Martin Odegaard
The big challenge for Martin Odegaard this season was to add more goals to his game. Well, he currently sits as the top scorer of the club who are occupying the Premier League’s number one position and therefore it’s a little stretch to say he has responded.
Two goals against Wolves, the first showing an instinct that perhaps has not been as clear in the past 18 months and the second was a brilliant half-volley that encapsulated the technique he shows in most fixtures. Odegaard has become an Arsenal captain leading by example and lifting his side with big goals in big moments.
He should have tonnes more assists too if the Gunners strikers could find some confidence. Odegaard is critical to this Arsenal team and just another example of how good of a deal it was to bring him in permanently.
READ MORE: Wolves vs Arsenal highlights: Martin Odegaard double sends Gunners 5 points clear in title race
Fabio Vieira
When Mikel Arteta decided to bring on Fabio Vieira in place of Granit Xhaka it certainly raised both mine and many other Arsenal fans' eyebrows. A bold move with the astute Mohamed Elneny available and for much of the first half it looked like wasn’t working.
Without a preseason, Vieira has looked like he has been somewhat struggling to adapt. Yet in the games when partnered with the Premier League starters he has begun to shine.
A goal against Brentford and now an assist against Wolves. Perhaps there has been far too much-exaggerated judgment on a player often thrown into European and cup games with players rarely starting outside of those matches and far below the level of the first team.
Benjamin White
It would have been a criminal act for Gareth Southgate not to call up Benjamin White and thankfully he was indeed given the good news this week. If there was a game that could show exactly why White was due his call it was this.
Defensively on the right White has had to learn a new role offensively whilst maintaining his defensive solidity. Granted a couple of occasions Wolves managed to find the space on the break but overall, his performance was superb.
The long passes over the top for Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka in the second half were artistry. It would be unfair to describe him as playing an ‘unorthodox’ role because, in short, it appears very natural now.
Losers
Granit Xhaka
From the moment the game started Granit Xhaka didn’t look too well. After just moments on the field, the Swiss international went down and called for the referee’s attention pointing at his stomach.
The Arsenal physio came on and checked him over and it was decided he’d continue. However, after around ten more minutes Xhaka was taken off the field and replaced by Fabio Vieira.
With the World Cup now just days away, Switzerland will hope he makes a swift recovery. Read the full story here.
William Saliba
He is human after all, and a very lucky one at that. Granted it was one of the very few errors but the point in the first half when the Frenchman played a blind ball in behind right into the path of Goncalo Guedes was a horrific mistake that could or even should have cost the Gunners.
The Frenchman recovered with his teammate Gabriel Magalhaes and managed to block the Portuguese forward’s shot. William Saliba is by far the best centre-half in the Premier League, perhaps the World, this season, but he is still young and learning and this error was one he will learn from and thankfully the Gunners didn’t face any consequences.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Not his best game in an Arsenal shirt. This might seem harsh and maybe to an extent it is but there were numerous times when Oleksandr Zinchenko needlessly lost the ball and lingered in moments.
To balance, he also provided some great crosses into the box but the things that make him great weren’t shining in their usual way. Instead, the spaces in behind for Wolves to break into were far more obvious and thankfully the Gunners got away with it.
Hopefully, this can be a bit of a warning sign for Zinchenko not to get too comfortable in his role. It is an area that, unlike many other areas, Arsenal have competitors ready to steal back the starting position.
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