Arsenal
Wigan Vs Arsenal Tactical Review – Walcott Watch And Stat Attack
Arsenal beat Wigan Athletic in DW stadium thanks to a penalty won by Theo Walcott and converted by Mikel Arteta. Not a vintage Arsenal but 3 sweet points to kick start the festive period. So let’s get into the analysis.
First Half:
With Arsenal playing the same side that scored 5 past Reading last week, one would expect the Gunners to have some sort of confidence at the start. However it was the home side who started out brightly and had good spells of possession but failed to test the goalkeeper. Arsenal had their first chance of the game in the ninth minute when Arteta was allowed an inch gap space to drive forward and the Spaniard played the ball to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right but his shot was well saved at the near post by Ali Al Habsi.
Around the 25th minute, Wigan striker Kone could have put the home side ahead when he broke the offside trap and beat Mertesacker for pace only to miss out on the golden opportunity provided by Di Santo. Arsenal had another half chance again as Cazorla broke forward and passed it to Walcott inside the box but a brilliant block from Boyce denied the striker. As the half time struck both the teams were blank.
Second Half:
As expected it was an open start to the second half and the game looked more promising. Arsenal created two chance in the opening 5 minutes of the half but couldn’t convert it. Wigan’s lack of finishing in front of goal was mainly because the chances they wasted and striker Kone was not comfortable when the ball came in from wide, his positioning let him down more than it favored. There were periods in the game where Roberto Martinez’s men threatened to run away with the game. Around 74th minute the Latics created 3 chance in the space of 4 minutes but they failed miserable in the final third. And it was a nervous 10 minutes at the end of the game.
Tactical Briefing and Stat Attack:
Some quick fire facts:
- 486 – Passes attempted by Wigan
- 480 – Passes attempted by Arsenal (2nd fewest this season in the League, v. Chelsea 470)
- 254 – Passes forward by Arsenal (3rd fewest this season in the League, v. Chelsea 239)
- 123 – Passes attempted by Arsenal in the Wigan final third (2nd fewest total this season in the League, v. Man U 111)
Arsene Wenger continued playing Walcott as a striker with Ox and Podolski in supporting rolls. Though Arsenal have managed to score 6 goals and secure 6 points, is it worth a risk ?
Here is a Walcott watch to get an insight to it:
Now for an out an out striker that he prefers, his heat map does not help his cause. Though the striker has to come back to collect the ball and help his midfielders, his forward runs were not all that good. Tactically he had a quite game apart from the penalty he won and a through ball he chased at the end of the first half thanks to some good work by Cazorla. In a brief it can clearly be said the experiment is clearly not working and Walcott will struggle if not now, but against bigger opponents who will not give space or time to run at them. He did have his moments, but he still needs to work on his ball retention and control with his back to goal and dropping deep to collect the ball and participating in midfield play. Other than his work rate, his shots on target and his pass completion rate is also pretty low as well. 4 shots on goal with 1 on target does not speak volumes.
Cazorla and Wilshere watch:
At the start of the game Wigan dominated the midfield as they played an extra man in the middle and Roberto Martinez assigned McArthur exclusivley to try and stop the hattrick hero Cazorla. The plan was to squeeze out Cazorla and stop Walcott getting behind the defenders waiting for the through ball, may be the reason why Walcott had a quiet game. Coming back to Cazorla, the Spaniard did have a quiet game after an heroic performance against Reading. Made two key passes and did not manage to hit a shot on target (this is the first time that he is missed an attempt on target). If Cazorla was squeezed out, Wilshere was the victim of too many challenges and the boy once again played out his heart and was practically in the middle of everything for the Gunners.
Though Cazorla had a pass completion % of 86, there was only 2 key passes from the Spaniard. And as know half of those passes were back passes and side passes, a day he completely has to forget in terms of individual performance.
Substitutions and Full Time Analysis :
Arsenal used all there substitutes, defensive ones but good ones. Ramsey and Coquelin came in for Ox and Podolski in the space of 5 minutes. Coquelin replaced Podolski and moved into a much deeper role along side Arteta which means Cazorla played on the left until he was replaced by Koscielny in the dying minutes. But to the raise some eyes Wenger brought in Ramsey in place of Alex Oxalde Chamberlain. Though Ox could have finished the game with the same amount of energy that the fresh pair of Ramsey could bring in, the midfielder’s inclusion did slow down the game a little and Ramsey managed to stop Beausejour for the last ten nervous minutes.
One point to be noted by the manager, is when Arsenal go forward their defenders stay high up in the midfield. But when you have a center back (Mertesacker) who can be easily beaten for pace, there must be another defender or a full back covering him, instead Arsenal had both their full backs higher in the field. What Arsenal do is that they bring back midfielders for the covering job which may take up half their work rate. Gibbs especially had a poor game in that aspect as he is not good at tracking back, the space he left behind was easily exploited by the opposition and if it was a better team than Wigan that extra space could cost heavily for the Gunners.
Determination, not tactical understanding by Arsenal. Nonetheless it was a victory and three important points for the Gunners who are back in top 4 after a slip by Tottenham.
Summary:
| Match Stats | Wigan | Arsenal |
| Goals | 0 | 1 |
 | ||
| Scorers | Arteta pen 60 | |
| ||
| Goal attempts | 14 | 11 |
| On target | 3 | 4 |
| Possession | 50% | 50% |
| Corners | 4 | 4 |
| Offsides | 5 | 1 |
| Total Passes | 486 | 480 |
| Pass Success | 87.0% | 84.4% |
| Tackles | 25 | 16 |
| Tackles Success | 64.0% | 68.8% |
| Crosses | 31 | 14 |
| Saves | 3 | 3 |
| Fouls | 17 | 9 |
| Yellows | 1 | 1 |
| Reds | 0 | 0 |
Stats Courtesy: Squawka and Epl Index.
Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what could prove decisive for the Gunners’ Premier League title ambitions. Arsenal sit top of the table with 61 points from 28 matches, five points clear of Manchester City, who still have a game in hand, while Chelsea occupy 7th with 45 points after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Burnley at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
This represents a huge opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s side to put further distance between themselves and the chasing pack before facing Brighton away on Wednesday. Chelsea arrive at the Emirates in patchy form under Liam Rosenior, who has won just two of his eight league matches since replacing Enzo Maresca in January despite an encouraging start to his tenure.
Kick-off: 4:30 GMT, Sunday, March 1, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium
TV: Sky Sports
Kai Havertz Returns to Haunt Former Club
Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday that Kai Havertz will train on Saturday ahead of the Chelsea clash, giving the German a chance to feature against his former employers. Havertz has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since early February, but scored the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi final victory over Chelsea earlier this month.
The 26 year old has endured a nightmare campaign with injuries limiting him to just 158 Premier League minutes this season, though he has still managed two goals and two assists when available. Viktor Gyokeres has flourished in Havertz’s absence, scoring twice in the 4-1 North London Derby demolition of Tottenham last weekend.
Rosenior Yet to Face Top Six Opposition
Liam Rosenior faces his first test against a top six side in the league since taking charge of Chelsea, having only faced teams sitting 7th or lower during his opening eight matches. His winning run needs proper context, given the quality of opposition, with recent dropped points against Leeds and Burnley at Stamford Bridge exposing serious vulnerabilities.
Arteta has beaten Rosenior twice already this season in the two legged Carabao Cup semi final, and the Spanish manager will fancy his chances of completing a treble over the Chelsea boss. Bukayo Saka should be fit despite limping off late against Spurs, while Ben White remains doubtful with a niggle.
Predicted Lineups: Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
Also read: Kai Havertz Injury Update: Real Timeline and Medical Details Revealed!
Arsenal Dragon
Update Given Following Arsenal Injury Scare as Olivia Smith Discharged From Hospital After Being Stretchered Off During FA Cup Win Over Bristol City
Arsenal star Olivia Smith has been discharged from hospital after being stretchered off the field during their Women’s FA Cup game against Bristol City. The forward, who joined the Gunners in the summer, played just under an hour before being forced off with pictures showing a neck brace around the 21 year old at Meadow Park.
This was a worrying moment for Arsenal supporters watching on Sunday afternoon. The Canadian international went down, receiving lengthy treatment before being taken off on a stretcher as a precaution. Thankfully, the injury appears to be far less serious than initially feared.
Left Hospital Yesterday Evening
According to Arsenal reporter Tim Stillman, Olivia Smith left the hospital yesterday evening after tests were run and will return to be assessed this week ahead of the March international break. This is brilliant news for Arsenal, who cannot afford to lose Smith for any length of time, given her importance to the team.
It is believed that her involvement with Canada is still up in the air, with the Canucks facing a triple header of friendlies against Colombia, Argentina, and the United States over the coming two weeks. Arsenal’s next match sees them face London City Lionesses in mid March.
Big Boost for Champions League Hopes
With no video available for Arsenal’s cup game against Bristol City, there was huge concern surrounding Smith’s condition for those unable to attend the game at Meadow Park. Thankfully, what seemed initially to be a severe injury has turned out to be a fairly minor incident.
While Stina Blackstenius and Alessia Russo are both more than capable options to lead the line, it has been Smith who has been Renee Slegers’ favoured choice and proven to be a brilliant signing since her arrival from Liverpool. Having Smith likely available for both legs of the Chelsea Champions League quarter final is a massive boost for Arsenal’s hopes of retaining their European crown.
Arsenal
Arsenal Star Named WSL Player of the Month for January as Midfielder Continues Outstanding Form Following 400th Appearance Milestone
Kim Little has been named January’s Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Month, recognition that follows her 400th appearance for Arsenal. The captain has made an outstanding start to 2026, completing every minute in the WSL and helping secure two clean sheets and four points from fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea.
Little drove the midfield against United in the 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium and was again pivotal in the disciplined defensive display at Stamford Bridge that delivered that historic 2-0 win over the Blues. This is absolutely deserved recognition for one of Arsenal’s most influential players, who continues to perform at the highest level despite being 35 years old.
400th Appearance Came in Belgium
Little’s landmark 400th appearance came in Belgium as Arsenal won 4-0 at OH Leuven to close in on a Champions League London derby with Chelsea. The Scottish playmaker came on as a second half substitute in the 82nd minute, replacing Olivia Smith, to reach 400 appearances.
This achievement is even more notable given the time she spent playing in the USA and Australia during her career. Little has become one of the defining figures of the modern Arsenal era, establishing herself as an absolute legend at the club.
Chelsea Awaits in Champions League Quarterfinals
Provided nothing dramatic unfolds at Meadow Park next week, Chelsea awaits in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Arsenal hold a commanding 4-0 advantage from the first leg and are overwhelming favorites to progress to a mouth watering London derby in the last eight.
Little will be central to Arsenal’s hopes of defending their Champions League crown, with the midfielder’s experience and leadership qualities proving invaluable during the knockout stages of major competitions. Her consistent performances continue to set the standard for everyone around her.
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