Player Rating and Match Reaction Fulham 0-3 Arsenal

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ramsdale - 7 - Little to do until the second half but made a good save after Gabriel missed his interception


White - 7 - Looked to carry on where he left off last week


Saliba - 7 - Pretty solid on the whole


Gabriel - 6 - Got on the scoresheet but should have been able to intercept a pass into Decorva Reed which put the latter in


Zinchenko - 5 - Fortunately wasn’t able to fuck things up for us like he usually does


Xhaka - 6 - Ok some pretty iffy control but made himself available for some promising attacks


Partey - 6 - Good at the meat and drink part of his game, but worries me how often he loses the person he’s meant to be marking on corners


Odegaard 8- Been on pretty good form for a while, his control and movement to set himself up for the third goal was impressive, and not afraid to put in a tackle


Trossard 9 - Two away games in a row been man of the match, he just does the simple things well…good range of passing and crossing


Saka - 6 - Been a bit muted the last few games, I’m sure that Scottish boy botherer will have something to say about that.


Martinelli - 7 - Overall play was good, had a pretty easy goal to score in the end


Subs


Tierney 6

Nelson 6

Tomiyasu 6

Vieira 6

Jesus 7


Very little to complain about in truth, won the game in the first half and in the second half we were able to bring back Gabriel Jesus (he is risen) which of course is a massive plus for us with 11 games to go.
Not a perfect performance but an efficient one and an entertaining one. A potential banana skin turned into a relatively comfortable stroll

https://media4.giphy.com/media/d2jjIRvGomz6GMkU/giphy.gif

[Marc Overmars]

Chance to put some huge pressure on City next week if we beat Palace. Maybe 8 points clear and their next league game is Liverpool. Granted Liverpool are flaky as hell but they tend to raise their game against City.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Chance to put some huge pressure on City next week if we beat Palace. Maybe 8 points clear and their next league game is Liverpool. Granted Liverpool are flaky as hell but they tend to raise their game against City.

Yeah.... I probably wouldn't put too much money on us.

Or you know, any.

[Chippy]

Missed the game today but was blown away by the score and the nature of the victory. I am beginning to believe.

[Letters]

Missed the game today but was blown away by the score and the nature of the victory. I am beginning to believe.

I was pretty confident today, I’m starting to have some real confidence in this lot.
I still can’t help feeling City will steamroll us but we are certainly giving ourselves a chance.
:scarf:

[Mac76]

Ram - 7, one or two howlers but also some good saves
White - 7.5
Gabriel - 7 - at fault for one of the goals but otherwise pretty good, also good to see him get another goal - 7
Saliba - 8
Zin - 5 - once again gave the ball away at a dangerous moment and set them up for an attack, did do one or two little things of use here and there but generally once again showing he's overrated
Partey - 8 - generally very good
Xhaka - 7 - apart from an awful miss did do some good things in the first half particularly
Odegaard - 7 - needs to look up more and try to play more one-touch footabll, good gaol though
Saka - 6 - needs a break and should be rested for the home game against Sporting - Nelson should start instead
Trossard - 9 - in contrast to Saka and Odegaard at times, doesn't overcomplicate things and knows where the goal is at all times
Martinelli - 9 - brilliant as ever

Sub

Vieira - 8 - really like whet he does
Nelson - 7 - lively enough
Tomi - 7 - didn't see him do much
Tierney - 7 - didn't get much opportunity but was ok
Jesus - 7.5 - looked really lively but his finishing doesn't seem to have improved :lol:

[GP]

Arsenal have won five consecutive away London derbies while keeping a clean sheet each time - the first time this has ever happened by any capital club in football league history.

[Ollie the Optimist]

10 wins from the title….

[Chippy]

I was pretty confident today, I’m starting to have some real confidence in this lot.
I still can’t help feeling City will steamroll us but we are certainly giving ourselves a chance.
:scarf:
Yeah, City seem to have the knack against us. However, we can still afford to lose one. COYG.

[Letters]

Saw the highlights, looked like a pretty commanding performance.
I call bullshit on the disallowed OG, another one of those where they're looking to see if a toenail is offside. Just deal with the really glaring errors and let that stuff go. On we go :scarf:

[Letters]

Yeah, City seem to have the knack against us. However, we can still afford to lose one. COYG.

I didn't mean in the 6 pointer, although...yes. I meant just generally. They have it in them to just win and win until we buckle.
But they also have it in them to slip on banana skins so I guess we'll see. We're a million miles ahead of where any of us thought we'd be at this stage.
We remain 1 point off where the Invincibles were at this stage.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Saw the highlights, looked like a pretty commanding performance.
I call bullshit on the disallowed OG, another one of those where they're looking to see if a toenail is offside. Just deal with the really glaring errors and let that stuff go. On we go :scarf:

My understanding with offside was that unless it was glaring to give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking player. There are a few occasions where goals have been disallowed and they were offside (like the Saka goal against Leicester where VAR confirmed the on field decision). But it feels too often that instead of correcting terrible mistakes, VAR largely is used to find any reason to chalk off a goal.

I don’t buy into the Anti Arsenal agenda being propagated by Arsenal twitter, it’s just inconsistent decision making…if they were trying to help City win the title they surely wouldn’t have allowed Bruno Fernandes’ goal to stand at OT back in January.

What I think is lacking is a rule book that allows VAR to be consistently applied across the board. The problem isn’t the technology it’s the flawed people in charge of it.

[Ollie the Optimist]

I think VAR needs to build in a “linesman’s call” option for offsides similar to cricket.

I cant remember the exact parameters in cricket but for LBW, if less then 50% of the ball I think is hitting the stumps, they go umpires call so if it was given out, it stays out and vice Versa.

So football needs a decision from teh linesman and if it is within a certain parameter, they go with the original decision. Yesterday, i think the linesman would have given it given he didnt raise his flag when it was scored and so we would avoid a situation where vAR are zooming in so much to see if a big toe is offside, the pictures go blurry. Whereas if a player is 3 yards offside, it’s clear and decision would be overturned

[Marc Overmars]

Yeah, City seem to have the knack against us. However, we can still afford to lose one. COYG.

That’s on the basis we go there having matched City blow for blow. If they’re within touching distance of us before that game I think it’s probably curtains. They dispatched us with ease last month and there’s no real reason it won’t happen again, especially at their place.

My concern right now is winning the next 2 against Palace and Leeds, which means we can go to Anfield with room for error.

I’d be very confident if we didn’t have these 2 specific fixtures to play still, but Anfield and the Etihad are big graveyard fixtures for us. We will have to overcome huge psychological hurdles to get over the line because it’s literally been years since we even got a draw in these games.

[Mac76]

I’d be very confident if we didn’t have these 2 specific fixtures to play still, but Anfield and the Etihad are big graveyard fixtures for us. We will have to overcome huge psychological hurdles to get over the line because it’s literally been years since we even got a draw in these games.

yeah it's these two games that mean I can't get as excited as i'd like to be at this stage

I do believe in our team, having Jesus back is a huge boost as he has no fear - neither tbf do players like Martinelli and Saka

but we have to work on the basis we'll get nothing at Anfield or the Etihad

so it's about winning the other nine games and then needing Citeh to lose or draw at least one more game - it is possible it will happen, as they're having to balance the FAC, CL and PL at the same time

[mandela8]

Ramsey 5
Looked shaky to me.

Zinchenko 6
Does what he's told...I just don't really like it, but can't hold it against him

Saliba 6
Better. Looked solid.

Gabriel 6
Better. Looked solid.

White 5
Meh. Really doesn't do much, does he? Ok at defending, I guess. Pretty non existent offensively. Just don't get him.

Partey 9
Just imperious. What a fuckin player. Those constant things he does that look simple as fuck are unbelievably difficult.

Xhaka 4.
Genuinely shite at fitba. That miss was outrageous. Bizarre in that he seems to be the antithesis of what Arteta wants from his players, quick, progressive and decisive in tight spaces, but is the second name on the team sheet.

Odegaard 8
Just a lovely player.

Trossard 9.
I love him. Does everything well.

Martinelli 7
Decent enough.


Was good to see Jesus pick up where he left off 3 months ago...missing sitters.

Viera... definitely looking more comfortable and you can see he has a bit about him. Needs a run of starts to really blossom. Should definitely be starting ahead of Xhaka.


Edit: someone just mentioned Saka played yesterday. I double checked and he actually did. Must be time to wheel out the old "he's tired/needs a rest/played too many games/any other excuse rather than calling a spade a spade" trope.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Calling a spade a spade? Maybe Letters was right when he called you a racist.

[Mac76]

saw someone point out on Twitter that we're now five wins away from St Totteringham's Day :beer: