For anyone who remembers their English GCSEs, pathetic fallacy is a literary device used by writers to create atmosphere. Usually, the use of weather signals the character's feelings or to readers that there may be impending threat. Today, biblical thunder, lightning and rain seemed to befit the unsettled display by an unconvincing Arsenal side.
Despite the bright sunshine at kick off, things started terribly. Thomas Partey, in his new inverted right back role tried to dribble his way out of trouble in the first minute. He laid the ball off to Saka who himself laid the ball back into the area just vacated by the wandering Partey. Fulham's Andreas Pereira pounced onto the ball, saw Ramsdale floundering as he dallied back towards his own goal only for Pereira to wrong foot Ramsdale and put Fulham into an early lead.
Writer's also use a technique called foreshadowing where minor events early on in a story hint at something more dramatic happening later. Arsenal have been here before. We remember Southampton last season. We especially remember Bournemouth last season (more on how that turned out, and its impact on today, later). And so, for the 3rd time in a calendar year, Arsenal concedes in the first minute. Questions have to be asked. It may be easy to point fingers at goalkeepers (and with the addition of Raya, those fingers might point more forcefully). However, the issues structurally in the build up to the ball falling to Pereira reveal some issues for Arteta to solve. Partey is an excellent central midfielder. He intercepts, he outmuscles, he wins the ball and thus halts the opposition. After he has done so, he often strides through midfield. What he doesn't do is give and go or spray balls cross field all that much. Therefore, when he wins the ball in the right back position then goes striding through midfield before laying the ball off to Saka, what's left behind is a gap at right back. Last season, if he lost the ball in midfield, there was a back four to cover. Today, because Saka casually played the ball into the right back space (muscle memory from his relationship with Ben White last season), Pareira was able to pounce on the ball relatively unchallenged. White has to come across. Now there's space between him and Saliba. Not that it matters because it's so early in the game Ramsdale is standing high up, expecting us to dominate possession. If we do then all is fine but, because of this new structure, when we don't it's easy to exploit. Just as Pereira did.
When a story begins 'in medias res' (in the middle of the action), it can take some time for the audience to settle into the plot. Following this early set back, it took Arsenal some time to settle down too. Eventually they did though and as stats will show, they bossed possession and created more than enough chances to win this or any game. However, the eye test didn't feel that way. What possession Arsenal had seemed benign. What passes were made seemed sloppy. What shots they had seemed tame. The crowd wanted shots to rain down on Bernd Leno's goal, instead it began to fall from the sky. Heavily.
The second half began under a cloud. Two clouds in fact: the grey one above where a storm was now rumbling and sparking into life but also among the crowd who had been frustrated (yet still supportive and hopeful) up to this point. Then, the twist! Arteta had already hooked the underwhelming Trossard who A) seemed subdued by a heavy contact during the first half and B) had not lived up to the clamour by some fans for him to be introduced to the team because he did well in a behind closed doors game against Luton. Nketiah, Trossard's replacement, was joined by Fabio Vieira and Zinchenko. This meant a change in shape. A shape much more reminiscent of last season's set up. While many will see it as proof that Arsenal should revert to this approach, Arteta's decision to invert Partey from right back may have some context.
Firstly, it was probably going to be the job of new signing, and now newly injured, Jurrien Timber. In Timber's absence after the first game, along with Zinchenko's for some time now, it may be that Partey was simply the next viable option to play that dual role. Also factoring into this shift is the introduction of Rice who naturally replaces Partey in that traditional central role. Many fans are wondering if Arteta is trying to revolutionise the side too quickly instead of slowly evolving it. This could be but it may also be out of necessity. In this moment though, chasing the game at home to Fulham, the substitutes added accuracy, pace and dynamism to a team that had been ponderous. Ben White and Saka began to terrorise Fulham's left. Eddie held up play. Zinchenko and Vieira zipped passes around. Fulham were reeling and eventually caved.
The breakthrough was a penalty following a late challenge on Vieira before Vieira was involved again, crossing a delicious ball to Nketiah who was excellent in the centre forward role. It is notable that Vieira and Nketiah were central in the initial comeback. Both maligned for a variety of reasons. Nketiah is simply underrated by Arsenal fans because he is not Brazilian or a shiny new signing. The criticism I hear about Vieira refers to his physique, or lack of, and the fact he hasn't seemed to have made an instant impact. This is where parallels can be drawn with one of Arsenal's latest signings, Kai Havertz. Many are expecting the same instant impact they wanted from Vieira but are praising Vieira now that he has had time to 'bed in.' The truth is somewhere in the middle. Havertz is a more developed player. True. However, the change from Chelsea to Arsenal, given both clubs experiences last season is quite stark and will undoubtedly take an adjustment period (this may further lead people to question why he seems to have jumped into the starting line up ahead of longer serving squad members like Smith Rowe but that's for another article).
The game is now at 2-1. The crowd are buzzing. Yet, Arsenal seem to take their foot off the gas a little. No matter. Fulham, in pressing for their own equaliser get turned and central defender, Bassey, cynically blocks Nketiah and receives a second yellow card. Job done, surely? Alas. More twists are in the tale. The ponderousness and sloppiness seem to take hold in Arsenal's play again. This leads Fulham to get a corner which is all too easily converted by the excellent Palhinha. This is where memories of Bournemouth last season come to mind. Nelson's 97th minute winner will live long in Arsenal folklore, but it is the sort of position Arsenal need to not find themselves in. Moments like that are special because of how rare they are. Therefore, to really convince people that they can go to the next level Arsenal must: cut out those early errors and press the opposition further when a lead is taken.
Arsenal, Arteta and the squad have so much spirit fermented, but this is the first time it has been somewhat dampened. Next week's clash against old foe Manchester United is massive. Beat them and the sun will once again shine on N5, anything else and perhaps 'never shall sun that morrow see."
The Canon Critic