Chance conversion a cause for concern ahead of busy schedule for Arsenal

Olivier Giroud responded to criticism as he scored for Arsenal against Stoke City

Does anyone remember Arsenal’s home game against West Ham in their first season at the Emirates? Arsenal must have had at least 15 attempts on goal in each half, and contrived to miss the finishing touch from every conceivable range and angle, before West Ham galumphed up the other end and stuck one in.

A cavalcade of blown one-on-ones, rounding the keeper and hitting the side netting, jilted head shaking after valid penalty appeals were turned down. If ever there was a game that could drive Winnie the Pooh to the vodka bottle, that game was it.

And after the first 20 minutes against Stoke City, the pits of the fans’ stomachs screamed bloody déjà vu as Arsenal seemingly booked a one-way ticket to Missville by the Mississippi banks. And these weren’t like the chances fashioned against Newcastle two weeks ago, all laboured and huff-puff. The red-and-white Rolls Royce was purring like a post-coital cat, with sharp, quick interplay in the final third, and penetrative attacks both through the centre and the flanks.

But when the time came for actually scoring, sleek laser-guided boots were supplanted by Bambi hooves in broken roller skates. That, and Jack Butland.

Arsenal make a mess of finishing off chances

Let’s count the chances: an Alexis Sanchez header onto the post after a fantastic save (great run by the Chilean and excellent work from Santi Cazorla to pick him out). Another Alexis whipper-snapper coming back off the woodwork. Theo Walcott missing a point blank header after a perfect cross from Hector Bellerin. Santi Cazorla drawing a save from Butland after a snapshot in the box.

Then there was Laurent Koscielny channelling the spirit of St. Vermaelen (back when he was good) and letting rip a 35-yard rocket only to be tipped away acrobatically by Butland. Mesut Ozil hitting it straight at the keeper after a delicious one-two with Cazorla. Walcott choosing to shoot with the wrong foot when put clean through by Bellerin again. Olivier Giroud flashing a one-on-one wide with his first touch. Koscielny forcing Butland into another world class save from his header. And, finally, Giroud missing a tap-in with the final touch of the game as his shirt was shamelessly pulled by the Stoke defender.

If the two goals that Arsenal did score hadn’t gone in, it would have felt like winning a lifetime’s supply of Ebola Cola.

If this reads like frustration targeted at Arsenal’s strike force, it isn’t entirely that. Walcott did score an impressive goal – ironically fashioned from the most difficult chance presented to him – as he latched on to Ozil’s ball over the top and slotted it expertly between Butland’s legs. And Giroud’s well-chiselled and media-pummelled visage could afford a half-smile as well (barely) after he headed in from a Cazorla set-piece.

Theo Walcott scored the first goal thanks to a long-ball assist from Mesut Ozil

Can Arsenal pick themselves up before the Chelsea game?

But there is some frustration directed at them, stemming mostly from the fear that this profligacy may settle into a habit. If they get used to needing four chances to score one, it may not affect the result against Stoke at home, but it surely will against less generous opposition.

Arsenal have paid for their pull-the-trigger-never-mind-the-target approach once against Liverpool already, and the hope was (and remains) that the efficiency of conversion increases markedly in coming games. Saturday’s performance means the jury is still out on that front. The Gunners play once every three days now for practically the next month, and Arsene Wenger better put out a search party to find that missing battalion of shooting boots.

Not that there aren’t good things to take from the performance. The back five all dealt well with whatever minimal threat Stoke posed, and Bellerin was a little lightning streak of creativity down the right side. Cazorla bossed the game with precise short passes and raking long ones, and could have had a hat-trick of assists for himself. Ozil was his mercurial self, not imposing his stamp as much as Cazorla did, but still showing his quality with a defence-bypassing long ball for Walcott’s goal. Coquelin was solid, Ramsey disciplined but subdued, and Alexis hard-working but unlucky.

In closing, a good win for Arsenal, especially since it came after dominating the opponent and also because it followed Jose Mourinho needing to dive head-first into his Lazarus Pit of Excuses after getting an Everton clattering. Manchester City are still in sight for Wenger’s men. This is a silly thing to say after just five games, but looking at the way City have started, Arsenal need to keep pace until whatever Mario-inspired Power Star Pellegrini’s brigade have ingested wears off.

Arsenal’s next game is against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, which is a game they need at least a point from to start off the group stages solidly. More importantly, the fans will hope that one or more of their players enters a scoring vein of form now, because the Chelsea team next weekend won’t be as generous as Stoke.

Not even this Chelsea team.