Arsenal have been known for playing slick, attacking football in the past, but there has been more directness about them this season, with set-pieces proving particularly effective. Long throws have also increasingly been part of their threat.
To combat the throw-in danger, Sunderland moved the advertising boards around the edge of the pitch closer in than usual, to limit the amount of space Arsenal players had when looking to launch the ball.
“We tried to find the details to win the game,” said Le Bris, when asked after the 2-2 draw if that was true.
“They are really strong on set-pieces, we are good as well, and this threat was really important for this game and in the end it was balanced.”
It was indeed more balanced, with Sunderland able to restrict Arsenal to just two corners all game – the same number they had.
But it was not just about stopping what Arsenal could do, but also how Sunderland went about the game themselves.
Led by their talismanic captain Granit Xhaka – who revelled in disrupting his former team – Sunderland were aggressive and brave in the tackle, unsettling their opponents from the outset.
Even after Arsenal had seemingly taken control by scoring twice in the second half after Ballard’s first-half opener, Sunderland swarmed forward in the belief that they could find an equaliser.
It was delivered by an acrobatic Brobbey finish in the fourth added minute after a clever chip into the penalty area was headed on towards the edge of the six-yard box.
