#2: Arsenal show street-smarts in tricky encounter
Arsenal had to grind out a tough away win. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
While this was admittedly a meeting of top vs bottom, trips to the Black Country are never easy and Arsenal had to be patient in their attempts to break down a stubborn Wolves defence.
Extreme caution was required to avoid being undone on the counter-attack, but there were still a few nervous moments to negotiate in a tense first half. First, the home team almost went in front when Goncalo Guedes fired just over following a quick transition, while Saliba was lucky not to concede a spot kick after he brought the Wolves man down in the penalty area.
However, the Gunners dominated possession and bided their time until the first chinks inevitably emerged amongst the tired minds and bodies of the mass low-block before they put the game to bed.
Some have argued that it was a lacklustre display, but the opposition’s pragmatism meant Arsenal were never going to run riot and just had to be clinical when the opportunities arrived.
It was a shrewd strategy and it worked a treat.
Continued on the next slide…
memorable trip to Molineux</a>.</p>
<h2><strong>#1: Martin Odegaard steps up to the mark yet again</strong></h2>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗳 The votes are in!</p>
<p>🏆 Our Player of the Match…</p>
<p>🪄 Martin Odegaard 🪄 <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/14/wolves-0-2-arsenal-3-talking-points-from-the-win-at-molineux/2/"https://t.co/tWKS8Ujh1d">pic.twitter.com/tWKS8Ujh1d
<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/14/wolves-0-2-arsenal-3-talking-points-from-the-win-at-molineux/2/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1591702411239833600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>November 13, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>He normally plays an influential role as the support act of a stellar frontline, but it was Odegaard himself who led the offensive effort at the weekend and his two goals will add further polish to a magnificent personal campaign.</p>
<p>The Norwegian’s second brace of the season propels him to the top of the club’s scoring charts across all competitions and epitomises our success in making goalscoring a collective responsibility.</p>
<p>His composure and powerful finish demonstrated once again how he can step up when it matters most, and managerial reports about his work on the training ground suggest we will see more of the same after the winter break.</p>
<p>Third place in World Cup qualifying means Odegaard will get plenty of rest before domestic football resumes on Boxing Day, and he should be ready to make a similar impact in the new year.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/14/wolves-0-2-arsenal-3-talking-points-from-the-win-at-molineux/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 talking point </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2><strong>#2: Arsenal show street-smarts in tricky encounter</strong></h2>
<div id="attachment_130840" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-130840" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/14/wolves-0-2-arsenal-3-talking-points-from-the-win-at-molineux/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2132,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1244724584.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2132" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1244724584.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1244724584-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal had to grind out a tough away win. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
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<p>While this was admittedly a meeting of top vs bottom, trips to the Black Country are never easy and Arsenal had to be patient in their attempts to break down a stubborn Wolves defence.</p>
<p>Extreme caution was required to avoid being undone on the counter-attack, but there were still a few nervous moments to negotiate in a tense first half. First, the home team almost went in front when Goncalo Guedes fired just over following a quick transition, while Saliba was lucky not to concede a spot kick after he brought the Wolves man down in the penalty area.</p>
<p>However, the Gunners dominated possession and bided their time until the first chinks inevitably emerged amongst the tired minds and bodies of the mass low-block before they put the game to bed.</p>
<p>Some have argued that it was a lacklustre display, but the opposition’s pragmatism meant Arsenal were never going to run riot and just had to be clinical when the opportunities arrived.</p>
<p>It was a shrewd strategy and it worked a treat.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/14/wolves-0-2-arsenal-3-talking-points-from-the-win-at-molineux/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 talking point </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2><strong>#3: Arsenal are genuine title contenders</strong></h2>
<div id="attachment_130876" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-130876" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/11/14/wolves-0-2-arsenal-3-talking-points-from-the-win-at-molineux/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1414592440.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1414592440.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1414592440-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">We’re coming… (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Scepticism continues to linger among fans and pundits alike and many still expect sky-blue ribbons to adorn the Premier League trophy next May, but it cannot be denied any longer: Arsenal are genuine title contenders.</p>
<p>Suggestions that we will be more keenly affected by the World Cup than other teams appear illogical, while talk of favourable fixtures and the potential impact of key injuries are unfair. The Gunners are currently the league’s standout team and have contended with both squad absences- such as Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko earlier this season- and difficult matches on their journey to first place.</p>
<p>The truth is that we are top because we now have a fantastic team led by an exceptional coach, and the club is reaping the rewards of three years of hard work, meticulous planning and unwavering faith in Mikel Arteta.</p>
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<p>There will of course be twists and turns to come and moments of adversity will have to be navigated. But this team is performing at a very high level and, with hopefully some investment in January, has every chance of title success.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
