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Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal – Five things I learnt

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Alexis Sanchez10-man Arsenal managed to salvage a point yesterday afternoon against fierce rivals Spurs after Alexis Sanchez struck 15 minutes from time.

The Gunners are now three behind Spurs and eight adrift of Leicester City, who defeated Watford in the evening kick-off.

So, having watched the game yesterday, here are FIVE things I learnt about Arsenal:

1. Per Mertesacker has had it

The German centre-back started off shaky and looked nervous coming up against a pacey Spurs side, and was at fault for possibly both goals, with his positioning all over the place. He looked a good signing a couple of seasons ago but many would agree that his days are numbered at the club and Arsene Wenger should look to replace him at the end of the campaign.

2. Danny Welbeck IS a striker, but must improve finishing

Olivier Giroud has been preferred to play upfront as the lone striker for the majority of the season ahead of Theo Walcott, but Welbeck is proving he can do the job just as well as the French forward. His pace caused some bother to the Spurs back-line and did get behind them on a few occasions, but the England international needs to work on his finishing if he is to become Arsenal’s regular striker.

3. Francis Coquelin is a liability

Why did the French midfielder make that needless challenge on Harry Kane with team-mates in position I will never know. Booked early in the first-half, it was a given Coquelin was going to get sent off and did. Had he not been given his marching orders, Arsenal could have bagged all three points yesterday. Hopefully he learns from his mistakes.

4. Arsenal showed heart

It was always going to be difficult for the Gunners to come away from the game with all three points after Coquelin got sent off, and when it went 2-1 to Spurs, many thought Wenger’s men would have crumbled, but they didn’t. After nearly a month without showing it, the Gunners gave us some heart and desire and were rightly rewarded with a point. We want to see more of this from now until the end of the season.

5. David Ospina still has a role to play

Admit it, you were nervous when you knew Ospina was going to start this match? I was. However, the Colombian shot-stopper kept Arsenal in the game and pulled off some wonderful saves throughout, this from a goalkeeper who only yesterday got his first Premier League appearance of the season! Ospina has been linked with a move away from Arsenal but Wenger might well be thinking this guy still has a lot to offer in the absence of Petr Cech.

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