Few teams have joy when playing against Thomas Frank’s side, who are among the most combative and organised opponents. To play here, on a freezing night in west London, is to face a tactical and physical examination that must be deeply unpleasant to endure. Until Havertz’s winner, Arsenal had little of their usual spark and plenty of unwanted angst.
Much of that angst, in the first half especially, appeared to be coursing through the veins of Aaron Ramsdale. The goalkeeper survived a night that was chilling in more ways than one, having panicked throughout the opening exchanges.
In the end, to Arsenal’s relief, he came through it. He also left with a clean sheet, although perhaps without much hope of dislodging David Raya in the coming weeks.
From the moment Ramsdale lost his place in the Arsenal team, this fixture would have been circled in his calendar. The England goalkeeper had not featured in the Premier League since early September but, with Raya unable to play against his parent club, he would have known that this would be his chance to remind the world what he can do.
The problem Ramsdale has, however, is that he is now the centre of attention whenever he steps onto the pitch. All the talk about the two goalkeepers, all the debate about Arteta’s management of the issue — it has all led to a brighter spotlight on the man between the posts.
It is a goalkeeper’s job to deal with this pressure, of course. But Ramsdale looked burdened in the first half, and he played like a man who knew that everyone in the footballing world was looking at him.
The first songs of support for Ramsdale had come before the game, with the Arsenal fans keen to remind the 25-year-old how popular he is within their fanbase. The response of the Brentford supporters was to immediately compare him unfavourably to Raya, who is still loved in these parts for his starring role in Brentford’s rise. All four corners of the ground, singing about one man.
Ramsdale has historically thrived in such situations. In the last few seasons, there was seemingly nothing he loved more than winding up a hostile crowd. But on this occasion he appeared deeply uncomfortable, and it did not take long for his performance to suffer.
First he hoofed the ball straight out of play. Then he almost gave away a needless goal, surrendering possession in his own penalty area. He was grateful to the quick thinking of Declan Rice, who produced a superb block to deny Bryan Mbeumo. An attempted throw then cannoned into the turf.