Premier League - Fulham impress as Arsenal draw

Eurosport - Sun, 01 Mar 09:36:00 2009

Fulham held Arsenal to a fourth consecutive goalless Premier League draw in an entertaining clash at the Emirates.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Fulham Arsenal-Fulham Johnson Clichy - 0

Arsenal left the pitch to jeers after a clash that was enjoyable for neutrals but frustrating for partisans, although Fulham fans will have been impressed by their side's organisation and passing.

The hosts had the better chances but both sides could have won a game characterised by slick play from both teams and stout defending by Fulham in particular.

The first half somehow remained goalless despite a frantic pace and attacking attitude from both sides that saw chances traded at will.

Andy Johnson (pictured to the left of Gael Clichy) fired just wide in the second minute, while Samir Nasri went straight down the other end to do likewise.

Johnson had another chance five minutes later but again he sent the ball just beyond the post after a good turn on the edge of the box.

In keeping with the theme of the game, the Gunners hit back and on 10 minutes Robin van Persie forced a superb point-blank save from Mark Schwarzer with a bullet header from Andrei Arshavin's right-wing cross.

Both sides play good football and the end-to-end nature of the match continued with Nasri and Van Persie dilly-dallying for Arsenal when they should have scored, while Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Simon Davies went close for Fulham.

The second half began with Arsenal by far the dominant force.

Nasri had a near-post shot blocked wide after more great work from Arshavin, Van Persie headed over from the subsequent corner and Arshavin had a volley of his own blocked.

The best chance of the game fell to Van Persie on the hour mark when Fulham failed to clear a corner and the ball popped up for Bacary Sagna on the right.

The right-back played an excellent cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Dutch striker Van Persie rose unmarked to flick an angled header past Schwarzer but on to the post.

Fulham had been under the cosh for the first quarter-hour of the second half but after that escape they regained confidence and should have scored themselves.

A 10-minute spell of possession saw Davies, Clint Dempsey and Zamora go close, while Johnson had two superb chances to put his side in front.

The first came when he mis-controlled Davies's ball, which had put him one-on-one with Manuel Almunia.

Then he somehow headed Fredrik Stoor's excellent cross wide after a hypnotic spell of passing from the Whites.

Arsene Wenger realised his side were close to throwing the match away, so brought on Nicklas Bendtner for the anonymous Carlos Vela.

The Dane had an immediate impact, creating chances for Van Persie and Arshavin, while Abou Diaby's header from Nasri's 73rd-minute corner forced a close-range, reflex stop from Schwarzer's legs.

Emmanuel Eboue was inexplicably brought on for the impressive Sagna and quickly showed his lack of composure when he thrashed the ball out for a throw after being put through on the right.

The pendulum then swung Fulham's way, with several waves of attacks culminating in Zamora muscling through the home defence and firing wide.

Arshavin - Arsenal's best player on the day - was denied by another diving stop from Schwarzer and the latter stages saw Fulham keep the ball well.

A lengthy period of stoppage time irked Fulham boss Roy Hodgson as Arsenal threw the kitchen sink at his team but the North London side were blunt in attack as this season's surprise package held on for a point.

Arsenal now lie only two points ahead of sixth-placed Everton, while Fulham closed to within a point of seventh-placed Wigan, who have played one game more than the West Londoners.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

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  1. Arse nill need benetez then liverpool havve a better­ chance

    From nikita.wilson, on Sat 28 Feb 7:42PM
  2. PLEASE ROB IN AN EXPERIENCED PLAYER, NEXT SEASON OR­ ELSEN U WILL KEEP ON FRUSTRATING US

    From pearsonsoko, on Sat 28 Feb 7:27PM
  3. wenger is absolutely our problem gentle men we have to­ admit. 4 seasons without a trophee? thats too bad for­ our team that the whole world knows is one of the best­ in the world

    From jack, on Sat 28 Feb 7:27PM
  4. Regular Arsenal problem can't score goals even if­ make loads of chances. If they fire blanks at WBA on­ Tuesday night then Wenger must go and somebody else­ start from scratch. Can Bergkamp come back from­ retirement?

    From Max and Pat, on Sat 28 Feb 7:02PM
  5. To all Arsenal fans:
    try supporting a team that never­ wins a trophy, and never looks like winning a trophy­ for another 40 years or so; a club like Newcastle­ United. You lot make me sick; it's so easy to­ support a winning team, but when the going gets tough .­ . . . . absolute joke you are!

    From cameron w, on Sat 28 Feb 6:49PM
  6. Arsenal should play 4-5-1 as R.V.P as lone­ striker,,,,Nasri,Fabregas,Denilson,Arshavin and Walcott­ in the middle:).we also have Rosicky...

    From Jean Luc, on Sat 28 Feb 6:45PM
  7. I CANT WAIT TO HEAR THE EXCUSE ARSENE WENGER HAS FOR­ THE POOR DISPLAY SHOWN BY HIS TEAM.
    .....REMEMBER THIS­ MR WENGER,........".EXCUSES ONLY SATISFY THE GIVER­ !! "
    ARSENAL WILL END UP IN 6TH PLACE IN THE EPL­ THIS SEASON.

    From Ball Bag, on Sat 28 Feb 6:35PM
  8. Arshavin - krasavchik !!! Arsenal uje ne proigrivaet -­ 2 nich'i s Arshavinim... teper pobedi poidut

    From Serik, on Sat 28 Feb 6:35PM
  9. Arsene wenger!!! when are u goin to wake up from your­ dream...

    From abiodun e, on Sat 28 Feb 6:33PM
  10. Is the overrated Denilson a brazilian?What a shame.

    From Wan Firdaus?, on Sat 28 Feb 6:31PM
  11. com'on the cottagers!! super performance even­ though ansnel made us look much much better as the were­ cat altogether

    From Paudie, on Sat 28 Feb 6:26PM
  12. Enough is enough surely Arsenal have a player that can­ shoot at goal? 10 Draws so if nothing else as Arsene­ says we have consistency. Bendtner is a load of @#$%,­ Rosicky being long term injured, Eboue and Diaby who­ are so so players and Adebayour must go in the summer­ and Wenger has to do what Fergie does and thats buy in­ new and reliable players.

    From r.j.hall, on Sat 28 Feb 6:13PM
  13. arsenal 4th ha ha ha ha god my sides are hurting.your­ rubbish.no chance.

    From alan, on Sat 28 Feb 6:11PM
  14. How can you beat a @#$% team that has one striker and­ ten defenders they cant play football like Man U­ Chelsea or Liverpool so they play defense and hope for­ a lucky goal they shouldn't eveb be inthe Premier­ Division.

    From Tony B, on Sat 28 Feb 6:07PM
  15. Don't worry guys. Just give Arshavin 1 more­ "training" game and he will destroy Premiere­ League.

    From Saint-Petersburg with Love!

    From hattoooo, on Sat 28 Feb 6:01PM
  16. i dont think Denilson has a single attacking bone in­ his body. another elementary performance in midfield. ­ in fact, i think he might be scared to put a head on­ the ball. booooo!

    From mozerfoot, on Sat 28 Feb 5:57PM
  17. SHAMEFUL ARSENAL.I AM VERY SURE ARSENAL WILL TAKE 6TH­ POSITION WITH THE WAY THEY ARE PLAYING!!!!YOU WILL­ NEVER WALK ALONE

    From Tony, on Sat 28 Feb 5:50PM
  18. whingey wenger wll blame fulham for his team gunners­ fireing blanks again well done
    fulham

    From G, on Sat 28 Feb 5:46PM
  19. Its time Arsene do something or let the board fire him.­ Enough of this nonsense

    From Ado, on Sat 28 Feb 5:40PM
  20. How lng will Arsenal have to suffer before wenger opens­ up his eye and wakes up, ITS NOT WORKING. This dream­ wenger has failed for the last 3 season and is goin to­ be a 4th. The man just cant admit wrong his wrong, and­ the fans has to suffer.

    From andi.a1lick, on Sat 28 Feb 5:39PM
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