5 Things we learned from Arsenal’s Nervy Victory over Crystal Palace
by Josh Sippie
Ronnie Macdonald – Wikimedia Commons
After an absolutely beautiful, well-deserved goal by Olivier Giroud off of a pristine cross from Mesut Ozil, Arsenal took their first lead of the Premier League season. They were in complete control the entire first half with very little relief coming for the Crystal Palace goal.
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One relief they did find was on a stray strike by Joel Ward to beat Petr Cech. Call it out of the blue, because it was.
But in typical Arsenal versus Crystal Palace fashion, the Gunners pulled one out on a brilliantly won header by Alexis that took a deflection off of the Palace defense and into the back of the net.
From there, Arsenal were all about protecting the ball, and it was no easy task. An early yellow card to Francis Coquelin left Arsenal literally walking on glass and a change had to be made as the Ox came on for the Coq, dropping Ramsey and Cazorla to the holding midfield position. That was quickly augmented by a surprisingly spry Mikel Arteta, who replaced Alexis, despite the Chilean’s questioning.
Kieran Gibbs soon found his way onto the pitch as well, coming on for Mesut Ozil as the parked bus got even more parked.
Crystal Palace put up a stellar fight as always and as always, Arsenal squeezed out an incredibly nervy 2-1 win. Given that it was their first win after an extremely disappointing West Ham loss, there were plenty of things to take away from the match. Here are five things we learned, aside from how to hold our breath for 90 minutes.
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<p>One relief they did find was on a stray strike by Joel Ward to beat Petr Cech. Call it out of the blue, because it was.</p>
<p>But in typical Arsenal versus Crystal Palace fashion, the Gunners pulled one out on a brilliantly won header by Alexis that took a deflection off of the Palace defense and into the back of the net.</p>
<p>From there, Arsenal were all about protecting the ball, and it was no easy task. An early yellow card to Francis Coquelin left Arsenal literally walking on glass and a change had to be made as the Ox came on for the Coq, dropping Ramsey and Cazorla to the holding midfield position. That was quickly augmented by a surprisingly spry Mikel Arteta, who replaced Alexis, despite the Chilean’s questioning.</p>
<p>Kieran Gibbs soon found his way onto the pitch as well, coming on for Mesut Ozil as the parked bus got even more parked.</p>
<p>Crystal Palace put up a stellar fight as always and as always, Arsenal squeezed out an incredibly nervy 2-1 win. Given that it was their first win after an extremely disappointing West Ham loss, there were plenty of things to take away from the match. Here are five things we learned, aside from how to hold our breath for 90 minutes.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">Doppelganger</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h3 style="font-size:34px;">5. This team is very similar to last year</h3>
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<p>Despite adding Petr Cech and completing a stellar preseason, the Arsenal team that showed up against Crystal Palace looked much the same as the Arsenal that faced them and narrowly won twice last year.<div class="related-category right">
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<p>Both times Arsenal faced them last year, the Gunners squeezed out a narrow 2-1 victory that would have felt justified coming out as a draw.</p>
<p>This game was no different. Arsenal won the affair by the same tally, 2-1, but in the end, we could not have complained if the game came out 1-1 or 2-2. Sure, Arsenal had a ton of chances (which will be covered later) but Palace’s blocking ability and physicality yet again caused Arsenal a serious amount of trouble.</p>
<p>The Gunners got off the snide in a big way and it feels good to notch a win, but it is impossible not to draw parallels between this win and so many other’s last year.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">All those chances...</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h3 style="font-size:34px;">4. Converting chances is still a problem</h3>
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<p>For a win, there sure does seem to be a deal of negativity, right? Forgive me for saying so, but Arsenal could have scored five or six goals. Alexis had at least two that should have gone in and Ozil, Ramsey, the Ox and Cazorla had their chances as well. All were blocked and sent away by Crystal Palace.<div class="recent-posts ">
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<p>Palace has a knack for tough defense but when you have class athletes like the people I just mentioned, you need to be converting chances, especially on a fast break when it is three on two.</p>
<p>The go-to comment here would be something along the lines of “we need Benzema” but I am hesitant on that. This Arsenal team is creating chances and with the staff they have, those chances will start getting converted. Of course by now everyone has seen <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"http://metro.co.uk/2015/08/15/stats-show-mesut-ozil-would-be-devastating-playmaker-if-arsenal-had-better-strikers-5344602/">the figure</a> that Mesut Ozil has created at least six thousand chances and Arsenal have only converted 16, now 17. That figure could come down to the lack of clinical strikers or it could simply come down to bad luck.</p>
<p>Either way, the Gunners have to find a way to convert these chances or we are going to be in store for some disappointment.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">Cazorla or Ramsey?</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h3 style="font-size:34px;">3. Wenger must pick Cazorla or Ramsey, not both</h3>
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<p>It is still unclear whether or not <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/arsene-wenger-avoiding-making-a-decision-for-arsenal-between-aaron-ramsey-and-santi-cazorla/">Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey</a> can coexist on the pitch, but I am leaning towards ‘no’ after seeing this match against Palace. Prior to the match, one key goal for Arsenal was to spread that Palace defense out across the span of the pitch.<div class="related-category right">
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<p>That is impossible to do with an excess of central midfielders, which Arsene Wenger yet again deployed. Putting Ramsey on the right wing is a mistake. It does not help anyone involved and it keeps the Ox on the bench, something Arsenal cannot afford when they need width and they need his creativity and blazing pace.</p>
<p>Ramsey and Cazorla play two different games, though they are both box-to-box midfielders. The Spaniard’s 91% pass completion put Ramsey’s 77% to shame, but they managed the same number of key passes (4) and Ramsey’s defensive and aerial ability was again, and always will be, superior to that of Cazorla (stats via <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/958473/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2015-2016-Crystal-Palace-Arsenal">WhoScored.com).
<p>Playing both of them wreaks of Wenger putting off making a decision, but continuing to put it off hurts the team. Arsenal need a set formation, not a blob of creative license.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">Mesut the Magician</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h3 style="font-size:34px;">2. Mesut Ozil can and is getting better</h3>
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<p>Let’s turn our car around out of negative town and focus on the star of the match, Mesut Ozil. In case you have not heard, Mesut Ozil completed 98.2% of his passes (54/55, via <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/958473/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2015-2016-Crystal-Palace-Arsenal">WhoScored). That is unheard of. He also contributed five key passes and an assist on Giroud’s stunning goal.</p>
<p>Prior to the season starting, Ozil <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/mesut-ozil-i-have-a-lot-more-potential-to-show-at-arsenal-10412055.html">indicated that he had a lot more to show at Arsenal. Given how good he had been and how many had finally accepted that he was living up to his potential, that seemed unlikely but as we saw today, he can and will do even more.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>An opponent like Crystal Palace would normally give Mesut Ozil fits, as they play such a physical brand of football, but Ozil was in complete control and if any single person could be given credit for the game, that person is Mesut Ozil.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2015/08/16/5-things-we-learned-from-arsenals-nervy-victory-over-crystal-palace/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">About our defensive midfield...</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><h3 style="font-size:34px;">1. Arsenal need another DM</h3>
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<p>Francis Coquelin got an early yellow card and from that moment on, it was a dicey scenario. He does not have a ‘slow down’ switch and on numerous occasions Coquelin could have been sent off with another yellow. Arsene Wenger could not take him off though because we do not have a viable option to cover for him. Even Wenger knew he could not bring Arteta on that early so he opted for the Ox, leaving Ramsey and Cazorla in defense.<div class="recent-posts ">
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<p>That is not a strong holding defense. Ramsey has been good but Cazorla has very little defensive quality. Wenger did end up bringing on Arteta later on and he saved a potential goal-scoring opportunity, but at the end of the day, very few people would tell you that they have faith in Arteta to be our secondary DM. I know I don’t.</p>
<p>There have been and still are plenty of DM options out there. Anyone that plays it as their natural position would be welcome, seeing as how without the Coq, Arsenal are set back about seven years of frustration. Even when the Coq is ineffective, like today, we have no other choice.</p>
<p>It was a good win, but just like losses, there is plenty to learn from it and there is a lot Arsenal can still improve on.</p>
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<p> </p>
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