Patchy Arsenal Display Enough To Overcome Rapid In Vienna

Rapid Vienna 1 Arsenal 2
Europa League Matchday One
Thursday 22nd October 2020  6.55pm (Local time)

What was this? Fans? In the stadium? Making actual noise? Will it ever catch on, I wonder? 3,000 were allowed in – definitely on one side of the pitch, but from shots of the stand where the dugouts were, I got the impression there were some there too. So… time for England to join the party and start to re-integrate actual physical supporters in the stadium. Temperature checks, social bubbles, face masks, distancing etc. For Europa League it would be easy to select the chosen few. Just take the last six home group matches in this competition and everyone who attended all of those games can come for the first ‘test’ fixture. That would get the crowd down to about 3,000 by my reckoning. 

Anyway, it was classic group stage fare. A mix and match team from Arteta, although a strong bench as insurance, which proved a necessity in the end, with the luxury of five subs allowed (unlike the three in the Premier League). I have to say that the extra subs favour bigger teams more, but that’s how football has developed generally over the last 30 years or so. Hence financial fair play rules exist, but the likes of Manchester City can ride roughshod over them. 

Perhaps the greatest entertainment in what was a game of limited drama was Mesut Ozil’s tweeting before and during the match. The man is seriously bored. To think, there was a time when he resented being selected in the squad for Europa League away games. In fact, only the return of Mesut on the pitch could have outshone the obvious star of this group stage opener. The Czech referee was absolutely adamant that he was going to be front and centre of this match. Hence the flurry of yellow cards, and soft fouls awarded. 

Bernd Leno reminded me of Claudio Bravo in Pep’s opening season at Manchester City. Joe Hart had been dispensed with due to his inability with his feet, so Bravo was secured, and didn’t prove capable enough at the passing game, which led to the purchase of Ederson a year later. Leno did pull off a couple of saves to compensate – Rapid could have scored a couple of times before the interval, posing greater threat than Arsenal in spite of enjoying lesser possession.

Overall, there was a lack of fluidity and guile to Arsenal’s play. Much of the time, it was solid and unspectacular, Partey and Gabriel probably the standout performers, making the last transfer window feel like a success up to now. Willian was left at home, rested I imagine, the thought being the team would have enough to win this fixture without him – on paper the most difficult in the six group games. In the end, they did, but only after the introduction of Aubameyang and Bellerin with their team behind, as Soares and Nketiah were removed, failing to have made the impact required. Soares was a decent player at Southampton, but there have to be question marks over what he can consistently offer. We’ve seen flashes of the reason he was given a contract, but more ‘meh’ displays than I’d like. Right back has become a problem area, with Bellerin good going forward, but no Lee Dixon when the opposition have the ball. 

Before the subs, the hosts had taken the lead thanks to a howler from Leno, misplacing a pass from inside his own six yard box and what followed was inevitable. You rarely get away with giving the ball away like that so close to your own goal. It wasn’t pretty viewing, but Rapid had competed and were arguably worth it.

There was a good response - the goals both well worked. A decent free kick from Pepe was headed home by Luiz with authority, and not too long afterwards, Elneny played a peach of a pass to Bellerin to tee up Aubameyang. It was a case of job done, get on the plane and consign this one to the memory. European football is often like this – even with a full strength team. Not losing is the first objective and that influences the amount of risk taking until a goal opens games up. With half the first team on the bench, and unfamiliar partnerships, you add a lack of understanding, confidence and sharpness into the mix.

Ultimately though, the manager wants to give game time to his backup options, secure the points to progress and learn something about those players he might need to call on if the form of the first picks declines or injury strikes. Nketiah has been given chances, but the jury is still out on how good he could be. Elneny is enjoying something of a renaissance under Arteta. Soares could turn out to be a mistake. Pepe is getting plenty of chances and does just enough to make you think he is worth a gamble sometimes, although his return needs to get something approaching a goal or assist per match started. 

Winning is a nice habit, and I suspect the matches against Molde and Dundalk will be easier watches, as surely Rapid will be the other club to progress from this group. But the weekend matches are the ones that really matter. Leicester, Manchester United and (maximum points!) Villa lay ahead. Arsenal will need to play better on Sunday evening, and surely will. It’s going to be interesting to see who starts in midfield. My prediction is Partey on the bench and rotation. 

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