Arteta era ‘defined’ by the bottle as Arsenal ‘bundle to feed generations’

Mikel Arteta is one of the bottles after Arsenal blew a two-goal lead to draw with Wolves and put the Premier League title in Manchester City’s hands.

Send your thoughts on the title race to theeditor@football365.com.

Things that define an era
Ooh boy. It was excruciating. Not just conceding a late equalizer, but basically everything that happened after Hincapie’s excellent goal to make it 2-0.

The technical standard of this performance was about as bad as I remember from the Arsenal side. People have been saying we’re shit all season; well, maybe this proves they’re right? We couldn’t pass the ball, keep it or win it. I could isolate individuals, but what’s the point?

I could accept a draw against a damn good Brentford team. I can’t accept letting a swinger enter the box and everyone panicking against the bottom of the league, already beaten by Wolves.

Terrible. They deserve all the stick they get when City finally take over.

Sad, but perhaps this is how the Arteta era is ultimately defined.

CL or bust? Ha.
Joe, AFC, East Sussex

READ MORE: Arsenal and Arteta bottle up Premier League title again after pathetic draw with Wolves

“Cursed” Arsenal
Okay, so this was deeply irritating.

Of course, the bottling tale will begin – ultimately it will continue until the end of the season, whether Arsenal win or lose the title.

At some point we have to stop being the opposition that every team scores their goal of the season against. Really, a full-back with nothing in 67 games popping up from the opposite side to hit a screamer from 25 yards? Conceding a last-minute mix-up where the ball falls perfectly for a 19-year-old debutant to head home. Football Manager leaves the territory in anger. This is curse level stuff.

The most irritating thing is that the 2-0 victory was completely deserved, despite what the commentary team would have you believe. 1-0, Wolves are sitting so deep all their players could have tickled Sa, no space for Arsenal to do anything.

In the second half Arsenal are apparently pulling away quite clearly from a tactical point of view – Wolves have some joy of possession and the commentators are complaining about Arsenal losing control, but it’s clear Arsenal are playing to counter Wolves, there are 1 or 2 good unmade breaks that weren’t there in the 1st half, then Hincapie runs and finishes off a great chance and that should be it.

Except. This was not the case. First, concede this world. There’s almost nothing you can do about it.

But the next 30 minutes were really rubbish and that’s why I can’t say we deserved more than a draw in this match. Timber, Martinelli, Eze and Trossard wasted so much possession and it was clear we lacked the motivation to really put the game away.

After 80 minutes Wolves started to get more aggressive to get anything and there were some real opportunities to do something.

But we were so careless in passing, like some players were trying to rush, others were playing to keep the ball and no one was on the same page. If you overlook so many opportunities, you risk getting bitten.

And we get Raya’s only brainfade per season (he’s still clearly the best keeper we’ve had in 20 odd years, but he’s got it in him, which frustratingly comes at the biggest moment).

So yeah. I still think this melodrama has gone too high; City will lose more games this season in the PL – I wouldn’t be surprised if they drew on Saturday.

All in time for a 96th minute Van der Ven winner on Sunday and we do this shit again next week.
Tom (so tired) Leyton

It started against Liverpool
“If you had offered me a five-point lead in February, I would have bitten your hand off.” Oh my God. Driving a 2-0 lead against the worst team in the league? Really? Looks like the ‘reactionary’ Arsenal fans (is that ‘reactionary’ based on two decades of failure?) were right when they saw it all slip away after that pathetic home performance against Liverpool. No killer instinct when it counts and they couldn’t even waste time (“dark magic”) properly.
Matthew, Belfast

“Currently 2-1…”
3 years ago the team wasn’t ready and an injury to Saliba killed an unexpected title bid. 2 years ago, Arsenal failed despite showing heroic form in the second half of the season. Last year, injuries killed us.

This year, Arsenal will waste the league title they should win. A team obsessed with control that can no longer control games. It’s currently 2-1 against Wolves, who knows if they will succeed but Arsenal don’t win that title.
Simon, London

READ MORE: Mikel Arteta deserves Arsenal’s credit, but not all of it – Emery may now be on course for a fourth title

“Bungle to feed the generations”
Quad? The only thing everyone serves is a quadruple portion of the greatest humble pie ever.

This waste will feed generations. It might even taste better than Kane lacing up England’s winner in July. What a time.
Gabe S, Berlin

Double
A question was asked in a group discussion that I am a part of; would you rather Arsenal bottle up the league or Spurs be relegated?

Why can’t we have both?
Chris, NUFC

Selling your own goal
Holy shit, I know I didn’t pay much attention to the transfer window, but I didn’t realize Arsenal sold their own goal to Wolves?!? You can’t sell one of your best strikers if you want to win the championship.
Bad wolf

Hope
It’s hope that kills you.

Greetings,
Ronson, A.F.C.