When it is Arsenal, you can never be too sure what you will get. I mean in recent times, inconsistence has eaten deep into the bones of the club and even in the current campaign, they have shown glimpse as to why they are not too reliable.
Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring the 2nd Arsenal goal during the Premier League match between Watford and Arsenal at Vicarage Road on March 06, 2022 in Watford, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Late last year whilst they are on a fine run, though they’ve lost to Liverpool and Manchester United, they then surrendered a 1-0 lead to an Everton side, who are winless in eight games when they traveled to the Goodison on the sixth of December.
Also this year, they blew a great chance to close in on United or even move into the top four when they were held to a goalless draw at the Emirates to Burnley, who then had lost their previous three before meeting with the Gunners, and were without a win in eight games across all competitions.
Heading into the game at Vicarage Road having not play a game since their dramatic 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wonderers at the Emirates eleven days ago, you never know if a revitalized or a rusty side will turn up.
And it was indeed the later that turned up in the early exchange as Emmanuel Dennis beat the defense to slot past Aaron Ramsdale in goal but fortunately for Mikel Arteta and his disciples, the linesman flag rightly go up to deny the Nigerian his second goal of the calendar year.
Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring Arsenal’s 1st goal with Cedric Soares during the Premier League match between Watford and Arsenal at Vicarage Road on March 06, 2022 in Watford, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The Gunners took the lead minutes later from a brilliant team play involving Cedric Soares, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka, with the later setting up the Norwegian for the opener.
Watford hit back eleven minutes into the tie with Cucho Hernández scoring a beautiful overhead kick effort that caught the Arsenal defenders in their slumber and Aaron Ramsdale could do nothing to prevent the Colombian his third league goal of the campaign.
Arsenal continued to dominate proceedings and once again retake the lead, this time Bukayo Saka legally robbing Tom Cleverly of possession and playing it straight to Alexander Lacazette, who did well to hold up the ball and return a pass to Saka.
The English youngster fired a ferocious effort into the top corner, giving Ben Foster no chance as he scores his eighth goal of the league campaign.
Arsenal took the league to halftime and it was extended seven minutes after the restart. Another sweeping move started with Mikel Arteta handling the ball to Saka, urging him to take a fast throw. The 20-year-old did exactly that and finds Soares, the to Ødegaard and to Lacazette, who lays it down for the Goalscorer, Gabriel Martinelli.
For a Watford side that prevented Manchester United from scoring last time out in the league, Arsenal scored three from their first three shots on target in the game, ensuring Ben Foster registered no real save throughout the game.
Moussa Sissoko scored late on to set up a nervy finish to the contest for the Gunners but the young guns did enough to see out the win that takes them up to fourth on the log after United’s loss to City in the Manchester derby.
Arsenal now move to fourth, knowing it can get even better by winning their games in hand, which will take them above Chelsea on the log but that is still something for another time. The work needed of them was done at Vicarage Road and now they can take courage from their run, when they host Leicester City next weekend.
The road to the season’s climax is still long and there are still lots of challenging games to come, but taking it one after the other and putting in fine performances like in recent games might finally deliver the club’s first Champions League qualification post Arsene Wenger’s era.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
