After securing a fourth successive win, Arsenal will top the Premier League for the second successive weekend.
It was hard going against Fulham, who threatened a second after taking the lead following a defensive gaffe by Gabriel, but the Gunners found a way to dig out a deserved victory in front of terrific home support.
Man of the match Martin Odegaard levelled the scores not long after the hour mark with a deflected effort before Gabriel atoned for his error with a close-range finish five minutes from the end after ex-Gunner Bernd Leno had fumbled a corner.
After the match, Bukayo Saka and Ben White praised the attitude of the team.
“We’re all so hungry to win each game,” Saka told BBC Match of the Day.
“We’re going to continue like this for the whole season. We know how difficult the Premier League is. We’re just focusing on the next game, the next game and then the next game.”
White, speaking to Arsenal.com, added: “It’s obviously always nice to get the three points here. They made it tough for us and we made it tough for ourselves with the goal, but you know, the reaction from the boys was outstanding.
“With Fulham, you always have a physical game. You know, they’ve got a big boy up top and he’s hard to handle, but the boys did well today.
“I think the attitude and the desire we all have every day in training is showing on the pitch now.”
Despite being put through the mill by his players, manager Mikel Arteta was similarly enthused by the nature of the win.
Perhaps it was the fact that it was the first time since 2013 that a Gunners side had managed to turn around a match after conceding the first goal in the second half.
“I’m even happier than last week, I think the performance was top,” he told Arsenal.com.
“I think from the start to finish we went for it, we had periods where we had complete control and dominance of the game and created many chances, many shots and many arrivals in the final third, but it wasn’t happening. It was just a matter of time and being patient and not making a mistake.”
Arsenal don’t have to wait long for the next tests. Aston Villa visit the Emirates on Wednesday night before a big showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford next Sunday.
It’s a long season and there’s bound to be ups and downs. Let’s hope this good form can continue on Wednesday. It’s important to keep racking up the points when in good form for our top 4 ambitions.
Hope he is hungry to sign that contract. And Arsenal are hungry to protect his fitness. Incredible how good he is at such a young age, love him!
i want zaha to join us. Proven PL quality and available for cheap as contract nearly up at Palace. This would allow us to rotate our star player and protect him from burn out. Lovely Jubbly
Zaha is too old – 30 in a few weeks – won’t get any better, or faster, would command high wages for a squad player as he would be on the bench behind Saka and Martinelli, and his on-the-pitch personality doesn’t appear to fit into Mikel’s ethos.
Even on a free transfer next summer it would be a no from me.
Hi hear you, but not every player needs to be U25 or a ‘project’. Id like zaha to come in and hit the ground running.
I dont mind he doesnt have a sell on fee as we need cover for Saka NOW.
On pitch personality i think we need a bit of his bite and dark arts.
He’s too much of an individualist. Pedro Neto would be a better fit for Arteta’s ethos. His cuntery might be useful but I think he would probably drive Arteta mad
Pedro Neto is wanted to be an El Neny on the wing not to be an improvement on Pépé because he isn’t.
You mean ‘diving’ and histrionics’… no thanks.
Zaha is a soon-to-be over the hill has-been – just like Son and Kane.
We don’t need any more fading stars and their egotistical salary demands.
They can all fuck off to Chelsea.
Get in there, Q!
Now… tell us how you really feel.
Yes, he’s a fine young player. Our recent form and general direction of the club off the pitch are bound to help, aren’t they. That said, Saka wants CL football – quite understandably – so I’m not sure he’ll commit to a long-term contract extension just yet. Hopefully he will of course, but I wouldn’t be that surprised if his current contract (two seasons, including this one) had one more season added for the time being at a much increased salary. That would allow him to see if we qualify for the CL at the end of this season, which… Read more »
Total bull crap. It’s a matter of when not if. Saka is signing.
You clearly didn’t read my post. I said I thought he would sign an extension but it could be for an additional one season on top of the (almost) two remaining. Best to read first, then comment.
I think the minimum he’d be offered is four years. I’d say he wants to sign it just he agent seem to be very good at getting the maximum out of Arsenal. Fear play to him, wouldn’t mind him negotiating my work contract!!
We all read it and at least 21 of us didn’t agree with you. Saka is signing a 4 or 5 year contract at the club he has been at since he was 8, that is top of the league, that is in good form and just getting better each week. The club wouldn’t accept a one year extension and Saka wouldn’t disrespect the club by asking for it. The manager is confident he will sign a new contract, that’s good enough for me. It should be good enough for you too unless you actually believe you are in a… Read more »
Anyone else appreciate Benjamin White applauding a challenge which was quite obviously a foul? I forget which of our players it was. I think he might have been booked for it. So funny 😊
I’m actually a little scared to see how devastating we are if Saka really starts banging. I thought he did amazingly to beat his defender and get on his left foot in the first half, but the finish was just a little off from the high standards we associate with Saka. But it’s an inevitability that the golden boy starts hitting hard again soon. And to be fair, he’s carried us for so long that it’s really nice to know that Arsenal don’t rely so heavily on him anymore. Still buzzing from yesterday and bathing in all the fallout. Happy… Read more »
Not seen this posted anywhere but I though it was odd that Matinelli floating all the corners yesterday, coming and claiming crosses must clearly be the weakness in Leno’s game that lost him the shirt as they targeted him pretty ruthlessly. They were right as well as it paid off in the end.
Completely agree, in the end Martinelli got the cross perfect and saliba and Gabriel did the rest. Wonderful feeling
Leno wasn’t boxed in for most of those floated crosses. He gobbled them up, until the last one where Arsenal players in the box did their part of the job. Our second goal reminded me very much of the ones scored by Brentford against us first game of last season where they bullied Leno.
It’s pretty clear what the Arsenal coaching team saw as his key weakness. He was great…until he wasn’t and the tactic worked perfectly.
Great team performance yesterday,the boys are helping each other on and off the pitch
That’s good to hear and a definite improvement on the team’s apparent attitude in recent seasons. The big test will be how Saka and co. react when they lose. Will they be able to bounce back? We’ll see but it’s an encouraging start.
Lose? We’re not going to lose!
😉
Of course not, but it’s wise to consider (however briefly) even the impossible happening before putting it out of your mind completely.
Thanks but no thanks. Not even super briefly
Hahahaha. That’s the spirit.😄
Now let’s not get carried away
Ironic given your name.
Very poor match for Martinelli
Very poor comment for benjamin.
I recommend you watch again
Can we officially change your nick to Minjben?
I thought it was intriguing that, whenever Fulham won a corner kick, Jesus was the one taking charge of their ‘big boy up top’.
He can seriously jump
How was mitrovic leaning over him not a foul? That was ridiculous.
Let’s continue like this, if continue with the spirit we displayed against Fulham, I believe we can trash any club in EPL
We’ll be able to test ourselves against Utd (away) and Sp*rs (home) in the coming run of games so that should indicate where we’re heading.
Another properly entertaining PL game involving Arsenal – that’s the way it should be!
On a side note, another parent on my son’s team, that supports Ch*lsea, when we signed MO last year he said “I don’t rate him, all the other big teams have better midfielders”.
I said, “have you actually seen him play? You think even Fred is better?”. He said “yes”.
LOL he seems to be avoiding me these days!
I would rather have Odegaard than Jorginho or Mount or Loftus Cheek or any of their countless other midfielders, with one exception. That is Kante (probably the best in the world at his role this generation), but a fit Odegaard (or Elneny for that matter) is more valuable than an injured Kante.
MO made some very De Bruyne-esque moves this weekend… looking forward to seeing him continue to improve – no idea where his ceiling will be at this stage!
Just saw Gabriel and Odegaard’s post game interview. Gabriel is a charming guy. You can see in every player how much they care and have bought into the club and project. They’re well aware something special is beginning, not just us fans
We now have three charming Angel Gabriels…
Hope Arsrnal can buy Saint-Maximin instead of Zaha. Not to underrate Zaha but Saint-Maximin is electric
Saint Maximin isn’t yet the finished article. He’s kind of like a warp speed Gervinho or Adama Traore if he wasn’t such a headless chicken. When he’s good he’s great but he’s very hit and miss at the moment.
think zaha contract situation more interesting as its nearly up, but agreed saint max is a very tidy player.
Either way, cover for saka must be addressed to avoid our lad getting burned out. Hes our present and future. Lets look after him!!!
He will really bother teams and like his wild fearlessness. Have a feeling Mikel may well get the best out of him…
Just out of curiosity, does anyone remember the game in 2013 the last time we turned around a game where the opposition scored first in the second half? Was it that Cardiff game when Bendtner scored in the last minute? My memory is hazy.
It was Boxing Day 2013.
3-1 win at West Ham.
Carlton Cole scored on 46 minutes, then Walcott scored twice and Podolski scored.
Pod’s one was a proper belter