their last five games. Photo: Twitter@Arsenal.
Arsenal were on Sunday held to a barren draw by Leeds
United in a Premier League clash, taking the Gunners to 11th on the
table.
Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford and Raphina hit the woodwork for
Marcelo Bielsa’s men, who had 25 attempts on goal without
success.
A point leaves both sides still in the bottom half of the table
as Arsenal edge up to 11th with Leeds two points back in 14th.
Arsenal have now not scored from open play in five Premier
League games.
But a point in the circumstances will be welcomed by Mikel
Arteta after Pepe’s moment of madness with a headbutt on Ezgjan
Alioski left his side to play out 45 minutes a man down.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang started as the central striker for the
first time in the league under Arteta, but the Gunners captain was
starved of service as his own wait for a non-penalty goal since the
opening day of the season goes on.
Conceding goals has been Leeds’ issue on their return to the
top-flight after a 16-year absence.
No side had let in more in the Premier League prior to the
weekend, but it was at the other end they struggled on Sunday to
turn their dominance into goals.
Bamford had scored seven times in his first eight appearances of
the season, but twice he was denied by smart stops by Bernd
Leno.
Mateusz Klich and Stuart Dallas also fired off target when
well-placed a the edge of the area, while the closest Arsenal came
before half-time was a mishit Pepe cross that came back off the top
of the crossbar.
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The Ivorian gave his side a mountain to climb six minutes into
the second-half with an unnecessary headbutt on Alioski that left
referee Anthony Taylor with no option but to show a red card once
he saw the incident on a VAR review.
For all Arsenal’s problems scoring goals, Arteta has
concentrated on making them defensively more robust and they held
out despite the numerical disadvantage.
Leno was required to make a brilliant save from Dallas before
Bielsa turned to Leeds’ record signing, Rodrigo, for an extra goal
threat.
The Spanish international nearly provided the moment of
inspiration his side needed with a thunderous strike off the
bar.
However, Arsenal also came close to a winner in the final stages
as they began to counter-attack effectively.
Aubameyang had a claim for a penalty turned down when his shot
struck the arm of Leeds captain Liam Cooper.
Substitute Bukayo Saka then wasted the visitors’ best chance of
the game when he tried to round Illan Meslier, but the young French
goalkeeper did well to stand his ground and block.
Leeds were denied twice more by the woodwork to round off a
frustrating afternoon when Bamford’s header and then Raphina’s
driven shot came back off the same post.
AFP