Arsenal: 4 talking points from West Brom Premier League win

At the seventh time of asking Arsenal have won on home soil as Emile Smith Rowe, Nicolas Pepe and Willian netted in a 3-1 Premier League win that relegated West Brom in the process. Here are the talking points.

Mikel Arteta needed his side to win. Nothing more would have sufficed. In the opening exchanges of the match that wasn’t evident as Arsenal were put under early Baggies pressure, who came closest to opening the scoring through the excellent Matheus Pereira.

A total lack of tempo in the play, really sucking the life out of the occasion, was only going to be lifted through the feet of Bukayo Saka who was having an excellent game at left-back.

His combination play down that flank was Arsenal’s best outlet, which is precisely where the goal game as he fashioned a neat ball into the path of Emile Smith Rowe who volleyed home for his first Premier League goal for the club.

Arsenal: 4 talking points from West Brom Premier League win as Emile Smith Rowe, Nicolas Pepe and Willian score

A second followed shortly after as Nicolas Pepe’s thumping effort flew beyond Sam Johnstone and rifled into the top corner, to truly settle any lingering nerves.

The plan after the break was put the game to bed early on with a few inviting deliveries unable to be converted for the third, as Smith Rowe and Alexandre Lacazette both came close.

It became squeaky bum time when Pereira was given the freedom to carry the ball from his own half and pick his spot in the bottom corner with the Gunners’ defence backing off into the North Bank, which prompted more pressure from the visitors.

Just about holding firm as the match wore on, it was left to Willian to score a Puskas contender with a bending free-kick from 400 yards away, his first goal for club since joining from Chelsea sixteen years ago. In all seriousness, it was a wonderful free-kick.

The Reality of Willian’s Arsenal Career

Willian was one of the better players on the night. All of the positive play Arsenal produced came via a combination of the Brazilian and Bukayo Saka on the left, albeit majorly the work of the youngster who had Callum Robinson scampering to cover and Darnell Furlong unable to provide welcome support.

The pass was always on for Willian and it helped his confidence grow as the match wore on, where the runners kept providing the option in behind that he would never offer. No longer does he take his man on or play on the shoulder of defences, and matches on home soil against dreadful sides like West Brom may well be the level he needs to not be so hopeless. Home truths.

Everyone rightly waxes lyrical about his first goal for the club, but it’s taken 37 matches to come, from a dead ball, against a relegated side. A return so atrocious he may as well have been wearing a Chelsea shirt most of the times he’s turned out for Gunners.

He will not be part of this club’s future. At least not a positive part. Why play him at all? Reiss Nelson will leave in the summer with suitors only basing their opinions from Under-23 matches and what he did months ago.

We can all hope Arteta won’t see that goal as vindication for this signing. Fortunately he alluded otherwise in his post-match interview.

Bukayo Saka at Left-Back a Missed Opportunity

With Kieran Tierney injured, the debate over who should play left-back to cover for his absence involved two players, neither of whom were Granit Xhaka.

Opting to utilise the Swiss in that position against Sheffield United and Slavia Prague worked well with teams not being able to work out the system, but it should have ended there. It was obvious Arsenal lacked the stability and physicality in central midfield without Xhaka – while Thomas Partey also struggled – and ready-made to assume that position was a player who’d pretty much started out in the Premier League playing there.

The argument for losing Saka’s influence in the final third was a valid one, but as seen against West Brom and every other time he plays left-back, that contribution in the final third doesn’t wane.

Acting as a wing-back with Arsenal slotting into a back three in possession, he added another dimension to the attack, even making Willian look effective down that side. We know this works, so why wasn’t it used in Europe? Arsenal needed goals and tempo, two things Xhaka doesn’t offer in defence and takes away from his qualities in the heart of the pitch.

Furthermore, it allows even more attacking players to occupy the front line, thus more threat. ‘It’s only West Brom’ doesn’t apply since he’s played this role against better sides and kept to a high standard. A missed opportunity.

Gabriel Martinelli Struggles at No. 9

There were numerous questions to ask of the lineup and why players with no futures at Arsenal were selected over those who need both minutes to develop as well as the chance raise their profiles ahead of summer sales, but nobody was unhappy to see Gabriel Martinelli at centre-forward.

Unfortunately, fans didn’t see much of him at all.

Sluggish build-up didn’t help his case as the tedious experience of watching Dani Ceballos take 60 touches too many allowed West Brom to get into a shape that gave the Brazilian no space to operate in. It meant Martinelli opted to often come short, an element that shows his lack of experience in his role. Even if you’re not getting the ball, sometimes it’s best to bide your time at centre-forward and trust the phases to come your way.

Their deep back line didn’t help, yet the runs he’s so effective at in behind the left half-spaces weren’t forthcoming. There wasn’t enough movement in behind.

When he did get the ball some of his touches were too loose, but it’s nonetheless a positive sign to see him get the chance from the off and he will watch back the game and see the areas of improvement. At 19 years old there is plenty of time to develop his skills, even if this writer thinks he’s better suited to a wide role.

Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe Battling for England Spots

As far as the Premier League is concerned for fans, all three remaining fixtures are essentially dead-rubbers: Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Brighton are to come and seeing academy players get some minutes is what most are keen on.

Saka and Smith Rowe will have other ideas.

Granted, the chances of making the England squad for the summer’s European Championships are far greater for Saka than they are for Smith Rowe, although that doesn’t mean it’s entirely out of the question.

With the squad sizes expanded to 26, players such as Smith Rowe are in with a chance of inclusion and his versatility, just like Saka, will help his case. Yet again it was the academy stars who shone brightest for Arsenal, and even with the competition for places in the Three Lions being tough, excluding Saka will prompt riots in north London.

The past few weeks have been indifferent for both players, with performance levels dropping slightly as an undoubted response to the sheer volume of minutes faced. Both need a rest, but neither will want it in the final three games as they push for a spot on the plane.