Arsenal spent Christmas Day at the top of the Premier League but missed the chance to start 2024 in the same position after suffering a potentially damaging defeat at Fulham following their home loss to West Ham United.
A draw at Liverpool and that surprise result against the Hammers meant Mikel Arteta's side had failed to gain any measure of control in the title race and, what was worse, they were on the verge of the trip to Craven Cottage slipped to fourth place in the table.
Fulham had lost three league games in a row by an aggregate score of 8-0 and looked ready when Bukayo Saka gave the visitors an early lead.
But Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm and Fulham equalized just before the half-hour through a clever finish from Raul Jimenez and then took a decisive lead in the second half when Bobby De Cordova-Reid struck in from close range.
Arsenal had chances to equalize – Saka could have done better when he shot high and wide from a good position – but were unable to force an equaliser.
The result means Arteta's side remain in fourth place, two points behind leaders Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.
Amy Lawrence analyzes a worrying afternoon for Arsenal…
Did this slip-up derail Arsenal's title bid?
The cold, hard numbers don't need to be glossed over. Four out of 15 possible points. Three defeats from the last five games. The damage is extensive and dismal.
Arsenal have squandered the momentum and the most disheartening thing is that two unfortunate Christmas defeats in London derbies are undeniable.
When Arsenal were beaten by Newcastle United and Aston Villa, they played well enough to secure points from both. But a few bad days, outmaneuvering West Ham and now Fulham, simply leaves the Gunners with a lot of self-reflection. They appear laborious on the field, lacking confidence and unconvincing. The road back to the top of the table is uphill.
Premier League table
| position | team | Played | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 19 | 23 | 42 | |
2 | 20 | 16 | 42 | |
3 | 19 | 24 | 40 | |
4 | 20 | 17 | 40 | |
5 | 20 | 13 | 39 |
What happened to Arsenal's defensive security?
Their previously robust defense has faltered. In seven Premier League games in December, they managed just one goal and conceded ten goals.
They have completely lost their defensive orientation and their sense of security has reverted to the problems of last season, when weakness in defense and individual mistakes were punished too often.
This is a serious headache for Arteta as he was right to assume that the fundamentals were stronger when Arsenal limited their goals conceded. The warning signs were there when Arsenal conceded three goals in Luton three and a half weeks ago. At that time they were able to get out of the crisis by scoring points. Not now.
The Athletic game dashboard shows how Arsenal had more possession but were unable to deal with Fulham's counter-attack threat
Is an Nketiah Jesus front two a serious alternative?
Arteta has been committed to his system for some time, but in the last two games the urgency of the situation has forced him to switch and switch to a back three to push an additional center forward.
With many questions about whether Arsenal need a more orthodox striker who has the presence, physicality and clinical strength to lead them with more regular authority, they have finished the last two games with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah on the pitch.
However, it made no difference. There is no denying that Arsenal are blunter. Their open play scoring is well outside the division's top sector, and their lack of penetration is a major problem.
Significant. As the games go by this season, the Timber-shaped hole in the squad becomes more and more apparent.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was recently exposed, so at Craven Cottage it was Jakub Kiwior's turn in the reverse left-back position.
Jakub Kiwior was substituted at half-time (Steven Paston/PA Images via Getty Images)
Kiwior has done well for the most part and has been asked to play together in midfield while also covering the defense. Unfortunately for Arsenal, they suffered when he wasn't quite in the right place to meet the cross for Fulham's equalizer.
Takehiro Tomiyasu came on as a second-half substitute and was inadvertently involved in Arsenal conceding a second goal when the ball flew past him. His fitness issues and his impending absence from the Asian Cup, which runs from January 12 to February 10, are problematic. Timber has the ideal attributes to control the left-back's inverted area, but Arsenal will have to wait.
What did Arteta say?
“We weren't good enough. We lost three days ago when we deserved to win, but today we were nowhere near that level. We conceded two very similar goals by giving the ball away. Defensively we were second best.
“This is the game to isolate as it is our worst performance of the season.”
What's next for Arsenal?
Sunday, January 7th: Liverpool (H), FA Cup, 4:30pm GMT, 11:30am ET
An FA Cup third round tie could be the final of the competition, and that game has happened three times – in 1950, 1971 and 2001. The two met in the Premier League at Anfield just a few weeks ago, the game ended 1-1-1 (which in this case would mean a replay on Merseyside). Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-2 on their last visit to the Emirates Stadium in October 2022, but were losers in the previous three games on their own ground by an aggregate score of 7-0.
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(Top photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images)