Arsenal Vs Valencia: 5 things we learned – I love centre-forwards

4. The good and bad of Maitland-Niles

Valencia had a clear attacking gameplan early on: exploit huge switches of play from deep in the midfield to the wide left channel, hopefully either isolating Ainsley Maitland-Niles or taking advantage of his over-eager positioning. The plan worked, with a series of chances created via these long switched passes.

And Maitland-Niles struggled greatly as a result. His defending was tepid and unconvincing, he was lost positionally, often coming inside, allowing the ball to move out wide but then failing to pressure it properly, and at the half-hour mark his completion rate was at just 40% — no other outfield player on the pitch was below 60% at the same point.

Then, however, Maitland-Niles showed exactly what he is capable of, teeing up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for his second and Arsenal’s third with a brilliant dribble, searing past a defender, and cross, deliciously wrapping his right foot around the ball and finding Aubameyang’s dart across the front post. The good and bad of Maitland-Niles was on full show here.