One other fright earlier than Christmas. Arsenal by no means appear to do it the simple method.
Brian Brobbey at Sunderland. Emiliano Buendia at Aston Villa. Toru Arokodare in opposition to Wolves and now Marc Guehi versus Crystal Palace. “It’s something we have to improve, we’re conceding in the last minute,” stated goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after the most recent one.
4 targets conceded within the dying minutes of matches ought to concern Mikel Arteta. Besides they don’t seem to be, not less than in keeping with what the Arsenal boss says.
Usually such a development would trigger angst and doubt a few workforce’s credentials – particularly a aspect just like the Gunners who’ve struggled to make that remaining step lately.
That doubt would even hark again to the times when Arsenal had been frail on the again beneath a number of managers – Arsene Wenger’s late years, Unai Emery’s whole tenure and even the early period of Arteta.
However the purpose Arteta shouldn’t be involved is as a result of Arsenal’s troubles late on in video games are usually not defensive points – they’re attacking ones.
“The margin should have been much bigger,” stated Arteta after the Carabao Cup win over Palace on penalties, referring to the 1-0 lead Arsenal took into stoppage time – one thing additionally they did at Sunderland and Wolves.
“That should have been three or four, and then we’re not worried about what happens in the last minutes.”
That was actually the case in opposition to Crystal Palace – and as soon as once more Arsenal’s assault appears to be drying up in December.
In unimaginable numbers, it has been over 300 minutes since an Arsenal participant scored a non-penalty aim. For the reason that hour mark within the 3-0 win over Membership Brugge, the Gunners have relied on three personal targets – two from Wolves and one from Palace – and a Viktor Gyokeres penalty at Everton.
Personal targets and penalties are usually not one thing to be ashamed of – they’re the signal of making chaos among the many opposition defence that drive errors. However the knowledge exhibits Arsenal’s gamers ought to have scored not less than six instances of their final three video games – but could not handle one.
It’s not the primary time this has occurred for Arsenal within the festive interval. In December 2023, they suffered back-to-back league losses round Christmas to Fulham and West Ham and exited the FA Cup regardless of dominating Liverpool with likelihood after likelihood.
Twelve months in the past, Arsenal had back-to-back attracts with Fulham and Everton in December. Their 1-0 win over Ipswich straight after Christmas was removed from convincing attacking-wise. They then exited the Carabao Cup regardless of dominating the primary half of their semi-final first leg with Newcastle.
There is a development there – and it appeared set to proceed in opposition to Palace on Tuesday night time, the place Arsenal had 25 photographs with out discovering the online themselves.
Noni Madueke spurned a first-half hat-trick, Gabriel Jesus was denied in both half by the wonderful Walter Benitez within the Palace aim – whereas Jurrien Timber was additionally responsible of a few missed possibilities earlier than the sport went to penalties.
Arsenal failed to attain from 25 targets in opposition to Palace – personal targets don’t depend as photographs
But Palace snatched a end in regular time – and the sport felt just like Arsenal’s woes final season. The Gunners drew 14 instances within the Premier League final marketing campaign – solely Everton had extra – with a whole lot of these stalemates being 1-1 attracts.
They’ve tried to handle that by including extra layers to their assault. The likes of Gyokeres, Madueke, Eberechi Eze and even Martin Zubimendi had been introduced in so as to add an edge to the Arsenal frontline – in a bid to get that second aim earlier than the opposition get again into the sport.
It seems to have labored. Overlook ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’, it is really 2-0 which has been the most well-liked scoreline of their season to this point.
Arteta’s aspect have recognised the necessity to get that decisive second aim rapidly – the very fact they’ve gone 2-0 up inside the primary minute of the second half on three separate events exhibits it’s a key a part of the Arsenal teaching workers’s workforce talks.
However that hasn’t been the case in latest weeks. Arsenal have been falling again into their previous habits of sitting on slender leads.
Had VAR been extra strict on William Saliba’s problem on Thierno Barry at Everton, Wolves’ Yerson Mosquera not headed into his personal web on the Emirates or Palace gained the lottery of a cup penalty shoot-out, then Arsenal can be heading in direction of one other disaster state of affairs at Christmas.
The actual fact Arsenal are nonetheless successful video games regardless of late targets conceded is testomony to how nicely they ready for this season by way of squad depth and sport administration.
However they must be extra ruthless up entrance if they’re to complete the job. They can not have a dry January after a busy December.
