Arsenal follow their own narrative and move 7 points clear
It’s worth remembering that early on, when prognosticators picked their season favorites for the title, that in most corners Arsenal weren’t even a shoe-in for the top 4 this season. To some we were going to be surpassed by our North London neighbours or from the re-emergent Liverpool.
But with just about a third of the season gone, Arsenal are 7 points clear (at least for a day) of their nearest title-chasing rival. With just 9 more points it’s likely that Arsenal will stave off relegation. Sorry, had to get that in.
The match was supposed to be a test. It was supposed to be utterly difficult for Arsenal. Cardiff the narrative went, had beaten Manchester City at home and they were unlucky to get just a draw against United and Spurs. The thing about this Arsenal side though, they aren’t sticking to any narrative other than their own. And that narrative is about winning.
Arsenal are putting to bed many of the current myths about this club. One of the biggest being that the Arsenal are a weak defensive side. I’ve been banging the drum that this may have been true at one point, but since last season it’s the farthest thing from the truth. Forget that last season they finished as the 2nd best defensive unit in the league. Just look at the results this season.
Outside of the Aston Villa match, Arsenal are only allowing one goal per game in the league. Even more impressive, in the month of November, which was supposed to be a deadly month for the Gunners, Arsenal only conceded one goal in the league for the entire month. In their last 5 league matches Arsenal have 4 clean sheets. In their last 7 matches all together they have 6 clean sheets.
Not bad for a side that is supposedly weak at the back. I really can’t fathom that argument any more. It’s even worse when you hear comments from the bitter one himself – Stewart Robson – who in light of the evidence of another clean sheet said today on air – that Arsenal were weak defensively even given their table-topping position.
He ignores that Arsenal are now the top defensive unit in the league. He also ignores that Szczesny has been a bedrock between the sticks for the Gunners. His 51st minute save epitomizing the growth and maturity he has experienced ever since being pulled prior to last season’s Bayern Munich match.
Like everyone else on this team, that moment has led to a renewed focus by the young pole. There were worries that a lack of competition last season took away from his focus and started to show as individual errors. Szczesny has accepted the challenge and risen to the occasion firmly holding the spot as Arsenal’s number 1 keeper. He is also making a case as the best keeper in the league at the moment.
With the likes of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in front of him the defensive unit is a solid foundation and while in the past we would worry about defensive wobbles it no longer seems to be the case. Speaking of the CB pairing they are also making a case for themselves as the best in the league. Today I saw numerous examples of why.
It’s been stated all over the place that the two complement each other. Per with his positional play and Kosicelny with his aggressive one v one nature lend themselves to their partnership beautifully. Today against Cardiff, you saw a few examples of what happens when one loses an attacker and the other one neatly picks them up to clear from danger.
But it’s just not Per and Kos that need plaudits for their defensive effort. The team as a whole are working exceptionally hard – together – to shut down their opponents. While Olivier Giroud didn’t have one of his better offensive outtings, there were still moments that make you proud of seeing him in an Arsenal shirt. The best example being his constant defensive effort and winning headers in our own penalty area. He may not be the swiftest but he may be the hardest working forward in the league.
Then look at the efforts of our fullbacks keeping chances from outside wide to a minimum or Sagna winning header after header to clear away from danger.
There is also a collective effort to win the ball back as soon as we lose it. This was trademark of clubs like Bayern and Barcelona. Arsenal no longer like to let their opposition have the ball for too long. And they closed down Cardiff frequently to the point where City were ever able to get comfortable with the ball.
The resurgent defensive prowess of Arsenal, was more evident when Cardiff had a long spell of the ball and got into the game. We’ve all noted how well Cardiff have done against the likes of Man City and United. They were always going to have a prolonged moment of pressure.
In the past that pressure would be worrisome and result in lots of frayed nerves but this is a new Arsenal and we never felt like we were hapharzardly going to concede. The thing about us defensively in the past was the fact that we sometimes looked like we were all over the place and “hopefully” we’d get someone on a ball and clear it. Now there is a clear system. There is an overall effort to win the ball and push out as a team. When it doesn’t work right away, they try again. Then when the ball is clear Arsenal go about getting the ball back and wearing an opposition down.
As much as Cardiff looked like they were going to get back into this match at some point there was, at least in my opinion, an equal feeling that Arsenal would get that all important second goal. Why? For the most part we shut Cardiff down, limiting their chances to set pieces or crosses from out wide. The chances that did come from a shot or volley from the middle were keenly handled by Szczesny.
With a sound defensive foundation, Arsenal are exuding an air that says, “when it’s time to close it out, we will.” And they do. For all of Cardiff’s ascendency, they let gaps open and Arsenal hit them, with Mathieu Flamini the likeliest of goal scorers putting the match beyond doubt.
Mikel Arteta
If Mikel Arteta were a bitter man he’d likely be upset by two things. The first being that if it weren’t for Aaron Ramsey’s brace, he’d likely have won the MOTM. Arteta, the man whom many thought would be odd man out as Flamini grew in stature as a beast today. He fought for and won most of the battles he was involved in.
Mikel Arteta v Cardiff City. Stats Courtesy Squawka.com (@Squawka)
The second thing and its more a feeling that who does Mikel Arteta have to kill to get a call up to the Spanish National team? Surely evidence of play should suggest that he gets a call up before Xabi Alonso who has been out most season? But I digress.
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey stole the show. As I said were it not for his brace Arteta or Özil likely would’ve been crowned MOTM but it was as it has been a few times this season, the Aaron Ramsey show.
This was his first time back since his brief loan spell a few years ago and his first substantial visit since he left the club he joined at 8 years old.
Neither goal was spell binding or of the “ooh and aah” quality but they were emphatic and they were just a further testament to his growth.
Admittedly after season many had doubts about Ramsey. Some were harsh in their assessment. Some like me were more pragmatic and just openly wondered if Ramsey would become another Arsenal player who suffered a major injury and would never fully recover from it. But much like this Arsenal side, Ramsey has removed any doubt about his ability.
Aaron Ramsey v Cardiff City, heat map and stats via Squawka.com (@Squawka)
He has 8 goals already this season. Some are of just pure class but he has also strengthened his overall game. Gone are the little niggling mistakes that frustrated many. It’s been replaced with confidence and assuredness and fleet of foot. It was observed in the summer that Ramsey had come in with a renewed focus. He looked stronger they said. They weren’t wrong.
Ramsey is putting in POTY performance so far. The hope is like Arsenal, he can continue this run. There just seems to be no stopping the Welsh dynamo right now. And its also having a residual affect as its clear, that Jack is looking at Ramsey and saying “what he can do I can do –and will do.” And there will be only one benefactor from their performances – this renewed Arsenal.
