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Three talking points from Arsenal’s demolition of Huddersfield Town
Arsenal recorded their third consecutive Premier League victory as they outclassed Huddersfield Town at the Emirates. It took the hosts only three minutes to break the deadlock through Alexandre Lacazette, but it was in the second half that the floodgates truly opened.
Olivier Giroud (two), Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil all added to the scoreline in the final 22 minutes of a one-sided affair that will have deflated the travelling Terriers fans. After a troubling start to the season, the fourth-placed Gunners look to be back to their free-flowing best, while Huddersfield’s third defeat on the bounce leaves them in 14th position. Here are three talking points.
Crisis, what crisis? Arsenal are back to their old selves
Barely a game goes by without Arsene Wenger’s managership of Arsenal being questioned in some quarters. But the level-headed Frenchman has navigated his way through the storm and now appears to have steered his squad into calmer waters. With speculation over the future of Ozil and Sanchez having settled down, Wenger’s charges are playing with confidence and suddenly look like the Arsenal of old.
The Emirates has been a fortress for the Gunners this season – they have yet to drop a single point there. Arsenal often flatter to deceive and capitulate when the going gets tough. Who knows what will happen over the winter months? Tougher tests await them for sure, but when they breeze past opponents in this manner, you wonder why it goes spectacularly wrong so often.
Huddersfield outgunned once more on their travels
Huddersfield’s campaign will not be defined by results such as this, but they shouldn’t be written off as inconsequential. All defeats have ramifications and confidence will be eroded quickly if they continue. While they remain competitive at home – as they proved by pushing Manchester City all the way last weekend – they look toothless on their travels. Indeed, the Terriers haven’t scored away from the John Smith’s Stadium since August but have conceded nine goals without reply in their past two trips.
No team can rely solely on results at home to survive. For all the plaudits Huddersfield have rightly received for their enterprising start since being promoted from the Championship, they now find themselves only five points clear of the drop-zone. David Wagner has his work cut out to arrest the slide.
Super-sub Giroud is proving his worth
There was speculation in the summer that Giroud would be on his way out of the Emirates following the arrival of his countryman Lacazette. Giroud has spent more time on the substitutes’ bench this season than he would have liked, but when he has been given an opportunity, invariably he has taken it. The 31-year-old’s two goals against Huddersfield took his tally for the season to five – the same number as Sanchez but at a much quicker rate.
With Lacazette potentially sidelined for a prolonged spell after picking up a groin injury, Giroud may well find himself promoted to the starting line-up for a crucial period of the campaign. He gets a rough ride from certain sections of the Arsenal faithful, but has netted more than 100 goals for the club in all competitions. The Gunners rely on him more than some supporters may believe.