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Arsenal unveiled freshman Denis Suarez at London Colney
Arsenal signed with Denis Suarez, loan from Barcelona. Nick Wright explains why the creativity of the Spanish could be invaluable for Unai Emery.
There was little to marvel at Arsenal's 2-1 win over Cardiff at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. The game will be remembered for its emotional tributes to the disappearance of Emiliano Sala, but on the ground and in a constant rain, the action was made for a vision without interest.
Arsenal dominated the ball as expected, recording more than 70% possession of the ball, but the lack of creativity and avant-garde was striking. Most of the time, they simply pbaded the ball from one side to the other of the field while Cardiff was waiting to take off for the attack.
The breakthrough, when it finally arrived, came from a rare moment of uncertainty, since Alex Iwobi's perfectly balanced balloon allowed Sead Kolasinac, who was overlapping, to be tripped over to the penalty duly converted by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Kolasinac has been a vital offensive outlet for Arsenal this season. He bombed the back of the opposing side and regularly recruited teammates. However, their larger creative gaps can not be ignored. The Cardiff game was only the latest in which they struggled to dismantle their opponent and create scoring opportunities.
This is corroborated by the statistics. Arsenal averages 12.7 shots per game this season. This represents a significant drop from 2017/18, averaging 15.6 shots per game and a drop from fifth to tenth among Premier League clubs. Their current firing numbers are the lowest since Opta started to record records in 2003/04.
Arsenal fights to rank among the top four under Unai Emery
Clinical trials Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have ensured that the decline in the volume of blows is not too expensive for the team of Unai Emery – Arsenal scored five goals more than at the same stage of the last season – but this remains a source of concern.
This is a lack of service. Arsenal has always excelled at channeling the ball in the third. Mesut Ozil is the last of a long line of talented playmakers to visit the Emirates Stadium in the second half of Arsene Wenger 's reign, but the German does not. did not perform well. favor under Emery. The creativity of Arsenal has suffered.
Arsenal struggled to put the ball in the last third this season
In fact, they have trouble moving even the ball in the right areas. Arsenal, averaging 63 badists in the final third per game in each of the previous four seasons, now has only 51 badists per game, making it the fifth lowest total in the Premier League. Against Cardiff, and despite 590 past pbades, the number is only 41.
The need for a player capable of unlocking defenses led Emery to Denis Suarez, with whom he had already worked in Seville. The Spaniard has certainly brought technical quality after sharing his football education between Manchester City and Barcelona. Although he played sparingly for the Catalan giants this season, he had evidence of what he could do last year.
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Indeed, in 2017/18, Suarez has created an average of 2.2 chances every 90 minutes in the Liga – behind him, only Lionel Messi (2.6) and Ousmane Dembele (2.7) in Barcelona and ahead of Philippe Coutinho . For context, no Arsenal player has equaled this creativity rate this season.
Denis Suarez in action for Barcelona
He was also effective on the loan in 2015/16 to Villarreal, where, in addition to contributing 5 goals and 11 badists in La Liga and Europa League, he was creating more chances per minute (1.7) than n / a. any of his teammates. .
The numbers will not be a surprise for Emery, who has lent Saurez for the duration of the 2014/15 season. Emery likes his versatility – Suarez is able to play in a variety of offensive positions – but he's mostly used it behind the Seville strikers. Given his reluctance to create Ozil, he could also join the Arsenal team.
It's not just his pbading abilities that could help. The current team at Arsenal contains few players who thrive in face-to-face situations. In fact, statistics show that their dribbling numbers have decreased in each of the past five seasons. On an average of 15.8 successful dribbles per game in 2014/15 – the highest level in the Premier League – the Gunners have only 7.3 points, which places them in 13th place.
Arsenal averages 7.3 dribbles per game this season
This is another concern for Emery but, fortunately, it is also another area in which Suarez excels. Aged 25, he is fast, skilled and direct. In addition to giving Arsenal another option in 10th position, it can also ensure penetration into large areas.
Denis Saurez impressed under Unai Emery in Seville
Last season, Suarez managed 3.2 dribbles every 90 minutes in La Liga. Lionel Messi (5.6) and Ousmane Dembele (3.9) were the only Barcelona players to do better, while Suarez's average placed him seventh in the entire division for a minimum of 500 minutes.
The question, of course, is whether he can come in and have an immediate impact on Arsenal after only making a few appearances in Barcelona all season long. Suarez can he get in sync quickly? Can he provide the spark that was sorely needed? Arsenal's arduous performance against Cardiff was only the last reminder of the qualities they are currently lacking.
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