Paul Merson slams ‘slow and lazy’ Arsenal after Wolves draw, expects ‘bottleneck’ talk to increase | Soccer News

Paul Merson says Arsenal were punished for playing in “second gear” and feels they will be accused of “bottlenecking” after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw Wolves.

Arsenal looked to have gone seven points ahead when Piero Hincapie added to Bukayo Saka’s early opener, but Hugo Bueno pulled a goal back in superb style before a mix-up between Gabriel and David Raya allowed debutant Tom Edozie to equalize in the 94th minute.

The result follows a 1-1 draw with Brentford last week and means second-placed Manchester City can close the gap to two points by winning their game themselves. Pep Guardiola’s side also welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium on April 18.

As in the game against Brentford, Arsenal lost their composure in the closing stages at Molineux, and Merson predicts his former side will face accusations of blowing up in another title race as the momentum appears to be swinging Manchester City’s way.

“If Man City win all their games from now on, they win the league,” said Merson Sky Sports.

“It’s disappointing. You can’t play in second gear. When Wolves went to 2-2 there was an urgency. They didn’t have that before. You can’t play like that. Every game is a cup final until the end.

“You have to play at a high tempo. If Arsenal play at a high tempo, Wolves can’t live with them. But to play the way they played, and it’s slow and lazy, and they give the ball away, then Wolves will always be in the game.

“It could come back to bite them. It’s really, really disappointing tonight.

“It’s going to come full circle now, to be bottling, to melt. It’s full now – away against Brentford and then two goals against the worst team in the league.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said his side “deserved the hit” after a second-half performance that was not up to standard “in any aspect of the game”.

I told Sky Sports: “It’s hard to accept in the second half how we didn’t perform at any level in any aspect of the game, to the standards required to win a game in the Premier League and we paid the price.

“Too many things have gone wrong one after another. It’s best not to judge it. We’re all too emotional about it and this is not the moment to do it.

“It’s a moment when you don’t perform, and you’re at this level, and expectations are where they are. You have to take the hit because we deserve it too.”

Merson ‘shocked’ by Arteta interview

Merson is surprised by Arteta’s negative tone in the interview, saying: “I was quite shocked with the Arteta interview. It’s the first time, really, I haven’t seen him largely positive. He usually comes out and says: ‘We did it, we did it’.

“He says, ‘we deserved the hit’, instead of coming out and saying, ‘We’re five points ahead. As long as we don’t get beaten by Manchester City, we’ll win the league.’

“It wasn’t like that. I was a bit concerned with that interview. Even he thinks now. You can only do so much for the team and when you look at it, there’s something missing, I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something missing.

“I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes if they don’t win the league this year because if they don’t, I remember Patrick Vieira saying before the Manchester United game it’s now or never.

“I’m starting to think so. I was very positive about Arsenal winning the league, but tonight it half scared me.”

Smith: Arsenal not handling the pressure

Alan Smith has said Arsenal’s collapse shows they are struggling to cope with the pressure of the title race and feels Manchester City will be confident of overhauling them to win the title.

“It feels like a defining moment, an important one, maybe a turning point,” said the Sky Sports experts.

“We’ll wait and see. Obviously it’s in Manchester City’s hands now, but after it was two goals against the team who are nine points off the bottom, it’s not good enough.

“And the way things unraveled at the end…David Raya panicking when he didn’t need to come out doesn’t bode well for Arsenal being able to handle the pressure.

“There’s obviously a lot of nerves in the camp, the whole situation seems to be getting the better of it. It did tonight and going forward, but it doesn’t bode well.

“We’ve talked so often about them being the best team, the best team in the league. But it doesn’t count for anything if you don’t have that composure and ability to play and get results under pressure. That buzzword will be used quite a bit in the next few days.

“Man City will think they can feel our breath on their shoulders and with their experience, with Guardiola’s experience, they will really fancy it now.

“Obviously it’s a big game against Newcastle for them at the weekend, but they can almost feel the nerves of the Arsenal team watching tonight.”

Spurs next for Arsenal – and Man City can pile on the pressure

Arsenal travel live to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Sky Sports Sunday, for the first of two London derbies, and Merson feels the momentum may have “completely” swung the other way by then if Manchester City beat Newcastle on Saturday.

“It looks after itself, that’s the good thing about it,” Merson said of the challenge that awaits Arsenal in the north London derby.

“But the problem is, if Manchester City beat Newcastle before, it’s two points, the same games, and Arsenal play two derbies against their two biggest rivals in London in Tottenham and Chelsea.

“The momentum swings completely the other way. North London derbies go out the window. It’s just that game. It doesn’t matter if you’re top or 15th, it’s a tie.

“A new manager has come in. He will run them through brick walls. Arsenal are not playing well enough to blow Tottenham away.”