Arsenal team continues to improve, and with it comes the belief that the Champions League is a realistic goal after gripping on the top four.
Arteta’s side won for the fourth time in a row, despite their immaturity in turning the game into such a tense finale. They’re in a good place with their games in hand, no distractions, a stable team, and key players in good form.
Bukayo Saka, who produced the first goal and scored the second, epitomizes a fast-learning squad since he has thrived since the agony of England’s failed penalty at Euro 2020.
Within 16 seconds of kickoff, Emmanuel Dennis sunk the ball into the Arsenal net, only to discover he was half a yard offside as he slipped past of the back four.
Within five minutes, Arteta’s side had taken the lead, with Martin Odegaard rolling a smooth finish inside the far post after combining well with Saka in a silky move of flicks and feints, albeit with little opposition on display.
This would become a recurring theme throughout the game. When Watford equalized six minutes later, Arsenal were defending as though attempting to avoid touch. Dennis and Moussa Sissoko propelled Hodgson’s side forward, and Kiko Femenia nipped in a right-wing cross.
Cucho Hernandez responded with a fantastic scissor kick that flew past Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. Hernandez, like Odegaard, scored his first goal since December, and it was a technical marvel.
In a nutshell, the game swung one way and then the other. Arsenal appeared to be in perfect control at times. But they were always exposed to Watford’s pace and movement up front. It was all done at a leisurely pace, making for light entertainment.
Perhaps a little breezier than Hodgson prefers. His squad was unusually quick and loose, and the visitors regained the lead on the half-hour mark.
Tom Cleverley came in to intercept a pass from Gabriel Magalhaes, only to linger on the ball in a hazardous spot, allowing Saka to slip in and steal it from him. Saka exchanged passes with Lacazette, got the ball back, and fired a shot past Foster.
Gabriel Martinelli scored after another brilliant one-touch move seven minutes into the second half to give them a three-goal lead. Saka’s fast throw was intercepted by Cedric Soares, who passed it to Odergaard, who played it to Lacazette, who nursed it back to Martinelli, who scored from just outside the penalty area.
Lacazette and Ben White both squandered golden chances to pull the game away from Watford, who refused to give up and continued to cause Arsenal defensive issues.
Dennis squandered a fantastic opportunity as a low cross from Femenia found him unmarked at the back post. He grossly misjudged his effort, slashing it high into the air.
Before Sissoko reduced the deficit in the 87th minute, muscling his way into the penalty area and squeezing a low shot past Ramsdale from a tight angle, Arsenal substitute Nicolas Pepe struck the post.
Hope flooded Vicarage Road, and Samuel Kalu, who came off the bench to make his Watford debut, put Ramsdale to the test in stoppage time, but there was no way back. Arsenal’s goals are set on a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League.