The Premier League is back and, in some senses, we’ve picked up from last season where we left off pre-capitulation, but with some (positive) key differences.
Auba is already back to his scoring ways, youngsters have been given minutes largely with thanks to injuries, and for large parts of the game we struggled to create chances and were guilty of being a little too pedestrian. However, we found a way to win and, I can safely say now the game is over, we looked like a solid, cohesive, defensive unit: two things Arsenal have been severely criticised of lacking in recent years.
The first half though was an even and cagey affair. The game struggled to get going though there were some half chances for either side. Jonjo Shelvey hit the outside of the post from an awkward half volley plus Leno came out to make a smart save denying Joelington a debut goal in front of his new home crowd. From an Arsenal perspective, Mkhitaryan blazed the best chance of the half into row Z when it looked rather a lot easier to score, and a well struck Aubameyang volley forced Dubravka into his only real save of the half.
The second half saw a much-improved, though still far from vintage Arsenal display. The back four remained well drilled and comfortable (though still relatively untested), but the creativity and intensity going forward went up a gear with Willock not far away from turning in a dangerous flick on from a corner.
The goal came just before the hour mark, Maitland-Niles was quick to beat Willems to a loose pass and drove forward with purpose before whipping a perfectly weighted ball around the back-tracking Newcastle back four, Auba took one touch to set himself before a cute dinked finish over the on-rushing Dubravka. The moment of brilliance we needed just at the right time.
All in all, this was a performance that very much felt like the building blocks of our season: getting the basics right defensively, not being bullied, eradicate the soft underbelly, then do our thing going forward with some structure that doesn’t see us get exposed so easily going the other way. It worked well and was a very promising start with a weakened side, but harder tests will come and soon, Emery will be hoping to build on this and incorporate the star players into the same mould.
Player Ratings:
Emery – 9
Emery often came under criticism last season for his team selections, particularly in the first half of the season when we were one of only two teams to never be leading at half time. However today given the constraints of a number of senior players out and new players to bed into the squad, he picked and set up a side that managed to look comfortable against a team that are usually difficult to go to. The substitutions in the second half were sensible and made at the right time, Nelson and Willock being replaced as their levels began to drop and three new signings managed to get Premier League minutes under their belt.
Bernd Leno – 7
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 9 (MOTM)
Calum Chambers – 7
Sokratis – 7
Nacho Monreal – 6.5
Matteo Guendouzi – 8
Granit Xhaka – 6
Henrikh Mhkitaryan – 6
Joe Willock – 7.5
Reiss Nelson – 6.5
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 8
Subs
Dani Ceballos – 6
Nicolas Pepe – 7
Gabriel Martinelli – (N/A)
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