Arsenal needed a win like this. Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Positive #3: A statement victory
Of course, all that matters is the three points, and you don’t get any extra points for a 5-0 win. However, what a 5-0 victory does do is send a message to your rivals, irrespective of who your opponents are.
Against weaker teams so far this season, such as Nottingham Forest, we have struggled and have largely failed to win convincingly. Therefore, an emphatic win in this game not only boosts the confidence at the club but suggests that our attack is starting to purr.
Not too much can be read into the performance. After all, Sheffield United are languishing in 20th place for a reason, but the 5-0 victory is a statement nonetheless.
Negative #3: No Gabriel Jesus
Similar to the Thomas Partey situation, Gabriel Jesus has been relatively injury-prone since arriving at the Emirates, and his absence from the squad in this game suggests his hamstring injury should be a cause for concern.
Nketiah performed superbly in the Brazilian’s absence, but Jesus is the superior player and we are unquestionably a better side when it is ex-City man leading the line.
Make no mistake, if we are to maintain another serious bid for the Premier League title, Jesus will be a pivotal player in making that happen.
October 29, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2>Positive #1: Eddie Nketiah steps up</h2>
<p>With Gabriel Jesus sidelined, there was a lot of responsibility on Nketiah to step up and demonstrate he has what it takes to be an integral part of a potential title-winning side.</p>
<p>A hat-trick, including two very impressive finishes, suggests that he certainly does have the ability needed to do so. After the game, Arteta was keen to reiterate that he believes the forward is a “top-level” player, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/10/31/3-positives-negatives-arsenal-sheffield-united-thrashing/3/"https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-artetas-post-match-presser-0">saying:
<blockquote><p>“Well to me he is top level. He’s started nine out of our ten Premier League games, so that tells you how much we trust him and the importance he has in the team. I’m really happy for him, an academy player to experience a Premier League hat-trick. He needs to enjoy the moment, he fully deserves it, and hopefully there are many more to come.”</p></blockquote>
<p>The question remaining for Nketiah now is whether the 24-year-old can maintain this level, or one very close to it, for an extended period.</p>
<h2>Negative #1: Lack of impact from Emile Smith Rowe</h2>
<p>I am a big fan of Smith Rowe’s. When he’s playing at his best, he is one of my favourite players to watch in the entire league. However, while he did not have a bad game, for a player who should be desperate to regain his spot in the starting eleven, he simply didn’t do enough in my opinion.</p>
<p>The 23-year-old indeed registered an assist, so based on stats alone, he made an impact. But, when watching the game, it was clear that outside of that assist, he wasn’t as dangerous, nor as involved as I would like him to be.</p>
<p>It is harsh to be so critical given his lack of playing time. Still, his lack of playing time is exactly why he must take opportunities such as this one with both hands and make a real statement to Arteta, something which he has failed to do for quite some time now in my opinion.</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/2023/10/31/3-positives-negatives-arsenal-sheffield-united-thrashing/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 positive and negative </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_137295" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-137295" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/10/31/3-positives-negatives-arsenal-sheffield-united-thrashing/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1059,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1761732396.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1059" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1761732396.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1761732396-768x508.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1761732396-1536x1017.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">David Raya enjoyed a stress-free outing. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>Positive #2: Clean sheet</h2>
<p>Away from home, our defensive record has been good, but, at home, particularly at the start of the camping, we were conceding goals with far too much regularity. Therefore, despite the relative inferiority of the opposition, a clean sheet in this match will do wonders for the entire backline, especially David Raya, who has looked shaky in recent weeks.</p>
<p>The clean sheet means we have conceded just eight goals in our opening 10 Premier League fixtures, a return only bettered by reigning champions Manchester City, who have conceded seven.</p>
<h2>Negative #2: No Thomas Partey</h2>
<p>A 5-0 victory is not the easiest of performances to find three negatives for, however, Thomas Partey being absent from the matchday squad yet again is undoubtedly one of them.</p>
<p>The Ghanian has been injury-prone for practically his entire Arsenal career, a flaw of the 30-year-old that has cost the club on multiple occasions, and perhaps that’s why they were so eager to get the deal for Declan Rice over the line in the summer.</p>
<p>That said, Partey is still a fantastic player and his absence from the squad is a massive blow.</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/2023/10/31/3-positives-negatives-arsenal-sheffield-united-thrashing/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 positive and negative </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_137259" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-137259" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/10/31/3-positives-negatives-arsenal-sheffield-united-thrashing/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1707,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1749749167-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1749749167-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1749749167-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1749749167-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1749749167-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal needed a win like this. Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<h2>Positive #3: A statement victory</h2>
<p>Of course, all that matters is the three points, and you don’t get any extra points for a 5-0 win. However, what a 5-0 victory does do is send a message to your rivals, irrespective of who your opponents are.</p>
<p>Against weaker teams so far this season, such as Nottingham Forest, we have struggled and have largely failed to win convincingly. Therefore, an emphatic win in this game not only boosts the confidence at the club but suggests that our attack is starting to purr.</p>
<p>Not too much can be read into the performance. After all, Sheffield United are languishing in 20th place for a reason, but the 5-0 victory is a statement nonetheless.</p>
<h2>Negative #3: No Gabriel Jesus</h2>
<p>Similar to the Thomas Partey situation, Gabriel Jesus has been relatively injury-prone since arriving at the Emirates, and his absence from the squad in this game suggests his hamstring injury should be a cause for concern.</p>
<p>Nketiah performed superbly in the Brazilian’s absence, but Jesus is the superior player and we are unquestionably a better side when it is ex-City man leading the line.</p>
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<p>Make no mistake, if we are to maintain another serious bid for the Premier League title, Jesus will be a pivotal player in making that happen.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
