Arsenal produced a vintage display to beat relegation-threatened
Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage - and keep the pressure firmly on
Premier League leaders Manchester United.
PhilCole/GettyImages
Moritz Volz is tackled by Tomas Rosicky
A first-half brace of headed goals from Togo striker Emmanuel
Adebayor had put the Gunners, now unbeaten in 11 games, in control,
with Czech winger Tomas Rosicky volleying home a well-worked third
late on.
Fulham had started brightly, but lacked bite in attack and remain
in deep trouble at the wrong end of the table, and it could well
take more than a few more bodies during the transfer window to save
Roy Hodgson's side.
Wenger hails his lethal weapon
Arsenal, though, continue to look set for a sustained challenge,
and trail United on goal difference as the title race looks set for
an exciting finale over the next four months.
Fulham - who have yet to secure the signing of striker £5million
Marlon King from Watford amid reports of a failed medical - had
pushed American Clint Dempsey forwards at the head of the
attack.
And it was a positive start by the hosts.
Korean Seol Ki-Hyeon got inside full-back Gael Clichy down the
right after five minutes, but then stumbled at the vital moment.
Eventually Danny Murphy blasted the loose ball wide from 20
yards.
Arsenal were struggling to get a firm hold of the game, but did
work the ball around quickly whenever possible.
Cesc Fabregas dragged his shot off target from the edge of the
penalty area.
The blustery conditions also did little to help the Gunners'
passing game, but Fulham used the wind to their advantage as they
continued to look the sharper going forwards.
However, as the quarter-hour mark past, Arsenal started to find
their rhythm and were ahead on 19 minutes.
Clichy broke down the left, before sending over a high cross into
the Fulham penalty area.
Togo striker Adebayor got up in between two markers to nod the ball
into the bottom right corner for his 14th goal of the
campaign.
Arsenal have not lost this season whenever their African frontman
has found the net, and were now in command.
After what had been a decent start, Fulham were left shell-shocked
by going behind.
The Cottagers tried to regroup, but their attacks were well
marshalled by Arsenal captain William Gallas - the former Chelsea
defender roundly booed by the home fans at every opportunity.
It was 2-0 after 38 minutes when Mathieu Flamini did well to win
the ball back just outside the Fulham box, and stabbed it wide to
Alex Hleb on the right. Hleb set himself before sending over a
weighted cross to the centre, where Adebayor was on hand to head in
his second goal of the match.
Fulham created their best chance three minutes before the break
when Steven Davis got down the left flank and cut the ball back to
the edge of the box. Murphy arrived on queue - but his side-foot
effort flew just over the bar.
Arsenal started the second half well and brilliant close control
from Eduardo saw the Croatian weave into the penalty area from the
right touchline.
His cut-back found Rosicky - and the Czech international was
unfortunate to see a first-time effort come off the outside of the
near post.
Arsenal centre-back Philippe Senderos - in again for Kolo Toure,
away at the African Nations Cup - had to go off for treatment to a
blooded nose following a clash in an aerial challenge with
Dempsey.
Fulham had yet to muster a shot on target, and the frustrations of
the fans were being to get through to the players, who lacked
cohesion when trying to build an attack.
On the hour, the hosts made another change when Northern Ireland
striker David Healy replaced Seol.
Fulham did then have the ball in the net through Dempsey at the far
post - but he was one of three players offside.
Keeper Antti Niemi needed treatment after being accidentally caught
with a boot in the face by Adebayor as the striker chased a long
ball into the penalty area.
Arsenal almost conjured up a magical third following a fine
interchange between the quick-footed Hleb, Rosicky and Fabregas -
but the Spaniard's first-time shot was just wide.
Hodgson made his final throw of the dice on 78 minutes when he sent
on striker Shefki Kuqi for Alexei Smertin.
It was game over soon afterwards, though, when Eduardo brook down
the left, got to the goal-line and pulled the ball back across the
six-yard box - where Rosicky flew in to volley home.
Wenger hails his lethal weapon
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hailed 'lethal' Emmanuel Adebayor
after a brace from the Togo striker helped his side beat struggling
Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage.
The Gunners remain behind Premier League leaders Manchester United
only on goal difference, and produced a workmanlike display to
extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches.
Wenger is grateful Adebayor did not follow Kolo Toure, Emmanuel
Eboue and Alex Song to the African Nations Cup after Togo failed to
qualify.
The Arsenal boss declared: 'In the past, he has sometimes ended up
going out to the flanks because he so wants to be involved in play
- but that drags him away from where he can be lethal.
'We have been telling him that for a while and he was more focused
on being central today which is good.
'He has an unbelievable jump, he times his jumps very well and he's
terrific in those situations.'
Wenger quipped: 'I must confess I wasn't devastated when Togo
didn't qualify.
'It would have been difficult without Adebayor although we do have
players who are coming on very well like Eduardo, (Nicklas)
Bendtner and (Theo) Walcott.
'He has personality and he is now focused on his achievements
here.
'He is also the main striker now and he gives us an added dimension
with his headers.'
Arsenal always looked in control having weathered a bright start by
Fulham in blustery conditions.
Croatian forward Eduardo had moved out to the left in the second
half, and it was his run and centre which lead to a third, when
Tomas Rosicky volleyed in from close range with nine minutes
left.
Wenger said: 'We were in control for 90 minutes. We gave a strong
response, scored early goals, kept things tight defensively and
were technically very good.
'It shows that the team wants to do it this season, especially
after a disappointing result last week against Birmingham and that
they can come back in a very strong way.'
Wenger added: 'We scored three goals from crosses, which is quite
unusually for us - but that shows we have a variety now in our game
which allows us to deal with any kind of resistance we get.'
Despite another home defeat, Fulham's plight at the wrong end of
the table was not deepened by results elsewhere.
Manager Roy Hodgson, though, knows he needs more bodies in if the
Cottagers - currently five points adrift - are to beat the
drop.
A £5million move for Watford striker Marlon King is 'on-going',
with Hodgson maintaining he was 'unaware' of any complications with
the deal, amid reports today of a failed medical.
The Fulham manager said: 'It is an on-going situation and everyone
is still talking about it - the clubs and the agents, the
player.
'We just hope that the matter will be resolved in the coming days
and we hope it will be.'
Hodgson, who is also in negotiations with Korean forward Cho Jae
Jin, insisted: 'I am not aware of anything other than it being an
on-going situation and the clubs discussing the matter.'
The Fulham boss lamented his side's inability to build on what had
been a positive opening.
He said: 'We had started quite brightly and seeing we were playing
against a good team, we were quite comfortable.
'But the first goal meant they had their tails up and once the
second went in, the second half was always going to be
difficult.
'We are not creating many opportunities or pressure and in the wide
areas we didn't win enough challenges.'
Hogdson added: 'We have to get to winning matches because the later
we leave it, the harder it will become.
'I think we can do it.
'People are realistic. But I have to say I don't think the players
have given up and if we bring in some new faces, that will improve
the spirit even more.
'As far as I'm concerned, it's a work in progress and we're up for
that work. We know where we have to improve.'
