2 positives and 3 negatives from Arsenal's dismal draw against Brentford

After a gruelling 90 minutes, Arsenal were unable to come away with the vital 3 points needed to keep the distance from Manchester City, who are hot on their heels after a shock victory away at Anfield.

The first half was a tense slog in which they had the fewest shots in a single half in the last five years. This shocking statistic seemed a portent for things to come, as the game wore on and Arsenal lacked the attacking threat expected of a team at the top.

Finally, the bubble of tension was burst by a header from Noni Madueke, which wrong-footed Caoimhin Kelleher and floated its way into the goal. Exactly 10 minutes later, the goal was answered by another header, this time as a result of a long throw into the bo,x causing chaos and confusion.

Here are the elusive positives and glaring negatives from Arsenal's disappointing 1-1 draw away at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Negative #1: Desperate lack of urgency in final third

26 games into the season, and Arsenal are yet to find their rhythm in the attacking third. Today, the play looked disjointed, lethargic and bereft of ideas.

Eberechi Eze once again looked lost on the field, tapping the ball left and right, rarely showing the flair he was known for at Crystal Palace. Despite a flash of improvement in the minutes following his substitution, the players eventually sank back, allowing Brentford to regain a foothold in the game.

Whilst, as usual, there was a lack of service to the striker up top, Viktor Gyokeres must also be held to account. The Swedish number nine looked stuck in the mud in the box, as balls flew over his head or bounced off his feet, not doing enough to impact the game with the moments that involved him.

Positive #1: Super David Raya

Tonight's game showed why David Raya has been the best keeper this season, making numerous stunning saves that kept Arsenal in the game. Without the super Spaniard, the Gunners ought to have lost by at least 3 goals.

After bowling the ball out to a Brentford player in the 22nd minute, David Raya atoned for his error by pulling off an impossible save, reacting to a point-blank header by Igor Thiago. Later in the second half, the former Brentford keeper would make a low dive save against Thiago yet again, who had barreled down the pitch to face Gabriel one-on-one and launch a shot at the keeper.

In a game where Arsenal created few chances, and were pinned back by dangerous set-pieces, long-throws and out-muscled by 6-foot defenders, David Raya's cool command of the box and decisiveness won Arsenal the point in a match where they looked like the losers.

Negative #2: The savior that never arrived

After Eze's rather hasty and unfortunate half-time substitution, captain Martin Odegaard was the man Arteta and the fans pinned their hopes on to change the game. For the 15 minutes leading up to Madueke's goal, Mikel's gamble appeared to have paid off, with the Gunners looking more direct and threatening.

Following the goal, Arsenal's patterns of play appeared to regress into the familiar shades of the first half, and it would have been impossible to tell the difference between Eze and Odegaard, who both appear to be going through the motions, ineffectual in the final third.

To make matters worse, it was Martin Odegaard who Brentford winger Keane Lewis-Potter easily triumphed over to win the header that would cost Arsenal the two points.

Positive #2: Bukayo Saka returns

Arsenal are in desperate need of goals up top, and one star who had previously carried the Gunners on their back with goal contributions is yet to find their form.

Fans are waiting, biding their time until Bukayo Saka inevitably returns to the electrifying disposition we're used to seeing. But it must come soon, with City adding goal threats such as Antoine Semenyo to their already stacked attack, Arsenal need a talisman upfront to look to, and Saka must be the man to once again grab the team by the scruff of the neck over the finish line.

Negative #3: The blue sharks are circling

Most Arsenal fans are tainted by an indelible tinge of pessimism and doubt, which years of disappointment have cursed them with. The weekend's shock result, whereby Manchester City defeated Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield for the first time since 2003, felt like a change in the wind of this title race, and a plummeting, sinking feeling to any Gunners fan expecting an easy trot to the trophy.

After adding centre-back Marc Guehi to shore up the defence and serial goalscorer Semenyo during the January transfer window, Manchester City look formidable as ever, enjoying a 3-0 win against Fulham to add to their streak of victories.

This week's set of fixtures sees Arsenal's lead sink from a six-point margin to four, with the game at the Etihad looming larger than ever; a ground the Gunners haven't won at since 2015.