This was a huge slip by Arsenal, and Santi Cazorla, and further proof that Tony Pulis still loves to put one over his old nemesis Arsene Wenger.
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Wenger said he did not know the extent of the injuries to Arteta and Coquelin, saying the former suffered a recurrence of a muscular problem while Coquelin will undergo a scan tomorrow on the knee he damaged in a tackle on Claudio Yacob.
Only a superbly-timed by West Brom’s Jonny Evans challenge prevented Ozil from connecting with a Sanchez through pass. We were maybe a bit too sure of ourselves and 35 minutes we are 1-0 up – 45 we are 2-1 down.
“It was a very bad day for us”.
Arsenal’s French manager, though, was satisfied that the central defender was in the right frame of mind to play.
The miss from the spot means Cazorla is still waiting for his first goal this season after 18 appearances in all competitions. “I believe West Brom did fight with 100 per cent commitment as well and you have to give them credit for that”.
Losing Coquelin would not have been a worry for Arsenal but the Gunners are thin in first team players with a number of them out with long injuries.
Craig Dawson blocked from Kieran Gibbs but the visitors struggled in the face of committed Albion defending, though substitute Joel Campbell should have levelled in the 67th minute only to embarrassingly misfire. Last summer, many Arsenal fans clamoured for a new defensive midfielder but the window closed and Wenger only signed Petr Cech as the only out field player.
The Frenchman insisted that Coquelin’s injury was “more severe” than the muscle problem his replacement Arteta picked up.
“I was pleased with the supporters and I want to thank the supporters as well for that last 10 minutes, quarter of an hour, for really pushing the lads forward”. Who else? It seemed to be that the momentum may be enough to tide the game, but West Brom quickly answered back with a set piece of their own. “But if I ask him ‘are you tired?’ you can guess the answer”, he said.
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“Arsenal are a team I think have got as good a chance this year of winning the title as anybody else, so for us to get the three points, it’s massive for us”.
