Posted by Like for like subs for Kolasinac and Pépé, but Guendouzi’s introduction for Lacazette saw Arsenal shift to a 4-3-3, with Ozil (!) as the CF:
The Game
Player Ratings
Bernd Leno [-1 Att|+6 Def|+5 Ovr|90 mins]
He had a nightmare against Chelsea, so it was nice to see him return to positive numbers, and reassuring that he seemed to show no ill affects from his whiff a few days prior:
He’s still struggling with his distribution, and for as good as he is as a shot stopper, I wonder if Arsenal won’t look to upgrade in the summer:
There’s 20 seconds left in the half, and he’s trying an 30-yard, left-foot pass to Aubameyang, who’s got a five foot window between two United defenders. Even on his best day this isn’t a pass he should be attempting. Just smash it deep.
Sead Kolasinac [-1 Att|-2 Def|-3 Ovr|67 mins]
He was -5 within the first two minutes. This was the worst of it:
It got better from there: He was +2 the rest of the way, with some really positive offensive contributions. This was my favorite:
He probably wasn’t fit to play, but took one for the team and did so anyways. I have no issue with his performance.
David Luiz [+2 Att|+10 Def|+12 Ovr|90 mins]
Plus 12, and he was every bit as good as his score indicates. He’s been doing this all year:
But he was just as impressive defensively against United:
This is everything you want in a central defender: Recognition, athleticism, technique, and a calm demeanor to knock back to Leno.
He didn’t earn a negative defensive score for the entire game. He was terrific.
Sokratis [+4 Att|+3 Def|+7 Ovr|90 mins]
Up and down. He’s good when he’s able to line attackers up:
Against United, that happened a lot; he picked up 11 positive defensive contributions.
But opponents are able to exploit his lack of positional awareness to create scoring chances. United didn’t create many, but their best of the day was on him:
I don’t even mind him getting spun by Matic—I mean I do, but I understand why he decides to press the ball with it bouncing and Matic facing his own goal.
What I can’t understand is him standing there like a statue while Pereira sits in the hole he’s on the field to block off. If you focus on just him, it looks like the clip is paused. Eek.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles [-11 Att|-1 Def|-12 Ovr|90 mins]
A lot of minuses, including two separate -2 sequences. Here’s the offensive one:
…and here’s one on defense:
He’s knackered in the second one, and has gotten up and down the field over the Christmas period in ways few players across the country have.
Still, Arsenal need their starting right back to put up something more than -11 on offense.
Having Bellerin available to rotate in will be good for everyone involved.
Granit Xhaka [+8 Att|+3 Def|+11 Ovr|90 mins]
For the second consecutive game, he was terrific:
It wasn’t just offensively either. He’s miles better defensively when playing alongside someone in midfield:
United keep possession on this play but it’s still quality from him, and allows the rest of the Arsenal defense to recover.
He does win the ball back for Arsenal on this one, running 30 yards to do so:
I’ve been one of Xhaka’s biggest detractors, but was unexpectedly relieved when Arteta said he was staying. Two games is a small sample size. Promising so far.
Lucas Torreira [+/-0 Att|+7 Def|+7 Ovr|90 mins]
I get so frustrated watching Torreira. What the hell was Emery doing? Pick a defensive sequence in this game, and he was involved. Here are three:
Minute 1:
Minute 28:
Minute 80:
He’s so good at recognizing danger before anyone else, and hurling his body between his man and the ball.
He can also do this offensively:
Maybe that’s why Emery played him higher up the field. Eye roll dot gif.
Mesut Ozil [+5 Att|+3 Def|+8 Ovr|90 mins]
Arteta continues to set up the team around Ozil, and he’s repaying the faith:
Thirty seconds later Arsenal score goal two off the corner that comes from the above.
Just as impressive, he’s tracking back defensively now:
Is it sustainable? It might not be, but for now I’ll enjoy the ride.
Here’s an unpopular opinion though: I still think we should sell him in January if an offer comes in. The recent uptick in performances provides what will likely be the last opportunity to shed his salary from the books, and will allow Arsenal the flexibility to shape the team in Arteta’s mold.
I wouldn’t be heartbroken if he stayed though.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang [+3 Att|+/-0 Def|+3 Ovr|90 mins]
He was more creator than scorer in this one, providing the pass to Kolasinac in the lead up to Arsenal’s first goal, and finding ways to contribute from left wing:
He’s among the top two or three goal scorers in the league, and still defends like this:
Could you imagine Harry Kane or Sergio Aguero doing similar? Me neither.
Nicolas Pépé [+9 Att|+4 Def|+13 Ovr|62 mins]*
Co-MotM and by far his best performance for Arsenal. A positive defensive output!
Everyone’s seen the goal. He also did this:
He had one of his tantalizing beat-two-players-and-then-lose-the-ball runs too:
He’s struggled to adapt to the Premier League, but not against United. I’m not writing him off yet.
Alexandre Lacazette [+5 Att|+8 Def|+13 Ovr|90 mins]*
He’s still not firing in front of goal (the point-blank shot he put out for a throw in was especially poor), but he does so much for the team I don’t think you can take him out. Look at him defend literally the entire United half here:
If Arsenal are going to play the way Arteta wants them to, Lacazette has to be in the team. Aubameyang’s a great goal scorer, but he doesn’t do this:
Lacazette does this 10 times a game.
His +13 saw him tie with Pépé for MotM. The goals will come.
Reiss Nelson [-3 Att|+/-0 Def|-3 Ovr|28 mins]
He came on with 30 minutes to go to help shore up the Gunners defensively. This was not it:
Two -1 sequences within 15 seconds.
He didn’t get on the ball much, but when he did he was wasteful:
Tired legs? Maybe. Not a great day for him.
Bukayo Saka [+/-0 Att|+1 Def|+1 Ovr|23 mins]
Here was his first contribution (😬):
But he ended up positive on the day, mainly because of his defending. Here he is in the 92nd minute, with United setting him up 2v1:
He does brilliantly to delay Pereira AND get back out to Wan-Bissaka then tackles the ball out for an Arsenal goal kick.
I can’t believe he’s 18.
Matteo Guendouzi [-2 Att|-1 Def|-3 Ovr|8 mins]
Three contributions in eight minutes, all negative. This is the 88th minute with Arsenal leading by two goals:
Why? Why dribble back towards your own goal without an idea of what to do with your second touch? He’s lucky that Torreira bails him out.
It’s wild to me that he looked better than Xhaka under Emery. That’s probably more of an indictment on Xhaka (and Emery) than it is a positive of Guendouzi. On current form, he’s third choice CM at best, Ceballos depending.
Full Chart
What does it mean for Crystal Palace?
I’m confident Arsenal win for the first time since September. So knowing Arsenal, they’ll probably give up a last minute winner.
The midfield pairing of Torreira and Xhaka, combined with players actually knowing their responsibilities, has allowed Arsenal to control games offensively while not looking like conceding every time the opponent crossed the half line.
No one wants to say it, but top four isn’t gone yet. Not if Arsenal can continue playing this way. I think they do it to Palace.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 0 – 4 Arsenal