Arsenal’s Willian and Nicolas Pepe call – guile or goals?

Willian put in another solid outing for Arsenal as he continues the longest integration of a richly experienced Premier League footballer who hasn’t had to move house or city or learn a new language in the history of the competition. Against Olympiacos he did everything that was asked of him.

The issue is whether what is being asked of him is the right contribution to this team.

Mikel Arteta has frustrated (let’s go with that) supporters throughout the season by failing to convince those irked that he works on the basis of meritocracy. The opening game of the campaign against Fulham got the ball rolling as Nicolas Pepe was dropped to the bench after a superb FA Cup final display.

Willian maintained a dire stretch of form in which retained his place despite those woeful outings and ill-advised trips abroad, and when Emile Smith Rowe was excelling in the Europa League he was overlooked despite the blatant requirement for a between-the-lines operator.

Arsenal’s Willian and Nicolas Pepe issue – does Mikel Arteta favour guile or goals?

On Thursday he grabbed his seventh assist – the most of any Arsenal player this season – and found the pockets of room in the half-spaces to match Arteta’s double No. 8/10 mantra. With this system, the full-backs can provide the lion’s share of width in tandem with one another depending on which side the play is aimed down, with Martin Odegaard able to drop deeper and form a partnership with Thomas Partey from which he can drive with the ball.

It means Arsenal have structure, can sustain pressure and are more equipped to deal with the loss of possession. Moreover, they lose it on fewer occasions as there is less risk in the final third.

All of which suits superbly. It works nicely as a system the control phases of the game, it just doesn’t produce enough goals. Which comes back to the issue of ruthlessness.

That six in front of defence are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Bukayo Saka, Willian, Martin Odegaard, Grant Xhaka and Thomas Partey. The goal threat is Aubameyang’s alone. No other player of that troupe is a reliable source of goals other than Saka, and he is more tuned to being part two of a three-part route to goal.

So, what can Arteta do?