Arsenal: Matteo Guendouzi must not forget mistakes

Matteo Guendouzi inspired Arsenal’s remarkable comeback victory over Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon. But despite his sensational second half, he must not forget his blatant error for the opening goal.

The second-half performance from Arsenal was remarkable. Down a man after Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ red card, already needing to overcome a lacklustre first-half showing that handed Aston Villa the ascendancy in the both the scoreline and momentum, the Gunners showed tremendous hear, character, fight and attitude and all of those intangible mental qualities that this team has so often lacked.

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At the heart of this comeback was Matteo Guendouzi. Very much like the North London Derby earlier this season, the flame-haired Frenchman was a one-man midfield. He won the penalty with a terrific, slaloming dribble into the penalty area. He sprayed passes throughout the pitch; he prevented counter-attacks; he utterly dictated the pattern of play.

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After the match, Guendouzi was widely lauded for his individual display. Indeed, head coach Unai Emery was asked about the performance of star midfielder, and he did not hold back in his praise:

"“With Matteo, last year when he came here he progressed and he is progressing. Really I like that spirit he has, he has talent but above all his attitude, his energy, his commitment and his behaviour. He’s one player who is angry when he is not playing but I like that. I like that player because when they are angry they are asking you to play, when you decide that they play today they know they have a commitment to give what you need and he is one player, he is improving. I want to be calm with him, he is humble and continuing improving and growing up with us.”"

But for all of the brilliance of Guendouzi’s second-half display, it still followed a horrendously basic defensive error.

With the ball on the Aston Villa left flank, Guendouzi was sat in precisely the right position, just on the edge of the penalty area. Villa midfielder John McGinn was slightly behind him, but Guendouzi was in the right area to prevent any pass into him. Anticipating a cross into the penalty area, however, McGinn darted past Guendouzi, in behind the Arsenal defence, and volleyed home Anwar El Ghazi’s cross.

Guendouzi made a basic midfield error: he did not track his runner. It is one of the basic tenets you are taught as a young player. Follow your man. And this is precisely why. Guendouzi did not do it.

In the end, it did not cost his team. Thanks in large part to his efforts, they were able to overcome the first-half deficit. But this type of mistake is something that cannot be repeated. Opposing teams will pick up on Guendouzi’s unattentive nature and specifically instruct their central midfielders to make runs off the back of the Frenchman, knowing that he will not be aware enough to follow them.

Guendouzi is insanely talented. His attitude is ferocious and his spirit, fiery. But he is also not without mistake, and if he is going to become the world-class player that many expect of him, he must learn from these mistakes.