Arsenal’s Missed Opportunity Against Crystal Palace
Arsenal went into the match with great expectation, a win against Crystal Palace would have put them in a much better place to challenge for the title. But the inability to finish clinically and defensive lapses led to a frustrating 2-2 draw. The Gunners enjoyed control of the ball but struggled to pick the lock of Palace’s defense and missed several decent opportunities.
Again Bukayo Saka was the obvious ray of light for Arsenal, scoring a vital goal and being the main impetus for their attack. But Arsenal could not sustain the pressure after the break. So too did Gabriel Martinelli, who also showed his quality but missed a few key opportunities to close out proceedings. Their failure to attack with any conviction meant the side was highly susceptible on the counter. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, profited from Arsenal’s inability to convert in front of goal and pinched a vital point.
The Arsenal defense, which was bombarded throughout the game, defended bravely at times but left gaps Crystal Palace were able to capitalize upon. Some of Arsenal’s young guns, including William Saliba, made defensive errors that led to Palace’s first and second equalizers. It will be for sure disappointing for Arteta the way his side couldn’t manage the game after taking the lead. Conceding the lead at the death is sure to be a big talking point in the after-match analysis.
Impact on the Title Race: Liverpool’s Advantage
The significance of this draw stretches across the Premier League title race. While Arsenal failure to secure three points means they could be playing catch up with both Manchester City and Liverpool who are breathing down there necks yet again. Liverpool have already taken advantage of Arsenal slip up, as they are now the team to beat in the title race. Arsenal didn’t quite seize the opportunity of their game in hand, meaning pressure is well and truly on Arteta and his players to deliver some consistent results moving forward.
Liverpool, currently sitting comfortably at the top, require just a handful of points to clinch the Premier League title. Arsenal’s blunder at Selhurst Park means they can ill afford too many more mistakes in their final handful of games. It doesn’t get any easier for them and as the games go by, and the pressure will increase, Arsenal needs to come up with quick answers. A misstep in any of their upcoming matches could hand the title to Liverpool without further fight.
Its time for the Gunners to get a grip, identify the problems and jump start their season. They have the talent and talent to remain in contention for titles but consistency will be key for shots on goal and against. Every single game counts, if you want to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City you have to win those games and Arsenal need to step up at a time when it matters.
Author’s Opinion
Mikel Arteta will know his side has wasted an opportunity by drawing 2-2 with Crystal Palace, and a result like that could prove Arsenal costly when it comes to challenging for the Premier League title. The side had its moments, but they weren’t able to take chances — and its defensive frailty cost the Gunners vital points. This defeat has the potential to be a turning point in their season if they do not address these flaws at warp speed.
But their chase for glory didn’t end there. If they can iron out their mistakes, especially up front, they can still go toe-to-toe with Liverpool. The proof of whether they can or can’t will be in how they respond to this loss. Might they regroup and reorganize, a little more defensively robust, a little more consistent in attack? It will be Arteta’s set-up in the next few games which will dictate whether Arsenal can hope to cling onto the title race or start getting left behind.
The heat is on Arteta, on his players, but they are not out of the race. This is a test of character for Arsenal and with a few tough games coming up, the players need to stay strong and not allow a poor result here to derail their season. The next few weeks are going to be decisive for their Premier League season.
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