We bring the in-depth match analysis as Arsenal opened their account in the 2022-23 Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. A first-half strike from Gabriel Martinelli and a late own-goal by Marc Guehi gave Mikel Arteta’s men 3 points in a difficult match. Here’s how the game unfolded:

Starting XI:

As expected, Arsenal lined up with the same personnel that excelled in pre-season. The Gunners took up a 4-2-3-1 shape that allowed great flexibility. Crystal Palace too retaliated with a 4-2-3-1 setup.

First Half

Min 0-15:

In possession, Arsenal tried to build through the first phase in a 4-3-3 shape.  Palace looked to press higher up the field. Arteta countered this by retaining his full-backs in a deeper role.

Palace boss Patrick Vieira tried to utilize a 4-4-2 shape to press higher up. However, Eberechi Eze was often very late in supporting Odsonne Edouard’s pressing actions. This allowed Arsenal to easily access their full-backs and push higher up the field.

Crystal Palace were less adventurous in their own third. The Eagles allowed the Gunners possession as a trade-off for a solid defensive structure.

Arsenal took up a 3-2-2-3 shape in attack. On the right, Ben White tucked in as a third centre-back. On the left, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Granit Xhaka displayed great flexibility. The former Manchester City full-back inverted as an “8” higher up the field. Xhaka effectively covered the space by forming a double pivot with Thomas Partey.

Arsenal looked to crowd the box in the final third. This meant several players were optimally positioned to recover rebounds, deflections, and loose balls. Gabriel Martinelli let a huge chance go begging within the first five minutes.

Arsenal’s ability to control the edge of the box made it difficult for Palace to settle down into the game. The Gunners often had 4 players engaging the Palace backline, with Martin Odegaard dropping between the lines.

Another interesting trend was Arsenal’s reliance on utilizing the switched pass. In the middle third, a lot of the possession circled around Ben White, arguably one of Arsenal’s best passers. The Gunners tried to quickly switch play to the flanks to put wingers Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in 1v1 situations against the Palace full-backs.

Off the ball, Arsenal tried to use a 4-4-2 shape. Gabriel Jesus instigated the press, while Martin Odegaard marked out Cheick Doucoure, forcing the Eagles to look for wide passes. Arsenal wingers were aggressive in jumping to press, while the full-backs also stepped out bravely. William Saliba tracked Edouard’s movement higher up the field.

Palace were restricted to playing long balls to their star man Wilfried Zaha. Vieira seemed to target Ben White who was in an unfamiliar right-back position as Palace’s attacking outlet. However, the former Brighton defender was more than up to the task. White often delayed Zaha rather than committing for a tackle. This gave time for Odegaard and Saka to fall back and regain possession.

Min 16-30:

Arteta came up with an interesting innovation to further pressurize Vieira’s side. Arsenal took up a 3-2-3-2 shape without the ball to cover between the lines. Palace were completely unable to build up through the centre.

However, the Eagles began to find some space left between Arsenal’s wide-men and centre-backs. In particular, Jordan Ayew was able to find space to receive the ball.

The Gunners compensated by allowing Gabriel to step up even higher to mark Ayew. Granit Xhaka dropped into the defence to cover the space abandoned by his Brazilian teammate.

Crystal Palace looked to build up quickly rather than playing out of the back. Arsenal retreated slightly into a mid-block to counter this.

Arsenal dropped into a 4-5-1 shape deeper in their own third. Two notable trends included:

1. Martin Odegaard helping to track Wilfried Zaha by falling much deeper.
2. Thomas Partey or Granit Xhaka dropping into the defensive line to accommodate for Gabriel moving wide.

On the ball, the left-flank continued to be Arsenal’s preferred route. Xhaka, Martinelli, and Zinchenko continuously switched positions causing Palace problems.

Crystal Palace stepped up their pressing higher up the field. Vieira instructed Eze to mark Partey rather than press higher up the field. However, Palace’s double pivot of Doucoure and Schlupp allowed a lot of space between the lines.

This allowed Gabriel Jesus to continuously drop between the lines and pick up the ball. Arsenal were able to recycle possession but failed to be incisive. Forwards Martinelli, Saka and Odegaard failed to make enough runs behind the defence to exploit the Palace high line.

Arsenal did score, in the 20^th minute of the game. Zinchenko started an unmarked curving run from the edge of the box into space at the far post. This was well complemented by Jesus deeper, and an overload of teammates at the near post. The Ukrainian nodded the ball back in for Martinelli to prod home from close range.

Min 31-45:

Patrick Vieira allowed Eberechi Eze more freedom as the game wore on. This allowed his side to take up a 4-3-3 shape in possession. Palace were able to locate their wingers higher up the field as Eze moved smoothly between lines.

Eze was also switched to the left in an attempt to overload Ben White and locate Zaha better. This forced Saka and Odegaard even deeper, making attacking transitions difficult for the Gunners.

Arsenal took up a 4-5-1 shape to defend their goal. However, this only allowed Palace more time and ease on the ball. In fact, the Eagles had their first shot of the game only in the 42^nd minute, an Edouard header brilliantly saved by Aaron Ramsdale.

Arsenal had a number of shaky moments at the back too. Ramsdale almost conceded possession inside his own box, and Gabriel failed to clear his lines safely on more than one occasion too.

In fact, Palace managed 2 more shots before the game got over. Martinelli’s goal marked Arsenal’s last shot of the first half. In essence, the Gunners decided to sit back and defend their lead after scoring. However, Arteta’s men were arguably doing a better job keeping Palace at bay by defending in the opposition half rather than their own.

Arsenal had 64.8% possession in the first 30 minutes. However, in the last 15 minutes, the Gunners had just 39.8% of the ball.

The half-time whistle brought an end to a very enterprising game of football. Arsenal began the game on a stronger note, passing and pressing well. However, Palace had done a solid job in restricting the Gunners to just 5 shots and 2 on the frame.

The inability of the Gunners to kill the game off had handed the Eagles a way back into the game, leaving the tie very much open at half-time.

Second Half

Min 46-60:

The second half began pretty much the same way the first half ended.

Crystal Palace were able to effectively utilize the wide channels to circumnavigate Arsenal’s press. These were mostly achieved by long passes from Joachim Andersen.

In particular, Palace seemed to target the space behind Zinchenko. White was still able to close down Zaha effectively on the right. However, on the left, Zinchenko struggled to cover the space behind him. In fact, Ayew completed 5 of his 7 dribbles in the game from the right. On the other hand, Zaha managed just 2 out of 6 attempts.

Arsenal managed to have very little of the ball in the second half. The Gunners resorted to attempting passes over the top to progress. Palace tried using Eze to mark Partey out of the game. However, this continued to allow Odegaard and Xhaka space between the lines.

Min 61-75:

Palace continued to try and stretch the game down the wings. Their full-backs participated more higher up the field, as the Eagles tried to spread the field vertically and horizontally. However, Arsenal remained resolute in their defensive shape. Gabriel was getting drawn out wide to cover for Zinchenko, forcing Partey to drop into the defence.

Furthermore, Arsenal continued to maintain a high line when possible. Instead of a 4-4-2, Arteta went for a 4-3-3 of sorts. Odegaard covered the flank, while Saka dropped deeper.

However, this allowed Doucoure more space to receive the ball and face the direction of play.

On the ball, Arsenal failed to stimulate the opposition full-backs into difficult decisions. Saka and Martinelli offered little in terms of off-the-ball runs or take-ons. Saliba began to drive the ball out of central defence to find a free man between the lines. However, Palace did well to mark Jesus tightly. Saka and Martinelli’s stagnant positioning meant Arsenal could not disrupt the Eagles’ backline at all.

As the players grew tired, the game became restricted to scrappy challenges in the midfield. Both teams made little impact once they got the ball into the final third.

Min 75-90:

Palace had already brought Jean-Philippe Mateta on for Edouard around the hour mark. The Eagles introduced Luka Milivojevic for Doucoure, and then Will Hughes and Malcolm Ebiowei for Eze and Jeffrey Schlupp. Arteta made his first changes in the 83^rd minute, throwing on Kieran Tierney and Eddie Nketiah for Jesus and Zinchenko. Albert Sambi Lokonga came on for Odegaard in stoppage time.

Palace tried to get their full-backs into more advanced positions but lacked the speed to actually cause Arsenal problems. Arsenal looked to shape up in a 4-4-2 again, with passes to the Palace full-backs acting as triggers.

Deeper in their own half, the Gunners looked to outnumber Zaha and Ayew in 2v1 situations.

The Gunners got a second goal for their efforts, much against the run of play. Saka found space on the right, and his fierce shot was inadvertently headed in by Palace captain Marc Guehi.

Arsenal were content to absorb pressure after that goal in the 85^th minute. In fact, the Gunners completed just 7 passes in the last 5 minutes of the game but held onto a crucial victory.

Key Performers

1. Ben White

Arguably the player of the match. White was tasked with containing Palace’s most dangerous player; Wilfried Zaha. The Englishman put in a composed performance, sturdy in defence, and influential on the ball.

2. Granit Xhaka

Xhaka was an absolute monster, drifting between positions and covering for his teammates. A motivational performance from one of Arsenal’s most consistent players over the last year or so, the 29-year-old dropped into the full-back, 6 and 8 roles seamlessly.

3. William Saliba

In his first Premier League game, Saliba was an absolute rock in the back. He also initiated a lot of Arsenal’s moves – a quality performance from a quality player.

William Saliba's Premier League debut for Arsenal:

100% take-ons completed
100% aerial duels won
94% pass accuracy
49 passes
7 ball recoveries
6 passes into final third
6 clearances
3 duels won
0x dribbled past
0 goals conceded
0 fouls committed

Worth the wait. 🍾 pic.twitter.com/xH2Wm0TuQs

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 5, 2022

4. Oleksandr Zinchenko

In the first half, everything Arsenal did flowed through Zinchenko. The 25-year-old inverted in an advanced position or overlapped as required by the team. Zinchenko demonstrated good understanding and application of his role as expected by Arteta. The only downside was the Ukrainian’s defensive performance. Zinchenko was caught out of position a few times in the game. He also struggled to contain Ayew down the flank.

See More:

• Arsenal Express Interest in Signing €40m Rated Ligue 1 Midfielder as Tielemans Alternative
• Another Arsenal Defender has Joined Ligue 1 Club Olympique Marseille on Loan
• Fenerbahce Make Contact With Arsenal to Sign Out-of-Favour Centre-Back, Talks Already Initiated

Room For Improvement

While most of the team clicked well and performed their duties, Arsenal did not roll out a perfect game of football.

In particular, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli failed to stretch and disrupt the Palace back-line effectively. While both wingers were directly involved in the goals and put in brilliant defensive shifts, their decision-making on the ball was slightly off.

New captain Martin Odegaard was also continuously pressurized by Crystal Palace. Odegaard was tracked by Schlupp, and the Gunners captain failed to find enough room in his preferred right half-space. This reduced his impact on the game.

Manager Performance

Mikel Arteta got his starting XI on point. The Spaniard’s set-up constantly bothered Crystal Palace and stifled their build-up. Arsenal’s defence seemed to brim with confidence, while new signings Jesus and Zinchenko looked composed in their roles.

However, once Arsenal took the lead, they decided to sit back instead of trying to kill the game. This arguably handed Palace a way back into the match, and piled the pressure on the Gunners throughout the second half.

Furthermore, Arteta delayed his substitutions until the 80th minute even though it seemed evident that Arsenal needed fresh legs in the midfield and flanks from around the hour mark itself. These are small details that could decide a result in the future.

What are your thoughts on Arsenal’s performance? Who was your Player of the match? Let us know in the comments.

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