Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#3 Arsenal’s Swiss stars shine

Xhaka was sensational on the night

Granit Xhaka started last week and looked rusty owing to his time on the sidelines. However, the midfielder was back to his best at the Emirates.

The Swiss was at the heart of each passing move and he kept things ticking quietly in midfield. Though his shooting was a little erratic, he more than made up for it with his tidiness on the ball. In addition, he set up two goals with perfectly weighted corners.

Xhaka’s countryman, Lichtsteiner, wasn’t too shabby on the night either. The latter was a solid presence in the back four as he was called upon to replace Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The defender looked apart on the night and put in a real shift.

Moreover, the Swiss created a few chances with his superb delivery from the right wing. Though he was rarely tested defensively, he popped up with a vital goal-line clearance to keep Arsenal’s lead intact.

With Bellerin out for the season and Maitland-Niles not covering himself in glory recently, Emery would want Lichtsteiner to carry the defensive burden.

And if the Swiss strings consistent displays together, Emery could well have a stop-gap solution to his right back conundrum.