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The Gunners were held at their cross-town rivals despite dominating possession at Craven Cottage.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard expressed frustration after the Gunners' 1-1 draw against Fulham, highlighting their need for greater attacking efficiency despite dominating possession.
Fulham vs Arsenal
The hosts went ahead against the run of play through Raul Jimenez in the 11th minute but William Saliba levelled from another set-piece goal seven minutes after the interlude.
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Arsenal thought they completed the turnaround late on only for Bukayo Saka’s 90th-minute leveller to be chalked off for a Gabriel Martinelli offside in the lead-up to the goal.
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What Odegaard said about Arsenal’s draw
Odegaard admitted that the Gunners’ first-half performance was lacklustre, lacking the energy and intensity required to break down a resolute Fulham defence.
He felt the team improved significantly in the second half but ultimately failed to convert their dominance into goals.
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"We dominated most of the game. The first half wasn't great,” said the Arsenal captain. “We were a bit sloppy and lacked energy and power.
“The second half was a lot better. It's frustrating not to win. We were close in the end with the goal.
Odegaard acknowledged Fulham's defensive strength and organisation but emphasised Arsenal's need to create more chances and be more clinical in front of goal, suggesting the team could benefit from a more direct and aggressive approach in attack.
"They're a good team,” he admitted. “They know how to defend. A solid block. We didn't do enough today. We have to learn from that and straight back in for the next one.”
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Despite the draw, Odegaard remained focused on the bigger picture, emphasising the importance of taking each game as it comes in the long Premier League season.
"We have to focus on ourselves,” he said. “We don't care about the other teams [in the title race].
"We did a lot of good things. We have to do more and put the ball in the box more times. Maybe be a bit more direct and aggressive. We could have won it in the end.
"It's a very long way to go. We've said hundreds of times we have to keep going game by game."
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18:17 - 08.12.2024
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The Gunners dropped points again in the London derby against Alex Iwobi's Fulham
What next for Arsenal?
Arsenal return to action against Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday before hosting Everton on Saturday, December 14.
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