Arsenal vs. Standard Liege: Europa League Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule
Dec 11, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Nicolas Pépé of Arsenal FC celebrate with his teammates Gabriel Martinelli, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Granit Xhaka after scoring goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal FC at London Stadium on December 9, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Arsenal can book themselves a spot in the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League if they avoid defeat against Standard Liege at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne on Thursday.
After finally breaking their nine-game winless run with a 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Monday, though, Arsenal will be desperate for further success to build some momentum going into the Christmas period.
Match Odds (via Caesars): Standard Liege +235, Draw +275
Things are so congested in the middle of the Premier League table that, even though Arsenal recently went seven games without a win in the English top flight, a run that led to Unai Emery's sacking, they are still not out of the race for the top four:
Monday's victory can only stand as a turning point for Arsenal this term if they build on it, and anything less than a win over Liege will be disappointing.
Standard are on a decent run of form. They are unbeaten in five in all competitions and lie third in the Belgian top flight.
But interim Arsenal boss Freddie Ljungberg has much greater quality to call upon in his squad than his counterpart Michel Preud'homme.
Alexandre Lacazette should be fresh after remaining on the bench against the Hammers, and Nicolas Pepe will be high on confidence after netting just his second Premier League goal on Monday:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, meanwhile, has four goals in his last four appearances in all competitions.
Bernd Leno Defends Arsenal After Poor Form: 'Not Like Everyone Was Not Trying'
Dec 10, 2019
Arsenal's goalkeeper Bernd Leno sits on the pitch after failing to make a stop during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Brighton, at the Emirates Stadium in London, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno defended his team-mates after their recent run of poor results, saying, "It was not like everyone was not trying."
The Gunners ended a run of nine games without a win on Monday, as they came from behind to beat West Ham United 3-1 in the Premier League. The victory was the first of Freddie Ljungberg's spell as boss, with the Swede taking interim charge of the team following the dismissal of Unai Emery.
Leno conceded the team have not been playing to their best recently, though he was adamant the players have remained committed during their fruitless sequence of games, per the Arsenal website:
"At half-time [on Monday] Freddie was talking and analysing. He showed us some situations that we needed to be braver. We did this. It is good feeling, we all missed the feeling. He was calm but in a very straight way.
"It was not like everyone was not trying, but you could feel that we did not play in a free way and he made us more free to play. You could see this more in the second half. After the second and the third goal you could see how we can play with more confidence. This is the real Arsenal."
Arsenal fans were likely fearing the worst at half-time after Angelo Ogbonna's header put West Ham ahead. The Gunners were much improved after the interval, however, with goals by Gabriel Martinelli, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang steering the team to a key win:
The victory was a huge relief for all associated with the north London club, as their season has threatened to spiral out of control in recent weeks.
Per James Benge of Football.London, at times the Germany international has been left stranded at the back in his attempts to keep out opponents:
If Bernd Leno makes it through this season without completely losing it at the defenders in front of him he deserves player of the season.
Though times have been hard for Arsenal supporters lately, they will be encouraged by what they saw in the second half at the London Stadium.
Martinelli looks ready for Premier League football, having shone in the cup competitions, while Pepe finally ignited his career in the top flight. The Ivorian was a threat throughout the second period, netting a brilliant goal and then setting up Aubameyang.
Crucially, Arsenal also relieved some of the pressure that had been on Leno in recent weeks. The German will be hoping an upturn in confidence will ensure he's less busy over the Christmas period; had it not been for his fine work between the sticks in recent outings, Arsenal's plight could be a lot worse.
Freddie Ljungberg Says Nicolas Pepe Can 'Sleep Happy' After West Ham Performance
Dec 10, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his sides second goal with Saed Kolasinac during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal FC at London Stadium on December 09, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arsenal interim manager Freddie Ljungberg praised winger Nicolas Pepe for his excellent display in the 3-1 win over West Ham United on Monday, telling reporters the Ivory Coast international can "sleep happy" after netting his first Premier League goal since September.
The 24-year-old played a crucial role in the come-from-behind win, which Ljungberg hopes will be a big boost to the squad, per the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel:
"People always ask me about Pepe, and he needs to adapt and that's not so easy, especially with his price.
"But he showed his quality tonight, and he can sleep happy. He will get better and better.
"I hope the win changes the mood. They look happy. But we are demanded to win football matches, and I can sense the pressure that we have been under.
"That lifted a bit today. You always hope one win can transform a season―but we can't get carried away."
Arsenal's Swedish Interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at The London Stadium, in east London on December 9, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RE
Angelo Ogbonna gave the Hammers a first-half lead, but Gabriel Martinelli equalised after the break before Pepe took over. He scored the go-ahead goal and then assisted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, securing Arsenal's first win in their last 10 tries in all competitions.
Pepe had scored just a single Premier League goal before his well-taken effort on Monday, in a 3-2 win over Aston Villa in September.
Per Sky Sports Statto, he did more than just score at the London Stadium:
The star summer acquisition has been the face of Arsenal's struggles this season. Expectations were huge after he arrived in a deal worth £72 million from Lille, but he has made just nine Premier League starts so far, proving largely ineffective in the bulk of them.
Monday's win felt like a breakout performance, and even the Gunners Twitter account noted the positive vibes on the sideline:
It was Ljungberg's first win in his third match on the sidelines, and The Athletic's Amy Lawrence believed it could be a key moment for him:
Really pleased for Freddie Ljungberg, who inherited a (how to put this politely) storm of excrement. He tried, tried and tried again, finally picking a team with Aubameyang at centre forward flanked by two wingers and it paid off. A massive moment for him and for Arsenal. 👏👏👏
Ljungberg played down talk of him getting the job on a permanent basis, however, saying he's "been told just to work on a game-by-game basis."
Arsenal's next outing will be away to Standard Liege in the UEFA Europa League, before a big Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal Rally to Beat West Ham 3-1 for Freddie Ljungberg's 1st Win with Club
Dec 9, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal FC at London Stadium on December 09, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arsenal came from behind to beat West Ham United 3-1 in the Premier League on Monday at the London Stadium and pick up their first win under caretaker manager Freddie Ljungberg.
The Hammers edged a poor first half and went in ahead at the break thanks to a deflected effort from Angelo Ogbonna.
Arsenal failed to clear a corner properly which allowed Pablo Fornals to cross for Ogbonna to head past Bernd Leno via a deflection off defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
The Gunners hit back in the second half, scoring three goals in nine minutes to secure a much-needed victory.
Gabriel Martinelli side-footed Kolasinac's cross home for his first Premier League goal before Nicolas Pele curled a superb strike past goalkeeper David Martin to put Arsenal ahead.
The summer signing then crossed for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to volley the third and secure a first league win since the victory over Bournemouth on October 6.
Ljungberg named Aubameyang, Martinelli, Pepe and Mesut Ozil in an attacking starting XI against West Ham. The hosts made just one change to their team, bringing in Michail Antonio for Sebastien Haller:
Arsenal's plans were disrupted by an injury to Hector Bellerin in the warm-up which saw the Spaniard drop out and be replaced by Maitland-Niles.
After a cagey start, the visitors suffered another injury blow when full-back Kieran Tierney was forced off with injury after tangling with Antonio in the penalty area.
BBC Sport's Simon Stone offered some detail on the problem:
Tierney's arm accidentally raised in contact with Antonio. Looks like the muscles have been ripped. Has to go off. Seemed innocuous too.
Arsenal saw plenty of the ball in the opening 30 minutes but despite all the attacking talent on show struggled to carve out any chances against the hosts.
Opta's Duncan Alexander highlighted their lack of threat:
West Ham managed to exploit Arsenal's defensive problems to break the deadlock on 38 minutes through Ogbonna.
The Gunners failed to deal with Robert Snodgrass's corner in from the left and the ball eventually fell to Fornals to stand up a cross for Ogbonna to head in from close range:
Arsenal have now played 27 away games in the Premier League since the start of last season.
Snodgrass came closer to adding a second early in the second half with a deflected effort that bounced wide after more sloppy play from the Gunners, while Declan Rice tested Leno with a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area.
Yet Arsenal equalised on the hour courtesy of some poor West Ham defending. Kolasinac was allowed to stride into the penalty area and pull the ball back for Martinelli to slot home:
Gabriel Martinelli scored with Arsenal's first effort on target against West Ham after 60 minutes.
The visitors' second goal arrived six minutes later and in some style. Pepe cut in from the right and curled a rising strike that flew past a helpless Martin and into the top corner.
Arsenal made the game safe three minutes later when Pepe took a backheel from Aubameyang and then returned the ball to the striker to volley home:
2011 - Arsenal came from a half-time losing position to win a Premier League away game for the first time since October 2011 (5-3 v Chelsea). Kickstart. pic.twitter.com/tmlawXVuqK
Victory ends a run of nine games without a win for Arsenal and moves the Gunners into ninth place in the table, while West Ham remain in trouble and are just a point off the relegation zone.
What's Next?
Arsenal play Standard Liege in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday and then welcome Manchester City to the Emirates on Sunday in the Premier League. West Ham's next game is on Saturday against Southampton.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Kieran Tierney of Arsenal leaves the pitch following an injury during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal FC at London Stadium on December 09, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Kieran Tierney suffered a shoulder injury for Arsenal on Monday during their Premier League match at West Ham United.
The Scotland international was forced off after 30 minutes with his arm in a sling as he left the field of play.
Sead Kolasinac replaced the full-back, with the Gunners also losingHector Bellerin to injury in the warm-up.
The 22-year-old landed awkwardly while defending in the box, and his discomfort was clear to see as the physio was called on to treat him.
Tierney has had a torrid time with injury since moving to north London from Celtic, and he could now face another spell on the sidelines.
The player's debut for his new club was delayed as he recovered from a hip injury and a hernia problem at the beginning of the campaign.
However, the defender has shown much promise during his eight appearances in the Premier League and Europe this term.
Interim manager Freddie Ljungberg will now be forced to solve a defensive conundrum if he is without his starting full-backs in the weeks ahead.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaced Bellerin at West Ham, allowing Kolasinac to take a spot on the bench, and the Bosnian was needed as Arsenal were forced to make unplanned changes.
Arsenal's Hector Bellerin Out vs. West Ham After Suffering Injury in Warm-Up
Dec 9, 2019
Arsenalannounced defender Hector Bellerin suffered an injury on Monday in the warm-up before his team's clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Interim manager Freddie Ljungberg named Ainsley Maitland-Niles to start in Bellerin's place and the Gunners added Sead Kolasinac to the bench for the match.
Bellerinrecently returned to the first-team picture after a cruciate knee ligament injury picked up in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in January kept him sidelined for nine months.
While Arsenal are blessed with depth in their squad in a number of areas, Bellerin is one of a few players who are indispensable.
The former Barcelona academy star gives the side an outlet from the right flank. His surges up the wing have become trademark, with opponents finding his searing pace difficult to contain.
There's also a burgeoning maturity in the 24-year-old's game. While in his early days as an Arsenal player he was erratic in his final ball and rash in his defensive work, he's made strides in both facets of his game, making him one of the most complete full-backs in the Premier League.
Needless to say, Arsenal tend to suffer when he's not in the side, as there isn't another player capable of replicating his influence.
Patrick Vieira Says He Could 'Never Ignore' Offer to Become Arsenal Manager
Dec 8, 2019
Nice's French coach Patrick Vieira gives instructions to his players during the French Ligue Cup round of 32 football match between Le Mans FC and OGC Nice on October 30, 2019 in Le Mans. (Photo by JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / AFP) (Photo by JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images)
Nice manager Patrick Vieira has said he "couldn't ignore" an offer from Arsenal to become the club's next boss.
Freddie Ljungberg, a former team-mate of Vieira's at Arsenal, is currently in temporary charge of the Gunners following the dismissal of Unai Emery. Arsenal are in a terrible run of form, having gone nine games in all competitions without a win.
Vieira has been mentioned as a possible candidate to take over at the Emirates Stadium and has said he would have to consider an approach from the Premier League side if it arrived, per Canal Plus (h/t Robin Bairner of Goal).
"You can never ignore a club where you've spent nine years," said the 43-year-old. "But, honestly, I'm focused on this project at Nice, I feel very good here. It's a very exciting project. I've always said that I'm very happy in Nice. We're all working to move the club forward and there is potential."
While Vieira was speaking after his team beat Metz 4-1, overall it's been a challenging season for Nice. Despite some big investment in the summer, they sit in 11th place in Ligue 1 after their win on Saturday.
As French football writer Jeremy Smith relayed, Nice are capable of scoring fine goals, albeit they lack consistency:
Rumours growing that Vieira is now the leading candidate for the Arsenal role. His Nice team scored this brilliant goal at the weekend. But this has very, very much not been the norm during his tenure. Tonight's 4-1 defeat more indicative of how this season has been going. https://t.co/aDelOdNbO4
Get French Football News praised the work the former midfielder did last season with the club, steering them to seventh place in the table:
A steadfast defence, led by cat-like Walter Benitez & €4m summer centre-back signing Christophe Hérelle, made Nice the strongest defensive team aside from Reims. Youcef Atal meanwhile, sometimes from right-back, sometimes from left-wing, constantly made the difference in attack.
Vieira is highly regarded in the game, having enjoyed a remarkable career as a player at the likes of Arsenal, Inter Milan, Juventus and Manchester City.
With the Gunners, he was an inspirational leader and midfielder. Vieira was at the heart of Arsene Wenger's awesome Arsenal team, winning three Premier League titles, including the 2003-04 prize in which the side memorably went unbeaten all season.
At the moment, the current Gunners side would benefit from some of Vieira's qualities, as they have been devoid of many positive attributes in their disappointing recent run. On Thursday, they were beaten 2-1 at home by Brighton & Hove Albion; James McNicholas of The Athletic lamented a team that has lost its way:
Of course this is melodramatic. What I mean is that I'm not sure there's a single part of this team that functions properly. And I'm not sure it will again without huge changes.
Per Charles Watts of Goal, in recent matches, Arsenal have been dominated by modest opposition:
Arsenal have conceded 82 shots in three games this season against Watford, Southampton and Brighton. In the same games they had just 31 shots themselves.
That is truly staggering, especially when you consider two of the games were at home. What an inexplicable mess.
Whoever takes over at the north London club will have a lot work to do, as there are issues to resolve in all facets of the Arsenal XI.
Although Vieira is adored at the Gunners and would no doubt receive plenty of backing from supporters, he still has plenty to learn about management. At this juncture, Arsenal would surely benefit from a coach who has a lot more experience at the highest level.
Report: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pulls out of Arsenal Contract Talks
Dec 7, 2019
Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Brighton, at the Emirates Stadium in London, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has reportedly pulled out of contract talks with Arsenal and is ready to leave the club in the summer.
According to the Mirror's Alex Richards, the Gabon international wants to challenge for silverware, and the uncertainty at the Emirates Stadium has led to frustrations. He has 18 months left on his current deal, so the Gunners could face a tough choice on whether to cash in during the summer.
As the Mirror's John Cross noted, the Gunners are on their worst run in over 40 years, and the switch from Unai Emery to interim manager Freddie Ljungberg has done nothing to halt the crisis.
Arsenal have gone nine matches without a win and are coming off a 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion in Ljungberg's home debut:
Per Cross, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding who will become the next Arsenal manager, or when. Top choice Brendan Rodgers has committed himself to Leicester City, and there is no consensus at the club on who the next-best candidate would be.
Aubameyang has already scored 10 Premier League goals this season and has been the club's best forward since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2018.
He'll turn 31 in June, and he hasn't collected much silverware during his career, winning league cups in France and Germany and the DFL Supercup.
There doesn't appear to be a direct path to silverware with the Gunners in the near future, and they failed at the final hurdle in the UEFA Europa League last season. Arsenal have taken a step back in the 2019-20 campaign, and a rebuild could well be on the cards.
Per sports writer Duncan Castles, Real Madrid could offer Aubameyang a way out of north London:
• Silva sacked; Vitor Pereira in talks with Everton • Madrid offer Arsenal Jovic for Aubameyang • Watford ask Javi Gracia to come back • Everton, Arsenal or Man City for Mikel Arteta? • Guardiola demanding full focus on Champions League https://t.co/4R8PvP5fUrpic.twitter.com/NOa02tEBTe
Summer signing Gabriel Martinelli has showed plenty of promise and could be the perfect long-term replacement for Aubameyang if the Gunners place their faith in the youngsters to get back towards the Premier League's summit.
Arsenal's Hector Bellerin 'Lost for Words' After Brighton Defeat, Talks Concerns
Dec 6, 2019
Arsenal's Spanish defender Hector Bellerin applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 5, 2019. - Brighton won the match 2-1. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Hector Bellerin has said he feels "lost for words a bit" after Arsenal went a ninth straight game without a win with a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday.
Freddie Ljungberg suffered his first loss as interim Arsenal boss in his home debut, his second game in charge since Unai Emery was sacked in November. The Gunners have failed to win in their last seven Premier League outings and are 10th in the table approaching the midway point in the season.
Arsenal were met with boos at full-time following the loss to Brighton at the Emirates Stadium. Bellerin spoke after the game, highlighting key faults in the team and noting his own incredulity at their lack of form, per the Mirror's Aaron Stokes:
"I don't even know what to say. You get the feeling that whatever we're doing it doesn't come out right.
"The team gave its best, especially you can see how we pushed in the second half, created chances, every single player was going for every single ball, we defended good, but it seems like we need so many chances to score a goal and other teams with the smallest chances they score.
"It sounds a bit hard to say, but sometimes it's like lost for words a bit."
Neal Maupay scored an 80th-minute winner for the Seagulls after Alexandre Lacazette's looping header cancelled out Adam Webster's first-half breakthrough, via Sky Sports (UK only):
Bellerin made his first-team return for Arsenal in late September following an eight-month spell on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The academy graduate is likely as motivated as anyone in the Arsenal squad to see the club succeed but has been restricted to just three league appearances this season.
The Athletic's James McNicholas hailed Brighton for their performance in north London but described the Gunners as "an absolute mess," critiquing the home side's "diabolical" defence:
Bellerin was one of three Arsenal defenders who finished the game with a yellow card—along with centre-backs David Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos—a hint at their discomfort even playing at home.
Ljungberg's team welcomed 20 Brighton shots on their goal, per WhoScored.com, and Goal's Charles Watts reminded of the imbalance between Arsenal's attack and defence:
Arsenal have conceded 82 shots in three games this season against Watford, Southampton and Brighton. In the same games they had just 31 shots themselves.
That is truly staggering, especially when you consider two of the games were at home. What an inexplicable mess.
The north Londoners spent a club-record £72 million to sign Nicolas Pepe from Lille in August, but he's failed to score from open play in 17 appearances and has started on the bench in their last five league games.
He scored one penalty in a 3-2 triumph over Aston Villa in September, along with two free-kicks to win 3-2 against Vitoria Guimaraes on October 24 (their last victory).
Arsenal have scored 21 goals in the Premier League—level with Burnley and one fewer than 16th-place Aston Villa—and only seven teams have conceded more goals than them this term (23 goals).
Sky Sports Statto highlighted this as a 37-year low for Arsenal in terms of goal difference before their recent 2-2 draw at Norwich City (their goal difference is now minus-two):
Arsenal have a negative goal difference after 13 games for the first time since 1982-83 (also -1).
Norwich have faced a @premierleague high 83 shots on target this season and only Southampton have conceded more goals.
Bellerin will hope to play a role in Arsenal's Premier League visit to West Ham United on Monday, when Ljungberg will target his first win as caretaker and hope to lift his side within reach of the top six.
Freddie Ljungberg Says Arsenal Were 'Scared' During Defeat to Brighton
Dec 5, 2019
Arsenal's Swedish Interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg (R) gestures towards Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 5, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal players were afraid to take chances and express themselves during Thursday night's 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, according to interim manager Freddie Ljungberg.
The Gunners slipped to 10th in the Premier League after losing at the Emirates Stadium. In the process, a squad short on confidence continued on a winless run now stretching to nine games across all competitions.
Ljungberg identified fear as a root cause for Arsenal's latest setback:
Ljungberg: "They [the players] look very short of confidence. In the first half they were scared to get the ball, scared to move."
An Arsenal team bereft of ideas and swagger went behind after 36 minutes when Adam Webster drilled Brighton into the lead. It stayed 1-0 until the break before Alexandre Lacazette equalised five minutes after the restart.
Neal Maupay headed in the Seagulls' winner 10 minutes from full-time. Yet Ljungberg was left to rue his team's sluggish display early on:
Ljungberg: “We didn’t show up in the first half. We had a chat at half-time, all of a sudden we look like the team we want to be. That’s how we have to play the whole game.” pic.twitter.com/efEiUTth4P
A slow start and a tepid finish proved enough to condemn Arsenal to a dire run unmatched in the club annals for over four decades. It's a shocking sequence pushing the Gunners dangerously close to the wrong end of the table:
Arsenal have now failed to win their last nine matches across all competitions, their longest winless run in 42 years:
Establishing some consistency and a definite identity to Arsenal's pattern of play is the daunting challenge facing Ljungberg. He is attempting to return the team back to the stylish, possession-based game that became a club staple when Arsene Wenger was in charge from 1996 to 2018.
Unai Emery replaced Wenger, but the Spaniard was recently dismissed after 18 months in charge. While his tenure was brief, Emery's spell can be seen to have done lasting damage to the way Arsenal play.
He attempted to move the Gunners toward a style based more on industry and pressing than artful creativity. Elegant playmakers Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all moved on during Emery's watch.
It's left Mesut Ozil as the sole technically gifted schemer for Ljungberg to work with. He's played Ozil wide and central, struggling to find the right formula to help unleash the classy No. 10's brand of magic.
Ljungberg has also been reticent to start winger Nicolas Pepe during his two matches in charge. Arsenal's record signing came off the bench for the second half against Brighton, but his pace and trickery failed to enliven a forward line already hamstrung by the suddenly stunted partnership between strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the latter miscast out wide.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette exchanged just one pass in the first half against Brighton.
Ljungberg is trying to play the Wenger way with a squad constructed and schooled to play more in Emery's image. It's a dichotomy the Swede needs to resolve fast because Arsenal must click in attacking areas to help compensate for a leaky defence.
A team no longer adept at keeping the ball is exposing an already vulnerable unit to greater pressure and even more chances this season:
52 - Arsenal have faced 52 shots on target in eight home league games this season - more than they did at Highbury in the entirety of their last title winning campaign of 2003-04. Vulnerable. #ARSBHApic.twitter.com/QQPIqVphwA
Arsenal invested heavily in defensive reinforcements during the summer, but left-back Kieran Tierney has dealt with injuries since arriving from Celtic for £25 million. Meanwhile, William Saliba has remained on loan with Saint-Etienne, a condition of the £27 million deal to bring the central defender over from Ligue 1 next season.
David Luiz cost £8 million, but the 32-year-old former Chelsea man has not solidified things at the back.
The bottom line is Arsenal spent a small fortune on players who have yet to improve the biggest weakness in the squad. It's left holdovers such as right-back Hector Bellerin lacking belief:
Hector Bellerin: “I don't even know what to say. I have the feeling that whatever we're doing it just doesn't come out right."
Arsenal have undergone a major overhaul since Wenger stepped down. Many of the positive qualities the club was known for during the Frenchman's reign, such as the attractive style and the type of players who produced it, have been swept away.
It's left a messy transition perhaps too big for 42-year-old first-time senior boss Ljungberg to successfully navigate. He must work harder to bring confidence back to a fractious group of players ahead of Monday's trip to take on West Ham United.
