Arsenal failed to win a tough game against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium in the midst of their Champions League double-header against Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side expended a lot of physical and emotional energy in their historic 3-0 win on Tuesday – a night under the N5 lights that will live long in the memory.
However, Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford was arguably the complete opposite, a game that will be forgotten in a flash.
-
Saturday
12th
April
Arteta understandably made several changes with a trip to the Santiago Bernabeu on the horizon, which has to take priority given the lead that Liverpool have in the Premier League title-race.
And in truth, Arsenal’s strongest XI would need to be at their best to beat Brentford, a Thomas Frank side who are extremely difficult to contain over 90 minutes.
Gary Neville claims that Mikel Arteta has taken Arsenal ‘backwards’
That being said, when reflecting on the game for NBC Sports, Gary Neville was less than impressed by Arsenal’s efforts domestically.
Neville eventually concluded that Arsenal had gone ‘backwards’ this season, saying that only lifting the Champions League could salvage their campaign from this point.
Asked if Arsenal had progresssed or regressed, Neville replied: “That will depend wholly now on the Champions League – if they win the Champions League then all will be forgiven.
“But otherwise their league performances have been a big let down, I think that if Manchester City weren’t going to win the league, which they’ve done in the last four seasons, Arsenal had to be the team that were there waiting.
READ MORE: Arsenal readying a bid for £85m striker who is keen to join Mikel Arteta’s side
“They’re not, they’re not even on the shoulder of Liverpool to put pressure on them in these last few weeks – Liverpool are going to win it at a canter.
“I think that’s a big disappointment and where Arsenal have been in the last couple of seasons you felt as thought they were a team growing in Premier League title-races and getting better.
“So what’s happened this season I think they’ve gone backwards, they’ve gone backwards I think from the start of the season in terms of their recruitment – they never covered themselves for their likely injury to Havertz who was their only centre-forward.
“He didn’t really fancy [Gabriel] Jesus as a centre-forward. Odegaard is another big drop-off for them, I think they’ve lost Edu off the pitch, obviously their CEO as well, obviously now he’s going to Tottenham.
“The Champions League is a huge opportunity for them but the league is your bread and butter and I think Mikel Arteta was building a squad to win the Premier League title and this was the season that he really should have been there and been close with Liverpool and he’s not. It’s a let down.”
Gary Neville is underestimating Arsenal’s injuries
Of course, it does seem as if Neville is being slightly ignorant to the injuries that have derailed Arsenal’s season.
Arteta’s team have only lost three of their 32 Premier League games this season – it’s the 12 draws which have been the issue when trying to catch Liverpool.
| Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool |
31 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 72 | 30 | 42 | 73 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal |
32 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 57 | 27 | 30 | 63 |
And across the season Arsenal have seriously missed the likes of Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka at different points – the kind of players who can help turn a draw into a win.
Fortunately for fans in N5, Arsenal want to sign another striker this summer, someone who can help prevent a similar situation from happening next season.
But from the cards that Arteta has been dealt this season, the Spaniard can still be proud – Arsenal have maintained a strong level of performance regardless of who has been missing.
And those who were present for Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Madrid last week might strongly disagree that their team have gone ‘backwards’.
