Fulham 0 (0.8)-(2.3) 3 Arsenal: The Debrief
Arsenal play one of their most complete matches of the season to maintain their 5 point gap.
11 matches to go.
5-point lead.
It’s getting serious now.
Thankfully Arsenal are looking to get back healthy and are perhaps peaking at the right time to be able to see this special season to the end.
Fulham 0 (0.8)-(2.3) 3 Arsenal | The Graphics
Fulham 0 (0.8)-(2.3) 3 Arsenal | The Numbers
3 - Goals scored by Arsenal, this is the 13th time this season Arsenal have scored 3 or more in a match. Arsenal did that just 9 times last season.
2.3 - Expected goals for Arsenal, this is 15th time this season that Arsenal have created 2 or more expected goals. Last season Arsenal only did that 12 times.
28 - Touches in the box for Arsenal, this is one of the lower totals for the season and the 17th time that Arsenal have had this many or more touches in the box. Last season Arsenal had 28 or more touches in the box just 15 times.
87 - Arsenal’s goal pace currently. They are a bit below the 90 goal target that Mikel Arteta threw out as the target needed for a title but that would still have them tie for the most goals scored in a 38-match season.
This was a good attacking performance from Arsenal and one that felt like there were potentially more goals in but the breaks didn’t quite fall their way as they sort of took even down a couple gears to see things through. Fulham came into this match looking vulnerable to conceding high-quality chances and Arsenal absolutely punished that weakness.
Fulham seemed to come to play, rather than sit back and try to hit long balls and play on the counter, you have give them a little credit for that. In the opening 15 minutes it seemed to work pretty well, forcing Arsenal to play in their own half of the field and to play it longer than is typical for Arsenal.
In the opening 15 minutes Arsenal played the ball longer than 15 yards on 53% of their passes, for the rest of the match it was only 40%. Arsenal also played 84% of their passes in the defensive or middle third of the field in the opening period compared to 77% the rest of the match.
This generally kept Arsenal away from the dangerous areas of the pitch as Arsenal figured out how to bypass this with some of the best one-touch passing moves I have seen from this team in a long, long time. On another day, against another team Fulham might have caused more trouble, but Arsenal’s technical level shone through here and cut them open over and over again.
With this big win, Arsenal have also closed the gap on goal difference to Manchester City, Arsenal are at +37 just five behind. That’s still probably too big of a gap to close if Arsenal are going to need that to help with the decider but we can hope that it keeps going that way and it isn’t needed.
0 - Goals allowed by Arsenal.
12 - Clean sheets for Arsenal this season.
11 - Clean sheets for Arsenal last season.
0 - Big Chances allowed by Arsenal
0 - Fast break shots conceded by Arsenal, with just one direct shot allowed (57th minute for Aleksandar Mitrovic)
3 - Shots allowed from set plays, for 0.13 expected goals, none in prime locations. A big improvement over something that was looking like a worry.
0.8 - Expected goals allowed by Arsenal, this is the 13th time that Arsenal have held their opponent to less than 1 expected goals.
To put the cherry on top of things, Arsenal’s defense looked very good. Arsenal’s defense was looking a bit shaky and this type of performance will go a long way to help getting things pointing in the right direction. Arsenal also got back on track to scoring the first goal in a match and doing so early.
Leandro Trossard Shines
4 - Progressive Passes
4 - Box Entry Pass
4 - Key Passes
0.81 - xA
2 - Shots
0.19 - xG
1 - Dribbles Completed
2 - Progressive Carries
3 - Progressive Passes Received
9 - Deep Touches
1.4 - xG Chain
0.71 - Goal Probability Added
1 - Tackles
1 - Fouls
1 - Interceptions
2 - Blocked Passes
6 - Ball Recoveries
Trossard filled out the stat sheet today. He did this after being doubted to even be able to play today.
I know there was some disappointment among Arsenal fans when he was signed after Arsenal had spent December and January chasing Mykhailo Mudryk. Mudryk is a flashy player that jumps out at you with his physical tools and highlight reel, while Trossard is a little more understated and certainly doesn’t have the same physical gifts. I think that the early returns show that Trossard’s Premier League experience has made this a much better signing for a team that is looking to win now.
He has slotted in basically perfectly. He has shown a level of comfort in the Arsenal system that even the most optimistic person might not have ventured to expect. He has built a quick understanding of how to play and with the team getting healthy he is still going to make taking him out of the team a hard choice, but could also help to make bringing back Gabriel Jesus quickly less of something that the team rushes.
William Saliba is back to his best
71 - Pass Attempts, led Arsenal
90.1% - Pass completion percentage
104.9% - Pass Efficiency (actual completion rate/expected completion rate)
407 - Progressive Pass Distance, led Arsenal
1 - Shots, a beauty that he struck so sweetly
1 - Dribble Completed
257 - Progressive Carry Distance, led Arsenal
0.65 - xG Chain
4 - Tackles, led Arsenal
0 - Dribbled Past
1 - Fouls
1 - Interceptions
2 - Blocked Shots / Saves
6 - Clearances, led Arsenal
0 - Aerial Duel Won
3 - Aerial Duels
It is hard to believe sometimes that Saliba is just 21 years old with his performances. In this match, he looked back to the absolute peak that he was showing early this season. His passing and composure on the ball under pressure is a pivotal part of Arsenal’s ability to play out from the back. For the second goal, Arsenal passed the ball around well in the back right before Saliba played a peach of a ball out to Xhaka to get Arsenal running forward in space.
Overall he did excellent dealing with Mitrovic, who had a very quite 3 shots and 7 touches in the box. He also showed some deceptive speed to help cover the large spaces that Arsenal demands their centrebacks cover. Just a great game from the Frenchman.
A little extra fun numbers
16 - Point gap for Arsenal over “title challenger” Manchester United. Manchester United are closer to Chelsea in 10th than they are to Arsenal.
I am very happy to have led the parade on them not being real contenders. That call has come out really well.
0 - Goals for Richarlison, it was funny to see him think he had scored but get called back for offside. That is the second time he has celebrated a goal that didn’t count.
3 - Arsenal players with double-digit league goals. Jesus is on 5 so it might be a stretch for him to join them but it is still really good to see them spread the goals around. No other Premier League team has even two players in double digits.
9 - Teams that Arsenal are guaranteed to finish above this season
16 - Points needed between Arsenal winning and Tottenham dropping them to have a St. Totteringham’s Day. It is coming, just a matter of when it will be celebrated.
100 - Wins for Mikel Arteta as Arsenal manager, congrats Mikel.
Cheers everyone, another week in the books with Arsenal on top of the table.