Arsenal Vs West Brom: Recap, Highlights And Analysis

After two defeats, Arsenal returned to the Emirates, hosting West Bromwich Albion. Here’s the full recap, all the highlights and analysis from the 1-0 win.

Well, that was far more stressful that first imagined. After enjoying 80% possession in the first half, Arsenal lacked creativity and incision in attacking areas, failing to break down a resolute and disciplined West Bromwich Albion defence. The crucial goal did not come until the 86th minute, through the head of Olivier Giroud, keeping up pace with league leaders Chelsea who once again racked up another victory.

The first half started in expected fashion. Arsenal dominated possession and West Brom sat deep, remained compact and looked to threaten on the counter-attack. Granit Xhaka and Francis Coquelin enjoyed a lot of the ball, tasked with trying to find their talented, attacking teammates in more advanced areas.

However, 30 minutes and no breakthrough had come. Tony Pulis’ side continued to look dangerous from set pieces, as they have done all season long, leading the Premier League in goals from set pieces, while Alexis Sanchez saw his low shot saved well, down low by Ben Foster after a driving run forward.

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Half-time came with still very little eventful happening. It was a typical Arsenal-dominated performance with little creativity and little to worry about defensively. However, a draw would never be sufficient for the Gunners. A tempo and an intensity must be found as Wenger’s side headed into the second half.

Early in the second half, Arsenal found that intensity. The first opening came through a long Alex Iwobi shot. Foster spilt it straight into the past of the onrushing Sanchez but recovered well, dived low at his feet and diverted it for a corner. From the resultant corner, after the ball broke with Gabriel Paulista straining his neck towards the ball, Sanchez once again collected it, turned twice, made some space for himself and cracked a close-range shot against the post.

As the second half rumbled, with Wenger seemingly unwilling to be proactive with his substitutions, West Brom continued to pose a threat from set pieces. Three consecutive set pieces resulted in a panicked Francis Coquelin, headed clearance, another clearance from Giroud and a poor miss from Claudio Yacob at the back post after Petr Cech came to collect the cross and was only able to knock it down.

However, with the game slipping away from Arsenal, the one man who has rescued his team late in games so many times this season did so again. Mesut Ozil had the ball down the right channel, With little available to him, simply lifted a curled cross towards the back post for Olivier Giroud to fight for. The towering Frenchman, who had been poor all game, held off Gareth MacCauley and looped a terrific header over the head of Foster and into the gaping net.

Then, in the closing stages, Arsenal came to life. Alexis Sanchez forced yet another terrific save from Foster, Hector Bellerin after a forging run couldn’t quite convert while Lucas Perez prodded and probed with his searing pace on the break.

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Ultimately, a win is a win. There are many reasons for concern, and here at Pain in the Arsenal, we will decipher the reasons for success and failure over the coming days. But, after two consecutive losses, it was important that Wenger’s side simply chalked up another win, however hard-earned it may have been.

Highlights

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