Arsenal have failed to win in two successive games for the first time in the Premier League this season.
They will rightly feel aggrieved following VAR’s mistake at the weekend but the performance was well below the standard set so far this campaign.
Arsenal were beaten for just the second time when a rejuvenated Everton won 1-0 in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge. That result would have been forgotten if the Gunners picked up three points against Brentford.
But that wasn’t to be and the Bees deserved a point, although it came in hugely controversial fashion. It is not quite clicking for Mikel Arteta’s side at the moment.
Next up they face the biggest game of the campaign so far at home to Manchester City on Wednesday. Arteta needs four of his regular starters to step up and start performing at their top level again.
William Saliba had a poor game against Brentford. He lost all 10 of his aerial duels as Ivan Toney dominated the Frenchman.
It would be unfair to say Saliba has been poor of late but perhaps below the level he was showing before the World Cup. He will need to be on top form to thwart City.
Meanwhile, Granit Xhaka was kept quiet on Saturday. The Swiss has enjoyed his best season in an Arsenal shirt but both Brentford and Everton have done well to limit his impact on the game.
How he links up with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Martinelli down the left is important to how Arsenal attack. Meanwhile, Martinelli is also a player many supporters feel needs to pick up his game.
Leandro Trossard is breathing down his neck and is pushing for his first league start for the club after scoring off the bench at the weekend. Martinelli hasn’t scored in his last seven matches and the opposition often double up on him.
City may allow more space for Martinelli on Wednesday due to how they set up. Arteta therefore may keep the Brazilian in his starting XI despite the temptation of throwing Trossard in.
Finally, Arteta needs Eddie Nketiah to have more of an impact. Nketiah has scored four league goals since coming in for the injured Gabriel Jesus.
He has been good at times but found it difficult against Brentford’s back three. The role of the striker in Arteta’s team is so important and until Jesus is fully fit, Nketiah must step up and fill his shoes.
source: www.express.co.uk
