Soft yet stubborn: Villarreal - Arsenal Review & Player Ratings
The former Liverpool defender and pundit Alan Hansen coined a phrase in 2008 that has since been associated with Arsenal ever since:
“[A] lack of leadership exposures Arsenal’s soft underbelly”
If there is one positive that Mikel Arteta can lay claim to, when he looks back over his short tenure as Head Coach and now Manager of the club, it is that the so-called “soft underbelly” has shed some weight.
Last night’s polarising display in the Estadio de la Cerámica against Villarreal was very much a representative example of ‘Arteta’s Arsenal’. Inconsistent and frustrating; sloppy defending for the second goal in particular and downright stupid with another red card. Yet youthful and stubborn; Smith-Rowe and Saka continued to carry this Arsenal team showing fortitude and character well beyond their years.
But more pertinently, it was another example of Arsenal showing tangible solidity in the face of adversity. Arsenal sides of old could well have wilted away in the second half of this first tie, falling to a two goal deficit and Dani Ceballos’ second yellow card, but instead, we saw the sort of response that Arteta must take real pride in. The sort of response that can held Arsenal break the shackles of their association to being “soft”. The red card handed out on the 57th minute left Arsenal in a desperately bleak situation, and yet as I write this, they have an away goal and hope to take back to The Emirates next week.
Whilst granted that Unai Emery’s Villarreal side looked vulnerable defensively, Arsenal played their best football upon falling down to 10 men, which resulted in the award of a penalty and an extremely good chance in the final minutes for Aubameyang to level the tie.
And we have seen this before. Arsenal’s memorable 2–1 victory against the league champions Liverpool last summer during ‘Project Restart’ after falling to a 1–0 deficit was, yes extremely surprising, but well meritted. This season in Europe, we saw that turnaround against Benfica when Arsenal fell 2–1 behind, and of course in the second leg of the quarter-final against Sparta Prague, having conceded a late equalliser in the first leg, Arsenal swamped over the Croatian side to win 4–0.
Arsenal have stubbornly stuck to their guns in their determination to play out from the back all evening; a tactic that Arteta has forever employed in matches — for better and for worse — with the ball being kicked long very rarely. And so it worked; Villarreal looked exposed once the Gunners had played through the press, and in the first half, this resulted in Nicolas Pepe’s albeit overturned penalty decision, and Aubameyang’s gilt-edged chance in the final moments of the second.
Following my article earlier in the week discussing the importance of the semi-final tie, Arsenal may not have got a win, but they have got something; a chance.
Arsenal Player Reviews
Following last night’s game, I’ve decided to start a series reviewing the performance of Arsenal players.
The series will follow a simple, succinct structure. Three lines of data-driven objective commentary, formalised in a subjective overall score.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the current footballing season and beyond into 2021/22, I’ll keep this series regularly updated, to support an end-of-season review.
Bernd Leno (GK): 6
Could do nothing for both of the goals. Made a crucial save in the second half one-on-one with Moreno with Arsenal 2–0 down. The reason Arsenal have a chance.
Calum Chambers (DEF): 6
Continues to surprise and relatively delight at right-back. Some promise in attacking third with dangerous crosses. Not the fastest and looked exposed when hit on the counter.
Rob Holding (DEF): 6
The Arsenal captain for the night marshalled his line well. Solid for the most part and made very few mistakes. Remains one of the side’s best central defensive options.
Pablo Mari (DEF): 5
Should have won the Moreno header for Villarreal’s second goal. Often looks too slow. Exposed Leno to Moreno’s shot in the second half that would have made it 3–0.
Granit Xhaka (DEF): 7
Mr Versitile epotimised Arteta’s need for resolve. Silenced Villarreal’s winger, albeit after the 5th minute goal. Was calm and collected on the ball.
Thomas Partey (MID): 6
Agile and creative with the ball, leading to Aubameyang’s chance with the pass of the match. Defensively weak without it and should have tracked Albiol’s run for second goal. Still cannot shoot.
Dani Ceballos (MID): 3
The idiocy of his second yellow card was only equalled by Arteta’s idiocy not to substitute him at half time. Showed quality on the ball in central midfield, but cannot be trusted. Can go back to Madrid this summer following another abject display.
Bukayo Saka (ATT): 7
Quality beyond his years. Tirelessly drove at Villarreal’s defence and won the converted penalty. Do need to see more quality in front of goal.
Emile Smith-Rowe (ATT): 6
Deployed in a ‘false 9’ but it didn’t quite work. Worked hard all evening but couldn’t stamp any real authority on proceedings. Will be involved next week no doubt.
Martin Odegaard (ATT): 7
His first match back since injury and continued to pull most of Arsenal’s strings. Delivered some dangerous balls into the box from dead ball situations. Arsenal must sign him this summer.
Nicolas Pepe (ATT): 7
Scored arguably Arsenal’s most important goal of the season to-date. Won a penalty in the first half that was then overruled with a brilliant run. Need to see more from him nevertheless in open play, as he still fails to make matches like this his own.
#Read.Reflect.Respond
