HEEL OF FORTUNE
Aubameyang makes Watford pay for Foster’s gaffe
WATFORD goalkeeper Ben Foster apologised to his teammates after a calamitous error gifted Arsenal victory as Unai Emery’s team moved up to fourth in the Premier League.
Foster took a heavy touch, allowing striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to
divert his clearance into the goal with his heel in the 10th minute. Watford’s night became more difficult when Troy Deeney was sent off just a minute later for catching Lucas Torreira with his forearm.
‘I’ve said sorry to the lads,’ Foster told sky sports. ‘In hindsight you have to get rid of it as quickly as you can, even if it goes into row Z. Aubameyang is just rapid. Lesson learned.’
Tossing and turning on sunday evening, Troy Deeney most probably had visions of whipping off his shirt under the lights against Arsenal.
Deeney, the bulldozer who single-handedly ignited a running feud with these opponents, might have imagined celebrating a thunderous penalty or a thumping header.
Another chance to cut the pretentious down to size and remind the world why, in his estimable opinion, Arsenal lack ‘ cojones’. Yet since he first made that claim on the back of a winning goal last season, matters have conspired against Deeney in this fixture. He missed a penalty at the Emirates stadium and here came further poetic justice.
Deeney was indeed bare-chested by the 11th minute of this game but under circumstances nobody would have foreseen. As his team trailed to a freak Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal scored a minute earlier, Deeney self-destructed and all but lost his side the contest.
Arsenal were passing the ball across midfield when Lucas Torreira moved the ball on. Deeney ran across his path, left a sly forearm on the side of his head and referee Craig Pawson swiftly pulled out the red card. Deeney looked aghast and feigned innocence. Yet the replays were damning. Deeney quizzed the official, discussed it with Arsenal players and then tore off his shirt and headed for the tunnel, exchanging words with Unai Emery and visiting backroom staff in the process.
Watford manager Javi gracia felt it unfair: ‘it is maybe a yellow card. Troy has not got to explain anything to me. i could see the contact with his arm. i never saw an aggressive moment.’
For Deeney and Watford, it was a shame after an uplifting fightback in the FA Cup semi-final against Wolves. As for Arsenal, it was always likely to take something remarkable to alter their dreadful away form and even with the spare man, Emery’s team were indebted to the post, the bar and their goalkeeper’s reactions. And so Arsenal return to the top four but they do so in the least convincing manner.
Arsenal’s greatest inspiration on the night came from Watford’s two most experienced men. Like Deeney, Ben Foster has had an outstanding season but he lapsed dramatically to gift Arsenal the lead.
An Arsenal move fizzled out down the left side and Daryl Janmaat sidefooted back to his goalkeeper. Foster could have swept the ball away first time with his weaker foot but instead shifted it on to his left. Yet his touch was heavy, clumsy, and invited a sprint by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Aubameyang was by now too close, rebounding the ball into the goal off his heel and consigning the keeper to a blooper highlight reel.
‘i’m not a modern goalkeeper,’ Foster mused. ‘i should have just Cruyffed him to be honest.’
it was a desperate moment for the Watford goalkeeper but all did not appear lost. Watford had started brighter and Arsenal are hardly infallible visitors. Away from home, this was their first Premier League clean sheet of the season and their first victory against top-half opposition.
Emery’s team selection offered further promise for Watford. Konstantinos Mavropanos made his first start of the season in central defence and shkodran Mustafi shifted to uncomfortable territory at right back.
Yet Deeney’s reckless streak intervened and the task grew harder. Watford briefly lost their heads. Abdoulaye Doucoure went in high on Torreira and should have been booked and Janmaat ought to have followed too. instead, referee Pawson showed restraint.
To Watford’s credit, the one man deficit did not show. instead, gracia’s side actually created the best openings of the first half. Andre gray left Mavropanos in his wake and his low cross was steered away by nacho Monreal. Etienne Capoue’s dipping free-kick sent Bernd Leno sprawling to his left to tip around the post.
Emery sought greater control, introducing Mesut ozil at the break and relieving Torreira. The german briefly brought composure and Arsenal became more menacing. Alex iwobi skated the length of the pitch on the counterattack, dinking a perfect cross for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was superbly denied by Foster.
Emery intervened once more, hooking Mavropanos and altering his shape. Yet still they could not shake Watford off. Adam Masina arrowed a thirty yard strike against the bar and Andre gray then miscontrolled when through on goal.
Arsenal grew edgy and the travelling fans appeared to jeer the decision to replace Aaron Ramsey. Arsenal dropped deeper, ceding more opportunities. gray rounded Leno and only a magnificent challenge from Ainsley Maitland-niles prevented an equaliser.
Yet after the Wembley heroics, there would be no Watford fightback this time.