Fulham vs Arsenal

Started this yesterday. Updating 20 minutes into the match.

Since pouring in 16 goals over four straight matches after the international break, Fulham have followed that stretch without scoring in the following four (I’m not counting own goals or penalties in shootouts). Raul will be back so hopefully the team snaps back to prior form. It looks like Willian is a doubt and Ream and Traore are out. Update: Willian starts

I’d really like to see the defense tighten up. They’ve been giving the opposition room to run and way too much space at the edge of the box. Players need to start stepping up and at least getting in the way (without fouling). Update: Palhinha gives Martinelli too much space and he forces a save from Leno that Saka taps in.

The attack is showing some life but still trending towards play it down the wing, then turn it back to midfield.

 

Wow. Wow. Wow! I thought a massacre was coming when we conceded early. What a performance after. Robinson was fantastic again. So was Jimenez and just about everybody else. We are such a better team when Willian is available. What a win. What a way to close out the year.

 

I did not expect this. Everyone was at the top of their game. A good omen for 2024? Keeping fingers crossed for a good transfer window.

 

Happy New Year to All!! So proud of the lads for turning the page and earning a massive 3 pts.

@tim Shout out to you for braving a LA pub this morning (Fox and Hounds?) and being surrounded by a bunch of Arse fans.

Finally…cue it James!!!

 

The website admin couldn't quite believe we won.

 

Well, this month did not go at all like I figured it would. All of the matches except this one were winnable on paper. But I’ll take this one…gladly! Arsenal were patient with Mikel Arteta and it paid off last season and the start of this one. They’re one of the top five or six clubs in the league. Any win against them is MASSIVE for us. If only Raul hadn’t retaliated….

 

I could watch this laser precise pass from Captain Thomas Cairney to Jimenez all day long. The resurrection of No. 10 continues unabated. Already a club legend, he’s putting the icing on the cake. Let’s hope it’s a really big cake requiring multiple layers of icing.

 

Maybe the team felt my remarks. Or maybe Arsenal was just that bad. Either way Fulham never really allowed clear shots on net after the early goal. Bassey was a beast - charging out to challenge most any Gunner that got close to the penalty box. Robinson was a wall on the left and Palhinha made his typical crucial tackles at the right time (nearly every time).

On the other end, Raul filled the void of the last three matches that he created. And finally, FINALLY, Fulham got a lucky bounce when Palhinha’s header from a corner ping ponged off multiple Arsenal players before falling to Reid who appropriately smashed it into the roof of the goal.

I got very nervous when after the second goal, around the 61st minute, Fulham started sitting back and launching clearances to midfield every chance they got. Thankfully, they settled down and were able to see out the match without conceding.

This result definitely makes up for the disappointment of the last two. Happy New Year All!

 

This game will give the team confidence. It’s important, seeing as we’ll lose Bassey and Iwobi to AFCON until possibly mid-Feb. (Ballo-Toure is going too.) Fortunately, we have some depth in midfield, now, with Pereira and Cairney able to step into the #10 role. Bassey will be harder to replace if Ream isn’t 100%.