Arsenal Quarterly Report Card: Willian

I thought we got rid of Henrikh Mkhitaryan at Arsenal?

Arsenal relied heavily on youth last season. Bukayo Saka enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and earned himself a new long-term deal, Joe Willock made more appearances than anyone else in the squad, and Eddie Nketiah was recalled from a loan spell at Leeds and played a big role in our FA Cup heroics.

The excitement about Hale End was palpable. However, the general consensus at the club was that we could not afford to rush the youngsters into the side. We needed a more seasoned professional to provide depth and experience up top, someone for the young players to look up to. In came Willian.

While many were not overly enthused by the signing, getting a ready-made Premier League creator on a free transfer seemed like sound business. And it was, after his first 90 minutes, but we have not seen that quality since.

The Good

Oh how we thought we had hit the jackpot after the opening weekend! The new man was immediately thrown into the fray at Craven Cottage by Mikel Arteta and he was magnificent.

Registering two assists (and a disputed third) and hitting the woodwork with a free-kick, the Brazilian also demonstrated immense commitment in the high press and was a constant threat throughout.

His Gunners debut had gone exactly to plan, the whole team looked sharp and we were sitting top of the table. The future was bright.

The Bad

Everything else.

Willian has been very disappointing since the opening day. He has constantly conceded possession, has rarely beaten his man and can’t seem to hit a decent cross into the box. In fact, the only thing that has been more infuriating lately is Arteta’s insistence on picking him.

Starting all but one of Arsenal’s Premier League fixtures so far – sending Nicolas Pepe to the bench in the process – he has failed spectacularly to rediscover the kind of quality he showed during his impressive spell at Chelsea. Fans in many quarters have already had enough and want him dropped, and if things don’t pick up quickly, Arteta may come to the same conclusion.

Best Moment- Ruling the Cottage

We haven’t had a lot to cheer about so far this season, but the campaign got off to the best possible start with a dominant win away to Fulham, and it was Willian who stole the show.

It was his assists and the manner of the victory that made the headlines, but his overall play was superb. With his clever runs and direct style, he tore the home defence to shreds and had us all smiling about our shrewd transfer operations. How times have changed.

Willian’s Arsenal Rating

C+