Arsenal: 4 talking points from 3-2 Manchester United defeat

3. Arsenal Have Still Not Learned Their Lesson

The Crystal Palace game was meant to be a steep learning opportunity: Arsenal went a goal up, as they did at Old Trafford, and sat back and invited pressure and ultimately had to force a draw with a late Lacazette strike.

Arsenal did not learn their lesson as they did the exact same thing tonight. Not just tonight either, but in near enough every occasion where they’ve taken a lead in games this season.

After going ahead inside 15 minutes, the Gunners dropped off yard after yard, allowed United to have possession and invited pressure, the like of which eventually told. This was a game state screaming out for Arsenal to attack United. They are a bang average football team. They can’t defend.

Instead, the 1-0 lead was treated like a 4-0 advantage.

It is, hopefully, another steep learning curve for this young team as United was so clearly there for the taking. However, for one reason or another, Arteta and his Arsenal side played far too conservatively and it cost them three very achievable points.

The manager has to take blame for letting his players adopt this mindset, yet it is clearly not a tactic he is employing and instead a mental barrier the players simply can’t overcome.

It’s instinctive. But most of all, damaging.

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