Cesc Fábregas probably knew what he was missing. The Arsenal captain raised questions about his leadership qualities by choosing to go to watch the Spanish Grand Prix rather than his team's final match of the season. In doing so he spared himself from witnessing a low-key affair in which familiar failings were again exposed.
The sedateness of the game suggested that Arsenal did not truly believe they had a chance of overtaking Manchester City and regaining third place in the table and a shortcut to next season's Champions League group stages and their defensive frailty reminded them why their ambitions for the season were not achieved. Though this match at times felt like a bout of end-of-season sparring, Arsenal's centre-backs, Thomas Vermaelen and Johan Djourou, were often tormented by the power of Bobby Zamora and the pace of Andy Johnson.
Zamora was instrumental in Fulham's first goal in the 26th minute. After Clint Dempsey set him running free down the right, the striker ,cut the ball back to Steve Sidwell, who slotted it under Wojciech Szczesny from eight yards. Arsenal equalised almost immediately thanks to a move involving three players who had done nothing up to that point and would do little after it. Abou Diaby exchanged a snappy one-two with Marouane Chamakh before sliding the ball through for Robin van Persie, who fired low and hard into the net from 16 yards.
When Jonathan Greening shuffled into the box from the left in the 56th minute Zamora drifted cleverly between the inattentive Djourou and Vermaelen and to meet his team-mate's dainty cross. Arsène Wenger's side were given a boost when Fulham were reduced to 10 men following a reckless two-footed tackle by Zoltan Gera on Vermaelen - they must wait for the Football Association to assess all referee reports before finding out if that red card makes them drop down Uefa's fair play league and, therefore, give England's extra Europa League spot to Blackpool.
"We've been told we have to wait until Friday to find out," said the Fulham manager, Mark Hughes. "It would be nice to get there because qualifying for Europe on top of finishing eighth in the league would cap an excellent season for us." Although Theo Walcott came off the bench to strike a fine 89th-minute equaliser for Arsenal, Wenger did not pretend that it had been an excellent season for his team.
"Three weeks ago we were in a position to win the league so we are hugely disappointed with fourth place," he said.
"We have to rectify things in some areas next season. If we can find the right players we will spend money."
Source: Paul Doyle, The Guardian on 22 May 11
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