Arsenal: 3 standout individual performances vs Wolves

Arsenal players knew the importance of this game before they stepped on the pitch. In the mix for top four, every point counts.

Add to that the hilarious defeat Tottenham suffered against Burnley and the opportunity to capitalize was there for all to see. Arsenal have been presented with opportunities like this in the past but have rarely, if ever, capitalized on them.

Thursday’s game, however, was a different story.

Although the goal conceded was silly with the team stumbling out of the blocks, once they settled a bit they showed a grit which hasn’t been seen enough in past seasons.

Arsenal 2-1 Wolves: 3 standout individual performances from Mikel Arteta’s team in crucial Premier League win

Heads never dropped and neither did the attacks. Both would be useful as the team won deep into injury time.

While the team’s fighting spirit and commitment will catch headlines, the performances of individual players should not be forgotten in the praise of the collective.

Here are three standout players from Arsenal’s massive win against Wolves.

3. Benjamin White

On a night where the entire backline looked shaky, Benjamin White was anything but. The man exudes confidence.

A defender’s ideal scenario is to play against a team slow in possession that plays in front of them. Against Wolves, the Arsenal defense had a tough opponent. Quick on the break, with intelligent forward players making intelligent runs, it can be easy for defenders to be exposed, especially in the chaos of an open, back-and-forth game.

White was not perturbed by the challenges he faced against Wolves. He anchored the backline superbly. Instead of waiting for the pass from Neves or Moutinho to be played into the front players before pressuring, White took a more proactive approach. He nicked in quickly, rarely giving opposition players time to settle and turn.

This proactive approach can often be a double-edged sword. All it takes is one drop of the shoulder, one body feint or one tidy turn for attackers to spin their man and either draw a potential yellow card foul or sprint full speed, bearing down on goal. White’s level dictated every engagement and no player got the better of him. Rarely giving away a foul, he made interception after interception, even matching the sh*thousery that the visitors put on.

On the offensive side, he looked as relaxed as ever on the ball. He drove forward a few times, made several incisive passes and forced the issue with some attempts over the top. While the more difficult balls didn’t always come off, his performance as a whole was remarkable. He has the potential to anchor this defense for years and to do it at a level we haven’t seen in years.

Whisper it softly, but I think White might just be a bit better than Sokratis.

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2. Thomas Partey

Few players in the squad have faced the difficulties Thomas Partey has. They have already been discussed extensively, but in short, fans have wanted to see more from him. On Thursday night against Wolves, he delivered.

Partey has thrived in his new role as a single pivot. His technical ability and physicality allows him to control the entire midfield and balance the way Arsenal build-up without any left-sided bias.

He glides past opposition midfielders with tight turns and smooth body feints, escaping pressure with aesthetic ease. His passing is also neatly suited to Arsenal’s midfield as he moves the ball around with a lovely level of zip and purpose, sliding in dangerous attackers and letting them go to work against defenders.

The simplicity in his play is often underrated. All the small details, and some of the less glamorous elements, he excels at. Partey knows his job is to receive the ball and move it on with as few touches as possible and he does so extremely well.

The only thing missing from his game is a shot that doesn’t blast into the stratosphere. But if he runs the midfield like he did against Wolves, he can keep shooting all he wants.

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1. Martin Odegaard

While Martin Odegaard impressed fans last season,there were initial doubts over his ability, especially when fans compared him to the Premier League-proven and overpriced James Maddison. There were doubts about whether or not he could tally goals and assists. There were even more doubts about his ability to play alongside Bukayo Saka.

Game by game, Odegaard continues to assuage these doubts.

The Norwegian has always been brimming with confidence. He knows his ability and his level and backs himself in everything he does. Add to that true leadership and work rate and you have an exceptional player. He thrives when given responsibility, never buckling under pressure, and against Wolves, he showed his tangible and intangible qualities alike.

Always demanding the ball, Odegaard possesses a hunger to make things happen. And fortunately for Arsenal fans, he has the technical craft and vision to do so. The past few weeks have seen Odegaard take his level up a few notches. He moves the ball quickly, never hesitating and rarely failing to make incisive passes, although is willing to bide his time for just the right pass. Dummies and flicks show how comfortable Odegaard is in this side.

While he may not have tallied any assists against Wolves, he was instrumental in the win, as he has been throughout this season. His collecting a growing portfolio of pre-assists, though.

Sliding in Lacazette and Martinelli with inch-perfect balls, he changed it up in the build up to the second goal, playing an accurate ball in behind the Wolves’ defense for Nketiah to run onto. Odegaard’s understanding of space is unmatched. That winning goal was a glorious example of someone calm on the ball, not playing the quick easy pass and waiting for avenues to open up.

Keeping Odegaard performing at this level is key for Arsenal to finish in the top four. He is truly operating at a world-class level.

Arsenal dug in for a tough night against Wolves. It hasn’t always been the case but their constant pressure and willingness to attack paid off with extremely important three points. The team as a whole deserves credit but underlying an excellent showing are three players who stamped their authority on this game. Let’s hope momentum stays with those players and the team alike.