Sensational Smith Rowe and magic Martinelli: What we learned from Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

Emile Smith Rowe

Sensational Smith Rowe and magic Martinelli: What we learned from Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

Well, that was a bit more enjoyable wasn't it?

Arsenal gave their fans the best possible late Christmas present with what was probably their best performance since August's FA Cup final win against the same opponents.

Mikel Arteta appears to have Frank Lampard's number and the Gunners boss deserves credit for the brave selection calls which comprehensively paid off.

It's only one win, of course – and as sweet as it felt, it does not make up for the last two months of abysmal displays.

But it is definitely something to build on and with that in mind, here are three things we learned from a Boxing Day derby win…

Smith Rowe provides missing link

All season, Arsenal have lacked a natural no.10 to link the midfield and attack.

Joe Willock hasn't quite made the position his own, Alexandre Lacazette had a couple of fleeting displays but looks more comfortable up front and Mesut Ozil remains in exile.

Emile Smith Rowe has shown glimpses of his talent in the Europa League and fully merited the opportunity to show what he could do domestically.

He grasped it in style with a superb display. Neat passing, intelligent movement and determined pressing – plus a nutmeg on N'Golo Kante for good measure. This was exactly what Arsenal have been missing.

It was only the 20-year-old's second Premier League start – on this form, he should be set for plenty more.

Tierney and Martinelli show class

A key part of Arsenal's victory was their dominance of the left-hand side, where Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli linked up superbly throughout.

Tierney won the penalty which crucially allowed Arsenal to take the lead – had Chelsea scored first, that familiar sinking feeling could have swept over the team once more – and Martinelli continued on from where he left off in midweek with another lively display.

The pair overwhelmed Reece James, who very rarely looks as troubled as he did at The Emirates, and they look a duo worth persisting with down the left.

Quite what that means for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains to be seen but if Martinelli keeps performing like this, he is certainly worth a spot in the side.

Tierney, meanwhile, has been one of the few who has been able to consistently hold his head high this season and the Scot is going from strength to strength.

Saka shines again

Another player getting better with every passing week is Bukayo Saka, who put in another fantastic display on Boxing Day.

No matter where you play him – wing-back, as part of a front three, on the left or the right – he adapts, and this performance on the right wing showed just how good he is when his attacking talents are set free.

Whether he meant his goal or not is irrelevant. It came at a vital time in the game, early in the second half, to give Arsenal a three-goal cushion which put the game beyond the visitors despite the Gunners' best attempts to let Chelsea back into the game in a chaotic final few minutes.

Saka and Martinelli ensured the hosts carried a threat on both wings, which has not been the case with Willian on the field in recent weeks, and showed – along with Smith Rowe – why the young players should be given more opportunities to show what they can do.

The next four Premier League games – trips to Brighton and West Brom followed by the visits of Newcastle and Crystal Palace – represent a good chance to start climbing the table again and make sure the start of 2021 is more enjoyable than the back end of 2020.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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