Arsenal’s rout over Sheffield United shows winning mentality

SHEFFIELD, England — There was a time when Arsenal struggled to justify their favoritism on nights like this, but the fact that Sheffield United was cowering in fear before kickoff is a testament to their transformation under Mikel Arteta. Empty seats were dotted around Bramall Lane at kick-off, with many home supporters presumably fearing the worst after a torrid campaign to date. They weren't wrong.

Within 15 minutes, Martin Ødegaard, an own goal from Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Martinelli had put the visitors 3-0 ahead and some home fans headed for the exits. There was more left in the 25th minute when Kai Havertz fired in a fourth. Declan Rice's fifth in the 39th minute signaled fresh starts.

Blades boss Chris Wilder previously wrote in his program notes about how his side might have to “suffer without the ball” on Monday night and he was right, just not in the way he expected.

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Sheffield United became the first top-flight team to concede five or more goals in three consecutive home games and any appreciation for Arsenal must be accompanied by the fact that Wilder's side are on course to become the team most porous in the history of the Premier League. It is no exaggeration to say that the first half was an abject humiliation for a team very likely to be relegated.

“We had no answers to anything they had,” Wilder said. So much so, in fact, that it was as if they didn't even understand the question.

No top team has ever conceded five or more goals in three consecutive home games. And it didn't stop there. Ben White added a sixth with a smart left-footed shot just before the hour mark as Arsenal became the first team in English football history to win three consecutive away matches by five goals or more. This run includes bottom-of-the-table club Burnley and extends their ruthlessness against lesser opposition, which is a trait Arteta has instilled in this team.

“It’s the Premier League, so you know the level of the opponent,” he said. “You can't be satisfied. When it comes internally from them and that level of demand, that's what I see every day in training. They push each other and try to make each other better. This Chemistry is really important if we want to have a chance of achieving what we want.

“We were really aggressive and positive and we showed real quality in the final third to take the game into a great position for us. Then we kept the pace going, kept the hunger going and I like that in the team.”

Remember when a familiar trope was whether Arsenal (among other clubs) “could do it on a rainy night at Stoke?” » The suggestion was that the Gunners could often prove an unusually soft touch against inferior teams on paper.

It is an affliction which has seriously undermined Arsène Wenger's final years in charge and Arsenal provided a more recent example of this fragility on this pitch four years ago when Sheffield United won 1-0 in October 2019. Then Gunners boss Unai Emery was sacked a month later. later.

Before Monday, Arsenal were 14-0-1 against newly promoted opponents in their last 15 matches. Their record in the previous 15 games was 7-4-4. Arteta inherited a team capable of finding a banana peel on a barren road. Now they are ruthless against weaker opposition: winning 19 of their 25 matches against newly promoted sides.

The growing gap between the quality of the Premier League and EFL Championship may contribute to this change, but that's a debate for another day. Regardless, Arsenal have usually struggled to translate this apparent superiority into scoring in the past, not necessarily exclusively against newly promoted teams, but away against teams they were expected to beat.

The end result here is another night where the goal difference needle notably swings in their favor. With a goal difference of +45, they have the same figure with which they already finished last season. And significantly, they are six better than leaders Liverpool and ten ahead of Manchester City.

In what could prove to be a tight race with razor-thin margins, that's a notable advantage. “The fact that we are scoring so many goals without conceding is a good sign,” Arteta said. “But now it’s about winning every game and that’s what these two clubs are asking for. [Liverpool and City] to have put on [other teams] over the last six or seven years. This is the task that awaits us.”

Arsenal were so comfortable that Bukayo Saka was withdrawn at half-time due to a slight illness. Fabio Vieira made his first appearance since November after groin surgery before Thomas Partey featured for the first time since October after persistent hamstring problems. And to complete a remarkable hat trick, Gabriel Jesus also came on for his first outing since January 30 following a knee problem.

There was a note of caution as Martinelli limped off with the help of two team physiotherapists trying to keep weight off his right foot due to a cut, but it was nevertheless a hugely positive evening for Arteta who repeatedly stated the importance of having as close to a fully fit team as possible after missing William Saliba so badly in last year's race.

“[We are trying to] improving each player, the mechanics and the culture around the team,” Arteta said. “They do that but it's still the most important part of the coming season, that's for sure.”