Arsenal hold off Watford at Vicarage Road to earn a maximum point that saw them move into the top four despite their three games in hand. It all look glooming for the Mikel Arteta side, who will be positive of landing Champions League football for the first time post Wenger era.
Referee Jonathan Moss is surrounded by Arsenal players Thomas Partey, Ben White, Granit Xhaka and Gabriel as they appeal for a penalty during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brentford at Emirates Stadium on February 19, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
However, there is one recurring issue that must be fixed for them to be able to fend off their rivals and earn a top four finish come the end of the season in May.
This recurring problem is the defense. The Arsenal defense looked as though it has been fixed months ago, when they managed to keep many clean sheets that now sees goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale on eleven clean sheets in the league this season.
Recently, those clean sheets have dried up and the Gunners have concede goals in each of their last three games, including two against Watford and one against Brentford and Wolverhampton Wonderers each.
Even at that, the Gunners did conceded early goals against Watford and Wolverhampton Wonderers but fortunately for them, those goals were rightly ruled out for offside by the linesman’s flag. But there is no denying that the margins are very tight and might have been the other way round.
Looking at the goals conceded in those period too, they are goals that could have been avoided. Against Brentford, they failed to clear a poor set piece in the last moments of the game and that costed them a clean sheet they have preserved for over 90 minutes.
Against Wolverhampton Wonderers at the Emirates, it was a Gabriel Magalhães’ error, pounced on by Hee-Chan Hwang that gifted Bruno Lage side the early lead that almost see them run away with the points until the Gunners turned it around late on.
Most recently they conceded two against a Watford side who had struggled for goals before the game. In fact, the last time Watford scored multiple goals was back in November, in a 4-2 loss to Leicester City. Since then, they have never scored more than once.
Again, the goals maybe could have been avoided. Though, Cucho Hernández scored a beautiful overhead kick but that could have been avoided had Kiko Femenia been closed down before sending the cross into the box.
The second by Moussa Sissoko all started from Xhaka cheaply giving the ball away and Ben White failing in his attempt to dispossess the Frenchman, who slotted the ball past Aaron Ramsdale in goal, just like the late goal conceded against Manchester City in the 2-1 loss on new year’s day.
What could have caused the Gunners’ resolute defense looking shaky again ?
The absence of Japanese defender, Takehiro Tomiyasu might be seen as a huge miss for the Gunners. Although Cedric Soares has done well in his absence and has maybe done his bit in the team to perfection, but one could not take mind off the fact that the fall apart started when he came into the XI.
Mikel Arteta will be desperate to have the former Bologna man back as the Gunners have some tricky fixtures to come this month with the next three games being against Leicester City and Liverpool at home and a travel to the Villa Park to face Steven Gerrard’s Villa.
The result of these games will play a vital role in Arsenal securing Champions League football next season and they will have to improve on their defending in order to get positive results in the games against sides who have real quality in attack, and any defensive flaws will be deservingly punished.
Aaron Ramsdale has conceded goals in three consecutive games for the first time since joining Arsenal. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Arsenal play later on Sunday ans will be looking to extend their winning run against visiting Leicester City, who have also struggled recently but have been boosted with the return of Jamie Vardy, and won each of their last two games.
Arsenal won the reverse fixture 2-0 thanks to first half goals from Gabriel Magalhães and Emile Smith Rowe. A win for Arsenal will be huge as their rivals for a top four spot, Manchester United and Tottheham Hotspur face off at the Old Trafford stadium on Saturday.
Emile Smith Rowe (Covid) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) missed the trip to Vicarage Road and have not been totally ruled out for Sunday. James Maddison, James Justin, Ricardo Pereira, Ryan Bertrand, Timothy Castagne and Wesley Fofana are still missing for Leicester City but Brendan Rodgers will hope a couple of them can be fit for Sunday.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
