Mikel Arteta conceded that Arsenal did not merit a victory against Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, marking it as their “poorest performance of the season.” Despite Bukayo Saka putting Arsenal in the lead early on, the team faltered, ultimately succumbing to goals from Raul Jimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid, leading to a well-deserved win for Fulham.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Arteta expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “We weren’t good enough. Simple as that.” He highlighted the similarity of the conceded goals, pointing out lapses in ball possession and defensive organization during set-plays. Arteta noted the team’s insufficient attacking rhythm and acknowledged their second-best defensive performance in every action.
Switching to a 3-5-2 formation in the second half failed to yield positive results, with Arteta attributing the struggle to give away possession consistently. He credited Fulham for their performance and emphasized the difficulty in generating momentum when unable to dominate direct play.
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While Arsenal had topped the Premier League at Christmas, a recent three-game winless streak saw them finish 2023 in fourth place. Arteta, however, chose not to dwell on the team’s recent dip in form, considering the Fulham game as an isolated instance of the team letting themselves down. He maintained that their previous matches against Liverpool and West Ham showcased strong performances, making the Fulham encounter an anomaly and the worst display of the season.