Arsenal vs. Norwich City: 8 Things We Learned from the Gunners' Crushing Draw

Arsenal's hopes of finishing in third place were dealt a crushing blow as the Gunners drew 3-3 with Norwich in a thrilling match at the Emirates.

Neutrals were treated to one of the most exciting football matches you will ever see, with chance after chance coming at both ends and a late spurt of goals resulting in some heart-pounding action.

Going into the game, Arsenal knew that only a win would do if they wanted to finish in third without depending on other teams' results, but some absolutely atrocious defending and a Norwich side that would not go down were too much.

Arsenal fans will be the biggest Aston Villa and Manchester City supporters in the world when the two teams play Tottenham and Newcastle, respectively.

For now, let's focus on what we learned from a pulsating game.

Arsenal's Old Defensive Problems Are Still There

For all of Norwich's work rate and pressing in this game, Arsenal would have gotten a result much more easily if they were able to defend like a Premier League club should.

Every time the Canaries counter-attacked, they shredded Arsenal's defense to ribbons, and Grant Holt in particular was a one-man wrecking machine who no one was able to contain all game.

On Norwich's second goal, for example, no midfield players tracked back to help out in defense. Holt was able to penetrate the Gunners' defense with shocking ease, sending a looping shot into the back of the net after a wicked deflection off Kieran Gibbs.

And when all Arsenal had to do was defend for their lives at the end of the game, Steve Morison was somehow allowed to storm through the back line and whack a pinpoint finish past a helpless Wojciech Szczesny.

Wojciech Szczesny Is More Than Human

Arsenal fans had become accustomed to fantastic goalkeeping play from 22-year-old Wojciech Szczesny this season, and bar a rough patch in January, the Pole has been great all season.

But today was undoubtedly Szczesny's worst showing this term, and arguably his worst ever in an Arsenal shirt.

For the first time, we saw the normally error-free goalkeeper make a mistake reminiscent of the hated Manuel Almunia, as he somehow let a very tame shot from Wes Hoolahan bounce off his hands and squirt in at the near post.

It is unfortunate that Szczesny's season might be remembered for his terrible showing in this one match because he has performed admirably for Arsenal this entire campaign.

But at this level, you have to make sure that you are at your best when the pressure it at its highest, and Szczesny did not.

Grant Holt Is a Beast

In midweek, Arsene Wenger called Grant Holt "a revelation," and the Englishman showed why Wenger holds him in such high esteem.

Arsenal were simply unable to deal with Holt's physical stature, as he bulled his way past several players at a time, holding the ball up for his teammates when he could not make a chance himself.

The Gunners have struggled with the presence of physical strikers in the past, and you get the sense that better defensive organization could have helped stymie Holt's threat.

On this day, though, Arsenal could not get themselves together in defense, and were continuously burned by a a player whom they could not contain.

Robin van Persie Put in a Captain's Performance

If Steve Morison had not potentially ruined Arsenal's Champions League dreams with his back-breaking strike in the 85th minute, people would be raving about Robin van Persie's virtuoso performance.

When Arsenal were down and the ultimate catastrophe—a loss—was only a few minutes away, van Persie dug deep and found some more of his goal-scoring magic to strike twice in eight minutes and bring his side from 2-1 down to 3-2 up.

And when he was not putting the ball in the back of the net, the Dutchman was instrumental in the Gunners' play throughout, creating chances, whipping in free-kicks and holding the ball up for his teammates.

If any match underlines just how much Arsenal need to keep Robin van Persie this summer, it is this one.

Aaron Ramsey Is as Bad as They Say

While many have lambasted Aaron Ramsey in recent weeks for his poor performances and lack of quality, I have consistently defended him.

The Welshman had not been nearly bad enough to deserve all the flak he has gotten, but today I think Ramsey may have finally lost one of his last defenders.

Of course, that is a figurative term because whenever he tried to create chances, his passes found their way straight into the feet of defenders, and he seems utterly unable to dribble away from them like the injured Mikel Arteta can.

His terrible whiff from six yards out with an almost open goal merely encapsulates the thoroughly disappointing season he has had.

Gervinho Is Not as Bad as They Say

Another Arsenal player who has come under heavy fire recently, Gervinho exorcised some of the demons that have haunted him since the African Cup of Nations.

Deployed on the right side of the attack, where he flourished last season for Lille, the Ivorian was able to dribble past defenders, get behind Norwich when they slipped up and create chances.

When Arsenal pressed for a goal late in the match, Gervinho was very involved in nearly every attacking move. When the Gunners needed to play intricate football, he was often the one twisting and turning to make something out of nothing.

His performance will be encouraging for an Arsenal side missing Theo Walcott for the season's lone remaining match, and he will have to keep up this level of play with Lukas Podolski on the way.

Fatigue and Injuries Are Really Hurting Arsenal

For the past few games, it has been obvious that Arsenal has been playing on some very tired legs, and the Gunners seem to lack the spark they had in weeks past.

They are certainly not a poor side now, but three consecutive draws is a sign of a team that does not have its best clinical finishing touch and ability to perform deep into games.

And what happens when players get extremely tired? Injuries, a litany of which are threatening to derail Arsenal's Champions League challenge.

Mikel Arteta and Theo Walcott have both gone down recently, and now Bacary Sagna has broken the same fibula that kept him out for months after the North London Derby in October.

They only needed to give their all for two more games, and Arsenal failed the first leg of this test.

Luck, Not Skill, Will Get Arsenal into the Champions League

Arsenal had their destiny in their own hands. Win their remaining two games, and they would finish in third place, guaranteeing Champions League qualification and a finish above Tottenham Hotspur.

They immediately failed this test.

Now, Spurs and to a slightly lesser extent Newcastle have been thrust into the driver's seat. If either wins out, they will have 71 points to Arsenal's maximum of 70.

Coupled with a Chelsea victory in the Champions League final, the Gunners will miss out on Europe's top club competition for the first time in the Arsene Wenger era.

It would be very unfortunately for a team that has come back this far from the doldrums to lose their fight at the last hurdle, but Arsenal have no one to blame but themselves.

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