against us.
this should be a gift of the highest order for a team that’s clearly superior in every way, but who has struggled to impress in it’s first two affairs…as you mentioned, there are a couple of interesting “revenge” game participants to be a tad wary of, but if we get our selections right they shouldn’t be the deciding factors…the biggest concern will come with the return of Palhinha, who will test our mettle in the middle of the park…hopefully Jesus will play some significant minutes so that our best available 11 will get a chance to reaquaint themselves prior to a far more challenging run of fixtures…my heart says 4-0, but my head says 2-1, which could rise to 3-1 depending on our starting group…weirdly, and not too dissimilar from the latter Wenger years, one has to wonder how this particular performance will impact our late window activity…I want to assume that we’re not that kind of organization anymore, but the uninspiring nature of our opening two fixtures suggests otherwise
well-said. Let’s just hope there’s not too big a gap between what should and what does happen here today. These first two fixtures have had the feel of a driver struggling to find the next gear, with the enging sputtering and catching rather than purring or roaring.
No team EPL even Championship ca be taken lightly. With an effective low block and a fast forward in the opponents half (can’t be offside) can be devastating. How many times have we see a side with 20 to 25% of the ball nick a win or draw this way. Every game we have to be totally ruthless for 90 minutes, The longer it is stalemated the more confdence the other side gets. And they’ve got nothing to lose.
The conventional wisdom is that they will lose the game so they play above themselves. Newcastle last season played never to lose. A draw was a win for them and look where they ended up. There are no walkovers until there is.
Exactly. Add to that the notion that a team that gets trounced one week may use that as motivation to turn up the following week. I hope the lads come out as if they’re facing a Newcastle or a Man City and can find some early goals…after which we continue to be ruthless rather than taking a foot off the gas and letting Fulham back into the game.
Looks like we need to get back into the game. Can only hope the half time talk can fire us up.
We’ve been really, really sloppy from the off. You would think that conceding that goal would be enough of a wake-up call. Fortunately, we’ve found an equaliser and are looking sharper as well. We’re creating gobs of chances. Now, we have to finish one.
simply put, not good enough…MA’s Galaxy Brain has left us wanting once again
miles from enough. Whether we blame Arteta for selection & tactics or players for execution is another issue. Far too many misplaced passes, far too open at the back, far too many wasted chances.
We got more than we deserved on that showing.
I agree.
We were way too slow on our build-up play. When Fulham got the ball they got down the field really quickly. It seemed like they had 8 men in defense before we got out of our half. Our build-up play is just too ponderous. Saka and Martinelli were effectively taken out of the game.
they played a classic counterattacking game, and we were too open at the back. Part of this was Partey constantly getting caught out of position when we’d concede possession in their third, part of it was Kiwior’s unfamiliarity with his role…
Meanwhile, Martinelli and Trossard kept getting in each other’s way and Saka was on his own on the right.
yes. good observation. A real snafu to be sure.
cheers, reg!