Fulham reaction and player ratings

[mandela8]

even the Saka rating for the first time ever

Maybe I've been too generous in previous weeks, tbf.

[Niall_Quinn]

Didn't watch it. Sounds like I'm the only one who enjoyed it.

[Chippy]

Absolutely dreadful stuff. Arteta exposed again for his non existent game management ability. But those are the wins that arsenal weren't getting the last few years.

Ramsdale - 7. made a few saves which he's expected to make but looked more assured overall.

Tierney - 6. Very little impact. Had zero options on the ball a lot of the time though.

Gabriel - 3. Terrible. He took far too long on the ball a number of times and was obviously punished once. Terrible stuff that a goal can't mask.

Sailba - 6.5. pretty good. Done nothing wrong.

White - 5. He offers absolutely nothing going forward. In fact, he's pretty detrimental to the attack and doesn't offer anywhere near enough defensively to justify his continued selection at RB.

Xhaka - 4. So e may be fooled by him being moved out of harms way a little but just doesn't have the ability to contribute in a consistent way in his new position. Games like Fulham at home expose him (and Arteta) on this.

Elnonentity - 4. Quite incredible someone can make millions of pounds per year for just passing the ball literal feet to the closest teammate to them. Utterly pointless.

Odegaard - 8.5. only player with any drive and intent. A real shame his primary options are the hopeless Saka and inconsistent Martinelli.


Saka - 3.5. I thought he was a lot more involved, in the first half, than he has been. Shame his output is incredibly consistent. Pure shit.

Jesus - 5. Seems to be getting a little big for his boots already. Done very little.

Martinelli - 3. Utter garbage and his deliveries were appalling.




Nketiah - 7. Real spark when he came in. Really should've done better with a couple of chance but really added something to the team.




Arteta 1/10. Actually impressive how little he can impact a game after it has started. Clueless. The game was screaming out for more creativity yet Viera and ESR sat on the bench whilst Xhaka, Elnonentity, Martinelli and Saka don't absolutely nothing all game.

The thing that worries me is that our defence continues to look vulnerable. They should have made it 2-2 at the end. Thankfully, Ramsdale saved us.

[mandela8]

The thing that worries me is that our defence continues to look vulnerable. They should have made it 2-2 at the end. Thankfully, Ramsdale saved us.

Agreed.

The team definitely looks like the intent is to outscore the opposition...problem being there's no real goal threat in the team other than, potentially, Jesus.

A scoring threat from either side of the front 3 is an absolute must, before the window closes, and will make or break the team, I reckon.

[HCZ_Reborn]

It’s abundantly clear Martinelli’s effectiveness was enhanced by having Zinchenko beside him (which then seems to me that if we were going to spend thirty million pound on a position we didn’t need to sign a player in, the obvious solution was to sell Tierney first). Tierney behind him he stopped trying to beat his fullback and sent in early crosses when none of our players are anywhere near 6ft. And Tierney himself seems to enjoy being injured so he can be looked after by his boyfriend who works as a chef for the club.
The same works in other areas of the pitch you’re only as good as the people behind you. For me Odegaard was anonymous for huge chunks of last season because he wasn’t getting the ball in a timely fashion. With Elneny playing on Saturday, he actually realised he had to take the initiative himself but the attacks were few and far between compared to the last two games because Elneny is a safety first player who cannot make forward passes, and operates too deep.
Xhaka’s box to box position won’t work against any team that has a midfield that knows how to press on the ball so that’s completely useless to us as well.
As I said at the start of the summer I say now, it is criminally negligent to go into the season with the central midfield that we have now. And if that’s not addressed as a priority above any other consideration it only solidifies my conclusion that we won’t get top four and that Arteta has to go

[selassie]

The thing that worries me is that our defence continues to look vulnerable. They should have made it 2-2 at the end. Thankfully, Ramsdale saved us.

Aye, we are starting to look quite shaky at the back. I didn't really enjoy the game on Saturday...I felt even though we were the better side we made real hard work of it going forward and looked suspect at the back. I suspect the Villa game will be similar on Wednesday, then it's up to Old Trafford for our routine loss.

[selassie]

It’s abundantly clear Martinelli’s effectiveness was enhanced by having Zinchenko beside him (which then seems to me that if we were going to spend thirty million pound on a position we didn’t need to sign a player in, the obvious solution was to sell Tierney first). Tierney behind him he stopped trying to beat his fullback and sent in early crosses when none of our players are anywhere near 6ft. And Tierney himself seems to enjoy being injured so he can be looked after by his boyfriend who works as a chef for the club.
The same works in other areas of the pitch you’re only as good as the people behind you. For me Odegaard was anonymous for huge chunks of last season because he wasn’t getting the ball in a timely fashion. With Elneny playing on Saturday, he actually realised he had to take the initiative himself but the attacks were few and far between compared to the last two games because Elneny is a safety first player who cannot make forward passes, and operates too deep.
Xhaka’s box to box position won’t work against any team that has a midfield that knows how to press on the ball so that’s completely useless to us as well.
As I said at the start of the summer I say now, it is criminally negligent to go into the season with the central midfield that we have now. And if that’s not addressed as a priority above any other consideration it only solidifies my conclusion that we won’t get top four and that Arteta has to go

Been reading today that Partey's injury will keep him out the next few weeks. Apparently Elneny picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend too so we are now 2 men down in Central Midfield. If anything this is a blessing in disguise. Arteta and Co need to FIX central midfield now, no more ignoring it and spending on luxuries. We need players now who can start and contribute in central midfield. Pay whatever it takes.

[mandela8]

Been reading today that Partey's injury will keep him out the next few weeks. Apparently Elneny picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend too so we are now 2 men down in Central Midfield. If anything this is a blessing in disguise. Arteta and Co need to FIX central midfield now, no more ignoring it and spending on luxuries. We need players now who can start and contribute in central midfield. Pay whatever it takes.

That's a disaster if true about Partey, man. Elnonentity also being injured would soften the blow though, somewhat.

Hopefully force Arteta into playing Lokonga. That's what Arteta needs, a removal of all options as he invariably chooses the wrong one.

[Niall_Quinn]

It’s abundantly clear Martinelli’s effectiveness was enhanced by having Zinchenko beside him...

Apart form the self evident fact there's no such thing as Martinelli's effectiveness (at least not on the handful of occasions I've watched over the last couple of years), you can take this prediction to the bank. The progressive play you have noticed in Zinchenko will be trained out of him by the end of this season. Make a note, call me when it happens.

But true, watching the two City lads play is the only enjoyable aspect of an Arsenal performance. Rather like when Auba arrived, or indeed Tierney. Enjoy it because it will be short lived.

[mandela8]

Apart form the self evident fact there's no such thing as Martinelli's effectiveness (at least not on the handful of occasions I've watched over the last couple of years), you can take this prediction to the bank. The progressive play you have noticed in Zinchenko will be trained out of him by the end of this season. Make a note, call me when it happens.

But true, watching the two City lads play is the only enjoyable aspect of an Arsenal performance. Rather like when Auba arrived, or indeed Tierney. Enjoy it because it will be short lived.

Cheer up, mate.