Dominant Gunners Bounce Back To Regain Top Spot

Brentford 0 Arsenal 3 
Premier League 
Sunday 16th September 2022 12pm   

Any remaining ghosts from last season’s corresponding fixture at Brentford were laid to rest by an Arsenal team that dominated the game, and demonstrated nothing in the way of a hangover from the defeat at Old Trafford two weeks before. In between, there was the win against FC Zurich, during which news of the Queen’s death became public, before two matches were postponed, both at home, against Everton and PSV. 

In terms of the Premier League, four times last season, Arsenal failed to recover immediately after suffering defeat, suffering two runs of three consecutive defeats and two of two – accounting for 10 of their 13 league losses. There were questions over the psychological strength of the team, but fortunately, we are not asking them so far in this campaign. 

Two important players were missing due to injury (Odegaard and Zinchenko, with Vieira and Tierney starting instead). On the up side, Thomas Partey returned to first team action, displacing Lokonga. We’ll never know if things could have been different at Old Trafford had Partey not been absent, but the suspicion is that they would. The Ghanaian does a lot of unnoticed work to keep the team moving as well as providing resilience in front of the centre backs. 

Things looked promising very early, with only a slip preventing Martinelli from getting a clear shot on goal that could easily have put his side ahead, as Arsenal carved their way through the home defence. As it was we had to wait until 16 minutes had elapsed before a set piece saw possession dominance turned into a lead. Saka’s corner was flicked on by Saliba, whose effort went in off the post, although goal-line technology meant the linesman didn’t have to make the decision over whether it had crossed the line before the Brentford keeper scooped it out. 

A Gabriel thigh strain was worrying, although with Tomiyasu on the bench, if Arteta felt there was no need to take a chance, he could have played safe. As it was the number 6 completed the game. The lead was doubled after 27 minutes. Tierney and Xhaka combined, the latter picking out Jesus with a perfect cross, and the striker showed good movement to plant a convincing header the keeper could not stop. 

Arsenal’s formation is settled now, and not dependent on individual players. So Vieira took up Odegaard’s position on the right, whilst Xhaka continued to play in his more forward position on the other side of the pitch. It’s a position where he looks far better, some six seasons after joining the club. The rigidity of the formation previously has not served him well, and finally we are seeing how he can be more effective. Vieira picked up where he left off against Zurich, constantly involved and seemingly already on the same wavelength as his team-mates. With Partey holding, Arsenal are unquestionably playing a Manchester City style formation now, with dominance of possession and territory. The counter attack is the obvious danger, as we have seen, although if the defenders and keeper are sharp enough, generally they will cope.

Brentford have been scoring plenty of goals at home, and Arsenal tend to concede more after the interval, but today was an exception. Not long after the re-start, Vieira made the game comfortable with a nice long range effort that went in off the post, culminating a move that started with Saliba showing great composure under pressure in his own half. There have been comparisons with Rio Ferdinand, probably due to his physique, but I see him as more of a Beckenbauer in playing style. 

It was highly satisfying to see Brentford penned in with Arsenal’s tactics, even when the game was won, their chances few and far between. If the team can continue beating the sides they are expected to home and away (pretty much anyone outside the other top six clubs on current form) it will be a season of indisputable progress and vindication of the board’s faith in Mikel Arteta. It’s taken time for him to get the formula right – two and a half seasons and five transfer windows to be precise – but there the signs are that the assumed aim of mirroring Pep Guardiola’s winning formula at the Etihad is coming good. 

When the 15 years and 181 days old Ethan Nwaneri was named on the bench, and the news that he could break the record for being the youngest ever Premier League appearance maker was revealed, you hoped for circumstances to allow it to happen. And in second half injury time, he came on for Vieira. They could have put on the new King at that stage and still taken all three points, but all the same, it was a nice touch and a moment to remember. I’m not even sure the kid touched the ball in all fairness, as things were very stop start by that stage with Arsenal players going down to eat the clock. 

Nwaneri was born after Arsenal had moved to the Emirates, so too young to have been alive when the club were last the league champions. Subs distort stats a bit in truth, the actual youngest starter for a Premier League side would really be more significant, but what the hell. 

Arsenal took all three points, performed exceptionally all over the pitch and regained their place at the top of the table. Their next two league games are both at home – to Spurs and Liverpool. Let’s hope everybody is fit and available for selection. It’s been an excellent start to the season and there is belief that maybe the team will be able to now compete consistently against more difficult opposition. Well find out after a fortnight’s break for the internationals.

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