After the pedestrian display midweek that was nonetheless efficient enough to get us all the three points away at Vienna in what would most likely be our relatively toughest match in the Europa group league, we reassembled back at our home ground in the league against a team who finished above us last season and who will be fighting for the same top four positions that must be our number one priority this season. So, we can be forgiven to harbor the hope that while the team will retain at minimum the efficiency from the midweek fixture, they will also raise the overall performance – especially in the creative third – to a degree required to assert their authority in the match to ensure all the three points stay in London.
Leicester and Arsenal were starting the match with identical nine points from five games, but the foxes a few positions above us in the league table due to their superior goal difference thanks primarily to an eye–catching counterattacking 5–2 win away against Manchester City.
Arteta’s team selection was positive enough, while also acknowledging the opposition’s threat in the counter, even in absence of Vardy in the starting line–up, he was on the bench. Mikel has started to slowly move away from the 3–4–3 formation especially against teams that are happy to concede possession to us. That theme continued with a “modern traditional” 4–3–3 formation: Leno protected by a back four of Bellerin and Tierney as the flying fullbacks, Gabriel – our player of the season so far – accompanied in the center of the defense by his senior compatriot David Luiz. The three man midfield saw us Partey making his home debut, with Xhaka and Ceballos back, and on paper that does look like our most balanced midfield as of now, albeit still limited from a creative perspective. So, the hope was that the fullbacks attacking down the flank and helping the forward three of Saka – Lacazette – Aubameyang will get us the goal(s). Aubameyang started on the right, except for short spells in Saint–Étienne and Dortmund where he played on the right it is not a position that he is known to enjoy. So Laca down the middle and Saka on the left.
Leno had an uncharacteristically unconvincing night away against Rapid Wien, and the game started with him almost conceding one of those goals that looks wonderful if you are an opposition supporter but remains an embarrassing moment for a goalkeeper. His clearance as a sweeper fell onto Maddison’s path, and his instantaneous attempt at goal had Leno scrambling back. Even though Gabriel too was following the trajectory of the ball and had covered a great distance to stand a chance to clear one suspects if the shot was indeed goalbound we would have been 1–0 down at that stage. A reprieve!
A minute later we earned a corner. Ceballos sent a tantalizing delivery into the box which Lacazette scored from a glancing header. However, the celebrations were cut short by the promptly raised offside flag. The reviews show that it was Xhaka – standing in front of Schmeichel – deemed to be in the offside position. Was he interfering with the game? In my opinion no, but VAR reviewed the decision and left it as it is.
At that moment it seemed like just a matter of time Arsenal will get the opening goal. Even though we were not particularly fluid or imaginative, we were holding on to the ball, passing it around efficiently enough, and using David Luiz’s ability for a long pinpoint pass to work around Leicester’s low blocks to get Tierney, Bellerin, Saka and Laka onto the ball. We earned a barrage of corners from such moves but didn’t make them count. Some of our corner taking has been abysmal this season, and whatever the dead ball specialist working on in the playing ground seems to have regressed the team. Even Nicolas Pépé – when he is playing – has sent some uncharacteristically poor corners this season and it seems like we have been trying too hard to create newer patterns. Hopefully this will eventually work out. A team like ours lacking so much in midfield guile and imagination cannot be so wasteful when it comes to free–kicks and corners.
Xhaka took a very poor free–kick, hitting straight at the wall. Ceballos after the first corner started to regress in his dead ball deliveries at an alarming rate, Gabriel attempted a bicycle kick from another corner, Laca wasted a chance when from Tierney’s cross he headed straight to the goalkeeper. Hector saw a yellow card, as did Fuchs and Tielemans.
Auba and Saka switched sides a few times. This is the kind of game with two lines of four defenders deep in front of their penalty box moving from side to side where Auba on the wings do not make any sense at all. The cleverness of his movement and unpredictability of his positioning is entirely nullified by being away from the goalmouth, and his speed on the counter–attack doesn’t even count because there is no space to run behind the defense. This was an absolute waste of our best – and at this time possibly the only truly world class – player in a vital game.
David Luiz and young Saka were the only ones looked like making something happen. Luiz was given time on the ball and he delivered some exquisite passes on the feet of our fullbacks and forward line. Saka once or twice turned himself well and showed good first touch but the final decisive shot or pass never came about. The match had started to assume the now familiar look of somewhat toothless arsenal attack being easily blunted by a well–drilled team who did their homework and more than happy to have us meaninglessly pass the ball around. There were moments when Auba was making clever darting runs in and around the box but none of the midfielders could thread a ball to him. Simply recycling the ball without drawing any defender out of position or without any ability to move the ball rapidly through the lines by playing in neat triangles around the defense is as futile a footballing exercise as it is boring to watch.
So as the second half resumed it was obvious the only way we could get a goal from this game was by hopefully a piece or two of magic from our captain, and surely the team would have been told to get him more involved in the game?
Luiz had to be replaced just a few minutes after the restart because of what looked like a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Mustafi who himself was coming from a long injury lay–off. Since Arteta joined Mustafi had learned to stop being so predictably error prone, but back in the minds of all of us long suffering Arsenal supporters there always lurks the possibilities of his generosity towards opposition forwards coming to the fore.
Luiz’s substitution also robbed us of the primary source of creative impetus for the evening.
After writing that line above I realized the ridiculous absurdity of what I just expressed. A thirty three years old central defender pinging long passes as the way to get us goals! I hope we do not have to even think of something like that for the rest of our Arsenal supporting days.
If we thought that game couldn’t have been any more dull, we were proven wrong. We were slow, ponderous, lacking not only in creative inspiration but also in courage, no one willing to take a risk, simply hoping for a goal. A moment of brilliance came about around 68th minute when Auba – now stationed on the left wing – delivered a lovely cross which Bellerin attacked with power but straight to Schmeichel. If only Aubameyang was at the receiving end of that cross!
A few minutes before that Saka was replaced by Pépé, who moved about quickly from right to left to back to right, and asked for the ball, but didn’t do much when he had it. In my opinion he should have started this match, with Aubameyang down the middle, and between him and Saka (and Reiss, if he is ever allowed to play) we always stand a much better chance of fashioning out a few moments of creative spark and enough chaos in the opposition defense for Auba to benefit from. Given that we have no genuine creativity in the midfield we must learn to become braver and more unpredictable in our forward play if we are to stand any chance of being in the top four contention. Lacazette as false nine and Aubameyang down the left to create left–sided overload in counterattacks with Willian/Pepe providing technical security on the right has now become a tattered playbook that all managers have become wise to. This is not meant to be a harsh criticism of Mikel, this formula worked flawlessly on our way to the 14th FA Cup victory, but in modern football we need to be one step ahead of the opposition and this level of predictability will throw a spanner into Mikel’s rebuilding work.
Meanwhile Vardy replaced Praet around 60th minute. There were yellow cards to Lacazette, Evans and Maddison. Hector on another day could have seen one more yellow and received his marching orders. Around 75th minute the Turkish international Ünder replaced Barnes. And a few minutes later the dreaded inevitable happened.
This is not to particularly pick on Mustafi who has some qualities and has played well enough under Arteta. But he had made so many of this exact type of mistakes in his Arsenal career that it must now be clear that he cannot really be a long–term solution.
Tielemans sent a precise through ball to Ünder outside of Gabriel. Gabriel did well enough to not let him cut inside and have a shot at Leno. However, his defensive partner completely lost Vardy and failed to track his run. Ünder put in an accurate pass on the path of Vardy who was running free at our goal, and he scored from a simple header past Leno.
Arsenal 0 – Leicester 1 (Vardy 80’)
Under Arteta we have learnt to not concede goals like this, and it has been long enough – a few months in footballing memory can feel like a lifetime – that this particularly nauseating way of losing a match was experienced that we may have almost recovered from the trauma of the seasons past. This was a not–so–gentle reminder that while tactics and discipline can go a long way to compensate for underlying weaknesses, our rebuilding process must continue to bring in upgrades in all necessary positions. A central defender hoping to play for Arsenal cannot forget to track runs of the only player in the opposition who everyone in the world knows will score goals if you give him a chance. This was a gift. As Mikel later said, if we cannot win a match, we must ensure that at least we do not lose it.
The remaining minutes were memorable only for how lethargic and devoid of ideas our team looked even after conceding. Nketiah came on for Tierney but didn’t impact the game in any way. There was not enough determination – or even desperation – to score an equalizer and we ended up losing all the three points at home to one of our direct competitors for the Champions League qualification.
We are free to theorize as much as we want, and we should in forums like this, but I think we should also accept that Mikel is not blind to the problems of predictable attack and lack of creativity that now characterizes the team. He has done a remarkable job in a short time to arrest the free fall, bring in structural and defensive solidity and no little resilience down the spine of the team, and made us a much harder team to beat. Now the second phase of his rebuilding must happen, and this is where not just thoughtfulness and rigor that will need to come in play, but also imagination and courage.
He will need all the support we can give him.
Good summary, Dr F.
For the second time in two weekends Arsenal created a sufficient number of gilt edged chances to win the game (none more so last night than that provided to Laca three yards from goal by Tierney) but failed to take one and as a consequence lost 1-0. Fast crosses from behind ten of an eleven man defence are a very creative and effective way to beat that defence. These were delivered but not taken last night.
I agree with your observation on the disallowed goal. From behind the goal it is apparent that Schmiechel has moved to his right and his sight line is toward the cross from the corner. Neither his sight nor his dive are impeded by Xhaka who doesn’t touch the ball and isn’t off-side. You can see by the keeper’s reaction that he’s disgusted because he’s lost a goal, not because he has been impeded.
My reaction to Mustafi being a full 15 yards behind Vardy when he scored was to laugh. The excellent Leno saved him from two on the trot moments later. I shall miss the Marx brothers entertainment next season when surely all three will be a distant memory.
Negativity is crackling. Life in football sure is shit for some when the Arsenal are four points off pole.
An excellent penultimate para and closing sentence. Well done.
Interesting that Schmeichel’s initial reaction on our disallowed goal was not to appeal for a foul in anger but rather to go retrieve the ball in frustration, and toss it back upfield for the ensuing kickoff. But what does he know?
Thanks for your excellent report Herr Doktor. 🙂
You have done well with a difficult match to report. Well done, Dr F. The script and final twist were increasingly inevitable as the second half progressed and that suckered feeling so familiar from the late Wenger era returned to nauseate us. It is criminal negligence that Mustafi failed to expect Vardy to make mad dashes towards our box. Xhaka’s defensive capability against pace is close to zero and his timing of a yellow card tackle was some 10 minutes too late. Gabriel sadly cannot be in two places at once. We naively fell into Rogers’ trap like a tuskless, toothless, drunk, blind, elephant. MA8 has much work to do here but he has no magic power to turn players with major personal flaws and a chronic susceptibility to foolish errors into reliable citizens.
As you observe, MA8 has taken us out of the dismal defensive disorganisation of the Emery era and must now prove his abilities as a coach at the sharp end of the team. I always thought that this match would be a barometer of how good this team might prove and that performance adds hugely to my sense of disappointment at this time. We are further from the fourth place trophy than I had hoped and we have to find midfield creativity and finishing ability pronto. Challengers for the top four? At the moment, you are having a larff!
Thanks for the report.
In other news, baffled that we apparently offered Mustafi a new contract in the summer.
Cheers Dr F!
Thanks Dr F for a well considered & thoughtful match report, it was one best not composing immediately after the final whistle was blown. Sadly it was like watching a re-run of a film you have seen before and knew how the story was going to end.
Like Baff I was hoping we were going to kick on to a top 4 berth this season under the tutelage of Arteta but this shows only too well that we are still some way short. Probably a combination of having to field some players who are plainly not at the required level and Arteta is continuing to learn his managerial profession. He’s done a good job in improving our defensive structure ( shots on goal must have been greatly reduced under his tenure ) but now he must find ways of improving our attacking fluency. The sooner he can achieve this then a top 4 berth beckons – there is still 84% of the season to play!
Great job Dr F. Very fair and balanced. When we play that badly I tend to go off social media for the day as our fans react so badly. Which has been to the benefit of my reading today. I am disappointed but not down hearted. We have problems but I trust Arteta to solve them. It would be such a boost to win at Old Toilet next weekend.
The tradition of this blog ( in its previous manifestation as Goonerholic) was to find constructive and non- hysterical points to make after disappointing Arsenal performances . You have continued this admirably Dr. F . Thankyou for decent perspective.
Last night was very disappointing and it was tempting to overreact. Btm makes a very good point that the quality of crossing from both wings ( mainly via the full-backs ) , was excellent, indeed Tierney is one of the very best crossers I have seen in an Arsenal shirt for a very long time. If Lacazette was in any sort of form he would surely have scored from one of them . Centrally we are not very imaginative . Ceballos seems to have lost the ability to kick cleanly, he made some very poor passes yesterday . You know my views on Xhaka who played one beautiful pass to Saka who was offside. Timing is everything against a low block . Partey was played deeper than I hoped and upfront Auba was too far away from goal too often .
The biggest issue was rhythm and pace. You know why I think we play so slowly and I was concerned that we got worse and less adventurous in the final third the longer the game went on. I would like to see Nelson given a run , I’d like to see Auba central and Saka on the other wing . I also hope Luiz is not out too long.
One final point in defence of Leno. I’ve yet to see anybody praise his brilliant starting position when he reached that ball yesterday just as in the Sheffield United game where his early intervention bailed out Luiz. I thought overall he did ok yesterday . Mustafi didn’t
Back in the bottom half! :0/
We need to turn this around at the Old Toilet. Quite a challenge.
Thank you for an excellent report, Dr F, on a game I was not able to see, and of which I have only seen highlights since. It seems our failure to secure a half-time lead was more egregious than I had thought. Your penultimate and ultimate paragraphs are spot on.
On the offside, if VAR’s job is to correct the match officials only in the event of an obvious error, then it is difficult to say that it was wrong not to overturn the offside call. But I doubt if the flag had stayed down that VAR would have overturned the ref’s decision and disallowed the goal. That is the insanity of VAR.
A good summary of a disappointing
game Dr F.
Agree with most of it although I
don’t really understand the urge
to get Reiss in the side.
A big game for the wrong reasons
at the toilet this weekend. All I can
say is COYGS!!!
@4
It seems no one would buy Mus
last summer so I suppose there’s
no chance of selling him this Jan
either and he’ll be off on a free
at the end of the season.
@10, Ned, a goal inside 5 minutes would have changed the nature of the game completely making it an entirely more entertaining spectacle than the borefest that is one team playing eleven in their own half (it isn’t the best of entertainment when we do it and it’s even less entertaining when ‘they’ do it 🙂 ).
That isn’t to say that the Arsenal would have gone on to win if the goal had stood, but confidence would have received a huge boost and we would have been able to play an entirely different game, wherein open spaces rather than a brick wall would have fostered the team’s ability to work creatively.
However, that game wasn’t lost because of that goal, or Mustafi’s inability to think that Vardy might just represent a threat. It was lost because our front three were unable to turn several excellent chances into goals. With two chances laid on a plate by Mustafi, Vardy’s conversion rate was 50% and that, quite simply, made the difference.
Back to the disallowed goal (and lest I get a lecture on the inadequacies of VAR, the offside rule or the time of day in Timbuktu, let me say again that it wasn’t the reason the game was lost) it is interesting to note the seconds between:
1. Ball crosses line
2. Lino raises flag and talks to ARS
3. ARS confirms goal
There was certainly no time to examine the view from behind the goal which would have had a direct bearing on ARS decision. A clearly incorrect decision at Old Trafford last season which would have lost the Arsenal the game was corrected by VAR. That didn’t happen last night where the error was understandable.
@9 Prof Bath – bottom half but level with Cel$ki, ahead of $iteh and ahead of Manure. Four points off the lead. 32 games to turn the situation around, not one. Just an alternative perspective.
Thanks everyone for your kind words.
I too think that Mikel will improve the balance and variations over the course of the season, and a few hiccups like these are inevitable when an inside-out rebuilding is going on, and especially when we still have some let us say “limited” players.
Matt, I do admit I have a fondness for players like Reiss and Pépé who can frustrate sometimes but who have the ability to drive at the opposition with the ball at their feet, make the defenders commit to challenges, disrupt the defensive line, and have a good finish in their locker. Reiss also presses very well.
Especially when we don’t have midfielders capable of playing in half-spaces, floating in between lines (no, this is not an indirect plea in favor of Ozil, I support Mikel fully in his decisions about individual players), and split the defense by incisive passes, we need more runners with the ball to give use the necessary verticality. I think Mikel until now — for good reasons — had focused more on technical security from his wingers than creative chaos.
The fact that Mikel was so intent on signing Aouar tells us all we need to know about his plans. I think we may go back for him in winter. Lyon has no European football this year.
I am suitably chastened, BtM @13. 😖
In recompense, let me offer a nice analysis of how our current situation may be rectified before January.
Reckon the press are bored with slagging off Solskjaer and will be turning their guns on Arteta very soon, if they haven’t already started. Whispers today that he “was overruled” and Partey was signed although he preferred Aouar.
Very silly, but this is how it starts…
BtM@13: No disagreement from this quarter that if the disallowed goal had stood, it would have been a different game, not one, I suspect, that we would have lost.
Cynic@17, my guess would be that the back story was that Arteta knew the club could not afford both, that if it came down to a choice or a sequence, he would have preferred to buy Aouar first because he has more in-house options at DM than he does for a creative No 10, but was happy to have whichever of Aouar or Partey could be landed in the window just closed. But you are right that this will be beaten up in the press as you indicate.
Cynic. You have failed to mention the X-factor of Arteta’s hair, which will protect him from all gratuitous barns and scratches. Seriously though, I hate to think where we might be without him.
Spillchucker once more on autopilot.
barns = barbs
Arteta has to stop this handbrake approach…if the early se why can’t we start with him and ceballos as a two in the midfield and willian in d hole,play Aubu thru d middle with saka and pepe/nelson flaking him.Rigidity is not a good trait for a good coach,Arteta must utilizes the players to the best of their ability.if we fail to make top 4,he can only blame himself
Arteta has to stop this handbrake approach…if the early season has taught us a’thing,it is that fortune favours the brave.both man city n liverpool have been beaten by supposedly weaker teams!then we have partey now,why can’t we start with him and ceballos as a two in the midfield and willian in d hole,play Aubu thru d middle with saka and pepe/nelson flaking him.Rigidity is not a good trait for a good coach,Arteta must utilizes the players to the best of their ability.if we fail to make top 4,he can only blame himself
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54711486
An “independent commission”? Without telling us the name of the commission wouldn’t the article be more accurate to tell us it was an unidentified commission? More likely, it was both unidentified and dependent.
Bath,
I enjoyed the article you posted .
It showed a degree of perspective which is sadly lacking throughout most of the Goonerverse . After the agonies of Emery everyone says ( as the writer points out) ‘ it’s a long, bumpy road ahead ‘ but most of them think a long road is six games . I have concerns about Arteta in some respects but blimey this time last year we were a basket case .
A year ago today GSD and I watched Xhakagate. After that we had the decline to the point where the side was shot to pieces .
How the dolt Durham can call him ‘ Unai Arteta ‘ is beyond me. He has won an FA Cup at the first attempt for goodness sake .
My main observation is that Arteta’a current tactics are much more geared to away matches than home. He likes to counterattack . His early games at home against Chelsea and United suggested he was a front foot manager but since then the big wins have virtually all been away from the Grove – Southampton, Sheffield Utd, Man City , Wolves, Chelsea , Liverpool ( twice) and Rapid Vienna . I’m not sure any of the home victories since Everton ( even Liverpool) have been convincing or exciting. He needs time and that means most of this season before we could reasonably expect to trade blows with the best teams on equal terms rather than through a rather restrained counter-attacking approach .
Agreed TTG. The squad surgery required is a three to four window job and those windows need to deliver additions of the quality of Gabriel and Thomas if we are to regain the heights we scaled at the turn of the century. Those wailing about the quality of our current performances need to develop patience or find a new hobby.
bt8 – That hair reminds me of barber shop window displays in the 70s. Photos of blokes who’d overdosed on Falcon and gone a bit Ted Bundy in the eyes.
TTG – Durham is like a lobotomised Richard Keys, but worthy of even less attention than that creature would be.
Cynic,
I thought Richard Keys had already had a lobotomy but I know what you mean 😃
I’m in no position to criticise anyone’s hair …except Trump .
Interesting Fabinho was injured tonight. Liverpool scarcely had a defensive injury last season other than Gomez for a while. But luck like that doesn’t endure forever
Bartomeu has left as Barca Chairman tonight but in so doing said he had ‘ accepted a place for Barca in a European Super League ‘ . Clearly a lot is going on behind the scenes on that issue .
Bartomeu was forced out after 20,000
signatures were collected calling for
a referendum. He only needed 33% to
survive the vote but resigned after it
was clear he couldn’t even get that
according to the report I read.
I wonder how many club presidents
or boards would survive such a vote
😁
I’d vote for Ken Friar of course out
of respect but the rest would be a
no.
@22,23 M14
I think you make a fair point,
how to get more out of our attack
is a major issue. However, I don’t
think MA is rigid as he has adapted
our approach in different games.
It depends on circumstances – now
we are struggling to put out 3 CBs
with the latest Luiz injury and
bringing in a new CM. It is not the
right time to make a fundamental
shift as it will expose a makeshift
defence. I’d prefer to trust Laca and
Auba to find a way for now and then
change around the New Year.
A heart warming story of cross-cultural music-football connection with Arsenal playing a key role.
Matt, you will probably enjoy it most. 🙂
https://theathletic.com/2163242/2020/10/27/mihoko-ishida-arsenal-japanese-rock-star/?source=user_shared_article
OM@31: When you belong to a member-, not a billionaire-owned club, you can do that sort of thing.
@32: I agree that Arteta is tactically fluid, within and between games. He is at that phase now between playing his preferred formations (4-3-3/4-3-2-1) and having to play the optimal formations with the squad he has (4-2-3-1/3-4-3).
The intriguing part of Bartomeu’s resignation statement to my mind is not so much that Baca has agreed to join a European super league but that it has also agreed to the reformatted version of FIFA’s club world cup. The competition would expand from seven to 24 teams (eight from Europe) and be held every four years, not annually. UEFA and the top European clubs were against it initially. If the top clubs have broken ranks with UEFA, as it is clear they have, then it is not beyond the bounds of imagination that FIFA and the top clubs have done a deal that will allow for both new competitions to come to fruition.
I wonder how binding Bartomeu’s
signing up with Fifa is considering
that a new person will take over.
Matt @36, FIFA have said that they have no record of Barca signing up to the ESL.
@37
Rum doings it seems 😃
Martinelli returned to training today . That could be very handy .
Yesterday it was a year since the last actual blog by Goonerholic . That was the Palace game
OM@36 and bath@37: These are Bartomeu’s exact words:
The Board of Directors have approved the acceptance of requirements to take [part] in a future European Superleague of clubs, a project put forward by the biggest clubs in Europe.
The details of these requirements will be made available to the next Board, and the decision about participation in this competition shall have to be ratified by the next Assembly of Delegate Members.
https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/news/1878687/josep-maria-bartomeu-announces-the-resignation-of-the-board-of-directors
My reading of that is that Barca has agreed with the other clubs the basic outline of a European super league. Nothing for FIFA to have a formal record of, conveniently for FIFA at this point.
TTG@40: Let us all raise a glass to the Guv’nor.
Sláinte mhath, Dave. A wee dram of Ardbeg, Guvna. 🥃
Respect and thanks to Goonerholic.
I sure wish he could be back with us, with his big heart and smile. 🍷
sigh. to dave. rest in peace.
sigh.
To the Guvnor 🍺or🥃or
both to you sir! Fondly
remembered
Thanks for the clarification
@41 Ned.
I see there were harsh words
from the La Liga President, as
you’d expect, so I guess things
are moving apace behind the
scenes.
An article on our CB woes
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/oct/28/david-luiz-ruled-out-for-a-few-weeks-to-add-to-arsenal-defensive-crisis
At least MA sounds positive on
Saliba.
I predict that our new CB partnership
of Mus and Gabriel will click and as
they form a defensive rock we will
climb the league until our eventual
triumph next May when Mus, with
the captaincy restored to it’s more
traditional CB position, hoists the
PL trophy in front of thousands of
deliriously happy, newly vaccinated
Gooners. I had a dream.
I’ll have what OM is drinking. In fact, make it a double.
Here’s to Dave. Cheers all.
Lay off the pickled onions last thing at night OM
Matt,
I love positivity. Even if it’s fuelled by the ingestion of mind-altering substances .
I think you’re half right about Mustafi and Gabriel !
It was only ginseng extracts.
Honest.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>