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In the past, Arsenal was known for consistently winning by a score of 1-0. However, this is no longer the case. While earlier in the season, manager Mikel Arteta seemed to be following the strategy of George Graham’s low-risk, low-scoring team, now Arsenal’s victories are more likely to have a scoreline of 5-0. In fact, they recently achieved their second 6-0 away win in one month.
Arteta’s Arsenal has transformed from roundheads to cavaliers, showing a more expansive and exciting style of play. They have become the first team in Premier League history to score over five goals in three consecutive away matches, and are currently the highest scoring team in the division. While Sheffield United’s poor performance may have contributed to Arsenal’s success, it was still a powerful display of attacking prowess.
Arsenal had a phenomenal beginning to the match, scoring three goals within the first 15 minutes, and adding four more by the 25th minute. By the 38th minute, they were ahead by five goals and there was speculation that they could break the Premier League record of 9-0. Although they did not achieve this feat, Arsenal displayed an unstoppable performance when it mattered. In their previous seven league games, they have scored a total of 31 goals, winning each game. If goal difference is the deciding factor in the title race, Arsenal now have a significant advantage.
Without needing a designated forward, Arteta’s philosophy proved to be successful, showing that goals can be scored by anyone in their superb attacking style. Most recently, Kai Havertz has managed to score in three consecutive league matches. Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice, and Ben White also contributed goals, with fewer and fewer spectators witnessing the last two.
The seats were becoming vacant well before the middle of the game. The supporters were not the sole group leaving. There was a rare occasion of a strategic switch made in the 16th minute, with Oliver Norwood being substituted for Ben Osborn. A few of Norwood’s fellow players may have also wanted to be taken off: Arsenal easily sliced through the Blades with a sense of assurance, knowing they would dominate.
This was another humiliating day for a confident team who exceeded expectations by winning promotion in the previous season. However, they quickly lost their top two players and may wish for this season to be over, or perhaps even to have ended a few weeks ago. They managed to avoid any incidents of teammates fighting or eating in the presence of Chris Wilder, but there were few other positives. Unfortunately, United may be headed towards a century they do not want; the last time they conceded 100 league goals in a season was in 1933-34.
United achieved a record low score.
They will not have to play against Arsenal when they go back to the Championship. Arsenal will face tougher challenges – by default, meaning it could not have been any easier – but Arteta’s team is doing very well. Both as individuals and as a group, they performed exceptionally.
Maybe Bukayo Saka was the standout performer in the initial half of the game; despite ending his streak of scoring, he seemed unstoppable. However, he faced tough competition from Rice, who displayed rare attacking prowess as a midfielder; Martinelli, who was dynamic; Havertz, who was difficult to contain; and Odegaard, who had a graceful impact on the game.
During half-time, Arteta showed compassion for the Blades by replacing Saka. This lessened the impact on his team, but White still scored the 10,000th goal for Arsenal. Shortly after, White left the field, followed by a hobbling Martinelli, and Jorginho was substituted for Thomas Partey’s return after four months. Arsenal ended their half.
The only negative aspect of Arsenal’s night was Martinelli’s departure due to injury.
The outcome of the game was decided long before then, as Arsenal made their intentions clear from the very beginning. In the first minute, Saka hit the crossbar and Martinelli’s shot was saved by Jack Robinson on the goal line.
It came as a shock when United went without conceding for four minutes, only for Odegaard to score from Rice’s well-placed pass. Arsenal continued their streak of luck with a third own goal in two games, this time from Jayden Bogle who accidentally scored with a backheeled flick from Saka’s cross. It was an amusingly impressive goal.
Some were more intentional. Martinelli and Jakub Kiwior passed the ball back and forth, leading to Martinelli’s skilled finish. Martinelli, a Brazilian, took control from Anel Ahmedhodzic, who became frustrated and pushed him to the ground. This allowed Havertz to make a strong run and score. In the next play, Saka passed the ball back to Rice, who took a shot at a difficult angle.
Everything occurred before the half-time mark. In the event they encountered less formidable opponents than their competitors, Arsenal could observe how it took Liverpool 99 minutes to gain an advantage against Nottingham Forest, while Manchester City needed 80 minutes to pull ahead in the Manchester derby. In contrast, Arsenal had secured their victory in just 15 minutes. The effortless execution of their performance may work in their favor in the upcoming three months. However, if it does not, it still serves as a testament to how a team that appeared to be relying on a grind-it-out strategy has reinvented themselves as entertainers.
Source: independent.co.uk
