SNOOOOOOOOD! Pic via Guardian.
Arsenal 2: Nasri 14, 75
Fulham 1: Kamara 30
If you listen to the British media (and in so many cases, you really shouldn't), you'd be led to believe that it's absolutely appalling that Arsenal are top of the league at this moment, in spite of all their deficiencies. How could a team that concedes so many goals be in first? Well, FYI, only four teams have conceded fewer than Arsenal's 18. Chelsea has been a little more consistent (in that they were consistently great and are now consistently wobbling) and Manchester United can't seem to win in the league away from Old Trafford. The real story is just how strange this title race is going to be this year.
Once again, Arsenal have come away from an uncomfortable match with three points. A month ago, after beating West Ham 1-0, the pundits said "this is the kind of win that a champion grinds out." Now, after four losses in the month of November, the Guardian says the league is "succumbing to a form of 'leadership by the worst'."
Arsenal made nine changes to the side that beat Wigan in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, however, the side was unchanged from the XI that started at Aston Villa a week ago. Tomas Rosicky again filled the box-to-box Fabregas role, Andrei Arshavin and Samir Nasri started on the wings, and Marouane Chamakh started up top.
Andrei Arshavin nearly put the Gunners up in the early going. From a free kick taken by Jack Wilshere, Sebastien Squillaci's header down came to the feet of the diminutive Russian, whose shot was stopped point blank by former Arsenal transfer target Mark Schwarzer. Nasri came close as well, with a shot just wide following a through ball from Arshavin.
But Nasri would not miss in the 14th. Aaron Hughes failed to control a back pass and Arshavin pounced. Arshavin waited to send the ball through to Nasri, who made two defenders look foolish with his footwork (much as that child did to me on numerous occasions during the kick around on 14th Street during the Gooner Holiday Party) and thundered home Arsenal's opener. A Nasri cross nearly added another, but it hit Dickson Etuhu on defense instead of Arshavin and Schwarzer made the save. Alex Song missed wide on another chance after a cross from Rosicky.
After being ripped to shreds by the Arsenal attack for almost half an hour, Matthew Briggs was pulled from the game and replaced by Chris Baird. Though it was unrelated, Fulham's offense started to get in gear at this point. The Cottagers continually attempted to get Diomansy Kamara through on goal, but twice he was flagged offside. In the 30th, miscommunication between Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny led to a disastrous clash of heads, the latter taking it the worst. As Koscielny was dazed, Fulham took advantage. Clint Dempsey dribbled around a poor challenge from Song and found Kamara, slipping through the defense in the spot where Koscielny would have been covering if he wasn't concussed. An easy equalizer.
Johan Djourou came on for the injured Koscielny, and while the Swiss center back impressed during this match on the whole, his first moments in the match were rusty. Kamara was through one more time on goal after beating an offside trap, but Lukasz Fabianski made an excellent block. The Arsenal back four are clearly the Achilles heel of this team (no pun intended on Vermaelen's injury) as are those moments where Arsenal seem to flick the switch off. Kamara's goal stunned Arsenal to the point where Fulham absolutely dominated the final 15 minutes of the first half. If the half were about five minutes longer, the Cottagers could have had a crucial second or even third goal.
Arsenal had a number of chances early in the second half, including wide shots from Rosicky and Song, the rogue striker, plus an Arshavin shot that was saved by Schwarzer. Rosicky was pulled off for Robin van Persie in the 63rd, but soon, the chances began to go Fulham's way. Van Persie's first real involvement in the match was to block a Fulham shot off the line after Fabianski failed to punch a cross clear following a corner. Nervy moments indeed. For about twenty minutes, it looked like if a winner was coming, it'd be the boys in white scoring it.
But the brilliance would once again come from Samir Nasri and the boys in red had their winner in the 75th minute. Andrei Arshavin passed forward to van Persie, who looked like he was teeing up a shot on his left foot. Instead, he slipped a pass to Nasri, who deked around John Pantsil and Schwarzer, then turned his body around to fire the ball into the net from the tightest of angles. Nasri looked like he might have slightly aggravated the knee injury he picked up on Tuesday, but Arsenal had already used all three of their substitutes.
Fulham kept knocking on the door and the ending was by no means comfortable for a Gooner, but when the dust had settled and when Everton had equalized at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal had three points and were sitting on top of the league table. This team has so much to still work on, but first place is first place. I still have three wishes for this team as we enter the holiday season: a little more strength in the back line, a killer instinct to put teams away when they have the chance, and for Alex Song to remember what position he plays.
Hipster Gooner Man of the Match: Samir Nasri
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