Kevin Whitcher's Arsenal Blog

Watford 2 Arsenal 3   Premier League   Sunday 6th March 2022 2pm     To put this game into context, Watford are in the relegation zone, and had lost their previous seven home league matches. Given that, if Arsenal are serious about returning to the Champions League in a season that they have plenty of time to prepare for games, this really was a fixture they had to take maximum points from.   They were the dominant team over the 90 minutes, but only really in terms of possession and enjoying a two goal lead for much of the second half. Watford had plenty of chances in what was a very open game – too open in the last 30 minutes. This might have worked for Arsenal in giving them the opportunity to score more, but I’d have preferred them to have contained Watford more instead.   Ultimately it doesn’t matter if matches are one by one goal or more, as long as they are won, and Arsenal have picked up 12 points from their last four outings, by a one goal margin ea...

Arsenal 1 Watford 0    Premier League    Sunday 7th November 2021 2pm    Arsenal’s next three away trips see them visit Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton. For the sake of momentum, home games against Watford, Newcastle and Southampton during the same period are vital, and although the Gunners made hard work of finishing off Watford yesterday, the points were secured. Doktor Schneide sent me a text after the game - Phew. Got there in the end. Was it me or did you see a number of Watford fans holding up signs saying ‘Pierre-Emerick, can I have your shirt?’ And indeed, it was a game for the Arsenal captain to forget for his trio of contributions in almost-goals. 1 – Saka’s offside. Auba failed to control a simple ball after Lacazette’s parried shot that he might have lashed into the net, leading to a forward knock-on – I won’t call it a pass – to his offside colleague. 2 – The penalty after Danny Rose’s foul on Lacazette. I’ll give him this, he hit it h...