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Arsenal extended their winning run to 6 consecutive victories this season after a 3-1 win against Brentford F.C. in their opening fixture of the League Cup at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, September 26.
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A brace from Danny Welbeck in the first half of the encounter, followed by a goal from Alexandre Lacazette in injury time saw the Gunners through against an inspired Brentford attack.
"We played against them in pre-season and lost 2-1. This is a good team with good players – good offensively and very sound tactically. With every free-kick, they had a lot of chances to try different things. They could impose their ideas on the pitch. Our first half was very good because our pressing was very good. I am very happy for Welbeck. He gives us his quality and commitment every day. I think he is helping the team and we want this."
Unai Emery, Arsenal head coach
An exceptional free-kick from Alan Judge saw Brentford pull one back in the 58th minute, but Lacazette's strike killed the tie for the North London side. The Championship side pulled off an impressive performance nonetheless, especially after they managed to shake off their nerves after the first half.
"Obviously, Arsenal are a very good team full of quality players and they put out a strong team tonight. I thought we put up a good fight in the second half, but ultimately they just had more quality than us."
Dean Smith, Brentford head coach
Listed below are three reasons why Arsenal won against Brentford –
#3 Firepower in attack
While many teams prefer to let their youngsters take charge in such competitions, Emery's approach to the same is quite different.
While the Spaniard did make many changes to the side that won against Everton on Sunday, the team he dished out was quite strong, with a steady mix of youth and experience. The Gunners' attack boasted of the likes of Alex Iwobi, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Danny Welbeck, with 18-year-old Emile Smith Rowe handed his maiden start at Number 10.
Welbeck's inclusion in the XI paid dividends almost immediately, as the English forward notched up his first goal of the night within the first six minutes. Iwobi looked threatening on the left flank, while Mkhitaryan proved to be the creative linchpin of the side going forward.
#2 Strength on the bench
Unlike Arsene Wenger, who preferred to see through such ties with inexperienced youngsters and second-team members alone, Emery put some of his star players on the bench against Brentford on Wednesday.
The match turned a little frenetic after Judge's strike, and it seemed like Arsenal might slip up to give Brentford an opening in the latter stages of the game. However, the strong bench set up by Emery helped profusely, as Lacazette, Lucas Torreira, and Aaron Ramsey came in as substitutes to disrupt their opponent's flow.
The ploy worked, as the side looked more balanced and potent after the introduction of its first-team members. Lacazette's strike proved to be pivotal in the context of the game, as it assured Arsenal a safe passage to the next round of the tournament.
#1 Brentford's off-colour performance in the first half
While the Championship side came into their own after their first and only goal in the 58th minute, they exuded signs of a skittish mindset before that. These nerves helped Arsenal put their foot on Brentford's throat and Welbeck pressed hard with his brace in the first 45 minutes.
Iwobi and Mkhitaryan caused problems from the wings, Matteo Guendouzi showed off his long-range passing, and the Gunners' backline held its own in the limited times that tested them in the first half.
While Brentford managed to come into their own later in the match, it was almost of out of their hands by then. Arsenal, on the other, capitalized on their strong start and stood their ground under consistent attack in the last quarter of the game.
