High-wire act sends Gunners clear at top

NOT many teams can match Arsenal for style and speed but even fewer can equal their ability to mine small-scale dramas from absolute serenity.

This was one of those games where Mikel Arteta’s team showed two sides of the same face — the one capable of terrific football and the one that tends to make everything nervier than it need be.

All of which might sound like over-analysis of a group that momentarily has a four-point edge on Manchester City at the top. But history conditions us to look at the detail when it comes to Arsenal.

In short, they were exceptional here until they weren’t, which is to say they delivered passages of beauty in going 2-0 ahead, strolled and swaggered for much of the next hour, and then for whatever reason fell over their feet in the final few minutes.

Much has been made of their improved defence this season and that is all true. The numbers prove it. But there remains a slight sense that they are not to be fully trusted, which is why a modicum of jeopardy was able to enter this game after brilliant goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard had killed it within 13 minutes. The anxiety was introduced late on by Matheus Cunha, and it had a whiff of self-sabotage — the carelessness of Oleksandr Zinchenko was quite striking. That was a shame for him because his contribution to the Odegaard goal had been immense. And it was a shame for Arsenal, because a seventh clean sheet of the season disappeared and was needlessly replaced by a few uneasy minutes.

But let’s not overstate things — it was merely a wobble. Possible revealing of a side that needs to do more to end a match, but a wobble nonetheless. Indeed, had two Arsenal shots against the woodwork gone in, the scoreline would have been a far more accurate reflection of the game, because for long spells they were good for it.

Arteta was certainly content. ‘Football is not perfect, but I’m really happy with the way we played,’ he said.

‘It should have been a much bigger scoreline. We made a mistake and they took the chance, and it’s game on in the Premier League. ‘We have to keep winning matches and performing the way we are. That’s the challenge, to keep doing that every three days because we have another important game at Luton.’

Gary O’Neil would later contest that his side were perhaps denied by the referee’s timekeeping but that was a generous self-assessment. They were well beaten. He had arrived with a plan to sit behind a packed midfield, absorb what they could and trigger the spring when the ball came their way. But that was a little like the plans once discussed by Mike Tyson — they sound good until you get smacked in the mouth.

Here, Wolves got smacked in the mouth hard and early and often. Arteta had only tweaked his deck after the hammering of Lens in midweek, with the demotion of Kai Havertz for the enhanced mobility of Leandro Trossard, but the collective walloping they dealt out will shield that decision from any deeper analysis.

The opening goal came after six minutes and it was lovely for its short-ball simplicity, starting when Saka took possession on the right and sucked Toti and Hugo Bueno towards him.

Into the space behind them surged Gabriel Jesus and after a blitz of fast little passes Saka worked his way through via the side-stepping of Craig Dawson. He rolled a finish across Jose Sa and Arsenal had their 100th goal of 2023.

That was a classic of the Arsenal genre — the scalpel over the axe — but the second goal was even nicer on the eye.

The point of origin was an overhit cross by Saka, but the escalation from there was wonderful to see — Zinchenko had retrieved possession and set in a motion a series of three first-time passes between himself and Jesus and then on to Odegaard. Keeping to the pattern, the Norwegian opted against a touch and simply nailed the finish off his left foot from 15 yards.

For a man whose season has been interrupted by hip problems, a concussion and subtle tactical tweaks into a deeper role, it was a fine reminder of his qualities. The manner in which he delayed his run prior to the strike, thus allowing the defence to clear as they surged to Zinchenko, was as much an exhibition of his football intellect as well as his technique.

Wolves would soon lose Jose Sa to injury and were forced to withstand a concerted barrage of attacks. It might have descended into a hiding and probably should have done, but the second half was closer and ultimately Arsenal had their wobble, with Zinchenko caught on the ball by Nelson Semedo in his own area before Cunha lashed home the loose ball.

A good finish and an unnecessary drama.

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Raya 6.5; Tomiyasu 7 (White 78min), Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 7; Odegaard 8 (Jorginho 90), Rice 7.5, Trossard 6.5; Saka 8 (Kiwior 90), Jesus 7 (Nketiah 67, 6), Martinelli 7 (Havertz 77). Booked: Saliba. Subs (not used): Ramsdale, Soares, Nelson, Elneny.

WOLVES (3-5-2): Sa 5.5 (Bentley 23, 6); Kilman 6, Dawson 5.5, Toti 5.5; Semedo 6, Bellegarde 6 (Sarabia 63, 6), Doyle 6 (Kalajdzic 90), Traore 6, H Bueno 7 (Doherty 63, 6); Hwang 5, Cunha 6.5. Booked: Hwang, Cunha. Subs (not used): S Bueno, Silva, Chirewa, Whittingham, Hubner.

Referee: P Bankes (Lancashire) 7.