Brave Emery has his Gunners firing
Under Wenger Arsenal could have folded
THE cynical may say that the longer you wait for something good to come along, the quicker you are to rush to judgment. There may be something in that and it is worth remembering that it is only early December of Unai Emery’s first Premier League season. Nevertheless, it is hard to ignore the creeping feeling that the scale of Arsenal’s improvement under their new manager is more than marginal.
Much was made of Sunday’s home win over Tottenham and they played very well in a game that appeared to underline the emergence of players like holding midfielder Lucas Torreira. Here at Old Trafford, however, it could be argued that Arsenal produced a performance of equal substance.
Consider the way the second half unfolded. Arsenal scored a goal to take the lead for the second time, only to give it away again within a minute on the back of calamitous defending.
Having lost two players — one of them their captain — to injury before half-time and playing a Manchester United team that had bolstered their familiar rudimentary football with some much-needed aggression and tempo, it appeared the visiting team faced a very long final 20 minutes indeed.
Previous Arsenal teams — those that tarnished Arsene Wenger’s legacy in his final years — would have folded. But this one was different. Despite the fact that the second half had a distinct feel of ebb and flow about it, it was only Arsenal creating the chances.
Emery is a brave coach, of that there is no doubt. With the game locked at 1-1, he had not sought to close it down. Instead he sent on a forward, Alexandre Lacazette, and this notification of intent was mirrored by the performance of his players. Three times in the final stages, United keeper David de Gea made very good saves.
De Gea had handed Arsenal the first goal of the game with an error — why didn’t Ander Herrera head it off the line? — but he more than atoned with two saves from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and one late on from Torreira. Each of these chances were constructed by some precise, incisive football. There was also another chance, Henrikh Mkhitaryan poking a shot over at the near post when it looked easier to score.
So, placed in the context of the game and the context of the season, it is clear that Arsenal are learning to play like a big club again. They had become so diminished, in terms of results and character, under Wenger that it was painful to watch.
But this was a game they should have won. It was an open game in terms of territory and possession.
United were improved in terms of attitude and maybe that was to do with Jose Mourinho’s decision to leave some established players out. Some of those who did start had a little to prove and they approached the game in this manner.
However, United did not fashion a proper chance in the second half and this points to a lack of quality that undermines everything Mourinho is trying to achieve.
United did play with more forward thrust, but their attacking players feed off scraps these days while their supporters have been reduced to greeting a corner or a tough tackle with the same enthusiasm that used to follow a shot on goal. How many saves of note did Arsenal’s Bernd Leno make during this game? For all United’s improvement, it is hard to think of many.
This was a fierce contest at times and we were grateful for that. In recent times, this fixture has served only to remind us of how things used to be and how much we have missed them.
On this occasion, some of the old ‘dog’ was back. Torreira had a poor game, but his midfield partner Matteo Guendouzi did not.
The French teenager began uncertainly, but his influence grew as the night wore on and he looks a prospect.
For United, Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera did not wish to concede a yard of space and at one stage in the first half referee Andre Marriner dished out four yellow cards in as many minutes.
As strange as it sounds, it was pleasing to see.
The goals were not great. Three came from errors while the other — United’s first — could have been called offside. But that only served to deepen the uncertainty and the welcome smell of sporting chaos. There were moments to savour, moments of quality. Arsenal at times passed the ball well. United were more blood and thunder.
This morning, Arsenal sit fifth in a two-horse title race, but only two points behind the heralded Tottenham. That represents progress. United, meanwhile, are in a cluster with Everton, Bournemouth, Leicester and Brighton. That is a surprise, but maybe not much of one.