3 positives and 2 negatives from Arsenal's impressive win over Ipswich
Arsenal comfortably progressed into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup by beating Ipswich Town 4-1 at Portman Road on Tuesday night.
The Gunners took the lead early on when Max Dowman skipped past Cedric Kipre and calmly slotted it beyond Christian Walton in the Tractor Boys' goal. Noni Madueke then doubled Arsenal's lead after Bruno Guimaraes won the ball high up the pitch, leaving the winger free to volley neatly past Walton.
Dowman made it three shortly after half-time, tucking it home after an intricate bit of play involving Madueke and Martin Zubimendi. Ipswich grabbed a couple of consolation goals courtesy of Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom's well-taken strikes, but Arsenal saw the game out without much hassle or stress.
Positives and negatives as Arsenal lose/beat Ipswich
Positive #1: Minutes for fringe players
When you have such a huge squad, it can be difficult to keep everyone happy. Minutes are a scarce commodity, and players on Arsenal's roster will inevitably be disappointed with how little they play this season.
However, early rounds of the Carabao Cup give Arteta ample opportunity to hand playing time to those who fall into this category. The likes of Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze all require minutes to ensure they're fit and firing in case they are called upon in more meaningful matches.
All of the aforementioned players were given a start, and this can only be a positive for the squad and its health.
Positive #2: Young stars make their mark
Along with providing opportunities to senior players on the periphery of the first-choice eleven, the Carabao Cup gives Arteta the chance to hand valuable minutes to young players looking to develop into first-team players.
Max Dowman and Marli Salmon started for the Gunners, and both made their mark. The former opened the scoring with a stunning solo goal and added a well-taken second later on, while the latter produced a steady performance at the heart of Arsenal's defence.
Dowman found it difficult to find space against Ipswich's compact mid block, but on the few occasions that he did, he was extremely threatening, using his nifty footwork and exceptional close control to create separation from defenders. Off the ball, Arteta will want him to develop his game further, and he still has work to do creatively, but his carrying, dribbling and ability to find his own shot are attributes he has already mastered.
Salmon, on the other hand, had a handful of difficult moments against the physical Zian Flemming. However, for a 17-year-old to even be playing at centre-back is remarkable and incredibly encouraging. On the ball, he played like a seasoned pro, calmly recycling possession across the pitch. He still has plenty of room to develop physically, but making this start was a huge step in his career.
Hale End stars Theo Julienne and Ife Ibrahim were also handed their senior debuts, replacing Guimaraes and Zubimendi, respectively, in the second half.
Positive #3: Key players rested
Ultimately, Arsenal aren't going to be judged on their performance in the Carabao Cup. Winning the competition would be a bonus, so games like this are essentially an opportunity for Arteta to give fringe players and youngsters minutes, while keeping key players protected for the bigger matches.
Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and David Raya were left out of the squad entirely, while Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka didn't make it off the bench. Martin Odegaard and Christos Tzolis were only given short cameos, while Gabriel Magalhaes and Ezri Konsa played a half each.
These rests should mean Arsenal are fresh heading into their clash with Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
Negative #1: Viktor Gyokeres was non-existent
Viktor Gyokeres has lost his place to Kai Havertz at the start of this season, and on the basis of tonight's showing, he won't be winning it back anytime soon. In a game which Arsenal dominated for large periods, the Swede managed just one shot and only just got into double digits for touches.
He didn't look like a goal threat, he couldn't hold the ball up, and he was hardly involved in build-up. This was a dire showing from the centre-forward, and one that will leave Arteta concerned with how his team might cope without Havertz.
Negative #2: Arsenal look vulnerable in transition without Declan Rice
When you take one of the best recovery midfielders in the world out of your team, you are likely to struggle a little in transition.
However, the extent to which Arsenal's midfield was easily broken through at times will concern Arteta a little. Gary O'Neill's side were able to drive through the heart of the Gunners and get running at the away team's backline on multiple occasions.
Arsenal's defence did well to prevent these instances from leading to many clear chances, but this could've been a different story against better opposition. Ultimately, this shouldn't prove to be an issue with Rice in the side, but if he's ever out for meaningful matches, then things could get difficult for Arsenal on the break.
