Yes, Arsenal lost – but they dominated Inter and this is just a blip, not a crisis

Mikel Arteta’s side played well enough to win in Milan but they need to be more clinical

There will always be a temptation at Arsenal to overreact to any sort of setback and there are bound to be those who wish to use a second successive defeat for Mikel Arteta’s side to provoke that sort of response.
You will see and hear all sorts of damning assessments over the next 24 hours. Words like crisis, ineptitude and failure will fly around. 
There will be an explosion of noise on social media, as people launch themselves into the sort of frenzied inquest that trails in the wake of a third defeat in six games.
When you aspire to be the team Arsenal want to be, there is no denying that results are troubling, firstly in the Premier League and now in the Champions League. Nobody can say they are happy or that is all is well with the world.
Yet, through all the gloomy assessments of their ability to sustain a title challenge at home and the concerns sparked by away defeats to Bournemouth and Newcastle United in the Premier League, if you peel back the layers; look underneath the result, the performance against Inter Milan was enough to suggest this is a blip not a crisis for Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal did not deserve to lose to Inter, they were unlucky rather than uninspired. Play like this, away from home, against a team as good as Inter, the reigning Serie A champions, and you will win far more than you lose.
The Gunners did enough to secure at least a point against one of Europe’s most accomplished sides, who drew against Manchester City at the Etihad earlier this season.
Arsenal had 14 corners to Inter’s zero. They had almost 60 per cent possession at San Siro and, unlike their defeat at Newcastle United, had five shots on target compared to their hosts’ one. 
They made more passes, looked after the ball well and pinned the Italian side in their own half. Inter defended superbly and took every opportunity to slow the game down. But they were clinging on desperately for the entire second period.
That is not the evidence needed to say Arsenal were poor. In fact, you could go as far to say they dominated – which Arteta did – the game for the vast majority of it.
Inter were superb in the opening 10 minutes and Arsenal barely touched the ball or pushed out of their half.
But having survived that early blitz, they wrestled back control and were the better side, right up until the moment Mikel Merino waved his hands around, while defending inside the area and Inter scored their match-winning penalty.
These things can happen, especially in Europe where the handball law remains a consistent source of aggravation for English clubs judged differently in their domestic competitions.
💬 @martinkeown5: “It’s ruining our game, to be honest!” 💬 @rioferdy5: “It’s unfortunate the rules are different in different competitions…”The Inter Milan penalty is a huge talking point at half-time 👀📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK | 🎙 @laura_woodsy pic.twitter.com/lKEpzERbRh
So, yes, Arsenal lost again, but take a deep breath. Do not be the panic-button presser or the attention-seeking ranter.
Yes, there are recurring issues, they remain too reliant on their set-piece threat rather than a spark in open play.
Teams are blunting Arteta’s side too easily and too often and we all know they should have signed another centre-forward in the summer, but this was a performance where they did far more good than bad.
Put it this way, not many teams are good enough to make Inter play this way – defending the edge of their own box with nine or 10 men, flinging themselves in the way of crosses and shots, frantically trying to hold on to a lead they probably knew they did not really deserve.
Not many teams are strong enough to weather an early storm and seize back control of a game in the manner Arsenal did.
On another night, Kai Havertz would have equalised, rather than see his shot spin off a defender’s leg and fall wide. On another day, one of the 14 corners would lead to a goal. On another occasion, Merino would have been awarded a spot-kick for the goalkeeper punching him in the head rather than concede one for handball.
Should this have been a penalty for Arsenal? 🤔📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/FKylgHRZOD
Arsenal are not at their best, but nothing is as bad as it seems. No matter what people might try to tell you otherwise.