Another win takes us two points clear at the top of the league table but those three points didn’t come easy on our visit to Fulham.
Fulham started the match the brighter of the two teams and applied plenty of pressure on our boys that Arsenal weren’t expecting. Fulham were playing like they had nothing to lose and they didn’t, but we did. A certain unbeaten run which is now stretched out to forty five matches.
It was an action packed first half that resulted in no goals but plenty of controversy. Firstly, referee Mark Halsey awarded Fulham a penalty and then changed his mind after discussing the matter with the linesman, the first time I’ve seen that happen.
Halsey ignored a definitely Thierry Henry penalty claim when former Arsenal player Moritz Volz brought him down in the box. Just before the break Fulham’s headed goal was disallowed because of a push on Kolo Touré by Dutch teenager Collins John.
After half time Arsenal stepped up a gear and were awarded for that with a goal from Freddie Ljungberg who had been set up by Thierry Henry who supplied him a great ball. Minutes later it was Ljungberg again racing forward and causing Fulham defender Zat Knight to knock the ball past his own keeper.
At 2-0 we looked much more like ourselves and were playing not our best football but football with class. Arsenal finished off the game with 20 minutes to go after a great ball from Dennis Bergkamp to which José Antonio Reyes latched onto it and struck it well passed Edwin van der Sar for his sixth goal in as many games.
The Official Arsenal-Mania MOTM award goes to … Freddie Ljungberg, who is now displaying some of the form he showed in the 2001/02 season before his injury.
Freddie won the award with 56% of the votes. Second was Reyes our third goalscorer with 21% of the votes, and third was Jens Lehmann with 9% of the votes. Lehmann made some great saves throughout the match to deny Fulham goals.
Best quotes from the MOTM voters
Aussie: ‘I’m going to give it to Fred. He was making some nice runs and seemed to be in that mood where he is just full of beans and he brought a bit of life into the team. Lets hope he can continue his good form, as we all know he has been struggling a bit of late.
Special mention to Jens however I thought he had a very solid game. Keep up the good work.’
KingReyes: ‘Great game by Freddy, really worked hard both in defence and in attack. So far this season we have seen a much-improved Freddy and hopefully the consistency in his game will remain, also depending if he remains injury free. A deserved MOTM winner.’