Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Vitoria SC: 5 things we learned – Nicolas Pepe papers over cracks

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal scores his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal scores his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

Arsenal hosted Vitoria SC in their third Europa League group game on Thursday night. Here are five things we learned from the 3-2 win.

In one of the weirdest and murkiest matches that I have seen in a long time, Arsenal somehow rescued their 100% record in the Europa League with a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Vitoria SC on Thursday night. After a lacklustre 80 minutes in which the Gunners offered very little, they have only one man to thank for saving their bacon: Nicolas Pepe and his magical left foot. The Ivorian curled two beautiful freekicks to haul his team from 2-1 down and earn an unlikely 3-2 victory in the dying seconds.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — The Unai Emery One

Here are five things we learned.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) /

5. What formation was it?

I like to watch games with a tactical slant. I enjoy breaking down the different systems of the opposing teams, working out their relative strengths and weaknesses and recognising where the game was won and lost. I like to think I can diagnose a team’s formation relatively quickly and accurately. But even by half-time, I had no idea what formation Arsenal were playing.

I think it started out as a 4-2-3-1 with Emile Smith Rowe behind Alexandre Lacazette. Then Gabriel Martinelli, who was playing on the left, moved up front to partner Lacazette. It briefly resembled a 4-4-2 diamond with Lucas Torreira pushed high up the pitch. Then it switched to a flat 4-4-2, Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the right and Smith Rowe moved to the left. In reality, I still do not know what it was. And I am not sure the players did either.

Arsenal’s performance was painfully disjointed and disconnected. Their spacing in possession was all wrong, limiting options for the person on the ball, and there were gaping chasms all over the pitch for Vitoria to exploit on the counter-attack, which they duly enjoyed. It was utterly bizarre, and very concerning indeed.