Collision course as football fails to learn from past mistakes
The clash of heads between David Luiz and Raul Jimenez defined the match and raised further questions over why Arsenal's Brazilian defender was allowed to play on after the incident.
Mikel Arteta said that protocols were followed as Luiz was bandaged up but did not reappear for the start of the second half due to a cut on his head, with photos showing blood seeping from his head bandage.
"We followed the protocol to check he [Luiz] had not lost any consciousness, which he hadn't, and then some tests," Arteta said after the game.
"They will continue to do some more checks on him. He was really uncomfortable and couldn't really head the ball and couldn't continue."
According to FA guidelines, footballers who have sustained a suspected concussion should immediately be removed from the pitch and not allowed to return until the appropriate treatment has been given.
While Arsenal's club doctor could be seen checking over Luiz intently, perhaps it was more the will of the play to carry on which should have been rejected.
At a time where dementia awareness is at an all-time high in football, health should always come before anything else and you couldn't help but feel that it was the wrong decision to keep Luiz on the pitch after that incident.
Alan Shearer spoke on Match of the Day 2 about the clash and suggested trialling concussion substitutes, while referencing others sports such as cricket and NFL who he believes manage those kinds of injuries in a more professional way.
"If David Luiz has passed all the protocols like Arsenal say he has, how on earth is he allowed back onto the pitch with a wound that is dripping down his face?" said Shearer.
"We're talking about players' welfare here. Football's protocols allow someone who has a cut that is seeping through a bandage that has just been put on to carry on playing and then he has to go off again 20 minutes later because he can't head a ball.
"Cricket do it, the NFL does it, both codes of rugby do it - they all have better protocols. We're talking about life and death and players' careers ending."
What happened after the match
As the full-time whistle went, Mikel Arteta went down the tunnel and waited for his players inside the home team changing room.
While the Arsenal manager is usually quick to attend to his post-match interview duties with the TV broadcaster, he spent over ten minutes in the confines of the dressing room as Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo and captain Conor Coady were interviewed.
Arteta spoke for the first time in his press conference about whether he's concerned about losing his job, one year after Unai Emery was sacked.
"It's something that, the day I decided to become a coach, I knew that one day I would be sacked or I would leave the football club," he said.
"I don't know if that will be the day I sign my contract or in a month's time or in a year's time or in six months, so I never worry about that.
"My only concern is to get the best out of the players, give the best possible service to the club and become better and better. I know one day I will get the sack, I will leave, but I don't know when that is going to happen."
Meanwhile, Emile Smith Rowe, Mohamed Elneny and Eddie Nketiah were taking part in post-match running drills after the game.
It was good to see Elneny back with the squad following his positive COVID-19 test while on international duty, but perhaps more pertinently the reintroduction of Smith Rowe into the first team set-up could be a sign of things to come.
The 20-year-old initially struggled with injuries at the start of the season but has come into form for the Under-23s and his creativity would prove crucial in a team seemingly unable to create chances right now.
Emile Smith Rowe and Mohamed Elneny after #ARSWOL. Hope we’ll see more of Smith Rowe over the next few weeks. pic.twitter.com/yHmK46mLkH
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) November 29, 2020
With a Europa League match coming up against Rapid Vienna on Thursday, we're likely to get another glimpse at Smith Rowe and the Arsenal youngsters again.
Willock fronting up
Joe Willock took part in the post-match media duties after Sunday's defeat.
The 21-year-old has been one of Arsenal's bright sparks in recent weeks but as the tweet below suggests, surely the Gunners' most experienced players should be stepping up and taking responsibility.
Joe Willock wheeled out for post-match interviews.
Bad form from #AFC after another defeat and an all-round difficult evening.
Where's the captain? Or any of a number of more experienced, international footballers?— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MarkyMBryans) November 29, 2020
With the likes of Granit Xhaka and Willian on the pitch, there are players who have vast experience and it doesn't send a great message out when none of them want to answer questions after a loss.
Willock had another good performance in midfield and is beginning to cement a place in the starting line-up, with Thomas Partey now expected to be ruled out for a further few weeks.
Holding's brilliant riposte
Adama Traore certainly had the better of Arsenal on Sunday night but one man who was clearly frustrated with the Spaniard's playacting was Rob Holding.
Traore had already been booked earlier in the first half for diving to try and win a penalty and he went down easily after a challenge from Holding.
It prompted the England defender to pick up the ball and ask referee Michael Oliver "he's built like a brick s***house, how's he gone down like that?!" just to hammer home the point.
Holding's desire to win and leadership qualities make him stand out from others at the club. An example of his commitment to the cause could be seen when he only had one training session before the win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Against Wolves he didn't put a foot wrong after replacing the injured David Luiz. If more players shared Holding's commitment then perhaps there would be a collective improvement in how the team reacts on the pitch.
