Arsenals belief in Unai Emery grows as Gunners extend winning run to nine matches with 5-1 Fulham win
Weve got our Arsenal back cried the away support after witnessing an Aaron Ramseys goal that was reminiscent of the swashbuckling early years of Arsene Wengers reign.
Unai Emerys own time at the club is in its infancy but his influence, even at this stage, is indelible and he can take great satisfaction from how quickly the squad has absorbed his ideas.
The Gunners will certainly have tougher days but their 5-1 win at Craven Cottage was their ninth win in a row in all competitions.
Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring after half an hour played when he swivelled on Nacho Monreals cross and fired past a helpless Marcus Bettinelli.
The Gunners slack passing out from the back handed Fulham a route back into the match with Luciano Vietto pouncing on Nacho Monreals poor pass to play in Andre Schurrle for an equaliser just before the break.
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However, the Gunners were too strong for Fulham and second half goals from Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang [x2] and a goal of the season contender from Ramsey confirmed the victory.
The Gunners arrived back in London early on Friday morning following their 3-0 win against Qarabag against Azerbaijan and Emery, breaking with tradition from Arsene Wengers tenure, gave his squad the day off to recover.
That decision looked to be paying dividends in the early stages with the Gunners looking crisp and inventive in possession, especially through Henrikh Mkhtiaryan and Alexandre Lacazette.
Emerys decision to bench Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang raised some eyebrows but his replacement, Danny Welbeck, was causing all sorts of problems for Fulhams defence and the England forward went close to playing in Lacazette for a certain goal if not for a last-ditch tackle from Tim Ream.
Fulham, though, were far too open and paid on the hour mark when Iwobi slipped in Nacho Monreal down the left flank and the Spaniard picked out Lacazette in the middle, who swivelled brilliantly before smashing home past Marcus Bettinelli.
However, Arsenal were creating problems of their own at the back with Rob Holding and Monreal in particular guilty of slack pieces of play in possession.
Much has been made of Emerys tactics since arriving at the club as the Spaniard tasks his team with playing out from the back in a fashion that even Wenger didnt demand.
Its clear hell not waiver in his belief that this is the way forward for Arsenal but mistakes, as Monreal provided a minute before half-time, are inevitable until Emery can get the players he wants for to suit his philosophy.
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Monreal played a sloppy pass down the left that was cut out by Luciano Vietto and the Argentine played in Andre Schurrle to lob over the onrushing Bernd Leno to equalise.
It was a deserved equaliser given the balance of play but both sides openness meant more goals were inevitable and Arsenal retook the lead shortly after the restart when Lacazette found the bottom left hand corner with a powerful strike from a Welbeck knockdown.
Bettinelli will feel he could have done better but Lacazettes decision to take the strike early caught him off guard.
Lacazettes second gave Arsenal more confidence and they gave themselves a two-goal cushion twenty minutes from time with one of the team goals of the season.
Arsenal swept forward through Aaron Ramsey, who had just emerged from the bench. Lacazettes flick found Ramsey, who played it on to Aubameyang on the left and the Welshman met the forwards cross with a delicious flick to all-but confirm the win.
It took the Gunners until December 28th to record their third Premier League victory away from home last season and the remaining six months of the season saw Arsenal win just once more on the road – on Arsene Wengers final game in charge at Huddersfield.
But its testament to Emerys ability to transfer his ideas onto his players that the club have already recorded their third away win this campaign.
Where Arsenal looked lost under Wenger in his final campaign, Emery can now afford to play here without Mesut Ozil and the fact he can leave a player of Aubameyangs quality on the bench speaks volumes of his strength in depth up front.
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But the Gabonese had a big part to play in the match, grabbing a double in the final ten minutes to confirm the 5-1 win.
The benefits of nine wins in all competitions goes without saying but the wider rewards for Emery are invaluable. The squad now believe in his ideas, his fresh methods and his tactics.
This was a match that Arsenal would have struggled with last term. Their mental fragility and lack of confidence was pounced on by inferior sides like Brighton, Bournemouth and Newcastle but Emerys injected impetus and arrogance back into this side.
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