Arsenal: Dani Ceballos the difference maker, in case you didn’t notice

Arsenal’s attack woke up from a frustrating nap against Newcastle, and in case you didn’t notice, the only major difference was Dani Ceballo.

Since Mikel Arteta has taken over, Arsenal have reversed their strengths and weaknesses. Their defense has been their focal point and their prolific, superstar-class has fallen asleep. But Newcastle saw all that change, and Dani Ceballos was the big difference.

When Ceballos first arrived, it was clear why. We needed that Aaron Ramsey/Jack Wilshere/Santi Cazorla player who could drive from the back, create and link the defense with the attack. It’s the kind of player we’re used to having a surplus off, but haven’t had any of.

Ceballos, against Newcastle, was exactly that. What was normally a static, pass the ball in a semi-circle attack all of a sudden had movement.

It shouldn’t be such a novelty, but the big things Ceballos did to wake up this attack was pass the ball and immediately move forward, looking for a return. It’s the oldest trick in the book—the give and go. While the defense is adjusting to the pass, you slip in behind.

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No one at Arsenal has done that. No one. And when they try, no one else is doing it, so why keep trying?

Ceballos made it clear and obvious by example that this is the way things needed to be done on this attack. We needed movement, and by instigating that movement, his teammates followed suit. Mesut Ozil‘s fluid movement was met with more movement on the flanks, up top, and all over the place.

When Ceballos was subbed off, he was met with rapturous applause for obvious reason. He was the difference maker. He was the guy playing in inquisitive balls from deep, he was the guy providing movement between lines. He did all these things to wake up the attack. Without him, who knows if we would have waken up at all.

There are plenty of guys capable of that movement—Nicolas Pepe, for instance. But it didn’t seem like he was willing to risk it until the attack started moving around him. Then, all of a sudden, everyone seemed to remember that it’s okay to move around and create space for themselves and for their teammates.

The result? Four goals. And yeah, Ceballos was the guy who instigates all of that. Pepe, Ozil, Saka, they just followed suit. It started with Ceballos.