Arsenal is not invincible

10/11/2025 07:21:00 GoalGuru

After more than 800 minutes without conceding and a 10-game winning streak across all competitions, Arsenal has finally been brought back down to reality. The 2-2 draw against Sunderland not only ended the winning streak but also cast doubt on Mikel Arteta and his team's ability to maintain stability.

1. At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland produced a chaotic style of football that Arteta and Arsenal clearly dislike. Regis Le Bris’s team caused Arsenal’s seemingly perfect machine to malfunction in an unexpected way: intense pressing, long balls, constant physical contact, and making the most of set-piece situations.

Notably, Sunderland deliberately moved the advertising boards closer to the pitch edge than usual to limit long throw-ins, one of Arsenal’s new "weapons" this season. This seemingly minor tactic had a surprising effect, causing the visitors to lose an important attacking tool.

Beyond defending, Sunderland actively disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm through numerous tactical fouls, slowing the game to chaotic levels. Statistics show that in the first 35 minutes, the ball was actually in play for only 13 minutes, enough to break Arsenal’s trademark controlling style.

Dan Ballard, a center-back developed by Arsenal’s academy, scored for Sunderland with a thunderous shot in the 36th minute, ending Arsenal’s 812-minute unbeaten defensive run. Although Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard helped Arsenal come back to lead 2-1 in the second half, Brian Brobbey appeared at the 4th minute of stoppage time to beat both Gabriel and goalkeeper David Raya, setting the final score at 2-2.

2. This match shows that to face Arsenal, you shouldn’t try to play beautiful football but rather turn it into a physical and mental battle. Sunderland did exactly that and earned their reward. Former striker Alan Shearer acknowledged: "Sunderland played with such discipline and intensity that Arsenal fell apart at a crucial moment. They deserved to earn a point."

The Sunderland draw reveals Arsenal is not yet a perfect team

This is not the first time a mid-table team has disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm. What’s notable is how Sunderland achieved this while Arsenal was in top form, with 8 consecutive clean sheets, their best defensive record in 122 years.

Arteta described the feeling of conceding as "a pain deep in the stomach," and this pain may continue given the upcoming fixtures. After Sunderland, Arsenal will face Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea consecutively — three big matches that could define their true position in the title races.

The impressive previous stats (17 games, 14 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, goal difference 35-5) were somewhat helped by an easier schedule. But this draw rings an alarm: under real pressure, Arsenal’s defense is not as solid as expected.

Both goals conceded came from long-ball situations, where Gabriel and Raya seemed unsettled. This is also what Arteta stressed: "We must defend better inside the box. When they send 6 or 7 players into that area, we can’t allow them to create chances like that."

3. Not only the defense, but Arsenal’s attack is also facing a serious crisis. In the Sunderland game, Arteta was missing nearly ten attacking players including Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Jesus. He made only one substitution during more than 100 minutes of play, a clear sign of a depleted squad.

Some English experts even said Sunderland provided a "blueprint" for Arsenal’s future opponents: play aggressively, disrupt the game, focus on aerial duels, and constantly pressure the center-back duo Gabriel and Saliba. "That’s a formula that can shake Arsenal," former striker Darren Bent commented. "If they don’t adapt, more teams like Sunderland will emerge."

Nevertheless, it’s fair to say Arsenal didn’t collapse; they merely stalled. Conceding an equalizer in stoppage time is normal in a tough season.

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