Here we are, back to Premier League business… and we’re at Molineux, to face a Wolves side, who are dead… but not necessarily buried. I wander if we can heap dirt on Wolverhampton Wanderers, and lay them to rest.
Yes, their points tally is woeful, and yes… they’re already relegated, but their last two results were a 1-0 win away to Grimsby Town in the FA Cup, and a draw away to Nottingham Forest, in the Premier League. Make no mistake, sometimes… they’re no pushovers.
The Arsenal are on the back of a convincing 4-0 win over Wigan, in the FA Cup… and should be really up for this match, especially as it presents an opportunity, to go 7 points clear of Mancheatster City… at the top of the league.
We have to react in the right way, to the disappointment, of the Brentford result… and I’m sure we will.
The starting line-up was David Raya in goal, Hincapie at left-back, Gabriel and Saliba, in central defence, and Timber at right-back.
In midfield it was Rice, and Zubimendi… and in front of them, it Martinelli on the left, Saka in a more central role, and Madueke on the right.
Viktor Gyokeres started up front.
We started the game with a determination to right our previous wrongs. The movement, the quickness of our passing, and the productivity in the final third, was exciting to say the least. I waaaah, wah, wah, wah, wandeeeerrred… if Wolverhampton Wanderers, were in for a hammering.
In the 5th minute, Saka gave my hammering thoughts some nails. A lovely pass from Declan Rice over the top, complimented Saka’s well timed run… and our Starboy finished with a clever glancing header. 1-0 to The Arsenal!! A perfect start to the game, and a perfect way for Bukayo Saka to celebrate the signing of his new 5 year contract.
We were dominating the game, but we didn’t capitalise on multiple opportunities, to kill the game off in the early stages.
The Wolves fans were unrelenting in support for their team, and the Wolves players were NOT playing like a team already relegated… so naturally, my hammering thoughts dissipated… and rightly so, because the first half ended 1-0, even though it should’ve been more.
Wolves were a completely different opposition in the second half, and we seemed to of forgotten how to pass, how to keep the ball, how to defend, AND how to attack.
It was painful to watch, and even though we were still 1-0 up, the fragility of the lead was apparent.
We somehow got sucked into the type of game that Wolves wanted to play. It was scrappy, it was chaotic, it was nervous, and it was uncharacteristic, for the Gunners to play this way.
Now I appreciate that there’s been a huge volume of games, due to us being involved in every competition… HOWEVER, I also appreciate that we’re playing a team at the bottom of the table, and we should be putting them to the sword. The mentality of the players is often questioned, and I think it’s unjustifiable MOST of the time, because the players have proved the solidity of their mentality… on multiple occasions this season. We’re in the position we’re in for a reason.
In this game though, there were signs of fatigue… both mentally, and physically. Mikel Arteta has to accept some blame for that, as I don’t feel he’s been rotating the squad as often as he should be. In addition to that, I think Arteta of late, has been too obsessed with how we are defensively, as opposed to focussing on how to have a more attacking mindset… and NOT take our foot off the gas, after going a goal up.
As you know my beloved Arsenal brethren, I seldom focus on the negatives, as I feel it’s an exercise riddled with futility… but we must acknowledge that our current form in the Premier League, is somewhat concerning.
Aaaanywhooooo… back to the match at hand, we were still playing like we were unsure of ourselves, but in the 56th minute, and against the run of play… we managed to double our lead.
Gabriel of all people, spotted a clever run from Hincapie, and he slid a perfect ball to him, which Hincapie took in his stride, and finished emphatically past the Wolves keeper… with the confidence of a seasoned striker. It was a great finish into the roof of the net, that put the Gunners into a commanding lead. 2-0 to The Arsenal!!
Funnily enough though, even with the two goal lead, I wasn’t sitting comfortably, as we hadn’t been playing well in the second half.
How uncomfortable I felt was warranted, because in the 61st minute, Hugo Bueno hit a wonder-strike from the edge of the box. A sumptuous curled effort, with his left foot… and we only had ourselves to blame. The game could’ve been over in the first half, and we were paying the price for our inefficiency in front of goal. 2-1 now the scoreline.
Mikel Arteta responded by trying to freshen things up, and he brought on Jesus for Gyokeres, and Eze for Madueke. Nothing changed though, and we still didn’t look like scoring a third goal… so in the 73rd minute, Trossard replaced Saka.
The match continued scrappily, and The Arsenal were in danger of dropping points in back-to-back games.
We were unable to stop the Wolves resurgence, and we started defending way too deep. We were almost inviting the pressure.
The squandering of chances continued for us, and inevitably, Wolves gained confidence. There was a growing feeling amongst the Arsenal faithful, that a Wolves equaliser was on the cards.
In the 94th minute, our worst nightmare came true.
A nothing ball was put into the Arsenal box, and David Raya crazily attempted to catch the ball, over Gabriel’s head… which he failed to do spectacularly. The loose ball was then fired in by Tom Edozie… after hitting the post, hitting Calafiori, and then going in. It was comical defending from the Gunners, but I most certainly WASN’T laughing.
We threw away the three points, in almost the last kick of the game. It was incomprehensible, unfathomable, inexcusable… and looked like another case of self-sabotage… because it was painstakingly avoidable. The scoreline now 2-2. (Unfortunately!!)
The game ended 2-2, in a match where Arsenal could’ve easily been 3-0 up in the first half. I felt sick, and the regurgitation of the same old narratives, were pending from the mainstream media.
It was a terrible day at the office for The Arsenal, but we have little time to lick our wounds, as next up… we have an away trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, to face a Tottenham team, that’ll have a new manager bounce, and will be determined to get revenge on us… after the 4-1 humiliation at the Emirates.
It goes without saying, that only a win will do!!
Are you concerned by the lack of fight, and desire we showed?
What do you think we can we do differently, to increase the potency in our attack?
David Raya has looked calamitous in recent weeks, does Kepa Arrizabalaga, deserve a run in the team?
Let me know in the comments as usual. GOYG!!
gunnersayit.com 
Leave a comment