'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Three goals in the second-half handed Arsenal a 3-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road taking them back to second place in the Premier League table. Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring on 62 minutes - his 10th goal in his last six games for club and country - after good work from Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla in a rapid Arsenal counter-attack.The German international, Ozil, turned provider again four minutes later, cutting back for Olivier Giroud to double the Gunners' advantage. Aaron Ramsey made it three on 74 minutes, guiding home via a deflection after a break from Hector Bellerin. The right-back surged into the box and set up Ramsey, who capped a brilliant week for Wales and Arsenal with his first goal of the Premier League season.The win sees the Gunners two points behind league leaders Manchester City, while Watford sit 14th with 10 points from their opening nine Premier League games. Here are the five talking points from the Gunners’ trip to Watford.
#1 Three and easy for the Gunners
For Arsenal, there was no point thrashing Manchester United 3-0 if they did not follow it up with a win against the newly promoted side. For a while, it looked as though Arsenal were going to drop points. Watford gave as good as they got for an hour. But Arsenal were too strong, and their quality shone through in the latter stages. With the win at Watford, they reclaim the second spot in the league table, and theirs is a title challenge that looks very much the real deal.
The Gunners managed to replicate their feat of scoring 3 goals against Manchester United, by scoring three second half goals against the hosts in the space of 12 minutes. Arsene Wenger lined up his side with just one change from the team that beat United. Laurent Koscielny, who returned to full fitness, replaced Gabriel in the eleven. What was impressive in the Gunners’ performance was the ability to graft and keep going at Watford’s defence until they finally broke.
At the start of the season, Wenger had asked of his players to show more goalscoring ability and he had said he would like to see more goals shared between the players. That is exactly what his players have done, Arsenal have now scored 14 goals in their last 5 games.
The win at Watford was tougher than the scoreline suggests. Watford had conceded the least goals in the league before the game at home and defended well in the first half but fell apart in the second.
#2 Watford ran out of steam
In short, Watford gave up the ghost as soon as Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring for the away side. Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores will be more disappointed with the capitulation than the result. Prior to the first goal, the Hornets were every bit as dangerous as their visitors.
They might have even earned a half-time lead had Odion Ighalo, who has netted five Premier League goals this season, done better with his one-on-one with Petr Cech in the first half. But as soon as Sanchez scored, that was it. Such a setback deflated the hosts, who had looked defensively sound for the good part of an hour.
There were positives for Watford on the day; namely in the no-nonsense approach from Troy Deeney up front and Etienne Capoue in midfield. But the second-half collapse is worrying. Watford have now gone on to score only one goal at home in the five games they have played. What was interesting to note was that as soon as Sanchez struck their shoulders dropped.
The pace and fight was gone from Watford’s game, which eventually resulted in two more goals for the away side. If their collective head drops after falling behind in their remaining 29 top-flight outings, then a swift return to the Championship for Watford may well be guaranteed.
#3 Arsenal on a good away run
With the victory at Watford, the Gunners have now managed to win 14 of their last 17 away games in all competitions, which is an impressive reading in itself. Arsene Wenger, who infamously led the Gunners with his “Invincibles” side in the 2003/04 season, has been on point when he has been on the road. The 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, followed by the upset at Dinamo Zagreb, are the two instances when the Gunners have failed to win an away game.
The win also means that the Gunners have won four of their last five Premier League away games, failing to win only in the other half of London. With the form guide placing Arsenal on the top spot when it comes down to the last six games, the Gunners have managed to collect 15 points from the available 18, topping the chart.
Over the years, Wenger has emphasized on the importance of winning games away from home, and he will be pleased his side is touring well on a regular basis.
#4 Watford\'s scoring woes continue
Watford came into the game against Arsenal having scored the fewest goals in the division. They ended the game the same. They were unable to maximize the opportunities that fell to them.
Odion Ighalo came close to beating Petr Cech but the Czech Republic international was not in the mood to give away goals. The home team have now scored only six goals in nine Premier League outings while they have now conceded 10 goals.
Their home form will also be a worry for Quique Sanchez Flores as the Hornets have only managed to score once at home in the five games. Even against Arsenal, until the hour mark, it looked like no team will get goals easily, but Watford could not prevent the Gunners from taking the three points with their three goals.
The intriguing statistic for Watford is that only two players in their squad have scored at least once in the League so far. Ighalo has scored five goals out of the six that Watford have scored. An over-dependence on one player has led many teams to crack under pressure, and Watford will be hoping they can find goalscorers throughout the squad as soon as possible.
The team has looked comfortable when defending, but the lack of attacking flair will be the worrying factor for Flores.
#5 Arsenal finally putting away chances created
It may have taken a while, but once Arsenal click, it is ever so easy for Wenger’s side to score goals. Arsenal's creative outlets in the form of Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil began to express themselves and the duo combined for the opener for Sanchez to put the ball home. From then on, it was too easy. Giroud replaced the ineffective Walcott and blasted home Ozil's excellent cutback within minutes of his arrival before Ramsey then finished it off.
It was the Gunners' 11th league goal in their last three games. Arsenal have now scored 16 goals in the 9 games they have played, fewer than only leaders Manchester City, West Ham United and Leicester City. More importantly for the Gunners, they have managed to score 11 goals in the 4 away games in the League. Sanchez and Giroud have now scored 6 and 4 goals in the league respectively.
It was the same scoreline from their win over Manchester United last time around, but a very different victory and Wenger can be pleased his side is playing some exceptional football both in attack as well as in defence.
