It’s been an indifferent start to the Premier League season for Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal side, but one that improves with every game.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks dejected on the opening day of the season
Arsene Wenger began his 21st season in charge of Arsenal with a 4-3 loss at home to Liverpool. It was an absolutely thrilling game for the neutral, featuring outstanding goals by both sides.
Arsenal took the lead after 31 minutes through Theo Walcott, before Liverpool scored four unanswered goals over the next half an hour of football.
With experienced defensive pair Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker both unavailable, the Gunners lined up with 20-year-old Rob Holding – a new signing from Bolton – and 21-year-old Callum Chambers in central defence, but the Liverpool attackers were ruthless in their destruction of the young duo.
Arsenal managed two consolation goals through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Callum Chambers, but it wasn’t enough and Wenger’s men kicked off their season with a disappointing defeat.
The loss was only the third opening-day reverse of Wenger’s tenure, and the first time Arsenal had conceded four on the opening day since Norwich put four past them in the very first Premier League season.
Wenger pleads with the referee during the scoreless draw with Leicester
Next for Arsenal was a visit to the King Power Stadium for a clash with reigning champions Leicester City.
Both teams were in search of their first win of the season, but 90 minutes of football couldn’t separate the sides as both failed to trouble the scorers.
The match was marred for Wenger by fans jeering his lack of transfer market activity. At the time, Shkodran Mustafi had not been signed from Valencia, with Granit Xhaka being the only big-money move.
The opening two results saw Wenger immediately under pressure, with Arsenal failing to get on the scoresheet the week after conceding four, and finding themselves in 12th place.
Wenger went into Arsenal’s trip to Watford needing a win to ease the pressure.
A win, finally
A win the Gunners wanted, and a win they got.
Arsenal went to Vicarage Road and tore Watford apart in an excellent first half of football. Santi Cazorla opened the scoring from the penalty shot in the 9th minute, before Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil added to the scoreline just before half-time.
Roberto Pereyra got one back for the home side, but it stayed 3-1 and Wenger’s side had their first win of the season.
Moreover, it was announced just before the match that Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez would be signing with the club before deadline day, easing the displeasure with Wenger from the fans.
Arsenal on the up
Like a North London bus, Wenger waited for one win and then two came along at once.
After the international break, Arsenal welcomed Southampton to the Emirates. The Gunners came out on top by two goals to one, but it was a close-run thing.
Southampton took the lead with a dose of good fortune, after Petr Cech saved Dusan Tadic’s free-kick only for it to find its way over the line via the bar and Cech’s back.
Arsenal equalised in the 29th minute through Laurent Koscielny’s overhead kick, but they toiled for a winner which looked like it would never come.
Then, in the fourth minute of second-half added time, Jose Fonte fouled Olivier Giroud in the area and Santi Cazorla made no mistake from the spot to give his side the win.
Arsenal were outplayed by PSG in their Champions League opener
Arsenal began their Champions League campaign with arguably their hardest match of the group stage as they took on PSG away from home.
The Gunners got off to a dreadful start. PSG took the lead after 42 seconds when Serge Aurier crossed for Edinson Cavani to head past David Ospina.
The French side were all over Wenger’s men, and would have deservedly extended their advantage if Cavani hadn’t missed two gilt-edged chances – one of which was an open goal.
But whilst PSG failed to double their lead (predominantly thanks to a man-of-the-match performance from Ospina who kept them out with excellent saves on numerous occasions) Arsenal always had a chance to equalise and when Giroud and Xhaka were brought on, allowing Sanchez to play on the flank instead of up the middle, they looked far more threatening.
The increased pressure told in the 77th minute when Sanchez fired in from the edge of the box after Alex Iwobi had had his effort saved.
Iwobi came close to giving Arsenal the victory but failed to shoot past Alphonse Areola, and the rest of the game passed without goalmouth incident, though Giroud and Marco Verratti were sent off at the very end for an altercation.
Give us a smile, Arsene!
Arsenal’s upturn in fortunes continued this weekend with a comprehensive 4-1 win at Hull.
In a match completely dominated by the Gunners (61% possession and 24 shots on goal), Sanchez gave his side the lead when he got a flick on Iwobi’s shot.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Despite Sanchez’s miss from the penalty spot after Jake Livermore’s sending off for handling in the area, Arsenal were able to double their lead in the 55th minute through Theo Walcott.
Hull gave Arsenal a scare when Robert Snodgrass converted a penalty of their own, but the Gunners extended their lead through a second from Sanchez and a 25-yard screamer from Xhaka in added time.
Things are improving at the Emirates
After a poor start to the season with opening-day defeat to Liverpool, failing to score at Leicester and leaving it until the last minute to finalise two big-money moves, Arsenal have recovered and are in a strong position for the coming season.
Arsene Wenger can afford himself a smile. Even if he won’t.
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