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Olivier Giroud Bails Out Poor Arsenal in Old Trafford Draw
- Updated: November 19, 2016
In a few days’ time, Arsenal fans may come to think kindly on this result. After all, they grabbed a last-minute goal to deny Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United a hugely valuable win. However, any satisfaction at denying Arsene Wenger’s nemesis the victory will be tempered by concerns over quite how poor Arsenal were. This was one of their most uninspiring performances of the season.
It started with the selection. Carl Jenkinson was the unsurprising choice to replace the injured Hector Bellerin, but Arsenal fans hoping that the English full-back would have been vastly improved by 18 months on loan with West Ham United will have been left disappointed.
The gulf in class between Jenkinson and Bellerin remains substantial. Perhaps Wenger will have to consider recalling the estranged Mathieu Debuchy to the first-team squad until the Spaniard returns.
Alexis Sanchez was passed fit to start up top, but Gunners supporters will have been alarmed at the sheer amount of strapping on his suspect hamstring. Alexis did not exert his usual influence on the game, and it’s tempting to suggest he was inhibited by his physical state. However, that wasn’t the only factor: The Chilean was guilty of dropping deep too often, leaving Arsenal without a focal point in attack.
It was in midfield that Wenger’s biggest calls came. Mohamed Elneny was reintroduced alongside Francis Coquelin, while Aaron Ramsey came in for Alex Iwobi on the left-hand side. Elneny is a competent player, but it was unclear exactly what Granit Xhaka had done to warrant being dropped.
In his last outing against Tottenham Hotspur, the Switzerland international helped Arsenal to edge the midfield battle. In the absence of both Santi Cazorla and Xhaka, Arsenal’s range of passing from the base of midfield was not quite so varied.
As for Ramsey, he had a torrid time out on the left. It’s not a drastically different role to the one he has played successfully on the right, but his unfamiliarity with that part of the pitch meant he struggled throughout. Not only …
