LONDON — This was imagined to be the run of video games that broke Arsenal’s title problem. Without Gabriel Jesus, the propane on Mikel Arteta’s wildfire, for 2 and a half months it appeared inevitable that the Gunners would slip again into Manchester City’s chasing pack.
Instead, he returned to seek out Arsenal a lot the place he left them, 5 factors clear on the summit, enjoying one of the best soccer within the Premier League, greater than able to scoring with out their transformative No. 9. Not that they haven’t wanted and won’t want Jesus, a participant who hyperlinks collectively disparate elements of a group in addition to anybody within the league. Instead, what we now have realized over the past 15 video games is that Arsenal can cope with out their most vital participant. Is there any setback that may blow this group astray?
Certainly, there have been none that Fulham may provide. There had been people in Marco Silva’s facet who struggled to make their mark — Andreas Pereira was notably wasteful — and their trigger may need been aided had they dropped their line slightly deeper to neuter the specter of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in behind. However, there was no nice collective failure, simply an opponent who was considerably superior from the outset. Arsenal passes zipped by the strains, Arteta’s facet trying to advance the ball shortly by the middle of the pitch after weeks through which their assaults obtained slowed down by opposition doubling up on their extensive forwards.
At the center of Arsenal’s fizzing assault was Leandro Trossard, providing as convincing an impression of Jesus as may very well be hoped for. He may drift out to the left flank to interchange with Martinelli however functioned equally on the tip of a midfield diamond, leaving Fulham’s middle backs with no reference level.
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As early because the seventeenth minute Arsenal tore by the Cottagers, a give-and-go between Martinelli and Trossard releasing the previous. Bernd Leno may solely parry the ball into Antonee Robinson, whose blushes had been spared when VAR concluded that the Brazilian had drifted barely offside within the build-up. It was a matter of when, not if, Arsenal lastly broke the levee, nonetheless, and after a flowing transfer had ended with Granit Xhaka hooking a shot at his former teammate within the Fulham aim, the opener got here.
Arsenal’s set-piece protection has been underneath the microscope in latest weeks however once they’re attacking lifeless balls they’ve confirmed to be an imaginative and incisive pressure. Here once more, they delivered a clutch of sensible low balls to the penalty spot, quick corners and clipped crosses to the close to put up. Sometimes nothing is more practical, nonetheless, than hitting the large man and there’s a purpose why they name their No. 6 “Big Gabby” He hung within the air as Fulham defended with concrete boots.
If one had been on the lookout for an evidence as to why Silva had such a thunderous expression it might effectively come within the repetition of this error, Robinson permitting Martinelli to get the leap on him as Trossard registered his second help. A distinct segment in Premier League historical past was carved out when the Belgian teed up Martin Odegaard to bend the ball into the far nook, turning into the primary Premier League participant ever to file three assists in a half in an away recreation. It displays the spectacular selection in Arsenal’s assault that their three high scorers are the attacking midfielders while each Jesus and Trossard have extra assists to their identify than targets.
As for the latter man, he has been nothing in need of a revelation since arriving from Brighton in January, bringing with him a spark of impudence that Arsenal would possibly by no means have recognized they wanted. If his 5 assists and a aim assist them to cross the end line in May, £21 million and one other £5 million in add-ons would represent a snip.
“When we discuss composure and discovering the proper cross and discovering the proper colour when it is trying actually blurry within the field, he is the other,” mentioned Arteta. “He obtained three assists and will have scored two. I believe he was actually spectacular.
“Not solely that, he had an harm three days in the past which may have taken per week, or one other 10 days, however he was actually prepared to return again early and the docs and medical workers did a whole lot of good work to get that. It makes a giant distinction within the group. We wanted him in the present day and his contribution was excellent.”
Sufficiently spectacular certainly that Arteta warned that there have been no ensures that Jesus’ sprightly 13 minutes off the bench would essentially result in a beginning position.
“It’s a fantastic downside to have, imagine me,” Arteta mentioned.
Given the numbers and high quality at Arsenal’s disposal, it’s arduous to doubt him.
The recreation lengthy since received, Arsenal defended with a tenacity that displays what their supervisor labeled a “love for defending.”
Aaron Ramsdale was berating captain Odegaard for a slipshod free kick conceded within the Fulham half, Gabriel celebrated a aim kick within the 93rd minute with virtually as a lot delight as he had his aim. These clear sheets matter. Where as soon as Manchester City appeared to personal the de facto bonus level that was a greater aim distinction now the hole is reasonably tighter, simply 5 now separating these two groups.
Add Jesus again into this group, an admittedly shaky finisher however one whose dovetailing with these round him makes for a propulsive pressure within the closing third, and that lead would possibly simply shrink additional over the approaching weeks. Arsenal have come by what was imagined to be an extended and hard winter with out their finest participant. Now they’ll dream of what spring would possibly carry.
