Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Sunday raised questions about their composure in tight matches, with club legend Ian Wright noting a tendency for “jittery nerves” in the closing stages, reports BritPanorama.
The win extended Mikel Arteta’s side’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points ahead of Manchester City, who have a match in hand. However, the manner of the victory has sparked concern as opponents seem to exploit Arsenal’s vulnerabilities.
Both goals in the match were scored from set pieces, amidst a scrappy encounter. William Saliba opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 21st minute, heading in from a corner, before Chelsea equalised just before half-time through an own goal from Piero Hincapie, who redirected the ball during a corner.
Following a red card for Chelsea’s Pedro Neto early in the second half, Arsenal regained the lead when Jurrien Timber scored from another corner in the 66th minute. Wright highlighted Chelsea’s response to being a man down, suggesting that the Blues became more assertive rather than faltering.
“Chelsea, once they went down to ten men, they started to play. It was worrying,” he said. The former striker observed a worrying trend of second-half vulnerability for Arsenal. “We’re seeing in the second half of games, you can get at Arsenal,” he noted, expressing unease despite the victory.
The performance statistics reinforce Wright’s concerns, with 14 of Arsenal’s league goals conceded this season occurring after half-time. The match’s final moments were tense, with goalkeeper David Raya making a crucial save in injury time to deny a dangerous cross from Alejandro Garnacho, while a late effort by Liam Delap was ruled out for offside.
Arteta commended Raya for his focus during critical moments, stating, “The save that he made in the last action… it’s a cross, not a shot, but he ended up with an unbelievable save.” Meanwhile, Wright also questioned VAR’s decision not to award a penalty when the ball struck Declan Rice’s arm before Chelsea’s equaliser.
As the title race continues to intensify, Arsenal’s ability to maintain composure under pressure will be crucial. In football, confidence and control are often as essential as talent, and for Arsenal, the balance between the two will dictate their progression this season.
