His sublime back heel, which paved the way for Walcott to open up a two goal lead 10 minutes into the second half was the magical moment of a game in which Arsenal hovered between mesmerising and sloppy.
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Despite a second home defeat, Robert Snodgrass’s penalty mere consolation, Hull looked a unified team too and there will be no alarm bells and, by the time they play Stoke in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, Mike Phelan hopes to have shed his caretaker tag.
Since the worldwide break the Gunners have come from behind to beat Southampton in the Premier League, drawn with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and held off 10-man Hull City as they rallied on Saturday, something Coquelin thinks bodes well for the season ahead.
Alexis Sanchez stars in Arsenal four-goal show at Hull Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez continued their fine record against Hull as Arsene Wenger’s side won a third straight Premier League match for the first time since December.
“Yes, he had a good performance, and you want him to improve”, said the Arsenal manager after the Hull match. The Gunners seemed to be cruising against 10 men Hull City after Jake Livermore was shown a red card for a deliberate handball, which also resulted in a penalty which Alexis Sanchez missed.
“We had a very hard game against Southampton last week, went away to Paris St Germain”.
Xhaka and Elneny came on for Cazorla and Iwobi respectively but on 78th minute Snodgrass got one back for Hull from the spot after Mbokani was fouled by Cech.
Arsenal began well and on 17 minutes Walcott’s cross was palmed into Alex Iwobi’s path by Eldin Jakupovic inside the box. “Walcott could be back in the squad”.
“Well, look, I started him a year ago because I’ve seen that there’s something in him that is quality of vision, quality of give and go, his movement”, Wenger said in his news conference.
“He has a lot in the locker, he’s only 20 years old”. He can take people on much more and he has gained power as well.
“I think today in the first half he was influential on the ball”. So overall I think we responded well.
“Once we’ve sorted out details of who is taking this club forward, then we’ll go from there”.
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Those things together in our world are a big quality and so I think he has interesting ingredients, but one game does not make a career’.
