How often Arsenal can rely on Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz to keep conjuring up the chances and goals to stay in the conversation for trophies remains to be seen. It worked well enough last season, as amassing 89 points is no mean feat, but with Gabriel Jesus sidelined with a groin injury and Eddie Nketiah on the verge of a £30m move to Nottingham Forest, it took yet another decisive contribution from Leandro Trossard as a substitute to set up last season’s Premier League runners-up for victory over Aston Villa.
How long Mikel Arteta can keep Trossard happy was a question brewing after viewing the Belgian’s muted response to scoring with his first touch after coming on in the second half. But the Arsenal manager rebuffed any such problem. “When you don’t get picked, there are certain ways to react,” Arteta said. “Leo is upset, but he is upset and shows on the pitch how good he is – not upset and come in and react badly. That is a huge quality.
“Then, when you put him in the starting lineup, he does exactly the same thing. That is a big message and a big example for the rest of the team and myself.”
Having a player with the finesse of Havertz, signed as an advanced midfield player, as your attacking pivot aids the aesthetics of dominating possession but surely Arsenal cannot continue to expect Trossard to keep coming off the bench to score this many crucial goals. Despite starting only 18 Premier League games in his first full season at Arsenal, the Belgian was behind only Saka (16) and Havertz (13) in the scoring charts, with 12 goals in the Premier League and 17 overall.
He did not look overly chuffed when he scored the breakthrough goal and had to be persuaded to perform his trademark goggles celebration.
For all of his undoubted professionalism, can such a quality player remain happy if he knows he is playing second fiddle? Yet Gabriel Martinelli, when on song, helps stretch opposing defences so well. Arteta has spoken about needing to use more of his squad this season, after relying on a large core, but the lack of a natural No 9 stands out. Winning the title this way would be beautiful but is it feasible?
By the time Thomas Partey made it 2-0, with no small thanks to Emiliano Martínez’s fumble, Arsenal fans were allowed to mockingly chant their former goalkeeper’s name with impunity. Yet with Tottenham and Manchester City to follow after their next game with Brighton, just as the enlarged Champions League kicks off, Arteta may wish to find a way of making his squad players feel integral.
Acquiring Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad for £32.6m will add yet more creative options but, while the Spain midfielder is an upgrade in class on Partey, giving both players continued field time will be crucial. Whether Merino improves their ability to defend against the kind of counterattacks beloved by the likes of Villa is a moot point. Also, if this means Declan Rice dropping into the anchor role it will also come with costs such is the England midfielder’s ability to receive and drive.
If Ollie Watkins had not missed two big chances with this game scoreless the outcome could have matched last season’s, when Villa did the double over the Premier League’s runners-up. Fireworks had, rather bizarrely for the time of year, just been let off in the Doug Ellis Stand midway through the first half, making little visual impact in the cool blue evening sky. But when a minute later Leon Bailey dispossessed Gabriel Magalhães and Morgan Rogers teed up Watkins to scuff a mishit shot wide, the disappointment at not scoring was offset by the hope engendered by the possibility. The blue touchpaper had been lit.
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The near-capacity home crowd roared its approval, heartened by the reminder that Arsenal are not invincible. It was against these opponents in April, after all, that Arsenal’s title aspirations ran aground. Arsenal dominated the ball, of course, with 69 per cent of possession by half-time. But Villa were ahead on xG when they conceded.
If Watkins, without a league goal since his strike at the Emirates, had shown more conviction when diving to head a rebound goalwards after Amadou Onana’s deflected shot rebounded off the bar, Arsenal might have been ruing their lack of cutting edge.