As an Arsenal supporter who's watched this team grind through seasons of near-misses, last night's 1-1 draw at Brentford feels like one of those classic tests that define whether we're serious title contenders or not. It's frustrating—deeply so—because we had the chance to stretch our lead back out after City's win the night before, but it's also a point we're probably glad to take when you look at how the game played out. No one said winning the league would be straightforward, and this was a reminder of that.
Heading into the Gtech Community Stadium, the absences hit hard. William Saliba ruled out through illness on matchday morning, Kai Havertz side-lined by a muscular niggle that could keep him out for a few weeks. That forced reshuffles: Cristhian Mosquera stepping in alongside Gabriel at the back, Piero Hincapié filling in at left-back, Eberechi Eze starting in midfield, and Viktor Gyokeres leading the line. It's a credit to the squad depth that we could field a side like that, but it showed in the lack of natural flow.
The first half was tough to watch. Brentford came out sharper, more aggressive, and physically on top. Their long throws—especially from Michael Kayode—were a nightmare, turning set-pieces into chaos. David Raya's misplaced throw nearly cost us early, but he made a brilliant save from Igor Thiago to keep it level. Arsenal? Zero shots on target. No rhythm, no authority. Eze couldn't get on the ball enough, Noni Madueke looked hesitant, and Martín Zubimendi was crowded out. It was one of those periods where you feel the game slipping away.
Half-time brought relief with Martin Ødegaard coming on. Suddenly, we had purpose. Possession ticked up, we started dominating, and the goal arrived in the 61st minute: Hincapié whipped in a dangerous cross, Madueke rose superbly for a looping header that wrong-footed Caoimhín Kelleher. It felt deserved on the balance of the second half, and for a moment, you could sense the momentum shifting.
But as so often happens when we score this season, it triggered caution rather than control. Brentford pushed immediately, and their equalizer came in the 70th: another long throw caused panic, a flick-on, a scramble, and Keane Lewis-Potter reacting quickest to head past Raya while Ødegaard was caught napping. Gut punch. From there, it was end-to-end nerves. Raya commanded his box but wasn't flawless; Gabriel and Mosquera threw bodies in front of everything; Declan Rice made a vital block. At the other end, Thiago missed gilt-edged chances for them, while Gabriel Martinelli's late one-on-one was brilliantly saved by Kelleher.
Brentford V Arsenal highlights pic.twitter.com/xiHCsWK9vD
— soft_ (@ikenna_clinton1) February 13, 2026
Mikel Arteta called Brentford's throw-ins "a casino" afterward, and fair play—he's right. They deserve enormous credit for their organization and fight at home. But stepping back, the bigger concern is our attack still lacking that clinical cohesion in February. Without Havertz's link-up and physical presence, we look more predictable and static. Gyokeres hasn't fully synced with the midfield yet, Eze shows flashes but hasn't clicked consistently, Madueke scored but frustrated in spells, and even Ødegaard looked a bit off after some treatment. Saka's impact off the bench was minimal.
We're still top of the Premier League on February 13, 2026, with 57 points from 26 games (17 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses, +32 goal difference), four points ahead of Manchester City on 53. That's a strong position—better than many expected at this stage—but the gap shrinking from nine to four in days is a wake-up call. The run-in is brutal: Wolves next (a game we have to win to regain momentum), then the North London derby. No room for complacency.
If we go on to lift that trophy—and I believe we can—no one will say we did it the easy way. These gritty, hard-earned points against stubborn sides like Brentford, the injuries, the tight margins... this is championship stuff. It's not pretty every week, but resilience like last night's (glad of the point, frustrated by it) is what separates winners from nearly-men.
We need to find that extra gear now. Cohesion in the final third isn't optional—it's essential. Come on you Gunners. Wolves await. Let's respond. COYG.
