In a thinly veiled dig at the former manager, Arsene Wenger, Shkodran Mustafi said that his new boss guides him and tells him how to improve. The German is reported as saying
‘He [Emery] told me the positives in my game and what to work on. I’m happy because it’s difficult when you never know what to work on because no one tells you’
However, if Mustafi wanted to help himself, he need only look at the replay of Chelsea’s second goal and how Morata turned him inside out, on a pair of confused and ponderous legs, to see what he needs to work on next.
Emery has his work cut out after a firecracker introduction to the premier league and his fullbacks are a proving to be something of a hindrance at present. How Wenger must be enjoying the lack of critique. As he was enjoying a hassle-free existence on a sun-kissed beach somewhere, sipping cocktails.
Arsenal’s defensive issues are well documented but they appear to have problems of a different kind from an unexpected source. The attack that had Arsenal fans salivating in the summer break, appears to be still enjoying a lengthy vacation. Aubameyang and Lacazette, seem to be unusually goal shy at present, and although the goals will come, Aubameyang was unusually wasteful from seven or so yards out.
For a man that could normally hit a wasp by kicking a golf ball, the majority of fans were speechless as each chance evaporated. Worse was still to come when Lacazette gave the ball away cheaply and substitute Eden Hazard’s pinpoint cross found Alonso to steady the Chelsea ship.
It had been a bizarre first half, where Arsenal looked to be on the receiving end of a Chelsea thumping. Pedro and Morata opened up the gap and then Chelsea threw away the defence manual, giving Arsenal acres of space. So much space in fact, that you could park a bus between the attacker and his defender.
This proved to be irresistible to the creative midfielders and Mkhitaryan made up for an early Miss by cutting the ball low towards the bottom of the Chelsea net. Iwobi, who had sparkled along with Guendouzi, added a second after the defence were hypnotised by the thought of halftime and Iwobi simply waltzed into the area to thud in the equaliser.
Arsenal finished the half strongly and should have punished their London neighbours, but they decided that they could probably add to their tally in the second half. How wrong they were, Arsenal lacked the mentality and experience to keep Chelsea out and it was almost expected that Chelsea would score again. Especially when Hazard was called upon.
Arsenal are like watching a oil painting in progress. Against City, there was just an array of colours, against Chelsea the shape is starting to form and resemble something familiar. In a few more games, we will see what the artist had in mind and hopefully, he will start to include Torreira and exclude Xhaka to help the paintings shape.
Guendouzi is his own masterpiece, staggeringly impressive for a 19-year-old. Committed, fearless an ambitious and almost certainly Sven Mislintat’s contribution to the artwork. This player will probably become a global star and is the best prospect Arsenal have acquired in years. Six points behind already but Arsenal have to start somewhere and it can only get better. The defence is still calamitous, the attack dormant, but one day quite soon Emery will enjoy his premier league experience with a series of handsome wins that will help him frame his work for everyone to enjoy.
