Three Things We Learned from Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield

Chalk number 21 in the books as the Arsenal extend their impressive unbeaten run to 21 games in all competitions with a 1-0 win over visiting Huddersfield Town. As expected, the visitors made life difficult but, in the end, the Gunners saw themselves victorious at home yet again.

So, let’s take a look at the 3 things we learned from this recent Arsenal performance.

Unai Emery’s first misstep

I’m going to be honest, the appointment of Unai Emery when announced, felt underwhelming to me at the time. I just wasn’t sure he was what we needed. A few months on and seeing the impact he has had in all facets of the club, I am firmly in the camp of him being the right manager for right now.

Up until this match, I would say he hasn’t really taken a step wrong. He’s got the players believing in themselves, they are happy and enjoying the work. The tactical preparation and substitutes, for the most part, have been outstanding, really altering the course of games and overall, he’s just seen one positive after another.

That was until this weekend.

For a guy who has gotten his lineup right consistently this weekend’s starting XI was a little perplexing. The most obvious miss was the lack of any creative attacking player in the lineup.

Emery opted for 3 of our most defensive-minded midfielders in Xhaka, Guendouzi and Torreira to start the match. That left both Iwobi and Mkhitaryan on the bench with Ramsey and Özil still out due to injury.

That lack of creativity showed.

When trying to play out from the back and break the lines of a determined Huddersfield side, there was nobody available to do anything with the ball once the first line of the press was broken. Instead, we found it hard to break down Huddersfield and were stifled through most of the game.

Now, there is some understanding as to why he made this decision. Ramsey and Özil are clearly better playmakers than either Iwobi and Mkhitaryan. And the two who were available haven’t exactly been lighting it up on the pitch. Plus, with Lichtsteiner deputizing for the first time as a CB in the back three, maybe Emery decided to give him support with the additional defensive-minded midfielder.

He’s been flawless week to week and he should be allowed to maybe not perfect or get it right every week. So, we’ll let it go and revel in his glorious first few months as manager and hope they continue.

Props to Huddersfield

Forgive me for spending some time giving some kudos to Huddersfield Town but I was impressed with their set up from the first whistle.

In our preview to the match we talked about how against the big six, Wagner likes to employ a 3-5-1-1 system that looks to press from the front and create 1v1 situations higher up the pitch.

The visitors did that quite effectively this weekend and it threw Arsenal’s possession game off balance. Early on the in the game we weren’t dealing with the press all that well as the rotation in the midfield was minimal or the midfielder was suitably covered by a Huddersfield player.

They set out with a plan to stifle us and for most of the game they did. Unlike Liverpool where they employed a similar effort, they were much better organized and gaps between their midfield and defensive lines were minimal. It was only down to a good off the ball run and lovely pass to Aubmeyang from Guendouzi capped off by Torreira’s amazing finish, that we unlocked them.

They are lingering towards the bottom of the table right now, but I think they are going to be fine. They have a good manager and players who are clearly committed and playing for him. It will come, and we’ll see them I feel in the Premier League again next season.

Fitness Paying Off

 It’s no secret. Simply put Arsenal are a second-half team. We’ve all seen the hypothetical tables that show where Arsenal would be if we only played the first half of very game.

Thankfully that means very little and in the end, the results are what matters. But it is hard to ignore that we’ve yet to carry a lead into half time and we simply refuse to quit and die.

It’s still unclear if this is all by design or if its just Arsenal being Arsenal.

We’re all keenly aware of the new gym on the training pitch and the exacting physical standards Emery has imposed since he took over at Arsenal. Maybe, just maybe Emery intends for that late game surge to be the difference for Arsenal. So that at a moment when other teams may tire and lack fitness, the Arsenal come around with a late haymaker that takes the opponent out.

We’ve seen that rope-a-dope approach in many forms. To two quick goals in concession. To faster attacks in transition and lastly in late goals off of tremendous singular efforts.

Maybe the approach for Emery is try not to let the game get away from the team in the first half and then use the levels of preparedness to take the opposition out.

It might also highlight why someone like Lacazette sits on the bench to start some games. His energy and ability coming off the bench is the sort of attack that could hurt weary teams tired of chasing the ball or pressing for the entirety of a half.

Still its not without its concerns, as Arsenal are starting to look a little leggy. The three matches over the seven days took its toll with Arsenal looking like high octane against Tottenham but looking increasingly flat over the last two matches.

Emery needs this match against Qarabag to rotate and let his starters get some rest. A slight recharge of the batteries at this time of year will be important to making through the festive season when the matches come fast and furious.

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