Martin Ødegaard has called on Arsenal to embrace a more assertive and straightforward style of play after their 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage, a result that hindered their challenge for the Premier League title against Liverpool.
The Arsenal captain expressed his dissatisfaction following the match, pointing out key areas that need attention after the disappointing performance.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Ødegaard emphasized the importance of Arsenal concentrating on their own game. “We have to focus on ourselves. We don’t care about the other teams,” he said.
While recognizing some positive aspects, he insisted the team needed to do more to secure wins. “We need to put the ball in the box more often and be a bit more direct and aggressive. We could have won it in the end.” His comments highlight growing concerns about Arsenal’s difficulties in open play, with their last three goals all coming from set pieces.
The game started poorly for Arsenal as defensive mistakes allowed Fulham to take the lead in the 11th minute. Jakub Kiwior’s poor decision on a long ball allowed Raúl Jiménez to break through, and William Saliba’s failure to close him down combined with David Raya’s inability to save worsened Arsenal’s situation. Despite dominating possession, Fulham created few chances, posting an xG of only 0.14.
Arsenal equalized in the second half when Saliba headed in a Declan Rice corner, assisted by Kai Havertz. However, breaking down Fulham’s solid defense in open play remained difficult. Arsenal’s struggles in this area are evident in their Premier League position of 13th for open-play xG.
Towards the end of the match, Bukayo Saka seemed to have scored a winner from Gabriel Martinelli’s cross, only for VAR to rule it out due to a marginal offside call against Martinelli. Arsenal had to settle for a point, and Ødegaard emphasized the need to take each match one step at a time.
Injuries further limited Mikel Arteta’s tactical options, with Riccardo Calafiori unavailable and Jurrien Timber playing out of position.
Thomas Partey also struggled to link effectively with Ødegaard and Saka from right-back, while Kiwior’s inconsistent form and Gabriel’s defensive absence exposed Arsenal’s weaknesses.
Ødegaard’s call for greater urgency and flexibility comes at a critical time, with Arsenal now six points behind Liverpool. With the busy festive period ahead, immediate improvements are essential for staying competitive in the title race.