Arsenal Suffer Defeat At West Brom

The Gunners, who sit level on points with leaders Manchester City, go into Saturday’s match at West Brom after winning eight and losing two of their opening 12 Premier League games this season. I believe we lost a fraction of focus when we were 1-0 up.

After the break Arsenal continued to dominate possession, and came agonisingly close to an equaliser on 49 minutes as Ozil struck the post from distance.

Cazorla should have secured at least a point from the penalty spot in the closing stages but lost his footing at the crucial moment.

Coutinho then turned creator nine minutes later as he ran on to Emre Can’s inspired backheel to square the ball for Roberto Firmino to tap into an empty net. Another game and another couple of players were taken off due to injury while not many would fret about Mikel Arteta getting injured, the sight of Francis Coquelin hobbling off will worry most Arsenal fans.

Our Gooners here in the tavern are delighted with the form they’ve shown in the Premier League so far this season but this has come at a price.

Santi Cazorla missed a late penalty, as Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthornes.

And Arsene Wenger’s disappointment will be compounded by injuries to his two primary defensive midfielders in Coquelin and Arteta leaving him with only Mathieu Flamini as an established first choice option in the position. That is flawless to make the afternoon a nightmare.

In the 67th minute Joel Campbell missed a golden opportunity when he took an open one-time strike from inside the six yard box, but shanked it wide.

“I was a bit disappointed after the first half because they scored from a set piece and did not do much else”. Apart of that, we were on top of them and looked like the side that was going to win the game, even in the second half.

“It’s a shame because we started the game well, we went 1-0 up and then after they scored [twice] before half-time it became more hard for us”.

Wenger’s squad will be down to its bare bones on Tuesday after Coquelin and Arteta both limped off at the Hawthorns with respective knee and calf injuries.

Asked why his men seem to stumble against the likes of West Brom and Stoke, Wenger said: “It is right and I don’t deny that”.