Blade stunner
Mousset goal heaps more pressure on Arsenal manager Emery
Bramall Lane shook and Arsenal were rattled and then rolled over. They knew what to expect, they knew what was coming from Sheffield United but they ultimately, damningly, could not cope with it on a Monday night in Yorkshire as they slumped to the kind of familiar defeat that has their fans despairing as to whether they really are making any progress.
This was a Blade stunner and a famous victory for Chris Wilder’s side on their return to the Premier League as they moved up to ninth and deservedly so. Nothing should detract from their night as they showed the organisation, strength, desire and heart to overcome a far better-resourced team with Champions League ambitions but one which has that perennial fragility and mental weakness.
Sheffield United are also such a committed, attractive side to watch with their bold and innovative tactics and positivity. For Arsenal, though, this will lead to more soulsearching and a questioning of whether some of their players share the same basic qualities as their opponents: most of all, the desire.
Arsenal will argue that decisions went against them and most obviously a penalty claim that was waved away by referee Mike Dean before Sheffield United scored when John Egan pulled Sokratis’s shirt at a corner even if the victim exaggerated by wildly throwing his arms in the air.
But this was not good enough and it was summed up by the nature of the goal – from yet another set-piece – and by the frustrated body language of their manager, Unai Emery, who sat on an advertising hoarding at one stage as Sheffield United ended a run of three home defeats.
It probably should also be the end for this Arsenal back four. Emery has to bring in Rob Holding and
Kieran Tierney, both on the bench here, and hope he can turn to the fit-again Hector Bellerin and, while the problems are all over the pitch, the most damning statistic is that they have kept only two clean sheets in 24 league games under this manager.
But what about the goal? It was a calamity. An abomination of disorganisation as Sheffield United won yet another corner. Emery had delivered a warning, shaking his fist at his team to stay strong as the home side earned their first corner. It was not heeded.
No one marked Jack O’connell as he reached the ball beyond the far post and Lys Mousset was allowed to stand on his own next to goalkeeper Bernd Leno – who had no chance as the forward scored from close range. It was the first goal for the £10 million misfit who had struggled to get a game at Bournemouth. Who was at fault for Arsenal? Everyone it seemed – including Emery whose job it is to organise his team better and who was in denial afterwards claiming the defeat was undeserved.
Sheffield United were up for this. Their fans were up for it. They responded magnificently, driving their team on, relishing the occasion and sensing a famous victory was there for the taking. But were Arsenal up for it? A win would have taken them back to third, a point behind Manchester City but they were chronically complacent.
There was the Sokratis penalty claim, there was also another when Bukayo Saka went over under another Egan challenge – only to be booked by Dean for apparently diving. On the touchline, Arsenal firstteam coach Freddie Ljungberg was cautioned for his angry protests.
There was also a terrible miss from £72 million signing Nicolas Pepe. It was probably his best performance for Arsenal but there was no excuse when he met Sead Kolasinac’s low cross and unmarked, with time and space, yet somehow failed to beat Dean Henderson from a couple of yards out.
Sheffield United had a penalty claim of their own when George Baldock appeared to be bundled over by Kolasinac but that was also not given and, on half-time, Henderson did well to turn away a powerful half-volley from 30 yards by Granit Xhaka. The Arsenal captain, though, was poor and was one of the players taken off in a second half when the visitors finally showed some urgency.
Joe Willock was first to go and Pepe was also substituted as Emery threw on all the attacking players on his bench. Still, despite their pressure, they could not fashion a single chance for Pierre-emerick Aubameyang who did not have a shot on goal as Sheffield United’s back three – with O’connell outstanding – smothered him while, further forward, John Fleck was the dominant midfielder against vaunted opponents.
Arsenal did not go close. Substitute Dani Ceballos miscued a volley, Pepe shot over and Kolasinac was wasteful with a header but that was it. Inevitably, the home team tired but the crowd sensed it and got behind them. They saw it out, condemning Arsenal to their fourth defeat in the past seven away games to newly promoted sides, while the Greasy Chip Butty song, to the tune of Annie’s Song, reverberated around this grand, old stadium. Their senses were filled up while Arsenal’s were left feeling empty.