In a match that feels more like a loss than the draw it really was, Arsenal could not formulate much of an attacking threat against the sponge that is Middlesborough’s back line. Boro kept their shape extremely well, and on the rather rare occasion Arsenal got through their defence, veteran goalkeeper Victor Valdes was there to make the stop.
Arsenal were on the front foot for most of the match, with chances from Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Özil, and Theo Walcott gone to waste. It ended a winning streak of seven matches for the Gunners, and this match was neither the best way to build off of the 6-0 Champions League thrashing of Ludogorets nor the best way to celebrate Arsene Wenger’s birthday.
Defensive battles are not loved by many fans and Arsenal supporters certainly are not used to them, but it was comforting to see center backs Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi deal with the power and pace the likes of Adama Traore and Alvaro Negredo brought to the match.
Let’s take a look at the three best players of the match from the goalless draw at the Emirates.
Third Star: Shkodran Mustafi
Other than his yellow card for chopping a Boro player on a counter-attack after giving the ball away, Mustafi was great on Saturday. In the first half, he was taking after compatriot and club teammate Mesut Özil by trying to play Theo Walcott past the back line, and his passes looked dangerous, especially considering he is a defender.
On the other end of the pitch, he locked down the Middlesborough counter-attack exceptionally, and he made some vital tackles to keep the ball away from Petr Cech’s goal. He further proved himself as one of the favorites for the Premier League’s signing of the season with this solid performance.
Second Star: Laurent Koscielny
Koscielny put in another masterful performance on Saturday where he made some great tackles, particularly one against Alvaro Negredo in stoppage time to keep the clean sheet. He was well-disciplined, a trait that the Frenchman has not shown consistently in the past.
He got into good positions for headers in the Boro box, but none of his chances materialised. His experience and composure at the back were key against the counter-attacking style they Gunners were put up against, and it was a relief to see him lead the defence effectively to stop it, something which has not happened in the past, specifically in the 2016 Champions League round of 16 against Monaco.
First Star: Victor Valdes
The ex-Barcelona ‘keeper was on fire against Arsenal, keeping out every chance he was faced with all day. He kept his composure while he was peppered with shots in stoppage time, and he was the key to the organisation of the visitors’ back line. The Spaniard’s ability has not faded over the years, and he proved just that on Saturday in north London.
Whether it was claiming crosses or stopping nearly point-blank shots, Valdes conquered everything that came his way. He was a dominant presence at the back, one that will definitely give the inexperienced Boro defence confidence as they get deeper into the season.
Recap
With a midweek fixture in the EFL Cup at home against Reading, the mainstays in the starting XI for the Gunners should get to rest ahead of the trip up north to Sunderland next Saturday. It will be a good time for the squad to regroup and get their momentum back after the disappointing single point they got from Middlesborough.
Although the Arsenal attack needs to make some adjustments this week, it was a confident, dominant defensive display, particularly from the centre-backs and goalkeeper. If the offensive players can take after the form of the defensive guys, then the team should look to coast to three points away to Sunderland.