Arsenal vs Fulham – Player Ratings

Aaron Ramsdale: 6/10

Got caught in the first minute on the wrong foot when Pereira got through on goal and tried to chipthe Arsenal keeper. Didn’t have much to do for the rest of the game, as Arsenal was dominating possession and didn’t give away much. His distribution from the back was top-notch again

Benjamin White: 6/10

Another decent performance from the Arsenal defender; his linebreaking passes in the first halfwere good for the buildup. His overlaps towards the end of the game seemed to suit Saka muchbetter, and things flowed more naturally on the right side. Playing White at right back against ManUtd in the next game will certainly be something Arteta will have to consider. 

William Saliba: 5/10 - A rare poor performance from the Rolls Royce defender, had a couple of sloppy passes during thegame, that was lucky not to cost a goal. Took a huge chance in the dying minutes trying to slidetackle Adama Traore inside the box, luckily the rapid Spaniard stayed on his feet. 

Jakub Kiwior: 6/10 The only change from the Crystal Palace game, the Polish international came into the side forTomiyasu who was suspended for the game. I think he did alright and his versatility helped us inmoments. Looked comfortable on the ball but his passes sometimes lacked a cutting edge. 

Thomas Partey: 5/10

Once again, he was playing in that hybrid role that many fans have been questioning. This gameinstantly highlighted the flaw of him playing there. In the first minute, he slotted into midfield andleft his space at right back completely empty for Pereira to run into and score. It wasn’t his fault butrather the dual nature of his position, where he sometimes has to leave space that the opposition canexploit by running in behind. I would have liked to see him more involved in the game. 

Declan Rice: 7/10

Coming off a man of the match performance against Crystal Palace in the last game, he wasn't quite as impressive today, but still performed very well. He was vital in the pressing game, leading byexample and breaking up the play numerous times to maintain pressure on Fulham. His diagonalballs to Saka and Martinelli were also highly effective; I would have liked to see even more ofthem. 

Martin Ødegaard: 6/10

To sum it up, he tried too much. Our skipper attempted repeatedly to break down the great wall ofFulham but never succeeded. He put himself in many favorable situations but often made the wrongchoice when it mattered most, to me it seemed like he wanted to do it by himself. He could havehad a goal if it hadn't been for Havertz, who was just an inch offside. This time, he left the penaltyto Saka, even though he scored at Palace. It seems like the decision is up to the players. 

Kai Havertz: 5/10

If he had finished just one of the two chances, we would probably be discussing his performancetoday quite differently. He did have some sloppy passes, which understandably frustrated the homefans, but he also had some promising moments. He assisted Ødegaard with a nice cutback, butunfortunately, he was an inch offside in the buildup. I still want to see him in a game where Zinchenko starts, but Havertz needs to find his place in this Arsenal team quickly, as I suspect thefans won't be patient with him. The hefty price tag certainly doesn't help his case. It could havebeen a significant performance if he had managed to connect with the cross from Saka in the first half and if he hadn't been offside. No ifs, buts, and maybes though – he gets a 5.

Gabriel Martinelli: 6/10

I thought he had a very similar game to the previous one against Palace. He kept taking on Tete atright back for Fulham but never really got the breakthrough. Got into good positions but lackedfinishing ability. He looked more comfortable combining with Vieira and Zinchenko when theycame on. He gets a 6 for his persistence but hopefully he’ll be more clinical against Man Utd.

Bukayo Saka: 7/10

The game couldn't have started worse for him, as he assisted Fulham's Andreas Pereira in the firstminute. However, he clawed his way back into the game and was, as always, a constant threat onthat right wing. Fulham's left back, Robinson, defended against him admirably and didn't give upmuch space. He was back on penalty duty and confidently slotted it away. 

Leandro Trossard: 5/10

Finally, he got the nod to start, which many fans had been wanting since the opening game due tohis impressive performance in the pre-season. He drifted into some promising areas from his false 9position but just didn't appear sharp today. He was substituted off at halftime for Nketiah.

Subs:

Eddie Nketiah: 8/10

Changed the game with his runs in behind the Fulham defence. Got on the end of Vieira’swonderful cross to make it 2-1, which should have been the game-winner. I can’t state how much I love the energy and lethality in the box, which Eddie brings to the pitch. Surely Arteta has to starthim against Man Utd, if Jesus isn’t quite fit. He gets a big 8.

Fabio Vieira: 9/10

If Arsenal fans had lost faith in the Portuguese, he certainly showed today why they should startreconsidering that notion. He played with full confidence, which ultimately resulted in 2 assists.Firstly, he got clipped in the penalty box and won a penalty, and for the second goal, he played abrilliant ball into the box which Eddie got onto and scored. He was the best player on the pitch forme today. 

Oleksandr Zinchenko: 7/10

Brilliant to see Zinny back on the pitch at Emirates, he seemed to instantly add something to theteam. Slotted straight into that inverted left back, which he’s used to playing. His sharp turns helpedcreate good angles for line breaking passes, something we’d been struggling with until he came on.Also good to see the passion he brings and the way he tries to involve the crowd. Hopefully he is fitto start a game soon, we need him!