There was much to learn from the hard-fought FA Cup third round victory over a stubborn Newcastle United on Saturday. More clarification on Arteta's best side, and on who's perhaps going to be side-lined, loaned or sold on as January wears on.
Reading back through the notes I made during the match, it did illustrate where the work needs to be done over the course of this month and the rest of the season. Opportunities were given to a number of players as Arteta took the opportunity to rest and rotate, and whilst some players grasped the nettle, others most certainly did not.
Bellerin, Holding, Ceballos, Saka, Smith Rowe and Lacazette were rested, with individuals now regarded more as 'fringe' players coming into the side; the likes of David Luiz, Cedric, Willock, Pepe and Willian - and also Reiss Nelson, who made the starting line-up due to Martinelli's injury, sustained in the warm-up. Neither AMN or Nketiah made the starting line-up - there is plenty of depth now that a couple of players have 'jumped the queue', so to speak.
As I type this, we have no definitive news on how bad Martinelli's ankle is, but this injury does appear unconnected to the knee problem that kept him out for so long. He is exceptionally talented, so I really hope that he's not going to be another of those injury-prone players to put alongside the likes of Wilshere, Ramsey and The Ox. Additionally, I'd expect to see Gabriel (not that Mari has done anything wrong) and Partey back in the starting line-up soon, and for me the best line-up when everyone is fit may be:
Leno
Bellerin - Holding - Gabriel - Tierney
Partey - Xhaka
Smith Rowe
Saka - Lacazette - Aubameyang
Of those on the above list who got some time on the field, I'd venture to say that only Luiz and Pepe helped their causes. Cedric had a 5 out of 10 game, but that seems to be the sort of player he is - and absolutely not the sort of player to have been offered a long contract at the age of 28! Willock didn't really do enough to thrust himself into the manager's thoughts. Nelson started fairly well but faded as an early crunching tackle from Lascelles and lack of recent game time got to him, and Willian was, once more, downright poor. I'm looking at comments from my notes that say: 'poor by Willian', 'disappointing from Willian', 'Willian needs to put in more of a shift', and one 'that was pitiful by Willian!'. Not good, and for a man who is supposed to be setting an example in the same way that Luiz often does this was another quite pathetic effort.
As for Newcastle, there was an element of rotation - with Wilson the most notable absentee. But they were perhaps stronger than I'd hoped, and I never feel comfortable when I see Andy Carroll in the opposition line-up.
And so to the game itself. Arsenal started pretty well, and there were early efforts from Nelson and Pepe. Willian smashed a presentable free kick well over the bar. Lascelles took Nelson out on the half-way line. Pepe was properly involved from the right wing, and putting in a shift defensively as well. Willian, however, really didn't wake up until half way through the half.
From a free kick in our half, Luiz floated a superb early ball to Aubameyang on the right. He ran into the penalty area hit a half-volleyed shot from an angle that Dubravka parried. Willian dithered over the follow-up and blasted it well over the bar with his left foot. Nelson's ring-rustiness cost him after a typical driving Tierney run and cross had set him up. And so, applying pressure all the way up until half-time, Arsenal were well ahead on points and Leno had had nothing to do.
Newcastle were a bit better from the start of the second half. In truth, they had been dour and unadventurous - we get more of this in the Premier League next week! - and Carroll was suddenly much more involved (he'd been seen to better effect as a defender in the first half) via a half-volley that Leno easily saved, and then a wonderful chance following some poor defensive work from Arsenal; both from free kicks. This second chance was flagged offside, but VAR would have overturned it had the ball hit the back of the net - he was not offside.
And so, having seen enough of the rotation, Arteta turned to his bench and Smith Rowe entered the fray for the rusty Nelson on 55 minutes. Almost immediately, things looked better. Aubameyang had an opportunity following a through ball from Elneny, and Willock's header from Pepe's cross could have been better directed. Saka and Xhaka came on for Willian and Willock, and from then on the flow was all one-way again. Pepe's run and shot, a volley from Auba, and chances for Saka and Luiz, but no goal.
And then, really late on, the counter-punch that Bruce's tactics had been all about. A swift break, the ball arrived at the feet of Carroll at the far post... and Leno made a superb double save! First to parry the ball down, and then to bravely push the ball away as the big centre-forward swung his left boot in the vicinity of both the ball and Leno's head.
And so to extra time, when there was only likely to be one result. Despite being sent off - soon rescinded, as the card came out as a result of a ludicrous scream from Longstaff and not based on the actual challenge - Smith Rowe, along with Saka, started to link the play together much more.
A superb volley from Xhaka, who had added pace and purpose to the midfield (how often can we say that?), was tipped over the bar. And at the start of the second half of extra time (Pepe having been replaced by Lacazette) came the breakthrough. Smith Rowe won the ball following a mistake by the unfortunate Clark (who'd had a good game), and following some interplay with Saka and Laca burst into the area, chested the ball down and slid it on the half-volley into the far corner past Dubravka. A well-taken goal, and Newcastle had nothing left.
There was time for Auba to get his goal - and hopefully some confidence - following a nice through ball from Xhaka and cross from Tierney, and that was that.
But of course this does leave much to ponder for Arteta. The fringe players did not take their chances, but the manager must be sure to manage the workload of the younger players. The Martinelli option is currently not there, but Arteta surely must not overload ESR with work. With Partey to come back, that will help, and I'd certainly much prefer to see Saka rotated into the number 10 role than Willian!
And now thoughts turn back to the transfer window, and more to Outs than Ins. I'd expect the emergence of Smith Rowe - now nicknamed 'the Croydon de Bruyne', apparently - to change the narrative somewhat, and so I don't really expect more than one arrival at most. It looks like we've seen the last of Ozil now, and perhaps three or four more players may follow Kolasinac out of the door in the next few weeks.
Two home matches to follow over the next few days - Palace and Newcastle again - and 6 points ought to be the order of the day. Suddenly, Arsenal are just six points off the top 4, and 10 off the top of the table - the narrative has changed, and let's hope it stays that way.
I'll be back on Friday. Stay safe, please.
Oh, and one last thing - despite this being a little-read blog (I'm lucky to get a couple of hundred clicks some weeks) I seem to have got myself a 'troll'. I'm pretty sure I know who he is - a cocky, loudmouth Sp*rs fan of my unfortunate acquaintance. I remove his comments on at least a weekly basis, but have now changed my Comments settings and also reported him to Google, who run this platform, and online to the Police. I almost feel like I've made it, having a pet troll, but it's not pleasant to see, to be honest. As I say, I have taken steps, and he may well get a little tap on the shoulder from the authorities. I do hope so.
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