Stability v Chaos: Sheffield United v Arsenal

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

Fifteen years ago this week, Arsenal won the last of their run of forty-nine Premier League games without defeat.

Sheffield United, meanwhile, were winning 3-1 away at Gillingham in the Championship. Paul Shaw scored a brace and Michael Tonge got the other for Neil Warnock’s men.

How much has changed at each club since then. Even since they last met in the league, when French striker Christian Nade scored the last Premier League goal of 2006 to secure a famous 1-0 win over the Gunners, not much is too similar.

Arsenal somehow stumbled into third in the table two weeks ago. That has become a good target for Unai Emery’s men, who once settled for nothing less than a title challenge in the early days of the Arsene Wenger reign.

Tomorrow night, they should expect nothing less than the Blades to take the game to them. As discussed on this week’s Regista Rambles podcast, we do seem to be on the verge of that first coup of the season for United. It may never come, though what better time to do it than this week.

The chaotic, disorganised brand that has now become associated with Emeryball could not really be any further from what Chris Wilder’s side have demonstrated since their promotion to the top-flight.

The Sheffield United squad does not scream quality every time the team sheets are announced an hour before kick-off, but that does not seem to matter.

Unbelievably, United have an identical record after eight games with another United. They are only one-place below twelfth Manchester thanks to goal difference.

What the steel city side have demonstrated so far in abundance in comparison to the other promoted teams is stability. They may not be the most attractive team to watch, with slick one-touch passing, but they are absolutely solid.

Wilder’s innovative 5-3-2, with the overlapping centre-backs that have now become common knowledge, is a definite mainstay for the season. It is a system that seems to have been getting better year upon year.

The obvious problem for United is that front two, a huge juxtaposition to Arsenal’s now top-heavy, primarily attacking approach.

The options of Lys Mousset, captain Billy Sharp, Callum Robinson, David McGoldrick and Oli McBurnie are yet to fully perform, with fans even divided on who the best two to pick actually are.

Nonetheless, whoever does start tomorrow night will relish the opportunity at home under the lights and cameras at Brammall Lane.

The Gunners seem to be becoming forever more fragile and porous when out-of-possession, and United will no doubt be up for a physical battle. Not least due to Granit Xhaka and David Luiz being part of the Arsenal set-up, the visitors are a team that can be easily-wound up in heated, intense situations.

A red card and/or a penalty here would not be much of a surprise, let’s be honest.

Whereas Sheffield United have most definitely moved forward from where they were fifteen years ago, the same cannot be said for the North London reds.

Arsenal had come off the back of the invincible season of 2003/04, in which they blitzed the Premier League with the direct, blistering attacking of Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and the supporting-act of the late Jose Antonio Reyes.

They were also resolute and unwavering no matter the game or circumstance. They had leaders all over the pitch.

This year’s Arsenal may be able to attempt some sort of crude replication of that side’s attacking prowess, but that is about as close as they are to that side.

It would not be out of the blue if one of those Sheffield United strikers popped up with a Christian Nade-winning moment tomorrow night at all.

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)