Arsenal’s stutter at the London Stadium could prove fatal for title ambitions

West Ham 2 Arsenal 2    
Premier League   
Sunday 16th April 2023 2pm    

Another Sunday, another two-goal lead away from home. Arsenal looking in control and then shooting themselves in the foot. Ah well, the season is far from over and they remain undefeated in their previous nine League matches. However, when Mikel Arteta talked about ten cup finals before the Leeds game, the reality is that penalty shootouts don’t apply, and draws cost two points. Arsenal have taken five points from a potential nine in the first three ‘finals’ and we may look back on the loss of winning positions at Anfield and the London Stadium with regret come the season’s end. There have been a few notable 2-2s in Arsenal’s title challenges over the years. Sure, Birmingham 2008 is a scar on the memory, although I had more of a Bolton 2003 feel after yesterday’s match. 20 years on West Ham could not play with as much physicality as Bolton, as players are more protected, but in the second half they certainly worked hard to make Arsenal’s possession football less effective. 

 

Then again, another 2-2 was the home draw with Wimbledon in May 1989 – that certainly felt like a defeat with Anfield looming. And yet that season we saw a happy ending. Might Arsenal go to the Etihad and achieve a result as remarkable? They are good enough to attack City and test them defensively, but of course, the Gunners own defence has not proved particularly resilient too often this season. Aaron Ramsdale has had to dig them out of trouble a little too often for comfort. Three goals were conceded at home to Manchester City. They need to improve, but the return of William Saliba does not look like happening any time soon. Tierney for the injured Zinchenko today was not something that weakened the team at the back when it came to stopping West Ham, but it did mean they were more ponderous in possession trying to bring the ball out, and Rob Holding is no Saliba.

 

What the two draws have told us about this team is that game management is an area where improvement is required. It was a perfect start with two excellent team goals finished by Jesus and Odegaard, Arsenal purring like a Rolls Royce engine. So, 2-0 up and looking comfortable, was there really any need to Thomas Partey to try and mug Declan Rice by trying to flick the ball past him? There was a simpler ball available, but the midfielder took a chance and his team paid a heavy price when it didn’t come off and West Ham subsequently earned a penalty from what followed. Artetaball does see the team taking risks in their own half in the name of possession, but there are times when these may be needed and times when it is better to minimize the risk. The players need to judge the moment. Yes, it is a young team, but Partey – like Xhaka last week – is one of the experienced players. He should know better. 

 

Things started to unravel from there after Arsenal had made such an excellent start - with two goals in the opening ten minutes - that you were tempted to wonder if they might be able to make a dent in Manchester City’s goal difference advantage. The Hammers should have been on the ropes, but the killer blow failed to arrive. Half time came and it was 2-1 with the match rejuvenated as a contest thanks to the converted spot kick.

 

Arsenal were fortunate enough to win a penalty of their own a few minutes after the interval due to a handball, but unfortunately Bukayo Saka put his effort wide, and very soon afterwards, West Ham equalised through Bowen, who beat the offside trap after a corner had been cleared. For once Aaron Ramsdale failed to save his side as he did not get enough on it to steer the ball wide. The rest of the game saw few genuine chances for Arteta’s team, who did not look anywhere near as authoritative as they did when they were running things in the first half. In that sense, it was a reminder of the previous weekend, although once it got to 2-2, West Ham were nowhere near as dangerous as Liverpool last Sunday. 

 

The stadium clock ticked down, the away support felt deflated and unable to lift the team. You had the feeling that this was going to be one of those days, and just hoped to be proved wrong. Chances were few, the best a low pass from Tierney on the left that ran across the face of the West Ham goal but Jesus was unable to reach it to convert. A lot of the time, Arsenal looked to lack ideas of how to break down the opposition defence, as the intricate passing in and around the penalty box wasn’t coming off. Saka had a decent chance but his shot lacked any venom. It symbolised the team’s performance after West Ham’s first goal – it all felt a bit tired.

 

Psychologically, this group of players is in new territory, although you’d like to think some of the newly arrived players that have won the Premier League with their previous clubs might help. Arsenal’s immediate task is obvious enough. Beat Southampton at home on Friday and then come up with a way of avoiding defeat the game after at Manchester City. That would leave their fate in their own hands, five matches remaining. 

 

On paper, draws at Anfield and West Ham are respectable results, but the disappointment in them is a consequence of the high standards Arteta’s players have set this season, and the reality that they have got themselves into a position where they have a chance of a first title for the club since 2004. Fine details can determine tight title races, and perhaps the club might end up paying heavily for Saka’s poor penalty. So it goes. They don’t all go in, as Mo Salah can testify. 

 

Arteta tried to mix things up with his subs, but to little effect. Fabio Vieira keeps getting chances with questionable impact, and you have to wonder why Emile Smith Rowe isn’t given a go. Trossard, for once, was ineffective, and Nketiah and Nelson were quiet in the minutes they were given. If you think of the quality of the options Manchester City have on the bench, it’s a bit of a gulf, so credit is due to Arsenal for leading them, even if things are starting to look ominous. 

 

It was a frustrating afternoon, but it was also a reality check. Arsenal are some way from the finished article, yet to go back to that 2003 2-2 draw at Bolton, the team that day was packed with winning experience. Seaman, Lauren, Cygan, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Parlour, Gilberto Silva, Pires, Henry, Wiltord. Van Bronckhorst, Keown and Luzhny came on from the bench, and Dennis Bergkamp was an unused sub. So experience is no guarantee against a bad result. Let us hope that applies to Manchester City also, 20 years on.

 

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