20 January 2024 , 05:45
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When Arsenal take on Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon they will do so having dropped off the pace in the title race.
Now down in fourth place in the table after failing to win their last three league games - not to mention dropping out of the FA Cup against Liverpool - the Gunners host their London neighbours under a fairly large degree of pressure.
It will be a far cry from when they played Palace in March last year, when a superb Gunners performance saw the visitors swept aside 4-1 to take Arsenal eight points clear at the top of a Premier League table they looking like having every chance of topping come the season's end.
One of the goals that day was scored by Granit Xhaka at the end of a brilliant team move, and it is a goal which looks just as impressive when broken down. Here's how it happened:
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Searching to extend their two-goal lead shortly after half-time, the hosts won themselves a throw-in on the left in their own half and Oleksandr Zinchenko duly picked up the ball. There was no sense of complacency as the Ukrainian defender scanned for an option, with Martinelli making an intelligent darting run to pull Palace right-back Joel Ward away from the area near where Xhaka was standing.
Noticing the Brazilian's sharp movement, Zinchenko quickly found Xhaka, who had himself evaded Michael Olise. Calmly taking the ball in, the Swiss midfielder turned back towards his own goal and shifted it to centre-back Rob Holding, allowing Arsenal to build from the back as they so expertly do.
Oleksandr Zinchenko started the 14-pass move with a throw-in (Arsenal FC)
Granit Xhaka collected the ball and played it to Rob Holding (Arsenal FC)Holding, however, wasn't about to mess around with the ball in his own final third. Instead, the 27-year-old - admirably covering in the absence of William Saliba - hoofed it towards the right flank, giving star man Saka the task of bringing it down on the touchline, all while under pressure from Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell.
The homegrown hero was electric in the game but was stunted for a moment in the 55th minute. Mitchell did well to drive him into the centre of the pitch, giving Saka nowhere to go but backwards.
Rob Holding hoofed it towards Bukayo Saka (Arsenal FC)
Saka's first touch was excellent (Arsenal FC)As the Eagles pressed well in midfield, the Arsenal winger went back to Holding, who immediately drove forward looking to break the lines. After easily getting past Palace striker Odsonne Edouard, Holding offloaded the ball to Thomas Partey, who had the imposing presence of Jeffrey Schlupp to deal with.
No problem for Partey, though, as the Ghanaian shrugged off his marker, burst beyond the halfway line and chipped the ball out to Xhaka. The Switzerland international - like the best midfielders do - scanned for space on the left flank before controlling the ball. Xhaka has been successful in a more advanced, play-making role this season, further affirming Arteta's transformative tactics.
Buyako Saka was forced to go back to his defence (Arsenal FC)
Rob Holding got the ball again, driving forward (Arsenal FC)Playing a one-two with left-hand-side pal Zinchenko, another centre-back got involved in the form of in Gabriel. Palace, still without a touch of the ball, shuffled back into shape - but it was all part of Arsenal's plan.
Partey came to collect the ball from Gabriel and Zinchenko sauntered back to get another touch in a neat triangle. This time, however, it'd prove to be a more decisive intervention, as Xhaka made a surge forward between Palace's midfield and defensive lines.
Thomas Partey shrugged off Jeffrey Schlupp (Arsenal FC)
Partey clipped the ball out to Granit Xhaka, who scanned the left flank (Arsenal FC)Just as Arteta instinctively raised his arm on the sidelines to point him out, Zinchenko played a cutting pass to accurately find his team-mate, who was now in the Eagles' final third and lurking in the middle of Ward and centre-back James Tomkins. They didn't have time to get near Xhaka thanks to his one-touch lay-off to Leandro Trossard, hovering in the No.10 position.
Xhaka spun and continued his run, making it simple for Trossard to slide the ball through into the Palace penalty area, with the visitors turning in unison towards 19-year-old academy goalkeeper Joe Whitworth. Unfortunately for their rising star, Xhaka wisely clipped his shot as Ward attempted to make a last-ditch tackle, forcing it home and making it 3-0.
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Gabriel got involved in build-up (BBC Match of the Day)
Following Mikel Arteta's instructions, Oleksandr Zinchenko fired the ball forward (BBC Match of the Day)Arteta watched on in delight as his players executed the kind of move that he's wanted to see at the Emirates ever since his appointment in December 2019. Often during his rollercoaster tenure the Gunners boss has been criticised for not being able to get a tune out of his attackers, something that is repeating itself now, but here they were all singing from the same hymn sheet.
Xhaka's second-half goal also demonstrated the variety of goalscorers which Arsenal often have at their disposal, with Arteta warning his players not to become "predictable" in attack, just as they avoided doing against Palace. "It was really good," the Spaniard told club media post-match of his side's all-round performance.
Granit Xhaka offloaded the ball first-time to Leandro Trossard (BBC Match of the Day)
Trossard returned the ball, threading Xhaka through (BBC Match of the Day)"I think we are getting better and better. We need to keep investing in those connections, those understandings, those timings. We can become quite unpredictable for the opponent to try and defend it. Again, we split the goals, which is really good. Let's continue to do it."
It was Xhaka's sixth goal of the campaign and second in as many games, following his equaliser in a Europa League defeat by Sporting Lisbon. On how he had become such a threat, Arteta added: "Believing again, believing to get in the right position and believing that the ball is going to land in the right moment and then being clinical.
Grani Xhaka scored his sixth goal of the season, a personal best (BBC Match of the Day)
19-year-old Crystal Palace goalkeeper Joe Whitworth wasn't able to stop it (BBC Match of the Day)"I had a feeling today and I told him that, 'You're going to score again because when you have that mindset and you are there', and I see the way he's training, good things are going to happen and he's been phenomenal all season."
Indeed, many have pointed to the sale of Xhaka last summer as a mistake in hindsight, with the Swiss missed in the current campaign for his tenacity in midfield and ability in front of goal. The latter was certainly on display here, and it was wonderful to witness.