Mikel Arteta is one of the bottle after Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead to draw with Wolves and put the Premier League title in Manchester City’s hands.
Send your thoughts on the title race to theeditor@football365.com.
Era-defining stuff
Ooh boy. That was atrocious. Not just conceding a late equaliser but essentially everything that happened after Hincapie’s excellent goal to make it 2-0.
The technical level of that performance was about as bad as I can remember from an Arsenal side. People have been saying we’re shit all season; well maybe this proved they’re right? We could not pass the ball, keep the ball or win the ball. I could single out individuals but what’s the point?
I could accept a draw against a bloody good Brentford side. I can’t accept allowing a swinger into the box and everyone panicking against bottom of the league, already down Wolves.
Dreadful. Deserve all the stick they’re going to get when City finally take over at the top.
Sad, but this might be how Arteta’s era is defined ultimately.
CL or bust? Ha.
Joe, AFC, East Sussex
READ MORE: Arsenal and Arteta are bottling the Premier League title again after pathetic draw with Wolves
‘Cursed’ Arsenal
Ok, so that was deeply irritating.
Of course the bottling narrative will start – ultimately it will run until the end of the season whether Arsenal win or lose the title.
At some point we have to stop being the opposition every team gets their goal of the season against. Really, a full back with nothing in 67 games popping up on the opposite side to hit a 25 yard screamer? Conceding a last minute mix-up where the ball falls perfectly for a 19 year old debutant to lash home. Football Manager rage quit territory. This is curse level stuff.
The most irritating thing is that going 2-0 up was entirely deserved, despite what the commentary team would have you believe. 1-0, Wolves sit so deep all their players could have tickled Sa, no space for Arsenal to do anything.
Second half, Arsenal sit off seemingly quite clearly from a tactical perspective – Wolves get some possession joy and commentators complain that Arsenal are losing control, but it’s clear Arsenal are playing to counter Wolves, there are 1 or 2 good unrealised breaks that weren’t there in 1st half, then Hincapie runs and finishes a superb chance and that should be it.
Except. It wasn’t. First, concede said worldie. Practically nothing you can do there.
But that following 30 odd minutes was truly rubbish and why I can’t say we deserve more than a draw from that game. Timber, Martinelli, Eze and Trossard were so wasteful with possession and it was clear we lacked drive to really put the game away.
As it got to 80 minutes, Wolves started getting more aggresive to get anything and there were genuine opportunities to do something.
But we were so careless with passing, as if some players were trying to go for it, others were playing to conserve the ball and no-one was on the same page. If you spurn so many chances, you might get bitten.
And we get the one Raya brainfade a season (he’s still clearly the best keeper we’ve had in 20 odd years, but he has this in him, so frustratingly happening in the biggest moment).
So yeh. I still think this melodrama is turned up too high; City will lose more games this season in the PL – it wouldn’t amaze me if they draw on Saturday.
All in time for a 96th minute Van der Ven winner on Sunday and we start this shit again next week.
Tom (so very tired) Leyton
It started vs Liverpool
“If you’d offered me a five point lead in February, I’d have bitten your hand off”. 🙄 Oh dear. Bottling a 2-0 lead against the worst team in the league? Really? Looks like the “reactionary” Arsenal fans (is it “reactionary” when it’s based on observing two decades of failure?) were right when they saw it all slipping away after that pathetic performance at home to Liverpool. No killer instinct when it counts and they couldn’t even time waste (“the dark arts”) properly.
Matthew, Belfast
‘Currently 2-1…’
3 years ago the team wasn’t ready and a Saliba injury killed an unexpected title push. 2 years ago Arsenal came up short despite putting together a heroic run of form in the second half of the season. Last year injuries killed us.
This year, Arsenal are going to throw away the league title they should be winning. A team obsessed with control that can’t control games anymore. It’s currently 2-1 against Wolves, who knows if they’ll make it through but Arsenal are not winning this title.
Simon, London
‘Bungle to feed generations’
Quad? The only thing this lot are serving is a quadruple helping of the greatest humble pie ever.
This bungle is going to feed generations. Might even taste better than Kane lacing in the winner for England come July. What a time.
Gabe S, Berlin
The Double
A question was asked in a group chat I’m part of; would you rather Arsenal bottle the league or Spurs get relegated?
Why can’t we have both?
Chris, NUFC
Selling Own Goal
Holy crap, I know I didn’t pay that much attention to the transfer window, but I didn’t realise Arsenal had sold Own Goal to Wolves?!? You can’t go selling one of your leading strikers if you want to win the league.
Badwolf
The hope
It’s the hope that kills you.
Regards,
Ronson, AFC
