Wolves 0-1 Arsenal: 4 talking points as Gunners secure crucial win

Arsenal secured a tense and hard-fought 1-0 win over Wolves at Molineux, with a scrappy Gabriel goal with 25 minutes gone in the first half being enough for Mikel Arteta’s side to take a valuable three points.

It was a rather uneventful first 20 minutes with neither side wanting to make a mistake and instead playing within themselves. Benjamin White had his goal-bound shot blocked as the Gunners began ramping up the pressure, which told after 25 minutes.

Gabriel Martinelli whipped in his corner, White headed a clearance back in and after a collision between Alexandre Lacazette and Wolves keeper Jose Sa, the ball found its way to Gabriel who poked home.

After the home side’s stint of pressure, Arsenal regathered themselves and was the better side as they went into half-time with a slender but deserved 1-0 lead.

Wolves 0-1 Arsenal: 4 talking points as Gunners secure crucial Premier League win despite Gabriel Martinelli red card

Wolves started the second half on the front foot and put the visitors under pressure. With the Gunners using every trick in the book to waste time, the frustration around the ground was built into a crescendo.

The turning point came with a little over 20 minutes left in the second half. Martinelli was shown his marching orders in bizarre circumstances with bookable two incidents in ten seconds to leave Arsenal again down to 10 men.

However, as they have now become accustomed to, the Gunners’ defense was stout and for all of Wolves attacking forays, they were unable to create any clear-cut chances and Arsenal escaped with all three points.

The game provided plenty of talking points. Here they are.

1. Another Game, Another Red Card

Unfortunately for Arsenal, this has gone beyond a worrying theme and into a regularity. For once, however, it was not Swiss midfielder Xhaka or any of the usual suspects who was shown their marching orders. A brain fade from Martinelli left Arsenal in a deep hole with 20 minutes remaining.

Luckily for the young Brazilian, his teammates were able to see the game out, but this is now a serious issue.

The team cannot keep being reduced to 10 men. That’s six matches in 2022 and four red cards. Given the importance of the game, Arsenal again nearly shot themselves in the foot. It’s happened with Xhaka twice, once in the League Cup and against Manchester City in the Premier League. Even on his very ground last season red cards have been Arsenal’s undoing.

Make no mistake about it, although Arsenal secured the three points, they were lucky. With only a top-four spot to aspire to this season, such moments of madness can’t happen as each game. Arteta said the final 16 matches are all cup finals. You rarely win a cup final with ten men. These games are of the utmost importance.

Try and keep 11 men on the pitch.

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