Awesome Alexis Sanchez Can't Disguise Arsenal's Poor Start

A stoppage-time equaliser usually prompts unbridled glee. However, not even Danny Welbeck’s late goal could lift the mood at the Emirates Stadium. The 2-2 draw with Hull City on Saturday was both a desperately disappointing result and performance for Arsenal.

This match marked the start of a run of fixtures from which the Gunners need to take maximum points if they are to ignite any sort of title challenge. Right now, there’s more misery than momentum.

Arsenal have slipped in to the mire of midtable, and they don’t look to be escaping it in a hurry. Even if the Gunners’ form does pick up, it seems the best they can hope for is a familiar spot in the annual battle for fourth place.

As Arseblog's Andrew Mangan wrote for ESPN FC:

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Hopes that (the Hull match) would provide a boost in confidence and belief ahead of a midweek Champions League trip to Anderlecht were dashed, and the display itself did nothing to answer any of the questions people have about this team. Indeed, it probably raised more, and right now Arsene Wenger looks like a man without any of the answers.

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The Gunners seem to have gone backwards since last season. Inevitably, fingers will be pointed at the manager, Arsene Wenger. A clutch of summer signings ought to have propelled Arsenal forward. Instead, it seems to have disturbed the team’s delicate balance. The composition of the midfield has been muddled, and it’s leading to problems at both ends of the pitch.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Arsenal’s attacking alchemy hasn’t seemed quite right all season, and it was no different Saturday. After a promising opening 20 minutes, they struggled to create clear-cut chances. The indications are that Wenger’s team will sorely miss the crafty contributions of Mesut Ozil until the German recovers from a knee problem.

For much of this match, Hull City had their third-choice goalkeeper between the sticks. Those hoping to find out just how good Eldin Jakupovic is are still waiting for an answer. Arsenal barely tested him until the game passed its 90th minute.

At the other end of the pitch, a makeshift defence was too easily exposed on the counter-attack. Mathieu Flamini can feel hard done after being fouled in the build-up to Hull’s equaliser, but there’s no excuse for the lack of concentration that allowed the Tigers to take the lead 30 seconds into the second half. Until Arsenal iron out such basic errors, they stand no chance of competing with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

At least Arsenal have Alexis Sanchez. It’s frightening to think where they would be without the Chilean in their ranks. In this match, his slalom and shot gave the Gunners their opening goal. However, he saved his most telling contribution until stoppage time, weaving between three defenders before playing in Welbeck to score the equaliser. If every player had Alex’s cocktail of skill and stamina, Arsenal might not drop quite so many points.

Wenger was unable to hide his disappointment after the match, telling Arsenal.com:

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It was a disappointing afternoon because we got a point but we had 80 per cent possession. It is a very disappointing result. We were unlucky with the referee on the first goal but on the second goal we can only blame ourselves. We came out of the dressing room with a lack of focus and gave them the lead straight away. It was difficult. I cannot fault the effort or the heart that we had in the game. The defensive concentration was missing on the second goal and when you make it difficult at that level you cannot give the goals away like that.

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Arsenal’s numbers this season make for grim reading. The Gunners have won just two of their opening eight Premier League games. Leaders Chelsea are now 11 points ahead, and optimism about Arsenal’s prospects has all but evaporated. The Gunners may have grabbed a draw against Hull, but there was little to celebrate.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout the 2014/15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.