Arsenal are moving on to the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they will take on title rivals Manchester City in what is sure to be a grueling match for both sides. It wasn’t the prettiest night, but the Gunners got the job done thanks to a trio of goals in the second half from Mohamed Elneny and Eddie Nketiah (2).
The first half was a tough watch, as Arsenal never really got going. The hosts, Oxford United, were clearly up for the match and not afraid to throw everything they had at us. I was impressed with their organization and willingness to fight, but the question was if they could sustain that effort for 90 minutes. *Spoiler – they couldn’t* Despite Arsenal needing to take time to get used to each other and the difficult pitch, we were still able to create chances. Unfortunately, the final touch was frequently not up to standard. There was one penalty shout, where it looked like Sambi Lokonga’s shot hit an Oxford player’s arm in an unnatural position. With no VAR available on the night it was strictly up to the referee, who chose to wave it away.
The second half got going and over time the Oxford side began to fade. It culminated in a gorgeous free kick from Fabio Vieira being headed home by the Pyramid Pirlo, Mohamed Elneny, to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead. The goal instantly opened the game up, as Oxford had no choice but to commit more men forward in search of an equalizer. As a result, we were able to capitalize with Eddie Nketiah providing two really gorgeous finishes to continue his fine goal scoring form. I’ve seen him come in for a bit of criticism, which to me is a bit shocking. We haven’t missed a beat since he came into the team. His development over the past few years has been remarkable, as his all-around play, physique and decision making have all vastly improved. Every time he is faced with a challenge he rises to the task. Strikers are supposed to score goals and that is exactly what he is doing. Long may it continue.
There was a bit of a heart-in-mouth moment late on, as Bukayo Saka went down and stayed down. After the match Arteta was quick to say that he was fine and there was nothing to worry about. *Exhale* As a result of Saka’s injury, we were able to see the return of Emile Smith Rowe. While it was clear to see there’s quite a bit of rust for him to, understandably, shake off, he contributed right away and nearly got himself on the score sheet.
A 3-0 victory and continued momentum was nice to see. I thought a few players impressed, while others less so.
Positive:
Mohamed Elneny – It’s funny to think back to Elneny’s earlier years with Arsenal, where he was considered a lateral pass merchant and a liability to the team. Players sent on loan like he was to Besiktas rarely get a chance to re-integrate into the side, but he is the exception to the rule. He’s come a long way in his approach to the game, providing energy, fluidity and a sense of calm to the team every time he plays. He’s a player that is only going to be more and more valuable as the fixtures pile up. Plus, how can you not smile when he smiles! The away fans serenaded him with a great new song as well. Enjoyed his goal immensely.
Fabio Vieira – While he was a bit anonymous in the first half, I’m starting to realize he doesn’t need to constantly be on the ball and in your face to be effective. Every time he’s in the side he tends to end up with a goal or assist. He’s a player whose technical ability is never in doubt, spraying inch perfect balls all over the pitch including the assist for Elneny’s headed finish and another for Eddie. He’s a unique player and one that is going to be fun to watch in the coming seasons as he adapts more and more to England.
Negative:
Albert Sambi Lokonga – If there’s ever been an Arsenal player who clearly needs a loan and to play week-in and week-out it’s Sambi. We got a glimpse into him via the All or Nothing documentary last season, as well as past interviews where you can see he’s frustrated with his situation at Arsenal. He’s a young player who previously captained Anderlecht, but it simply not getting the opportunities given the talent in front of him. On top of that, when he is giving opportunities he simply isn’t making the most of them. I understand his struggles when he was asked to play the Partey role, but now that he’s in a more preferred left 8 spot he still isn’t doing the job. His positioning is poor, his decision making leaves a lot to be desired and he just isn’t asserting himself. I really think he’s a player we should look to loan this month and possibly bring somebody in for. If not, I think we’d be better selling while he’s young and retains value. I also just don’t know if his mentality is what it needs to be. I’m getting hints of Ainsley Maitland Niles here, who is another player we didn’t cash in on when we should have. Hopefully he can figure it out and at the least we can recoup our investment.
Takehiro Tomiyasu – Tomi has had a rough past year, spending more time out injured than available. There’s clearly rust to shake off, but he looked a long way off of challenging Ben White for the starting role at RB. Anybody who saw Tomi play for us at his best knows just how good he is, but he still doesn’t look like himself. His decision making was off, the touch wasn’t quite right and he didn’t look to combine well with Saka on the night. Again, I am a huge fan of Tomi, but I really hoped to see more from him. He can and will be a big part of the fixture pile up, so let’s hope he gets back to his best soon.
Player Ratings
Matt Turner: 7.5/10 – Didn’t have a whole lot to do, but when he did it was no nonsense. He was quick off his line and constantly looked to get the ball back into play quickly. He’s come a long way since joining Arsenal and is evolving into a dependable keeper.
Takehiro Tomiyasu: 6/10 – As mentioned, I thought he wasn’t quite himself. That’s largely because the expectations for him are so high given that we know what he is capable of.
Rob Holding: 6.5/10 – I was actually quite impressed with Rob last night, not just because of his new flowing hair, but he was really positive playing the ball out from the back. He frequently played long balls we were used to seeing from David Luiz and Ben White when he played in that role. Unfortunately had to dock him .5 because his positioning nearly cost us, as he sat too deep and played an Oxford player onside.
Gabriel: 8/10 – Another dominant performance from the Brazilian. He came in for quite a bit of stick early in the season while Saliba got all the plaudits. He continues to show that it was a bit unfair and his solidity is something we cannot look past. Did his job the way a proper center half should.
Kieran Tierney: 6/10 – Some good moments and some bad as Tierney continues to try and adjust to the way Arteta wants the LB to play. Wasn’t impressed with his combination play, frequently just booted the ball clear. Didn’t do anything wrong, but simply didn’t stake a claim that he should be neck and neck with Zinchenko.
Mohamed Elneny: 8/10 – I really enjoyed Elneny’s performance and of course the goal too. He is a much more positive player than in years past and brings a veteran presence to such a young squad. Played 51/56 accurate passes for a 91% pass completion rating. Yes he still plays some sideways balls, but he brought a level of stability to the match that was much needed.
Albert Sambi Lokonga: 5.5/10 – Disappointing. Really didn’t bring much to the table. Positioning poor again. Did nearly earn us a penalty, but he looked more on Oxford’s level than Arsenal’s unfortunately.
Fabio Vieira: 7.5/10 – As I said before, a bit quite in the first half but really came alive in the second. His technical ability is phenomenal and there was even an instance or two where he showed a surprising amount of pace. Two assists on the night. One for the future, but also the present it seems. Excited to see him continue to develop.
Gabriel Martinelli: 7/10 – Gabi did all the things Gabi usually does. Was blatantly clear he is at a different level than others on the pitch, as he consistently glided and accelerated past defenders.
Bukayo Saka: 7/10 – See above. You’d have like to see a bit more end product from him, but did his usual Saka things along with getting fouled without any protection. One nice run into the box, which resulted in a shot on goal. Didn’t expect to see him in the XI, but did a job. Came off injured, but seems to be okay per Arteta. Phew.
Eddie Nketiah: 8/10 – Two more goals for Eddie, with the second one an especially impressive finish. He’s just a pure goal scorer, but it’s really nice to see all the other added elements to his game. He’s a striker, his job is to score goals, he scores goals. What more can you ask for?
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 6/10 – The level just rises when he comes onto the pitch for us.
Granit Xhaka: 6/10 – Provided stability in the closing stages of the match.
Emile Smith Rowe: 6/10 – Welcome back ESR! A bit rusty, but nearly got on the score sheet. Hopefully there’s an academy match this week he can get some minutes in.
Ben White: 6/10 – He looked absolutely thrilled to have to come into the match for the last ten minutes. Still, did his job as Benny Blanco always does.
Marquinhos: 6/10 – Only got three touches in his ~10 minutes, but glad to see him get a run out. Would love him to get a loan this month, but with our lack of attacking options it seems unlikely.
Lastly, it was good to see former academy player Marcus McGuane turn out for Oxford. It sounds like he’s a regular in their midfield and is doing quite well. He made headlines when he left Arsenal for Barcelona, which was surprising at the time. While it didn’t work out for him there, it’s good to see him doing well back in England. The announcers said he’s still quite close with the likes of Nketiah and Nelson. Good luck to him the rest of the season.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest updates. COYG!
Absolute Arsenal 
Leave a comment