Arsenal thrive after Ramsey exits
If Arsenal were harbouring any private doubts about their decision to withdraw an offer to extend Aaron Ramsey’s contract, this would have been a reassuring afternoon.
The club’s longest-serving player was again given his chance to start in the No 10 position – and was clearly unhappy to be replaced by Alex Iwobi after only 63 minutes – but the bottom line was that Arsenal became a far more fluid and effective attacking team once that change had been made.
Frustrated and regularly threatened in the opening hour, Arsenal did nevertheless hold their defensive resolve before scoring twice to prove that, yes, perhaps they do now again have the “cojones” that Troy Deeney had so memorably accused them of lacking last year.
“Deeney, what’s the score?” sang Arsenal’s fans following an Iwobi-inspired finale that made it seven straight wins and lifts them up above Watford and into the Premier League’s top five for the first time this season.
The top four and Champions League qualification – an achievement so often derided in the second half of Arsene Wenger’s tenure – is just beginning to again look like a plausible target.
Iwobi was the creative catalyst here for Arsenal following an often disjointed attacking performance and an interesting pattern is beginning to develop. Slow starts against West Ham United, Newcastle United, Everton and now Watford have all been followed by much more assertive endings.
Second-half goals are often also coming in sudden bursts. Only two minutes separated Craig Cathcart’s own goal and Mesut Ozil’s slick finish here, with Unai Emery’s emotional touchline celebration suggesting that he does now sense a tangible momentum.
There had earlier been no handshake as Ramsey left the pitch, although Emery was adamant that he had no problem with his midfielder’s reaction. “I want competitive spirit – when the player wants to play every minute I want this,” he said.
An even earlier but enforced change had followed a hamstring injury that is expected to rule out Petr Cech for around three weeks. New signing Bernd Leno duly impressed on what was his Premier League debut and now has an opportunity to really establish himself. Alexandre Lacazette was another who could feel justifiably satisfied with his contribution and he was unfortunate not to have won a fifthminute penalty. The France and Arsenal striker had sprinted beyond Christian Kabasele and was clearly impeded but, having stayed on his feet and attempted still to run down the ball, did not have his honesty rewarded by referee Anthony Taylor.
Lacazette did still soon create a wonderful chance to put Arsenal ahead when he dispossessed Cathcart and surged clear one-on-one with Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster, only for his at- tempted chipped finish to roll wide.
With Ozil, Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all struggling to have any influence, Lacazette again went closest following Nacho Monreal’s headed cross.
Watford were also posing an attack- ing threat that gathered throughout the first-half. Will Hughes volleyed narrowly wide and then forced a goalline clearance from Hector Bellerin. After Cech had hobbled off with his hamstring injury, Leno then denied Deeney with an outstanding save low down to his left before Watford missed their best chance of all as Isaac Success raced clear but lofted an attempted finish inches wide. It was a vital miss.
Emery’s final change was to replace Aubameyang with Danny Welbeck and Arsenal did then find their rhythm. Iwobi had sprinted into space down the right and, under pressure from Lacazette, his cross was inadvertently turned into his own goal by Cathcart.
Arsenal were suddenly liberated and, after an excellent interchange of passing between Iwobi and Lacazette, Ozil timed his run perfectly to finish past Foster. Watford had played well but, after their flawless start, have slipped to a four-match winless sequence that has included three narrow defeats. “I’m very upset for my players – I think we deserved a better result,” said their manager Javi Gracia. “It was a very good performance – more shots than Arsenal and lots of clear chances – I’m very proud of my players.”