Arsenal bounced back immediately from their humiliating defeat at Liverpool on New Year’s Day.
The Gunners recorded a big 4-1 win over Fulham with attacking returns from several Fantasy Premier League usuals.
That game is the subject of our latest Scout Notes article.
Arsenal 4-1 Fulham
Goals: Granit Xhaka (£5.3m), Alexandre Lacazette (£9.4m), Aaron Ramsey (£7.2m), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.4m) | Aboubakar Kamara (£4.4m)
Assists: Alex Iwobi (£5.4m), Sead Kolasinac (£4.9m), Aubameyang, Sokratis Papastathopoulos (£5.1m) | Ryan Sessegnon (£6.0m)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.4m) bounced back to form as Arsenal were deserved 4-1 winners over Fulham on New Year’s Day. It took some time for the forward to get his returns but as the game’s top shooter in the penalty box, and the player with the most touches there, it was fitting that he ended up on the scoresheet. It was the type of performance that his owners would have wanted after his blank at Anfield and with West Ham his next opponents. His goal and assist gave Aubameyang a nine-point haul, which most of those who captained him would probably be happy with. However, it was another match where the former Borussia Dortmund man missed close-range chances that he really should have buried, just two of his six shots were on target in the end. These spurned opportunities appear to have cost Aubameyang a shot at any bonus points.
Alexandre Lacazette (£9.4m) got his first goal since the Gameweek 14 win over Tottenham, but once again was unable to complete the outing. The Frenchman also deserved to get attacking returns as Aubameyang was the only player at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday afternoon who had more touches in the box or more shots there than Lacazette. However, his struggles to live up to his price-tag continued as he went a 13th consecutive Gameweek without double-digit returns. While he has been relatively consistent in that time, averaging 3.8 points per appearance, it’s just not quite good enough to be forking out over £9m for, especially if he is not completing games he starts. That is something some Arsenal fans are a little frustrated by, as they booed his substitution against Fulham on Tuesday.
“I understand the supporters, but I need to do my work. Tactically we are thinking we need to change for more balance. We know Seri well, we need a player close to him, not let him play with the ball too easily. But for me today Lacazette helped us.” – Unai Emery
Perhaps offering a value route into Arsenal’s attack is midfielder Alex Iwobi (£5.4m). His assist for Granit Xhaka‘s (£5.3m) opening goal was his third attacking return in four Gameweeks. He is another of Emery’s charges who rarely completes full 90-minute spells in the Premier League (his full outing in Gameweek 20 the first since Gameweek 10), but at the cheaper price that is slightly more bearable. The Nigerian has started 10 of Arsenal’s last 15 Premier League matches and his recent form may help him add to that stability in 2019.
The only Arsenal player to create more chances than Iwobi against Fulham was Sead Kolasinac (£4.9m), who also chalked up his fourth assist of the campaign in Gameweek 21. However, his appeal continues to be dented by Arsenal’s inability to keep clean sheets, even in favourable home matches. They have just one at the Emirates Stadium since Gameweek 8, with Aboubakar Kamara (£4.4m) pouncing on the back-post to convert Ryan Sessegnon‘s (£6.0m) second-half cross. The English midfielder was actually unfortunate not to have two goals to his name already by that point as he missed golden opportunities early in the game. It says a lot about Arsenal’s ability to control and defend that their opening goal arguably came against the run of play. The protection of the benched Lucas Torreira (£5.1m) was a big miss in the first half, but Fulham still scored their goal after the Uruguayan came on at the interval.
Obviously, Emery has also not been helped by the swathe of injuries in defensive areas this season. It meant that today was the first time that Sokratis Papastathopoulos (£5.1m), Laurent Koscielny (£5.4m) and Shkodran Mustafi (£5.4m) played together, with the latter being forced off with injury at half-time to make matters worse.
“Our challenge now is to improve defensively. Today is the first time we could play with Sokratis, Koscielny and Mustafi. The injury to Mustafi meant we changed for the second half. We are happy with the attacking players and scoring goals, but we need more balance defensively to improve. We need to work, we need to do better in the second half of the season.” – Unai Emery
“(On Mustafi) It’s a small injury. It’s a small problem but he didn’t feel well after the first half. He wanted to play.” – Unai Emery
Aaron Ramsey (£7.2m) showed a glimmer of what he has often offered as he scored in a substitute’s appearance in the second half. Emery went as far as to pay him compliments in his post-match press conference, also indicating that he might not leave in January either.
“He worked well in Liverpool, today he played minutes and he scored. I want this focus. I would expect (he will still be here in January), yes.” – Unai Emery
As for Fulham, their defensive woes dragged on, taking their goals conceded column for the campaign to 47. They were not helped by the absence of Calum Chambers (£4.2m) in midfield, who was ineligible against his parent club. Claudio Ranieri handed a first league start since September 2017 to Ibrahima Cissé (£4.3m), who lasted 60 minutes before being replaced by Jean Michael Seri (£5.0m).
Fulham lined up in a 3-4-3 with Tim Ream (£4.2m), Maxime Le Marchand (£4.2m) and Denis Odoi (£4.4m) were at the back, with Joe Bryan (£4.8m) and Cyrus Christie (£4.2m) pushing on. That more forward-thinking approach was tempered by the introduction of Timothy Fosu-Mensah (£4.5m) for Christie in the 56th minute.
The aforementioned Sessegnon looked dangerous in fits and bursts. No Fulham player was treated to more big chances than him at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal XI (3-4-2-1): Leno; Koscielny, Sokratis, Mustafi (Torreira 45′); Kolasinac, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Maitland-Niles; Aubameyang, Iwobi (Saka 83′); Lacazette (Ramsey 75′).
Fulham XI (3-4-3): Rico; Ream, Le Marchand, Odoi; Bryan, Cissé (Seri 61′), Cairney, Christie (Fosu-Mensah 56′); Schürrle (Kamara 61′), Sessegnon; Mitrovic.
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