This is becoming so regular it is becoming monotonous for Arsenal fans. The Gunners fly into a comfortable lead, try to defend, then end up conceding one and fighting like madmen to try to stop the equalizer. This is exactly what happened yesterday against Crystal Palace and we got our lucky break when our opponents hit the post instead of scoring in the dying seconds.
Normally Arsene Wenger would have blamed the referee, or the pitch, or the dodgy water bottles, but this time he has clearly agreed that his team were lucky to leave Selhurst Park with all three points. When asked directly if the Gunners had “ridden their luck” he replied: “Perhaps, yes but it was about fighting and playing. Crystal Palace are a team who played with high intensity, a very direct game and for us it was important to resist and try to play.
“We did that well but at 2-0 at half-time we came out in the second half much more to protect our advantage than to continue to play and put them under pressure. We missed goal number three and when they came back to 2-1 we were a bit lucky, a bit fortunate. Overall we did fight and it was in the end a very important win for us.
“Certainly they thought that it was done and we know in the Premier League that it’s never done, especially at 2-0. With that ball on the post we were a bit fortunate.
“We can learn from every game. I believe that the players know that maybe they switched off a little bit too early. Overall I still must say that our central defenders played very well today against a very direct and a very physical game at the back. They did well, so overall I’m pleased to have won three points in a place like this. We know now that we have played two more away games than home games, and it will be down to how strong we are at home. I feel quite strong and let’s just continue to fight and be tight until the end.”
We were also fortunate that Man United got beat by Swansea after taking the lead and we have now regained our rightful place in the Top Four, whatever happens today between Southampton and Liverpool, but I can see many many more of these heart-stopping finishes before the end of the season finally comes.
Why can’t we just win a few games comfortably for a change?