Toure and Vieira Share Concerns Over Arsenal's Laboured Chelsea Victory; Odegaard Absence Keenly Felt

Arsenal made hard work of their London derby against Chelsea on Sunday, grinding out a 2-1 victory that keeps them five points clear at the summit—though Man City's win over Leeds on Saturday evening had briefly tightened the screw.

Set-pieces proved decisive, with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both converting from corners, while Piero Hincapie's own goal, also stemming from a dead-ball situation, completed the scoring in a match where the Gunners rarely sparkled.

Yet the result, ultimately, is what counts at this stage of the season, even if two seasoned observers felt something was missing from Mikel Arteta's side. Yaya Toure, speaking on Sky Sports, pulled no punches about the display, highlighting one conspicuous absence.

"Man City are coming back well," Toure reflected. "Arsenal were doing well early on but they've dropped points. Those results might create a bit of doubt, if I'm honest, because I didn't see the players expressing themselves."

The former City midfielder was particularly vocal about Martin Odegaard's unavailability. "Martin Odegaard, the captain, is a brilliant player and for me he's a huge miss," Toure explained. "He plays between the lines, he moves very well—I love this type of player."

Toure acknowledged the caution creeping into Arsenal's play but argued they needed to loosen up. "You can be worried about making mistakes at this stage because it can cost you, but I want to see the players be more open," he said.

The nature of the victory particularly irked him: "The first half was okay. But I feel a bit disappointed because we want to see attacks and chances—we only saw three goals from set-pieces. For a derby, that's strange. Winning was obviously very important for Arsenal, but as a fan I want to see more."

Patrick Vieira, the Arsenal legend, struck a similar note of qualified approval. While acknowledging the three points' importance, he too sensed the Gunners were operating below their ceiling.

"What really matters is the three points—it's really important for them," Vieira said. "But when you look deeper, the game was more open than we expected. You'd expect Arsenal to push forward more."

He pinpointed Chelsea's defensive organisation as a factor in Arsenal's creative struggles, but suggested deeper issues were at play. "When you're top of the Champions League table, top of the Premier League, in a cup final, the expectation is higher. You expect more from this Arsenal," Vieira noted.

The former Gunners skipper theorised that Arsenal's long wait for a league title might be breeding a certain anxiety. "There could be a little desperation and stress because they want to do so well that you're not taking the risks you took at the start of the season," he reasoned.

However, Vieira backed his old club to navigate such moments. "I believe there is enough experience, quality, and personality to go on the field and win the game," he concluded, suggesting that nervousness and pressure, while present, need not derail their challenge.

For now, Arsenal sit atop the pile—but both observers left the impression that this was a win to bank rather than savour.