PREMIER LEAGUE

SOMEHOW they managed to throw it away in the most Arsenal way imaginable.

Two goals up and cruising, Arsenal pressed the self-destruct button with a mixture of kamikaze defending and sheer stupidity. When will they learn?

You begin to wonder whether Unai Emery (right, near) can teach them or if the same old problems are so deep-seated that fans will have to wait for a new generation to emerge.

At the final whistle, Pierreemerick Aubameyang trudged over to the away end, shaking his head in despair and probably wondering how on earth he could score twice and still end up not winning.

The answer was pretty obvious as Watford’s new boss Quique Sanchez Flores (far right) inspired a second half full of passion, the exact opposite of Arsenal’s lame surrender.

What Arsenal served up has to be one of the worst 45 minutes from a team you will see in the Premier League this season.

No wonder the travelling fans booed their team off the pitch.

Incredibly, Arsenal faced 31 shots, the most they have faced since Opta stats began in 2003/04. And with a defence as weak this, it was obvious they were going to ship goals.

Some of Arsenal’s players merely trotted about in the second half with no urgency or determination. Jogging back after giving the ball away, as substitute Joe Willock did, is no more acceptable than Granit Xhaka’s misplaced passes or Matteo Guendouzi’s allround clumsiness.

Emery should also take his share of the blame as well because his substitutions were terrible.

His decision to take off

Dani Ceballos was booed, while leaving on Nicolas Pepe for 90 minutes was bizarre considering he contributed so little and the game passed him by.

Watford would have counted themselves unlucky to be 2-0 in arrears at half-time, but Aubameyang was the difference between the two teams with his clinical finishing.

His first goal came after 22 minutes when Ceballos won a tackle with Will Hughes. Sead Kolasinac led a charge forward and played a perfect pass to Aubameyang, whose turn and shot were things of beauty.

Ten minutes later, Arsenal scored a goal which showed what they are capable of when they put their minds to it. It was a wonderful move with 20 passes in the build-up before Aubameyang converted his 14th goal in his last 14 games.

The slow, patient build-up gathered speed as Xhaka found Mesut Ozil. The German, making his first appearance of the season, released Ainsley Maitland-niles down the right and he delivered a low cross for Aubameyang to finsh off. It should have been game over. Yet Arsenal were the architects of their own downfall, inviting pressure on themselves by repeatedly trying to play out from the back.

They made a mess of a short goal-kick for a THIRD time in the 53rd minute when Bernd Leno played the ball to Sokratis. His attempted pass to Guendouzi was intercepted by Gerard Deulofeu and Tom Cleverley smashed it home.

The goal changed the mood and Emery’s substitutions further handed the initiative to Watford. Attack after attack pinned back Arsenal, who were clinging on with nothing to offer going forward.

It was no real surprise when Hornets got an equaliser. David Luiz made a stupid challenge, dangling a leg which tripped Roberto Pereyra, and the substepped up to fire home an 81stminute leveller.

From cruising at half-time, Arsenal had succeeded in throwing it away.

The only relief for Gunners was that they did not lose, but they went mighty close to it. Abdoulaye Doucoure had a great chance in injury time and only a smart save from Leno prevented an even bigger embarrassment.