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Arsenal’s progress with Mikel Arteta has largely occurred in small steps. However, there have also been some more important breakthroughs, and this was certainly one.
Last season’s FA Cup success was courtesy of a victory over Manchester City in the semi-final and then against Chelsea to lift the trophy. They were significant victories.
In the Premier League, however, Arsenal have long found an away result that looks like this. For example, they hadn’t won at Old Trafford for 14 years.
The problem inherited by Arteta almost a year ago was that Arsenal had become predictable at times like this. Not strong enough mentally or physically, they would occasionally flatter but bow when the big times came.
It has been such a deep-seated problem during the last years of Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery’s brief administration that Arteta has had to dig deep enough to even find the root.
He isn’t there yet either. Last week’s home loss to Leicester on a night where victory would have brought Arsenal into the top four was indicative of continuing problems with consistency and reliability.
But Arteta is moving this team forward. There can be no question about it and if this is going to be a season of tangible progression, this performance and victory will undoubtedly be seen as a starting point.
This is not the United of yesteryear, of course. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team has its own character flaws. However, they are still a good enough team to beat quality Champions League opponents PSG and RB Leipzig, and it is in that context that this Arsenal victory must be judged.
A penalty finally decided this game. Conceived unnecessarily by the enraged Paul Pogba and emphatically converted by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, it was one of only four shots on goal in the entire game. The sides had two each.
Overall, it was an attrition competition, precisely the kind of game Arsenal generally struggle to come out of with a win.
But there was some steel in them here. United, poor for the most part, pounced on them for the final quarter of an hour, but aside from a low cross from Donny van de Beek that was deflected into the post by goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s forehead, Arsenal held firm .
There were some excellent performances within the team effort. Both Arsenal central defenders were cautioned early on and against forwards with the swiftness of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, who felt troublesome.
But both Rob Holding and Gabriel were outstanding thereafter, their efforts aided by the excellence of Mohamed Elneny and new signing Thomas Partey immediately in front of them.
Meanwhile, left back Kieran Tierney continues to grow. The young Scotsman has the pace and courage it takes, as well as the ability to produce charming crosses from his side. The 23-year-old seems destined to be a fixture on the team for many years to come.
Arsenal also pushed hard from the front. Brazilian Willian started on the right side, hitting the crossbar with a deep shot and worried United with his frenzied energy.
Bukayo Saka was also a willing exit and although Aubameyang seems a bit awkward parked on the left side of Arteta’s attack formation, he was sporadically dangerous.
Aubameyang, the team’s highest paid player in the absence of Mesut Ozil, has the feeling that the Arsenal manager must solve a problem.
Too often he’s peripheral to the action, which is useless given he’s essentially the best player on his team.
That’s something that will need to be fixed over time, but here at least it was part of a substantial performance by Arsenal.
Having been persuaded to sign a new contract in the summer, Aubameyang will need to feel like he is part of a team that is going somewhere if he doesn’t want to fidget and this victory brought Arsenal to a top four point.
United was a disaster overall and their strange season continues. Solskjaer’s side have already lost three league games, all of them at home.
Pogba will receive all the hate after giving away the penalty so weakly and after another disappointing performance. But the French was not the only one.
Bruno Fernandes, last season’s favorite, doesn’t look like the same player this season, while the makeup and formation of Solskjaer’s midfield doesn’t seem remotely settled.
United are still a team struggling to dominate possession and that must change, especially at home. They are overly reactive and only play with some energy once they get left behind.
On social media last night it was suggested that they miss their followers. Much more of this and the good people of Manchester may never return.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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