Arsenal vs Slavia Prague: 4 talking points from Europa League draw

David Luiz Absence Telling Once More

Rob Holding collects the ball and sees Saka making a darting run in behind Jan Bořil. The defender takes one look down at the ball and one look up to angle his pass. It spoons horribly out for a throw in.

During a desperately flat opening 45 minutes the only avenue worth exploring for Arsenal was through the 19-year-old, who was keeping Bořil heavily occupied on that side. Only found by Lacazette who’d dropped so deep he was alongside the centre-backs, if David Luiz was fit that angle could have been exploited to a far more telling degree.

Additionally, this game would’ve suited Luiz perfectly with Slavia operating in a man-marking system that saw them keep tight on everyone in midfield, in a similar vein to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds.

Doing so meant the central defenders had the license to carry the ball closer to the halfway line and force the opposition to press differently, freeing the likes of Saka to continue making that run.

Holding’s weak delivery saw a peculiar positional swap take place as he moved out to right-back and Bellerin shifted centrally, perhaps with an eye on having someone who could hit the ball into the vacant spaces.

This game was made for Luiz. 33 years old and heavily scrutinised, his absence is once again missed.