How Arsenal fared against Cardiff City in their 3-2 away win

In a 3-2 win, the goals came in a back and forth manner with Shkodran Mustafi slotting in the first goal from a corner by Granit Xhaka. Just before halftime, Victor Camarasa equalized for Cardiff City. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his first goal of the season right after the hour but Danny Ward equalized eight minutes after. Alexandre Lacazette scored in the 81st minute to give Arsenal the winning goal and an important three points.

Between the sticks

Arsenal's Petr Cech saves the ball during the Cardiff City match.

Petr Cech has been in rather poor form since the season began. He has conceded a fair amount of goals already, and he conceded two. In the Cardiff game, his distribution by foot was below par (as usual). He nearly gifted Cardiff a goal in the 7th minute by simply poor passing. His distribution with his hands was a tad better. He could have done a much better job keeping the first goal out. On an honest note, there wasn't really anything he could have done concerning the second goal. That Unai Emery keeps starting him is quite surprising and frankly confusing. Especially since there's a £20m signing in Bernd Leno waiting to be used.

Down the flanks

Nacho Monreal struggles for the ball with a Cardiff City player.

Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal did a good job attacking down each wing. Bellerin did not see much of the ball, but he managed to make his time with it worthwhile. He was a good addition to the attacking force and gave a good performance all round. Monreal, on the other hand, gave a solid performance down his flank. He made his presence brightly known on the left wing from where he linked up with Arsenal's creative midfield to add pressure in the final third.

Central Defense

Shkodran Mustafi scored an impressive goal, beating Sol Bamba to the ball and ferociously heading the ball past Cardiff City goalkeeper Neil Etheridge. It may not show on the scoreline, but he was a threat against Cardiff City from set pieces. As for defending, he was maintained, composed, and solid for most of the game. Sokratis Papastathopoulos may not have shown ferocity in front of goal, but he certainly played his part in defence. He didn't need to commit as many fouls as he did, though, and he almost conceded a penalty in the second half of the game. Surprisingly, he actually finished the game without being shown a red card.

The middle three

Aaron Ramsey tries to get past an opponent.

Matteo Guendouzi didn't make any notable mistakes apart from a rather pointless foul. He dropped deep when necessary, helped with the build-up, and found his position behind the surging Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka. Aaron Ramsey was a clearer threat to Cardiff. He picked out holes in the final third, but the ball never seemed to get to him at the right time. Xhaka made an impact with his set-piece assist to Mustafi. Sadly, he also made the error that led to Camarasa's goal. Overall, he did show more positives than negatives, and will more likely be commended for his efforts than reprimanded for his mistake.

Attacking threats

Lacazette celebrates a goal during the Cardiff City game.

Mesut Ozil played well, it has to be said. He made a solid impression taking the ball forward consistently, and remained important to Arsenal's attack throughout his time on the pitch. He was targeted by Cardiff defenders, but he maintained composure and kept the pressure on them. His efforts from the right wing certainly exceeded expectations, but he was left in the wake of Alexandre Lacazette, who is definitely Unai Emery's best player. This is Lacazette's first start for the season, and he took the figurative bull by the horns. He pressurized defenders, brought his teammates into the game, assisted Aubameyang's goal, and scored the winning goal from a difficult angle. He certainly made his mark, and Emery will be looking to start him again, especially since he worked so well with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who opened his account for the season. Driving in from the left, Aubameyang threatened the defence, piled on the pressure alongside his fellow attackers, and scored a classic.

From the bench

Torreira celebrates the Gunners win against Cardiff City.

Lucas Torreira brought a spark to the game that gave Arsenal the boost they needed to get ahead. He gave Lacazette the well-timed through pass that led to the winning goal. It looks like there's hope for Torreira's first start to be sooner rather than later. Danny Welbeck didn't come on for long enough to make any impact on the game, but he showed positive signs in aiding the defence on the right flank. Henrikh Mkhitaryan spent less than five minutes on the pitch and didn't have any time to work with the ball.

The manager

Emery gestures to his players during the Cardiff City game.

Unai Emery would be happy to get another win for the Gunners. With his win against West Ham still fresh in the minds of the fans, he'd be elated to have another opportunity to maintain the stance. He made tactical substitutions in the match, and it got him a deserved win. He needs to work on defence, but he will be proud of his attacking force.

Arsenal moves to ninth place on the table after the result. Perhaps this is the beginning of something great for the club under their new manager.