Arsenal collapses again! Relinquishes Tag as Title Favourites

Arsenal Draw against Westham

Mikel Arteta has asked that his Arsenal team become ‘killers’ once more after West Ham lost a two-goal lead for the second time in two weeks.

Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard scored in the first 10 minutes to put them up 2-0. But Said Benrahma equalized and Jarrod Bowen scored after Bukayo Saka missed a penalty.

Arteta said: “We need that ruthless mindset in those moments to go and kill a team. When the game is there for the killing you have to do it. We dominated the game, dominated the pitch, and scored two beautiful goals.

“After that, we made a huge mistake to stop playing with the same purpose to score the third and fourth ones. We thought we could play around with them and maintain the result and it just looked too easy. At that moment we gave them hope. Credit to West Ham they took it.”

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Following last week’s draw at Liverpool, the result at the London Stadium would have been considerably worse if Michail Antonio had not fired what would have been the game-winning shot against the crossbar.

Arsenal, who host Southampton on Friday, has already surrendered four points in their previous two games, almost handing Manchester City the title lead.

Arteta went on: “The pattern in terms of the result is different to the Liverpool draw. The last thing we want in our brains is to not have the confidence to kill the game when we can do it. That’s the next stage, when you are there, you have to do it. You have to play with the same purpose or more and not give them anything.”

Arteta also called on Saka to bounce back from the spot kick that would have extended Arsenal’s lead to 3-1 – or risk being replaced on penalties.

He said: “You have to put everything into context. If you are prepared to take responsibility for penalties, you have to be prepared that in that package the possibility to miss is 100%.

“At some point, you’re going to miss. That’s it. You have been able to react to that after. If you cannot do that then you cannot be a penalty taker. Bukayo has been through that and he will go through that again.”

Arsenal has seven matches left to play, starting with Southampton at home on Friday. City, who have a game in hand, entertain Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on 26 April.

West Ham, meanwhile, host Gent on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final.

Boss David Moyes insisted the comeback had left his men in terrific hearts. He said: “When you go 2-0 down to Arsenal you’re not sure how to get back into it. It’s a great credit to the players they stuck at it.

Arsenal has been virtually unstoppable when leading this season. However, in their previous two games, they have shown hints of vulnerability, which could cost them the Premier League title.

They were cruising at Anfield against Liverpool until Mohamed Salah scored in the 42nd minute. After that, the tide absolutely shifted. An identical thing happened at the London Stadium.

West Ham was the superior side immediately after Benrahma scored from the penalty spot, and an equalizer seemed likely. Those four dropped points might spell the end of Arsenal’s title challenge against Manchester City, and Arteta must find a solution to that lack of attention sooner rather than later.