Match Preview: Watford v Arsenal; Any Day You Wanna Start the Season is Fine

Arsenal set to take the pitch once again in look of their first win in the fledgling 2016/2017 season. After 180 minutes of football, 90 of which actually looked good – the Gunners will be hoping that they’ve gotten kinks worked out and are ready to start the season.

Looking back at the first two matches Arsenal have played this season, the Gunners still look a team playing themselves into form. Against Liverpool the first 45 minutes was a team purring – only to sputter out of control in the second 45. In their second match versus holders, Leicester, again it was Arsenal who looked in the ascendancy in the first half only to falter later on.

The good news about the match against Leicester was that no goals were scored so on one level there was improvement. Now, Arsenal head into a match that by all rights they should win. But you wonder if the mental edge and physical preparedness is there.

We speculated after the Liverpool loss that the pre-season tour and handling the demands of both preparing for the season and the commercial obligations of such tours are playing a part in Arsenal’s lack of readiness. Of course other teams do the same thing and don’t look nearly as forlorn as the men in red and white.

But preseason tours were never and are probably still not something Arsene Wenger delights in. And I can see a case being made that he doesn’t know how to handle these competing priorities.

Well, that’s all said and done now and Arsenal need to get a win from this match so that they can head into the abyss that is the first international break of the season.

They match up against a Watford that is a bit of enigma. I am still scratching my head over the dismissal of Quique Sánchez Flores, a gaffer who did amazing work with the team.  Taking over is Walter Mazzarri, the Italian coach made famous by doing quite well at Napoli and bringing them into competitiveness again.

Mazzari is fan of a back three which he employed with success at Napoli, and with mixed reviews at Inter. The side at Napoli was also known for its quick counter attack led by the likes of Cavani, Hamsek and Lavezzi.

He’s added Miguel Britos to Watford’s defensive unit to make the transition to the back three easier. But he has retained the double-sided attack of Ighalo and Deeney.  This gives him a potent attack and something Arsenal have to content with and address.

Ringing In the Changes

Personally, I think Wenger needs to go back to what works for Arsenal. That means maybe bringing on players to start whom he isn’t considering starting but rotating them out earlier than normal. I think in order to get something from this match, Özil has to be in the 10 role, Alexis moved out to the left, Giroud up top and put Santi alongside Xhaka.

Santi can act as the transition from the defense and look for the outlet to Özil. Santi hasn’t worked as a 10. He’s developed into that deep lying playermaker role and it suits him. The creativity hasn’t been there in the first two matches and with Arsenal likely having most of the ball, they’ll need it to unlock Watford’s defense. Hence Özil.

With Watford employing a back 3, using Alexis and Theo out wide makes sense. It allows them to use their speed and agility to attack the gaps that will form between Watford’s wing players and the defensive line.

With Koscielny back, I don’t expect Wenger to change the back 4 for this game. They were solid and Koscielny showed once again why he may be the best CB in the league. If anyone can keep Deeney and Ighalo quiet it’s him.

The Verdict

I know people want to be down on Arsenal. But even without the forthcoming additions, I thought this was good squad. Maybe not a title winning squad but still a good squad. I think they’ve stuttered long enough and will look to take that first half energy and get something from it. And they will. I still Mazzarri is figuring out the Premier League and how it works and it will affect his team. Given that Watford’s only goals have come from a DM, they will struggle. Arsenal for the emphatic win.

From the Manager’s Perspective (Courtesy Arsenal.com):

“They were very efficient last year with the two strikers up front together, Ighalo and Deeney,” Wenger said. “One of the keys for us will be to keep them quiet.

“I rate Deeney because he’s a player who has technical quality first of all, but he’s also a fighter. To find a player who combines these two things is not easy.

“He’s very strong in the challenges, the duels, and in the link play as well. I was impressed by him last year.

“We need a first win after our game at Leicester. Of course the international break comes too soon because players go away with their national teams [and] are not ready yet to start for us yet in the Premier League, because we had to rest them as they’ve played in international games.

Players to Watch
Arsenal. Mesut Özil. For 20 minutes he just oozed class. Without him the engine of the Arsenal attack sputters around aimlessly.

Watford. Troy Deeney. Tagged for a move away earlier this summer, he looks set to stay put and be a force for the Hornets.

Probable Lineups:

click to enlarge

Injuries & Suspensions:
Arsenal: Iwobi (thigh), Ramsey (hamstring), Gabriel (ankle), Jenkinson (knee), Mertesacker (knee), Welbeck (knee)

Watford: Dja Djedje (foot)

Match Officials:
Referee: Kevin Friend
Assistant Referees: I Hussin, M McDonough
Fourth Official: S Hooper

Broadcast Information:
UK: Highlights BBC MOTD
US: NBC Sports Network 10:00AM

YAMA Predicts:
Watford 0 – 2 Arsenal

Match Facts (Courtesy Four Four Two via Opta):

• Watford have lost all six of their games against Arsenal in the Premier League, although they did beat the Gunners last season in an FA Cup quarter final match (2-1).
• Arsenal have won seven of their last eight matches against Watford in all competitions (L1).
• Indeed, Watford haven’t beaten Arsenal in league competition since a 1-0 win in April 1988, courtesy a goal from Rick Holden.
• Alexis Sanchez has scored two and assisted one more in his two previous Premier League appearances against Watford.
• Watford have been leading at some point in each of their two Premier League matches this season, but have won just a point from these games (W0 D1 L1).
• Étienne Capoue has scored in both of Watford’s Premier League games this season – no Watford player has scored in each of their opening three top-flight matches within a season.
• Arsenal have collected one point from their opening two Premier League matches of 2016-17; their lowest tally at this stage since 2011-12 (also one point).
• The Gunners’ lowest points tally after three Premier League matches in a season is one point, also set in 2011-12. They finished that season in third place.
• Watford have had the fewest shots on target (3), fewest total shots (11) and lowest number of touches in the opposition box (20) so far in the 2016-17 Premier League.
• Only two Premier League starting XI’s have seen an average age of 30 or older in the Premier League this season – both by Watford: 30y 5d old v Southampton and 30y 12d old v Chelsea.