Arsenal Analysis: Fabregas, Squillaci, Vela, and More Positives for the Gunners

Arsenal will face Portuguese side Braga at the Emirates on Wednesday and they should be brimming with confidence after their recent wins against Bolton and Blackburn, both of which were tricky fixtures for them. They notched up four goals, and earned a well deserved three points from the Bolton game at the Emirates.

Last week, I discussed on a few areas of concern for the Gunners after the game against Bolton. However, there were more than a couple of positives for the Gunners to take inspiration from. I would like to list some of the positives from the tough encounter against Bolton which the Gunner won 4-1.

Cesc Fabregas' Return to Form

Fabregas has been one of the most influential players, in the Arsenal side and it was important for him to find form against Bolton. He looked short of match fitness in the games against Blackpool and Blackburn, but was showed his exquisite talent against Bolton, who could not stop him from providing defence splitting passes time and again.

He bagged three assists from that match, and looked well on his way to attaining his best form.

It is great for Arsenal that their inspirational captain is striking form at the right time, when games come thick and fast. They will hope Fabregas can reproduce his great form from the previous and lead the Gunners to a title.

Sebastien Squillaci's Impressive Debut

Any centre back will find a tough challenge when they are up against the physicality of Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander. Squillaci, who was making his Premier League debut, was impressive in defence and was up to the tough task in front of him.

What makes his performance even more impressive is the fact that he did not partner the experienced Thomas Vermaelen, who was injured and had Laurent Koscielny, who is a talented but inexperienced defender.

Squillaci looks to be a competent and talented centre back, and having played in important Champions League fixtures for his former clubs, he brings with him a lot of experience to the squad.

Laurent Koscielny's Bravery in Defence

Koscielny was signed from Lorient in the summer by Arsene Wenger, and he looks to be one with a lot of potential. Even though he made that glaring error, which lead to the equaliser for Bolton, he was good in the air and cut out numerous attacks. For such an inexperienced defender to be facing against the very strong Davies, he showed a lot of heart.

He had a collision with Davies in the second half, which would have hurt badly, but he managed to continue playing after some treatment. He was brave even after getting hit on the head, and was not afraid to go into aerial battles, which got a special mention from the gaffer.

Denilson's Return to Fitness 

The Samba star has a lot of potential, and will get opportunities in this season to showcase his talent. He has been struggling from injury problem in the last six months or so, and it is good for Arsenal to have him back to full fitness. He came on for Abou Diaby, who sadly had to be substituted after sustaining an injury, and showed some neat touches.

He is not back to full fitness yet, but with Diaby injured, it is good for Denilson and Arsenal that he has recovered from the injury. Denilson did not perform to his potential in the previous season, and will look to make the most of his opportunities in this season.

Marouane Chamakh's Ability to Lead the Line

Marouane Chamakh looks to be another intelligent signing from Le Prof, and he seems to have blended seamlessly with the squad. Chamakh was at the fore of most of the attacking play in the last game, and capped off his performance with an impressive headed goal which was very important in the context of the game.

Chamakh can be a revelation in this season, and Arsenal will hope that he remains fit in the absence of Nicklas Bendtner and Robin van Persie. Chamakh is a great team player, and also offers an aerial presence which was lacking in the Arsenal lineup.

Carlos Vela's Impressive Substitute Performance

Carlos Vela is surely a talented player, but has yet to produce some consistent performances over the season for the Gunners.

Nevertheless, he is highly rated by the manager, and showed why he is when he scored the fourth goal against Bolton. He beat the offside trap, and clinically finished, after he had been put through by a wonderful ball from Cesc Fabregas.

Vela, now wearing the prestigious No. 11 shirt, will surely get his chances, if he can remain fit, and it is down to him to make this a successful season for himself and the team.

The Creativity of Tomas Rosicky

Tomas Rosicky is undoubtedly one of the most creative players in the Arsenal squad, but he has suffered from injury problems during his time at Arsenal. At long last, he seems to be fully fit which is a great boost to Arsenal, who already have a long list of injuries.

Rosicky, along with Fabregas, played some defence splitting passes and looked sharp for most of the match. In the early minutes of the match, he put Arshavin through on goal, and had Arshavin scored, it would have been among the assists of the season for Arsenal.

Composed Performances from Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs

Kieran Gibbs was handed his first start of the season by Wenger, who opted to rest Gael Clichy. Gibbs did not do much wrong and even if not spectacular, he did his job admirably.

He was unfazed with the pressure he came under and was not afraid of putting in hard tackles and challenging 50/50 balls. This is a good start to the season for Gibbs, who will look to build on it over the course of the season.

Wilshere has enjoyed the faith of the manager in this season, and has started in three of the four matches. He is an exciting young talent and though he may seem petite, he has a big heart, and puts in a 100 percent effort on the pitch. His cross to pick out Fabregas, which lead to the first goal was delightful and he proved his worth on the pitch.

Depth in the Squad

It was a surprising team selection from Arsene Wenger when he decided to bench Diaby and Clichy and opted to start Gibbs and Wilshere. His selection was vindicated by the young Gunners who cruised to a 4-1 victory.

Wenger has a lot of depth on the squad, which could really be a important factor in their title challenge. His decision to use youngsters in such tough games is also testament to the faith he has in the talented youngsters.