Young Guns get Arsenal firing again
Arteta stumbles upon winning formula at last
OH HoW Mikel Arteta needed this. Victories over Chelsea f or those with Arsenal connections are always particularly sweet, but this was especially emotional.
Inspired by the club’s academy youngsters, seen home by their elder statesmen — Arsenal have provided themselves with a lifeline.
Arteta has worked tirelessly trying to solve the problems that have beset his first full season as a manager. Those difficulties remain, of course. one victory, albeit over their London rivals, won’t clean up the mess they find themselves in.
But it wasn’t necessarily the result that offered the first thread of encouragement Arteta has received in weeks. It was a performance bursting with enthusiasm, energy and verve that put a bounce in his step.
Youngsters Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Joe Willock were all at the forefront of Arsenal’s improvement.
When the ship needed steadying as Chelsea threatened to complete an extraordinary comeback, it was experienced campaigners Granit Xhaka, Hector Bellerin and Bernd Leno — who saved Jorginho’s stoppage-time penalty to prevent a 3-2 scoreline heading into the closing five minutes — who strode forward.
A powerful blend of youth and experience is an effective prototype for success.
Arteta has e ncountered significant difficulties in trying to settle on a starting XI this season; poor results being the key reason for his tinkering as he searches for the right balance. But judging by this promising display, he may have finally identified the winning formula.
Whether i t was by l uck or j udgment i s open to interpretation. Three of the six changes Arteta made from the team who lost to Everton were enforced — Gabriel, David Luiz and Willian all missing out due to Covid and illness-related protocols.
Nevertheless, t hey l ooked stronger for those alterations — particularly in the attacking third as Saka, Martinelli and Smith Rowe stole the show.
It remains to be seen whether Arteta was sufficiently impressed to use Boxing Day’s team selection as the basis to move forward.
But there must be the temptation for Arteta to keep faith with his kids. Indeed, with Pierre - Emerick Aubameyang approaching full fitness following a calf problem and Thomas Partey still to return to the midfield — the Arsenal boss may have stumbled upon t he perfect blueprint.
‘It was very good,’ said Xhaka, who r eturned f ollowing his suspension for the silly red card he received against Burnley. ‘We worked very well together today, like a team and at the moment we can only get points if we do this.
‘It was better because we carried out the plan the coach gave us. To press, to be focused for 95 minutes. We scored at the right time and going 3-0 up helps a lot.’
In many ways, Xhaka typified Arsenal’s spirit. His long-term future at the Emirates remains under a cloud.
But the Swiss international emerged as one of Arsenal’s heroes on Saturday.
It wasn’t necessarily his goal — a brilliantly executed free-kick to double his team’s lead following Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty — but more the way he helped ease the late wobbles as the Gunners threatened to throw it all away.
Understandably, Xhaka found his own contribution particularly satisfying following a stormy few weeks.
‘There was a lot of speaking after the red card, A lot of people started speaking again, and again and again,’ said Xhaka.
‘I will always show my character. I was very disappointed about my red card and I knew what I did was wrong for my side. But I am more than happy. I helped the team today and I am back.’
Yet, one swallow doesn’t make a summer. That adage applies to Xhaka and Arsenal moving forward.
There’s still plenty to prove. Two positive results i n their forthcoming away games against Brighton and West Brom would offer more evidence that Arsenal are turning the corner.
‘The next two games away are very difficult but i f we work together like a team as we did today, we have the chance to take away all six points from the next two games,’ added Xhaka.
Two defeats, however, and Arsenal will be back to square one.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard admits the jury is out on his s t umbling Chelsea pl ayers following a worrying run of three defeats in four matches.
Having gone 17 games unbeaten, a run that saw them move within touching distance of the Premier League summit and cruise through their Champions League group, they have hit a sticky patch which l eaves t hem l ooking upwards heading into today’s clash against Aston Villa.
Lampard was furious with the defeat to struggling Arsenal, a result that leaves Chelsea in eighth position.
‘I think you do (learn more about your players when they are on a bad run),’ he said.
‘I l earn about the players and they have to learn about themselves. Some are young and some new to the Premier League and these tough times are things that we will have to go through.
‘I don’t think this season was ever going to be plain sailing, winning every week. We got confident and we got i nto a position where we were not losing games and winning a lot of games.
‘When you lose a couple, things become a lot tougher and the only way out of it is to fight and work hard. That’s what I will be instilling in the players.
‘They lacked character against Arsenal. Football will punish you i f you turn up and have that sort of lack of the basics in your game.’