Premier League
Arsenal Scrape by Huddersfield Town
Arsenal scrape by Huddersfield Town with a 1-0 win at home to extend unbeaten run to 21 games. Lucas Torreira scored the game’s only goal in emphatic style. In the 83rd minute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang took the ball down in the box, and chipped the ball towards to six yard box, where Torreira put the ball in the net with a bicycle kick. The Gunners finish the weekend in the same position they started, fifth place.
Lucky Arsenal
To go on an unbeaten run of 20 plus games you have to get lucky more than once and that happened for Arsenal. Unai Emery got his tactics wrong in this one. They should never have started with a back three against a team who has only scored 10 goals thus far. Not only was the extra defender not needed, but Arsenal are thin at the back after Rob Holding’s season-ending injury. They only put two shots on target in the entirety of the match. One from Lucas Torreira in the first half and his goal in the second. They needed another attacking option. In the second half, Emery took Lichtsteiner off to switch to a back four. But he also took Alexandre Lacazette off while bringing Iwobi and Mkhitaryan on. Lacazette is a much better goal scoring threat than either of the wingers that were brought on. Luckily the little attacking players they had on the pitch found a way to get all three points.
Credit to Huddersfield
David Wagner’s Terriers put up a good fight and almost got their first point vs Arsenal since 1971. The decision to put the press on Arsenal instead of simply parking the bus worked for 82 plus minutes. Although they only held 38% possession, they worked hard and it nearly paid off. The visitors managed six shots but failed to put a single one on target. One wonders if they can stay in the Premier League once again this year with such little attacking threat. Last season they were last in goals scored with 28. This year, they are on pace to score only 24 times making me think they are destined for the drop. Wagner will need to fix this if they are to find any success this year.
Holiday Period
This holiday period will be vital for Huddersfield. In five of their next six matches, they play clubs in 14th place or lower. The only team in the top half they face in that run is Manchester United. These results will undoubtedly define their season. Arsenal’s next three league matches come against teams in the bottom half before they face Liverpool away. If they take all nine points before travelling to Anfield, it will be a matchup that has a big say in this season’s title race.
Photo credit to Unai Emery via Twitter
