Pépé and Saka keep Arsenal on track as Sheffield United's winless start goes on
Over the coming 24 hours it will be tempting to portray the £72m Arsenal spent on Nicolas Pépé as a millstone, given the increasing likelihood that they will not be able to afford their primary transfer targets in this window. That is not an unreasonable point of view but Pépé added crucial value to Mikel Arteta’s side here, emerging from the bench with a hitherto dire game goalless and effectively ensuring it was won within six minutes.
Arsenal had lacked any kind of speed or incision before Pépé’s arrival but he was immediately involved in Bukayo Saka’s opener and then swiftly ran through to score a fine second. They ultimately deserved the three points, despite a late wobble when Sheffield United came close to an improbable draw, so too much criticism would be churlish. But there remains an impression that they win games through flashes rather than sustained excellence, and an attritional afternoon did not dissuade anyone from the benefits a revitalised midfield would offer.
Arteta would love to add at least one of Thomas Partey’s control and Houssem Aouar’s verve to a lineup that struggles to take the initiative against teams that invite pressure in the way the Blades did. Their improved second half owed a little to the fact Dani Ceballos began moving the ball at speed and Mohamed Elneny, who had a hand in the first goal, exerted greater influence. Both are competent but Arsenal lack genuine personality in the middle and the manager, who was cagey about the prospect of deadline-day arrivals, must be desperate to move fringe players on in time to enlist top-quality competition.
He could take pleasure in Pépé’s contribution. The Ivorian has flattered to deceive but was in the thick of the action upon his 58th-minute introduction in place of Eddie Nketiah. His pass to Elneny was swiftly spirited to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose first-time ball found Hector Bellerín storming into the box. His cross was perfect and Saka, who received a first England call-up last week, nodded home adroitly at the far post.
It was a fine goal and another quickly followed. Bellerín’s ball to Pépé, finding him in full stride on the right, was Arsenal’s 19th pass of a move that began patiently in their own half. Slow, slow, slow, quick: they have form for this under Arteta and it is thrilling when it works, as it did when Pépé left Enda Stevens in his wake before measuring a finish off Aaron Ramsdale’s far post.
“I’m really happy for him,” Arteta said of Pépé. “It’s another step forward for him. He’s capable of that; he needs to do it with consistency.” So do Arsenal. The game should have been comfortably won after Pépé scored, given United’s industry had not been matched by any hint that they could open up the home side. But Arsenal allowed them to build something resembling a head of steam, culminating in a superb goal from David McGoldrick’s left foot seven minutes from the end, and if the same player had not slashed wide in added time Arsenal would have been kicking themselves.
Such jeopardy had seemed unlikely in an excruciating opening period that chugged along dispiritingly in dank conditions, neither side managing a goal attempt for almost half an hour. Aubameyang nearly caught out Ramsdale from range, forcing a fingertip save, but that was as good as it got. Both sides had a legitimate grievance, United feeling David Luiz had pulled back Oliver Burke when running through and Arsenal wondering why Sander Berge received only a yellow card for a dangerous lunge on Aubameyang. With a full house, controversial incidents like those might have added some spit and snarl but to empty stands this was timid, drifting fare until Pépé’s deployment.
“It would have been a smash and grab if we’d got a result,” said Chris Wilder, whose team need to get off the mark soon. “We’re not playing with the flow and confidence I’d like.”
The latter quote could, for the first hour, have been attributed to Arteta. “We are trying our best to do the deals we want,” the Arsenal manager said. “We are doing our maximum for that to happen. Whether we’re going to achieve it, I don’t know.” If they can, assignments like this might be completed with far greater style and comfort .