Fourth-place Arsenal head to Craven Cottage for a Sunday afternoon kickoff to end what can largely be considered an incredibly successful calendar year. Looking at those results we stand in third place, behind Manchester’s “115-charge” Blues and, surprisingly, Aston “Good Ebening” Villa. After nearly taking the league ending in May, we’ve continued our fine play and, should results go our way, we could finish the year as we did Christmas, at the top of the league. If we get a win at the Cottage, we will end 2023 in no worse than second on the table.
Fulham
Fulham have not fared particularly badly over the same timeframe, sitting towards the bottom of the middle of that table in 13th after finishing 10th last season. They kept manager Marco Silva for the whole period, and have stayed up in the League after winning promotion from the Championship in 2022.
In their recent games the’ve been a mixed bag, and while their early December 5-0 thumping of West Ham could have presaged a better result for us this week, Fulham’s results include points dropped from (mostly) bottom half teams. Do they raise their game against better squads? Not really, given they’ve only got 4 points from 6 games against the current top six, including the win against the Hammers and our 2-2 draw back in August. However, after losing to Liverpool earlier this month they thumped Forest 5-0 before lashing the same past West Ham the following game. So they have goals in them; their goal differential being in the negative implies they also ship lots. At least we’re in with a chance, eh?
Silva usually starts his squad in a 4-2-3-1, with Palhinha and Cairney ahead of a defense shorn of captain Ream. Traore will miss out due to a long-term hamstring strain, but Jiminez will return to the squad after a red card suspension. Ex-Arsenal players Willian (an injury doubt due to a tight thigh) and Iwobi usually feature in the front four, supporting their single striker with Pereira pulling the strings in the middle. And of course yet another ex-Arsenal goalie in the league, Leno, will marshall his area in hopes of keeping his ex-mates from bulging the old onion bag.
Arsenal
Given our result at THOF on Thursday against West Ham, a win is in no way guaranteed; our form over our last five games is 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses, both in the league. Not stellar. We are having a tough time scoring goals (in case you haven’t noticed), and shocking to some as it may be missing Havertz due to his accumulated yellow cards is only going to make it harder to score. From where will our goals and interplay come? If Martinelli can shake off his relative lethargy, if Saka can shake off two or three Fulhamites, if the rotational assaults against our squad are actually dealt with by the officials, if our captain Mø can drive us forward against their makeshift backline, if Jesus can have a dominating game *and score*…our 11 should be able to beat their 11. Right? Right?
Trossard in the inside 8 position wasn’t exactly a revelation on Thursday; perhaps ESR really is due a start to see if he can get our engine ticking over. Kiwior could come in for Zinchenko, staying closer to home rather than roaming in the midfield. Otherwise we’ll probably see the same starting 11 as against the Hammers. We suffer from the injury absences of Tomi, Timber, and Vieira, and it seems now Ghana will also feel the sting of Partey’s loss due to…injury? Thus will our bench be light, and probably stocked in part with tyros like Nwaneri, Cozier-Duberry, and/or Walters. Certainly we’ll see Ramsdale, one of Tross/ESR, and Cedric on the bench!
Raya
White — Saliba — Gabriel — Zinchenko
Mø — Rice — ESR
Saka — Jesus — Martinelli
The Holics Punt
So there you have it, in a game we should win we must win. Sounds even more repetitive after failing to do so against West Ham. In the “any win will do” column, Arsenal 3-2 Fulham will get you 23/1; compare with Arsenal 1-0 Fulham at 6s or 7s, and I know where I’d put my money. Add another Arsenal goal to that 3-2 line and you’re at 49/1 odds, so perhaps another chunk on Arsenal 4-2 Fulham just for fun?
It’s on Peacock at sparrowfart (6am) Pacific here in California, at 2 pm GMT on Sky in and around England…and in Japan (hi, Matt!) it’s a “sparrow sleeping” kickoff at 11 pm! Whoever goes to the game have a spectacular time in West London, hopefully a celebratory ruby and a pig’s ear is in your future to fortify the way home.
COYG!
Posted by Brendan (cba’s son) at 7.53pm on 24/12/23 but caught in the net, unnoticed until now:
Glasses raised to David Faber
God rest him and God bless him for a life well lived. A great friend to many
All the very best wishes to his family and to you all here
Happy Christmas and New Year to you from Donegal Derry Belfast and Glasgow
Sláinte
Sláinte mhath, Brendan!
🥃
here’s to cba, as well, may his cows moooooo in peace and joy over troughs of treacle stout…
Cheers, scruz!
A fine preview scruz and I’d love that 4-2 outcome.
It’s actually a 2pm GMT kick-off. I’ll let those in other climes calculate their own local time.
BtM and I are going to eschew the ruby and have a pre-match traditional English Sunday Roast with a very fine glass of ‘The Chocolate Box’ at a nearby hostelry of repute recommended by Dr C, once of this parish. I think Havertz should be available after a one game suspension and if so, will almost certainly start. I’d love to see ESR given a run out but don’t think he’ll start.
This match will tell us a lot about this team’s ability to bounce back and its potential to be at the sharp end come May.
COYG.
scruz@2, aye, cba was a ‘one of a kind’, to be sure.
a remarkable fella and much missed.
sláinte 🥃
i’ve edited the times, baff…
doh! missed that kai was only on one game. i’ve been away for the holidays and missed the spam game…
i’d still like to see esr in that position!
Terrific preview Scruz. Great detail on Fulham’s season so far and their injuries
Apart from Kai , Tomi trained with the squad today . My preference would be to rest Gabigol, play Jesus wide and use ESR as left 8 . If Tomi is fit he’d be my left back . But Mikel won’t change it around that much and he is the boss .
I’ve not missed this game for a long time ( when one could attend in person ) and joined our two Scottish brethren last year in the Riverside Stand . This year tickets are like hens teeth and my planned trip with the Countrymen had to be aborted .
Last year was a stroll and we have a great record at the Cottage ( I’ve seen us lose twice in about twenty visits over the years ) .I feel
confident we will win but doubt it will be comfortable. 2-1 to North London’s finest is my prediction
Your headline says it all, Scruz.
A glass raised to cba, for sure, and the season’s greetings to Brendan and the extended family. His da’ is certainly missed.
The Opta xG numbers for Fulham’s 5-0s against Forest and West Ham are 2.5 and 2.3, respectively, so a lot went right for them on both days. They have failed to score in eight of their league games, including the three most recent, Newcastle (A), Burnley (H) and Bournemouth (A), so their goal-scoring seems to blow hot and cold.
Thanks scruz, great stuff and you are right it’s 11pm here so the game will be on in 2023 and 2024 🥂 Hopefully I will be toasting in the new year with your 4-2
Highly informative, entertaining and well analyzed preview Scruz! Thank you.
As you and others mentioned above, bouncebackability of this squad is on test tomorrow and it will be anything but easy. Freshening up the starting eleven a bit may help to shed off the tired predictability that has crept in our game lately. Kiwior for Zinchenko who along with Martinelli really need a rest. And so ESR for Gabi, and Kai for Trossard. Both Trossard and Gabi to play important roles coming off the bench. A revamped Kiwior-Kai-ESR left side will present a different kind of challenge to the opposition.
However, I think Mikel will keep the faith in his preferred first eleven and the only change from the last match would be Kai coming in for Leo.
More assertiveness and clarity needed in the opposition penalty box, combined with the continuation of the midfield dominance and defensive solidity.
Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you all peace and prosperity, and Arsenal a successful 2024 on and off the field.
Come on Arsenal!
Last season’s 4-0 win in this game was wonderfully convincing, had Bath and TTG purring in appreciation and left me convinced that we’d win the League if the eleven who played could stay fit. A performance of comparable quality is badly needed today.
COYG.
P.S. Mikel, please start our excellent number 10 who should be doing much more than warming the bench and making death watch cameos.
Cheers scruz. Worried about this one. Thankfully, Fulham’s couple of 5-0 wins look to be firmly in the past now. Let’s end the year well.
P.S. Looks like the Eurostar stuff was due to a leaking pipe from the fire emergengy system in that tunnel. Still fairly incredible but then a lot of things are falling apart even recent ones (I still think this is a recent or at least renovated tunnel because that entire bit of the HS line didn’t exist as such before the move to St P).
Cheers Scruz……an excellent preview. I hope Mikel will stir the pot a little after some below par performances in certain areas of the pitch. I’m on BtM’s thought pattern that ESR should be given a start – he looked more lively in his cameo on Thursday and we’ve already know there is a big talent waiting to be unleashed. Gabi would get a rest and would be a lively sub for him later in the second half. A good win is needed to keep us in the title race and go into the cup match v the bindippers in a better frame of mind.
3-1 to the good guys on the cards.
COYRRR
Thanks scruz – fine job.
I’m losing track of days, matches, previews and reports – good to be back in the saddle quickly after the West Ham game.
I like 4-2 although another 4-0 would be better. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻
And Cheers, Brendan ! The old fella is still sorely missed….
And what almost everyone said about ESR. His willingness to attack space is something we have been lacking. We don’t know his exact state of health but if he can come on at all, it time to give him a start
Cheers Scruz!
And top regards to CBA and his family.
Adrian Clark – “Some interesting team news to report”
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Nketiah
@everyone Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Nketiah
Subs: Ramsdale, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Smith Rowe, Jorginho, Elneny, Nelson, Trossard, Jesus
Cheers Esso !
Thanks Esso! Just a thought about possible additions in January, Olise, Eze (CRY) and Solanke (BON). The former two providing depth to our Wing play and the latter in Centre of the attack.
Zinchenko gone in the fetlock?
I’m pleased to see a little rotation, after a long and arduous December. After today we have two games in the next 20 days. Glad to see Tomi on the bench.
Good break starting with Raya, nice shot by Gabi, good reactions from Saka, one nil to The Arsenal!
That’s been coming. Fulham the better team since we scored. 1-1
Yup not convincing so far but at least we have Jesus to come on for Eddie rather than Eddie coming on and doing sweet fanny Adams for Jesus.
A pedestrian performance from a team that has lost its swagger. Too slow, too flat, too predictable. If ESR can’t get on to shake things up in a game like that, when will he?
Aweful, woeful, predictable, still not keen on Toney but we badly, desperately need a cold calm goal getter, the opposition getting away with cynical fouls while getting a free kick every single time also grates massively but we know by now, Arsenal = Feel free fouling with no punishment.
Make no mistake though the warning signs have been there all season, our play has been found out and is now relatively easy to anticipate and defend, we get bullied too easily and that good defence is unravelling far too quickly each game now.
While it is easy to say don’t panic our recent performances suggest otherwise because rinse & repeat is clearly not working.
Cheers Scruz.
Good to see Brendan in with such a lovely message.
And I’m raising a glass to cba.
We weren’t bad against West Ham but nothing came off for us.
Today, we were bad. Terrible passing in particular, but a huge amount of basic errors all over the pitch.
I agree with DG about the ref. He wasn’t the reason we lost, but he was crap. I thought the defender went through the back of Saka to win the ball for their first goal. They still had loads to do (which they did very well, to be fair) and we had opportunities to stop them, but I reckon that’s given as a foul more often than not.
The second goal is just three bad luck deflections that lead to the ball falling at the Fulham player’s feet three yards from goal. Although it does highlight the potential for danger when a corner is simply put into an area someone can actually attack it, rather than aimed to land on a sixpence at the near post, as the first step in a preplanned routine, the second step of which is still unknown to any of us as we’ve never seen step one executed properly.
However, luck (and terrible corners) aside, this was a worse performance than any other I’ve seen from us this season. We need to use the relatively light January schedule to regroup and have a better start to next year than we’ve had an end to this one.
Still, we’re close to the top, and we may benefit from being a little out of the limelight for a while. Let Poo lead the way for a while and we can focus on ourselves with a bit less media hoohah.
Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, I hope you have a good night…
Happy New Year ‘holics.
Very well said, Dino @33
@30 Ned, I thought Havertz was completely ineffective. ESR’s ability to run with the ball merited (at least) a half-time introduction.
I don’t understand why all our corners are now in-swingers to the near post. We had success earlier in the season with corners to the far post and beyond. As GSD says, in-swingers to the near post have to be landed on a sixpence. I am not sure there is anyone in the team old enough to remember what they look like. At the very least, mix it up a bit.
BtM@35: I, too, would have had ESR on early doors second half. I didn’t think Havertz was as poor as you do, but I would have turned to ESR instead of Trossard to replace Martinelli, and put him on ahead of Nelson. I understand that Arteta has faith in the system and that with patience, the goals will come (both Saka and Martinelli had good chances, to be fair), but sometimes you just have to shake things up to get the opposition out of their groove.
I am slightly baffled why, recently, Martinelli has regularly been subbed after around 70 minutes unless he is carrying an injury of the after-effects of his illness. Even if he is not scoring at the same rate as last season, his direct running is a constant threat. For once, he wasn’t being doubled up on by the opposition, so had room to run.
I also thought Saka was less effective than he should have been, given he wasn’t being doubled up on, either, although full marks to Robinson for playing him well. He didn’t give Saka many opportunities to go past him on the outside.
That was a truly shocking performance. Fulham thoroughly deserved their victory.
Instead of bouncing back from our impotence against the Spammers we slumped further into group apraxia. I really don’t know what the cure is! I hope someone at Arsenal does.
I agree with everything GSD says @33.
I wish all ‘Holics a happy and healthy new year. Lang may yer lums reek.
Sláinte mhath!
🥃
Well i’m almost lost for words…however dire seems to fit quite well. Its apparent that MA has been well and truly worked out by other Head Coaches and i think his stubbornness is coming back to haunt him. I am flabbergasted that ESR sat on the bench for the entire game. As several erstwhile scribes have suggested that Arteta doesn’t fancy him but given the paucity of our play, to my befuddled mind, bringing on someone who can break the lines, i would have thought was worth a real go. But Arteta knows best, apparently. As has been suggested, presumably ESR will now be sold. I will be very sad & angry if that happens.
Not of great importance – the kit. Some years back, i think it was Trev pointed out to me that it is the kit manufacturers who make the choice. I thought a change of kit was only merited by a clash…so how does white shirt/black shorts clash with our red & white? Would it have made any difference, probably not but i think we should always play in our own colours when ever possible. I’d have even taken the banana colours rather than the almost indescribable green…or is it called “murky”?. Having supported them since 1950 & something, i’m well used to being disappointed. I recall in the 60s it often being mentioned about not winning anything for more than 20 yrs…its getting close…or has MA now refocussed on CL? When the game was on NY happened here, downunder…so fortunately i had some good French bubbly to sooth me through it. Luckily i had a reserve on hand!!!
>>>>>>>