Result: West Ham United 2 – 2 Arsenal
Competition: Premier League
Date: 16 April 2023
Venue: The London Stadium
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus
Subs: Turner, Walters, Kiwior, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Nelson, Trossard, Nketiah
Arsenal lost a two goal lead at The London Stadium, drawing 2-2 for a consecutive game. Like their last match, Arsenal comfortably strolled to score two early goals in the first half with Jesus and Odegaard making their mark.
They allowed West Ham to make their way back via a penalty in the first half and a goal 15 minutes into the second half. What made matters worse was a missed penalty by Saka that could have made it 3-1. Instead, the game ended 2-2 with the Gunners shortening their lead at the top.
Pre-Match
Arsenal kept an almost unchanged side from their last game against Liverpool. The front three and midfield trio picked itself.
The only big change was Tierney coming in for Zinchenko on the left side of defence.
First Half
Arsenal had to claw back the points on Manchester City but with Holding and Tierney stepping in at the back, they had to be patient as they were not as technically proficient as their incumbents.
Tierney tucked in to midfield ala Zinchenko but was nowhere near as enterprising. The team took their time to link their passes but always made sure they kept possession safely.
Once the action moved to the final third, Arsenal’s technicians switched up the tempo to turn the screw. And turn, they did.
It took the away side 10 minutes to score the first 2 goals and silence the West Ham home crowd. The first was borne out of some lovely interplay on the right between Saka, Partey and Odegaard. The captain then spotted Ben White overlapping and played him through. The defender squared the ball for Jesus to make a simple tap in at the far post. 0-1 Arsenal
It took only 3 minutes for the Gunners to double their lead. Martinelli scooped a pass to the far post for Odegaard to ghost in unguarded and guide the ball into the net. 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal slowed down the tempo and kept the ball well. West Ham were flat and so was the crowd. Perhaps it was complacency, or overconfidence. Partey received the ball under pressure just outside the box and looked to chip Rice with a flick on. However, Rice intercepted the ball and fed in Paqueta quickly. Gabriel mistimed his tackle on his compatriot and the referee called for a penalty. Benrahma did not miss from the spot. 1-2 West Ham
The home side had the wind in their sails after the goal. They took a couple of half chances and raised the noise level in the stadium.
In such moments of pressure, Gabriel Jesus’ quality and experience showed. Noticing that his team was struggling to keep possession, he dropped into centre midfield to offer an extra passing option so that his teammates could regain possession and some composure.
He took the sting out of the game and even took a yellow card in injury time, disrupting a West Ham counter to allow Arsenal to enter the break calmly with a lead intact.
Second Half
A cagey opening to the second half was soon punctuated by some key moments on both ends of the field. Five minutes in, a Martinelli volley in the box was blocked by Antonio’s arm and Arsenal were given a chance to double their lead. Unfortunately, Saka, who has been quiet all day, slashed his effort wide.
West Ham hit back just minutes later. A long throw was headed out by Gabriel as the Arsenal backline moved up to catch West Ham offside. However, Bowen evaded the trap as West Ham arced a ball to him down the right side. The forward lashed his half volley past Ramsdale to make it 2-2 West Ham
Jesus, who seemed like the only player who was making an impact in the final third with his hold up play, made way on the 66th minute for Trossard. Partey, who was also underpar in the match, was replaced by Jorginho.
Trossard made an immediate impact, dropping into pockets of space to play shorter passes and quick interchanges with his partners. But the Gunners still struggled to create good chances in the West Ham box.
West Ham though, looked dangerous on the counter. Antonio’s header hit the bar and Tierney needed to pull off a last ditch tackle to deny a winner from the home side.
The rest of the match was a slog. Not even bringing on Vieira, Nelson and Nketiah could have turned the tide and fashioned more chances to win the game.
At the final whistle, Arsenal were four points ahead of Manchester City, having played a game more. Unlike the draw at Anfield, this felt like two points dropped in the title race.
Having overachieved by so much this season, I can’t find fault now they’ve come up short. A win at City is the only way now and that would prove we are champions without doubt.
A title challenger – with everything at stake — races into a 2 goal lead and suddenly take their foot off the gas. That’s unacceptable.
Why did we start knocking it around casually and inviting them on to yourself after going 2 up? Ridiculous!
Why? Because they are great footballers, but without a champions mentality.
City got the 3rd before half time, while we go 2 up and think it’s over, then proceed to play around.
Totally unacceptable
My thoughts exactly! After the second goal yesterday, City continued to pile on Leicester, got a third…and only in the second half did they ease off.
This is bringing back memories of last season when we faltered on the home straight under pressure.
What’s funny is that if we were sitting behind City all season, everyone would consider it a great season. But now, anything short of the title and that narrative is going to change with all these haters waiting to pounce. Frustrating.
It’s obviously a great season regardless, but if we fail to win the title having been in front for basically the entirety of the season, then it will be so painful. First realistic chance for the Premier League trophy in almost 20 years and it feels like it’s starting to slip through our fingers. Absolutely imperative that we get all three points against Southampton on Friday, and then the City game will decide whether it’s still in our hands or not.
First? We should have beaten Liecester to the tile in 2016. That was the best chance we had in a long time, way more likely then this season. To date we have had exceptional season but mancity hasnt fallen off and we just cant compete equally with the club that is sucking the soul right out of club football.
Especially Gary Neville
Plus, we always do that.
I think it’s fair to say that we miss big Willy already. We’ve conceded too many goals after he was injured.
We went full Tottenham, never ever go full Tottenham. We have to make sure that we don’t get beat by City. We can still win it.
Sadly it looks like the confidence is shot. I can’t see them holding out against City. Without Saliba we could take a real hammering.
Totally agree. I saw something quite worrying today – arrogance and complacency. That sort of mentality should be nowhere near a title challenge. Last week was forgivable, this is not. There are obvious individual moments we could single out. But that would be to minimise just how poor that performance was from everyone. To not trouble their goalkeeper for 80 minutes is just unacceptable. This needs to be a rocket up the players arses. I hope Arteta gives them a hair drying that would even move his hair. I still love these guys and am so proud of what we’ve… Read more »
Completely agree. We start sitting back at the 10th minute because we think the job is done, then are surprised when it all starts to unravel. Just inviting more and more pressure, overplaying in our defensive third, sloppy mistakes to gift them chances. A two goal lead always gives you a false sense of security, because one opportunity and they’re right back in it. We absolutely bottled it today, and it was largely our own fault.
Arteta is always animated at the side, why does he allow the team to stop playing like that and there’s still over an hour to play
What is the matter with you? Do you think Arteta wanted that? We are having a great season, which would have won the league in a walk in the past. Even the Invincibles failed to win almost a third of their matches. In 1998, we won the league with 78 points, and lost 6 matches.
This is something that probably came from the manager. You have a two-goal lead, let them come and hit them on the counter attack. We had a bad experience with it last week but in the Guardiola school of thought, you never change your system no matter the risk of not winning the league.
I have no words. What an inexplicable capitulation from the boys.
What’s really bothering me at the moment is how everyone is speaking in absolutes constantly. Couldn’t stand the commentary from Sky all match, the most bias stuff I have listened to for a long time. I lost count of how many times they mentioned Anfield. Carragher talking absolutely waffle as well, trying to put forward how teams manage pressure in title situations…. like shut the fuck up mate, you were never in a title race, and never ever had a sniff. SO you’re talking complete shite. Even at the end of the match day broadcast they co-comms goes ..’advantage Manchester… Read more »
Their all just assuming City win vs us and every other game. Which could happen but still technically it’s in our hands. If it was any other team bar City chasing us we’d be considered favourites still
Like if Spurs, United or Liverpool were in our position now, 4 points clear of City with 7 games to go they wouldn’t be able to stop popping open the champagne corks every time they played. Like can you imagine the excuses that would have been wheeled out for them by the media if they dropped points away at West Ham? ‘..yeah they dropped points today, but with Harry Kane and Son, they still have enough to go to City and win..’ That’s the sort of shite they’d be saying. But because its Arsenal, they cannot wait to fucking put… Read more »
Avoid defeat at City and win the rest has to be the new target.
Do that – and the cunts can’t catch us.
St Tottengriham’s completely overlooked today. Such is the awful manner in how we mismanaged that 2 goal lead, for two f*cking consecutive weeks.
Win against Southampton and I think we secure Champions League football – for the first time since Wenger was daft enough to sign Mustafi in the summer of 2016.
Why take Jesus off? Why take Ode off? Why keep Saka on?
Arteta knows more about managing games and players than you do. I think these questions are just ridiculous.
He can be brilliant and still make mistakes mate, this ones were clear as day for everyone watching the game
Ode shouldn’t have come off, he was knitting everything together, and Fabio isn’t really a difference maker.
Fabio is Willian all over again. Artetas expensive signing that fails to bring any change or impact over and over again but he is preferfed to ESR who prooved on numerous ocasions that he can do it.
Willian was a free signing.
Rubbish.
I don’t think any of us are more invested in Arsenal and it’s need to win than Arteta. He’s also more knowledgeable about football, his opponents and his team than all of us. What this means is that, whatever decision he made, he made with the best intentions, and being one of the best brains in the league, you cannot question him.
No we can question and we will. You seem like a decent woman Jackie but please don’t let your crush block basic truth.
I’m a man. I don’t think I ever really said that he can’t be questioned. Of course, he can. There is freedom of speech and this is a public forum that calls for comments, but what are statements like “why this player” and “why not that player” based on? Especially when they are coming from fans who do not have enough knowledge of the game, let alone the players like Arteta does? My position is logical. Be angry and pissed about the result—I am. But don’t assume you are in any position to question the decisions of the manager, especially… Read more »
You can respect him, you can admire him, you can love him, and you’re still allowed to occasionally question him. The only thing I think he got wrong today was bringing on the subs too late. He likes to trust the players and he can’t be held responsible for mistakes the players made, but for the second game in a row he seemed to make the subs a bit too late. He’s also learning.
Agree 100%.. Eddie in 88th? Wtf. Give him 10 at least. Ode, Jesus, marti and leave Saka on who was having a poor game didn’t make much sense. We were 0 2 up and decided game was over, not the 1st time it happened. But MA8 and team are still very young and learning and we will only get better n better imho. I think today was the day we may have lost EPL but we’re ahead of the curve and as some1 once said football is a funny old game. And today is officially St. Tottering day.. every cloud… Read more »
You can if he makes a mistake, best brain on not.
Am sorry you can question him. He is good but even the best make mistakes. Making the mistakes in a row is what’s unacceptable. Saka is brilliant but was not at his best. Fortunately for us by reason of our January business and the return of Jesus we have the opportunity to rest him and have him recharge and recalibrate without a noticable drop off. But what does our coach do? He leave him on and the struggle is telling on him. Without being critical isn’t it I treating that the last game we won was the one Saka was… Read more »
Arteta may have his reasons but in light of this very disappointing result those questions are valid.
Captain hindsight, then?
I love Arteta and he’s the reason we’re in this position along with the players but subs made in the last 2 games have not helped us. Tierney coming on too late last week plus Jesus coming off and again today Jesus coming off when he was our best threat. If there’s one criticism of his management which hopefully he’ll get better at is the use of subs
This is a discussion forum; fans are perfectly entitled to discuss the manager’s substitutions.
Arteta might know how to manage players (at least those he like) but he failed to prove that he knows how to manage games. In his entire Arsenal career we haven’ won more than couple of points due to his tactical or formation change during a game. He can prepare games wel but never ever seemed to be able to change anything when the plan A stops working. His in-game management is what he lacks to be considered great manager. If he decides to leave for Real Madrid, I would be more than happy to do the straight swap and… Read more »
Jesus was rubbish after the goal coming so deep we couldn’t progress the ball outside our half we get pressured and concede a pen. Jesus was doing too much and keep on the way you were but no
It totally hamstrung us. Jesus nearly scored, then you take him off next second. In fact he took off Partey and Jesus in the same move, arguably our two best players. Shortly followed by Martinelli and Odegaard? What a complete joke the subs have been in the last two games.
Partey had a mare, he should’ve been off earlier as far as I’m concerned far from our best player.
Jesus and TP were both on yellows so perhaps that played into Arteta’s mindset?
Maybe it did, but with Saka missing the penalty and playing poorly, with his head clearly messed up by the mistake, you have to sub him off to protect him aswell, leaving him there for the wolves is just poor imo (not even considering the impact in the game it had)
Have we ever won a game (from a draw or loss) in which Odegard was taken off ? Can’t remember.
Odegard should never be taken off. He is our captain, and a good ball carrier!
We need to put saliba in a bacta tank of horse placenta until the 26th
Yup. Not a coincidence the two blips in our season have come when we’ve not had two of our most transformational players. Jesus, when we blipped around that Dych-is-back Everton game. And now with against these mugs with no Saliba.
We generally have more control with Saliba. Can’t fault Holding at all in the last 2 games, but Saliba’s composure and ability to play out from the back is big miss, we start so many great attacks because he is so good at finding a pass, which we were lacking in the second half against Liverpool and again today.
Quietly noticing what an impact Saliba makes. Holding is fine, but that security from Saliba provides all those inches for the midfield to play more forward facing
I’ve watched West Ham any time they’ve been on tv this year and I have NEVER seen them play like that. They shipped 5 goals last time they played at home. But of course they suddenly turn up when Arsenal play them.
We allowed them to, im afraid thats the answer
Exactly. We eased off after two goals and starts knocking the ball around like nothing is at stake. That’s the reason pundits keep pointing at Man City. If that’s Peps team 2-0 up within ten minutes West Ham would have shipped 5 or more. We need that kind of ruthlessness in our remaining 7 games.
Yeah. The handbrake crap and perpetual triangles in our own half has no place in a title charge.
We need to wake the fuck up.
Four points from a five point lead gone. We can’t drop anymore – and as it stands we need to avoid defeat at City.
Exactly what I was saying… especially after their European exertions in mid week. Same as Liverpool last week.
But we are as much to blame for those dropped points, though.
We looked like the ones who’d actually been in Gent on Thursday. To stop playing after 10 minutes cause you think it’s game over, no matter how bad the opposition have been playing, is unforgivable
Because we fucking allowed them to. At 2-0 up with about 75 minutes to go you don’t take you foot off the gas: you go for the jugular. Instead, for the second fucking week in a row, we let a team back into the game.
Pathetic game management by our “great” boss.
I want to see someone else in charge next season. We have a great squad but a naive manager. A better boss would have won us the title.
Mate come on I know you are upset but this is outrageous. Who is this better boss? A serial ‘winner’ like Conte? The only reason we are where we are is because of Arteta and he did it in 3 seasons.
Some opinions don’t deserve a reply.
You’re hilarious!
Lol good one 😉
Wow. Reading this almost makes me want city to win the title. Absolutely extraordinary.
If we don’t win it I would absolutely love to see City do the treble, just to spite off United fans. United fans have been way too supportive of City winning at our expense they don’t realize City can actually eclipse their ‘99 achievement.
Dunno i have the 90’s dislike for man utd as much as the next arsenal fan, but losing the title to city this year and newcastle’s inevitable rise to the top has me thinking the league is poisoned. Man utd had the money back then but it was at least built on commercialism not gravestones
I don’t – I fucking hate City.
I want to see them blow the fucking lot – the title to us and whoever they play in the FA Cup Final and the Champion’s League Final.
I want to see Pep and Grealish and Rodri and that fucking ponytail streak of piss crying their fucking eyes out.
They can cry me a river. All of them. The cunts.
You’re a parody at this point. Can’t believe anyone takes you seriously. Get the fxck out of here.
Agreed with everything you said up until replacing Mikel. Get a fucking grip.
Yeah, I’d love to see them go down.
Fucking ‘Club For The Little Bloke’ – always were and always will be.
They’ve won fuck all since 1980. Joke of a club.
Back to reality
For the second week, we have been 2 goals up, playing against opponents who cannot figure us out but decide to take our foot off the gas and let them regroup.
I am no professional and cannot pretend to know how this works but imo, when you get two quick fire goals and your opponent seems confused, shouldn’t you be going for a 3, 4th goal to kill the game?
Plus we’re likely to need the goal difference to win the league. Go for the kill every time
well I guess that’s it for the title hope…. Let’s just enjoy the fact that we competed for the title this season and that we’ll play for the CL next season.
CL spot trophy
Rubbish.
Get a draw at City and win the rest and they can’t catch us.
Don’t give up yet dude.
Every cunt outside the Emirates would love to hear that you’ve given up.
Fuck that shit. We can still do this.
We are still winning this thing . We just need some ruthless aggression in the next 7 games and we are champions.
Spirit of ’89 called for at Emptyhad
Saka cannot be replaced in a game? His form has not been good for several games in straight.
Cannot believe it when Martinnelli was replaced but not Saka.
I asked the same question. Saka form has dipped since scoring for England. Taking Jesus off reduces our high press. Taking Odegaard off also doesn’t make sense. We need to rectify the habit of going asleep after being 2 goals up.
Press? There was no concerted press that I saw. Only Ode running around like a madman. I don’t understand why we abandon the press for long stretches. I’m guessing Arteta figured it’s too risky with how direct West Ham are. But we look out most dangerous when we smother teams. We’re able to pin them back because we win it so high up. Not sure why we’re quicker to drop off more now. Is Arteta too focused on “managing” games perhaps?
Last 3 games? Let’s be real,.he scored 2 and got an assist against Palace. He was rested against Leeds. You could only argue he wasn’t at his best against Liverpool and today.
My question is this. When he was rested against Leeds did the performance of the team drop. My answer absolutely not. That’s a clear pointer as to what substitutions to make. Trossard for Saka last week, Trossard for Saka today with Jesus in to cause chaos for the opponent and we may be singing different tunes.
Jesus was our best player today so taking him off when we needed a goal & then not bringing Eddie on till injury time, makes that substitution look even stupider
Do you think the amount of running Gabriel Jesus has done is relevant in deciding who to take off? Do you find it surprising that in a very large number of games, in every league I have watched, the first substitute is the centre forward who has run his socks off?
Here is my point: it is possible that Arteta made a mistake, and it is possible that you don’t understand what was actually happening on the pitch. Which do you think is more likely?
I’d prefer it if our CF actually played up front more, running the defenders socks off.
Still on course for 95 points which gives us title outright.
We’ll just have to do it the hard way.
Great comment. There are too many “fans” that turn on a team that already did a lot more than expected.
Spirit of ’89!
Terrible!
Arsenal has played exceptionally well this season, but it does not mean we should not be critical. What must ESR do to get a run?? He was a top scorer last year, slicing through defenses. This year he is being overlooked for the likes of Viera and Nelson. Holding is a mid-tier defender. Tierney was atrocious today. Partey needs a replacement ASAP.
Tierney being atrocious is a bit harsh. He doesn’t offer the control Zinchenko offers but I don’t think he was anywhere near as bad as you make out. If Jesus is a tad sharper Tierney gets an assist. Also made a massive block near the end to make sure we at least got a point
Another week. Another one that feels like a loss.
We have to match City to win the league now. Win as many games as they do, and not lose to them.
#COYG!
I wish i did’nt care about football……….another weekend ruined by this game 😪
Bukayo Saka. What a season he has had. We are where we are bse of him and others. But I felt the past 3 games his form has dipped abit. He loses most balls when he takes on the defenders. It is now in City’s hands to lose. I dont see us get anything at the Etihad. Whatever happens at the end, we are proud of the boys. This has been a very very exciting season
Frankly, I don’t see City losing a single game between now and the end of the season. Pep’s finally made the team click around the absolute monster that Haaland is, and they look completely unstoppable. Wouldn’t be surprised if they finished the season with the triple to be honest. Only way we stay in it is somehow managing to salvage a point at the Etihad – something we haven’t managed to do in the Pep era.
They nearly fell apart the other night when Pep rang the changes.
Leicester pulled one back, then proceeded to hit the post and put an absolute sitter wide.
It could and should have finished three all.
Jamie Redknapp was spot on when he said that City got away with it.
So, they’re as failable as the next team. I reckon they’ll drop points in at least one if not more of their remaining fixtures.
Hopefully with a few broken legs and cruciate ligaments thrown in for good measure; Haaland, Rodri and Grealish.
…and cue the ‘blowing it’ brigade. We need to get back on the horse asap.
Bottling a 2 nil lead is blowing it, title race or not
I’m allergic to horses sadly !!! And Jamie Fucking Carragher !!!!
Yep.
Avoid defeat at City and win the rest. Do that, and they can’t catch us (as it stands)
It’s quiet something being an Arsenal fan. Now we have to beat City. A draw wouldn’t be bad but we have some extremely tough run of games with Newcastle away and Brighton and Chelsea at home, Chelsea are shit but so are West Ham. It’s hard to stay optimistic after that. We thought the title was pretty much over after the City defeat, but now we really have to get something at City. Arteta and the boys have a lot to do. Let’s see how this goes.
A draw at City will suffice – if we can keep winning our other remaining fixtures.
Like most people reading this, I find the talk of us losing the title to City as a “bottle-job” ridiculous. But we can’t hide the fact we had a real collapse in this game. Took it far too casually when we were in control, then absolutely froze the second we weren’t right through until the final whistle. We may have had worse overall performances. But that was our worst game of the season in the context of what we’re aiming for. Think a quiet Sunday evening away from social media may be the order of the day now!
Long fast walk for me, so gutted
It’s a bottle job, no sugar coating.
Pundits like Gary Neville claimed City would win the league by 10-15 points and even Man Utd would finish above us. If City win the league fair play but by no means is it a bottle job. Modern day social media has people thinking 2nd place is a bottle job but will praise Man Utd/Spurs when they finish top 4 as a great achievement
That’s because they’re like Neville.
Cunts.
We live in a different reality than the one you imagine. We will almost certainly finish with more points than all the teams that won the title before Abramovich bought Chelsea and Abu Dhabi bought City. Do you think Liverpool bottled it, when they could not quite manage 100 points? Do you think we will have bottled it if we lose only four matches this season and finish with 92 points (more than the Invincibles)?
The game changed significantly in last 20 years and even geting 18 points from last 7 games (which at this point seem fancyfull since we still have City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Brighton to play) might not be enough. I am afraid that the next season there will be more competitive teams than we had this season. Beside City, Manure will be better, Newcastle is coming, Chelsea (if they get a decent manager) is loaded with great young players and will be there. This might have been the best chance for us to win the league in last 20 years. Everything… Read more »
It’s over. We don’t have the quality in depth City do. If every player isn’t world class, you are not winning this League. End of.
That being said, we have the quality to beat fucking West Ham and losing a 2-0 lead twice in a row is a definition of bottling it.
It’s not over.
Sorry to differ. We now have substantial depht in the squad. My understanding of squad depht is changes to personal that does not cause a dip in performance . However our coach seem afraid to use the depht he has in this squad. That’s cost us 4 points in our last two games.
Totally agree, Man City’s ill-gotten gains have distorted the league and built a monster. The best Liverpool team in decades were tortured season after season by this behemoth, despite posting record points and goals for them. Now we are beginning to learn how that feels.
You’re right, you need a squad where the quality just doesn’t drop when someone’s out, how many positions on the pitch is that true for us? Maybe full backs, maybe left wing, that’s it.
It’s not over till the fat lady sings. We probably will be struggling to make top 4 if the team had your mentality….. giving up inspite of the fact we’re still ahead smh.
I’m being realistic mate. I will always have hope til the end of the season but every game that passes, feels less and less likely that we’ll do it.
City are just insane. Their club is well run from top to bottom. They have ZERO weak links in their squad. They get their business done, find what they need and bam.
Our reserves would maybe finish mid-table, their reserves are almost as good as our first 11. Our main striker couldn’t even get into their first 11. Let’s just be honest.
“Their club is well run”
Their club is fucking bankrolled with oil money.
Wake up.
lame. so are chelsea, so are united and so are spurs. look how much money Chelsea have spent and their team is rubbish.
yes, they’re corrupt. yes, it sucks they have a bottomless wallet. but to deny they aren’t well run is ludicrous. their recruitment and transfer market business is top notch. they never buy poorly and always get the right cover they need.
name ONE player they have that you wouldn’t have in our squad.
All of them – and that includes Haaland. FUCK ‘EM. I back our boys.
FUCK CITY AND FUCK THOSE WHO LICK THIER ARSES.
Touche, Mister Q.
We’re just gonna have to win the title the hard way…win ALL of our remaining games, including City away, and hope that they in turn drop points too, just as we have.
We can afford a draw at City, if we win our other remaining games.
I know people will say I’m scapegoating but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Holding coming in last season and now this and we look disjointed and unable to assert ourselves at the back. Saliba brings a measure of calm and strength. That transits to players him, stats are only part of the story. A few others didn’t turn up either, Saka has been immense but seems to have hit a wall which is understandable. We look to players like Partey in these moments and for two weeks he was nowehere to be found and you can see the… Read more »
Mate, Rob Holding came in and helped us win two FA Cup Finals against Chelsea, that we would have more than likely lost if the idiot he came in to replace – Mustafi – had played.
Give Holding a break, he was nowhere near our worst player today.
We cannot take our foot off the gas at 2-0 up after 15 minutes…Also Martinelli and Saka seem to fade as the game progresses. Trossard looked great in that mid, and lastly, KT cannot play in the midfield but he is an outstanding defender.
it’s the nerves isn’t it towards the thick end of a season with an extremely tight title race on the line!! we make life extremely difficult for ourselves from positions of strength. two weeks in a row now. we have to now get something from the game at City and that looks improbable now, even if we take a 2 goal lead. anyways, forget this week too and move on! COYG
Partey lost it
This feels devastating
Losing to Derby and drawing 2-2 to Wimbledon, both at home, in 1989 felt devastating too. Keep the faith.
Absolutely bottled it, 2-0 and attempting party tricks in our own half when we should be going for the 3rd and 4th goals.
I can’t fault the lads for what they’ve done this season but second consecutive game bottling a 2 goal lead… I think the remaining games will be more difficult than expected as our opponent know we can’t kill games off. It’ll be a tense run in.
Lose at City and that’s it.
They are not ready to win the title. After the 2nd goal they literally stopped playing like the game was over or something
Thar she blows.
Partey, Holding and Jesus coming soooooo deeeeep for no reason cost us
Great season still, but truth be told, something is amiss. In the first half of the season, these last two games would be sure six points. It’s like the physical exertions have caught up with them at the wrongest time.
The league title is gone: I don’t see us getting a result at Etihad or at St. James Park at this rate. At least, we have top 4 in the bag with another pòint and that is a remarkable improvement from last season.
Most worrying thing besides the dropped points is for the 2nd straight game after going 2 up and conceding we just shrink into a shell. The Liverpool game you could say the “Anfield atmosphere” or our recent record there, but there’s no excuse for surrendering to West Ham. Far too complacent at 2-0 summed up by their goal. And it is a pen as much as I usually blame the refs (Paqueta definitely dives but contact is made). We now must get something out of the City game otherwise it’s gonna be a tall order winning the league
Handball by Rice to get the ball. VAR???
I’m not gonna lie from the replays I can’t see it hit his arm. My eyesight may have failed me however
A draw at city will still be enough. But as much as I’d like to believe, I think the team itself has lost some of that belief right now.
We are all looking at the City game, but Chelsea – as bad as they’ve been, Newcastle and Brighton are games I wouldn’t back us to get three points from this moment. So, it’s possible to get a result at City and it still comes to nought.
For me, I sincerely think the title is gone; I am just pleased CL football is back. That is a remarkable achievement considering the shambles we were two seasons ago. We’ll regroup, plug some noticeable holes in the squad, and go again. Who knows.
What a shame! I cant possibly be angry with them, they have massively over achieved this season already. I just think in the last couple of games the reality of being within touching distance of the title has finally hit home and the pressure has got to them a bit. The good thing is as long as we win our remaining games we just need to draw at City. I am not making any predictions on the remaining games, I just want to say I am proud of how they have performed this season. A lot of them are still… Read more »
Truth is, at this rate, I don’t see us winning away to Newcastle or brentford
Play Partey at right back, and put Ben white at centerback. Holding is just the definition of a player who invites pressure no calmness about him whatsoever.
Deserved draw for the way we applied a handbrake at 2-0. Very disappointed, but the whole season was surprisingly good so I’ll just have to sit tight and see how the rest of the season unravels. One thing I want to say, Saka had a break in the 2nd half after a Paqueta misplaces pass. He decided to go for it himself and shot tamely at the GK. City would’ve scored from that break no question. If we don’t rediscover our killer instinct as a team we are toast.
Just switched off and paid the price. Hard to find a good performance today.
Fancied we needed a result at City anyway, maybe this kick up the bum will prove to be the difference.
Cheers for your sunny take. Needed that.
Gabriel Jesus was good. Odegaard was good. Tierney was good. Xhaka was good. But have it your way.
Also Ben White.
We should have been able to win the game anyway but Saka isn’t a great penalty taker, I would trust Ode most, can’t be too sentimental about these things.
Saka isn’t a great penalty taker based on what exactly? His first penalty in his professional career was against Italy which he missed. Ever since then he has scored against Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool and Man City in very crucial moments in the game and they were all top penalties.
Fair enough I take it back, I didn’t realise that was his record. It sounds as if his total record is about 75% then which is what you’d expect for a penalty taker. I pronounce that Saka can still take our penalties then 😉
To be fair when we won it I wanted Saka to take it because I honestly can’t remember him missing one for us and he’s already scored pressure pens vs City and Liverpool this season.
As did AFC fans in ground who cheered on seeing it was him to take it.
This was his first missed penalty for Arsenal. He’s scored the previous 6, so I find your reasoning has no logic.
We have lost the league…it’s that simple. Let’s stop all these walk around..
Surely Xhaka should’ve been replaced by ESR. Michael Dawson said Rob will be the chink in Arsenals Armour. I am so Vex right now because we threw away the league.
Michael Dawson is a cunt.
Congratulations to Manchester City!!
Premier League champions 2022/23
Well done Arteta: your teams have managed to completely bottle it for the second season in a row. No cojones in this squad.
I want to see a new manager come in this summer: Arteta clearly doesn’t have what it takes to get a team over the line. We need a more experienced boss. No offence.
But it was nice while it lasted.
No offence but sometimes you do talk some codswallop!
New manager in the summer? We have been top the entire season, we still are top and it is still in our hands!
Massive over achieved this season, back in the CL and you want to replace the manager responsible for such an improvement on last year 🤣
You are a funny guy fats. 😂😂
Shouldn’t you be ranting on AFTV?
Or maybe SpudTv?
Fats mate, for once, give the bold negativity a rest.
They’ll be enough anti Arsenal cunts in the media handing City the title – never mind you turning on the team as well.
If we can hold City to a draw and win our other remaining games, it’s ours.
Hard, but not impossible.
Get behind this team and have some faith! Grow a pair! 😉👍🍺
Yes we’re all angry at thr.moment, yes we’re all disappointed, but calling for a.manager change is just absolutely stupid. Who would you have replace him exactly, the same tired old names who have also been known to cock up at various times. If you can’t get behind the team when the going gets rough, don’t bother getting on board at all.
Wenger out!
Wenger back in!!!
It’s not over til it’s over. Still all to play for but yes, today hurt a lot.
You can actually see the players feeling the pressure and that 2nd WHU goal really shocked them. Arteta’s subs has been questionable but they need to buck up now.
We had them but let them back in when we should have turned the screws on them. This is not how to win the PL.
I’m very disappointed today!
Chin up, it’s not over yet.
We bottled it to be honest. Partey was awful. City will roast us when we meet.
Nothing is guaranteed in football,
Nothing.
Not even your defeatist opinion that we will be roasted by City.
Hard to watch. We weren’t close to getting the third goal. But I would be happy with a win over Southampton and a draw at Etihad. We are still in it.
We just need to draw or win at City, win out n then the league is still ours. Saka to m.o.m redemption story brewing..
Top post, well said. 😉👍🍺
We score our penalty at 2-1 and it’s game over. Miss it, and our whole season can turn on the result.
If the pen goes in, the crowd turn on their players & we go on to put 5 or 6 past them. Having been in the home end many times at London Stadium thanks to a previous relationship, that lot don’t need much to get on their teams back. These dropped points are on the other end of the massive moments scale to the Nelson goal, feels like a defeat
I think the confidence without him & the aura Saliba exudes has cost us a bit at a vital time ? Not to say Rob Holding has been poor (he hasn’t) but it’s just the mindset of others The trust to do what they do & be unafraid of losing the ball was more evident with Gabriel & Saliba as the rocks !
Disappointing performance but not totally unexpected, West Ham were always going to be a rough ride and the referee didn’t seem to see any of their fouls or a very obvious handball. Unfortunately Partey and Bukayo had a bad day, coupled with Holding and Tierney being not really at the level we need. Before everyone jumps on me about Tierney he’s a totally one dimensional player and everyone knows exactly what he’s going to do, and when he’s going to do it. We’re seriously missing Tommy. Horrible result, hopefully we get Saliba back and go on to beat City at… Read more »
KT is a fine player but Zinchenko offers more creativity.
We missed Zinky and Saliba today, badly.
If anyone is going to get the team over the line, it’s those two, Ramsdale and Jesus.
Arteta faces a big job getting others such as Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard and Saka to rediscover their confidence, which was severely lacking as the game progressed.
These boys have the power within themselves to destroy City – and anyone else.
They just need to believe.
Over to MA at the training ground……😉👍
After reading some of the daft comments below I think a few need to go support one of the teams near the bottom of the table if you think still being top of the table and being top the ENTIRE season bar one 24 hour period on goal difference is a *bottle job*
Totally unnecessary, now more than ever we need to picking the players up and firing them up, putting the confidence back, not calling them bottlers
Well said. Watch the true fans that attend games at the next match. They will support a young team that gave us so much pride this season.
Surely that is the definition of a bottle job, having clearly the ability but folding at the business end under the first real pressure? I’m not going to complain about the lads, their young and have done so well today this year, but that’s how the second season in a row we’ve buckled badly at the season’s end.
I think a lot of our perception of “bottling” is really just due to the fixture schedule. A point at Liverpool and point at West ham is traditionally not bad results.
Get all the fixtures and results for the season, shuffle them around and at this point we might be sitting here saying we have amazingly come back into the title race and it is city who is bottling it.
Disappointing performance and result, but it’s still in our hands. If we can at least draw against City, and match their results for the rest of the season (most likely – this means winning all of the remaining games), we’ll still win the title by a point. This result takes away our cushion (where we could have drawn another game and still win the title), but fate of the title is still in our control.
If my auntie had etc etc
Yeah. Did you come out with that before we went up to Anfield in ‘89?