I got ten of the starting eleven right. Never did I expect Dani Ceballos and Mesut Ozil to be starting together. A penny for Reiss Nelson’s thoughts.
After a disjointed start the first attempt on goal arrived in the sixth minute and Bernd Leno comfortably saved from Deulofeu. We had a chance when Holebas cleaned out Nicolas Pepe, but Ozil’s free-kick was headed to safety by Dawson.
Cleverley’s attempt, similar to that of Deulofeu, curled into the safe hands of Leno. Watford were perhaps enjoying more possession than they may have expected. Holebas fired high and wide from the edge of the box after Deulofeu again tortured Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
In the twentieth minute we enjoyed a rare break when Matteo Guendouzi sent Pepe clear on the left. He cut in and saw his left foot effort deflected wide of the mark. A minute later we were ahead with another stunning break. Sead Kolasinac powered forward and fed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who swivelled and slotted home in one classy movement.
Watford 0-1 The Arsenal
Now the Gunners were waking up. Ozil’s deflected cross was a whisker away from Aubameyang. We were taking control of the midfield for the first time in the match. Aubameyang doubled up when Ozil freed Maitland-Niles on the right and his cross provided the sharer of last season’s golden boot with a tap in. Well played Mesut.
Watford 0-2 The Arsenal
We had a let-off when Guendouzi was caught when attempting to deal with a short Leno pass. We need to learn when and when not to play this tippy tappy stuff from the box. Encouraged, Watford gained a second wind and looked to end the half strongly. Kolasinac was yellow carded for a rash challenge on Hughes a couple of minutes before half-time.
Handbags ended the half when Holebas clashed with Pepe and the Gunners, most notably Guendouzi, poured in to support their man. The Watford man and the young Frenchman saw yellow. It was like days past. All for one etc.. Strangely for a side with such an advantage we were probably happier to hear the half-time whistle.
In the opening minute of the second-half Leno was called on to make the first save when dropping on to a cross from the right. Would this half match that which preceded it? Ozil had other ideas. A wonderful piece of skill and strength saw him tee up Granit Xhaka for something of a wild effort from 25 yards out.
Our absolute inability to play out from the back cost us dear eight minutes in. A clown shoes ball from Sokratis Papastathopoulos was deflected to Cleverley who accepted the gift with glee and fired Watford back into the contest.
Watford 1-2 The Arsenal
Kiko saw yellow for pulling the shirt of Ozil as we sought an immediate response. Those who had doubted the German’s inclusion, me included, were being proven wrong. It was so good to see. Deulofeu and Kiko both fired efforts off target as Watford sought an equaliser.
Unai Emery opted to withdraw Ceballos for Joe Willock on the hour much to the chagrin of the travelling faithful. Ceballo is a firm favourite already, but in truth was having little influence on this match. Fitting him and Ozil in the same eleven will be a puzzle for Emery to solve if we are to clinch the top four berth we desire.
Deulofeu fed Sarr who fired narrowly wide of the target. The bottom club were causing us far too many problems and we (and the ‘holic pound!) required us to get a third. Again the travelling faithful were far from happy when Lucas Torreira was sent on for Guendouzi. Immediately Deulofeu fired another effort just wide. What a game he was enjoying.
Again Emery surprised when sending Nelson on for Ozil on 70 minutes. He probably felt he had to do something, anything, to turn the tide, and Nelson immediately tested Foster with a rare Gunners strike in the second-half. Not surprisingly Deulofeu tested Leno at the other end. Leno was then booked for time-wasting. Why do opposing goalkeepers never get booked against us until injury time?
Janmaat was sent on for the excitable Holebas by Watford, which was probably a smart move. Torreira was the unlikely provider of a an excellent strike on goal, but Foster was equal to it. A minute later the hapless David Luiz blundered into another stupid challenge in the box on Pereyra who slotted home the leveller from the spot himself.
Watford 2-2 The Arsenal
We looked down and out when Doucoure played a one two with Sarr and Leno produced a wonderful save to deny what had looked inevitable. The final whistle was a merciful release. We need better in the coming weeks Unai.