I had already watched Brentford comfortably outplay and completely outmuscle Newcastle United at their own St James’ Park stadium last weekend so I was not at all under any illusions about the difficult task at hand for Arsenal at the G-Tec stadium yesterday evening. Brentford are currently flying and looking like a realistic threat to the big boys for a European place this season.
They are well coached and have a method of playing that will cause many more sophisticated teams to crumble under the weight of their attacks, be they from corners, long throws or powerful transitions.
But I felt quietly confident because in Kai Havertz we had the man who has the technical security to counter anything Brentford wished to throw at us – until we didn’t have him anymore. That news was a serious downer on my mood, but I reasoned that this was a golden opportunity for Ebs Eze to really stamp his authority on our team. Allied to that we had reinforcement’s on the bench in Odegaard and Saka who were back and even a sick absent Saliba couldn’t dampen my mood because I have total confidence in Mosquera.
Hincapie came into the back-four and the bench also looked so strong, stocked with ‘finishers’ keen to enjoy their moment of glory under the floodlights and in the shadow of the elevated section of the A.4. The players knew what the prize on offer is and they knew what they had to do – easier said than done!
The opening 14 minutes brought no real clear cut chances as both sides sparred with each other although Gabriel uncharacteristically misdirected a back pass that went out for a corner. That’s not like him I thought and I wondered if he missed his partner Big Bill? Then Raya miss controlled a back pass which ran worrying close to our goal line. He cleared it without any fuss but this wasn’t like us.
Brentford were pressing energetically almost as if they sensed an edginess about the Arsenal defenders and that just increased the chaos. Passes went astray, balls bobbled instead of being controlled and it seemed as if the pressure was having an effect. The home crowd sensed it too and as Arsenal failed to dominate and silence the home fans, the whole effect was to create a feeling of a frenzied and physical struggle.
On 22 minutes another Raya error led to Brentford regaining possession on the edge of our box. The cross was accurate as it arched into the heart of our goal area and Tiago met it with a goal bound headed thump but Raya had regained his positioning, making a smart one-handed save. Nerves were tingling in my front room I don’t mind admitting it.
The rest of the half played out with Arsenal reasserting some poise but creating very little, certain players in blue shirts hadn’t done their chances of a regular spot any good whatsoever and we ended all square.
Half-Time 0-0
Arteta must have shaken and not stirred a few faint hearts in the away dressing room at the break because the Gunners emerged with far more focus and more urgency as the second half kicked off.
Odegaard had replaced the peripheral Eze at halftime and his energy and movement had an immediate effect. On 46 minutes, following some neat interplay down our left, Hincapie put over a delicious low cross but as it flashed across the face of goal Gyokeres couldn’t quite get a touch. The Brentford defender grappling him didn’t help, but what’s a bit of grappling in the box these days? For a good 10 minutes Arsenal pretty much pinned Brentford into their half and it looked as if we had finally touched down.
On 58 minutes, excellent passing phases saw the Gunners open up the West Londoners and as Rice laid the ball into the path of Odegaard we waited to see the net bulge. But the influence of Twickenham nearby is strong and it must have affected our Viking skipper because Jonny Wilkinson couldn’t have hit the shot any better as the ball sailed high into the night air.
Two minutes later all that rugger nonsense didn’t matter anymore as more intense Arsenal pressure on the left flank saw Rice get free and hit a long cross into the box – and there he was, good old Noni, in his splendid head scarf out jumping the Brentford left back to head the ball past Kelleher like a be-scarfed Alan ‘Smudger’ Smith. 0-1. Game over?
Arteta had been getting Bakayo ready to come on as Noni scored so that bought him a few more minutes but the substitution was made and Arsenal should have managed the rest of the game. Sadly the wheels kind of came off as Brentford went for it and boy did they go for it. A series of long throws and corners had us holding on grimly but Mosquera and Gabriel didn’t flinch.
On 66 minutes an intricate passing move almost set up Gyokeres, could Rice have had a pop, I’m not sure but as Viktor set himself to knock it home a Brentford boot intervened. We really needed that second goal because 5 minutes later Sky Sports and all their mates on Talk Sport were celebrating. A long throw was flicked on and Lewis Potter evaded his marker Odegaard to head the equaliser. Odegaard had been ball watching instead of watching his man, similar to Eze at Villa Park.
Brentford almost grabbed a winner when Mosquera was initially outfought by Tiago but our Colombian got a great block in. Rice also cleared from a dangerous chance and then Tiago fired high over the bar from another great opportunity but the best chance fell to the Gunners in added time. Rice flicked a pass to Timber as Brentford pressed and the Dutchman carried the ball forward before sliding a beautiful pass into the path of Martinelli, who had been subbed on for Trossard. All it needed was an early shot, an instant reaction, but that ‘must have a second touch’ habit is hard to lose and it allowed Kelleher to close him down. Their keeper made the most of Martinelli’s brief delay and the chance was blocked. That was the game, in that action…
Arsenal’s lead is what it was a few weeks ago, 4 points, so no need to give up the ghost just yet, there’s a lot of twists and turns to go but, and this is for you younger readers, Arsenal have rarely won anything in my experience without putting us through the wringer and this season is no different so stay calm and carry on.
We march on…
**By Kev.**