A frustrating evening at Craven Cottage left Arsenal six points behind league leaders Liverpool, and Paul Merson didn’t shy away from calling out one of the team’s key players.

A Match of Missed Opportunities

Arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Fulham, a result that could have significant implications for their title challenge.

Raul Jimenez struck first for the hosts with a stunning goal 11 minutes in, completely against the flow of the game.

Arsenal responded seven minutes into the second half, with William Saliba netting his second goal in as many matches.

The Gunners appeared to have snatched a dramatic late winner when Bukayo Saka headed home, only for the goal to be disallowed due to Gabriel Martinelli being offside in the build-up.

Paul Merson’s Stinging Critique of Martinelli

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson didn’t mince words about Martinelli’s offside misstep, describing it as “criminal” in a footballing sense.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson expressed disbelief over the incident.

“In footballing terms, it’s criminal what Martinelli has done,” he said.

“You can’t be offside there, especially when you’re looking along the line. Martinelli has the pace to not need to gamble like that. He can afford to stay onside and still beat defenders.”

Merson speculated that Martinelli would likely face stern words from manager Mikel Arteta, adding, “He even knows it—just look at his face after the play. You simply can’t make that mistake at this level.”

Odegaard Reflects on a Disappointing Outcome

Captain Martin Odegaard admitted the team’s performance was far from their best.

“We dominated most of the game, but the first half wasn’t good enough. We were sloppy and lacked energy,” he explained.

Odegaard acknowledged the improvements in the second half but lamented their inability to secure all three points.

“We have to learn from this and bounce back quickly. It’s a long season, and we need to focus on ourselves, not on what other teams are doing.”

He also highlighted the need for more urgency in attack, saying, “We need to be more direct and aggressive, putting the ball into the box more often. It’s frustrating because we could have won it in the end.”

What’s Next for Arsenal?

With Liverpool maintaining their edge in the title race, Arsenal must regroup and find consistency.

As the season progresses, every point will matter, and moments like Martinelli’s offside call could define their campaign.

Arteta’s men will need to channel their frustration into their next fixtures as they aim to close the gap and keep their title dreams alive.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn