Sunday 5 April 2015 08:30, UK
Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday saw the Gunners continue their fine run of form as they made it seven wins in a row in the Premier League.
The result has lifted Arsene Wenger’s men above Manchester City into second as they maintain some pressure on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table.
So what has brought about this stunning sequence? From Olivier Giroud’s goals to the return of Mesut Ozil, we pick out some of the reasons for Arsenal’s improvement…
Form of Giroud
Giroud came up with his 14th Premier League goal of the season in stoppage time to cap another fine performance that served to highlight just how underrated the Arsenal striker continues to be. Indeed, while Harry Kane, Diego Costa, Sergio Aguero and Charlie Austin are the four men to have scored more goals than the Frenchman, all have inferior minutes-per-goal records. Having scored in a sixth-consecutive Premier League game, Giroud has delivered at a crucial stage of the season.
There is more to Giroud’s game than goals, too. With runners around him, his one-touch hold-up play makes him a good fit for this Arsenal team. The 28-year-old’s work rate in that role of lone frontman is particularly impressive. Indeed, Giroud’s tally of 71 sprints against Liverpool was more than anyone else on the pitch and it helped Arsenal take the game to the visitors as they pressed them into errors in their own half.
Improved energy
That pressing was a key feature of Arsenal’s victory as they set the tone in the first 15 minutes of the game. As a result of this high-tempo approach, the Gunners forced their opponents into conceding possession 32 times within their own half – more than Liverpool had in all but two games this season. Giroud led the press and was supported by the ever-enthusiastic Alexis Sanchez, but it’s the protection afforded by Francis Coquelin that has allowed Arsenal to utilise the high line to such good effect.
The young Frenchman has been a key component in Arsenal’s improved form since establishing himself as the first-choice holding midfielder. Coquelin has made more tackles and interceptions than Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini combined, despite the more experienced duo seeing over six hours more action between them this season. On Saturday, once again, no team-mate made more tackles (four) or interceptions (six). It has helped Arsenal win 11 of the 13 Premier League games that Coquelin has started.
Coquelin’s combative nature is shared by fellow newcomer to the starting line-up Hector Bellerin and the Gunners have also won six of the seven Premier League games that the duo have started together. The 20-year-old scored a brilliant goal to open the scoring against Liverpool and has provided the sort of energy and pace on the right side of defence that has been a huge help to Per Mertesacker. Arsene Wenger described Bellerin as “one of the surprises of the season” in his post-match press conference and while the second-half penalty that he conceded was evidence that there is more to learn, he has added to the better balance evident in this Arsenal team.
Return of Ozil
Of course, the return from injury of several more celebrated players has also been a factor, none more so than Mesut Ozil. That diffident body language might be at odds with the more overt efforts of Sanchez alongside him, but it was the German playmaker whose sprayed pass to Aaron Ramsey set the wheels in motion for Bellerin’s opener. Ozil then curled in a free-kick – one he had won himself with some quick footwork to elude Mamadou Sakho – to double the lead soon after and the game was all but won.
That is something that has been happening with rather more ease since Ozil’s return from injury. Arsenal have won 11 of the 13 games in all competitions since his reintroduction to the starting line-up, during which time he has created more chances than any of his team-mates. With Ozil in form, Giroud scoring goals and the youthful exuberance of Bellerin and Coquelin providing better balance, it has helped transform Arsenal. Second in the Premier League and in the semi-final of the FA Cup, the chance is there for Wenger’s team to finish the season with a real flourish.
