When I started writing about Arsenal five years ago, I thought I had something distinctive to say about the club. Having read and been inspired by several blogs for years, I believed I had identified a way to contribute something different to the discussion.
In particular, the business and management of the club, from its corporate strategy to its financial performance to its brand strategy to its management of its human capital, were aspects that I could shed some light on.
I’ve thought a lot and helped others think about such matters over the course of my career. Examining and synthesizing them for such an admirable enterprise as Arsenal Football Club seemed like a worthwhile undertaking.
Today, I’m not going to say that assessment was wrong – this is supposed to be a match preview, not a navel-gazey blog post. But too many of us are paying attention to the business and management of the club at the expense of the actual sporting endeavor.
This week provides an excellent example. Instead of relishing the emergence of Eddie Nketiah, the 18-year-old savior of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup run, the story turned to the conduct of the Annual General Meeting of Arsenal Shareholders. Which, capitalism being what it is, meant absolutely nothing.
What will mean something is the Gunners’ next Premier League match, against Swansea City at Emirates Stadium.
May I suggest, though, that this meaning has little to do with Arsenal’s prospects for the near term, as the team tries to establish consistent performance before some challenging November fixtures? Or with its ultimate position in the 2017-18 Premier League table? Or with the futures of star men Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Özil? Or with the collective desire of 14 professional athletes who would never have reached the pinnacle of their profession without desire?
Those will doubtless be storylines peddled by paid and amateur analysts during and after the match. And they will largely miss the point of sport.
To me, an observer who's ruminated on the bigger picture for some time, the point now is the enjoyment of sublime athleticism, the appreciation of genius, the surprise at the unexpected. The minute developments or actions that I have never seen before and will likely never see again.
If you view the story through that composite lens, you’ll avoid the jaded, hackneyed, “same old Arsenal” perspective that seems to drive some people near insanity.
You also might appreciate the speed and guile of the Gunners’ attackers against a Swansea defense set up to stymie them, the subtle orchestration of midfielders Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey, the dynamism of wingbacks Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin, and the timely aggressiveness and attention to transition of the team’s defenders and goalkeeper.
Trends to Watch
See above, in particular the timing of Ramsey’s runs to join the attack. Last weekend against Everton, the Welshman synchronized his moves almost perfectly with those of Özil, Alexis, and Alexandre Lacazette. Swansea may be more diligent opponents, but the interactions of Arsenal’s four attackers can be unstoppable.
How the Match Plays Out
This was not a straightforward affair last season, owing primarily to the unjustified dismissal of Xhaka. I expect him to avoid such a fate on Saturday and to dictate the play from the base of Arsenal’s midfield. Farther forward, the Swans may be more resolute than Everton was. Still, I don’t see them resisting the athleticism, skill, and synchronicity of Arsenal’s attack.
Players to Watch
Arsenal. Mesut Özil. After his display at Everton, the German playmaker looks primed to dominate matches with his skill and vision. As Swansea set up to thwart him, he’ll need to move and think just as quickly.
Bournemouth. Lucasz Fabianski. The former Arsenal man between Swansea’s sticks has a worldy in him; he also has a clanger. He’ll be busy.
Arsenal emerged 3-0 winners over Swansea City in a match suitably bizarre for the day.
Although
the Gunners looked out of it for most of the first half, second-half
goals from Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, and Joel Campbell secured
the victory. Koscielny's goal, prompted by a borderline foul on/error by
Swans and former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, and the score by
Campbell in his first Premier League start were oddly fitting on
Halloween.
Here are three things we learned from the match.
Mesut Özil is the Premier League's most dangerous man
We're
still early in the Premier League campaign, but it's becoming clear
that Arsenal's playmaker and record signing can push the Gunners to
contend for the title. In the 10 matches Özil has played, he's tallied
nine assists and created 47 chances, according to Squawka.
As 7AM Kickoff has pointed out in his "By the Numbers"
articles for Arseblog, Özil has a real chance to deliver more than 20
assists this season. He's on an unreal pace of 0.96 assists per 90
minutes so far.
He picked up two more assists on Saturday, finding
Giroud with a corner in the 49th minute, then working an intricate move
with Alexis Sanchez on the left before fizzing a pass across the box to
Campbell for the final Arsenal goal.
Özil also started the
sequence that led to Koscielny's goal. When no Swansea player closed him
down on Arsenal's right, he spotted the chaos in the Swansea penalty
area and sent in the cross that Ashley Williams failed to clear
properly. Fabianski, Giroud, and Koscielny were all waiting for the ball
to come down, and Koscielny came away with it.
At the source of
all these passages were Özil's ability to recognize the way to cause
Swansea the most danger and the skill to execute the decisive play. It's
a deadly combination.
Joel Campbell keeps the balance
A
major question leading up to the match addressed the right attacking
midfield position in Arsenal's 4-2-3-1 formation. With six more likely
candidates for that role injured, manager Arsène Wenger gave a league
debut to Campbell, who, despite some credible performances on loan and
on international duty, had never shown he could reach the level required
at Arsenal.
Campbell's calm finish, if not his celebration,
certainly showed he belonged, but more than that, he slotted seamlessly
into the existing Arsenal framework.
The Costa Rican helped move
the attack forward, exchanging tidy passes with right back Hector
Bellerin and the central midfielders. With Swansea understandably
focusing on the threat Alexis posed on Arsenal's left, Campbell proved
willing to take a shot when he had a sight of goal.
He also
hustled to reach the right defensive positions. That was especially
important due to the danger posed by the tricky Swansea winger Jefferson
Montero. Although Montero caused a few nervous moments, Bellerin and
Campbell managed the threat admirably.
Meanwhile, the rest of the
Arsenal team could proceed as normal. In light of the successful recent
performances, allowing his teammates to stick to their roles and
strengths was Campbell's most important contribution.
Arsenal can survive risks and wobbles
This was as shaky a 3-0 victory as you're likely to see.
Particularly
in the first half, Arsenal seemed vulnerable. The choice to use a high
defensive line seemed overly risky given Montero's wiliness, the ability
of Jonjo Shelvy and Ki Sung-Yeung to pick a pass, and the Gunners'
struggles against Swansea last season.
The high line nearly proved
calamitous midway through the first half, when Shelvy found Bafetimi
Gomis and sent the striker clean through on Petr Cech's goal. Only the
experience of Cech and the speed of Bellerin prevented Arsenal from
going 1-0 down.
Giroud's goal early in the second half steadied
things somewhat, but, even then, Arsenal made some odd choices. The
defense was less coordinated and diligent than you'd expect from a team
looking to protect a lead and counterattack. A few times Swansea players
found space just outside the Arsenal area and took a crack at goal or
nearly worked a teammate free.
Still, Swansea managed just eight
shots on goal and only two in the penalty area. When the three Swans'
shots did work Cech, he was more than ready.
The sixth clean sheet
in 11 league matches--and the lowest number of goals conceded in the
league--are evidence of the stability Cech has brought to the Arsenal
defense.
Extra time
Hector Bellerin doesn't
just have a future; he has a present. As one-half of the league's best
fullback tandem, the young Spaniard has brought quick interventions,
sound positioning, and a real offensive threat to Arsenal's right side.
Against
Swansea, he figuratively busted a gut to prevent Gomis from scoring and
later literally busted one, throwing himself into the post to clear
André Ayew's offside effort off the line.
Bellerin's contributions already and his clear talent warrant a long-term contract.
