Match Review: Arsenal 2, Crystal Palace 0

Arsenal got off to a winning start by beating Crystal Palace 2-0 in their Premier League season opener. It was a good win in a tricky fixture and Arsenal withstood Crystal Palace’s pressure well. Let’s get into the week 1 match review.

Week 1 Match Review: The Positives

There are plenty of positives to take from this win. Arsenal played incredibly well in the first 20 minutes and created several good chances. Arsenal could have been up 2-0 by halftime. 

The Defense Was Good

Another point that should be made in this week 1 match review is that Arsenal also defended quite well. Palace put Arsenal under quite a bit of pressure but Arsenal withstood it this time. Crystal Palace only had two clear chances in the game and Ramsdale made saves on both occasions. Speaking of Ramsdale, despite a few errors, he played well overall and made two good saves. 

Saliba Played Brilliantly

Saliba was the standout performer in Arsenal’s defense. He had a brilliant Premier League debut, winning back possession 7 times, making 7 clearances, and completing 46 of his 49 passes. He supported Ben White against Zaha quite well. Saliba was excellent. 

Arsenal’s Attack Created Some Good Chances

Jesus and Saka also played well. Jesus passed the ball well, pressed well, and looked like a threat throughout the game despite not scoring in this match. Saka also did well in supporting Ben White against Saliba and he was typically dangerous going forward. His ball into the box led to Guehi’s own goal which sealed the game for Arsenal. 

Martinelli looked sharp and scored Arsenal’s first goal of the game. He also pressed well and defended well. It was a good match for the young Brazilian. 

Zinchenko also played well. His clever header back into Palace’s penalty box provided the assist for Martinelli’s goal which put Arsenal up 1-0. Zinchenko also defended well and supported Arsenal going forward on the left-hand side. 

Tierney and Nketiah Were Good Subs

Nketiah and Tierney made a difference off the bench, as well. Both helped Arsenal see out the game. It was good to see Tierney get some minutes. Nketiah proved to be a good release valve for Arsenal to get through Palace’s pressure. 

The Negatives

Crystal Palace started to assert more control over the game in the last 10-15 minutes of the first half. Arsenal’s intensity seemed to drop off after the first 30 minutes or so. Arsenal also made some errors which put Palace in some promising positions. 

Odegaard also didn’t have a great game. He seemed to struggle a bit against Crystal Palace’s pressure. This was definitely not his best game. He also hesitated in front of the goal and looked to pass when he should have taken a shot. 

Man of the Match: William Saliba

Saliba was brilliant against Crystal Palace. He defended quite well on his own and he supported Ben White against Zaha well. Saliba was also very good in the air, winning all of his aerial duels. He won three ground duels as well and completed all of his take-ons as well. 

We’ve waited quite some time for Saliba’s Arsenal debut, but it was worth the wait. Fantastic performance from Saliba. He comfortably wins Man of the Match this time against Crystal Palace. 

It’s A Positive Start for Arsenal

Arsenal’s performance against Crystal Palace could certainly have been better in some respects. However, three points and a clean sheet away at Selhurst Park is definitely a good start to Arsenal’s Premier League campaign. Crystal Palace away is a difficult fixture, so taking all three points is very good. You can bet on Arsenal to win the next game if you are feeling confident. Hopefully, Arsenal can put out an even better performance at home against Leicester City and continue their winning ways.