Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League, league phase match at the Emirates Stadium, London. (Image: PA)
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League, league phase match at the Emirates Stadium, London. (Image: PA)
Arsenal’s substitutes have saved the day in each of their games back since the international break, with Mikel Arteta turning to his bench to secure three points against Leeds United and Lille.
At the weekend, Leeds caused Arsenal problems with their defensive, counterattacking style, going 1-0 up early in the second half. That prompted Arteta into a triple change as the Gunners equalised, somewhat against the run of play, right before the subs came on.
But the moment Bruno Guimarães stepped onto the pitch, the game flipped on its head, and his quality immediately drove Arsenal forward before he grabbed the winner from a great move.
Three days later, after a static first half against Lille, Arteta turned to Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz to change the game and put the French side to the sword 3-0.
Over the past few years, building a squad with quality depth has been a priority for the manager and the board. Last season that depth told through rotation game to game, but increasingly this campaign, the substitutes are having an impact during the match.
Turning to players with the quality of Guimarães, Saka, Ødegaard and Havertz is a huge advantage, and when there’s no set pieces to break open the game, Arteta’s capacity to change matches through quality and tactical tweaks will be a big driver of points this season.
Interestingly, Noni Madueke started the Leeds game on the left wing, forced to simplify his game as more of a touchline winger, pushing the ball wide and getting crosses into the box. It was one of his better performances and while the team was struggling, he looked like the one who was going to create an opening.
Fast forward to the Lille game and he was back on the right and his end-product left a lot to be desired. While Eberechi Eze started that one off the left, drifting through the game before chipping in with the second goal. Arteta isn’t really any further along to knowing his optimal left-wing solution, but as long as whoever plays there is contributing, that’s all that matters.
The Gunners travel to face Nottingham Forest at 4:30pm on Sunday, looking to make it three wins from three.
Arsenal have struggled away at Forest since their return to the Premier League with one win, two nil-nil draws and a loss, so Arteta will need an improved performance and perhaps another important contribution from his bench to get the win.