FPL notes: Gabriel injury latest, Vardy inspires Leicester

Continuing with our Gameweek 15 analysis, we look back on Fulham 1-1 Arsenal and Leicester City 2-2 Brighton and Hove Albion.

• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 15 round-up: Sunday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Emery explains Villa rotation + Mbeumo’s positioning
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Lewis ban, more City fitness issues + Munoz threat

GABRIEL INJURY LATEST

Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal are “missing” Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.2m), having dropped two points at Fulham on Sunday.

Fellow defenders Riccardo Calafiori (£5.8m) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (£4.8m) also missed out, forcing a defensive reshuffle, with Jurrien Timber (£5.6m) switching to left-back.

“Yes [on missing Gabriel], but I’m really pleased with the performance of Jakub [Kiwior] and we had to change the whole unit as well. We had Jakub there and Jurrien [Timber] on the left which we’ve never played before and Thomas [Partey] as a full-back, and okay he does it. Jorgi [Jorginho] comes in and he was excellent. That’s it, they were not available and we have to respond to that and I’m very happy with the way the team did.” – Mikel Arteta

Asked if any of Gabriel, Calafiori and Zinchenko will be back on Wednesday, when Arsenal host Monaco in the UEFA Champions League, Arteta said:

“I hope, but it’s more a question for the doctors and physios to understand where we are. We are missing a lot of players in the backline. The good thing is that whatever we put there they respond. They respond with a good attitude and performance. It’s not ideal. We know that when we have consistency there how much that’s giving us as well, but that’s a different season. It brings in different challenges, we try to face them in the best possible way, the players are certainly doing the same, and we’re going to continue on that route.” – Mikel Arteta

With Timber on the left, Arsenal suffered offensively as a result (more on that below).

They also haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six Premier League away games, despite limiting Fulham to just two shots and 0.16 expected goals (xG) on Sunday.

CORNER>GOAL

In Gabriel’s absence, William Saliba (£6.1m) grabbed his second goal of the week, poking home from close range following yet another corner.

There were other chances from dead-ball situations, too, with Saliba and Thomas Partey (£5.0m) narrowly heading wide.

In fact, just 0.3 of Arsenal’s 1.93 xG total on Sunday came from open play, highlighting just how reliant they are on set pieces to create clear-cut chances right now.

“I think it’s a great thing that we can again score from a set piece. We can generate other stuff, we had other chances. For a team to play like this you have to analyse every phase. Obviously against a low block you generate set pieces and you generate crosses because it’s really difficult to attack inside.” – Mikel Arteta

The impressive Declan Rice (£6.2m) did at least get forward well from his starting central midfield role, while Bukayo Saka (£10.5m) had the ball in the back of the net late on, heading in a deep Gabriel Martinelli (£6.8m) cross, only for it to be disallowed for offside after a VAR check.

ODEGAARD: “THEY KNOW HOW TO DEFEND”, SILVA ON ROBINSON

“They’re a good team. They know how to defend. A solid block. We didn’t do enough today. We have to learn from that and go straight back in for the next one.” – Martin Odegaard

Fulham weren’t at their free-flowing best on Sunday, but they stuck at it, defended resolutely and limited Arsenal to half-chances from open play.

It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, given that the Cottagers’ defensive process has generally been sound all season, as they rank fifth for expected goals conceded (xGC).

They’ve also lost just one of their last seven league games ahead of next week’s trip to Anfield.

Antonee Robinson (£4.7m) in particular excelled on Sunday, nullifying Saka and Martin Odegaard’s(£8.3m) threat, with six successful tackles, three interceptions, seven ball recoveries and five clearances.

“He’s been great for us. He’s one of the best left-backs in this league. It’s not just the way he is able to stop players, but the way he is able help ourselves. In open play last season, he was the full-back in this league with most assists and this season is probably one of the full-backs with the most assists. He’s a top player and a great professional. He’s a proper athlete and is improving in some defensive positions we want him to improve. He’s improving season by season, and week by week you can see he is improving, and we are really proud to have him with us.” – Marco Silva on Antonee Robinson

Further forward, Raul Jimenez (£5.5m) gave Fulham an early lead with a lovely finish into the far-left corner.

However, after scoring, Fulham were content to sit deep, barely troubling the Arsenal defence.

As for Emile Smith Rowe (£5.6m), he switched to a right-sided central midfield role but was largely ineffective and hooked just before the hour mark.

VARDY LEADS BY EXAMPLE

Jamie Vardy (£5.5m) inspired Leicester City to a superb late comeback on Sunday, as the Foxes secured a 2-2 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion.

The veteran striker scored his sixth league goal of the season, before assisting Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s (£5.2m) equaliser to total 12 points.

Up to seven attacking returns in his last eight appearances, Vardy is currently offering excellent value at just £5.5m.

“If you are on the scoresheet and make an assist, then you have to say this result would not be possible without him. It’s also the performance of the whole team, of course, that puts him in position. I enjoyed the whole sequence leading up to the goal and that’s why, we as a team, we put him in a position there. That’s why we want these players who can make the difference for us. Then Jamie had the awareness for that second goal, because I think you know with strikers, their eyes are focused on the goals.” – Ruud van Nistelrooy on Jamie Vardy

Overall, Leicester were far better than they were against West Ham United on Tuesday, when they somehow managed to win despite losing the shot count 8-31 and xG battle 1.67-3.10.

Here, it finished 10-16 and 1.31-1.54 respectively.

There are still concerns for the Gameweek 16 trip to Newcastle United, however, with an injury to Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m) and a suspension for Boubakary Soumare (£4.4m) potentially leaving Ruud Van Nistelrooy short of central midfielders.

As for Brighton, they were cruising through Tariq Lamptey (£4.5m) and substitute Yankuba Minteh (£5.1m) but had to settle for a point.

Elsewhere, Joao Pedro (£5.9m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£6.6m) really should have scored before Lamptey’s breakthrough, with the former replaced by the returning Danny Welbeck (£5.8m) on 70 minutes.

Positional rival Evan Ferguson (£5.5m), making just his second league start of the season, was particularly ineffective, registering just 13 touches in 68 minutes of football.

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