Arsenal couldn’t get past a 1-1 draw with Brentford, signed a third consecutive puncture in official matches and sparked the first doubts on the course at a key moment that could end this week with the loss of in charge.
The point was a scant haul for the Gunners, who still hold a six-point lead over Manchester City. However, Pep Guardiola’s side have a golden opportunity to strengthen themselves in the Premier League in the coming days: if they beat Aston Villa on Sunday and beat Arsenal in a direct duel on Wednesday, they will occupy first position.
And it is that Mikel Arteta’s team had to face a very complicated duel. He had to overcome a small bump to avoid the first drop of the course. Calling it a crisis is perhaps an exaggeration, but losing a third game in a row after an excellent course would certainly attract attention.
After being knocked out by Manchester City in the FA Cup Round of 32 and losing 1-0 to Everton in the Premier League, Brentford appeared at the Emirates Stadium with a resume that demanded the utmost respect and concentration. third consecutive setback.
The men led by Thomas Frank went nine games in a row without a loss in the League (drawing five and losing four) and, with their eyes on the European positions, were prepared to put Mikel Arteta’s team in serious trouble. to take.
The Spanish coach, with four dead (Gabriel Jesús, Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson), put together an eleven that continued after the defeat to Everton. He didn’t make any changes and Arsenal, perhaps in need of some fresh air, controlled but had few ideas in the final metres.
Neither Martin Odegaard, nor Thomas Partey, nor Granit Xhaka felt comfortable. With no depth to the top and no bite when it comes to recovering balls, they didn’t achieve the fluidity of other moments of the course. Arsenal accused him of this in the first part, in which he barely enjoyed a clear chance in the shoes of Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian almost at the end enjoyed a volley that went over the goal defended by David Raya.
It was practically the only option for a team that was also saved from finishing first act behind on the scoreboard. And it is that Brentford, well armed to attack quickly, got the most powerful chance with a shot at Ivan Toney’s crosshead. With very little, they generated much more danger than Arsenal, who needed a full reset to get through the second 45 minutes.
It wasn’t until the last half hour that Brentford’s reaction came before the shock, who was able to take the lead with another try from Toney, who had a very clear chance after 57 minutes that could change the course of the game. However, he overcorrected an inside shot that went wide and licked the left post of the goal defended by Aaron Ramsdale.
Later, the departure of Martinelli, the entry of newcomer Leandro Trossard and a fleeting moment of inspiration between Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and the Belgian wing attacker finally flared up the score. On minute 66, the Norwegian midfielder filtered a fine pass to Saka, who came in from the right wing almost to the backline to serve a measured cross to Trossard, who failed to score the England international’s eighth assist in the Premier League this season. missed. .
However, the Brentford had not yet said the last word. After Trossard’s goal, it looked like he was going to pull out the white flag. Arsenal came up with glee and fluidity, but in an isolated game Toney, on the third, celebrated his long-awaited goal with a short-range header that revealed certain problems in the ‘gunner’ defence, unable to a ball that was strolled through the Ramsdale area.
Arsenal still had fifteen minutes to avoid another puncture, but they found themselves with a hornet’s nest of blue players. Brentford locked themselves in their playing field, barely got any space and a few distance attempts from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Thomas Partey were not hit. The 1-1 was inevitable and Arsenal are reeling after adding their third consecutive game without a win. Now the city depends on itself to take the lead.
Source: El heraldo
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
