“He had 107 touches, 7 tackles and 9 duels won, i regret always dropping him on the bench, he was just unbelievable”- Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Arsenal’s monumental 107-touch monster who ran the show against Brentford last night

Arsenal: Gunners star who made 7 tackles was ‘monumental’ v Brentford

The Gunners saw one star stand out as their cup run rumbles on.

Arsenal booked their place in the next round of the EFL Cup last night, with a battling away victory against Brentford.

Having been shown exactly how to topple the Bees at the Gtech Community Stadium by Everton last weekend, Mikel Arteta decided to tread his own path, dominating possession but retaining that fighting spirit. In the end, it was the quality of Reiss Nelson that rose above the rest.

How did Reiss Nelson play vs Brentford?

Earning the second-highest Sofascore rating of anyone within the clash, the English winger was trusted to make his first start of the campaign in a tough atmosphere.

However, whilst his goal that was fired home with delightful precision proved the difference, it was not that alone which saw him lauded for an outstanding display. The trickster was a constant threat, striking the woodwork with a late chance too as well as seeing another shot fly wide. This then fed into earning success with his sole attempted dribble, as the 23-year-old remained efficient in possession.

This notion was emphasised further by his exceptional pass accuracy, which stayed at a hugely impressive 96% pass accuracy from the 48 attempted passes.

With Bukayo Saka’s fitness recently thrown into doubt, such a performance certainly laid down a marker regarding his first-team aspirations. However, in a game where they consistently sought control, the display of Jorginho was integral in maintaining this.

How did Jorginho play vs Brentford?

As the Italy international made his own first start of the season, the inclusion of the experienced midfield maestro always brings calmness – the north London derby error aside – but perhaps slows down the play to a degree where it sometimes hurts their philosophy.

That was far from the case last night, with the 31-year-old ever-present, but integral in keeping play ticking over quietly whilst offering a fine foundation from which the team could build from.

As such, he managed 107 touches in the engine room, maintaining a 90% pass accuracy too, two of which were key passes, via Sofascore.

Everything came through Jorginho, who made the absence of Declan Rice an afterthought as the former Chelsea star ran the show.

However, his work was not limited to just his passing, as the £110k-per-week general also posted a whopping seven tackles, three interceptions and two clearances, winning eight of his nine ground duels too, as per Sofascore.

It should therefore come as no surprise to see that journalist Aaron Catterson-Reid would rush to Twitter to laud the ace, noting: “Jorginho has been monumental today to be fair to him, wow.”

Such a notion would be supported by fellow writer Simon Collings, who handed the steely ace a 7/10 in his post-match player ratings in the Evening Standard: “Had a nightmare game against Tottenham on Sunday when he came off the bench, but recovered well here. Largely unflappable when in possession.”

To bounce back from such disappointment, as James Maddison dispossessed him for Tottenham Hotspur’s second equaliser, is the mark of a truly top footballer, and explains exactly why Arteta invested in him last January.

Whether he plays a big starting role in the coming weeks or not, Jorginho’s influence in and around the squad could prove imperative in any success they might enjoy this term. Last night’s display only emphasised that.