Fulham 0 Arsenal 3: Number 45, and a clean sheet to boot

Reyes and Bergkamp celebrate whilst bad loser Van der Saar looks on

This was the first time I’ve ever had a seat at The Cottage and it was in the Putney End, which despite it obvious newness felt like a temporary stand and the floor bounced quite a bit when we got a tad excited.

Pat was back in the line up today but he looked miles off the pace, although he seemed to grow into the match before being subbed. The Vieira song was sung loud and clear before kick off. When we did kick off the first foul was by Collins John on Bergkamp. Dennis is pure class and he was again today, putting Freddie away for our first meaningful attack and winning a corner from a cross that was headed clear. ‘Carefree wherever you may be, Chelsea ain’t got no history…’ ‘Have you ever seen Chelsea win the League..’ but the home fans failed to join in, maybe they were too much in awe. Nice to see Andy Cole failing to stay onside so early in the match. Cole took out Volz by way of an early marker. A big Arsenal move started when Kolo beat Cole in the air, to Lauren on the right and then via Pires on the left, Freddie and Henry joined in but a Fulham goal kick was all that resulted.

Cole broke away at speed and Legwinski was too slow even to be able to foul him. ‘You’ve only come to see the Champions’ ‘Stand up if you hate Chelsea’ but the silent ranks of Cottagers wouldn’t play the game. Their team did though, and they didn’t let us take control on the pitch as we had in the stands. Our fluidity was lacking, the moves were in fits and starts and Fulham harried us all over the pitch. Lauren had a run and a weak shot. Bouba Diop was fouled by Vieira who at this stage was struggling to keep up. Cygan was winning headers at the back where he and Kolo dominated. A Fulham corner taken by Pembridge saw Knight’s header cleared off the line by Freddie.

Gilberto, who was strong throughout, found Dennis who set up Thierry who fired over. ‘Thierry Henry’. Halsey failed to see an advantage when Henry had the ball near the halfway line but play was pulled back to our box. Prat! Lauren stopped Boa Morte with a foul. Lehmann made a decent catch and gave a fast throw to Ashley but he was fouled as he broke away. There was quite a lot of fouls to stop our fast breaks and it wasn’t until the second half that we really found the wide open spaces. ‘One man went to laugh, went to laugh at Chelsea’. Pat was carded for a trip on Bouba Diop, I’ve seen worse and Fulham had just had about four hacks on Lauren. Fulham then won a free kick for a 50/50 challenge but it was wasted. Andy Cole was caught offside again following a Fulham break where Ashley was shoved in the back but wasn’t given the free kick. Ash was called to clear-up following a dangerous move down their left. Bouba Diop had his foot up under Pat’s chin but Halsey wasn’t interested. The very cumbersome foul by Legwinski on Pires was seen however.

A great save by Jens from Boa Morte for a Fulham corner, which Rob sliced away for another. Pearce had a header straight at Lehmann, we were not bossing things as we normally do. Halsey then awarded a penalty to Fulham for what appeared, to the entire stand full of travelling Gooners, to be a perfect and timely tackle by Ashley Cole on his namesake. We made our feelings known. Halsey amazingly consulted his lino who said ‘no way’ so he reversed his decision. So we won a dropped ball and the Fulham fans were seriously pissed off. Boa Morte meanwhile was winning his battle with Lauren. Silva was hacked but nothing given, Silva then played Cygan into trouble. This was not quite the supreme all-conquering Arsenal we all know and love.

Henry broke whilst being held, and ran on while being held, and played in Freddie while being held. Freddie’s cross was caught by Van der Sar though as Tel looked for the return. Knight then held onto Dennis as he broke, but Arsenal were now passing it around to a chorus of boos. Ashley Cole you may remember had won a perfect tackle but Arsenal were getting booed because the ref screwed up then changed his mind. Henry then had a stonewall penalty declined, this was a total bottle job by Halsey who claimed the ball had been played. Had it feck! The fact that Henry was kicked in the air and needed treatment was of no account.

Zak Knight puts through his own net

The fairly anonymous Pires won a corner. The next Fulham attack had them win a throw that was a long one that skimmed heads before being nodded home at our far post. I didn’t see who pushed who, but it wasn’t Collins John who I think headed home. But Halsey disallowed it for a push and the home fans were certainly not going to add him to their Christmas list. ‘Same old Arsenal always cheating’ was the only thing I heard Fulham sing all game. Halsey left the field at half time to resounding chorus of boos. Halsey as a result of two piss-poor decisions and a load of poor ones had put himself under immense pressure.

The half time dancers were crap and I noticed that the programme claimed Cliff Bastin to be our leading scorer, it also failed to list Pires amongst our midfield players. £3 I paid for these errors. Fortunately the new edition of the Gooner was a far superior read, and at £2 far better value.

The players enter the field of play via the Cottage corner but the dugouts are a walk across the pitch. As Arsene was late out he had to walk the perimeter track in front of a stand full of Gooners acknowledging that there was indeed only ‘One Arsene Wenger’. He clearly enjoyed his walk. Dennis showed the necessary spirit early on by chasing down the ball from the half way line. John shot wide after a poor clearance by Cygan, which was a shame as it followed a great interception by Pascal. Bee Boop a Doo Lop, or whatever his name is, was looking strong. Lehmann, in his sky blue outfit, was out well and bravely. Henry juggled into their box but was surrounded by white shirts who managed to clear. Henry was warming to the task now and did some great work down our left.

Fulham attacked down their right and after some decent play and with the ball being played like a pinball in our box Lehmann pulled off a great save. He had more to do today than any League match this season. A couple of Fulham corners later and some more pinball the white shirts fired over once more. Jens then had to save again. Fulham were very much on top at this stage, but Jens was up to the task, however he then spoilt his match by slicing badly into touch. Henry went on a run, found Freddie and we were back in it as Lauren saw his cross saved. Ashley then went on a charge. Gilberto then did some fabulous trickery that Lauren failed to read. Silva then had a fine run and there was a late tackle on Cygan. Our passes had started to flow but in the stand we still debated whether Pat, Rob or Freddie would be replaced. It was Rob, and he was replaced by Reyes with about half an hour to go.

Freddie celebrated being retained on the field of play with a fine run that had Henry firing one dangerously across the face of goal. It was coming soon and when it did, it was Cole, Henry and Freddie with the final touch from an angle that gave us the lead. 0-1 Arsenal and a booking for Van Der Sar who chewed out the lino because he felt Freddie was offside. ‘We love you Freddie…’

Halsey - 'My brain hurts!'

Great cross-field ball from Reyes to Lauren. Henry cut in from the left for a shot after a whole load more passes. We were in the groove. Dennis was totally in the groove and picked out Freddie who held off at least two defenders to make it 0-2. ‘We are unbeatable’ ‘That’s why we’re the Champions’ ‘Who the feck are Man United’…who indeed? Reyes to Bergkamp as we hit the ‘carve-them-up mode’. Bocanegra(?) axed Freddie and was booked. Dennis then burst through to win a free kick right on the edge of their box. Reyes clipped it just past the near post. Fulham won a corner. There was great header clear by Kolo and in seconds Dennis had put Jose away with a killer ball which was then slammed past the keeper for number three. Wham-bam thank-you mam! 0-3 Arsenal.

Dennis put Henry clear but offside was called, very marginal that one, henry certainly gave the lino the eyeball! Kolo now felt free to go on a charge before Pennant and Fabregas replaced Freddie and Pat in fairly quick succession. Dennis took the armband. Radzinski replace Legwinski to maintain the inski quota in white shirts. Jens had to come out fast and chest away, Reyes and Henry combined to give Henry a cross shot. ‘Stand up for the Champions’ Fabregas got a yellow card for a tackle from behind. One of many tackles from behind in the match, so he was a tad unlucky, but maybe he’s going for the youngest League suspension. Andy Cole had a couple of decent turns and shots but Jens was up to both of them the second of which was an excellent shot. Reyes set up Henry again but he tried a nutmeg shot via Knight that didn’t come off. McBride replaced Boa Morte.

Brilliant ball by Reyes to Bergkamp and we won another corner. Bouba Diop could have been booked for a gross amount of lip or a tackle from behind on Henry but wasn’t. A short free kick Henry to Dennis, who blasted well off target ‘What the fecking hell was that?’ and top marks to Dennis who turned to us and just shrugged. Time still for a speed break; Lehmann to Henry, to Dennis to Jose who fired wide. ‘Say we are top of the League, say we are top of the League. Gilberto to Reyes who hit the side netting this time. We were happy to play out the match hitting them on the break. Happy Gooners, booing Fulham fans.

That’s now a massive forty-five matches unbeaten, top of the league and a goal scoring machine to die for, with a massive 19 net-bulgers in just five games. Just to remind you, here’s the story so far: (As Arsenal put six past the Saints about one thousand years ago) w w w w w w d d w w w d w w w d d w d w w d w w w w w w w w w d w d w d d d w w w w w w w (as Arsenal put three past Fulham).