It’s still in the early stages, and the situation remains rather ambiguous. Is what’s unfolding just a random occurrence or a recurring issue? A mere oddity or a distinct weak point? A one-off event or a recognisable pattern? This uncertainty underpins much of the recent discussions around Chelsea’s turmoil, which has been persisting for two years now. There’s a good chance the recurring chaos is real, and even a turbulent 6-2 victory against Wolves on Sunday is unlikely to alter that.
This may explain why Manchester City’s recent triumph at Chelsea seems particularly foreboding. Last season, Chelsea forced two draws with City. If City could overcome them so effortlessly, despite several players still returning from their summer break, when exactly are they expected to lose points this season? Where lies the chance for other clubs?
This brings us to Arsenal. They amassed 89 points last season. Pre the Sheikh Mansoor-led and Pep Guardiola-managed Manchester City era, this would have earmarked an excessively dominant, title-winning season. It was only one point shy of their tally in their unbeaten season. But in the current era of football, with clubs being financed by nations, rich business tycoons, and private equity, it fell short. Instead of celebrating such an accomplishment, one is compelled to find their weaknesses; where can they strive to improve?
Which is why Arsenal, despite having executed one of the most memorable Premier League campaigns, faced criticism over their psychological fortitude. They crumbled under pressure. Last season, when Newcastle scored a controversial goal against them, when Fulham gained ground on them, when West Ham proved more obstinate than anticipated, and when mistakes allowed Bayern back into the game, they faltered. The sentiment is both valid and absurd. The pursuit of flawlessness can be exhausting; football might be more attractive, both in emotional and spectacle aspect, if teams were permitted a few errors, as was acceptable in the past.
In the previous season, Arsenal suffered two defeats at the hands of Aston Villa. The triumphant 2-0 victory at Emirates in April, ushered in by Unai Emery’s squad, transferred the title race initiative to City. Against Villa, Arsenal pulled in a 4-2 win the season before, marked by two late injury-time goals. Yet the tense nature of the match indicated that the title run was not feasible. Hence, Saturday’s victorious match, although merely the second game of the season, held notable significance.
The game could have swayed in the opposite direction quite effortlessly. As the score was at nil-nil, Ollie Watkins floundered a marvelous opportunity, later partitioned off by David Raya’s sterling save. For a stretch of around sixty minutes, Arsenal posed barely any threat. However, the course of the game was altered by a shift in substitute players.
Upon the 65th minute, Jhon Durán and Jacob Ramsey replaced Watkins and John McGinn for Villa, while Leandro Trossard took over from Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal. This caused a momentary relaxation in Villa’s suppressive press. This allowed Martin Ødegaard to carve out space just past the box’s perimeter. While Bukayo Saka’s cross chanced upon Trossard somewhat fortuitously, the Belgian effectively evaded Kosta Nedeljković. Capitalising on the opportunity, Trossard shifted the game’s dynamics.
Post Brighton’s victory over Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, the manager of the defeated team, underscored the necessity of clinical efficiency in both boxes. This concept was amplified by the evenly matched game, which, based on xG, favored a Villa win by 1.2-0.9. Despite this, Trossard seized his chance, while Watkins failed to capitalize on either of his chances, once hindered by a phenomenal save. This raises the question of whether the outcomes hinged on randomness or if they could be duplicated.
Saturday’s victory could potentially be viewed as an unrivaled strategy from Arsenal, tactfully neutralizing Villa’s aggressive play, maintaining a safe distance, and methodically exploiting their weak points. Alternatively, it could be seen as a narrow escape as Watkins, last season’s fourth top scorer in the Premier League and the striker of England’s last-minute victorious goal in the Euro semi-final, was not at his best. The de facto narrative likely lies somewhere in the middle.
The encouraging aspect for Arsenal is the composed manner they displayed, a stark contrast to the evident unease seen in challenging matches from the prior year. It’s yet to be determined if this suggests an increased resilience, nonetheless, it does imply so. Moreover, they have victoriously overcome a fixture that was lost in the preceding season, therefore placing them three points ahead at this junction.
However, the challenge arises as City, after their triumph over Chelsea and the subsequent dismissal of Ipswich with an unexpectedly savage approach, hold a two-point lead compared to their corresponding matches last year, exhibiting a relentless demeanour. – Guardian.