For all those who view set-piece goals as a lesser currency, is there any scenario so rich in possibilities as a dead ball in Arsenal’s favour? While the snobs count their tears over that one, Mikel Arteta can busy himself with the crunching of other numbers.
With quarter of the season now complete, his side sit four points clear of Bournemouth, have six on Manchester City and are proving by the game that nothing beats a good routine and even less beats their defence.
Not a bad combination, everything considered, and not a bad weekend, either. City and Liverpool lost serious ground in the chase and Arsenal could reflect on a tight, attritional assignment settled by a corker from Eberechi Eze against his former club.
The fact it was his first league goal for Arsenal was outweighed by the familiarity of its origins, with Declan Rice swerving a free-kick to the far post, Gabriel Magalhaes winning the knock down against an array of Crystal Palace giants, and Eze flushing a sweet half-volley past Dean Henderson. Predictable and beautiful all at once.
Maybe we should say the same of Arsenal as a whole, notwithstanding the fact this was an ugly victory, which only elevates the value of their goals scored from set-pieces – Eze’s strike was the 11th they have converted from such routes in the league. No club in Europe’s major divisions can say the same.
Granted, the performance had little of the finesse with which they crushed Atletico Madrid in midweek. But just like the win at Fulham last Saturday, it was about kicking down a door when they needed to. It was about finding a way and not letting anything slip.
Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal squeezed past Crystal Palace
Eze’s first-half goal – the latest scored from a set-piece by the Gunners – settled the match
This was Eze’s first appearance for Arsenal against Crystal Palace since leaving Selhurst Park
The latter is a conversation about the Arsenal defence, which, remarkably, has permitted only one shot on target in their past three Premier League fixtures and kept a clean sheet in each.
If we were to be rude about it, there might be some purpose in stating West Ham, Fulham and Palace are hardly the gatekeepers to titles, and yet those fixtures cost Arsenal seven points last season.
This time round they have left nothing on the table and not even the expertly applied physicality of Oliver Glasner’s side could knock them from their stride.
Leaving what, exactly, as a blueprint to topple Arsenal? It’s a question that is getting trickier to answer.
‘I value more this victory than any other this season,’ said Arteta.
‘It was a crucial win against a good side. Today we were clinical and defensively excellent. No one really generates big chances against Palace with the way they set up.
‘They players earned it. The way they compete and play, the way they want to win, it’s amazing.’
Eddie Nketiah battles Jurrien Timber as Crystal Palace fought in vain for an equaliser
Leandro Trossard is put under pressure by Daniel Munoz and Ismaila Sarr
If there was a sour note for Arteta, it was that an injury to William Saliba necessitated his substitution at half-time.
There were also minor-looking knocks to Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Martinelli, with Bukayo Saka revealed to have missed training in the previous week with illness. None of those issues were presented as serious, and besides, no squad is better able to carry casualties.
For Arteta, the ability to play a strong hand at every opportunity has doubtless been the key factor behind Arsenal’s optimism that this season will be different to those near-misses that have gone before.
Time will tell, but it was again conspicuous here that Arteta was able to make five substitutions with no obvious drop in level.
As for Glasner, whose side were beaten by AEK Larnaca in the Conference League on Thursday, the frustration came from getting nothing out of a fine performance.
Few teams have contained Arsenal so well, which was demonstrated by the fact Palace had conceded only one shot on target prior to Eze’s goal.
Their best work in the other direction was done on the counter and through the utilisation of Jean-Philippe Mateta, whose hold-up play occasionally exposed the minor vulnerabilities behind Calafiori.
As Fulham demonstrated, the Italian does leave plenty of space on his adventures forward and Daniel Munoz was briefed to exploit it, but found limited joy on his overlaps. Maybe some other team will pull it off.
Gabriel couldn’t hide his delight at full-time after watching centre back partner William Saliba go off at half-time
England boss Thomas Tuchel was in the stands at the Emirates to watch the action unfold
In this instance, Arsenal got their inevitable breakthrough when Saka drew a clumsy foul from Yeremy Pino 40 yards from goal.
Rice’s delivery was then knocked down by Gabriel, but Eze faced a tough job, with the bounce rising to chest-height. Contorting his body in flight, the finish was delightful.
‘If you give Eze a shot in the box it is often a goal,’ said Glasner, his former manager. ‘We benefited from it last season and today we suffered.’
Gabriel later crunched a header against the Palace crossbar off another set-piece and in response the away side threw everything at a late equaliser. Arsenal held firm – as much as the goals from free-kicks and corners, that is becoming a dominant characteristic in their season.
