3 positives & negatives from dramatic Man Utd victory

Sofascore, which allowed him to dominate the midfield throughout.</p> <p>His 96th-minute strike was just the icing on the cake and has only helped endear him to us Gooners even more than he already had.</p> <h2>Negative #1: Vulnerability to counter-attacks</h2> <p>However, the performance was not without negatives, one of which remains our very clear vulnerability to quick, direct counter-attacks. In all four matches we have played this season, the opposition have found it far too easy to counter-attack against us, resulting in an increase in goals conceded.</p> <p>Manchester United are, of course, particularly adept at counter-attacking football, and in Marcus Rashford, possess one of the best off-the-shoulder forwards in the league. But, that is no excuse and Mikel Arteta must find a solution to this issue before it costs us more points this campaign.</p> <p><em>Continued on the next slide&#8230;</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;#2 positive &amp; negative </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_136203" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136203" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1642975292.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1642975292.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1642975292-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1642975292-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Declan Rice gave Arsenal the lead deep into stoppage time. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Positive #2: Fighting until the end</h2> <p>One thing that nobody can deny about this current Arsenal team under Arteta is the fact that the players fight in every game until the very end. That has seen us score multiple late goals since the start of last season and was the reason that, despite the game still being 1-1 in the 95th minute, we came away with a 3-1 victory.</p> <p>It would have been very easy for the players to attempt to secure the draw after United’s apparent late winner was ruled out, making sure to concede no more chances but sacrificing a potential win in the process.</p> <p>But it is a testament to the mentality Arteta has weaved into the squad that not a single player considered doing so for even a moment, and instead, the fortuitous nature of the offside decision galvanised the side and propelled them to victory.</p> <h2>Negative #2: Too passive in the first half</h2> <p>Another negative from the match was the fact that, until Rashford scored the opener for the visitors, we were far too passive, both in our attacking play and our pressing from the front.</p> <p>We saw plenty of the ball but struggled to turn that possession into clear-cut chances and appeared far too content with simply playing laterally, rather than vertically.</p> <p>This has been a personal concern of mine since the opening day against Nottingham Forest, as the side currently seem to be lacking the attacking flair and fluidity we became accustomed to last term. Of course, it is still early days in the new campaign and there is still plenty of time for the players to click into gear – and perhaps this result will be the catalyst for that.</p> <p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 positive and negative </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_136229" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136229" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1066,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1657395150.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1657395150.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1657395150-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1657395150-1536x1023.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal are unbeaten without hitting their best form. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2>Positive #3: Unbeaten heading into international break</h2> <p>We would all obviously prefer to be sitting on par with Manchester City at this stage having won four from four so far this season, and we perhaps should be, but, given the fact that our performances have been some distance short of our very best, heading into the first international break with ten points from a possible 12 is certainly a positive.</p> <p>Securing the three points against Erik ten Hag’s side was critical after we stumbled against Fulham. If we were to have lost this fixture, Pep Guardiola’s City would have been five points ahead of us already.</p> <p>As it stands though, that gap is just two points and the players can enter the break feeling revitalised and confident ahead of what is going to be a very long, but exciting season for us all.</p> <h2>Negative #3: Thomas Partey injury</h2> <p>The injury was sustained in training rather than in the match, but nevertheless, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/long-will-thomas-partey-latest-injury-setback/">Thomas Partey is sidelined once again</a> and that is a huge blow for us as a squad.</p> <p>Speaking after the game, Arteta said this regarding the Ghanian’s injury availability:</p> <blockquote><p>“I don’t know, unfortunately he got an injury in training and it doesn’t look good, we need some more tests, we believe he’s going to be out for weeks. We think it’s a groin but can be something in between. “</p></blockquote> <div class="embed "> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="OKdZFZjnph"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/long-will-thomas-partey-latest-injury-setback/">How long will Thomas Partey be out with latest injury setback?</a></p></blockquote> <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="“How long will Thomas Partey be out with latest injury setback?” — Pain in the Arsenal" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/3-positives-negatives-from-dramatic-man-utd-victory/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/09/04/long-will-thomas-partey-latest-injury-setback/embed/#?secret=zefa7H44EH#?secret=OKdZFZjnph" data-secret="OKdZFZjnph" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div> <p>He is an incredibly important player for us and in his absence, we will undoubtedly become a weaker side. For both his sake and the team as a whole, we are wishing you a quick recovery Partey.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">