Misfiring Arsenal are a team without a plan B when Bukayo Saka is foiled

The 2-1 defeat at Fulham showed that Mikel Arteta’s side lack both a goalscorer and a gameplan to handle that problem

SAK AND TIRED: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka reacts to a missed chance during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage, London. Pic: Steven Paston/PA Wire

With 79 minutes gone at Craven Cottage Leandro Trossard produced a piece of skill that was balletic, high-craft and also – this is key – completely pointless, feinting to his left, sniping inside the Fulham cover and then sending a wonderful left-foot cross snaking right through the scoring zone, watched with varying levels of interest by three green shirts.

The obvious question, watching this, was: why? Why bother? What is the plan here? Arsenal attempted a total of 20 crosses in the course of this 2-1 defeat by a robust and classy Fulham team. Only one or two of those crosses actually found an Arsenal player. Across the Premier League season only Luton and Everton have attempted more crosses than Arsenal. But then, Luton and Everton have a game geared for that kind of attacking energy.