Arsenal Vs Sheffield United: 5 things we learned – Unai Emery out?

4. Move the ball quickly

I have written extensively regarding Arsenal’s inability to play against the high press. It has been a major issue for this team for many years now, extending back into the latter Arsene Wenger years. And, like clockwork, it was again a problem here.

There were many culprits for this. Bernd Leno took an age to take his set-pieces. Sead Kolasinac and Calum Chambers could not move the ball forwards, either passing backwards or eventually just hoofing an aimless clearance up the line. David Luiz and Matteo Guendouzi attempted to break free but could do not do so with much regularity, especially in the first half. But the two chief offenders were Sokratis and Granit Xhaka.

Both were painfully slow to release simple passes. It might be because they had to get the ball onto their preferred foot or maybe they took too many touches before playing a pass or sometimes it was because they positioned themselves poorly when receiving a pass, meaning they invited pressure onto them and were unable to turn away. Whatever it was, Arsenal’s passing moves slowed down whenever Sokratis and Xhaka had the ball. And it cost them throughout the night.