It is rather early in the season to be talking up champion character and, given the way Arsenal’s last two campaigns have ended, any judgement on that score would be best reserved until May.
But tasked with getting down and dirty here after Takehiro Tomiyasu’s utterly needles red card, Mikel Arteta’s side showed an ugly side to hold off Crystal Palace and make it back-to-back wins to start the campaign.
Below their best in the opening 45 minutes, with Eddie Nketiah guilty of spurning two big chances, the Gunners had made a hard-fought breakthrough, Gabriel Martinelli’s quick-thinking forcing Sam Johnstone into a bloodrush challenge before Martin Odegaard converted from the spot.
What might have gone on to become an assured away victory, however, was put in danger of slipping the other way by Tomiyasu, who was booked first for time-wasting in the face of the Premier League’s militant crackdown, then for a foolish tug on Jordan Ayew, even if replays showed the contact was minimal and a second yellow extremely harsh.
And so to the plan that, amid promises of a more flexible Arsenal this term, must have been deep in Arteta’s dossier.
Bukayo Saka turned up on the left of a back-five, Gabriel was thrown on after again being left out of the starting line-up and Declan Rice was back to the kind of desperate shielding at which he proved so adept in numerous West Ham rearguards. By the final whistle, the arrivals of Oleksandr Zinchenko and and Jakub Kiwior had left the away side with an outfield ten made up exclusively of defenders, holding players and Kai Havertz. Not in the playbook, but just about enough.
Gunners’ new penalty hero shows ruthless edge
Saka has a turbulent relationship with penalties even at this early stage of his young career, scoring some crucial ones including in wins against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United, but famously missing in the final shootout at Euro 2020, as well in the 2-2 draw at West Ham last season that came in the midst of Arsenal’s title collapse.
The winger also missed from the spot against Barcelona in pre-season but all suggestions coming into the new campaign had been that he would retain the responsibility.
ARSENAL TAKE THE LEAD! ✅🔴
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 21, 2023
As cool as you like from Odegaard 😎 pic.twitter.com/pqdkmaNBnc
That seemed the case here as Saka cradled the ball throughout a lengthy VAR check, only to hand the ball off to captain Odegaard once the spot-kick had confirmed.
From that moment you sensed little doubt as to the end result, the Norwegian exuding a certain coolness standing over the ball from 12 yards, whereas Saka in the same scenario, despite being a fine technician, inspires a nervousness that may never quite fade after his Wembley ordeal.
Set-piece prowess on the wane
The additions of Havertz and Rice this summer have added notable height to Arsenal’s squad and with Tomiyasu in for the injured Jurrien Timber at left-back here, the Gunners boasted an obvious physical advantage as the two sides emerged side-by-side ahead of kick-off here.
Curious, then, that they rarely tried to exploit it. As against Nottingham Forest last weekend, Arsenal’s corner-takers Saka and Gabriel Martinelli targeted the near-post with fast, flat deliveries in what appears to be a clear new season ploy, one that is yet to bring reward.
The predictability of the routine allowed Palace to pack their best aerial defenders at the front stick and the vast majority of the visitors’ eight corners were headed clear without alarm.
In fact, the only goal to have come from such corners in Arsenal’s two matches so far this season was scored by Nottingham Forest, who countered the length of the field to halve the deficit at the Emirates on the opening weekend.
