An easy weekend with Trossard's treble assist
Craven cottage was supposed to be a tough place to go to. Everyone said that Arsenal knew it, however at the end of it, it turned out to be an easy day.
Arteta's team looked comfortable and pressed consistently and they had that fluidity that proved too much for Fulham. They had the ball in the net in the first few minutes, only for that dreaded red line to rule it out. Martinelli was played through by Xhaka and his rasping drive
went in off Robinson. VAR and the red line chalked off the goal.
Arsenal was flowing as the formations kept changing and it was a matter of time before they scored. A floated corner kick from Trossard saw Gabriel rising and nodding it past Leno. Fulham's backline's reputation of being good in the air was not enough this time as the Brazilian added another goal to his impressive kitty for the season.
Arsenal kept pressing as Fulham seemed to leave acres of space in their half. A move from the Arsenal half once again saw Trossard drive down the left lane and another perfect looping cross found Martinelli with Robinson again looking pathetically out of position. It was turning out to be too easy and it continued to be so. just as halftime approached, another one was on the board for Arsenal. In what seemed to be a routine, Trossard crossed from the left, he found his skipper Odegaard with no Fulham defender around him. The Norwegian brought the ball down with his thigh, skipped a few steps, and planted a firm drive into the left corner. Arsenal was 3 up with only the first half played. Fulham seemed to have lost their nip.
The second half began better for Fulham, but a few saves from Ramsdale and a Mitrovic header deflecting off the post kept the score unchanged. Now Arsenal was cruising, and substitutions came thick and fast, Saka was given a rest, White was withdrawn and as the traveling fans cheered in anticipation, Gabriel Jesus came off the bench, for the first time after the World Cup. Trossard was the man to be replaced. The signing from Brighton was simply too good for Fulham. A transfer that fans were skeptical about, had paid dividends.
Jesus looked solid and could have scored after being fed by Viera. Denied by an outstretched leg from Leno, he sunk to his knees and thumped the ground. It would have been a perfect return, but it was not to be.
It was a good day on the field for Arsenal as the young team kept its foot on the pedal, pulling 5 points clear of City who had one earlier. With 11 matches to go, they still are in poll position in this race.
Hope lives on in the fanbase and the team does look easy to the eye and impervious at times.
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Sudhir Bhattathiripad
Be A Sport
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