Arsenal's title bid took another blow as Fulham held the Gunners to a 1-1 draw
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By ISAAN KHAN
Published: 12:00 EST, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 13:49 EST, 9 December 2024
As the ball made its way to Arsenal's right flank time and time again, the Fulham backline happily shifted over like line-dancers in sync with the beat.
It was a pattern of predictability that ultimately led to the Gunners dropping two valuable points against the Cottagers and harming their title bid - and it is something they surely must adapt going forward.
Many reasons can be pointed to for the north London club failing to win a match they overwhelmingly dominated in terms of shots, possession and passes. Their xG said they should have won the game. And if Gabriel Martinelli had been a millimetre further back when he received the ball before crossing to Bukayo Saka with two minutes left, or if Thomas Partey had nodded home his free header, they would have won.
But the most notable reason for their failure to take all three points was the overreliance on the right-hand side of their attack which Fulham had sussed out. The ball found itself glued to the wing where the team's most gifted players, Saka and Martin Odegaard, lurk.
So much so, that 53 per cent of Arsenal's attacking play was on that side, compared to the 26.3 per cent of occasions it made its way to the left.
That allowed Fulham to commit extra bodies to their left-hand side to nullify the Gunners' preferred area, with Alex Iwobi slotting in at right-back on defensive transitions to create, in effect, a back five.
Arsenal's reliance on Bukayo Saka (left) and Martin Odegaard (right) is beginning to hurt them
Mikel Arteta's side suffered a blow in the title race as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Fulham
Left-winger Leandro Trossard was often begging for the ball in acres of space. His cries were largely ignored.
The case in point was reflected in the final minutes. Saka's disallowed goal in the 88th minute, ruled out for offside, came by way of Martinelli's cross - from the left - a rare foray down that side of the pitch. How Arteta could have done with this area utilised earlier.
Accusing Arsenal of being predictable with their wing play against Fulham seems harsh when the team put five goals past both Sporting Lisbon and West Ham in recent weeks.
But Sporting seemed to have never seen Arsenal play before and went one-on-one with Saka affording him time to look up and combine with Odegaard or put balls into the box. And West Ham looked like a team low on confidence and Arsenal were able to pick them off. The right-hand side policy worked. It's when it's not working that the problems arise. Can Arsenal switch it up and be as effective down the left?
Fulham were superb. Marco Silva singling out Antonee Robinson's marshalling of Saka. He resolutely kept to his task which limited Arsenal's hopes of making in-roads on that right-hand side. But teams know that Arsenal's attacking strength lies at the feet of Saka and Odegaard, which makes neglecting the other flank a viable option for them. Particularly if Arteta's team don't adapt.
Both Saka and Odegaard enjoyed 71 touches each. Trossard, who was replaced by Martinelli after 60 minutes, had just 35. Martinelli had 25, which in fairness is high for the limited minutes he played.
It's an overall pattern of predictability which didn't just happen in Sunday's encounter. This season so far in the league, Arsenal's attacks on the right flank (45.6 per cent) outweigh those on the left (31.2 per cent). It's a one-sided element that is a blemish on the team.
And it has left them perhaps too reliant on set-pieces. Arsenal's last three goals have come from corners, the two against Manchester United that sealed the 2-0 win from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba and the one against Fulham from Saliba again. It's been well documented how good they are at deadball situations, they are way in front of their opponents in the last season and a half in terms of deadball goals scored.
Leandro Trossard was frequently calling for the ball on the left flank but his cries were ignored
Mail Sport's ISAAN KHAN
But goals are needed from different avenues. Since the 2017-18 season, Arsenal's set-piece goals share of their total non-penalty expected goals (xG) is 37.1 per cent - the second-highest of all Premier League teams in that period.
Higher than West Brom's 36.9 per cent in the 2017-18 campaign (Tony Pulis was manager before being replaced by Alan Pardew in November), and Sean Dyche's Burnley in the 2019-20 season (36 per cent).
It's remarkable that a team vying for the title find themselves in this grouping. In fact, the only team to finish in the top four since the 2017-18 campaign with a share higher than 30 per cent was Newcastle in the 2022-23 season (31 per cent).
As seen in previous games, Arsenal are capable of scoring plenty - even without set-pieces. Saka will, of course, be a weapon Arteta's men often turn to. It's a tried and tested route which often works, skilfully producing an assist for a team-mate or scoring himself.
It is when that route becomes blocked, - as it did at Fulham - or Saka and Odegaard aren't having the success they are so accustomed to - that the Gunners need to have a Plan C (if set-pieces are Plan B).
Arsenal are in the thick of the title race. There are many points to be won and lost but if they want to stay in it, they may wish to start looking both left and right.