Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger’s thoughts | Credits: The Sun
Nothing like an emphatic win… Granted, it was against a Championship side who have conceded a bucketful of goals this season already, but one would be forgiven for not being able to shake the jitters that Arsenal may find a way to make life complicated. With eleven changes in our starting lineup and no discernible quality on the bench, the onus was very much on the mishmash of youth and experience on the field to secure a place in the round of 16. It wasn’t the toughest task they’d face, but what with Sheffield Wednesday teaching us last year that these fixtures are not to be taken frivolously, we had to remain focused.
And focused we were. I didn’t watch the match, but possession stats and shots on target (not to mention the final scoreline) suggests we were very, very comfortable.
Lucas Perez made a case for himself… After being given the start he wanted, his two goals were typical of why we’ve paid €17m for his services. The first, an assured penalty tucked far away from the goalkeeper’s reach, will doubtless appease supporters somewhat concerned by the lack of reliable spot-kick takers in the squad.
The second, however, was certainly the kind of goal we’ve wanted a striker to score. The way he closed down on the opposing defender, poked the ball beyond the keeper and just about tapped it into the empty net was met with much euphoria was partly because we have seen Arsenal score too few goals like those.
It seems clear that Arsène Wenger is trying to mould Alexis Sánchez into an Aguero-esque striker and evolve from the Olivier Giroud phase. It’s an ambitious project, and while I feel its end result could be much more fruitful than persisting with Giroud, I do believe we’re better served with Sánchez on the flanks. Arsenal lack good wingers and playing Alexis there remedies that problem to a large extent. If the plan is to make Alexis into a striker, he should have been bed into that position right from pre-season, not two weeks after the conclusion of the transfer window.
Lucas Perez deserves a chance there now. I take the point that he was largely anonymous against Southampton and the old “It’s only Nottingham Forest” argument, but Alexis himself doesn’t seem to be thriving as of now. Perez, in the two goals he scored, made the best case possible to warrant a start in the games to follow. Wenger is known for taking chances – heck, he’s taking a chance by playing Alexis as the lone frontman – so perhaps it’s the right opportunity to gamble on Perez’s talents by giving him a run of games in competitions which actually matter.
Xhaka-Elneny is something we should see more often… With Aaron Ramsey injured, Granit Xhaka paired with Mohammed Elneny and, needless to say, were pivotal in keeping our play ticking (again, this is word-of-mouth). If so, it was a far cry from the limitations Coquelin and Cazorla have been showing in recent weeks.
On paper, they certainly appear to complement each other. Xhaka’s long passing is his attacking strength, and so are Elneny’s shorter passes. The Egyptian adopts a cagier, more cautious method of winning the ball back, as opposed to Xhaka’s instinctual lunges. They are both box-to-box to a degree, and dynamic enough to birth a double pivot at the base of midfield.
I’m a huge fan of Santi, but as time passes, I worry that he may not have the legs for the game anymore. Coquelin is almost a polar opposite of a case – a player who definitely possesses the stamina to last 90 minutes, but one whose skill-set is becoming increasingly obsolete for Arsenal’s liking. It’s obvious that Arsenal’s attacking buildup play has been a bit sluggish, and maybe the Xhaka-Elneny axis could be the solution.
Also, what about that goal. Absolute bananas.
Oxlade-Chamberlain needed that… Time will tell if his goal will be anything of a turning point, but my God did he need that. Apparently the Englishman was struggling to get into the game in the first half, but made his presence known in the second. He was impressive in the second half and with his late goal, ensured he added some end product in the form of a late goal, something he knows is sorely lacking in his game.
It’s hugely important that the Ox goes from strength to strength in every game, and today was a necessary step in that direction. Arsenal don’t have the best wingers at the moment, and the door is pretty much open for him to step up to the mantle and give Wenger serious food for thought. Good to see him do that.
Others acquitted themselves well… Aside from Perez and Oxlade-Chamberlain, it was good to hear that other Arsenal players also didn’t disappoint. With Mathieu Debuchy probably buried under the Eiffel Tower, Maitland-Niles gave a good account of himself. Kieran Gibbs wasn’t shaky, the Xhaka-Elneny axis was obviously a treat, and even Jeff Reine-Adelaide had a solid game in the Ozil role.
Needless to say, these are the benefits of competition. Survival of the fittest ensures that players will perform at their best to push themselves into the manager’s thinking. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but an atmosphere like that seemed healthy for the professional development of our footballers.
It’s Chelsea next… It’s worth noting that Antonio Conte played big guns like Cesc Fabregas, Cesar Azpilicueta and Pedro, which means them playing extra time against Leicester City may just give us the edge we need in this London Derby. Knowing Conte, he’ll have some voodoo training trick up his sleeve to make life difficult for us, but this match is definitely not an impossible one for us to win.
We certainly are getting into gear. After a terrible defensive display against Liverpool and a dire draw at King’s Power Stadium, we have achieved fairly positive results from every game to follow. There are more than understandable question marks on our performances, but the mood around the Arsenal camp bodes well for Saturday night. We may win, we may lose, but at least we’ve put ourselves in a good place before the ball has been kicked.
-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]
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