Arsenal's Warning of a Pair of Own Goals

WOLVERHAMPTON, TUESDAY - League leaders Arsenal will indeed face the bottom team Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, there is no guarantee that the match will conclude as logic would suggest. Arsenal's caution and Wolves' fear could make the duel very intense, similar to the first encounter which was decided by a pair of own goals.

The clash between the top and bottom teams of the English Premier League will take place at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, on Thursday (19/2/2026) at 03:00 WIB. Although they are far apart in the standings, both teams come with equally strong motivation to hunt for points. Arsenal aims to widen the gap from Manchester City, while Wolves seek to climb out of the relegation zone.

The visiting team should be cautious. Bukayo Saka and his teammates are highly favored due to their exceptional squad quality, but that is only on paper. Arsenal arrives with a poor memory from the first meeting at home last December. At that time, they could only secure a 2-1 victory a few minutes before the final whistle.

Two of Arsenal's goals came as gifts from Wolves, through an own goal by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and defender Yerson Mosquera. Those two goals were sufficient to demonstrate Wolves' panic under the intense pressure from "The Gunners." On the other hand, it highlighted Arsenal's inefficiency in both creating chances and finishing.

Arsenal's problem in the first meeting was their over-reliance on wing attacks, particularly on the right side occupied by Saka. This made it easier for Wolves, who employed a 3-5-2 formation with a very low defensive block. When out of possession, Wolves lined up with five defenders, effectively closing gaps in the wing areas.

Arsenal needs variation in their attacks, particularly from the midfield. They rarely apply pressure through zone 14 or the area just outside the penalty box. In fact, this is the best zone to create opportunities. Wolves, who defend with a 5-3-2 formation, are also more vulnerable in the midfield area due to being outnumbered in central midfielders.

A ray of hope for Arsenal emerged last weekend, when they won 4-0 against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup. The solution to this problem may lie within attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze. He delivered an outstanding performance with incisive passes in the midfield, resulting in two assists for goals scored by Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli.

"The ball from him is special, as is his intention. I think he is brave enough to take risks in the final third. This is also evident from the number of shots taken. We want that from him. So far, he has played a significant role for us, and he will continue to do so in many matches," said Arteta regarding Eze.

Eze's brilliance did not fall from the sky. The England national team player is able to deliver his best performances because he plays in his preferred position. He has been positioned as a left midfielder, similar to his time with his former club Crystal Palace. However, Eze has often been placed on the right side by Arteta, including in the previous match against Wolves.

For midfielders who can play as inverted wingers like Eze, they particularly enjoy bypassing opponents by moving inward. After successfully dribbling, he can immediately execute a through pass. The angle of a right-footed player's pass, such as Eze, is wider when positioned on the left side compared to the right.

Arteta's instructions also freed Eze. The "Gunners" wingers consistently ran inward to request direct passes. Eze was able to find his target. The problem is, the more risky attacking approach when facing Wigan may not necessarily be repeated in the league match.

Arteta typically employs a very cautious approach in attack. The manager desires full control to avoid easily losing the ball and being punished by the opponent's transitions. Attacks are often initiated from the flanks with passes that tend to be safe. If this does not change, Eze's skills will not be of much use.

That caution will be reflected in the composition of the players. Arteta almost always relies on the duo of holding midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi. This pair is the best for controlling the game. However, when it comes to creating opportunities and breaking down the opponent's defense, there are other players who are more useful.

Arteta needs to make many changes if he does not want to lose points again, after being held to a draw by Brentford last week. In addition to providing opportunities and freedom for Eze, defensive midfielder Christian Norgaard could also be an option when facing a deadlock. Norgaard's passes are bolder compared to Zubimendi.

On the other hand, Wolves will be dealing with player fitness issues. They just played against Grimsby Town last Sunday in the FA Cup. The team coached by Rob Edwards utilized almost all of their best players. This is in contrast to Arsenal, who rotated eight key players. "It will be a very different match, but we are ready for it," said Edwards.

If they win, Arsenal will extend their lead to seven points over second-placed Manchester City. Meanwhile, Wolves will find themselves increasingly cornered if they fail to earn points. Wolves have only collected nine points with 12 matches remaining. They need at least 19 points to escape the relegation zone. (AP/REUTERS)