Player Ratings: Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

This is a scoreline that truly flatters to deceive for Fulham. To only lose by one is incredible considering the lack of inspiration or identity shown by the Whites at the Emirates. For the second time in four days, we set up poorly and looked bereft of ideas. Can’t wait for us to bounce back against some pony little team like… Oh, it’s Liverpool next.

Bernd Leno

Made quite a decent save from Ethan Nwaneri early on from a fairly strong half volley. Moments later, we were 1-0 down, but you can always sympathise with a goalkeeper when a deflected shot comes through and you see it so late with no time to react. Nor can he be to blame for the second, a close-range sitter for Bukayo Saka, however before that he did well to deny Justin Timber from a tight angle. 6.5/10

Issa Diop

It’s the same story for Diop since Andersen signed; when he’s called upon he’s rarely putting a foot wrong, even if he doesn’t come across as being spectacular. And I felt it was harsh for him to be the centre-back to depart when Fulham eventually went back to a back four. Decent on the ball with a few decent clearances out of the box, nothing too much to complain about. 6/10

Joachim Andersen

Genuinely thought he was really solid for most of the game. Saw a lot of the ball at the centre of the back three as most of Fulham’s possession was in their own defensive third. His 10 clearances was the most of anyone by a mile and showed how well he was positioning himself defensively. Unfortunately, he gave the ball away to set Arsenal off for their second and was unable to stop Gabriel Martinelli ghosting ahead of him to set up Saka to score. 6/10

Jorge Cuenca

Think of the three centre-backs, Cuenca was probably narrowly the weakest of the three, although that has to be validated with the fact that he’s getting such rare cameos and normally fits in really well when called upon. Didn’t think his passing was perfect, especially when he tried going from left to right over the top. Unlucky to deflect Arsenal’s first strike past the helpless Leno. 5.5/10

Timothy Castagne

Not a good week for Castagne in the slightest, with the Belgian being shown up massively first by Eberichi Eze, and now by Martinelli. The Brazilian and his left sided counterpart Myles Lewis-Skelly showed up his lack of pace and ability to defend one-on-one far too often for my liking. At one point, Martinelli nutmegged Timmy and Castagne simply flopped to the floor in retaliation. Apt, really. I miss Kenny Tete. 4.5/10

Sander Berge

Had to play ridiculously deep for most of the game to help recycle possession when we had it which probably helps push up his ridiculously high pass success percentage. I’m still trying to not critique him because he’s consistently good but in a team this passive on the day, you’d have loved to have seen him try at least once to burst through midfield and try creating something. Zero goal contributions all season is far from ideal. 6/10

Sasa Lukic

Just like on Saturday, thought the Serb looked strangely off the pace. Arsenal’s midfield is very evidently full of superb technicians but the way he was overran over and over was really frustrating and to see him irritably booked for hauling back a red shirt that he couldn’t keep up with felt inevitable. Like Berge, his lack of input even remotely close to the final third is a tad annoying. 5/10

Antonee Robinson

You still just don’t know if the boy is fully fit. Thankfully he lasted the full game this time and never really looked off the pace, but the intensity he played with and the way he went into duels just wasn’t quite reminiscent of what he’s shown to be capable of this season. The shining light of his evening was a lovely weak foot cross which set up Sess late on for what could have been a consolation header. 6/10

Adama Traore

How the hell do I analyse this performance? The man made 12 passes (I’m putting further emphasis on this in the managerial section… so more on that later) which truly sums up how little effect he was able to have on the game. As we will see later in this article though, I won’t be blaming Traore for the lack of joy he had at the Emirates. At least he tried to make runs, show himself for the ball and threaten his full-back, unlike a certain someone. 5/10

Raul Jimenez

Honestly this poor man could not have had less support if he tried. The Mexican ran his absolute nuts off trying to chase every clearance down. His first touch was constantly superb trying to protect the ball in Arsenal’s half, but nobody was ever within 30 yards of him to start a proper sustained attack. Being subbed off only to see Fulham’s best three chances arrive in the box late on must’ve been soul destroying. 6.5/10

Emile Smith Rowe

I can’t put my frustration about this man into words. It might come across so hard as a stand alone comment from someone who’s never met the bloke but he just doesn’t look like he cares about the badge he’s playing for. He whimps out of duels, refuses to play a pass further than five yards sideways or backwards, has zero confidence to take a man on and never gets into space in the final third. Marco has his work cut out to change increasingly negative opinions of Smith Rowe in the fanbase at the moment. 3.5/10

Substitutes

Andreas Pereira (66’ for Lukic)

At least added some threat from the middle of the pitch every so often in the latter stages which Lukic and Berge had failed too. Got into good crossing positions but rarely executed them well, just like at the weekend. Nice pass to set up the attack for the goal. 6/10

Willian (66’ for Adama)

Honestly don’t know what Marco told him to do? Sometimes seemed to sit in the 10 role with no idea of where he was meant to be, sometimes drifted wide but never looked like getting on the ball. Very minimal impact, if any at all. 5/10

Alex Iwobi (66’ for Smith Rowe)

Certainly an improvement on the man he replaced in terms of effort and creativity. A couple of intricate dribbles were encouraging from a man who had seemed to have lost his spark as of late, as was a perfectly placed cross for Muniz from the left, which should have been converted. 6/10

Rodrigo Muniz (76’ for Jimenez)

Normally a goal off the bench basically guarantees a seven out of 10, but I think that would be ridiculous considering what actually unfolded. The goal Muniz did score was scuffed, deflected, and a complete piece of luck. The one he did not score which could have been more than a consolation, was an absolute sitter of a header from close range, sadly. 6/10

Ryan Sessegnon (76’ for Diop)

Another really positive cameo off the bench, which begs the question why is he not getting more chances to start or at least be bought on earlier in games instead of certain individuals that are not impacting games like he is. Beautiful play to get the assist for Muniz late on. 7/10 – Man of the Match (From a 20 minute cameo – sums it up.)

Manager

Marco Silva

Just like Saturday, I think you have to critique the set-up, and critique it heavily. I do not care whether it was Arsenal away or Southampton at home, to start a game so negatively, with zero attempt to attack the opposition, is abhorrent. Adama Traore proved at the Etihad that, even if you want to set up deep, you have a dangerous player there to utilise on counter attacks. The fact that Adama was barely allowed to leave his own half and managed just 12 passes of the ball sums up the negativity shown in Silva’s tactics.

Those last 15 minutes when he finally stopped being so stubborn and allowed Fulham to play with any ounce of freedom, with a back four and attacking players that at least were allowed to attack, proved that he had got everything wrong prior to that. The scoreline flatters another shocker from our manager, in my opinion. You can’t give big praise for those changes either, they simply were too little too late. 2/10