One more decisive weekend within the title race? Fairly most likely. Whereas Liverpool had the Saturday off following Storm Darragh’s intervention, Arsenal had the chance to go inside 4 factors of the Reds.
Did the Gunners take that likelihood? In fact, they did not. Mikel Arteta‘s males had been made to rue their first dropped factors for the reason that final worldwide break following what was a quite laboured show at Craven Cottage.
Raul Jimenez opened the scoring early on the conflict earlier than Arsenal fought again via but extra set-piece wizardry.
With out Gabriel, William Saliba has change into the go-to man, now scoring in consecutive Premier League fixtures.
Fact be informed, Fulham not often threatened and it was Arsenal who dominated proceedings. A late winner appeared to have arrived courtesy of Bukayo Saka, just for Gabriel Martinelli to be flagged for offside by VAR after bedlam had occurred within the away finish.
So, on a day of negativity for Arsenal, had been there any positives to take from the conflict?
Arsenal’s finest performers towards Fulham
Saliba has been a person mountain since Arteta first named him on a Premier League workforce sheet over two years in the past now.
He was a rock on the again as soon as extra towards Fulham and was the person who gave Arsenal a route again into the sport.
With Gabriel lacking once more via damage, the goalscoring burden has fallen on the shoulders of Saliba from set-pieces and he is not let Nicolas Jover or Arteta down one bit.
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Whereas his aim towards Manchester United just a few days in the past went in off his bottom, this aim was quite extra deliberate, sticking the ball house from a matter of yards out after Kai Havertz had nodded it into the Frenchman’s path.
Saliba wasn’t the one optimistic. After a monster efficiency towards the Pink Devils in midweek, Declan Rice was a surging ahead from midfield as soon as once more.
His dead-ball supply was inch-perfect on numerous events and he left the sector having accomplished 4 of his seven crosses, three key passes and a 98% cross success price total. Not unhealthy in any respect.
That mentioned, who was the primary man at fault in west London this weekend? It was arguably Jakub Kiwior.
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Jakub Kiwior’s efficiency in numbers
Worry. That was the first feeling amongst Arsenal supporters contained in the Emirates final Wednesday. Gabriel was absent, as too was Riccardo Calafiori.
Nonetheless, their deputies in Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko did a tremendous job of minimising the risk posed by Ruben Amorim’s workforce.
In that sport, the Poland worldwide was close to flawless, leaving the sector with an 85% cross success price and a duel success price of 80%, shedding only one all night time.
That very same stage of efficiency was not obvious within the away conflict at Fulham with the previous Spezia man at fault for the hosts’ solely aim of the sport.
Kenny Tete performed a ball in behind the Arsenal defence which wasn’t minimize out by Kiwior. It appeared as if he was caught in two minds. The ball was there for the Pole to throw himself at and make an intervention or he may have backtracked sooner and stopped Jimenez from racing in behind.
Sadly, Kiwior was capable of do neither and allowed the Mexican to dart away from the defence and fireplace previous David Raya.
It has been every week that is arguably summed up the 24-year-old’s time in north London. Inconsistent.
|
Kiwior vs Fulham |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes performed |
90 |
|
Touches |
76 |
|
Correct passes |
62/70 (89%) |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
Crosses |
0 |
|
Floor duels received |
0/1 |
|
Aerial duels received |
2/3 |
|
Tackles |
0 |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Pictures |
0 |
|
Dribbles |
0 |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore. |
|
Handed a 5/10 score by the Customary’s Simon Collings, it does not make for excellent studying from a statistical perspective both. Kiwior could have accomplished 89% of his passes however he didn’t make a sort out, was dribbled previous as soon as and did not win a single floor duel both.
He could have higher days, that is for certain, but when Gabriel or Calafiori are match when Arsenal tackle Monaco within the Champions League they need to return to the facet.
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