Martin Ødegaard expressed his frustration over Arsenal’s lack of aggression in attack as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Fulham in Sunday’s Premier League clash, further denting their title ambitions.
The Gunners dropped two more points in their pursuit of the league crown, leaving them third in the table and six points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
The draw at Craven Cottage marked another underwhelming performance from Arsenal, who have now dropped 12 points in their last eight matches.
Despite dominating possession and play for most of the game, Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to break down a resolute Fulham defense that managed to nullify their attacking threats with relative ease.
Fulham took an early lead through Raúl Jiménez, but Arsenal found a lifeline when William Saliba equalized early in the second half. The French defender finished off a well-worked corner routine, tapping in after a header from Kai Havertz. It was Arsenal’s ninth goal from a set piece this season, underlining the effectiveness of their dead-ball strategies.
While Saliba’s goal gave Arsenal hope of a comeback, the expected surge in attack never materialized. Bukayo Saka thought he had snatched a late winner with a header, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. Ødegaard acknowledged that the team’s inability to capitalize on their dominance was a major source of disappointment.
“We controlled the game completely,” said the Arsenal captain. “They didn’t create much apart from their goal. We had some big moments, especially the disallowed goal at the end. But we need to be more aggressive in attacking the box. We created some big chances, but it’s a game we should have won. Obviously, we’re disappointed.”
Ødegaard praised the team’s set-piece routines, which have proven to be a consistent source of goals this season, but emphasized the need to improve in open play. “We’re really strong in set pieces, and everyone believes we can score from them,” he added. “That’s a positive, but we need to sharpen up in other areas.”
Looking ahead, Arsenal face a crucial run of fixtures that could help them regain momentum, starting with a home game against Everton, followed by matches against Crystal Palace and Ipswich. With the Premier League title race tightening,
Ødegaard urged his teammates to focus on bouncing back. “The mood is down right now, but we need to quickly turn our attention to the next game. There’s no time to dwell on this; we have to make sure we win the next one,” he concluded.
