Arsenal’s Narrow Escape: Mikel Arteta Reflects on Fulham Draw and Set-Piece Dependence
Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage left manager Mikel Arteta frustrated, as his team’s failure to claim all three points highlighted the fine margins that could shape their Premier League title challenge. The Gunners were hoping for a win to close the gap on Liverpool, but despite dominating possession and having chances, the result leaves them six points behind the leaders.
The match started with Fulham catching Arsenal off guard early on, with Raul Jimenez punishing a defensive lapse to put the hosts in the lead. However, Arsenal’s set-piece prowess once again came to the fore. A corner from Declan Rice found Kai Havertz, whose header set up William Saliba to tap in the equalizer just six minutes into the second half. This goal was the 23rd set-piece goal Arsenal have scored since the start of last season—more than any other team in Europe's top leagues. Their set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, has clearly had a significant impact, and it was this structured play that kept the Gunners in the game.
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Despite their dominance in possession, Arsenal struggled to break Fulham down in open play. They had the lion’s share of the game but rarely threatened Fulham's goal from open play. Arteta expressed his disappointment, saying, “I am gutted that we didn’t win it. We fully deserved to win it.” He went on to stress that small margins—like a goal disallowed by VAR for offside in the buildup—made the difference. It was a bitter pill for the Gunners, especially since they had another goal ruled out late in the game when Bukayo Saka’s header was annulled due to Gabriel Martinelli’s offside position.
The question hanging over Arsenal’s performance is whether they are too reliant on set pieces for their goals. Statistically, their Expected Goals (xG) from open play during the match was just 0.3—one of their lowest this season. Arteta, however, rejected the notion that his side has become too dependent on set-piece success. "We should have scored from different ways as well," he insisted, pointing to missed chances and the overall quality of their attacking play.
Arsenal have scored 27 goals in the league this season, and nearly a third of them (nine) have come from set pieces. While Arteta downplayed concerns about their reliance on this method, it’s evident that the Gunners' attacking blueprint is evolving with a heavy emphasis on corners and free kicks.
Injuries have also been a key factor for Arsenal this season, particularly in defense. The absence of Gabriel and other key defenders has led to forced changes at the back. Arteta has had to juggle a patched-up defensive unit, and it’s clear that the lack of consistency in the backline is affecting the team’s overall rhythm.
As the title race continues, Arsenal's hopes of narrowing the gap to Liverpool were dashed by another frustrating draw. Arteta’s side now face the challenge of maintaining momentum and improving their attacking play, especially from open play, if they are to stay in the hunt for the Premier League crown. The small margins in this game could yet prove costly in the long run, but Arteta remains optimistic, acknowledging that despite the setback, his team is playing well and must continue to fight.
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