F365 Says: Auba gives Arsenal a lead even they can’t f*** up

Ian Watson

Having lost their last three games, conceding three goals in each, Arsenal were not in a position to be sniffy about their margin of victory. Unai Emery would have been grateful for any advantage to take to Valencia next week but the way the manager greeted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 90th-minute volley highlights how even the man who knows better than anyone his side’s potential for calamity rates his prospects of a fourth Europa League final.

As the Emirates clock ticked towards added time, this semi-final first-leg appeared to be heading for a 2-1 scoreline that everyone and no-one was satisfied with. Arsenal could and should have had more, but so too could the visitors. The Gunners seemed wary of appearing ungrateful for a first-leg advantage which Los Che clearly reckoned was redeemable and both sides seemed conflicted about committing to attack despite neither defence appearing capable of sufficient resistance.

Aubameyang’s late intervention changed the Emirates tone entirely – not just evaporating apprehension on the night but replacing the pessimism which has been allowed to grow for a fortnight with hope and perhaps expectation, even on the part of supporters who have been let down so often before.

Their second consecutive Europa League semi-final had a familiar whiff of disappointment as Arsenal started where they left off during Sunday’s miserable 3-0 defeat at Leicester. Valencia had three incredible opportunities, none of which they had to work very hard for, but only Mouctar Diakhaby’s header registered on the scoresheet.

Emery changed from a four-man backline which was pierced almost at will by the Foxes at the weekend to a three-man rearguard, and the manager’s persistent toing and froing appears to be doing little for his defenders’ understanding of their basic functions.

Valencia’s first two gilt-edged chances reflected poorly on the whole team as a defensive unit rather than just the individuals specifically tasked with protecting Petr Cech on his final appearance at the Emirates. Marcelino and his Valencia coaching staff deserve some credit for plotting the set-pieces but neither had to be particularly cunning. Two far-post deliveries picked out free men and the subsequent balls back across the face of goal also found a Valencia attacker. The only difference was that Ezequiel Garay somehow sidefooted over from point-blank range, while Diakhaby completed his simple task of nodding in from even closer.

More worrying than the Arsenal defence being out-thought was that they were too easily out-fought – once again. Despite being surrounded in the Arsenal six-yard box and sandwiched between Granit Xhaka and Alexandre Lacazette, Diakhaby was the only player to get off the floor to meet Rodrigo’s nod back. Neither Xhaka nor Lacazette made any attempt to engage Diakhaby, with the 10th goal conceded in a little over three matches seemingly all-too-willingly accepted.

Arsenal – Ainsley Maitland-Niles in particular – were lucky that Valencia did not capitalise on further inexcusable defending before those at the back were bailed out by their leading lights up front.

Lacazette and Aubameyang showed another example of the understanding which offers great promise for Emery next season when the former finished the latter’s lay-off with Neto nowhere. Seven minutes later, the Valencia keeper remained on his line when Xhaka’s delivery landed on Lacazette’s head but Neto preceded the chuck the ball over it anyway.

The quality and graft offered by their strikers means Arsenal always have a chance no matter how wretched their defending, but the second half saw the frustration switch to the other end. Valencia were more cautious, especially in the early moments after the break, with Marcelino seemingly instructing his wing-backs to resist their attacking urges. It was the smart call, perhaps the only one, after Lacazette and Aubameyang had spent the first period pulling Los Che’s three centre-backs across the width of the Emirates.

But Valencia’s defence appeared as porous as their hosts’. Were it not for Lacazette’s profligacy with two glorious opportunities to claim the matchball they would have been dead and buried before Aubameyang ended their evening on a needless sour note.

Will Emery’s men finish the job at the Mestalla next week? You would certainly expect so, but with this Arsenal side, who the hell knows?

Their recent defensive performances suggest Lacazette and Aubameyang will be relied upon again and though their away form has remained a let down, Arsenal have netted in 21 of their 25 away matches this season. As always, though, a huge question mark hangs over their ability to preserve their forwards’ fine work.

Laurent Koscielny, who limped through most of the second half and made one crucial intervention, is as honest as they come so even he would have to admit that the wear and tear of a long-term injury is catching up with him. Neither Sokratis nor Shkodran Mustafi are any better equipped to handle raw pace, and the level of fear it strikes through the heart of Arsenal’s defence provokes rash decisions. To push up or drop off? Arsenal’s line so often does both at the same time.

Emery’s issues at the back cannot be remedied within a week and without investment. Presumably the three-man shape will remain and the manager will have to trust defenders unworthy of such confidence. But thanks to the bonus of a two-goal cushion and Valencia being just as penetrable – especially while Lacazette and Aubameyang are willing to run as hard and as direct as tonight – then it appears unlikely that even Arsenal will f*ck this one up.

Ian Watson

 

F365 Says Arsenal