Perhaps curse is a bit strong, but Arsenal have only managed to scrape together 3 points from the last four games against the cottagers, something that shouldn’t really be happening against a mid-table team.

Arsenal go into this game with the aim to ensure it is not 5 games in a row where we have dropped points against Fulham

Form Going Into the Game

Arsenal have managed to obtain 22 points from the last 9 games, with Fulham picking up just 12 from their last 9. They have only one point from their last 3 games, losing to United and Newcastle, while Arsenal’s draw against Everton was the first dropped points since the Spurs game.

Arsenal still have the best away defence in the league, conceding just 14 goals in 16 games, something the team will be looking to build on.

Neither side has lost a game in which they have gone in at half time ahead, with Arsenal not dropping a single point from this position. Also, neither side has won while losing at half time. An early lead could be key. Unfortunately this would suit Fulham more than Arsenal. 10 of Berbatov’s 13 goals have come in the first half. Part of the reason as to why Fulham have scored 62% (21 of 34) of their goals in the first half. Arsenal have scored just 38 %( 24 of 64) of goals in this time. Leading at the break has been a guarantee of getting points for both teams this season so far.

Arsenal should be aiming to get the lead before half time.

Goal Scorers

Theo Walcott is the only Arsenal player that can be considered to be in a goal drought.  His impressive start to the season has failed to develop to a fully impressive season (be as cynical as you want as to the reason), and he is without a goal since January.

Admittedly he has been injured for a large chunk of this period, it is the anonymity on the pitch when he has played that has caused Arsenal’s highest paid player to suffer some criticism.

Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla (other players on 10+ goals this season) have all scored within the last 4 games.

Fulham are increasingly reliant on Dimitar Berbatov as the season continues. He has scored 5 of the last 6 goals that Fulham players have scored (excluding own goals), including a run of scoring four games in a row from February to early April.

The last game where a Fulham player scored and Berbatov wasn’t on the score sheet was in January, a run that spans 11 games. He has scored 13 of the 39 goals that Fulham players have scored this season. I am sure the ex-spud would be more than happy to do them a favour by scoring against us.

No other Fulham player has more than 5 goals in the league this season.

Previous Meetings

This doesn’t look good for Arsenal, who have not beaten Fulham in the league since 2010. Three of those four games have ended in draws, most recently the fixture at the Emirates earlier this season. Arsenal have not won at Craven Cottage since 2009. Concerning stuff.

The last game was a game with two braces and missed penalty. Braces from both Berbatov and Giroud secured both teams one point, with Arteta missing a penalty in the last minute that would have made it 4-3. This was the last penalty that Arsenal have missed, with Arteta burying the last 5. Meanwhile this fixture last year saw us beaten 2-1 thanks to a collapse in the last 5 minutes as a result of Djourou’s sending off.

Hopefully Arsenal can do their best to guarantee it is not 5 games in a row without a win against Fulham.

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