Showing posts with label Fulham vs Arsenal. Show all posts

Fulham 1 Arsenal 3 : Match Highlights and Post Match Reaction from MOTM Aaron Ramsey and Arsene Wenger

Published 24th August 2013 Written By Jeff @ArsenalTrend Edited by Gordon @Arsenal_Supremo


Lukas Podolski scored a brace and Olivier Giroud grabbed his third goal in as many games as Arsenal recovered from its poor start to the Premier League season to earn its first points with a 3-1 win at London rivals Fulham on Saturday. 

Arsene Wenger's team bounced back from a home defeat against Aston Villa in a convincing manner, looking in total control most of the time at a rain-soaked Craven Cottage.

Giroud scored the opener in the 14th minute with a left-footed shot from close range and Podolski doubled the visitors' lead four minutes before halftime with an excellent finish. Podolski completed the comfortable victory in the 68th after being set up by Santi Cazorla. England forward Darren Bent pulled one back for Fulham in the 77th.


Watch Giroud make it 1 0 to the Arsenal against Fulham. COYG ... on Twitpic
Video : Giroud's Goal


 It was Fulham's first loss this season after it opened the campaign with a win at Sunderland.

"It's never easy to play away or win away and we did it in a convincing way,'' Wenger said. ``We had a disappointing result against Villa and it was important to respond.''

The win is likely to appease Arsenal fans, who voiced their discontent and concerns after the Villa loss, urging their club to bring in new players.

Wenger, who is still hoping he can make a marquee signing before the end of the transfer window, left England midfielder Jack Wilshere on the bench to give Podolski a start while Fulham manager Martin Jol handed a debut to England midfielder Scott Parker, recruited from Tottenham earlier this week.

The match was played in difficult conditions, with heavy rain falling on the pitch. Arsenal created its first chance after 12 minutes when Theo Walcott's effort was parried away by Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale, who replaced the injured Maarten Stekelenburg.

Giroud opened the scoring two minutes later, tucking in the ball past Stockdale for his third goal in three games in all competitions this season after Aaron Ramsey's attempt deflected into the French striker's path.

Giroud had also scored in Arsenal's opening 3-1 home loss to Aston Villa and during the 3-0 win at Fenerbahce in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off.

"We picked up where we left off at Fenerbahce and played very well,'' said Aaron Ramsey. ``Lukas has a lethal left foot and proved that again.''

Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny kept the Gunners ahead soon after with a double save, first blocking Adel Taarabt's shot then stopping Damien Duff's right-footed shot in the 16th minute.

Fulham then created chances through Taarabt but lacked the finishing touch. Parker went close after being assisted by Dimitar Berbatov but his left-footed shot from outside the box went over the bar in the 30th.

Arsenal doubled its lead ten minutes later as Podolski showed his finishing qualities, scoring from the edge of the box after a rebound off Walcott's shot.


Fulham 0 Arsenal 2 Podolski Goal on Twitpic
Video : Podolski makes it 2 0


Fulham got off to a good second-half start and made Szczesny work, with the Arsenal `keeper forced to deny another of Taarabt's efforts minutes before Bacary Sagna's sliding tackle stopped Parker's burst into the area.

But Podolski sealed Arsenal's win in the 68th minute with a shot between the legs of a defender that ended in the far corner.


Fulham 0 Arsenal 3 : Podolski's Goal on Twitpic
Video : Podolski makes it 3 0 


Bent, on a season-long loan deal from Aston Villa, gave the home fans something to cheer, tapping in the ball from close range after Szczesny failed to block a shot from Berbatov.

Team Line Ups

Fulham : Stockdale, Riether , Hughes , Hangeland , Riise , Duff  (Bent 59 ), Parker , Sidwell (Karagounis 75), Taarabt  (Kacaniklic 62 ), Kasami , Berbatov

Subs not used: Ruiz, Briggs, Boateng, Etheridge

Goal: Bent 77

Booked: Parker, Kasami

Arsenal : Szczesny , Jenkinson , Sagna , Mertesacker , Gibbs , Ramsey , Rosicky  (Wilshere 70), Cazorla , Podolski  (Sanogo 81), Walcott , Giroud  (Monreal 72)

Subs not used: Fabianski, Frimpong, Gnabry, Zelalem

Goals: Giroud 14, Podolski 41, 68

Booked: Ramsey, Wilshere

MOTM Aaron Ramsey Post Match Reaction


Arsene Wenger Post Match Reaction


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Let us know in the comments below what you thought of the performance. Now its onto the Champions League play off second league against Fenerbache where Arsenal will take a 3 0 lead to the Emirates.

COYG

Arsenal Players Twitter Reactions 

Match Highlights

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1 - Arsene Wenger pleased with all three points despite lackluster performance.

21st April 2013 By Gordon @Arsenal_Supremo


Arsene Wenger stated that the performance of the players after going a goal up and a man up was not up to the standards of recent performances but knew it was vital of getting all three points after a 0 0 draw to Everton on Tuesday night.

"It was a positive first-half, but for some reason, and I don't know why, our game in the second-half deteriorated and our passing became sloppy. We played with less pace in our game and you have to give them credit - they are a good side and they tried like mad. They played very well today."

"It became hard, and in the second-half especially I think we played with a hand-brake," "We just wanted to keep the lead without taking any risk and had not enough penetration. When a team is down to ten men they focus on defending deep and they defended well. We did not give them enough problems today."

The boss agreed with the referee decisions to send Sidwell and Giroud off in the game. 

It looked like it, I spoke with Giroud and he said he slipped when he went for the ball and I don't complain about it."

"Unfortunately yes we have to find a solution up front for the final games, but that can happen and we have to deal with it," he said.

"The result is the most important thing now, but the best way to get the result is still to play well. I think the nerves played a part in the second-half as we did not want to be exposed and we lost our fluency.

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Match Report

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1 Match Report - Gunners provisionally back into third place in the Premier League table with a 1-0 win at 10-man Fulham

20th April By Jeff @ArsenalTrend


 Arsenal moved provisionally back into third place in the Premier League table with a 1-0 win at 10-man Fulham on Saturday and are two points ahead of Chelsea, which has two games in hand. Arsenal strengthened its hopes of a Champions League spot after Per Mertesacker's header late in the first half secured the victory. Arsenal dominated possession throughout the game but the Gunners struggled to create any real chances. Arsenal, who started with England midfielder Jack Wilshere on the bench, were given a huge advantage in the 12th minute at Craven Cottage when Steve Sidwell was shown a straight red card for catching Mikel Arteta on the ankle with his studs.


Sidwell had only just returned from a three-match ban following a red card at home to QPR and Arsenal quickly asserted their advantage, with Olivier Giroud grazing the post in the 35th minute. Arsenal struggled to profit from their numerical advantage and Fulham restricted them to few openings. It was, in fact, the home side who created the first clear chance of the game, aided by Olivier Giroud giving the ball away on the edge of the home box in the 21st minute. Urby Emanuelson collected the ball and galloped forward before slipping a pass through to Dimitar Berbatov, whose shot from 16 yards was turned away by Wojciech Szczesny. Emmanuel went close himself in the 40th minute, dispossessing Nacho Monreal before letting fly from the edge of the area. Szczesny again pushed the shot away for a corner.

The breakthrough arrived for Arsenal from an unfamiliar source two minutes before half-time. Theo Walcott's free-kick was headed across goal by Laurent Koscielny and the Frenchman's centre-back partner Per Mertesacker arrived unmarked to head the ball home from close range. It should have been a straightforward victory, but the visitors were unable to kill the game, Fulham kept them at bay and, even came close to scoring an equalizer when Bryan Ruiz curled a free-kick over the bar before a cross from Stanislav Manolev in the 70th minute had Szczesny scrambling backwards to tip it over the bar. 


Wenger withdrew Walcott (who was missing for larger part of the game) and Tomas Rosicky (who was Arsenal's best player on the pitch at the time) moments later, introducing Podolski and Jack Wilshere, but Arsenal could not find inspiration and Fulham continued to prove dangerous. Fulham thought they've got a deserved equaliser. In the 76th minute when Manolev slotted the ball into the net from close range after Szczesny parried another Ruiz free-kick but the sight of a rightly raised offside flag curtailed those celebrations at Craven Cottage.

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was later sent off for a similar lunge (as Sidwell's tackle on Arteta) in the 90th minute due to a red card after he clumsily fouled Stanislav Manolev. The decision to dismiss Giroud in the 90th minute was more debatable as replays showed the striker did not make contact with Manolev as he won the ball with his challenge. Victory lifted Arsenal above Chelsea, but both the Stamford Bridge club and fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur now have two games in hand on Arsene Wenger's side. Chelsea will regain third place if they win at Liverpool on Sunday, while Spurs can close to within two points of their north London rivals if they overcome second-place Manchester City. Arsenal welcomes Manchester United next at the Emirates.

Join in with our Arsenal community, we have connected with the Disqus comment system, it is now easier to comment on our posts to connect and talk with the Arsenal fans around the world. You can now post a comment using your Social Network plugins or if you don't want to leave your name you can sign in as a guest. Leave your comments on the game. Did we deserve the three points? Can we finish top 4 still?


Stats & Facts 

Arsenal have now won 16 of the 24 Premier League meetings between the two sides but this was their first victory in five, since a 2-1 home success in December 2010.via BBC

Arsenal have the best defence in the Premier League away from home having conceded just 14 goals.

There have been more red cards (8) in Premier League games involving Arsenal than any other team in the top flight this season.

Arsenal have been given five red cards in the Premier League this season; more than any other side.

Arsene Wenger SkySports Post Match Reaction

"It became hard, and in the second-half especially I think we played with a hand-brake.

"We just wanted to keep the lead without taking any risk and had not enough penetration. When a team is down to ten men they focus on defending deep and they defended well. We did not give them enough problems today."

Martin Jol Match Reaction

"I really thought we did very well and it is disappointing to play for 83-minutes with ten-men but I said to them in the dressing room we fought like lions and we could have had a result and a draw would have been deserved."

Interview : Laurent Koscielny previews Fulham vs Arsenal

19th April 2013 By Gordon @Arsenal_Supremo


ArsenalSupremo brings you up to date video's with the Arsenal player and today is the turn of Laurent Koscielny who talks about the upcoming Premier League tie with Fulham. In the previous match Arsenal could of gone 4 points clear ahead of their North London rivals but couldn't get the vital goal which saw Giroud miss some decent chances to take the lead but the defender believes he can respond back at Fulham. 

"The first year is the most difficult for foreign players because we don't know English football. I think he's adapted very well in this country and he will be better and better for next season.

"He's OK after the," added Koscielny. "He's a professional. He had some opportunities to score for the team but I think he will be ready to score on Saturday against Fulham."

Laurent also stated Arsenal should look out for Fulham danger man Dimitar Berbatov and must quiet him quiet in the game as much as possible. He is their top scorer with 13 goals for the club.

“He's a danger every time for the defender. [You have to decide] which player goes with him. Sometimes I go with him, sometimes my midfielder takes Berbatov. It's just communication on the pitch.”

Join in with our Arsenal community, we have connected with the Disqus comment system, it is now easier to comment on our posts to connect and talk with the Arsenal fans around the world. You can now post a comment using your Social Network plugins or if you don't want to leave your name you can sign in as a guest. Leave your comments on your predictions of the game. Can we pick up all three points? Does Podolski deserve a chance to start?



Premier League : Fulham vs Arsenal Match Preview - Gunners must win to keep up their hopes of Champions League Football alive

19th April 2013 By Jeff @ArsenalTrend



Arsenal know the importance of not dropping points down the stretch as they try to secure a top-four finish. The Gunners also know, however, claiming maximum points will go much further as they face Fulham on Saturday at Craven Cottage. With five matches remaining, Arsenal (17-9-7) are fighting with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton for the final two Champions League spots since the two Manchester sides will claim the other two.

Arsene Wenger's side clawed out a goalless draw against Everton at home on Tuesday but left lamenting the two lost points after creating the better goal scoring chances in the match. "We should have won the game, but it keeps us in a strong position for the top four,'' said Wenger, whose team enters this match in fourth place, one behind Chelsea and two better than Spurs. Oliver Giroud had two of the better chances in Tuesday's match, but should be welcoming the challenge of facing Fulham again. The French striker bagged a brace in the reverse fixture at Emirates on Nov. 10, including the match-tying goal in the 69th minute of a 3-3 draw.

Olivier Giroud has scored only one of his 11 league goals outside Emirates., with both Chelsea and Spurs also facing top-seven foes this weekend, the Gunners know leaving Craven Cottage with the maximum points will be vital to their Champions League aspirations. "We always knew that this week was going to be a big week for us," midfielder Aaron Ramsey told the team's official website. "We've got four points out of two games so far. We're still unbeaten in a load of games and hopefully now we can finish the week off strongly and get a win at Fulham which will put us in a really strong position." 

Fulham (10-10-13) did Arsenal no favours on Wednesday losing 3-0 at home to Chelsea and extending their winless spell to three matches (0-1-2). Manager Martin Jol felt the match turned after an empty half-hour following strong play and breakdowns on defence. "The frustration is playing well for the first half an hour, creating three or four chances, including in the first few minutes when Bryan Ruiz could have scored, and then conceding a goal because we didn't close (David) Luiz down," the Dutchman said."They're a fantastic team but I'm still disappointed that we didn't achieve more in the first 30 minutes."

The Cottagers needed their veteran striker Dimitar Berbatov to get back on track. The Bulgarian forward has failed to score during Fulham's winless streak, and they are unbeaten (6-4-0) when he finds the back of the net. The sides drew 3-3 in this season's reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium in November. Giroud and Lukas Poldoski staked Arsenal to a 2-0 lead in the first 23 minutes, only to see Fulham pull level before halftime and take a 3-2 lead in the 67th minute on a penalty kick by Berbatov, his second goal of the match. Alex Kacaniklic scored Fulham's second goal. Giroud, though, countered with the second half of his brace two minutes later to give the Gunners a share of the points. Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta missed a last-minute penalty to snatch victory for Wenger's side. Arsenal have taken points in seven of the last eight matches (3-4-1) between the teams, but Fulham are 1-3-0 in the last four.

Arsene Wenger wants Arsenal to get back to winning ways at Craven Cottage on Saturday and he said: "We have created a fantastic run and put a fantastic run together. I believe we will do it but it is down to our performances. "We bounced back from a very, very difficult position but we still have a lot of work to do." "In the last ten league games we've put together a very good run, winning seven, drawing twice and losing just once. With five games to go we can''t afford to slip up. I believe we can win all our remaining games and finish within the top four, whether that be third or fourth." Chelsea got a comfortable 3-0 win at Fulham's ground in mid-week, not a big deal for Arsenal to toll same line. Can Arsenal secure all 3 points at Craven Cottage? Let us know your predictions below.

Match Facts Via BBC : 

Head-to-head 

Fulham are unbeaten against Arsenal in their past four meetings. Arsenal's last win was 2-1 at home in December 2010.

The Gunners last triumphed at Craven Cottage in September 2009, Robin van Persie scoring the only goal.

Arsenal have won 15 of the 23 Premier League meetings between the two clubs. Fulham have only won three of them.

Fulham

Fulham have only taken one point from their last three matches, having been unbeaten in the previous five.

The Cottagers have picked up 11 points from London derbies this season. They have only fared better in 2002-2003 (13 points).

They have benefited from five own goals this season, a league-high with Manchester United.

Dimitar Berbatov has scored five goals in the club's last seven matches. Ten of his 13 goals this season have been scored in the first half.

Arsenal

Arsene Wenger's side have won seven of their last nine league games (W7, D1, L1).

The Gunners have scored 18 goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season, by far the most in the top-flight.

Ten of Olivier Giroud's 11 Premier League goals this season have come at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta has scored five successive penalties in the Premier League since missing a last minute spot-kick against Fulham in November.

Pre Match Press Conference

Predicted Line Ups : 


Join in with our Arsenal community, we have connected with the Disqus comment system, it is now easier to comment on our posts to connect and talk with the Arsenal fans around the world. You can now post a comment using your Social Networks plugins or if you don't want to leave your name you can sign in as a guest. Leave your comments on your predictions of the game. Can you pick up all three points? Does Podolski deserve a chance to start?

Fulham vs Arsenal : Arsene Wenger Pre Match Press Conference

18th April 2013 By ArsenalSupremo


Arsene Wenger spoke to the media ahead of the crucial away tie to Fulham which he revealed the team news for the game. Fabianki is still out injured with a rib injury and everyone else is fine but Cazorla, Chamberlain and Wilshere will have checks but should be all fit for the game. Arsene Wenger  heaped praise on Giroud's attitude and believes that he will be even better next season.

"He wants to play every single game. You will see more from him next season. He is very extrovert and he is desperate to do well. He does not hide, he stands up for what he has done."

“He has good physical potential,” he said. “He wants to play every single game, he has a good basic stamina and he can absorb the games.

“He can absorb the body to body [challenges] because he's a strong guy. I think you will see more from him next season, and there's a lot more to come from him.

Also several topics were discussed which are in the list below and check it the press conference in full in the video provided.

1. Team News

2. Tackling in the game

3. Match with Fulham

4. Development of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain

5. Olivier Giroud's first season
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