Posted by The Team
The standard 4-2-3-1, this time with Willock as the #10, at least until halftime.
When Arsenal started adding attackers, Saka moved into the #10 role with Lacazette as the #9 and Aubameyang/Martinelli on the wings. None of it really worked. But we’ll get to that.
| First Half | ||||
| Time | Primary Player | Attack/Defense | Formation | Score |
| 0:02 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Off the kickoff Luiz (-1) plays deep, but misses everyone straight out of bounds. | ||||
| 0:23 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield throw the ball in down the line, but Xhaka (+0.5) snaps up the loose ball for Arsenal. | ||||
| 1:10 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Under no real pressure, Chambers (-1) passes down the line to no one. On second view, he didn’t even look. Woof. | ||||
| 1:58 | Aubameyang | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield take the corner short before sending into the box, but Aubameyang (+0.5) is well-positioned to clear. | ||||
| 2:29 | Pépé | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Pépé (-1) completely loses Stevens after the throw in, allowing him to get to the endline for a cutback. Chambers (+0.5) steps up to block while Guendouzi goes in on Pépé. | ||||
| 2:50 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Chambers (+0.5) rises to clear the corner. | ||||
| 3:14 | Willock | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| O’Connell pushes forward from his centerback spot and winds up to cross. Willock (+0.5) gets a foot onto it, then Xhaka (+0.5) calmly passes back to Chambers who smashes clear. | ||||
| 3:31 | Kolasinac | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Kolasinac (-1) takes two fateful steps upfield, allowing Baldock to race behind. His cross finds McGoldrick, a bit unexpectedly, and a a result bounces off his shinguard out of bounds. Sokratis (-0.5) and Luiz (-0.5) get dinged for poor marking. | ||||
| 3:51 | Kolasinac | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Less than five minutes into the game and Arsenal can’t get out. Leno plays the goal kick short to Luiz, who passes to Kolasinac (-1). Saka (+0.5) initially doesn’t drop deep enough to help, but works hard to win the ball back and tap to Xhaka. | ||||
| 4:11 | Pépé | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Chambers (+1) releases Pépé (+1) down the right channel. He catches up to the ball and crosses first time to Aubameyang, but just out of reach. | ||||
| 4:20 | Kolasinac | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield try to play out but Kolasinac (+1) bull-in-a-china-shops that idea to hell. He doesn’t actually get a foot on the ball, but his aggressiveness panicks the backline into hurrying their passes. Saka (+1) picks up the ball and threads it through to Willock, who tries to cut back but has the ball knocked out for a corner. | ||||
| 5:44 | Sokratis | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Three successive corners. The final one is sent marginally behind Sokratis by Pépé (+0.5) because Sokratis is being dragged back. Blatant shirt pull goes uncalled. | ||||
| 5:55 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield try to counter quickly, but Guendouzi (+1) stops that in its tracks with a sliding tackle. | ||||
| 7:49 | Chambers | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| A series of volleyball passes starts with a hopeful Chambers (-0.5) pass but ends with Sokratis (+1) grown-manning two Sheffield attackers. | ||||
| 9:06 | Kolasinac | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Leno plays the ball on a rope to Kolasinac (-1), who heads straight out of bounds then gives Leno the thumbs-up. | ||||
| 10:27 | Xhaka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| The ball bounces around for nearly a minute before Xhaka (-1) attempts a 40 yard pass over the top to Aubameyang that misses behind him by nearly that distance. | ||||
| 11:14 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Arsenal press well through Pépé and Guendouzi (+0.5), who force the errant pass that Chambers (+0.5) intercepts. | ||||
| 12:06 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Luiz (+1) plays the ball from just inside the attacking half into the Sheffield box. Chambers (-0.5) gets a head to the ball, but opts to go for goal instead of across the face of it, and Henderson collects off the bounce. | ||||
| 12:46 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Luiz (-1) passes too heavy for Sokratis with both inside their own box. Throw in to Sheffield. | ||||
| 13:16 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Chambers (+0.5) deals with a tricky throw by knocking out for a corner. Xhaka (+0.5) wins the ensuing header. | ||||
| 13:52 | Leno | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Leno (+0.5) claims the Stevens cross. | ||||
| 15:40 | Aubameyang | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Guendouzi (+0.5) splits the lines with a pass into Willock (+0.5), who plays into Aubameyang (-1). He dummies the ball to where he thinks Pépé is, but instead the ball goes to O’Connell and Sheffield release pressure. | ||||
| 16:27 | Saka | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Basham skins Saka (-1) down the right before laying off to Baldock. He crosses, but Luiz (+0.5) is there to head clear. Willock (+1) bodies off his man to release Pépé, who passes to Saka, but Sheffield have recovered well and Arsenal turn back. | ||||
| 17:25 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Guendouzi (+1) draws the Sheffield midfield in before chipping the ball out to Kolasinac down the left. He can’t get beyond Baldock, who slides in and knocks the ball out for a throw. | ||||
| 17:59 | Saka | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Luiz (+0.5) splits three defenders with a pass into Saka (-1), but he’s not strong enough to hold off the defender and turns it over. Pépé (+1) races in to nick the ball back, but Guendouzi (-1) gives it right back by passing straight to O’Connell. | ||||
| 18:28 | Guendouzi | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield panic-clear the ball to Guendouzi (-1), who gets caught between bounces and heads Xhaka (-0.5) into trouble. Xhaka could play back to Guendouzi, but instead tries to send into Saka; it doesn’t get there. | ||||
| 19:03 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield get fortunate with a bounce off Chambers (-0.5) that goes into Mousset. He leads McGoldrick, who gets the better of Sokratis (-1), but Luiz (+0.5) blocks the cross. | ||||
| 19:18 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Arsenal are a mess. Chambers (-1) doesn’t get enough distance on his clearance allowing Sheffield to come again. Gunedouzi steps to apply pressure on Stevens on the wing, then inexplicably leaves him free to run into the box. Xhaka (-1/-1) fails to cover Guendouzi at the base of midfield, so Fleck can receive and turn before Sokratis (-0.5) steps out on him. McGoldrick’s cross finds its way into Mousset because Xhaka fails to position himself properly, but the ball gets there too quickly and Mousset can’t react quickly enough. Luiz kicks out for a corner. | ||||
| 19:58 | Leno | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Leno (+0.5) punches away the corner. | ||||
| 20:09 | Pépé | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Pépé (+1/-2) with the quick feet to beat two Sheffield players in the Arsenal third, leading to a counter attack at the other end. Willock (+0.5) holds onto the ball long enough to draw the defender in, then plays down Kolasinac (+2) down the line. His cross is on a plate for Pépé, but he whiffs the sitter. | ||||
| 21:08 | Xhaka | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| The camera comes back late so we can’t see the build up, but we can see Guendouzi heading back to Xhaka (-1/-1). His first time pass into Willock has no chance, then he compounds the error by diving around Mousset, getting turned in the process and allowing Sheffield to break. McGoldrick tries to push and run past Sokratis (+1), but he’s too quick and gets there first. | ||||
| 22:04 | Sokratis | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sokratis (+0.5) clears the cross, then Xhaka (-1) bundles over Norwood needlessly. Chambers (+0.5) clears the free kick for a corner. | ||||
| 23:21 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sheffield again take the corner short before swinging the ball into the box. Xhaka (+0.5) kicks out for a throw. | ||||
| 23:44 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Arsenal have had the best chance, but Sheffield have been on the front foot for most of the first half. They nearly get in again here after three 50/50 balls all fall their way. Xhaka (-0.5) finally gets a foot onto the ball but knocks it into O’Connell’s path. Sokratis (+0.5) blocks the cross. | ||||
| 24:19 | Pépé | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Pépé (+1/+1) wins the ball back off Fleck, then beats three players to get the ball to Xhaka (-0.5). He passes right back into pressure instead of opening up the game though, and Willock is forced to clear to no one. | ||||
| 24:40 | Willock | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Willock (+1) snaps the tackle in to win the ball off Stevens. | ||||
| 25:24 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Arsenal cross midfield for the first time in nearly five minutes, but Chambers (-1) overhits his pass to Aubameyang. | ||||
| 26:51 | Kolasinac | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Kolasinac (-1) gets tired of Arsenal passing around the back and goes long for Willock. Wildly inaccurate. | ||||
| 27:06 | Sokratis | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Sokratis (+1) gets the better of Mousset, knocking the ball to Kolasinac. | ||||
| 27:43 | Kolasinac | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| It takes two tries, but Kolasinac (+0.5) is able to clear the Sheffield cross. Willock heads to Saka (-1), but he lets the ball bounce and it doesn’t fall in time for him to get a touch before it bounces out of bounds. | ||||
| 29:12 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Guendouzi (-0.5) is working hard, bless him, but he can’t figure out whether to cover McGoldrick or Stevens. He does neither. Mousset gets a step on Luiz (-0.5/+0.5) and flicks back to Fleck, but Chambers (+0.5) blocks the cross. Stevens gets a second crack that Luiz knocks out for a corner. | ||||
| 29:48 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-0 |
| Arsenal opt to leave Mousset uncovered inside the six and are rightly punished for it. Chambers (-2) loses O’Connell, who heads to the uncovered Mousset, who taps in for 1-0. Xhaka (-0.5) and Kolasinac (-0.5) don’t cover themselves in glory either. | ||||
| 31:00 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (-1) hits long to no one. | ||||
| 31:09 | Pépé | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Pépé (+1) tracks back well to win the ball off Fleck. | ||||
| 32:54 | Kolasinac | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Kolasinac (-1/+0.5) misjudges the goal kick and gets caught under the ball, but recovers to step in front of the pass down the channel. | ||||
| 33:01 | Saka | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Xhaka fizzes the ball into Saka (-1) who can’t control it and turns over. Sheffield break quickly into the box but Kolasinac (+1) puts his body in the way (hard) to prevent the chance. | ||||
| 33:16 | Guendouzi | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (+0.5/+1) and Guendouzi (+0.5) combine to nick the ball off Stevens, then Chambers threads the ball into Aubameyang. His shot is blocked out for a corner. | ||||
| 34:02 | Xhaka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal run a short corner: Pépé into Xhaka, who’s flick on to Aubameyang is well read by Sheffield. Saka (+1) steps in front to stop the counter and send Arsenal back on the attack. He combines with Kolasinac inside the box, then gets booked for diving. | ||||
| 36:07 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Henderson’s goal kick goes three-quarters of the field and somehow bounces between Xhaka (-0.5) and Guendouzi (-0.5) before Sokratis (+0.5) clears. | ||||
| 37:21 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Luiz (+0.5) scoops a 30 yard pass just behind Aubameyang, forcing him to contort his body and lose out to Henderson. | ||||
| 37:46 | Saka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Saka’s (-0.5) turn to misjudge Henderson’s long ball, although take nothing away from Lundstram’s first touch. Sheffield work the ball down the left and cross, but Xhaka (+0.5) heads clear to Pépé. | ||||
| 38:02 | Pépé | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Pépé (+1) beats two players on the edge of his own box before being fouled. Advantage. Aubameyang carries the ball the length of the field before earning a throw in. Arsenal manage to turn possession on the edge of the Sheffield box into a close call inside their own, with Leno (-1) putting Xhaka into pressure. | ||||
| 40:11 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (-1) gets himself into trouble by over-dribbling, then commits the foul. | ||||
| 40:57 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Henderson hits deep to McGoldrick, but this time Chambers (+1) stands tall and shields out for an Arsenal goal kick. | ||||
| 41:43 | Kolasinac | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Kolasinac (+1) curls a ball down the line for Saka, but the ball hops up on him and he can’t control it in stride. | ||||
| 41:56 | Luiz | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Mousset nearly gets the better of three Arsenal defenders, but Luiz (+1) puts the tackle in to win the ball back. | ||||
| 43:01 | Aubameyang | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Aubameyang (+1) chips the ball to Saka inside the Sheffield box, and Arsenal earn a corner out of it. | ||||
| 43:42 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Sheffield win the corner and look to counter, but Guendouzi (+1) gets the better of Mousset. | ||||
| 44:27 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal possess the ball for nearly a minute in their own half before Guendouzi (-1) gets impatient and hits deep for Pépé and has it intercepted. | ||||
| 44:43 | Pépé | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Pépé (-1) gets to a bouncing ball first, but mis-times his touch and turns it over. | ||||
| 44:52 | Pépé | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Xhaka passes to Pépé (+1), who nutmegs Lundstram. He drives towards goal combining first with Aubameyang, and then with Chambers. Chambers’ cross is blocked, but right into Xhaka’s (+2) path. He smashes a shot from 40 yards, forcing a terrific save by Henderson. | ||||
| 45:46 | Xhaka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Pépé hits the corner near post where Xhaka’s (+1) flick on nearly goes into the goal. | ||||
| 46:30 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Xhaka (+1) goes up strongly to win Henderson’s goal kick, then muscles Lundstram off the ball to keep possession. | ||||
| 2nd Half | ||||
| Time | Primary Player | Attack/Defense | Formation | Score |
| 45:00 | Ceballos | Substitution | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Dani Ceballos comes on for Joe Willock. | ||||
| 45:32 | Pépé | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal work the ball down the right side of the field with Pépé (+0.5) earning a corner kick off O’Connell. | ||||
| 46:04 | Ceballos | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Sheffield clear the corner to Ceballos (-2), whose attempted pass to Pépé instead goes wildly out of bounds. | ||||
| 46:32 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| First Chambers (+0.5), then Guendouzi (+1) overpower Mousset to win the ball. I don’t know how much Chambers knew about it, but results based charting… | ||||
| 46:47 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Two minutes into the half and Arsenal are already getting impatient. Here Luiz (-1) launches deep under no pressure and turns the ball over. | ||||
| 47:59 | Ceballos | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal sustain possession until Ceballos (-1) tries to take two players on near the Sheffield box. He beats the first, but not the second, and the ball is cleared to Mousset. | ||||
| 49:25 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Luiz (-0.5) puts Guendouzi (+1) into pressure, but he does well to knock the ball off McGoldrick out of bounds. | ||||
| 50:26 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal nearly put themselves into trouble playing out from the back, but Luiz (+1) splits three defenders with a pass into Aubameyang to get out. | ||||
| 51:28 | Xhaka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers’ (-0.5) pass is a little loose, but Xhaka (-1) doesn’t recognize the danger and takes the long route to the ball allowing Sheffield to steal. | ||||
| 52:05 | Leno | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Luiz and Basham go up for a 50/50 ball, and it falls to Sokratis. He passes back to Leno (-1), whose pass to Chambers (-0.5) is marginally wide forcing him to stretch. He doesn’t stretch far enough, and the ball bounces out of bounds off him. | ||||
| 52:32 | Kolasinac | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| What on earth is Kolasinac (-2) doing here? He’s in perfect position to defend Mousset then inexplicably steps up as if he’s trying to catch him offside. Only the ball is well off Fleck’s foot, so Mousset is all alone in front of Leno. He miscontrols and the ball bounces off his hand to let Kolasinac off the hook. | ||||
| 53:20 | Aubameyang | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers tries a give and go with Aubameyang (-1), but Aubameyang doesn’t put enough on his return pass and turns it over. Sokratis (+0.5) wins the release pass. | ||||
| 56:24 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| This clip went around Twitter in the aftermath of the game. Arsenal pass the ball from defender to defender (and Leno) without doing much of anything with it, until Chambers (-1) lets the ball roll under his foot and then hopelessly smashes it forward straight to Norwood. | ||||
| 56:39 | Sokratis | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| The newly substitued Sharp tries to take Sokratis (+0.5) down the line, but he tackles out of bounds. On the ensuing throw in it’s Chambers’ (+0.5) turn to stand Sharp up. Even better, he’s able to get out of the way when Sharp tries to kick it off him for a corner, and instead earns earns a goal kick. | ||||
| 57:18 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (-1) tries a chip pass to Pépé or Guendouzi (I’m not sure which) that instead goes straight out of bounds. | ||||
| 57:54 | Ceballos | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Ceballos (-1) loses Sharp in midfield, allowing him to find Baldock on the opposite side of the field, but his shot goes well wide. | ||||
| 58:34 | Ceballos | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Aubameyang (+1) squeezes the ball into Saka (+1) inside the box, who turns and crosses to Ceballos. His volley is blocked and rolls weakly into Henderson. | ||||
| 59:06 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Xhaka (+1) fights off Sharp to win Henderson’s punt out of the air, then plays wide to Chambers. | ||||
| 59:14 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (+1) plays Pépe´(+1) around the corner, then he crosses to Guendouzi. But Sheffield recover well and after a Kolasinac cross gets blocked, Arsenal reset. | ||||
| 59:47 | Ceballos | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Ceballos (-1) crosses to no one. | ||||
| 60:34 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (-1) fails to sag on Lundstram, and Sokratis (-1) doesn’t step. The result is space to receive the ball and lay off to Fleck, who shoots just wide. | ||||
| 61:08 | Leno | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Leno (-1) hits the goal kick long, but over Chambers and out of bounds. | ||||
| 61:42 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (-0.5) and Kolasinac (-0.5) step to the same ball, then both leave Lundstram free on the wing to cross. He does, but Sokratis (+0.5) clears. | ||||
| 64:31 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Grasping at straws for chartable events. Here’s one, I guess. Guendouzi (+1) threads a pass into Pépé inside the box, but the Sheffield defense closes well and clears out for a corner. | ||||
| 65:11 | Pépé | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Pépé (+0.5) tries to take the game over, using Xhaka to get beyond three Sheffield defenders before taking a heavy touch and losing it. Luiz (+0.5) stops the counter. | ||||
| 66:16 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (-1) tries an ill-fated pass into Saka that doesn’t get there. | ||||
| 66:31 | Xhaka | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Xhaka (-1) is still talking to Mike Dean instead of marking Fleck, who receives the ball and shoots a rocket at Leno (-0.5) that he spills but eventually collects. | ||||
| 67:04 | Saka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| We come back from the replay late, but in time to see Saka (-1) dribble himself into no-man’s land inside the Sheffield box and lose it. | ||||
| 67:20 | Pépé | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers’ cross is cleared, but Pépé (+0.5) outjumps Norwood to head back to Guendouzi. | ||||
| 67:50 | Lacazette | Substitution | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Alexandre Lacazette on for Xhaka. Saka now playing as the #10. | ||||
| 68:26 | Aubameyang | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Aubameyang (+1) blocks the Sheffield clearance, with the ball falling to Lacazette (-0.5/-1). He tries but fails to hold off two defenders and the ball is cleared to midfield. Arsenal come again, but Lacazette takes a heavy touch and loses the ball once and for all. | ||||
| 69:07 | Saka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Pépé plays the ball into Saka (+1), who goes 1v5 and comes out with the ball inside the Sheffield box. He crosses to Pépé but Sheffield head out for a corner. | ||||
| 70:01 | Ceballos | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal struggle to play 2v3 in the middle, with Guendouzi forced to play 1v2. McGoldrick skates past him then passes to Baldock, but offside. | ||||
| 70:46 | Aubameyang | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Aubameyang (+0.5) turns two Sheffield players on the edge of the Sheffield third, then gives and goes with Kolasinac. | ||||
| 71:02 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi and Pépé combine to enter the Sheffield box, but Basham tackles before he can get a shot off. Aubameyang (+1) then passes between four defenders into Lacazette (-1), but he can’t hold them off and loses the ball. | ||||
| 71:29 | Lacazette | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| It’s tough to ding Lacazette (-0.5) here, but I’m going to anyway. His attempted lay off for Saka (-0.5) is just out of reach. Saka could probably get there, but doesn’t read the trajectory of the ball. | ||||
| 71:34 | Lacazette | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Undeterred, Lacazette (+1/+1) tracks back to win the ball, then beats clipped by McGoldrick to earn a free kick in a dangerous area. Pépé’s (+1) shot is saved by Henderson. | ||||
| 73:30 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (+1) plays the ball over the top into Lacazette, who has the ball bounce off his knee before picking up the loose ball. He passes to Pépé, who shoots barely wide. | ||||
| 74:28 | Ceballos | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Sharp holds off Sokratis but not Ceballos (+1/+1), who tackles, wins the ball, then sends Aubameyang on the break. He dribbles inside before passing to Pépé, whose cross is collected by Henderson. | ||||
| 75:22 | Ceballos | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Ceballos’ (-1) pass for Pépé misses, but Sheffield give it right back to Chambers (+0.5). | ||||
| 75:39 | Guendouzi | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (-1) gets the ball stuck under his feet and passes right to Basham. Kolasinac (-1) tries to win the ball back immediately, and instead just runs himself out of the play. Baldock crosses to Sharp, who lays off to Norwood, who shoots wide and high. | ||||
| 76:25 | Saka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Ceballos (+1) splits the lines with a pass into Saka (+0.5), then Saka drives at the Sheffield defense. He gets to the edge of the box before being turned back. The ball eventually makes its way to Chambers (+1/-1) on the wing, who plays a 1-2 with Ceballos, but his offensive deficienies are laid out for all to see and he gets the ball caught under his feet. | ||||
| 77:05 | Martinelli | Substitution | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Gabriel Martinelli on for Pépé. | ||||
| 78:38 | Aubameyang | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Aubameyang (-1) crosses to no one except Baldock, who chests back to Henderson. | ||||
| 79:30 | Kolasinac | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (+1) crosses to the back post for Kolasinac (-0.5), but he can’t keep his header down. | ||||
| 80:38 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (+1) chips into Lacazette as Arsenal chase the game. Lacazette earns a throw in the Sheffield third, but nothing more. | ||||
| 81:15 | Guendouzi | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (-1) presses on Fleck but gets no help from his defenders. The result is Fleck juggling over him and carrying the ball into the Arsenal half. Chambers (+1) recovers well to earn an Arsenal throw. | ||||
| 81:51 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (+1) receives the ball from Martinelli and beats two Sheffield defenders down the left to earn a corner. | ||||
| 83:54 | Aubameyang | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal desperately trying to find a way through the Sheffield defense. Luiz (+1) finally does with a pass into Aubameyang, but his lay off is inches to far for Lacazette. | ||||
| 85:14 | Sokratis | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Sheffield still pressing up a goal in the 86th minute. You love to see it. Their press forces a poor clearance from Sokratis (-1). | ||||
| 85:24 | Chambers | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Freeman gets the better of Ceballos (-1), who loses his shoe in the process, and Chambers (-1) who gets drawn in by Freeman going to ground. Instead the ball is played to McBurnie and Sokratis (-1) cleans him out for a yellow card. | ||||
| 86:14 | Luiz | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Luiz (+0.5) wins the free kick, the Ceballos (-1) lets the ball bounce four times and over the line before clearing. He doesn’t connect in time. Corner. | ||||
| 87:48 | Martinelli | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Luiz (-1) nearly kicks the ball straight out of bounds, but Martinelli (+1) acrobatically saves it to Lacazette and Arsenal keep possession. | ||||
| 88:01 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers gets on the end of a Kolasinac (+1) cross, but his shot is blocked out for a corner. | ||||
| 88:48 | Guendouzi | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| There’s a minute left in regulation so you can’t blame Guendouzi (-1) for trying to make something happen. Here he dribbles himself into pressure just across midfield and loses the ball out of bounds. | ||||
| 89:14 | Martinelli | Defense | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Martinelli (+1) wins the throw in, getting fouled in the process. | ||||
| 89:29 | Luiz | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Luiz (+1) steps into midfield and sprays a ball to Kolasinac, who drops it to Guendouzi (-1). His entry pass to Martinelli is wide of the mark and Sheffield clear. | ||||
| 90:04 | Lacazette | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Ceballos (+1) with the great pass into Lacazette (+0.5), who earns a corner kick down the left side. | ||||
| 90:57 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Aubameyang plays into Chambers (-1), who isn’t ready for the ball and can only kick the ball aimlessly infield. | ||||
| 91:45 | Chambers | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Guendouzi (+1) passes across field to Chambers (-1), who mis-hits his cross. | ||||
| 92:08 | Chambers | Transition | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Chambers (+1) reads the pass as Sheffield try to kill the game, then Guendouzi (+1) dribbles out of pressure beyond two defenders. | ||||
| 92:29 | Martinelli | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Arsenal work the ball down the left, but Martinelli’s (-1) cross is blocked, and he commits the foul on the rebound to waste another 45 seconds. | ||||
| 93:30 | Saka | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Sokratis passes to Saka (-1), whose layoff goes out of bounds. | ||||
| 94:09 | Lacazette | Attack | 4-2-3-1 | 0-1 |
| Terrific hold up play from Lacazette (+1) to allow Arsenal to advance the ball with under a minute to go, but Martinelli’s last gasp take on gets cleared off Kolasinac, and time runs out on the Arsenal. | ||||
Arsenal have played nine Premier League games, and haven’t played well in any of them. It’s a minor miracle that they’re still fifth.
Unai Emery certainly isn’t blameless, but at some point the players on the field have to take some ownership over their performances. Take the Sheffield United goal on Monday:
The ball goes out of play at 29:23, and isn’t served in for 25 seconds, more than enough time for Leno, Luiz, or the captain of the entire club to organize a defense. Instead, they set up this way:
Forget Chambers losing O’Connell at the back post; the goal scorer (Mousset) is literally uncovered inside the six yard box. What did they think was going to happen?
Here’s another example, from the 88th minute of the game:
For 26 seconds, in a game that they’re losing with less than three minutes left of normal time, Arsenal fail to advance the ball into midfield, let alone the Sheffield end.
Is that the managers fault? Or can 11 professional footballers work out for themselves that they need to carry the ball forward in order to score a goal? You’d hope the latter.
Chart
Pépé’s +7.5 led the way, but the next highest scorer (Joe Willock) didn’t even see the field in the second half. Arsenal won’t win many games with an overall negative output from their midfield.
On the back line, Kolasinac got the start over Kieran Tierney because he “hadn’t done anything to lose his place,” despite putting up negative OPR™ points in the previous three Premier League games, and a -2 season score.
🤷♂️
What does it mean for Crystal Palace?
Jose Mourinho was in attendance for Thursday’s Europa League match…
…and while I can’t imagine him taking over, Arsenal’s performances through the opening three months of the season have to be giving Sanllehi cause for concern.
Nicolas Pépé’s solid performance in this one was followed by a Man of the Match one on Thursday, and he’ll face off against Arsenal’s original summer link, Wilfried Zaha. There’s no doubt his ceiling is higher than Zaha’s. He’ll be looking to prove it on Sunday.
Tierney’s lack of inclusion (and subsequent inclusion against Vitoria likely means he’ll miss Crystal Palace. I wish he wouldn’t, because his Europa League performances have been a significant upgrade on Kolasinac.
The same can be said for Bellerin. And Holding. And Torreira. If I’m honest, I’d rather start the Europa League team than the one that’s been getting the majority of Premier League minutes.
Prediction: Arsenal 1 – 1 Crystal Palace