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Unai Emery secured his first away victory in Wales as Arsenal faced Cardiff City. The Bluebirds had not scored since opening day. However, in this particular match against the Gunners, the team netted twice. Fortunately for Arsenal, Alexandre Lacazette scored the match winner to ensure three points for the team.
The game continued to reflect Arsenal's goalkeeping and defensive problems. Petr Cech started the game on the wrong foot. He fumbled with the ball and nearly cost his side a goal in the opening minutes of the match. Emery should really consider starting Bernd Leno, who joined the club this summer, over Cech. The lack of concentration among the defenders caused Arsenal to concede twice in the game. There remains plenty of loopholes at the back that Emery ought to examine and make improvements in January.
Nonetheless, it was great to hear the North Londoners getting all three points on the road as they try to catch up with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea. With two wins from four matches, it leaves the Gunners in ninth place before the final two matches are played. Arsenal could have been lucky in this match, but there were certainly three players who caught the eye and ought to start the next game after the international break.
#3 Lucas Torreira
The Uruguay defensive midfielder has yet to start a game for his new club, but he came on as a substitute for Matteo Guendouzi. Although Guendouzi looks to remain in the starting line-up, for the time being, Torreira is certainly emphasizing his importance in a game. The moment the 22-year-old came on, he made a sound difference.
Torreira stayed discipline at the back. He looked far calmer than the French teenager and was able to accurately time and carry out his tackles. On multiple occasions, he won the ball back for his team. During the 24 minutes that he was on the pitch, he had a 100% pass accuracy, won all three tackles and created one assist. It was simply amazing to see how much he can complete within such a short span of time.
Arsenal had splashed the cash on the World Cup player. If Torreira does not start for the club, it defeats the purpose of buying him in the first place. The former Sampdoria player deserves to named in the starting eleven ahead of either Guendouzi or Granit Xhaka. His short but impressive display for the Gunners has caught the attention of many fans.
#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
There were worries as to why the Gabon international has yet to score in the Premier League after starting for three consecutive matches. It seemed that Aubameyang was trying harder than he did in the previous season, but he was just unable to get his name onto the scoresheet. While Harry Kane, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah have started to find the net in the first three games, Aubameyang could only ask himself why he has not scored.
Playing against Cardiff City was the perfect game to let the striker have plenty of chances to make his mark. Indeed, his time to get the ball into the net came. His goal involved wonderful displays from Mesut Ozil and Lacazette, which was definitely something every fan would have wanted to see.
The three attackers moved skilfully on the pitch and every pass was precise. The former Dortmund man then decided to go for the goal while adding some flair into his shot. It eventually proved to be an extremely beautiful goal for him and would surely give him an extra boost of confidence.
Arsenal would face Newcastle after the break before hosting Vorskla. It will not be surprising to see Aubameyang missing out the Europa League group stage opener even though he is finally eligible to play for the Gunners. Emery could be tempted to give the striker a rest as the main focus lies on the battle in the Premier League. Aubameyang is definitely a vital player for the club. Hopefully, he has found his scoring boots just in time.
#1 Alexandre Lacazette
At last, calls for Lacazette to start alongside Aubameyang have been heard by the manager. In pre-season matches, the duo showed how lethal their partnership can be. Most fans would be delighted to see both strikers scoring this afternoon against the newly promoted side. Most importantly, Lacazette brings a different vibe to the game.
Their opponents equalized on two separate occasions in the game. The result could have ended 3-2 in favour of the hosts just like the match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. With the Bluebirds looking more threatening in the second half as compared to the Gunners, there had to be a leader who will step up and settle nothing less than three points. Lacazette was the man to do that in the 81st minute of the match.
It was a clinical shot from him and he deserved that goal. The French striker had a quiet first season as compared to Salah. Missing out on the World Cup and not scoring as frequently as he would have liked surely made the player stronger. He channelled his frustration, his determination and every other emotion he had into the game. His goal eventually sealed the win for the Gunners.
That being said, there is every reason for Lacazette and Aubameyang to start together from now on. Even if it means that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will lose his position, Emery should not take the chance of destroying the strong partnership that these two strikers have between them.
After this impressive match, it is foreseen that Lacazette would get even more time on the pitch under Emery.
