da aviator aposta： Alexis Sanchez’s second-half goal rescued a point for the Gunners in their Champions League opener against Paris Saint-Germain last night but they can count themselves very lucky the game wasn’t beyond them before that.
da brdice： A superb performance by David Ospina kept them in the game while Edinson Cavani’s horror miss let Arsenal off the hook in the first half as they were under pressure for a lot of the game.
After a shaky start, where they only picked up a point from their opening two games, Arsenal are beginning to hit their stride in the league after back-to-back wins over Watford and Southampton. Wenger will need his side to push on with a win this weekend at Hull to close the gap on the other title contenders.
So which Gunners need to pick up their performances when they travel to the KCOM Stadium? We think these three Arsenal players who need to step up…
NACHO MONREAL
Nacho Monreal has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent players over the last couple of seasons but he had a torrid time yesterday.
Serge Aurier terrorised the right flank all evening for Paris and provided the cross for Cavani’s opener as Arsenal were unlocked after only 41 seconds.
Monreal can point to the fact that Alex Iwobi offered him little defensive support which made his job a lot harder but Arsenal will need an improved performance from the Spaniard as he faces the in-form Robert Snodgrass.
OLIVIER GIROUD
Arsene Wenger surprised (and annoyed) a number of Arsenal fans by not naming a recognised striker in the starting XI and fielding Sanchez up top.
Perhaps due to not being fully match-fit after Euro 2016, Wenger has yet to start Olivier Giroud this season and the striker had to again settle for a place on the bench.
The Frenchman was harshly dismissed after a collision with Marco Verratti in the dying embers of the game but Arsenal looked better with Giroud as a focal point.
With a suspension looming in Europe, Giroud needs to hit the ground running in the league to stave off competition from new signing Lucas Perez as the Gunners’ first-choice striker.
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Until hitting a superbly struck equaliser, Alexis Sanchez cut a frustrated figure as Arsenal struggled to click in the first hour.
Only once Olivier Giroud came on and Sanchez reverted to the wing did he start to look more like his old self and Arsenal looked more dangerous on the whole as a result.
Arsenal often look to the Chilean along with Mesut Ozil to provide moments of magic. Their fans will hope Sanchez returns to his wide role where he is free to roam and cause mayhem.