Sheffield United 1-0 Arsenal: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | Premier League 2019/20

Sheffield United got the better of Arsenal 1-0 in a tense affair at Bramall Lane on the 21st of October in the Premier League. The defeat meant that the visitors squandered the chance of moving back into the top four whereas the Blades jumped to ninth spot.

The hosts enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and put the Gunners under early strife. However, the visitors rode that storm and created a few openings for themselves.

Consequently, Nicolas Pepe was accorded the opportunity to finish off a breath-taking counter-attack. However, the Ivorian swiped at thin air from six yards out.

Thereafter, the Blades grew into the game and struck in the 30th minute when Lys Mousset poked the ball past Bernd Leno from close range.

After the break, the Gunners tried to prize open the Sheffield defence but they failed as the hosts saw off the game in exquisite fashion.

Here is a look at the talking points from the game.

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#5 Arsenal dance to Sheffield tunes in the first half

Sheffield United were brilliant in the first half

Arsenal came into the game at Bramall Lane having lost a solitary game in the Premier League. Even though the Gunners hadn’t really been firing on all cylinders, they’d managed to do just enough to outwit oppositions. Thus, it wasn’t too unreasonable to expect the visitors to be relatively high on confidence.

However, throughout the first half on Monday, the Gunners danced to Sheffield United’s tunes as the hosts methodically turned the screw on their illustrious rivals.

The Blades started the encounter on the front foot and immediately put Arsenal under the cosh. The home side displayed extraordinary bravery and composure on the ball, meaning that they carved out several openings.

Sheffield were willing to switch the ball wide swiftly and that enabled them to whip in several dangerous crosses. Though those deliveries didn’t directly result in a goal, it led to a plethora of set-pieces, one of which the Blades converted.

A corner from the left wing was curled in delightfully towards Jack O’Connell. The Englishman towered above the Arsenal defenders in the penalty area and nodded down the ball for Mousset. The Frenchman did justice to the service provided as he made the net ripple from close range.

While the Gunners responded well after the concession, they still looked devoid of ideas in the middle of the park. Bukayo Saka and Joe Willock weren’t at their best during the period, thereby contributing to a lack of a cutting edge in the offensive third.

Apart from the above, the hosts also condensed the pitch extremely efficiently whenever the visitors tried to play out from the back. In the process, Arsenal were forced to lump the ball forward aimlessly; a prospect Sheffield’s triumvirate of centre-backs thoroughly relished.

Over the course of the 2019-20 season, several have lauded Sheffield for their application, doggedness and energy. However, against the North Londoners, they showcased another facet of their game in the opening period, one that helped them control the game wonderfully.

#4 Arsenal’s alarming lack of offensive quality

Pepe missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the first half

Arsenal arrived at Bramall Lane having scored 13 goals in eight games. And, though that represented a decent average of 1.625 goals per game, it fell short of the enormous attacking standards the Gunners have set for themselves in recent years.

Thus, the visitors were under a hint of pressure, especially against a side of the ilk of Sheffield United. And, unfortunately for Gooners, they compounded those fears with an utterly dreadful offensive performance.

For large chunks of the game, the Gunners looked bereft of ideas with their approach play becoming massively predictable. They weren’t able to find spaces between the defence and the midfield, meaning that they were restricted to shifting the play from side to side without ever threatening.

Moreover, their stubbornness to play out from the back resulted in Sheffield hassling and harrying them at every opportunity, thereby preventing the Gunners’ creative weapons from scything through the rear-guard.

Throughout the game, the away side created only one chance of note and that too came off a brisk counter-attack. Apart from that, they failed to unlock a rugged defensive door, despite the myriad combinations they tried.

Over the course of the past couple of seasons, Arsenal’s defence has unsurprisingly come under the scanner. However, they’ve always had the luxury of falling back upon their attack.

Yet, if displays like the one that transpired on Monday becomes the norm rather than the anomaly, the Gunners would have a major problem on their hands.

#3 The Blades display extraordinary defensive steel

Sheffield United were superb at the back

At the start of the 2019-20 season, plenty of fans and pundits had predicted Sheffield United to undergo an enormous amount of trials and tribulations, with their offensive quality a particular concern.

However, most of those critiques seemed to agree that the Blades boasted exemplary defensive organisation, meaning that they were earmarked to concede fewer goals than their fellow promoted sides. And, against Arsenal, Sheffield reinforced that belief courtesy an immense defensive display.

The hosts dealt with everything the visitors threw at them and kept the Gunners’ much-vaunted attack at an arm’s length throughout. The Blades’ centre-backs were colossal at the back as none of them allowed Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave their imprint on the match.

More encouragingly, they shifted between systems seamlessly between the game, an aspect that was quite refreshing considering many had accused Sheffield of lacking tactical acumen.

Additionally, each of the defenders stuck to their tasks manfully and were rarely dragged out of position, with their forwards also tracking back diligently.

A couple of months ago, there were numerous questions being asked of Sheffield’s ability to survive the rigours of the Premier League and still emerge from the rubble partly unscathed come May 2020.

Yet, if they keep churning out such solid displays at the back, one reckons that they might just live to tell the top-flight tale next term.

#2 How long can Unai Emery resist the temptation of starting Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney?

Tierney is yet to start a Premier League game for Arsenal

One of the summer’s longest transfer sagas involved Kieran Tierney. However, on deadline day, the Gunners got the deal over the line, thereby acquiring the Scottish international to shore up a defence that has often been labelled ‘soft’.

Yet, a hernia operation prevented the full-back from donning the famous Red and White at the start of the season, meaning that he made his debut recently in the Carabao Cup. Thus, the Emirates faithful have been made to wait quite a while to see their summer signing in action.

In his absence, Sead Kolasinac has been preferred but the Bosnian’s propensity to alternate between the marvellous and the miserable has led to countless veils of discontent, especially with Tierney being declared completely fit.

Even against Sheffield, Kolasinac turned in an insipid display which was characterised by wayward final-balls and indecisive defensive moments.

On the other flank, Calum Chambers too was quite woeful offensively whereas he was given a tough time defensively by Enda Stevens, John Fleck and O’Connell.

Worryingly though, both full-backs looked out of their depth whenever in possession, a sight that wouldn’t have pleased Unai Emery, considering his philosophy of building play from the back.

On countless occasions, the aforementioned footballers gave the ball away, in the process, prompting moans and groans from the travelling supporters.

And, though it would be too harsh to single out Chambers and Kolasinac as the primary culprits for an extremely timid team performance, one can’t help but wonder how long the Spanish manager would be able to resist the temptation of throwing Hector Bellerin and Tierney into the deep end.

After all, the pair possesses much more pedigree, both offensively and defensively. And, with their season in danger of traversing an unwanted path, it could just be a matter of time before the duo is introduced.

#1 Are Arsenal regressing under Emery?

Emery might be hoping for some inspiration, soon

Back in May 2018, Arsene Wenger announced his departure from Arsenal, a decision that was greeted with glee from some quarters while others looked at it in trepidation, especially after what has transpired at Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson bid adieu to the game.

However, the appointment of Emery brought a renewed sense of optimism to a club that had been guilty of being too pessimistic recently. Moreover, the Spaniard endeared himself to the Arsenal faithful with a brand of effervescent attacking football.

Subsequently, the Gunners conjured a few impressive displays against Tottenham and Chelsea at the Emirates, thereby hinting that there may be a hint of sunshine on the horizon.

Yet, akin to many a time previously, there season unravelled towards the latter stages, meaning that the chants of ‘same, old Arsenal’ only grew louder. And, unfortunately, that trend has continued this season too.

So far, the Gunners have posted a few scrappy victories without playing well. In the process, that has masked their deficiencies and papered over visible cracks. However, for the above to work, it is imperative that the North Londoners click into gear more frequently and prove that those edgy performances remain an aberration.

But, that has hardly been the case and consequently, an enormous number of Gooners have been clamouring for Emery’s head. In several encounters, the North Londoners have looked devoid of any strategy, at both ends of the pitch, in the process, highlighting the lack (or too much) of conviction in their planning.

Though unfavourable results are part and parcel of any sport, the manner of Arsenal’s listless displays has irked the fan base even more, especially considering they’d grown tired of it towards the twilight of the Wenger era.

Ironically though, the set of supporters that once craved a pragmatist over a purist are now yearning for one to bring back the free-flowing style of football. Yet, one can’t have the cake and eat it too, can one?