%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal wasn't at its best against Brentford in a 1-1 draw, but did Real Madrid midweek play a factor?
Arsenal was held to a 1-1 draw against Brentford, which allowed Liverpool to further pull away in the title race, but it is clear that the Gunners' minds might have been elsewhere.
After such a monumental build-up to their Champions League quarter-final clash last week against Real Madrid, to then put on a show as the Gunners did, to put themselves in such a commanding position with the second leg to come, it is natural to look at the Brentford game with far less vigor than they did with Real.
Still, the Gunners did more than enough to win the game, but as we have become accustomed to, missed chances and not being able to take advantage of great bits of play came back to haunt Arsenal.
Was Real Madrid on Arsenal minds vs. Brentford?
After what was labeled one of the best nights in the club's history midweek, to then back it up against Brentford, the Gunners could be forgiven for looking past the Bees, right? Well, not exactly.
Arsenal is a professional outfit, and Arteta wouldn't have wanted them to treat the visitors as such, but the team selection points to the narrative of Arsenal having one eye on Madrid as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Jurrien Timber, and Myles Lewis-Skelly all push to the bench.
"No, I think the players know that when you come to the Premier League and the position that we played, how tough it was going to be and what it requires and it requires your best every time to win," Arteta said via arsenal.com.
It is human nature to look ahead and considering the manner in which Arsenal cast aside Madrid and the juicy carrot at the end of the second leg, it is really easy to look past Brentford.
But Arteta insists the club didn't (and what is he supposed to say) but the team selection might paint a different picture.
Still, given what transpired against Brentford, the Gunners must now go to Madrid and take care of business because if they lose, all eyes will be cast back to this Brentford game and the team selection.
With a monumental clash awaiting midweek, the Gunners might have gotten caught looking too far ahead and as a result, dropped two points they otherwise would have banked.