On Sunday evening top four candidates Arsenal travelled to Vicarage Road to play their 28th match-week fixture against Watford. Having collected nine points in their last three games, Arsenal seemed to be the favourites over The Hornets, who also collected nine points, but over the course of their last 17 games.
With their top four rivals West Ham returning with zero points from Anfield, Wolverhampton Wanderers also losing to Crystal Palace and Manchester United unlikely to come away with anything from a derby against Pep Guardiola’s City, a win would do the world of good to Arsenal, who already sit in pole position for the final Champions League spot.
Arsenal sat in 5th, two points behind Manchester United and level with West Ham despite having played three less than both clubs.
Mikel Arteta made no changes to the line-up that managed the first comeback win of his reign, miraculously beating Wolves 2-1 at Emirates. Roy Hodgson changed the side that held Manchester United to a goalless draw at Old Trafford by withdrawing Jeremy Ngakia and Joshua King to the bench for the services of Kiko Femenia and João Pedro, while the injured Ismaila Sarr was replaced by Cucho Hernandez.
The favourites underwent a scare in the first thirty seconds of the game, when João Pedro played in Emmanuel Dennis inside the Gunners’ box for the Nigerian to score, only to see it overruled by VAR due to offside.
Arsenal were made aware of the danger and set about getting onto the front foot .
Arteta used the same build-up configuration that he’s been using for some time now, leaving Cédric Soares with the centre-backs to create a three-man line. Thomas Partey was the deeper midfielder, playing close to the backline to help carry the ball into the opposition half, while Granit Xhaka was again seen further up the pitch, but sometimes dropped deep in order to provide cover for Kieran Tierney.
Martin Odegaard was also heavily involved, dropping constantly into the space Bukayo Saka cleared for him. Positioned wide and high up the pitch, Saka pinned back Hassane Kamara in his own half, where the space between the full-back and João Pedro, who’s not the most willing back-tracker, was available for the Norwegian to use, which he did brilliantly.
In the 5th minute Odegaard’s use of that space helped carry the ball into Watford’s half, where the Norwegian and Saka played a perfect 1-2. Saka returned the ball to Odegaard just as he was entering the box and the Norweigian was calm and collected enough to place the ball into the corner of Ben Foster’s net, scoring his first goal in twelve games.
After the goal, Watford retreated into their own half, where they sat back in their 4-5-1 shape.
With João Pedro’s and Cucho’s trailing of the Arsenal full-backs, Hodgson’s men were able to form a five-man defensive line, clearly aiming to keep their lines of defence narrow against an Arsenal side whose main aim is to stretch and take advantage of those central gaps.
Hodgson’s idea of chasing counter-attacks after defending in a low block came to fruition when Watford hit the Gunners with a brilliant break – Cucho Hernandez got to the end of Kiko Femenia’s cross and equalised with a wonderful bicycle kick in the 11th minute.
They may have conceded, yet the determined Arsenal side were on the front foot again. Willing to press with intensity after losing the ball, this helped them to get control and pin Watford back in their own half.
In the 18th minute, Partey shot after a dummy, only to see it go inches wide of the goal.
Arsenal couldn’t produce anything significant in this period and nearly got punished for it, when in the 25th minute Watford broke and fed the ball to Dennis, who tried to place the ball into the far low corner, but Aaron Ramsdale was able to save and Ben White cleared.
However the intensity of Arsenal ground down Watford and finally the Hornets cracked again. In the 30th minute Arsenal counter-pressed immediately after losing out to the low block and regained the ball. Saka picked Tom Cleverley’s pocket and played to Alexandre Lacazette, who rolled the ball back into Saka’s path and the English international once again put Arsenal in front with a beautiful strike from the edge of the box. With this assist Lacazette provided his seventh assist since mid-December – the most in the Premier League over this period.
Both teams were unable to create anything significant for the remainder of the half and Arsenal went in at half-time with the lead.
The second half saw the game continue with almost the same dynamics, while neither manager made any changes to their sides, personnel or tactical.
In the 51st minute Watford lost the ball after Arsenal’s intense press and Arsenal attacked quickly. Quick interchanges of passes saw the ball reach Gabriel Martinelli, who found the top left corner with a brilliant finish and pushed Arsenal two ahead.
After that goal, both teams lost intensity and the game looked closed.
There was one player whose intensity levels stayed the same and that was Martin Odegaard. Acting as the engine for the Gunners’ play throughout the game, his effort on offence, where his skills seem to be sharpest, and defence, where his work-rate impresses all parties every match.
The Norwegian’s press won the ball for Arsenal in the 59th minute, eventually creating a chance for Lacazette around the box, but the Frenchman shot well above the goal.
Five minutes later Roy Hodgson made his first intervention in the game, bringing off Imran Louza for Joris Kayembe. This decision was booed by the crowd – Watford fans openly stated their disapproval.
No more significant action appeared until Arteta brought on Nicolas Pepe, who seems to working his way back into the Spaniard’s favour. Arteta’s praise of a positive change in the attitude of the Ivorian after his return from the African Cup of Nations saw him again rewarded with an appearance from the bench at the expense of Martinelli in the 73rd minute. This saw Saka move to the left side so Pepe could fill in on the right flank – a move that Mikel Arteta also made in Wolves game.
Seven minutes later Alexandre Lacazette made way for Eddie Nketiah. Just one minute later, Nketiah hit the post on an Arsenal break, entering the box from the right side and shooting low.
A Watford comeback appeared unlikely, but Cucho Hernandez played in Moussa Sissoko in the 87th minute – the duo causing the Gunners the most problems throughout the game. Sissoko was able to control, brush off White and score past Ramsdale to bring back life to a game that seemed already decided.
Two minutes later Hodgson took off Cleverley, who could count himself responsible for conceding the second goal, and gave Samuel Kalu his Premier League debut, then a minute later Arteta removed Odegaard for Rob Holding and turned to a three-man backline, looking to protect their slender lead in the closing minutes.
The remainder of the game didn’t bring any significant action other than Nketiah and Cucho’s bookings in added time, so the Gunners were able to fire their way past the Hornets, like they usually do.
Managing their fourth straight victory, the Gunners strengthened their chances of claiming the last Champions League spot, pushing ahead of Manchester United and West Ham by one and three points respectively, having played three fewer than both.
Arteta’s philosophy – backed with proper recruitment – seems like the main factor that will see Arsenal cruise to success at the end of this season, with the Gunners looking so close to the Champions League football that they long for, with thirteen games still to play.
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