Just started watching and keeping up with arsenal this season. What is with them and always scoring late game? They do it pretty often. Did it against City, Brentford, Chelsea, United (twice). Is there a reason for this? They look like an entirely different team once the 80th minute hits.
My theory is that Defending is more stressful and tiring than a possession based offense. It requires more running and more focus. Both of which get harder to do the more tired you get.
As a result they might not close down Saka quick enough so that he can get his cross off, or They just loose track of Rice on the back post and he gets a quick shot.
Another thing to think about is that a lot of teams go even more defensive in the last 15 twenty minutes of a game trying to hold a result. It means that the offensive team as a lot more chances, because the defensive team isn’t competing for possession.