Paul Merson Voices Arsenal Title Concerns After Dramatic Wolves Draw
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has admitted he feels "half-scared" about the Gunners' Premier League title prospects following their dramatic 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Sky Sports pundit believes "something is missing" in Mikel Arteta's squad after watching the league leaders surrender a two-goal advantage at Molineux.
Arsenal's Collapse Against Rock-Bottom Wolves
Arsenal appeared destined for a straightforward victory against the Premier League's bottom club when Bukayo Saka headed home after just five minutes. The visitors doubled their lead midway through the second half through Piero Hincapie's composed strike, seemingly putting the game beyond doubt at a rain-soaked Molineux.
However, Wolves launched an extraordinary comeback against all expectations. Hugo Bueno ignited the fightback with a spectacular long-range effort that beat David Raya on the hour mark. The pressure eventually told in the dying moments when Wolves debutant Samuel Edozie capitalized on a Raya fumble, hammering the ball in off Riccardo Calafiori to secure a remarkable equalizer.
The draw earned Wolves only their tenth point of the entire campaign, while Arsenal squandered the opportunity to extend their lead over second-placed Manchester City to seven points.
Merson's Worrying Assessment
"I wouldn't want to be in Arsenal's shoes if it [missing out on the title] happens again," Merson declared in the Sky Sports studio. "I was quite shocked by Mikel Arteta's post-match interview. It's the first time, really, that I've seen him not majorly positive."
The former Arsenal star noted Arteta's typically optimistic demeanor was absent, replaced by uncharacteristic concern. "Instead of coming out saying, 'We're five points clear, as long as we don't get beaten by Manchester City, we win the league,' it wasn't like that though," Merson observed.
"I was a bit worried with that interview. You can only do so much to the team and when you're watching that, there's something missing. I can't put my finger on it but there's something missing," he emphasized. "Something is missing and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes if they don't win the league this year."
Vieira's 'Now or Never' Warning Echoed
Merson recalled Patrick Vieira's recent comments following Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, where the former captain suggested it was "now or never" for the club's title ambitions. "I'm starting to think that too now," Merson confessed. "I was very bullish about Arsenal winning the league. That's half-scared me tonight."
The pundit also highlighted Arsenal's challenging upcoming fixtures compared to Manchester City's schedule. "Manchester City now have Newcastle and Leeds and you'd take that over Tottenham and Chelsea," he noted, referencing Arsenal's difficult matches against their London rivals.
Saka Admits Dressing Room Gloom
Bukayo Saka, who captained Arsenal in Martin Odegaard's absence, revealed the somber mood in the dressing room after a second consecutive draw. "Yeah, it's very flat," the England forward admitted. "We're very disappointed with the result and especially with the way we played in the second half. Far from the standards we've set this season."
Saka stressed the need for immediate improvement ahead of Arsenal's crucial North London derby against Tottenham. "It's time for us to reflect on the last few performances and fix the issues immediately, so we can get back to winning games, go on a run and build momentum because we've lost that a bit right now."
The winger emphasized returning to fundamentals that established Arsenal's commanding league position earlier in the campaign. "I just think we have to get back to our level," Saka added. "We need to do the basics right and we've got more than enough quality in this team to win games, especially in the games where we've been dropping points recently."
Arsenal now face the daunting task of regrouping quickly before traveling to face bitter rivals Tottenham this weekend, with their title credentials under intense scrutiny following this unexpected setback against the league's bottom side.
