It was a highly efficient yet unconvincing performance from Arsenal as they overcame Fulham 5-1 at Craven Cottage.

Formation

Pre-match, Arsenal appeared to adopt a 4-4-2 formation for this first time this season, with Welbeck partnering Lacazette upfront, and Mkhitaryan and Iwobi operating on the flanks. That said, the players’ average positioning indicated that they adopted more of a 2-4-4 formation throughout the match, with Bellerin, and Monreal, once again adopting advanced positions on the right and left flanks respectively.

Possession and key observations

It was a surprisingly even contest in terms of possession (51% to Fulham’s 49%), with Fulham, unlike Arsenal’s recent opponents, showing a willingness to hold onto the ball and attack when the opportunity arose.  The attacking initiative of the hosts was reflected in their vastly superior shot count (21 shots to Arsenal’s 9).  That said, Arsenal demonstrated a greater willingness in the ball recovery battle (21 tackles and 14 interceptions to Fulham’s 16 tackles and 10 interceptions) and were more incisive and clinical than Fulham when attacking (8 successful forward dribbles to Fulham’s 3, and 5 goals from 7 shots on target, as opposed to Fulham’s 1 goal from 4 shots on target).

In the end, it was Arsenal’s efficiency in front of goal which allowed the Gunners to secure the victory.

Individual performances:

GK: Leno (7/10)

It was a solid performance from the German on his first Premier League start.  While he could have stayed more up right on the goal he conceded, Leno made 3 saves for the match and was commanding when called upon to deal with Fulham’s 17 crosses for the game.

RWB: Bellerin (7/10)

It was an improved but still underwhelming defensive performance by Bellerin, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions) but was solid in his aggression (2 tackles). Bellerin’s defensive positioning was once again too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s right flank to counterattacks from Fulham. Bellerin’s primary opponent, Schurrle, took full advantage of this, with a goal from his impressive 7 shots for the match, and 2 crossing attempts.

Offensively, Bellerin’s performance was excellent. The Spaniard made a solid contribution to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (2 successful forward dribbles), and he showed excellent attacking initiative with an assist from his 3 crosses for the match, 2 of which were on target.

It was a much better effort from Bellerin, in contrast to his woeful prior performances this season. Bellerin needs to reproduce the productivity he demonstrated versus Fulham, match after match, and with an increased contribution in terms of defensive anticipation, to justify Emery’s decision to repeatedly select the young Spaniard. While Lichtensteiner has performed poorly this season when called upon, youngster Osei-Tutu’s performances for the Under 23 side have been highly impressive, both defensively and offensively. As such, Emery needs to show a willingness to provide the young Englishman with opportunities at right wing back, should Bellerin not be able to consistently produce.

RCB: Mustafi (6/10)

It was a mixed defensive effort from Mustafi. Despite demonstrating good defensive anticipatory skills (3 interceptions), Mustafi lacked aggression in his defensive approach (1 tackle). As a consequence of Mustafi’s lack of aggression, his primary opponent, Mitrovic, was able to influence the match with 3 key passes and 3 shots, 1 of which was on target. Mustafi was also bested by his Serbian opponent aerially, registering 3 successful aerial duels to Mitrovic’s 5. Positively though, Mustafi was solid with respect to clearances (6 for the match) and did manage a key block from a Mitrovic shot in the first half.

More complete defensive performances are needed from Mustafi moving forward.

LCB: Holding (3/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Holding. The young Englishman failed to show the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception) and was too passive in his defensive approach (1 tackle). As a consequence, his opponent, Vietto, was able to take advantage (2 shots, 1 of which was on target, and 1 assist from his two key passes for the match). Disappointingly, Holding’s effort to clear his lines was also below the required standard (2 clearances). This put Arsenal’s defence under unnecessary pressure. Apart from that, the young Englishman was able to block a Fulham shot, and he wasn’t tested aerially.

With Mustafi arguably better suited to playing in a three man central defence or as an anchor in front of a two man central defence, and Holding and Sokratis failing to convince as potential alternative central defending options, its a position of concern for Emery.

LWB: Monreal (4/10)

It was an improved, albeit still underwhelming defensive performance from Monreal, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception) but was aggressive in his defending (3 tackles). Monreal’s defensive positioning was also again too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s left flank to attacks from Fulham. And that is precisely what Monreal’s primary opponent, Christie, did, with 6 crosses in total, two of which were accurate, and 5 key passes.

Offensively, Monreal’s performance was poor. His assist aside, the Spaniard again failed to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (0 successful forward dribbles) and he showed minimal attacking initiative with only 1 cross for the match.

While Monreal has shown over his career that he can be highly productive defensively when deployed in a traditional left fullback position, he is and has always been limited in his offensive production. With Kolasinac a similar style of player to Monreal in terms of his historical production, but Emery requiring his fullbacks to be productive both defensively and offensively, this maybe a position Emery needs to target in the January transfer window.

RCDM: Torreira (7/10)

It was another fantastic defensive performance from the Uruguayan, who was aggressive in his defending (2 tackles), and demonstrated excellent defensive anticipatory skills (6 interceptions). Torreira’s defensive positioning was also excellent, in that he was disciplined, protected Mustafi, and wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch. The Uruguayan’s efforts to stay discipline in his positioning was particularly important, given Bellerin’s poor defensive positioning in the right wingback role.

While it was an excellent defensive performance from Torreira, his offensive production was underwhelming. Despite recording an impressive 84% passing accuracy, he only contributed 2 accurate, long-range transitional passes, and failed to complete a successful forward transitional dribble.

LCDM: Xhaka (9/10)

It was an excellent defensive performance from Xhaka, who showed good aggression in his defending (3 tackles), and, for once, showed the required defensive anticipatory skills (2 interceptions). Xhaka’s defensive positioning was also excellent, in that he was disciplined, and wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch.

Offensively, Xhaka was, for the fourth match running, highly productive, recording 87% passing accuracy, and producing an impressive 4 accurate long-range transitional passes. The only real blemish on Xhaka’s offensive performance was once again his failure to contribute in terms of successful forward dribbles for the match (0 successful forward dribbles).

RAM: Mkhitaryan (4/10)

It was a underwhelming performance from Mkhitaryan, who showed good goal scoring initiative (3 shots, 1 of which was on target) but only produced 1 successful forward dribble, and made no key passes or attempted through balls.

LCAM: Iwobi (2/10)

It was also an underwhelming performance by the Iwobi, who showed excellent attacking initiative, with 4 successful forwards dribbles, but failed to produce a shot, a successful forward dribble, a key pass or an attempted through ball.

ST: Welbeck (4/10)

It was a typical hard working but unproductive performance from Welbeck, who provided a nice headed assist for Lacazette’s second goal, but failed to register a shot for the match. Disappointingly, Welbeck also failed to beat his shorter and less physically imposing opponent, Odoi, aerially, with each player recording 3 successful aerial duels a piece.

ST: Lacazette (7/10)

It was another strong performance by the Frenchman, who had 2 goals from his 2 shots for the match. Aerially, Lacazette once again showed his battling qualities, equalling his taller and more physically imposing opponent, Le Marchand, with 1 successful aerial duel a piece.

Final Thoughts

It was refreshing to see Arsenal adopt the 4-4-2 formation that brought the club so much success at the turn of the century.

Defensively, while Torreira and Xhaka were both excellent, and Monreal and Mustafi showed improved productivity, more is needed from Bellerin and Holding to justify their ongoing selection.

In terms of Arsenal’s offensive transitional play, Monreal again failed to contribute, Torriera and Bellerin were solid, while Xhaka was productive as always.

As for Arsenal’s attack, despite claiming an assist Monreal contribution from the left flank was poor, both Iwobi and Mkhitaryan produced incomplete performances, Welbeck worked hard but was unproductive, and Bellerin’s crossing frequency and accuracy was excellent as was Lacazette’s proficiency in front of goal.

Moving forward, if Emery is wanting to continue to adopt a 4-4-2 formation, he needs:

• greater defensive production from Bellerin and Holding and more complete defensive performances from Monreal and Mustafi;
• superior transitional play from Torreira, Bellerin and in particular, Monreal;
• greater creativity and attacking initiative from Iwobi and Mkhitaryan;
• more all round offensive production from Welbeck.

Despite an improved performance against a willing Fulham side, Emery’s failure to adopt a formation and tactical approach that accentuate the strengths of Arsenal’s elite attackers (Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ozil), while reinforcing Arsenal’s central midfield with an additional body to protect the defence, remains.  It is a problem Emery needs to address for the upcoming fixtures versus Leicester, Sporting, Crystal Palace and Blackpool.  By doing so Emery will hopefully put Arsenal in a position where the side is not only winning matches, in the lead up to their 4 November clash with Liverpool, but all 11 players are productively contributing in the respective key performance areas for their positions.

Freddie08

The stats referenced in this post are sourced from http://www.whoscored.com.

It was yet another unconvincing performance from the Gunners as they overcame Watford 2-0 at the Emirates.

Formation

Pre-match, Arsenal appeared to once again adopt the 4-2-3-1 formation that Emery has favoured this season. That said, the players’ average positioning indicated that they adopted more of a 2-4-3-1 formation throughout the match, with Bellerin, and particularly Monreal, adopting advanced positions on the right and left flanks respectively.

Possession and key observations

With Watford’s early season success built upon their combativeness and the directness of their attacking play, and Arsenal showing an effectiveness at monopolising possession but struggling to create high probability goal scoring opportunities, and struggling to force turnovers from their opponents, it was not surprising to see the Hornets lose the possession battle to Arsenal (36% to 64%) but win the shot count (13 to 9) and ball recovery battle (24 tackles and 15 interceptions to Arsenal’s 10 tackles and 6 interceptions).

In the end, it was a lucky own goal, a neat finish from Ozil, and Cech, and then Leno’s, shot stopping ability, which allowed Arsenal to claim yet another undeserved victory.

Individual performances:

GK: Cech (10/10)

Prior to his departure from the game due to an injury, it was another excellent display from Cech, who made a number of saves and did well when called upon to deal with Watford’s bombardment of crosses and long balls into the box.

RWB: Bellerin (4/10)

It was yet another terrible defensive performance from Bellerin, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions) and was again meek in his defending (0 tackles). Bellerin’s defensive positioning was also again too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s right flank to counterattacks from Watford. Bellerin’s primary opponent, Pereyra, took full advantage of this, with 2 shots, 2 successful forward dribbles, and 5 crossing attempts during the match, 2 of which were accurate.

Offensively, Bellerin’s performance was mixed. While the Spaniard again failed to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (0 successful forward dribbles), he did show excellent attacking initiative with 5 crosses for the match, 1 of which was on target.

Bellerin’s repeated selection despite his ongoing poor defensive performances is a blight on Emery’s decision-making skills regarding team selection. With Lichtensteiner also performing poorly, as was expected, giving youngster Osei-Tutu opportunities at right wing back would appear to be urgently required.

RCB: Mustafi (5/10)

It was a mixed defensive effort from Mustafi. Despite demonstrating solid defensive anticipatory skills (2 interceptions), Mustafi lacked aggression in his defensive approach (0 tackles). As a consequence of Mustafi’s lack of aggression, his primary opponent, Deeney, was able to influence the match with 4 key passes and 1 shot, which was on target. Mustafi was also bested by his English opponent aerially, registering 5 successful aerial duels to Deeney’s 6. Positively though, Mustafi was solid with respect to clearances (6 for the match) and did manage to block a Watford shot.

With Koscielny still injured, Sokratis failing to produce complete defensive performances, which wasn’t unexpected, and youngster Chambers, out on loan, more complete defensive performances are needed from Mustafi.

LCB: Holding (6/10)

It was a mixed defensive performance from Holding on his first Premier League start for the season. While the young Englishman showed good defensive anticipatory skills (3 interceptions), he was too passive in his defensive approach (0 tackles). Despite this, his opponent, Gray, failed to take advantage (1 shot, which was on target, and 0 successful forward dribbles). That said, Holding’s effort to clear his lines was good (6 clearances). The young Englishman was also able to block a Watford shot, and he was dominate aerially, recording 6 successful aerial duels to Gray’s 1.

LWB: Monreal (4/10)

It was yet another poor defensive performance from Monreal, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions) and was again meek in his defending (1 tackle). Monreal’s defensive positioning was also again too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s left flank to counterattacks from Watford. That said, Monreal’s primary opponent, Hughes, failed to take advantage of this, with only 1 shot, which was off target, 1 successful forward dribble, and 1 inaccurate crossing attempt.

Offensively, Monreal’s performance was mixed. While the Spaniard again failed to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (0 successful forward dribbles), he did show excellent attacking initiative with 4 crosses for the match. Unfortunately none of Monreal’s crossing attempts were on target.

Like Bellerin, Monreal’s repeated selection despite his ongoing poor defensive performances is another blight on Emery’s decision-making skills regarding team selection. Kolasinac’s return to fitness can’t come soon enough.

RCDM: Torreira (6/10)

It was an solid, albeit slightly underwhelming, defensive performance from the Uruguayan, who was very and aggressive in his defending (3 tackle), but failed to demonstrate the requisite defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception). That said, Torreira’s defensive positioning was excellent, in that he was disciplined, protected Mustafi, and wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch. The Uruguayan’s efforts to stay discipline in his positioning was particularly important, given Bellerin’s poor defensive positioning in the right wingback role.

While it was an improved defensive performance from Torreira, his offensive performance was underwhelming. Despite recording an impressive 90% passing accuracy, he only contributed 2 accurate, long-range transitional passes, and failed to complete a successful forward transitional dribble.

LCDM: Xhaka (7/10)

It was an underwhelming defensive performance from Xhaka, who showed improved aggression in his defending (2 tackles), but again failed to show the required defensive anticipatory skills (0 interception). In terms of his defensive positioning, while Xhaka was disciplined to a degree, he was at times unnecessarily drawn into advanced areas of the pitch, which, combined with Monreal’s poor positioning, left Holding unnecessarily exposed.

Offensively, Xhaka was, for the third match running, highly productive, recording 87% passing accuracy, and producing an impressive 7 accurate long-range transitional passes. The only real blemish on Xhaka’s offensive performance was once again his failure to significantly contribute in terms of successful forward dribbles for the match (1 successful forward dribble).

RCAM: Ozil (4/10)

His neat finish aside, it was another poor performance from Ozil, who had just the solitary shot on goal, and only produced 1 successful forward dribble and 1 key pass. The one positive to take away from Ozil’s performance versus Watford was his increased creativity with his passing (attempting 3 through balls for the match).

CAM: Ramsey (1/10)

It was a dreadful performance by Ramsey, who showed no goal scoring initiative (0 shots), no desire to penetrate Watford’s rear-guard via the dribble (0 successful dribbles), and no creativity with his passing (0 key passes and 0 attempted through passes).

LCAM: Aubameyang (2/10)

It was another poor performance by the Gabonese striker, who showed a limited desire to penetrate Watford’s rear-guard via the dribble (1 successful dribble), no goal scoring intent, minimal creativity with his passing (1 key pass and 0 attempted through passes).

Emery’s ongoing decision to deploy a world class striker, like Aubameyang, out of position, and his refusal to adopt a formation that would allow Aubameyang and Lacazette to act as a striking duo, and in turn play to their goal scoring strengths, is bordering on negligent. The sooner Arsenal switch to a system that allows Lacazette and Aubameyang to operate as a striking duo, with Ozil or Mkhitaryan in the central attacking midfield role, the better.

CF: Lacazette (6/10)

It was another trying but underwhelming performance by the Frenchman, who had 4 shots for the match, albeit none of those shots were on target. While the probability of Lacazette’s scoring from the minimal opportunities created for him was low, thanks largely to the derisory performances of Ozil, Ramsey and Aubameyang, Lacazette was guilty of missing one particular goal scoring opportunity in the first half, where he was one on one with Watford’s goalkeeper, after the Frenchman had robbed is primary opponent, Kabasele, of the ball. Aerially, Lacazette once again showed his battling qualities, equalling his taller and more physically imposing opponent, Kabasele, with 3 successful aerial duels a piece.

Final Thoughts

As has been the theme of Arsenal’s recent run of victories, Arsenal once again dominated possession versus Watford but failed to create high probability goal scoring opportunities. This was again due to the lack of attacking initiative shown by the chosen attacking midfielders (Ozil, Ramsey and Aubameyang). Looking at the positives, credit once again needs to go to Xhaka for the volume of accurate long-range transitional passes he was able to produce, and to Lacazette for his trying display, despite a lack of service.

Defensively, while Monreal and Bellerin were again terribly unproductive in their performances, and Mustafi, Holding, Torreira and Xhaka underwhelmed in terms of their production, that central quartet of Mustafi, Holding, Torreira and Xhaka showed some improvements. That said, but for Cech, and then Leno’s, excellent shot stopping efforts and their dominance in claiming crosses, Arsenal would have been easily beaten by the Hornets.

At a minimum, Emery meeds to adopt a formation and tactical approach, that accentuates the strengths of Arsenal’s elite attackers (Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ozil), and reinforces Arsenal’s central midfield with an additional body to protect the defence. A narrow 4-1-2-1-2 formation would seem to accomodate those three players, as well as Torreira’s central defensive midfield strengths.

While that change in formation won’t solve all of Arsenal’s productivity issues, given the high number of underperforming and/or consistently unproductive players in Arsenal’s first team squad, it should help improve Arsenal’s offensive and defensive productivity to some degree. And it is a problem Emery needs to quickly address, as the fortunate run of victories Arsenal have manufactured against West Ham, Cardiff, Newcastle, Everton and now Watford, won’t last.

Freddie08

The stats referenced in this post are sourced from http://www.whoscored.com.

It was yet another unconvincing performance from the Gunners as they overcame Everton 2-0 at the Emirates.

Formation

Pre-match, Arsenal appeared to once again adopt the 4-2-3-1 formation that Emery has favoured this season. That said, the players’ average positioning indicated that they adopted more of a 2-3-3-2 formation throughout the match, with Bellerin and, particularly Monreal, occupying advanced positions on the right and left flanks respectively, and Ramsey positioning himself effectively as a second striker.

Possession and key observations

With Everton possessing the counterattacking talents of Walcott, Calvert-Lewin and Richarlson, and the relentless ball recovery expertise of Gueye, it was highly likely that the Merseyside club were going to be happy to cede possession and counter attack in order to play to the strengths of those players. That is precisely how the match unfolded, with Arsenal dominating possession (63% to 37%) but losing the shot count (10 to 9) and ball recovery battle (19 tackles and 9 interceptions to Everton’s 20 tackles and 18 interceptions).

While Arsenal only marginally lost the shot count to Everton, the quality of the goal scoring chances created by Everton far exceeded Arsenal’s. This was predominately due to Everton executing a system of play that created space behind Arsenal’s defence for their pacy forwards to run into, while Arsenal were unnecessarily intricate in their build up play in the final third, which deprived Aubameyang and Lacazette of that same space.

In the end, it was the clinical shooting skills of Lacazette and Aubameyang, Cech’s shot stopping ability, and Everton’s inefficiency in front of goal, which allowed Arsenal to claim the victory.

Individual performances:

GK: Cech (10/10)

It was a busy day for Cech, who made a total of 6 saves for the match. Cech also did well when called upon to deal with Everton’s 27 crosses for the game.

RWB: Bellerin (4/10)

It was another poor defensive performance from Bellerin, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions) and was again passive in his defending (1 tackle). Bellerin’s defensive positioning was yet again too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s right flank to counterattacks from Everton. Bellerin’s primary opponent, Richarlson, took full advantage of this with 4 shots, 2 of which were on target, and 4 crossing attempts during the match. Fortunately for Arsenal, none of Richarlson’s crossing attempts were accurate.

Offensively, Bellerin’s performance was mixed. While the Spaniard again failed to significantly contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (1 successful forward dribble), he did show some attacking initiative with 4 crosses for the match. Unfortunately, none of those crossing efforts were accurate. Bellerin’s repeated selection despite his ongoing poor defensive performances and underwhelming offensive displays, is a blight on Emery’s decision making skills regarding team selection.

RCB: Mustafi (6/10)

It was a mixed defensive effort from Mustafi. Despite demonstrating excellent defensive anticipatory skills (3 interceptions), Mustafi lacked aggression in his defensive approach (1 tackle). That said, Mustafi largely contained his primary opponent, Calvert-Lewin, who failed to produce a shot for the match. Mustafi was also able to best his young English opponent aerially, registering 3 successful aerial duels to Calvert-Lewin’s 0. The German was also solid with respect to clearances (5 for the match).

LCB: Sokratis (4/10)

It was another underwhelming defensive performance from Sokratis. While the Greek international showed solid aggression in his defensive approach (2 tackles), he again failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions). This allowed his opponent, Sigurdsson, to influence the game (1 shot, which was off target, 4 key passes, 1 accurate through ball, and 2 successful forward dribbles). Sokratis’ effort to clear his lines was also poor (2 clearances), and the Greek international wasn’t challenged aerially, recording only 1 successful aerial duel to Sigurdsson’s 0.

LWB: Monreal (7/10)

It was a return to form defensively for Monreal, who demonstrated solid defensive anticipatory skills (2 interceptions) and was very aggressive in his defending (4 tackles). As a consequence Monreal was able to keep his opponent Walcott relatively quiet (1 shot, which was on target, 2 key passes, 1 successful forward dribble, and 2 crosses). The only real negative with Monreal’s defensive performance was his positioning, which was again too far advanced, and unnecessarily exposed Arsenal’s left flank to counterattacks from Everton, and in particular Walcott.

Offensively, Monreal’s performance was mixed. While the Spaniard again failed to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (0 successful forward dribbles), he did show some attacking initiative with 3 crosses for the match. Unfortunately, none of those crossing efforts were accurate.

RCDM: Torreira (3/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from the Uruguayan, as he failed to demonstrate sufficient aggression in his defending (1 tackle) and failed to demonstrate the requisite defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception). The one positive was Torreira’s defensive positioning, in that he was disciplined and wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch.

Torreira’s offensive performance was also very underwhelming. Despite recording an impressive 86% passing accuracy, he only contributed 2 accurate, long range transitional passes, and failed to complete a successful forward transitional dribble.

LCDM: Xhaka (6/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Xhaka, who was again not aggressive enough in his defending (0 tackles), and failed to show the required defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception). In terms of his defensive positioning, while Xhaka was again disciplined to a degree, in that he wasn’t drawn into advanced areas of the pitch, he was arguably too left of centre in his positioning, which left Arsenal unnecessarily exposed centrally.

Offensively, Xhaka was, for the second match running, highly productive, recording 82% passing accuracy, and producing a whopping 10 accurate long-range transitional passes. The only real blemish on Xhaka’s offensive performance was once again his failure to significantly contribute in terms of successful forward dribbles for the match (1 successful forward dribble).

RCAM: Ozil (3/10)

It was another poor performance from Ozil, who failed to register a shot or attempt a through ball for the match, and only produced 1 successful forward dribble and 2 key passes. Ozil’s ineffectual performance was best summed up when he was put through on goal by Lacazette and elected to pass to a marked Ramsey rather than shoot, despite the angles favouring a shot from the German. Ozil’s repeated selection despite his ongoing poor offensive displays, is another blight on Emery’s team selection decision making.

CAM: Ramsey (5/10)

It was a mixed performance by Ramsey, who showed limited goal scoring initiative (1 shot) and no desire to penetrate Everton’s rear-guard via the dribble (0 successful dribbles). That said, Ramsey did showed some creativity with his passing (2 key passes and 2 attempted through passes) which resulted in two assists.

LCAM: Aubameyang (5/10)

It was a mixed performance by the Gabonese striker, who showed a good desire to penetrate Everton’s rear-guard via the dribble (3 successful dribbles) and some goal scoring intent, with a goal from his 2 shots during the match. That said, Aubameyang lacked creativity with his passing (0 key passes and 0 attempted through passes). Emery’s ongoing refusal to adopt a formation that would allow Aubameyang and Lacazette to act as a striking duo, and in turn play to their goal scoring strengths, remains frustrating.

CF: Lacazette (6/10)

It was a trying but underwhelming performance by the Frenchman, who had only 1 shot for the match, though it was a fantastic strike for Arsenal’s opening goal. Aerially, Lacazette again showed his battling qualities, beating his taller and more physically imposing opponent, Zouma, 4 successful aerial duels to Zouma’s 2.

Final Thoughts

Once again Arsenal dominated possession but failed to create high probability goal scoring opportunities. This was largely due to the lack of attacking initiative shown by the chosen attacking midfielders (Ozil, Ramsey and Aubameyang). Credit though needs to go to Xhaka for the volume of accurate long-range transitional passes he was able to produce, and Lacazette for his trying display, despite a lack of service.

Defensively, the Gunners were underwhelming to poor, with Bellerin in particular needing to be dropped after yet another abysmal defensive showing. Only Monreal and Cech can hold their heads high regarding their defensive effort.

With a high number of underperforming and/or consistently unproductive players in Arsenal’s first team squad, it is a difficult situation for Emery to resolve. That said, it is a problem he needs to quickly find a sustainable solution to, as the fortunate run of victories Arsenal have manufactured against West Ham, Cardiff, Newcastle and now Everton, won’t last.

A good starting point for Emery would be to adopt a formation and tactical approach, that accentuates the strengths of Arsenal’s elite attackers (Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ozil), and reinforce Arsenal’s central midfield with an additional body to protect the defence.

Freddie08

The stats referenced in this post are sourced from http://www.whoscored.com.

It was another unconvincing performance from the Gunners as they overcame Newcastle 2-1.

Formation

Pre-match, Arsenal appeared to once again adopt the 4-2-3-1 formation that Emery has favoured this season. That said, the players’ average positioning indicated that they adopted more of a 2-4-3-1 formation throughout the match, with Bellerin and Monreal occupying advanced positions on the right and left flanks respectively.

Possession and key observations

As was anticipated, Newcastle were happy to cede possession and counter attack using the flanks when the opportunity arose. This was reflected in Arsenal dominating possession (64% to 36%) and shots (12 to 4), but losing the ball recovery battle (15 tackles and 7 interceptions to Newcastle’s 20 tackles and 11 interceptions).

While Arsenal dominated the shot count, Arsenal only recorded 2 shots on target for the match. The Gunners’ efficiency in front of goal and/or the quality of the goal scoring opportunities they are creating needs to improve.

Individual performances:

GK: Cech (6/10)

It was a quiet day for Cech, who, while conceding a late header from Clark, only had to deal with one other shot from Newcastle. On the goal conceded, there was nothing more Cech could have done. That said, Cech did well when called upon to deal with Newcastle’s 24 crosses for the game.

RWB: Bellerin (3/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Bellerin, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception) and was again passive in his defending (1 tackle). Bellerin’s defensive positioning was also too far advanced (again), which exposed Arsenal’s right flank to counterattacks from Newcastle. Bellerin’s primary opponent, Murphy, took full advantage of this with 3 crossing attempts during the match. Fortunately for Arsenal, none of Murphy’s crossing attempts were accurate.

Offensively, Bellerin’s performance was also poor. The Spaniard only attempted 1 cross for the match and he failed to significantly contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (1 successful forward dribble).

RCB: Mustafi (5/10)

It was an underwhelming defensive effort from Mustafi. Despite demonstrating good aggression in his defensive approach (2 interceptions), the German failed to demonstrate the requisite defensive anticipatory skills (0 tackles).  That said, Mustafi largely contained his primary opponent, Aoyze Perez, who failed to produce a shot for the match. Positively, Mustafi was able to best his Spanish opponent aerially, registering 8 successful aerial duels to Perez’ 0. The German was also solid with respect to clearances (6 for the match).

LCB: Sokratis (3/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Sokratis. The Greek international both failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions) and, for the third match running, was not aggressive enough in his defensive approach (1 tackle). This allowed his opponent, Joselu, to pose some problems for Arsenal (1 shot, which was on target). And while Sokratis’ effort to clear his lines was solid (6 clearances), the Greek international lost the aerial battle with his opponent (8 successful aerial duels to Sokratis’ 3).

LWB: Monreal (4/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Monreal, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception) and was again passive in his defending (1 tackle). Monreal’s defensive positioning was also too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s left flank to counterattacks from Newcastle. Monreal’s primary opponent, Ritchie, took full advantage of this with 9 crossing attempts, 2 of which were accurate.

Offensively, Monreal’s performance was also poor. The Spaniard only attempted 2 crosses for the match and he failed to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble (0 successful forward dribble).

RCDM: Guendouzi (6/10)

It was an excellent defensive performance from the young and inexperienced Frenchman, as he demonstrated a good level of aggression in his defending (3 tackles) and showed solid defensive anticipatory skills (2 interception). The Frenchman’s defensive positioning was also good , in that he was reasonably disciplined and wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch too often.

While he was strong defensively, offensively, Guendouzi was very underwhelming. Despite recorded a crazy 98% passing accuracy, it was benign passing, and he only contributed 1 accurate, long range transitional passes, and 1 successful forward transitional dribble.

LCDM: Xhaka (6/10)

It was a slightly underwhelming defensive performance from Xhaka, who was not aggressive enough in his defending (1 tackle), but showed reasonable defensive anticipatory skills (2 interceptions). In terms of his defensive positioning, while Xhaka was disciplined to a degree, in that he wasn’t drawn into advanced areas of the pitch, he was arguably too left of centre in his positioning, which left Arsenal unnecessarily exposed centrally.

Offensively, Xhaka was highly productive, as he scored a goal from a well taken free kick, recorded 84% passing accuracy, and produced 7 accurate long-range transitional passes. The only real blemish on Xhaka’s offensive performance was once again his failure to contribute in terms successful forward dribbles for the match.

RCAM: Ozil (6/10)

It was an improved attacking performance from Ozil, who scored a goal from his solitary shot for the match, attempted a through ball, managed 1 successful forward dribble and produced 3 key passes.  That said, for a player earning approximately £350,000 per week, significantly more on field production is expected.

CAM: Ramsey (4/10)

It was a poor performance by Ramsey, who showed no goal scoring initiative (0 shots) and minimal desire to penetrate Newcastle’s rear-guard via the dribble (1 successful dribbles) or via attempted through passes (0 attempted through passes for the match). The only real positive was that Ramsey showed some creativity with his passing (2 key passes).

LCAM: Aubameyang (4/10)

It was a poor performance by the Gabonese striker, who showed no desire to penetrate Newcastle’s rear-guard via the dribble (0 successful dribbles) or creativity with his passing (0 key passes). That said, Aubameyng did show some goal scoring intent, with 2 off target shots during the match, and notably attempted a through pass. Again though it was painfully obvious that Emery is limiting Aubameyang’s effectiveness by deploying the Gabonese striker out of position on the wing. Emery’s refusal to adopt a formation that would allow Aubameyang and Lacazette to act as a striking duo, and in turn play to their goal scoring strengths, is highly reminiscent of the stubbornness seen from Wenger in the second half of his tenure.

CF: Lacazette (6/10)

It was a trying but underwhelming performance by the Frenchman, who had 3 shots for the match, 0 of which were on target. While Lacazette battled his opponent, Fernandez, aerially, the taller and more physically opposing Spaniard was ultimately victorious (3 successful aerial duels to Lacazette’s 2).

Final Thoughts

Like the matches this season versus West Ham and Cardiff, Arsenal’s performance versus Newcastle was reminiscent of the side’s performances under Wenger during the second half of his tenure.  That is, Arsenal dominating possession but failing to create high probability goal scoring opportunities. The Gunners fullbacks also assumed positions far too high up the field, which exposed Arsenal’s centrebacks to dangerous crosses from Newcastle’s wide men.

Emery’s ongoing refusal to adopt a formation and tactical approach, that accentuates the strengths of Arsenal’s elite attackers (Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ozil), and reinforce Arsenal’s central midfield with an additional body to protect the defence, is a concerning trend.

Until Emery becomes more willing to adapt his approach to accentuate the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses of the elite players currently at his disposal, while pragmatically protecting Arsenal’s defence, Arsenal will continue to deliver unconvincing performances.

Freddie08

The stats referenced in this post are sourced from http://www.whoscored.com.

It was an unconvincing performance from the Gunners as they overcoming Cardiff 3-2.

Formation

Pre-match, Arsenal appeared to once again adopt the 4-2-3-1 formation that Emery employed versus Man City and Chelsea. That said, the players’ average positioning indicated that they adopted more of a 2-2-5-1 formation throughout the match, with Bellerin and Monreal occupying very advanced positions on the right and left flanks respectively.

Possession and key observations

As was anticipated, Cardiff were happy to cede possession, employ a highly energetic and aggressive defensive approach, and counter attack. This was reflected in Arsenal dominating possession (72% to 28%), but losing the ball recovery battle (11 tackles and 11 interceptions to Cardiff’s 12 tackles and 15 interceptions).

There was also a minimal difference between the two sides in terms of total shots (17 to 14 to Arsenal), and arguably Cardiff’s approach enabled them to create clearer goal scoring opportunities than Arsenal’s, which is an ongoing concern for the Gunners.

But for some poor finishing by Cardiff, and three clinical strikes Mustafi, Aubameyang and Lacazette, this is a match Arsenal could have easily lost.

Individual performances:

GK: Cech (6/10)

It was a difficult day for Cech, who conceded 2 goals from Cardiff’s 3 shots on target for the match. On the goal conceded, there was nothing more Cech could have done. That said, Cech did well when called upon to deal with Cardiff’s 19 crosses for the game.

RWB: Bellerin (3/10)

It was a terrible defensive performance from Bellerin, who failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions) and was unacceptably passive in his defending (0 tackles). Bellerin’s defensive positioning was also too far advanced (again), which exposed Arsenal’s right flank to counterattacks from Cardiff. Bellerin’s primary opponent, Bennett, took full advantage of this with an impressive 7 crossing attempts, 2 of which were accurate.

Offensively, Bellerin’s performance was mixed. Positively, the Spaniard attempted 3 crosses for the match. Unfortunately, none of those attempts were accurate and he failed to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play via the dribble.

RCB: Mustafi (5/10)

It was an underwhelming defensive effort from Mustafi. Despite demonstrating good defensive anticipation (2 interceptions), the German was not aggressive enough in his defensive approach (1 tackle). While Mustafi was regularly isolated during the match, due to the poor defensive positioning of right wingback, Bellerin, individually Mustafi struggled to contain his primary opponent, Hoilett, who managed 3 shots for the match. Positively though, Mustafi was able to best the Canadian aerially, registering 5 successful aerial duels to Hoilett’s 0. The German was also solid with respect to clearances (5 for the match).

LCB: Sokratis (3/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Sokratis. While the Greek international was strong aerially (4 successful aerial duels to his opponent, Reid’s, 1), he showed poor defensive anticipatory skills (1 interception) and was, for the second match running, not aggressive enough in his defensive approach (0 tackles). This allowed Reid to pose problems for Arsenal (2 shots, 1 of which was on target).  And while Sokratis’ effort to clear his lines was reasonable (3 clearances), he could certainly have simplified his defensive approach more often.

LWB: Monreal (5/10)

It was a relatively quiet day defensively for Monreal (1 tackle and 1 interception) as his opponent, Camarasa, struggled to make an impact (1 shot, 1 successful dribble and 1 crossing attempt), despite scoring a scrappy goal for Cardiff. That said, Monreal’s defensive positioning, like Bellerin’s, was too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s left flank to counterattacks from Cardiff.

Offensively, it was a mixed performance from the Spaniard, with only 1 successful forward dribble, but 3 crossing attempts for the match, albeit none were accurate.

RCDM: Guendouzi (4/10)

It was an underwhelming performance from the young and inexperienced Frenchman and a continuation of his poor performance versus West Ham. Defensively, the youngster was very poor, as he failed to demonstrate the necessary aggression in his defending (0 tackles) and showed limited defensive anticipation (1 interception). The only real positive of the Frenchman’s defensive effort was his positioning, in that he was reasonably disciplined and wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch too often.

Offensively, Guendouzi was solid, albeit slightly underwhelming, as he recorded 93% passing accuracy, and contributed 5 accurate, long range transitional passes, but failed to produce a successful forward transitional dribble.

LCDM: Xhaka (6/10)

It was a slightly underwhelming defensive performance from Xhaka, who was not aggressive enough in his defending (1 tackle), but showed reasonable defensive anticipatory skills (2 interceptions). In terms of his defensive positioning, while Xhaka was disciplined to a degree, in that he wasn’t drawn into advanced areas of the pitch, he was arguably too left of centre in his positioning, which left Arsenal unnecessarily exposed centrally.

Offensively, Xhaka was reasonably productive, as he recorded 86% passing accuracy and produced 6 accurate long-range transitional passes. The only real blemish on Xhaka’s offensive performance was once again his failure to contribute in terms a successful forward dribbles for the match (1 successful forward dribble).

RCAM: Ozil (3/10)

It was another poor attacking performance from Ozil, who showed no goal scoring intent (0 shots for the match), failed to attempt or produce a through ball and only managed 1 successful forward dribble and 1 key pass during the game.

CAM: Ramsey (7/10)

It was another solid performance by Ramsey, who showed some goal scoring initiative (2 shots, both of which were on target), a desire to penetrate Cardiff’s rearguard via the dribble (2 successful dribbles) and some nice creativity with his passing (4 key passes). The only real negative was Ramsey’s failure to attempt a through pass.

LCAM: Aubameyang (4/10)

His well taken goal aside, it was a poor performance by the Gabonese striker, who showed no desire to penetrate Cardiff’s rearguard via the dribble (0 successful dribbles) or through passes (0 attempted through passes). Aubameyng also showed no creativity with his passing (0 key passes). It was painfully obvious that Emery is limiting  Aubameyang’s effectiveness by deploying the Gabonese striker out of position on the wing. Emery’s refusal to adopt a formation that would allow Aubameyang and Lacazette to act as a striking duo, and in turn play to their goal scoring strengths, is highly reminiscent of the stubbornness seen from Wenger in the second half of his tenure.

CF: Lacazette (7/10)

While Aubameyang struggled being played out of position at LCAM, Lacazette flourished in his preferred striking role. The Frenchman, who had 5 shots for the match, 3 of which were on target, scored a cracking goal from an acute angle to seal victory for the Gunners. The diminutive Frenchman even managed to match it with his much taller and more physically opposing defender, in Bamba (3 successful aerial duels each).

Final Thoughts

Like the match versus West Ham, Arsenal’s performance versus Cardiff  was reminiscent of the side’s performances under Wenger during the second half of his tenure. While Arsenal dominated possession, they failed to regularly create high probability goal scoring opportunities. The Gunners also overcommitted players in attack, which exposed Arsenal’s centrebacks to dangerous counterattacks.

While Emery has shown in his opening 4 Premier League matches, a willingness to substitute high profile personnel (e.g. Ozil, Xhaka, etc), his refusal to adopt a formation and tactical approach, that accentuates the strengths of Arsenal’s elite attackers (Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ozil), and his unwavering commitment to the 4-2-3-1 system, even if it means playing a number of players out of position, is a concerning trend.

I fear that until:

• Emery becomes more willing to adapt his approach to accentuate the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses of the elite players currently at his disposal; or
• Arsenal are willing to overhaul the squad to recruit players with a more complimentary skill set to what Emery desires in his cherished 4-2-3-1 system;

Arsenal will continue to deliver unconvincing performances.

Freddie08

The stats referenced in this post are sourced from http://www.whoscored.com.

It was an unconvincing performance from the Gunners as they recorded their first victory of the season, beating West Ham 3-1.

Formation

Pre-match, Arsenal appear to retain the 4-2-3-1 formation that Emery employed versus Man City and Chelsea, but the players’ average positioning indicated that they adopted more of a 4-1-1-3-1 formation throughout the match, with Guendouzi occupying a more advanced central midfield position ahead of Xhaka but behind Ramsey, who occupied the central attacking midfield role.

Possession and key observations

As predicted pre match, West Ham were happy to cede possession,  play with a deep defensive block and counter attack. This was reflected in Arsenal’s domination of possession (62% to 38%).

Despite that, there was minimal difference between the two sides in terms of total shots (17 to 14 to Arsenal), and arguably West Ham’s approach enabled them to create clearer goal scoring opportunities than Arsenal’s, which is a concern for the Gunners moving forward.

But for some poor finishing by West Ham, a fortunate deflection for Arsenal’s second goal, and some loose defending from West Ham in second half injury time, which enabled Welbeck to score, Arsenal could have easily lost the match.

Individual performances:

GK: Cech (7/10)

It was a busy day for Cech, who, while conceding a goal to Arnautovic, did very well to keep West Ham at bay, making 4 saves for the match. On the goal conceded, there was nothing more Cech could have done. Cech also did well when called upon to deal with West Ham’s 15 crosses for the game.

RWB: Bellerin (6/10)

It was a poor defensive performance from Bellerin, who showed limited defensive anticipation (1 interception) and was not aggressive enough with his defending (1 tackle). Bellerin’s defensive positioning was also way too far advanced, which exposed Arsenal’s right flank to counterattacks from West Ham. Bellerin’s primary opponent, Masuaku, took full advantage of this with 3 crossing attempts and 4 successful forward dribbles.

Conversely, it was a highly productive offensive performance from Bellerin, with 2 assists from his 5 crossing attempts for the match. The only real negative with Bellerin’s offensive effort was his failure to contribute to Arsenal’s transitional play, with no attacking dribbles.

RCB: Mustafi (4/10)

It was a poor defensive effort from Mustafi who was neither aggressive in his defensive approach (1 tackle), nor did he demonstrate good defensive anticipation (0 interceptions). While the German was regularly isolated during the match, due to poor defensive positioning from right wingback, Bellerin, individually Mustafi was unable to contain his primary opponent,  Antonio, who managed  2 shots, 1 of which was on target, and 2 forward dribbles. Disappointingly, Mustafi wasn’t even able to best the Englishman aerially, with both players registering 3 successful aerial duels a piece. The one positive of Mustafi’s defensive performance was his tendency to simply clear the ball from Arsenal’s defensive third (a whopping 14 clearances). This repeatedly relieved pressure on Arsenal’s back four.

LCB: Sokratis (5/10)

It was another mixed defensive performance from Sokratis. Positively, the Greek international showed solid defensive anticipatory skills (2 interceptions). However, he was no where near aggressive enough in his defensive approach (0 tackles). This allowed Arnautovic to showcase his talents (a goal from his 5 shots, 2 of which were on target). Disappointedly Sokratis, like Mustafi, also failed to win the aerial battle against his opponent (0 successful aerial duels to Arnautovic’s 1). And while Sokratis’ effort to clear his lines was reasonable (3 clearances), he could certainly have simplified his defensive approach more often.

LWB: Monreal (5/10)

It was a similarly mixed performance by Monreal. While the Spainard showed excellent aggression in his defending (3 tackles), he failed to demonstrate the necessary defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions). As a consequence, his opponent, Fredricks, had a productive performance down Arsenal’s left flank (3 successful dribbles, and 2 accurate crosses from his 2 attempts).

His composed strike for Arsenal’s  opening goal aside, Monreal was underwhelming offensively (0 attempted forward dribbles, and only 1 crossing attempt for the match, which was off target).

RCDM: Xhaka (7/10)

It was a much improved defensive performance from Xhaka, who was aggressive in his defending (3 tackles). That said, Xhaka once again showed limited defensive anticipatory skills (0 interceptions). In terms of his defensive positioning, while Xhaka was disciplined, in that he wasn’t drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch, he was arguably too central in his positioning, which left Arsenal’s right flank unnecessarily exposed.

Offensively, Xhaka’s performance was also much improved, as he recorded 88% passing accuracy and produced 7 accurate long-range transitional passes. The only real belimish on Xhaka’s offensive performance was his failure to contribute in terms a successful forward dribbles for the match (1 successful forward dribble).

LCDM: Guendouzi (6/10)

It was a solid, albeit slightly underwhelming, performance from the young and inexperienced Frenchman. Defensively the youngster was aggressive in his defending (2 tackles) but showed limited defensive anticipation (1 interception). The Frenchman’s defensive positioning was also poor in that he lacked discipline and was drawn out of position and into advanced areas of the pitch too often.

Offensively, Guendouzi was equally solid, albeit slightly underwhelming, as he recorded 90% passing accuracy, contributed 4 accurate, long range transitional passes, but failed to produce a successful forward transitional dribble.

RCAM: Mkhitaryan (5/10)

It was an underwhelming attacking performance from Mkhitaryan, who showed good goal scoring intent, with 3 shots for the match, 1 of which was on target, but he failed to produce a successful forward dribble, key pass or through ball.

CAM: Ramsey (6/10)

It was solid performance by Ramsey, who showed some goal scoring initiative (2 shots, 1 of which was on target), a real desire to penetrate West Ham’s rearguard via the dribble (3 successful dribbles) and some creativity with  his passing (2 key passes). The only real negative was Ramsey’s failure to attempt a through pass.

LCAM: Iwobi (4/10)

It was an poor performance by the young Nigerian, who, while producing an assist from his solitary key pass for the match, showed limited desire to penetrate West Ham’s rearguard via the dribble (1 successful dribble) or through passes (0 attempted through passes). Iwobi also showed no goal scoring intent (0 shots).

CF: Aubameyang (5/10)

It was another energetic and trying performance from Aubameyang, who had 3 shots for the match, 1 of which was on target. Aerially though, the Gabonese striker lost the battle with this opposing defender Balbuena (2 successful aerial duels to 0).

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a performance by Arsenal which was reminiscent the side’s performances under Wenger during the second half of his tenure. While Arsenal dominated possession, they failed to regularly create high probability goal scoring opportunities. The Gunners also overcommitted players in attack, which exposed Arsenal’s centrebacks to dangerous counterattacks.

Arsenal are likely to encounter many more sides this season which are happy to employ the counter attacking tactics which West Ham (almost successfully) implemented.

If Arsenal’s performance versus the Hammers is anything to go by, Emery has a lot of work to do tactically and with the players.

Freddie08

The stats referenced in this post are sourced from http://www.whoscored.com.

After watching Arsenal play against two high pressing attacking teams in Chelsea and Man City, it will be interesting to see how Arsenal go against West Ham, who may be more inclined to set up in a low defensive block and counter attack.

If that is the case, Arsenal will need to force West Ham out of their low defensive block to give Arsenal’s pacey forwards, Aubameyang and Lacazette, space behind West Ham’s defensive line to make off the ball runs into, and give Ozil the passing lane to execute through passes.

To do that I think Arsenal will need to stretch the game vertifically by their central midfielders and attacking midfielder transitioning the ball quickly upfield and with the risk of turning the ball over in the central and attacking thirds.

To counteract the greater risk of Arsenal losing possession in those areas of the pitch, due to misplaced passes, I think Arsenal will also need to reinforce their deeplying central midfield with an extra body, and ensure all three deeplying central midfielders have a proven track record of being productive at long range passing, tackling and intercepting.

Based on the above, the starting line up I would like to see Arsenal deploy versus West Ham is:

GK: Cech
RB: Osei-Tutu
RCB: Sokratis
LCB: Mavropanos
LB: Monreal
RCDM: Mustafi
CDM: Torreria
LCDM: Guendouzi
CAM: Ozil
RS: Lacazette
LS: Aubameyang

Freddie08