Last weekend, Arsenal won again according to the familiar formula under Mikel Arteta. That is the closeness in the defense and knowing how to create a difference from set pieces.
In their away trip to Craven Cottage, the "Gunners" did not need to choke or finish like a stunt, they only needed a perfect corner kick to decide the match, and did not have to face any shots on target from Fulham.
Mikel Arteta's identity
Many people often compare Mikel Arteta with Pep Guardiola. Both prefer 4-3-3 formation and possession but The Gunners are not a copy of The Citizens. If we had to find a similar point, perhaps Arteta's current team would be similar to Everton under David Moyes, where the Spaniard has played for more than 200 times.
Like Everton in 2006-2009, Arsenal now build their playing style based on solidity, mid-range pressing ability and goals from set pieces. That was clearly demonstrated in the victory over Fulham in round 8 of the Premier League.
The victory was decided from a brand corner kick
In that match, Arsenal had difficulty deploying the ball when Fulham chose to build a 4-4-2 defense with an average distance. Bukayo Saka often has to dribble to the side, while Viktor Gyokeres does not have much space to finish well.
The turning point came in the 58th minute when Saka crossed the ball from a corner kick on the right wing, Gabriel headed the ball tactically towards the far post so that Leandro Trossard could easily tap the ball into the net. Fulham sent 2 men to Gabriel but it was the flexibility in that corner kick that surprised them.
Arteta explained: When opponents play low and refuse to push up, set pieces allow us to put the players in the right position. That is an opportunity that we must fully exploit."
That was Arsenal's 16th opening goal from a corner since the start of the 2023-2024 season, double that of any other Premier League team and they won all 16 of those matches.
Defense machine has no cracks
Arsenal continued to maintain their superb defensive form by conceding only 3 goals in 8 matches. The opponents have also created only 5 dangerous opportunities for David Raya's goal.
The centre-back duo Gabriel - William Saliba almost locked down Fulham's Raul Jimenez, while goalkeeper Bernd Leno had to repeatedly serve long balls in an unexpected way. Arsenal pressed, cutting the pass to the sidelines and every time the opponent passed wrongly, both the defenders and midfielders rushed up synchronously.
Statistics show that Arsenal have not had to face any shots on target in 2 consecutive matches, the first time since November 2003. That was the season they won the Premier League with an unbeaten record.
The attack is not sharp but effective enough
Arsenal still lacked sharpness in free attack situations. Gyokeres played enthusiastically but did not show stable finishing ability. The same goes for other names in the attack, there were times when they had opportunities but did not score. Perhaps the players emphasized control to minimize the risks from the opponent's counter-attacks.
Arteta admitted: "We still have unnecessary ball losses but the whole team is learning to control emotions and impose the game in our own way."
When players like Odegaard, Havertz, Madueke or Jesus return from injury, Arsenal promises to be more diverse in attack.
Arteta's success lies in stability
The most worth mentioning thing about Arsenal is their stability. Arsenal have not conceded more than 2 goals in a Premier League match for nearly 2 years. Every time they have difficulty against deep-lying defenses, they always find a way out, usually from a carefully calculated set piece.
Last season, Arsenal lost in the title race due to too many draws. This year, the "Gunners" are learning how to beat the thorns, this is what every champion needs.
Arsenal's last three wins against Newcastle, West Ham and Fulham have very notable statistics. These are all opponents who dropped points last season.
