Arsenal analysis: Arsene Wenger banishes Premier League curse despite calamitous defending vs Leicester

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James Olley11 August 2017

Olivier Giroud came off the bench to head home a late winner and seal three points for Arsenal in a topsy-turvy Premier League opener against Leicester.

The Gunners had won just one of their last seven opening-day fixtures and looked destined to start another campaign slowly as the 2015-16 champions took the lead twice only to lose 4-3.

The night started perfectly for Arsenal as new signing Alexandre Lacazette marked his league debut with a goal after just 94 seconds, only for Shinji Okazaki to cancel it out three minutes later.

Jamie Vardy then capitalised on awful defending to twice put the Foxes ahead either side of Danny Welbeck's equaliser before Arsene Wenger sent on the cavalry.

Substitute Aaron Ramsey rifled home to level before Giroud - introduced alongside the Wales international - headed in an 85th-minute winner to settle a breathless encounter in Arsenal's favour.

James Olley assesses the key talking points at the Emirates...

Arsenal’s banish their opening day curse

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The Gunners achieved only their second win in eight seasons on the opening weekend but were required to survive an almighty scare to edge a pulsating match 4-3 in north London.

It appeared for a long time as though habitual frailties would undermine Arsenal at the start of another Premier League season as they shipped three goals to a Leicester side content merely to hit the hosts on the counter-attack.

Yet the players, maligned at times last season for not fighting hard enough in difficult moments, found a way to win to help create some positive momentum at the start of the campaign.

Wenger gets the positive start he craves

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This was huge for Wenger in a number of ways. There was a familiar feel to the mixture of anger and frustrating permeating the stands as Arsenal twice fell behind but Wenger insisted that the players came together for him last season in difficult circumstances to salvage an FA Cup success from an otherwise disappointing campaign and they did so again here.

Both teams were flawed, it was chaotic at times, but the Gunners found a way and for that they deserve huge credit. Wenger’s relief at full-time was not hard to identify.

Many fans here want evidence the club is moving forward to help justify the board’s decision to hand Wenger a new two-year contract.

He has little margin for error with supporters and a poor start would have put him on the back foot. Instead they head into Saturday at the top of the table.

Lacazette hits the ground running…

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Wenger was coy in the build-up as to whether his £52.7million signing would start the opening game of the season with Olivier Giroud vying for the same position but his decision to start Lacazette was rewarded inside two minutes.

Mohamed Elneny curled a wonderful cross into the box for which Lacazette barely had to move and he planted a superb header past Kasper Schmeichel to give Arsenal the perfect start after just 92 seconds.

It was the fastest Premier League goal ever scored by a player on debut and the third quickest to start a season.

The 26-year-old showed a willingness to track back, winning back possession high up the pitch on a few occasions and although he was short on chances thereafter, going close late on on this was an encouraging start.

…but Giroud makes his point

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Lacazette’s arrival placed Olivier Giroud’s future in great doubt but he came up with the goods in dramatic style here.

The striker has been linked with moves to Everton, West Ham and Marseille while Arsenal had discussed the possibility of even using him as a makeweight in the deal for Lacazette with Lyon.

Wenger will not force him out before the transfer window closes, however, if Giroud chooses to stay and fight for his first-team place.

This was a superb way to begin making his case. Giroud had a knack for scoring late goals last season. He has picked up where he left off.

Square pegs in round holes at the back

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Wenger hailed the stability his 3-4-2-1 system has given Arsenal this season but despite scoring early and then enjoying control of the game for a sustained period in the first half, the Gunners survived a calamitous defensive showing to win this.

Starting the game with two left-backs alongside him in a centre-back trio - Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolasinac - looked a little risky but that was nothing compared with the back four Arsenal ended this game with.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (a winger) at right-back, Monreal and Kolasinac in the middle with Hector Bellerin (a right-back) at left-back.

Wenger went for broke at 3-2 down, partly explaining this line-up, but great defensive solidity is a must going forward.

The good news is that Laurent Koscielny will improve the situation upon his return from suspension with Shkodran Mustafi and Per Mertesacker also due to return.