THE CLOWN SHOW
COMEDY DEFENDING COSTS ARSENAL WHO THROW AWAY TWO-GOAL LEAD
ON HIS return to the Premier League, Quique Sanchez flores discovered some things never change. In the face of adversity, Arsenal surrender.
It was happening in 2015 when Sanchez flores first took charge of Watford. It’s still happening in September 2019 — as they demonstrated embarrassingly at Vicarage Road yesterday.
Even by the Gunners’ sorry standards, this was a capitulation of almost laughable proportions. Two goals up and cruising, by the end Unai Emery’s side were thanking their lucky stars they left with a point.
Arsene Wenger was pilloried for turning Arsenal’s Invincibles soft and in the end he paid the price for his failings. But what exactly has changed since Emery’s arrival well over 12 months ago? Not much by the look of things. The cold, hard
truth for Emery is that his job will be on the line if he cannot fix the defensive frailties that have dogged this club for so long.
But you get the impression that no amount of tactical work can right these wrongs. There are deeper issues within this Arsenal squad. They lack courage and spirit — training can’t rectify that.
And to think, it was all going so swimmingly. Just in case Sanchez flores needed reminding of quite how unforgiving the Premier League is, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang refreshed his memory in the first half. On another day, the Hornets could have been two goals ahead before Aubameyang shifted through the gears.
Bernd Leno’s handling had to be on point in the sixth minute to hold Gerard Deulofeu’s shot, before the German goalkeeper acrobatically tipped over Tom Cleverley’s drive from outside the box following excellent work from Will Hughes. Jose Holebas was the next guilty party, firing over from the edge of the area — with time and space to spare — after the ball was put on a plate by Deulofeu.
Arsenal had been a non-entity in attack — one Nicolas Pepe strike that went harmlessly wide was their sole contribution.
That was until the 21st minute, when Hughes carelessly lost possession just inside his own half, a mistake that resulted in Arsenal taking the lead.
After Dani Ceballos won the ball, Sead Kolasinac drove through the heart of Watford’s rearguard before squaring to Aubameyang, who did the rest brilliantly. The finish was almost balletic — swivelling and shooting in one poetic motion to stun the home crowd.
Watford were fuming, believing Hughes had been fouled by Ceballos. Referee Anthony Taylor was having none of it, neither was VAR official Chris Kavanagh. Eleven minutes later, the lead was doubled — Aubameyang tapping into an empty net following Ainsley MaitlandNiles’ pass.
Aubameyang received the acclaim but it was Mesut Ozil’s beautiful pass to set Maitland-Niles away that unlocked the door. On his first appearance since the Europa League final loss to Chelsea on May 29, Ozil conjured the sort of magic that still has even his detractors applauding after all these years.
It was harsh on Watford following their promising start, but there’s a reason they are bottom of the table and Sanchez flores was finding out the hard way. Indeed, Watford’s frustrations appeared to be getting the better of them — Holebas going into a needless confrontation with Pepe on the stroke of half time, sparking a melee that saw the Greek defender and Matteo Guendouzi booked.
But this Arsenal team have proved time and again that they are brittle. Scintillating going forward, soft in defence. Once more the Gunners crumbled at the first sign of pressure.
Quite what Sokratis was thinking as he received the ball from Leno’s kick virtually on his own goal-line in the 53rd minute is anybody’s guess. Suffice to say, allowing Deulofeu to intercept his attempted pass to Guendouzi wasn’t what he had in mind.
Cleverley did the rest, hammering the ball past the stranded Leno to raise the roof off Vicarage Road as Arsenal were yet again punished for insisting on playing out from goal-kicks. Sokratis wanted the ground to swallow him up. Emery probably did, too. The only question now was when Arsenal would fold. Because they were going to. Of course they were. It’s what they do. Deulofeu kept peppering Leno’s goal with shots while summer signing Ismaila Sarr drove narrowly wide in the 64th minute. In the end, it took a characteristic lapse in concentration from David Luiz to complete the comeback. Roberto Pereyra was almost past Luiz when the Brazilian decided to fling out a leg in desperation. Pereyra went down, Luiz knew what was coming — referee Taylor duly obliging by pointing to the spot. Arsenal’s players remonstrated, but their complaints were hopeless. Once again, their defence was
tested. Once again, their defence failed spectacularly.
Pereyra dusted himself down to slot past Leno in the 81st minute and send Vicarage Road ballistic while putting Arsenal out of their misery.
By the end Arsenal were fortunate to leave with a point, Abdoulaye Doucoure fluffing a glorious chance deep into injury time after a rapid counter-attack led by Sarr.
What a return to England for Sanchez Flores. What a spineless display from Arsenal.