Winners and Losers: Chelsea (h)

In their second match of the season, Arsenal hosted Chelsea in front of a packed Emirates Stadium and, you guessed it, lost. The 2-0 defeat against the current European champions has served to amplify the collective tilt engaged in by the Arsenal faithful. A mere two weeks into the 2021-22 campaign, the mood around the club is absolutely dire, and most fans would probably place themselves on the “Losers” portion of this list. Below are three winners and three actual losers from Sunday’s match against Chelsea.

Winners

Albert Sambi Lokonga

Sambi’s start to life as an Arsenal player has been one of the few bright spots in a season that promises to be quite difficult to stomach at times. He pinged balls up the pitch to wide players almost at will, and genuinely looks deserving of a starting spot even when Thomas Partey returns from injury. The Belgian is showing exactly why he captained his old club last season at the tender age of 21. Defensively, he was a little suspect at moments, but overall his performance against Chelsea continues a string of impressive displays for his new club.

Bernd Leno

Perhaps the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale is just what the German needed. Arsenal could easily have conceded four or five goals against Chelsea, and that they didn’t is largely down to Leno’s admirable performance between the sticks. In particular, an incredible save to tip a point-blank header from Romelu Lukaku onto the crossbar and deny the Belgian striker a second goal serves as a reminder that Leno is still a good keeper. The current number one may not be long for the club, but he looks set to hold on to the starting position for now.

Emile Smith Rowe

Not much more can be said about Smith Rowe that hasn’t already been stated. The young Londoner once again shined on the pitch today when few others provided much reason to smile. He was involved in almost all of Arsenal’s most threatening moves, and has firmly established himself as a leader on the pitch. At the moment, his stock can’t be much higher.

Losers

Pablo Mari

If Smith Rowe’s standing among the Arsenal faithful can’t be much higher, Pablo Mari’s surely can’t get much lower. The Spaniard once again makes the “Losers” portion of the list after a horrific showing in defense. Mari was absolutely bullied by Lukaku, getting way too tight to him and repeatedly getting spun throughout the first half of the match. His second 45 minutes were better, but the former Flamengo man has not looked worthy of a spot on a Premier League roster to the start the season.

Granit Xhaka

When Arsenal gave Xhaka a contract extension instead of allowing him to move to Roma and signing a younger and more dynamic replacement, many supporters were understandably frustrated. After five years at Arsenal, the Swiss captain had been a constant in a consistently underachieving side. But Arteta and the club stuck with him, likely at the expense of a new signing in midfield outside of Sambi. Today, though, Xhaka allowed himself to be outclassed by the newcomer from Anderlecht. His lack of ability to cover space meant the left side of the back four was terrifyingly exposed when Kieran Tierney bombed forward, which Chelsea exploited to great effect. Instead of justifying his new deal, Xhaka contributed to Chelsea’s cruise to victory. If he’s not careful, the vice-captain will become another in a long line of players whom Arsenal gave a last big contract they did not deserve.

Mikel Arteta

To be fair to him, the manager has had some awful luck to start the season. He entered this match without Ben White, Gabriel, Partey, Martin Odegaard, and Alexandre Lacazette, and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench. He was up against the winners of last season’s Champions League. He watched Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli leave the match injured, and Bukayo Saka not earn what should have been a clear penalty. He drew a rather short straw for this last month. However, it has long been the case now that something isn’t working, and it’s not the players. He still had Tierney, Sambi, Pepe, Smith Rowe, Saka, Martinelli, and Aubameyang on the field for at least parts of Sunday’s match. But the attack was still boring, one-dimensional, and ineffective. The structure of the team, which he at one point could pride himself on, has practically disintegrated since last season. He had every reason to deploy a back three and didn’t, and refrained from admitting his mistake and adjusting tactics during the match. At some point, the buck must stop with him. To be simply outmatched is one thing, especially against a team with the resources of Chelsea’s, and that is something most fans are willing to forgive right now. But to regularly look utterly toothless time and time again when the pieces are there to at least compete with the opponent… well, that does not garner as much sympathy. The Chelsea match and the trip to City next weekend are likely free hits for Arteta, but it is high time he gets this team performing and showing improvement. Unfortunately, he has not done much lately to show he has it in him.

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