We’re back in old routine
“WE’VE GOT our Arsenal back,” sang the delirious Gunners fans at the Putney End of Craven Cottage yesterday as their team tore sorry Fulham apart.
Yet this was a very Arsene Wenger-type display, full of pace, skill and deadly counter-attacking.
There was venom, purpose and grit as Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang each grabbed two goals and Aaron Ramsey one just 39 seconds after coming on.
It made it a remarkable nine wins on the trot in all competitions.
Only Wenger, Herbert Chapman and George Graham among the litany of great Gunners managers have managed such a run.
Add Unai Emery to that list. And coming after a 5,700mile round trip to Azerbaijan for their Europa League tie against Qarabag on Thursday, this was some performance.
Apart from a small blip just before halftime Arsenal were in total control. A chastened Fulham, who collapsed in worrying fashion in the second half, have conceded 20 goals in their eight Premier League games and look bereft of form and confidence.
Meanwhile Emery, having guided the Gunners into the top four for the first time in his reign, says they have further improvement within them. “I don’t think it’s the best. We can get better,” he said. “In each match right now it is happening on the pitch. We are happy but also calm.
“I don’t look at the records. Every match is different and very difficult. Every win gives us a better position. Each match shows we are improving with our quality, our winning mentality, our commitment.
“We lost our first two matches to Manchester City and Chelsea. We called for calm then. Now when we are winning, we need to be the same way.”
Arsenal almost got off to the worst-possible start when Hector Bellerin gave the ball away and Luciano Vietto hit a deflected shot that forced Bernd Leno into a superb save.
Fulham had a further chance but Aleksandar Mitrovic’s shot was deflected wide.
But Arsenal were beginning to find space, and when Alex Iwobi found Nacho Monreal
overlapping, Tim Ream could not cut out his low cross and Lacazette turned to shoot home. Henrikh Mikhitaryan almost added a second, but Fulham fought back and were level a minute before the break.
Nacho Monreal gave the ball away, Vietto played in Andre Schurrle, and he clipped the ball over Leno.
Arsenal were finding room galore down the flanks as Fulham pushed forward and sooner or later they were going to get caught again.
Lacazette pounced onto a loose ball, spun off the hapless Ream, and hit his right-footer inside the post.
Arsenal were humming like a finely-tuned engine. On came the misfit Ramsey, and 39 seconds later he had scored from a fine move.
The Welshman started it, Mikhitaryan sent another substitute, Aubameyang, racing away down the left and when his low cross came in Ramsey backflicked it cheekily in off the far post.
Fulham heads dropped, their defence run ragged by Arsenal’s pace.
Bellerin picked the ball up in yards of space on the right, played Aubameyang in, and he turned Maxime Le Marchand with ease to shoot into the corner.
The fifth came in the final minute as Ramsey cleverly put Aubameyang through a yawning gap to run on and finish.
Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic accused his team of lacking top-flight quality.
“We’re not showing a Premier League level,” he said. “I did not see enough solidity, effort, or skill. We opened all the doors.
“We need to be better in these kinds of situations. We’re showing so many weaknesses for the level we are at, defensively. This is what I’m worried about. We must find a solution.”