Wigan - on the bus. A risky game
Arsenal absolutely steamrolled Wigan, cruising their way into the FA Cup fifth round.
The starting XI was much as expected, save for a few tactical tweaks only the coaching staff could and should know the thinking behind. It was the bench, however, that let me down once more. In the previous round, Arteta loaded the bench with strong first-team players. As I already argued after the Portsmouth game, this kind of bench only caters for one outcome: needing to throw on the big guns to secure the win. Yet, it entirely overlooks the alternative scenario where we are three goals up or more and can afford to blood a few of the academy boys.
Against Portsmouth, we were three goals to the good by 51 minutes. This time around, we netted four before the half-time whistle had even blown. Arteta constantly stresses the need to learn from past experiences. Yet, the manager himself seems unwilling to change his own approach in this case.
Before Calafiori got injured this was our bench:
In my humble opinion, we need only three or four senior pros, one in each line, to ensure we can finish the job strongly; the rest should be dedicated to the youngsters. There is absolutely no call for bringing both Gabriel and Hincapie, or Rice and Zubimendi, or Trossard and Saka—one player for each role is more than ample.
Why did Arteta insist on having Rice, Zubimendi, and Gabriel parked on the bench? The only logical explanation is a lack of confidence in beating Wigan without his undisputed stars. He selected them because he envisaged a scenario where only those individuals on the pitch could rescue the match. I take issue with this on two fronts.
First off, this isn’t tournament prioritisation. It sends a message that we are going ‘all in’ across every competition. That approach would make sense if we had a 23-man squad fit and firing, but we are already without Havertz, Merino, Odegaard. Saka and Calafiori are touch-and-go. If we persist in stretching the squad across all fronts, we could well end up looking threadbare everywhere.
Secondly, our starting XI was a team 60% of the Premier League couldn’t even dream of fielding. I find it deeply unsettling that our manager is afraid of playing a bottom-of-the-Championship club at home with a line-up featuring Ben White, Norgaard, Eze, Madueke, Martinelli, and Jesus. That he felt the urgent need to summon his most trusted players. Selecting your undisputed stars for every single fixture across every competition isn’t exactly a stroke of genius, nor is it particularly commendable. It is, quite frankly, the easiest short-term path a manager can tread. Yet, it represents a risky game; any one of those team sheets could easily backfire and derail our entire season.
One exciting prospect in the team was finally getting to see Lewis-Skelly deployed in his natural midfield role. Alas, Calafiori’s warm-up injury cruelly robbed him of that chance right before kick-off. The late replacement? Piero Hinc… no, wait, it was Bukayo Saka. This proved to be a refreshing change, especially with Madueke already out wide.
I have long yearned for Saka in the number 10 role. With our usual creative forces struggling for form, he might be the perfect spark to invigorate that position for us. He combines the close control in tight spaces you see from Odegaard with the audacity for a final shot outside the box that Ethan possesses (or perhaps the Eze we saw in the autumn). He might lack the complete spatial awareness of our captain, but perhaps that isn’t the most vital quality. What we desperately need is a new dynamic in midfield, one the opposition isn’t prepared to deal with—the very dynamics Havertz brought back in January. Saka or Dowman operating there gives me far more conviction than anything we’ve witnessed recently in that position.
Goal Goal Goal Goal
The first goal arrived courtesy of Eze’s 30-yard vertical pass, which sliced right through the backline. Madueke duly sprinted clear of his man and slotted the ball into the far corner. It was beautifully simple, yet devastatingly effective. Why, then, are we not seeing more of these passes from Eze? I know the response: ‘The Premier League is a different kettle of fish regarding defending.’ Even so, this type of goal is still on the cards against most opponents. You require a sufficient channel between the centre-back and full-back for the ball to travel (which I am certain opens up a few times in most league fixtures) and a full-back unable to keep pace with Madueke, which, given Noni’s blistering speed, is hardly a rarity.
These goals are possible—just cast your mind back to our goal against Liverpool last season: a 50-yard through ball from White behind their defence, finished by Saka. They only cease to be possible when you stop actively looking for them. So, why is Eze not seeking out these opportunities in the league? Why does he resemble only a shadow of the player? My suspicion is that Arteta is trying to mould him into another Odegaard—a patient, sideways passer who keeps possession until a narrow opening emerges. But I genuinely believe this is a flawed strategy. Firstly, Eze is 27; changing the core instincts that have defined his career will be a very difficult task. Secondly, the whole rationale for signing him, I thought, was to introduce a wholly different type of number 10: one who provides infrequent but explosive moments on the pitch, creating completely new dilemmas for the opposition. Attempting to turn him into an Odegaard does not, to my mind, represent the best deployment of Eze’s unique skillset.
The second goal saw a vertical ball from Norgaard followed by another vertical pass from Eze, which perfectly picked out Martinelli’s darting run. With the pressure off, Gabi finished a tricky chance with zero hesitation. And, importantly, this wasn’t just down to the opposition; it was a far more complex finish than the sitters he butchered against Brentford and Forest.
In the cup competitions and certain Champions League ties, we play an entirely different brand of football with Norgaard and Eze in the side. We go vertical, we are fast, we are exhilarating, we are daring, we trade blows, and we emerge victorious due to our superior individual quality. I can certainly see why Arteta opts for safe ‘horseshoe’ football against the likes of United, Liverpool, City, or Villa—sides who can truly punish us in transition. However, the second half of the league table is not quite so deadly nor very efficient.
Why do you think a visibly flawed City side continues to grind out results? It’s because they can allow a team like Fulham to have five runs at them, safe in the knowledge that Fulham will lack the required ruthlessness to convert those chances. This is precisely the strategy Slot used to conquer the league last season. He engaged in a genuine ‘punch exchange’, fully aware that Liverpool’s individual quality would, more often than not, ensure they came out on top.
Against a side like Wolves, vertical football would be a superb strategy to deploy. We must deny them the chance to drop into their established shape, and purposefully invite them forward, only to then devastate them on the vertical counter-attack. There are enough teams in this division against whom this strategy should be effective most weeks. This is a risky game, sure, but it can also bring an invaluable set of benefits for the team and players. A feeling of confidently destroying the opponent can make wonders for the confidence and belief so much needed in the league title charge. However, if we permit every single opponent to retreat and cover the vital areas, we are destined for another string of tough fixtures, like the dreadful affair at Brentford.
Our third came down the right flank, with Saka and Madueke essentially operating as a pair of right wingers. They completely overloaded that side, and against their sheer quality, Wigan simply had zero answers. Following a flurry of touches and ricochets in the box, the Owen Goal was back in action. Now, this is a goal I wouldn’t champion for the league. Premier League players possess far superior tactical awareness and would quickly counter this tactic by swarming that flank with extra bodies. It’s a ploy we can utilise when needing to swing a game, but it won’t be a reliable strategy every week.
The fourth was netted when Norgaard delivered a brilliant, floated pass to Jesus, who then chipped the ball over the stranded goalkeeper. Gabriel Jesus loves to beat up a knocked down opponent, and Wigan was no different. A brilliant delivery from Norgaard, though not quite as magnificent as another ball that found Martinelli in the box during the first half—a 60-meter screamer fired from our own half right into the channel of Martinelli’s run in the penatly .
I ranted a lot about Arteta’s unfair treatment of Norgaard and Christian demonstrated again how efficient and impressive he can be, although it was Wigan.
I don’t have even a shadow of a doubt that Rice and Zubimendi will play on Wednesday. Arteta is not the one who lets go of his beliefs unless he was punched in the face following them.
It’s plausible that Arteta harbours reservations about Norgaard’s capacity to play out from the back under pressure, as well as his suitability for patiently building attacks. That said, as I’ve already pointed out, there are enough Premier League sides who do not press high, against whom he could completely dominate the midfield, Wolverhampton being a prime example.
The rest of the game didn’t have much analysis material. Ben White got injured unfortunately. We didn’t get to see Lewis-Skelly in midfield despite having Hincapie on the bench. We did get to see Marli Salmon for 30 minutes and he expectedly didn’t disappoint. The Irish youngster O’Neill didn’t even get 15 minutes with a four-goal advantage and instead Trossard was sent on to give Madueke a breather.
Our last sub of the day was goalkeeper Tommy Setford. While I am happy for Tommy getting a nod, it only underscored the ridiculousness of our bench selection - Arteta sent the keeper to play for 10 minutes, because he didn’t prepare before the game the other players he would like to try out on the pitch. Anyone who tries to justify this decision saying “it is a training session” or “it is needed for fitness” are just finding excuses for every one of Arteta’s decisions.
The logic is simple: for an academy prospect, a twenty-minute run-out with the first team is a golden learning opportunity and a massive shot in the arm. For senior pros like Trossard or Zubimendi, however, it represents nothing but a needless risk of injury from a stray, nasty tackle. There was absolutely no call for either of them to feature yesterday.
Don’t misunderstand me; I’m buzzing with a convincing win against Wigan, and even more so to witness such exhilarating, chance-heavy football. I simply don’t believe brushing aside Championship opposition at home provides any real barometer for our ability to secure silverware—and that remains the standard I apply to these posts. Moreover, it hardly serves as a dress rehearsal for the league, primarily because the brand of football we play in these ties is a different kettle of fish entirely.
The football Gods have evidently looked down on us with mercy, handing us League One opposition in the fifth round. For that, I am truly grateful; I honestly couldn’t stomach the sight of Arteta fielding a full-strength eleven in yet another cup game.
League Bounce
All that matters is bouncing back in the league after a Brentford defeat. We travel to the last team in the league but they are not a gift by any stretch of the imagination.
Take a look at the league form since Rob Edwards took the helm. As you can see for yourself, their heaviest defeats have been by a mere two goals, and they have managed to have a very tight games against the likes of Liverpool, United, Newcastle, and indeed ourselves. Wolves are certain to deploy a disciplined low block that will be a nightmare to dismantle. If we fail to evolve from the turgid football seen against Brentford or Forest, we are destined to struggle once more. Cruising past Wigan changes nothing if we persist with the same pedestrian tempo and a passive number 10, whether it is Eze or Odegaard pulling the strings.
A glance at the stats confirms Wolves remain a goal-shy side. If we can entice them into an exchange of vertical blows rather than letting them retreat comfortably into their shell and play for a bore draw, they stand very little chance of outscoring us.
One silver lining is that Wolves were pushed all the way by Grimsby in the FA Cup and do not have the luxury of naming nine fresh players for our visit. We should be the fresher outfit, capable of sustaining an intensity they simply cannot match.
We cannot afford to go completely “all in”, however, with our annoying neighbour lurking in the shadows. Even a wounded Spurs side under a questionable manager will be more than motivated to derail our title bid, especially with their crowd at their most raucous. We cannot risk a nervy finish at Molineux, because every spared scrap of energy will be required for Super Sunday.
Wow. That’s A LOT of criticism of a manager who has his team top of the Premier League, top of the Champions League, through to the League Cup final and into the last 16 of the FA Cup.