Seeing Arsenal get their last win was like hearing about a new official amnesty from an old acquaintance. There is a tendency to congratulate him, but what you really wonder is how he got himself into a position where he needed to be congratulated.
All in all, it was a tale of resilience as they won and at least Aaron Ramsdale deserves credit for giving Brentford an equaliser, making two outstanding saves in the second half, one from Ivan Toney and the other from Nathan. Collins. The way in which Arsenal generally got on track and found the win that took them to the top is also to be praised, but this was not a game that would dispel doubts that their volatility could weaken their title challenge. When things are good Arsenal are very, very good, but when things are bad they are perhaps not as good as they should be.
Relating to: Kai Havertz scores late winner as Arsenal beat Brentford to top spot
The accusation that Arsenal blew off the title race last season never seemed entirely fair: Manchester City are better resourced. But memories also remain of games at Liverpool and West Ham in which Arsenal appeared to have the game under control, only to collapse when they encountered resistance. It’s never simple to sort out the reasons, but it doesn’t seem unreasonable to draw a line between this season’s defeats against West Ham and Fulham between Christmas and New Year’s. What was striking in both was that Arsenal, who had started relatively well, lost their way and became unable to establish themselves against their stubborn rivals.
But after seven consecutive wins in the league with 31 goals scored and three goals conceded since their visit to Dubai in January, confidence was high and Arsenal were riding a wave of enthusiasm. In the mood they were in at kick-off, it was very difficult for them to resist: they were 1-0 up and advancing, the only half-wary thought was that the dominant first half had not lost sight of the game.
And then testing. It’s debatable whether David Raya is an upgrade at Ramsdale. Perhaps the competition for places is more important than the sense of security that former goalkeepers see as necessary. However, Raya’s loan arrival from Brentford increased the interest in this position. Raya’s form may have eased that scrutiny to some extent, but his absence to face his parent club has turned the spotlight on Ramsdale, who was making his first appearance since January’s FA Cup defeat against Liverpool.
Last week the DR Congo forward scored a header, as he put it, “for those who love football” when he slotted a clearance past Yoann Wissa to give Brentford an improbable equalizer; This week’s target was perhaps aimed at those who love comedy; This inevitably restarted the whole debate. Would he make a mistake if he played regularly? Who knows? Whatever argument you are trying to make, choose your assumption accordingly. In reality, just as important as Ramsdale’s hesitation was Arsenal’s general loss of intensity following the postponement of Kristoffer Ajer’s treatment, as if they believed the half was already over.
A simple victory turned into potential trauma. This could easily have been a situation West Ham revisited last season. How many times have we seen this? Desperately searching for a goal, Arsenal are becoming more and more distraught as the Emirates crowd grows increasingly angry. As memories of Bournemouth last season faded, the Reiss Nelson Protocol came into force in vain. The opposition is scrapping and disrupting. Frantic appeals for penalties and cards. Shots hit defensive bodies and one ricochets from an angle. Disappointment slowly overwhelms hope. But this time there was a twist: another cross from opener Ben White and Kai Havertz’s winner.
How can we evaluate such a match? Do you praise Arsenal for getting the job done? Or do you criticize them for allowing such a position of authority to be taken away from them?
But that was also the case last season. Arsenal’s late goals to beat Aston Villa and Bournemouth were held up as evidence of their character, almost a kind of destiny – as were Liverpool’s emotionally draining wins this season – when in fact it was evidence of the fallibility that emerged later. . You can only go to the well so often; Eventually the dramatic late goals end.
Arsenal haven’t had to rely on them recently. This may be the kind of goal that reinforces the dream, it may feel like it should happen, but equally the way they don’t keep cool after making concessions, the way they allow themselves to be shaken, should also be a cause for concern. Three vital points or a worrying sign of a tendency to panic under pressure? It may depend on whether they win the league or not. How will we evaluate this game? It’s probably too early to tell.