Arsenal boss Unai Emery has suggested his side couldn’t deal with Watford’s ‘physical’ approach after the Gunners threw away a two goal lead at Vicarage Road today.
Watford started brightly under the guidance of the recently re-appointed Quique Sanchez Flores, although Arsenal soon seemed to be heading towards a routine three points after the lethal Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck a brace in the first half.
However, this is Arsenal after all, and they soon let the Hornets back into the game, with Tom Cleverley lashing home after a comical attempt by Sokratis to play out from the back.
David Luiz then showed his own penchant for calamity by taking down Watford substitute Roberto Pereyra in the area, with the Argentine attacker duly slotting home the spot-kick in the 81st minute.
Watford looked the more likely side to win the game as Arsenal continued to show that all too familiar defensive brittleness and Abdoulaye Doucoure was unlucky not to win the game for the Hornets late on.
Speaking afterwards, Arsenal boss Emery pretty much admitted that his side fell apart during the second period.
“They pushed us, Watford last year played like today,” Emery told BBC Sport.
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“We were up in the first half and we knew that we needed to score the third. They had the capacity to come back with the supporters and that’s what happened.
“We couldn’t break their pressing in the second half. They are physical, a very strong team. They pushed for our mistakes, they were playing for our mistakes.
“When you are trying to break their lines you can have chances. They won the second half and my summary is it is not a good point.
“We need to continue working. When we tried to play the long ball we lost the ball as well.”
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