Is Arsenal on a downward spiral?

Is Arsenal on a downward spiral after they slipped to their worst start to a season since 1981 with defeat at home by Wolves

Arsenal lost again at home to Wolves on Sunday for the visitor's first-ever win at the Emirates. (Photo credit: Premierleague.com)

Football as we’ve come to know it is an art, it’s not necessarily possible for a team to win all the time but the effort a team shows will determine how fans will react to defeats.

 

Arsenal have now lost five of their opening nine games, bringing them to their worst start to a league season in 40 years and placing them on the 14^th spot in the Premier League.

Interestingly, it’s one year after the sack of Unai Emery which ultimately ushered in Mikel Arteta briefly, after Fred Ljungberg was named interim manager.

Arsenal’s loss to Wolves hurt fans in more ways than one; while Chelsea and Spurs dropped points as they shared the spoils at Stamford Bridge in an entertaining stalemate.

Arsenal failed to gain grounds on them with another embarrassing loss to Wolves at the Emirates on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta opted for a three-man defense of David Luiz, Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Maghaeles with Bukayo Saka returning after suffering a dead leg in the goalless draw at Elland Road and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang returned upfront.

There was a big scare inside five minutes as David Luiz and Raul Jimenez had a clash of heads and both went down, needing immediate medical aid.

The Mexican striker had to be taken to hospital with reports later that he had surgery on a fractured skull but Luiz continued till the end of the first half.

Arsenal conceded shortly after the incident after Pedro Neto swept home from a rebound off Arsenal’s upright but the lead didn’t last. 

Gabriel headed home from a Willian corner to level the scores but Nuno Espirito Santo’s team went back in front just before the end of normal time.

Daniel Podence found himself in space and made no mistake to help Wolves to their first-ever win at the Emirates.

The second half saw a very much different Arsenal with a little bit of purpose and direct attack but for all their worth, they didn’t offer a single shot on target. 

Arteta replaced Luiz at halftime with Rob Holding and later introduced Reiss Nelson for the obviously tired Willian.

Fans will ask questions, especially after seeing Mikel Arteta attack with purpose early on in his Arsenal dugout career.

But, it is what it is, Arsenal are horrific to watch, gone are those days of their renowned beautiful football, they lack quality everywhere on the pitch with just an exemption for a few. 

Whatever happens, no one expects Arteta to be fired just yet but he has to take half of the blame. 

His set up is questionable and it’s down to him to bring the best out of the team, he certainly needs about two windows to compete but he needs the next few games to save his reputation.