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Arsenal's 2021-22 Premier League campaign got off to a terrible start, as Mikel Arteta's side fell to a 2-0 defeat at newly promoted Brentford.
The Gunners went into the game as favourites, but put in a lethargic performance that led to their downfall. Goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard were enough to secure the three points for Thomas Frank's side.
Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta will hope that the loss was just a one-off, and Arsenal can turn around their fortunes against Chelsea on Sunday. On that note, here's a look at the top five Arsenal players from Gameweek 1 of the 2021-22 Premier League:
#5 Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka came on as a second-half substitute and instantly brought in new life and energy to Arsenal's game. The England international only returned to training last week, but seemed to adapt to the pace of the game seamlessly.
Even though he played only 31 minutes, Saka completed the most dribbles in the game. The 19-year-old also showed good link-up play with the likes of Kieran Tierney, Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith-Rowe.
The winger definitely wasn't fully fit, but still put in a better performance than most of his teammates on the night. Mikel Arteta will hope that Saka starts firing on all cylinders sooner rather than later, as he will likely be a key player for Arsenal this season.
#4 Nicolas Pepe
Nicolas Pepe was one of the few players to show attacking impetus for Arsenal on the night. The Ivorian constantly tried to get down the right flank,k and put in crosses for the likes of Folarin Balogun to get on the end of.
However, the winger was often left frustrated by the lack of service, and was constantly double-teamed because of Callum Chambers' reluctance to overlap as a right-back. However, Pepe was a constant threat with his pace and movement, and did well to link up with Emile Smith-Rowe.
Following Folarin Balogun's substitution, the Ivorian was shifted into an unfamiliar centre-forward role, but managed to be more of a threat than the English youngster was for much of the game. Pepe also saw a rasping shot saved spectacularly by David Raya in the 87th minute of the game.
Expect the winger to only get better from here on.
#3 Albert Sambi Lokonga
Arsenal's new signing Albert Sambi Lokonga did a good job in midfield in the absence of Thomas Partey. The Belgian showed why Arsenal paid £17.5 million to sign him from Anderlecht earlier this summer.
Lokonga put in a very mature and controlled performance alongside Granit Xhaka. The Belgian was calm in possession, and looked very comfortable on the ball. The 21-year-old also stuck to his defensive duties well, and made sure to track Brentford's runs from midfield.
The midfielder was also constantly available as an option for the defence to pass to, and easily glided past his man on multiple occasions. He kept Arsenal ticking from the centre of the park, oftentimes linking the play between defence and attack.
With Partey out for a few more weeks, Lokonga's performance against Brentford should be enough to warrant him a spot in Mikel Arteta's starting XI for the upcoming games against Chelsea and Manchester City.
#2 Emile Smith-Rowe
Emile Smith Rowe was the player who looked most likely to score for Arsenal on the night. The youngster started behind Folarin Balogun, and was a huge attacking threat for the Gunners going forward.
The midfielder did well to pick up the ball in midfield and drive forward at the Brentford defenders. Smith-Rowe also showed good link-up play with Kieran Tierney down Arsenal's left flank, and his movement and pace were a constant threat to the opposition.
Despite playing the full 90 minutes, the midfielder completed 98% of his passes, oftentimes finding the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka in the channels. This performance should be enough to guarantee his spot for the game against Chelsea on Sunday.
#1 Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney was Arsenal's biggest attacking threat against Brentford. His pace and movement down the left flank was a menace for the opposition. The Scot constantly got forward and caused problems for the likes of Sergi Canos and Kristoffer Ajer.
Tierney created six chances in the game, the most by any player on the night. The left-back easily got past his man on multiple occasions, and put dangerous balls into the box. However, he was more often than not let down by his teammates. The defender also linked up well with the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, who came on later in the second half.
The Scot stuck to his defensive duties well, although he was left exposed on occasion by Gabriel Martinelli and Granit Xhaka. Nevertheless, he showed why he is one of the best left-backs in the league, so Mikel Arteta will hope he can stay fit for the rest of the campaign.
