Carabao Cup 2017/18: Arsenal 1-0 Doncaster Rovers, 5 Talking Points

Arsenal 1-0 Doncaster

Goal: Theo Walcott 25'

Arsenal scraped through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup courtesy of a slender 1-0 win over Doncaster. Theo Walcott was the scorer of the solitary goal at the Emirates which saw its record lowest attendance at just over 44,000. The Gunners started the game brightly and should have been out of sight by the half-hour mark but could manage just one goal by the end.

Credit to Doncaster who were in the game till the final whistle and had numerous chances of their own to draw level against a high-profile opponent. The League One side gave Arsenal a run for their money in the final 20 minutes of the game as against any other opposition Arsenal might have had to go to extra time. Without further ado, let's delve right into the five talking points from an exciting game of the league cup between Arsenal and Doncaster:

#5 Only possession, no penetration from Arsenal

Despite a win, Arsenal had positives and negatives to take in equal measures. The first negative being their finishing. Wenger's men took 27 shots and had 10 corners in the game and yielding just one goal from that can be said as borderline disastrous. It wasn't the case as if the Rovers goalkeeper had a dream game, he made saves throughout the course of the game.

During the first 30 minutes, Arsenal were quick in their passing and showed creativity with the link up play between Alexis Sanchez and Ainsley Maitland-Niles being brilliant. The second interval, however, saw a drop in the intensity as Arsenal were painfully slow in their buildup.

The other negative being the game management in the final quarter of the match. At a time when Doncaster were looking dangerous, Arsenal should have shut shop and seen the game out. But, as it has been the case in recent years, Arsenal committed men forward and were short in numbers at the back. Luckily for them, the equalizer didn't come which would have caused further uproar within the fan base.

#4 Theo Walcott being Theo Walcott

Arsenal v Doncaster Rovers - Carabao Cup Third Round — Theo Walcott never realized his true potential

Since making his debut over a decade ago, Theo Walcott has shown tremendous promise but sadly never fulfilled it. His display against Doncaster was a live example of how his career has panned out. Walcott started the game brilliantly and scored the only goal of the match with a delightful finish, dinking it over the rushing goalkeeper. But (there has always been a 'but' in Walcott's career) his performance dropped after he scored the goal.

Walcott then mistimed many of his passes, delivered numerous average crosses, looked second best in challenges and also timed his runs badly. He also missed a one on one chance in the second half which would have effectively sealed an easy passage through for the Gunners. Walcott was then substituted with a slight knock, ending to what was a 50/50 evening for the Englishman. It can be predicted that another season on the bench beckons Theo Walcott.

#3 Doncaster showed great heart

Coming into the game, Doncaster were struggling in League One with just six points on board from eight games. But the Rovers put in a spirited performance from which they would feel like that they deserved at least a goal. The Darren Ferguson led side defended in numbers in the first half and counter-attacked with intent in the second.

Doncaster had several chances in the second half with one attempt from a corner brushing the pole of David Ospina's goal. The Rovers also had a good backing from their travelling supporters with as many as 5000 Doncaster fans making the trip from South Yorkshire.

#2 Brilliant performances from Jack Wilshere and Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Making his first start since the opening day of the 2015/16 season, all eyes were on Jack Wilshere to produce a decent showing. And the robust yet creative midfielder did just that! Wilshere controlled the tempo of Arsenal's play and sprayed some delightful balls to the forward players. His dinked pass to Olivier Giroud could have created a stunning goal but the resulting shot rattled the crossbar. Wilshere was Arsenal's quarterback last night and probably did enough to get back into the mix for a place in the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Ainsley Maitland-Niles was given in a start in a left wing-back role. With not so much to worry about the defence, the youngster attacked with aplomb and delivered delicious deliveries into the box from the left flank. He linked up well with Sanchez and should have had an assist last night with his testing crosses into the box. Judging by his performance, Maitland-Niles will get games in the future at the left back position if Sead Kolasinac or Nacho Montreal miss a few.

#1 Alexis Sanchez displaying glimpses of brilliance

Much has been talked about the Chilean being unhappy at the club and eyeing a move in January. Gary Neville recently called his performances half-hearted with the Chilean being dropped for the Chelsea game adding more fuel to the fire. Alexis Sanchez answered his critics with an influencing display against Doncaster. Every Arsenal attack in the first half came through the Chilean.

His agility, quick turns and an eye for a pass kept the opposing defenders on their toes with the goalkeeper also having to make a sharp save from a Sanchez freekick. His most important play came in the buildup to the goal as Sanchez found Walcott with a beautiful diagonal ball beyond the Doncaster backline.

This is what Alexis Sanchez brings to the table - an ability to create a spark from almost nothing. His goal against FC Koln was another example of his magical abilities. Sanchez is the best player at the Arsenal Football Club and keeping him firing on all cylinders is the only way the Gunners can have a successful season.

Edited by Shambhu Ajith