When a goalkeeper is praised for a decisive display at the Emirates Stadium, it is usually safe to presume he has spent 90 minutes repelling, rather than rescuing, Arsenal.
On Saturday, though, it was Petr Cech, not Middlesbrough’s Victor Valdes, who received most of the plaudits directed the way of the goalkeepers.
“This week, I must say our two goalkeepers had two great performances,” Arsene Wenger said after watching his side’s 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough.
“[David] Ospina on Wednesday night [against Ludogorets] and Petr Cech today — that shows you how important it is to have two top-class goalkeepers.”
Wenger is right. Following years of Polish duo Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski vying for the No1 jersey, the current keepers at the Emirates are marked upgrades. It is a similar story right across the pitch, with Arsenal possessing greater strength in depth now than at any other point since they last won the Premier League in 2004.
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That is partly why Saturday’s goalless draw with Aitor Karanka’s recently-promoted side was so disappointing. Granted, Arsenal had been in action in the Uefa Champions League just three days earlier, but the talent at their disposal and their Middlesbrough’s recent barren run of form suggested it would be a straightforward afternoon for Wenger’s men in front of their own supporters.
Instead, Arsenal dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Cech forced to intervene on several occasions to keep out Middlesbrough, whose counter-attacking efforts were led by the exhilarating former Barcelona trainee Adama Traore.
The point was enough to move Arsenal to the top of the table, at least until Manchester City’s draw against Southampton at the Etihad Stadium a day later.
It still felt like a missed opportunity, however. This was a chance for Arsenal to make a real statement and emerge as the early pace-setters in the race for the title, but they faltered and, on balance, were perhaps a little fortunate not to lose.
It would be unfair to be too hard on Arsenal for a single slip, though, particularly as Saturday’s clash with Middlesbrough was the first Premier League match they failed to win since the middle of August.
Watford, Southampton, Hull City, Chelsea, Burnley and Swansea City were all beaten in that time, with Arsenal finding a way to combine some blistering attacking football with defensive solidity in the majority of those encounters.
The key now is responding to the blip and avoiding an extended downturn as the season enters its second quarter. A 2-0 defeat of Reading in the League Cup Cup on Tuesday was a good start, but the fact that Wenger’s starting XI was largely made up of fringe squad members and young players means the real test will come against a Sunderland side in desperate need of all three points on Saturday.
After this weekend’s trip to the Stadium of Light, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United await either side of November’s international break. It is far too early to assert that Arsenal’s next three league fixtures will define their season, but their assignments in the next few weeks certainly look set to provide a stern test of their title credentials.
Given the number of title contenders this season, Wenger may not get his hands on a fourth Premier League trophy in May, but there can be no excuses if his team fail to at least mount a sustained challenge.
Arsenal have the quality, squad depth and experience to go all the way this season. After Saturday’s setback, now is the time to prove they are serious about doing so.
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