Arsenal’s draw at Chelsea was not ideal but Mikel Arteta will soon welcome back several attacking options
The worst performance of the season for Arsenal and they find themselves earning a point against the team that started the weekend second in the table.
That is perhaps an oversimplification of the reality and completely ignores the context of how the game played out, however. Before kick-off, a draw might’ve looked a good result, especially with neither starting centre-half available, but at half-time, a man up, anything other than victory would feel to many an equivalent to a defeat.
Arsenal’s buffer at the top of the Premier League table has been reduced to five points after Manchester City’s very late Phil Foden winner against Leeds United. However, it would have been nightmarish to see the gap drop to just three had they been beaten, which, until Moises Caicedo’s red card, looked the likelier outcome.
The wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich certainly had an impact, as, you could argue, did the days’ less rest the Gunners enjoyed compared to their London rivals. That will, however, be little comfort to the optimism that was spreading around the press room as we discussed what might be in store in the second half.
Yet Trevoh Chalobah’s goal proved to be too much for the Gunners to come back to claim all three points in the end.
After Michael Oliver’s appointment for the North London Derby had left fans pleased and surprised with how little the official influenced the game, it was a complete contrast when it came to Anthony Taylor here.
The cards were flying out early and that set a precedent. By half-time, four of Arsenal’s back four and number six, Martin Zubimendi, had been booked. Even when Mikel Arteta brought off Riccardo Calafiori for Myles Lewis-Skelly, it took around ten minutes until he too received a booking.
After Marc Cucurella’s yellow card, I had hoped Bukayo Saka would challenge the Spaniard more, but he had a relatively comfortable afternoon besides the eventual cross that found Mikel Merino’s head to equalise.
Equally, I had hoped the red card for Caicedo would have invoked a significant response from the Gunners, but there was simply a sense of tiredness and fatigue. It was just the second time in three years, three months and 25 days that Arteta was unable to call on either William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhaes for a Premier League match.
While Chelsea didn’t necessarily threaten David Raya’s goal too greatly, it was the build-up that suffered. There was a sense of familiarity and understanding lacking that is so typically there for Arsenal.
“It’s been a headache because obviously we have to have a lot of options and changes in the last few months for different reasons,” Arteta said when told this particular statistic by football.london. “That one is, as you said, with those numbers that I didn’t know, very unexpected, and it happened yesterday.
“But the beauty of it is that you have players so willing to play, so willing to connect with each other. We will build a relationship even better.
“So today was a great learning match for all of us and as well give you the assurance that whoever is there is going to perform. “
Yet again, however, it was the understated, underrated secret weapon who would hurt Chelsea yet again. Mikel Merino popping up with another big goal in a big game.
It was joyous to see Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus among the substitutes once again; however, Merino continues to deliver for the Gunners as he has done for his country too. Whatever the occasion, Merino continues to find himself becoming the headline act.
Even with both Gyokeres and Jesus returning and Kai Havertz reportedly not far away either, Merino’s consistency and goal-scoring capabilities have sent a clear message that he is ready to be called upon. Asked before the game whether Arteta had learned anything from the Spaniard’s time in the position, it is clear the learning began many months ago.
“Yes, we did learn that last season because that’s why we have to play long periods without a nine,” Arteta said. “He brings other things to the table.
“I think his intelligence, the way he competes, the way he masters a lot of the things that are crucial for us in any player, he’s got them. Then he’s a real threat on the night again.
“He could have scored two goals [against Bayern Munich], he was involved in many positive actions, and his work was unbelievable again.”
Yet with games coming thick and fast, Brentford followed by a trip to Aston Villa, Club Brugge, Wolves at home and then away to Everton, Arteta will need to rotate throught the squad. The tiredness that was on display in west London needs to be mitigated and corked.
Find a way to rotate, recover and win! The gap has shortened and Arsenal need to be near-perfect still if they are to go on to win the Premier League.
