The 12 months of 2024 did not deliver a Premier League title for Arsenal however they had been the very best crew within the nation over that calendar 12 months. The information would not lie.
So, what’s going to 2025 deliver? Prosperity? Calmness? Drama? A primary Premier League title in over 20 years? Sure, it actually has been that lengthy now.
It will not deliver Bukayo Saka for a couple of months but as a consequence of his hamstring drawback however no Saka no drawback for Arsenal, who’ve a 100% file for the reason that Hale Finish expertise was dominated out.
Whereas they solely secured a 1-0 win over Ipswich at dwelling to see out 2024, they started the brand new 12 months in superb trend by securing a 3-1 victory. It wasn’t with out a scare, nonetheless.
Regardless of Brentford barely having a kick within the opening 13 minutes of the conflict, it was the Bees who took the lead by way of the bubbling Bryan Mbeumo.
Arsenal now have not saved a league clear sheet on the highway in eight makes an attempt however they rallied to slim the hole between themselves and Liverpool on the high of the desk to 6 factors.
Gabriel Jesus hit again within the opening half earlier than second-half strikes from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli secured the factors.
Arsenal’s greatest gamers towards Brentford
With Kai Havertz lacking by way of sickness on Wednesday night, it made for an fascinating Arsenal lineup that was chosen by boss Mikel Arteta.
Jesus starred main the road once more, heading dwelling from shut vary to attain his sixth objective in his final 4 matches in all competitions.
That stated, it wasn’t the goalscorers who caught the attention probably the most in west London. It was a sure Ethan Nwaneri who was handed his first Premier League begin on the floor the place all of it started for him as a 15-year-old.
The Gtech was the place he turned the youngest Premier League participant of all time and he starred as soon as extra on the similar stadium.
Normally utilised as an attacking midfielder by Arteta, it was on the right-hand facet of the assault the place Nwaneri shone on this event.
He instantly checked out dwelling and already seems to be just like the closest factor Arsenal should Saka whereas he stays out.
|
Nwaneri vs Brentford |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes performed |
78 |
|
Touches |
40 |
|
Correct passes |
22/24 (92%) |
|
Key passes |
2 |
|
Photographs |
1 |
|
Profitable dribbles |
2/3 |
|
Correct crosses |
2/7 |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Duels gained |
2/6 |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore. |
|
Naturally left-footed, Nwaneri drifted inside and used his fast toes to dazzle the Brentford defence on a number of events. There wasn’t a objective contribution to indicate for his efforts however as Football.London’s Tom Canton stated in his post-match participant scores, he was ‘such a shiny spark within the facet’.
Arteta has generally been accused of not trusting the celebs of tomorrow however in Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, he has proven nice religion.
Chalkboard
Soccer FanCast’s Chalkboard sequence presents a tactical dialogue from across the international sport.
Talking of which, each want to start out after one participant’s efficiency on the away crew this night…
Riccardo Calafiori’s efficiency in numbers
The emergence of Lewis-Skelly as a left-back in current weeks has been very spectacular. An 18-year-old, he is performed in a Jurrien Timber-like trend, in a position to invert into midfield, contribute within the ultimate third and add safety in possession. The actual fact he averages a 97% pass completion rate within the league this time period is proof of that.
So, he certainly has to start out, proper? Nicely, after the efficiency of Riccardo Calafiori on Wednesday you possibly can actually argue that case.
The Italian has caught the attention in spurts since signing over the summer season from Bologna, notably scoring that good objective towards Manchester Metropolis a couple of months in the past.
Nevertheless, he does have a second of insecurity in him and he was arguably at fault for the opener that Mbeumo scored.
Everybody is aware of what the winger desires to do – minimize inside on his left foot – and Calafiori duly let him try this. All too simply as effectively. Within the phrases of 1 Arsenal content material creator, it was a ‘poor’ moment and it duly earned him a 5/10 participant score from the aforementioned Canton who famous that ‘some poor passes confirmed that this was certainly a participant recent off from an harm’.
So, it is troublesome to guage too harshly however the reality he gave away possession 13x, probably the most of any Arsenal participant apart from Jesus, was removed from constructive. It was unsurprising, subsequently, to see him finish the sport with a cross accuracy of 77%, a far cry from Lewis-Skelly’s common this time period.
|
Calafiori vs Brentford |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes performed |
76 |
|
Touches |
53 |
|
Correct passes |
30/39 (77%) |
|
Clearances |
2 |
|
Interceptions |
0 |
|
Tackles |
3 |
|
Key passes |
1 |
|
Profitable dribbles |
0/1 |
|
Photographs |
1 |
|
Floor duels gained |
3/7 |
|
Aerial duels gained |
6/7 |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore. |
|
Calafiori will undoubtedly enhance the extra he settles into this Arsenal crew however he’s being overshadowed by a uncooked teenage prospect in the meanwhile.
His time will come however for now, Arteta wants at hand the left-back spot to Lewis-Skelly regularly.
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