Arsenal v Brentford was exactly what you’d expect from a match between two teams with nothing to play for – made even more so by the Gunners having one eye on the Bernabeu.
Hardly an introduction to entice you to read the rest of this, is it? Yoane Wissa was not wrong when he said it was a “boring” game in his post-match interview.
It is hard to blame Arsenal and Mikel Arteta for having one eye on their Champions League quarter-final second leg away to Real Madrid. Their first leg victory was one of the most memorable nights the Emirates Stadium has ever experienced, made special by a spectacular Declan Rice brace of free-kicks.
Rice and Bukayo Saka both limped off against the reigning European champions with the win wrapped up and the latter was not risked from the start, though the former was and he ended up being the best player on the park again.
It was a match defined by irony. Brentford, the club that often punishes opponents on the counter, found themselves on the receiving end of just that, while a potent striker scored for the visitors. Meanwhile, both goals in the 1-1 draw came from Bees corner kicks.
In these fixtures you often expect the underdog to attempt to punish their superior opponents on the break and Thomas Frank’s side tried to do just that, winning a corner from a swift counter, only for David Raya to comfortably claim the delivery and start an Arsenal counter-attack. The ex-Brentford goalkeeper rolled it to Rice, who, with his long strides, sprinted up the pitch and timed his lay-on to Thomas Partey perfectly.
That was always the move but so many players will make the attempted assist too early or leave it too late and lose the ball. It is so easy to do but Rice is not your average player – his decision making was spot on and what looked like a relatively simple pass was done to perfection.
Arsenal looked dangerous after taking the lead, and it seemed they would take charge – but, as often happens when they host Brentford, it became awkward.
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Yoane Wissa has been everything the Gunners have missed up front this season and his instinctive finish on the volley from close range was a lovely bit of play, which came from the second phase of a corner kick. Arteta’s men are usually so well organised in those situations but were the team exposed from poor defending on a set-piece. Who would have thought that, after the hosts had punished their opponents with a swift counter?
Just as they did against Everton last week, Arsenal blew a 1-0 lead and were held by an opponent they should be beating. Had more been at stake in the title race, it might have been a different story, but both performances were flat, carrying a real ‘on-the-beach’ feel to it, essentially admitting there is no chance they can catch Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The flatness of Saturday’s draw against Brentford was mirrored by a rather flat Emirates atmosphere. Perhaps the fans themselves have one eye on the midweek trip to the Bernabeu and it is hard to blame them. The team selection – again as it did v Everton – showed that this competition is far from Arteta’s priority. Liverpool are now only three wins from clinching the league and their next three opponents are West Ham, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur. We might as well congratulate them now if you haven’t already. Win them three and it will be a guard of honour from Chelsea, not Arsenal!
It could have been different had the referee been in a different mood because there was a genuine shout for a Christian Norgaard red card, which Arsenal fans will be convinced would have been given had one of their players committed the same foul. Yes, Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off for less, though that decision was later overturned.
There was also a disallowed goal for Kieran Tierney, making his first Premier League start in two years. He was comfortably offside, so no complaints there… even for Arsenal fans. On that note, semi-automated offsides are already making a significant difference.
There were a couple of dodgy moments for goalkeeper Mark Flekken, who almost gifted Bukayo Saka a potential winner, but it ended up being another terrific result for Brentford on the road. Their away form has been astonishing after a horrid start to the season, completely flipping their home and away form in bizarre fashion.
The Bees find themselves in the more familiar ‘on the beach’ state of mid-table obscurity, while Arsenal have second place wrapped up, barring a complete disaster.
Now the inconvenience of a Premier League match is out of the way, Arsenal can focus fully on Wednesday’s trip to Real Madrid – that competition is what the Gunners’ season is all about.
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