29th September 2018- Premier League, Arsenal 2 Watford 0

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Watford Observer

Relive as Watford lose out to late Arsenal double strike

A spirited Watford were made to pay for missed chances as two quick-fire Arsenal goals in the last ten minutes sealed the Gunners a 2-0 win.

Javi Gracia praises Watford’s performance in Arsenal defeat

Watford player ratings: Christian Kabasele impresses in Arsenal defeat

PICTURES: Images from Watford’s defeat to Arsenal

Will Hughes rues Watford’s inability to take their chances following Arsenal loss

Watford: Marc Navarro’s Premier League debut a dream come true despite Arsenal loss

BBC SportA 2-0 victory over Watford at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, thanks to two goals in the last nine minutes, secured the Gunners’ fifth league win in a row.

skyAlexandre Lacazette’s pressure on Cathcart saw him turn Alex Iwobi’s cross beyond Ben Foster with nine minutes to go at the Emirates, before which the visitors had enjoyed the better of the chances.  Will Hughes had volleyed an early chance wide, Andre Gray had a one on one saved by substitute goalkeeper Bernd Leno and an Isaac Success effort glanced the post with the scores goalless.

TelegraphWatford had played well but, after their flawless start, have slipped to a four-match winless sequence that has included three narrow defeats. “I’m very upset for my players – I think we deserved a better result,” said their manager Javi Gracia. “It was a very good performance – more shots than Arsenal and lots of clear chances – I’m very proud of my players.”

guardianSeven successive wins is a helpful statistic, but Emery was as impressed to see how Arsenal mastered their most difficult test since the first week of the season – when they lost to Manchester City and Chelsea. This was a true test of their mettle, with Watford starting the day ahead of them in the table thanks to their well‑organised ambition, and threatening to take all the points until Arsenal scored twice in three high-energy minutes in the late summer sun.

BHappy imageIt’s an indicator of how far our feet are under the table that this is all so familiar now.  Four of the five visits to the Emirates since promotion and the environs are now as familiar as Borough Market pre-Millwall, as the cricket club at Turf Moor, as the discarded bin bags spewing their contents all over the pavements between Norwood Junction and Selhurst Park.

FranIt was a cruel finish to the game.  Watford had been the better side for most of the second half and had considerably more shots on goal, but the hosts made the most of those that they had and it was the finishing that proved the difference between the teams.

The Hornets NestDespite the defeat, the atmosphere in the away end after the final whistle was not that of animosity, in fact quite the opposite.   Watford were still the louder set of supporters in the stadium, everyone evidently realising and appreciating the effort the team put in.  And that’s all we ask for as fans, certainly as supporters of a club like Watford anyway. We don’t expect to turn up at a place like Arsenal and turn them over, we don’t really expect much in all honesty. What we do expect though is effort, a sense that the players care as much as we do about the badge that’s on their chest.  And we got that, in fact we’ve been getting that since the season started.

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