What Is and what might have been
When the Premier League fixture list for season 2020-21 was released on August 20th, it was immediately apparent that the early set of fixtures would represent a real challenge for Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal.
Before this season’s opener, there was good reason to be confident that, going into Sunday’s game against Wolves at Emirates Stadium, the Arsenal would have 19 points, having won one and drawn one of the three games played against the other ‘top six’ teams and disposed comfortably of the easier meat making up the balance of fixtures.
Nineteen points would have placed the Gunners third, not good enough for some, but substantially better than the 13 that have the Arsenal sitting in mid-league, alongside the red team from Manchester and one place above their neighbours in blue. Consequently the Arsenal twitter/twattersphere is in meltdown and carefully considered and informed commentary like “We are shite” and “Arteta isn’t up to it” (a polite paraphrase) is commonplace and richly mixed amongst more measured viewpoints.
Unlucky thirteen? Not really.
Absent the incorrect decision to rule out Lacazette’s goal against Leicester that changed the pathway of that game, Arsenal’s current position is a fair reflection of performances against the calibre of opponents played so far. Much improved defensive strength has been outweighed by an inability to convert gilt-edged chances, several from inside twelve yards and even some from within three.
The situation hasn’t been helped by several of the easier meats failing to recognise their true position in the hierarchy and proving much tougher to chew on than anticipated. How very dareAston Villa follow up their 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool by outplaying the Arsenal? Who would have thought that Leeds would manage a draw at Elland Road even against a ten-man Arsenal team when they’d only managed to score three goals at Anfield? 😀😀
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
The festive season is approaching and longer suffering Holics may well anticipate that I’m now going to ring the bells and plunge into a profusion of pathetic pantomime punnery inspired by the visit of the beast with the polished incisor smile and hairy back passage to north London where the red riding hoods are all Arsenal branded.
Don’t be worried, I’m not going there. I’ve been there too many times before, and I’ve done all of that (to death)!
A glance at the run of games through to the end of the Christmas festivities reveals that the scale of the challenge ahead is undiminished and confirms that there are few/no easy games in the Premier League. All of these games are winnable, but Arsenal’s success in scoring goals will need to be improved dramatically for that to happen.
There is no better time or better place than Sunday night at Emirates stadium to begin to develop the sharpness in front of goal that is an essential prerequisite to a first PL win in three games. This is a game that offers potential to foster confidence and ignite the flame of success for a winning run toward the bells that will toll this worn old year out and ring in 2021.
The Wanderers from Wolverhampton
With arguably an easier set of fixtures so far, Wolves have secured one more point, fourteen, and sit one place higher in the League than the Arsenal. They will be very grateful to former Gunner Walcott for the last of those points gained away at Southampton. With an easy chance to make the score-line 2-0 in the Saints favour and kill the game off, Theo screwed his shot wide and Wolves scrambled a 1-1 draw. Had Theo scored, Saints would have been sitting third on 19 points. By such narrow margins are games won, drawn and lost.
Wolves list their set-up as 3-4-3 but their game is built on a robust, resolute five-man defence. They play a physical game at a consistently good technical level. Their ability to turn stolid defence into rapid breakaway attacks via a fast paced, physically strong midfield is a core feature of the success they’ve achieved since promotion.
Much like Mikel Arteta, their coach Nuno Espirito Santo has been criticised for what is perceived to be an overly cautious approach to team selection and tactics. With increasingly large swathes of the Wolves fan base frustrated by a rigid, defence-minded approach, Santo reverted to a back four and played 4-4-2 against Southampton. Wolves struggled, looked porous at the back and it won’t be surprising to see them revert to their more compact defensive set-up tomorrow.
Jimenez and Traore are Wolves danger men but neither is having a great season. Traore is in the midst of a transfer standoff, which is limiting his game time. Like Aubameyang, Jimenez has temporarily lost his golden touch and just as the Arsenal do, Wolves head into this game having managed only 9 goals in the league.
The Arsenal – Having enjoyed an extended Norway break
Following their 3-0 Europa League win at Molde, Arsenal’s return flight from Norway was delayed. While this was inconvenient, and doubtless unhelpful for their preparations for Sunday, the impact is likely to be minimal as the cast of characters on the field will change significantly.
Assuming Thomas Partey is fit, Mo Elneny has exited quarantine and David Luiz has recovered from his head injury, I expect Arsenal to line up in 4-2-3-1 and field:
Leno
Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Elneny Partey
Nelson Ceballos Saka
Aubameyang
At the back Gabriel has the speed and aerial power to manage the threat of Jimenez and he and Luiz are both capable of unsettling Wolves’ defence by angling long forward passes to our wings. If Traore starts, Saka will provide some cover for Tierney’s efforts to contain him.
In midfield, Elneny and Partey need to demonstrate again the ball winning mastery and drive they showcased in the win at Old Trafford. In this, Ceballos’ willingness to interchange when these two surge forward will be important.
Neither Lacazette nor Nketiah have shown the firepower sharpness to merit a start in this game. Aubameyang’s goal drought is certain to end soon. The chances of that happening tomorrow will be enhanced greatly by starting him in the centre.
As Leicester did, Wolves will let the Arsenal have a lot of the ball. They will be happy to secure a point while hoping fervently to sucker punch the Gunners in the style of Vardy to secure victory. The Arsenal have struggled to unlock packed defences and failed miserably to convert when they’ve succeeded. Saka, Nelson and Tierney’s ability to run with the ball and to get behind Wolves’ defence and then feed Auba will be critical to remedying this.
An early goal for the home team, as should have been the case in the Leicester game, would increase the entertainment value of this game and increase the likelihood of something other than a 1-0 outcome.
The Holic Pound
The last time these two teams met, the Arsenal were very good value for a 2-0 win at Molineux. I think on this occasion the margin of victory will increase by one goal and we’ll see an uplifting, confidence building 3-0 home win for the good guys with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returning to form and netting twice. What’s not to like about that? Wherever you’re watching, Holics, enjoy the game.
First!
Excellent preview BtM. That team looks not unlike the Mutts and should be far too much for our vulpine visitors.
COYG
Damn. They’re lupine, not vulpine. Bloody Latin.
A very enjoyable preview from a bang in form BtM. Pepe’s suspension forces a change up front and I love the look of that team.
Btm
Thank heaven for people with a combination of good sense and knowledge of football. I am finding it very hard to read most of the moronic commentary on events at Arsenal on social media .That’s an excellent preview and like my colleagues who have already commented I very much like the shape and composition of that team.
Nelson definitely deserves the chance to start and your midfield is about as good a combination of strength and creativity as we can currently muster . The big worry is goal power . We need to create for Aubameyang and we need others to chip in with goals and I don’t see many natural goal scorers in that team . Hopefully Ceballos can recreate himself as Aaron Ramsey or even Joe Willock ( in the Europa League)
1-0 to the Arsenal
A very fine preview, sir. I would make one change to your selection, replacing the somewhat ponderous Ceballos with the much more direct Willock who was subbed after 60 minutes on Thursday with, I suspect, Sunday’s game in mind. He would add to our chance creation and finishing potential. Otherwise I fear that we are relying too much on our blank-firing captain.
Fortunately I have followed only a highly selected group of Gooners on Twitter, never embark on Facepuke, Snapnumptie or Instabam and am immured to the vile ramblings and bilious abuse of the self-important, intolerant hordes. I fail to understand how people feel able to abuse a young forward doing his best for the team they claim to support. As Esso observes we have at least our fair share of vermin.
Brilliant preview BtM!
I like your team provided everyone you mentioned is fit, of course. I think Elneny had returned from his quarantine in Egypt. If Partey isn’t fit then Joe can come in and Dani dropping deeper.
Bath, I agree that Joe now provides a better cutting edge attacking wise but as the Leeds game showed against fast and physical pressing in PL he still looks a little unsure and easy to push off the ball. He is improving rapidly and it’s an area I am sure he will become competent in a short time. Dani is more press-resistant and helps better protecting against counter-attacks and is better at circulating the ball. If we can keep Saka and Reiss stay up and at their defense ably supported by Kieran and Hector we will create enough chances.
A win is mandatory tomorrow. And unlike in the last few matches we have to win as many of the 50-50 situations and challenges as possible. That was a key difference between our matches against Man U and Villa/Leeds.
nicely done, btm. i would yell “look behind you” but you’re avoiding that by the narrowest of margins. such as i see our win tomorrow, a win by the narrowest of margins. i hope i am wrong and we smash them…
i also love your team, though my first thought was like that of the husband of the WOB, and start willock not dani. stronger, more direct, able (with saka, nelson, tierney) to run at them. we used that to good effect in norway. let’s see how it plays here.
i fail to see why anyone would be whining about where we are at and what we are doing. it’s always 2 steps forward one step back, and so it will go until we go through a couple more transfer windows. and get rid of deadwood like özil, improve from kola and xhaka, and so on. arteta is also learning his craft, and, unlike many players (pepe certainly excluded), owns his mistakes. young, thoughtful, talented, tactically astute, and takes responsibility? yes, please. and twice this sunday.
Great preview thanks BtM.
To be honest I’d probably play
Laca – he is our top scorer this
season and we need to find a
goal from somewhere preferably
an early one too.
I’ve just heard Partey won’t be risked tomorrow. I would imagine we will plump for Xhaka Elneny and Ceballos but Willock would provide more attacking threat .
We have had the third most injuries so far this season . Plus ca change!
Well said Scruz @ 7 . If only the Goonerverse had your good sense and patience .
TTG @10, that’s a real blow. I understand Partey barely missed any games for Atletico but of course he’s now subject to the Arsenal injury curse. However it seems sensible not to risk him as an incompletely healed hamstring strain isn’t worth risking in these ambient temperatures.
I hear Saka will be subject to a late fitness test after the knock to his knee at Leeds. Fingers crossed.
Great stuff, BtM !
Yes, like the look of that team. A hard working, twisty dribbling Reiss Nelson on the right, and a pact, accurate Bukayo Saka in tandem with the excellent Kieron Tierney down the left hand side, could finally provide the ammo needed for PEA to get firing again.
A shame you spurned the opportunity for a panto based punfest. I guess if you refuse again next time, we’ll just have to get a lad in to do it for you ! Oh yes we will !
Rev
Ok I will join you….Oh no we won’t!
Bath,
Saka trained today with Elneny so I would be optimistic.
It is interesting to look back at a lot of the early comment from the likes of Adrian Durham and his ilk a few games into the season. Ancelotti was a genius and Arsenal should have preferred him to Arteta , James Rodriguez was going to be player of the season and Everton were destined for the Champions League . Do they still think the same now? This echoes what Scruz put in his note @7 . The timeframes for revitalising a football club have to be measured in many months if not a couple of years let alone a season cut in pieces by a pandemic , Let’s see at the end of this year where the likes of the Spuds who have had one hard opponent this season are . And where we are . Many sides are improved – Villa, Brighton ( note their result today ) and we have seen the emergence of Leeds- and we held them last week with ten men when they are playing once a week
Trev
Sorry I didn’t mean you to join the church Rev !
…Oh yes I did!
cheers, ttg@10. i’m antsy, i want us to win, but going crazy about it is dumping baby-filled bathwater…
Good summation BTM, of a difficult game to predict, as well as our final line up.
Not sure what Rob has done wrong to lose his place to Luiz at the back.
With Partey out, i think Granit will partner Dani in midfield, and i wouldn’t be risking Saka with a big December ahead of us.
We need him and Partey fit and ready for the visit to our NL neighbors next week.
If Saka is left out as a precaution, and with Pepe suspended, up front is anyone’s guess.
As for the match itself, Wolves have exact same for and against as us, don’t score many/don’t concede many, so i am not expecting a high scoring game.
Worryingly for us, is we haven’t kept a clean sheet in our last 7 league games at home, so if that trend continues we will have to score at least 2 goals to take the points.
On the plus side, Wolves haven’t won at our place since 1979.
No wins in the past 9 visits.
As BTM points out, an early goal will do wonders for the confidence of the boys, and make Wolves come out to play, but if as we have done so often this season at home, we don’t take the game by the scruff of the neck from the off, then we could be in for another long afternoon.
An encouraging performance and 3 important points are vital, and will have us in good stead as we look forward to visiting our friends down the road next weekend.
Cheers Btm!
One for Countryman
Right back back at you Esso
We are gonna bury those cunts tomorrow;
Oh yes!
If we’re pinning our hopes on the likes of Willock and Nelson, we’re truly fucked.
Cynic
I remember people saying very similar things about Pat Rice, David Price and Ray Parlour in the past
Excellent preview, BtM.
It looks like Partey is out and Saka is to have a late fitness test. I would be with Clive in not risking him ahead of the frenetic December schedule. I suspect that Arteta will go with the Xhaka-Ceballos double pivot with either Nelson, William and Auba in front of them with Lacca up top or Nelson and William as No 8s wide with Willock in that false 10 role Arteta has been trying with Lacca and Auba up top.
Formidably good preview predicting a more than welcome break in our poor form. Many thanks BtM, I think your team selection is up to the unlocking task at hand. Additional thanks for the cunning reminder of the nearness of the holiday season. Unwrapping a few goals starting today will put us all in the proper celebratory mood as we witness a swift rise up the table. 🍺🍺🍺
Got to love Tierney in the Wolves pre-match training photos. Everyone else has mugged up against the weather. Training jackets. Tights. Hats. Snoods. Gloves. Not KT. Short-sleeve shirt and shorts. Ready for some fitba.
Top preview BTM. Cheers!
I reckon Willian may get Saka’s spot but I hope you are right in putting Nelson in the team. He is ready for a prem runout.
Funny that we appear to have two different CM partnerships. If Partey is fit then I’d expect Elneny to partner him. If Partey ain’t fit then I’d expect Xhaka and Ceballos to get the gig.
Whoever plays we need a result today.
COYG!
Trip-top preview BtM. Hoping your optimism is fulfilled, Wolves are beatable as long as Raul Jimenez continues his poor form this season – don’t want him re-finding his shooting boots until after a this evening.
I’m sure the gaffer will put out the best team available which means plus Nelson & minus Willian. I’ll take a win over performance right now, both will be a pleasing bonus.
COYRRR
Indeed we do, GSD. Win by four goals, and we go sixth.
is anyone else watching this dreck from the bus stop? poor fare.
Always bad news when you are waiting at a bus stop without the full fare.
Ned @ 28.
Sounds good. Let’s do that.
lol gsd… nothing about this game is worth paying for!
Scruz
I am . It’s a double handbrake game . Typical Mourinhoball
You gotta pin your hopes on something!
I do – its called THE ARSENAL!
Have it! She wore …
she wore…
ugly damn game, ttg. i was hoping og and pulisic would inject some life, but no.
Leno
Bellerin, David Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney
Ceballos, Xhaka
Willock, Willian, Saka
Aubameyang (c)
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Ceballos, Xhaka, Willock, Willian, Saka, Aubameyang
Subs: Runarsson, Cedric, Holding, Elneny, Nelson, Lacazette, Nketiah
Wolves: To follow
Xhaka, Ceballos , Willock and Willian on teamsheet. Presumably four at the back with Saka wide .
Sorry about the Warna Ned.
Would have started Nelson over Willian meself. Never mind. Come on you Arsenal!
Bench: Rúnarsson, Cédric Soares, Holding, Elneny, Nelson, Lacazette, Nketiah
ma8 better keep a close one on willian, and bring in nelson if he is having his usual for us.
Esso @ 41.
Exactly my thought.
COYG!
Agree with you @41, Esso.
Trust Saka is fit enough for the full 90 mins as I don’t see an obvious substitution unless we revert to three at the back after bringing on Holding.
neither of those shit london teams want to win. each gifted a clear chance in stoppage time, both muffed it.
ned, i could see nelson on for saka, but then if willian isn’t having one…crickets..
Oh dear, Willian over Nelson – the learned members of the bar are in unison overs this one. He is well overdue a performance so let’s hope it’s now.
Liking four at the back. Fingers crossed Saka lasts. Not liking Willian in for Reiss.BtM will be livid.
Where’s AMN? When you need a flexible substitute?
Beer and peanuts on the bar.
I’ll stick with the beer bt8.
I dunno how to eat peanuts in a covid friendly manner!
I am pleased to see Willock against Wolves. He could be a very useful runner against their system.
Come on.
leno shoulda yelled for that
argh, great break, no end product.
COYG!!!
NOT good!
oooh, that does not look good, stretchers being called for after luiz and a wolf clash heads.
luiz up. holding warming up.
neck brace for wolves player.
Let us hope both lads are ok . Jimenez looks very nastily hurt
indeed. i hope he isn’t as badly damaged as it looks.
Xhaka slowing us down
Perhaps inevitable after an incident like that but we’ve made another slow and disjointed start
Typical, too soft not eniugh hunger and woop there it is
A terrible start . Our midfield is utterly pedestrian
sigh. our defense just doesn’t play well together.
Wolves score. 0-1. We just cant score and we are behind.
perfect response.
Wow what a header
Great header that. Bosh.
1-1. Gabriel, get in!!!!
Even better when you see how much he was being held down.
with his shirt being ripped off him…
Surely they should be awake now
Life!
Great cross Great header.
Coyg
Twitter in by Gabriel. Good cross from Willian, great header.
you can’t be serious, artur. and don’t call me surely.
I meant to write twatted in, but autocorrect censored me.
Luiz should be subbed
xhaka too
Excellent approach and super header – Gabigoal V2.
Great cross and header. We needed a quick reply . Luiz is a warrior but might need looking at again
David ‘Terry Butcher’ Luiz if this is allowed to go on much longer.
willian alright so far.
Individual packets, GSD.
long stretch, there, bt8…
Ffs too easy
FFS.
again, shit defense. stop the ball!
That’s shit from the keeper yet again. Sorry folks.
Wolves score again. We get undone by pace so easily. 1-2.
We can’t handle Traore but Leno might have done better despite the d flection. Xhaka was left for dead
Caballos ball watching there
Leno unlucky there. The deflection took it away from him. However the lack of challenge in midfield was shocking.
xhaka offers nothing but negatives from all i can see.
bah. why let luiz take that?
agreed c100. tough save from the deflection.
Leno must learn not to put the ball back in play in the box, where it can fall to an opposition player, as indeed happened here.
agreed ksn, but he was lucky to save that at all.
Letting Luiz take free kicks is an ultimate form of masochism.
If we have to push up in the second half we are going to be very vulnerable to their pace. We have no defensive midfield ….and not much attacking midfield
Defensively we panic every time they attack
Defensive shambles continue to hanut us
Our defence are back pedalling so fast they’ll soon be in my seat in row nine of the North Bank.
Auba is getting crosses in but he’s not even attacking the ball
no var review of a foul?
Thank goodness we have an easy game next week 😃😃
Bring back Unai Emery.
I jest.
But at least we could score goals a year ago.
nelson elneny holding on for willian xhaka luiz at the half, please.
I look at this first half and I’m struggling to understand what are we trying to do here, it’s just awful…
Scruz, I also thought that it was a deliberate elbow. They should have reviewed it at least.
Sunday evening late games. Who needs them ?
Arteta has to earn his corn here . His team are playing just like they have in every home game this season . We managed to get past Sheffield United and West Ham but we’ve not played well in any half . Slow build-up , ponderous in possession and hardly anyone in the opposition box looking to score .
I’d switch to 4-4-2 and give Auba some support . Boy do we need Partey back !
We are disjointed + no urgency in our game at all. Hopefully 2nd half will be better.
Every team in the league has worked us out. We are so slow and ponderous in passing and moving the ball forward that defenders have enough time to organize themselves. We dont have anyone like Traore or Neto to drive us forward at pace. We have stopped looking assured in defences, which Arteta was supposed to have strengthened. One foot forward and two back.
What a tedious first half. Our midfield offers us nothing when we are defending, and even less going forward.
There is almost zero movement off the ball and yet again, we look like a team that has hardly ever played together.
Really poor stuff. We need a massive change in effort and attitude for the second half.
Those days are gone when we played fast attacking football its been like this few years now…
There was a moment or even few when Xhaka could take the ball forward or evem play it forward he passed it backwards or started dribbling for no apparent reason or purpose.
I just dont see the hunger on those player faces we look toothless
Ksn
You sum it up very well.We lack penetration and crea5ibityn
It’s inexplicable how and why we are so slow, Auba included.
And how we lose each and every 50-50 challenge. What are the players saving them up for? Europa?
Dani needs to stay focused on the ball. This has all been a terrible listless performance.
Partey’s absence is a huge miss. Compounded by Xhaka as his replacement.
Willock needs to link the play between midfield and attack. He needs balls from Xhaka and Ceballos to do that.
We gotta get the ball to Auba and Saka. And even Willian, who has looked okay.
I really hope for a better second half. Maybe some changes will do? (Personnel or the system)
holding on for luiz.
Deeply disappointing first half. Second best all round.
Need a reaction in the second half.
COYG
better so far. saka just needed a touch
xhaka acts like he is playing on one good leg.
now gabriel takes one in the mush.
Ceballos and Xhaka awful
Scruz @ 126.
Generous assessment. 😅
Gabriel lucky there
gabriel up and ready for some wolf churrasco.
Willock looking good
I agree with GSD .
Xhaka can coast through a game like Thursday but in the PL he’s a waste of space . It’s not a new problem . I’d replace him with Elneny . Willian is more effective tonight
atg yellow card, our ball says he did well…
on replay, atg, you are right. a very lucky boy.
Better from Bellerin
great recovery by hector after his dreadful giveaway.
Bellerin showed some hunger in defence for once. Can do with more of that from all our players. Cant they, at least, play for pride. COYG.
moneny coming on?
working better down our left, tough for holding to get on that cross.
reiss on for willian.
Nelson on for Willian. Bring on Balogun.
not on the bench, is he ksn?
It’s all so laboured and unimaginative.
So little movement off the ball.
xhaka to a steve t.
Bellerin has lost pace after his injury. He has now started to pull back pacy attackers who go past him.
Apparently going from a back 3 to a 2 has unlocked wolves’ attack.
Pity when we did it it only unlocked our defence.
god we cannot even get a reasonable shot out of that auba steal.
Auba looks shot to pieces as well wtf is going with this team
Half chance for Reiss
Reiss blasts over.
He’s improved then Scruz???
Can’t say I’d noticed….
This side has completely lost its attacking confidence . That is affecting Auba so much because he’s being expected to do everything himself and isn’t getting any service
heh steve.
Laca on for Xhaka.
Auba misses a decent header. No conviction in the header says the commenter.
laca not touched the ball yet?
We are now running out of time and suddenly we’re in a hurry
atg suddenly xhaka is out of the game.
Can you imagine what it would be like if there were crowds at games??
I’m quite confident my colleagues in block 4 would not be overly pleased at recent home performances I must say.
Don’t let Nelson take corners ffs
We get a corner it’s a shocking corner.
Two touches later it’s back to Leno?????????
we look like a pub team worried their pints won’t be free tonight.
kt3 is the only player tonight who has earned his pint.
our crosses are woeful.
Reiss cant lift his crosses above the first defender.
Third straight loss at home in the league. The worst start ever in the Premier League at this stage. Arteta is setting new records.
sigh. we were terrible tonight.
I’m sorry yet again we prove how shit we really are, there is really no point repeating my self over and over again like a broken record. Arteta is lucky there are no fans in the stadium and honestly I can’t see how we’re are improving under him.
Poor performance. Tough spell we are in.
Next week would be a really good time to turn it around.
We have about three players worth having and none of them is Aubameyang. We’re a poor side with a novice coach who talks a good game but gets out coached every week.
Harsh but fair in the circumstances.
We’re a mess. A slightly better organised mess but a mess nonetheless.
I am dreading next week.
A better effort in the second half (not saying much really). Just not good enough. We are a far worse team than I thought.
Arsenal’s worst ever premier league start after 10 games.
Auba including the entire team has been pedestrian. This is a pivotal moment in Arteta’s tenure.
Steve
The same thought occurred to me about crowds . We have absolutely no clue how to break down a low block. We go wide each time but the movement around it is non-existent . Far too much backward passing . This is the most uncreative Arsenal team I’ve seen for a very long time . I hate people who query the manager at this stage but we are a very poor team at the moment . 14th is about right. Thankfully we are some way away from the bottom teams but this is a dreadful run.
‘ave we sacked Venga yet?
How long does this MA8 experiment last?
Dreading next week.
Emery was sacked on this day a year ago. We were 8th.
After our third straight defeat at home, we are 14th.
Clueless, lacklustre performance. I’m bored with excuses for having to endure shite like that. Aubameyang is so out of form. That isn’t going to return if he’s asked to feed off scraps.
I know MA8 will need time, but he has to take a lot of the responsibility for that shite. As I said above, I really dread to think what the atmosphere would be like if normal crowds had been in grounds.
Dreadful
TTG is exactly right that we go wide but then have no movement. I’m fully behind Arteta yet this is certainly a difficult period. There are plenty of issues to sort out. The last few performances have been difficult to watch. Our defensive solidity was much improved but it seems to have gone off a cliff. And our attack has gained no benefit from the lessening of positional strictures.
Emery was getting pelters last season and we’re worse now than we were then. But it was then and remains now the players that are the problem.
Aubamyang has Ozilitis.
Dare I say it? This is relegation form.
Xhaka passes backwards with such calm confidence.
What?
That’s the nicest thing I can say about him.
TTG
You could have stopped after “we have absolutely no clue.” That would have said it all.
56% possession. 2 shots on target……
Arteta will win a lot of trophies as a manager. If we get rid of him anytime soon it will be with another team. And we will all be gutted.
I fully share and understand all the frustrations after a run like the last few games. I also expect this will be formative for him as a coach. And that we will turn the corner at some point and start putting points on the board.
Given that we have had a hole in CM for a long time it is no surprise that Partey looks a huge miss. His return will help a lot.
Today was just poor. And no fun to watch.
We need to turn up next week. Another performance like today’s will go down like a cup of cold sick.
The stupid thing is that as shit as we are, a couple of wins will jump us right up the table.
We have two absolutely shite form teams coming up in Burnley and Everton, but you just know we’re more likely to beat Spurs and lose the next three than beat those two.
Also, best wishes to Raul Jimenez.
Cynic.
Our league position is certainly less dire than our form. A few good results would shoot us up the table but right now we can’t buy one.
Agreed GSD best wished to Raul!
What GSD said @185.
And RIP to Papa Bouba Diop. Dead at 42.
It is the midfield that needs changing, not the manager. But we already knew that.
damn, what happened to papa? rest in peace!
I admire your optimism GSD but the jury is still very much out.
Like you, I like the look of Partey. But he has so far only started 3 league games so I would suggest these issues have been going on a lot longer than Partey has been here. I also don’t think that one player will turn this team around.
We all applauded MA8 with his authoritarian, no nonsense approach. But if you decide that a player like Ozil is not good enough to even making the squad, then you need something of quality as a back up plan. The same applies to Guendouzi. If you think that the retuning Elneny is the answer then I would suggest you’ve struggled to understand the question. I would suggest that it’s no coincidence that we played our best football when Xhaka went off?
Steve.
From our current lot I’d start Partey and Elneny. And make a new CM top priority. Elneny is at least as good as Xhaka and Ceballos. And none of them are as good as Partey, or the quality we need. It is no coincidence that we look better when Xhaka goes off. He adds nothing but takes plenty.
Ned @ 190 is right in my opinion.
Agree with GSD and Ned that Arteta though should be under a bit of pressure to find some short term solution the midfield has been a huge letdown. Mikel should and will get the chance to refashion the team but we need at least one if not two key midfield signings in Jan.
Also, David Luiz, stop taking free-kicks. Same with you Willian. Auba and Pepe should …
Arteta still instructs his players from the touch line as if he didn’t trust them, you can hear him all the time, it’s rather sad but considering Ozil walks into this team anytime as we are dead in creating anything.
If he truly believes what he said in his Sky interview, about what a great second half we had and all the chances we created, we’re in deep shit. Apart from about ten minutes near the end, we never looked like scoring and even in those few minutes, we still didn’t look like it either. Not really. We were allowed to pressure them as they dropped off us.
It comes to something when your left back wings a shot in from a wide angle late in the game and you almost cheer at the sheer thrill of a proper shot.
Arteta on the performance…
A really bad result. The performance in the first half, we had our moments and they had two shots on target and scored twice. We had a great reaction in the second half, we went all for it. The team showed their desire and how much they wanted to win the game. We created opportunities, we created the chances and the goal didn’t arrive. Obviously, I’m disappointed because I think we merited more from the game.
???
When you are creating less clear cut chances, the pressure to score the rare ones you do is even greater. Auba should be scoring that header. There were slightly difficult chances too for Saka, Nelson and Holding and we needed one of those to go in. Auba’s body language was slightly worrying. When he was in good form he was at the right place at absolutely the right time whereas right now he just seems slightly late at sensing the opportune moment. His form would be the biggest worry for Arteta.
Arteta invariably talks about having experienced players around youngsters and is worried about starting Saka, Nelson and Willock together. Willian was comparatively better today and put in a decent cross for our goal but Neto showed today that pace and trickery really makes defenders back off and we should be starting Nelson ahead of Willian for that game. Hopefully Nelson will practice enough corners and crosses during the week to beat the first defender. Wolves got the lead tonight and sat back. Spurs will look to do the same thing we will need all the unpredictability we can muster to find a gap through their parked bus.
GDD
I should clarify that at this stage at least, I’m not suggesting that we should change the manager. But that is not to say that he should not be held accountable. How agree 100% that the midfield as massive issues. But we’ve known this for years. Partey was signed in the final minutes of the transfer window. I love the attitude of Elneny, but the fact is, he is not close to being good enough in my opinion. Ceballos plays in flashes. If there had not been the spat with Guendouzi then would be he a starter??? Personally I would play him above Xhaka, Elneny and Ceballos. Then comes the Ozil problem. The £350k a week, not even in the squad, Ozil. I have been one of his biggest critics, but I’m struggling to see how in this current side, his creativity coukd not be used?
So, I agree totally re the midfield. But MA8 has made his bed. He has to start getting a tune out of the players he puts on the pitch because at the moment, it’s a shambles.
GSD even….
Steve.
I’m not bothered about Ozil being involved. And for all those who look to him as the creative hub he was four years ago I would point out his dreadful output in the games he has played in the last 2 years.
I’m also not convinced by Guendouzi. Because the only reason he is not starting for a premier league team is his own poor attitude. I don’t want some Billy Big Boots who coasts on his own self image.
I don’t think we can bemoan players not giving their all for the shirt as we call for the inclusion of players who think they are bigger than the shirt (metaphorically speaking!)
Arteta need time but you are absolutely right that he is accountable and that our last few performances have been a shambles, which is on him. And we have gone backwards in the last 6 weeks. Again, on him. I hope he sorts it out asap.
Best double ton ever Steve! 😂
There are only two sides in the entire premier league that have created fewer chances than us.
If we have decided that Ozil is not good enough and that Guendouzi has a poor attitude, then I can go with that. But only if they are replaced. It’s not Elneny’s fault thst he’s not good enough. Perhaps the likes of Guendouzi could have learned a great deal from the attitude and work rate of Elneny?
When we started the season I don’t know one Arsenal fan who could not see the massive voids in our midfield.
I must say, I have an awful lot of questions I would like to ask all of those that run this football club of ours.
It has been years since we started a season without massive voids in our midfield.
Although I doubt Xhaka has been called a massive void before. 🤣
Another deeply disappointing outing. We are a shambles both on and off the pitch and have been for some time but I don’t see the rehabilitation of Özil and Guendouzi making a substantial difference.
I really feel for Mikel Arteta. I don’t envy him his task. Thank God my future never depended on a lacklustre squad and an owner with questionable commitment. This team needs a major infusion of pace and creative midfield talent but adding just one talented young creative midfielder isn’t going to make the necessary difference.
We have to develop a degree of patience that our fanbase has failed to exhibit in a very long time. We have a rookie coach who is learning on the job. He’s going to make mistakes. That’s how you learn. There is no manual for how to build a winning squad. It’s about judgements, decisions, communication skills, leadership skills and resources. Sorting out this squad is going to take several more windows and I can see us flirting more with the bottom of the table than we would like before we become a challenger again.
Sadly, but understandably, nobody fears us any more.
Very fair comments from everyone .
I was a huge critic of Emery and the team was shot to pieces by the time he left but it is shot to pieces now . As Desi says Auba is burdened by the pressure of knowing he has to score because no one else will .
It’s our home form which is the problem. Everyone knows how to play against us. Away from home we are more confident and exploit space better, We’ve lost to Citeh and Liverpool but that’s all . But at home we are beyond awful . Xhaka is a lightning rod because he is such a liability but Steve is right that Elneny isn’t good enough as a partner.
But we should be able to be more creative and this is where Arteta is proving hugely deficient as a coach . Our lack of ideas and invention is chronic . We work the ball wide and try to pull back a cross but we don’t have any other ways of getting behind a team . Centre backs must love to play against us .
We can’t sack Arteta but he is under pressure and we need to see much more cohesion and invention . The ones to build the team around are Leno, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey , Saka and Aubameyang .
I’m not bothered about Ozil being involved. And for all those who look to him as the creative hub he was four years ago I would point out his dreadful output in the games he has played in the last 2 years.
This. I laugh when I see fans banging on about Ozil on social media. Adding yet another player with the cigars out to a struggling team will just make things worse. He’s out of the picture because his attitude was junk, his performances were worse. If things are so bad that we need to bring Ozil back into the fold in January then we’re in worse trouble than I think we are. It can never be THAT bad.
At least we can visit this bar to hear reasonable & realistic viewpoints rather than the vitriol being spouted elsewhere by so called supporters. Regretfully another totally underwhelming team performance in which we appear unable to really threaten opposing defences. We did manage to ramp up some pressure in the last few minutes but failed to convert the odd half chance that came our way. Without Auba there is no other reliable goal scorer in the team and this greatly adds to the pressure on them.
TTG lists the 6 players who are at the required high level which goes to show how much work has to be done in squad building over the next transfer windows. Arteta has been used to coaching top class players at City such as Sterling,Aguero, de Bruyne. Jesus etc, one of whom could reliably score even if the rest were having an off day. Mikel has to try to create the proverbial silk purse out of a cows ear until the requisite level players are brought into the club. I don’t envy him the task.
I agree with Cynic. Ozil is not the answer. His time has long passed.
I would add Martinelli to that list of players to build a team around but sadly we may not see Partey again this year .If that means Xhaka plays we are in deep trouble .
Arteta needs to peek over the fence at a Bielsa training session to see about passing and movement going forward .
I will never appreciate the amount of backwards passing in modern football . I watched the Chelsea / Totts game and our and so often teams forty yards from goal having built up play will knock the ball thirty yards back ( often to the goalkeeper ) Possession is important but putting balls into dangerous areas works too.
Good discussion in comments above, after a dire performance.
But in more bad news, don’t expect Partey back to help out anytime soon.
Seems his thigh injury is much worse than thought, and he could miss the whole of December.
I’m not for one second suggestion that Ozil is the answer. 4 assists in 2 seasons tells you that. But that bring the case, and it appears that way to everyone, then why was he not replaced???
I would like to think that we could have given Guendouzi another chance. If he wanted it of course. If not, find a replacement. Don’t just ditch these players without adequate replacements.
We have so many other players on our books that should have gone years ago. I agree it will now take time and that the manager deserves time. But that’s also think that whatever message he is trying to get across, isn’t remotely getting through at the moment. He has the players he has and I would suggest that they should be performing a lot better than they are at this current time.
This is slightly tangential and I won’t mention any of this in the match report: but we should really stop bringing Chelsea pensioners in our team and live in this fantasy of them playing at their youthful peak. It started with Gallas who despite occasional good performances was an overall negative with that attitude and inconsistency. Cech great professional though he was he was very much in decline when he joined us and just an average PL keeper in performance. And to make it worse we got rid off in an once in a generation talent in Szczesny who duly pushed Allison out of Roma’s #1 spot and then replaced Buffon, the best goalkeeper of last 20 years, in Juventus. David Luiz, again a great professional and an all around good guy, is chaotic, disorganized, inconsistent and overall contribution to our performances negative. Too many mistakes, oscillates between extremes. Now getting Willian for three years was extraordinarily poor judgment.
If we are building a team, build with players — homegrown or otherwise — who want to prove and who will feel committed to a long term project. Gabriel, Tierney, Partey are excellent examples — if we are to make the occasional inevitable mistake in recruiting we should make those mistakes while bringing in players with that profile.
AMN will do no less a job as the right winger than Willian. If Reiss started the game he would have tried to assert more on the first half.
Our best players were Joe, Saka, Tierney, Gabriel … in a match like this where you expect someone of Willian’s experience in PL to really stand out and make that experience count.
Agreed Ozil is not the answer here but it’s simple, you bench a player for good then at least try replacing him…. Secondly Partey is also not the answer here either, a single player missing from any team should not result in such abysmall performances in three separate home games. I wasn’t expecting us to be world beaters but bring some stability at least. It worked to begin with now that is a distant memory.
It’s obvious this team is out of sync they look like they have only just started playing together, it’s rather painful to watch. His constant shouting orders from the touch line is starting to annoy me a little.
Club isn’t in a good place right , we pay a guy 350K a week for posting the occasional tweet., no other team would allow this sort of nonsense to continue, it’s pure shambles.
Worst part for me – my lad at breakfast this morning – “I cant be bothered with it anymore.”
Know exactly how he feels, but after 52 years supporting, I just cant let it go. However painful it is. And right now feels like the early 70’s before Brady appeared.
Esso,
My son did the exact same this morning, he also said something is really not right at this club, this is a second manager after Arsene and no progress has been made.
Esso and TTG
I feel your pain , in fact we are all feeling the same pain but this is particularly bad because I was certain that we had pulled off an enormous coup in getting Arteta . If we played all our games away from home we’d be fine but this season we’ve played well twice and we are awful at home. Steve’s point yesterday about the lack of crowds easing the pressure on Arteta is very pertinent . In fact I think we might have had another mass booing of Xhaka yesterday when he was subbed off after a monumentally bad performance. That suggests despite a Cup win we are no further forward , in fact I think we may struggle to get as high as we did last season unless we are able to strengthen the side considerably in January .
One other area we must improve is right back . I have always thought Hector was very overrated, especially defensively but in the games against Villa and last night he has been torn to pieces . I would put AMN in immediately .
I also agree with Dr.F about Chelsea rejects. Willian was ok last night but it’s hard to escape the view that Joorabchian used Edu and Arteta to secure his client a comfortable pension plan although I think Arteta possibly doesn’t know how to use him to the best effect
This is all getting very grisly and I fear that it’s going to get worse. I fear that a rookie coach may not have the skill-set required to turn this collection of players around. I hope Mikel is lucky.
Sorry I meant ATG in my last post
Bath,
It’s all turned very nasty. It promised so much but the football is beyond dreadful at our place this year . What Mikel needs is an old hand with experience and a DOF much better than Edu who is himself doing this sort of job for the first time .
Jiménez had an operation on a fractured skull last night . Very best wishes to him it was a brutish injury. Very unimpressed that we left Luiz on until half-time with that head wound
No worries TTG I knew what you meant.
I was just having a chat with a work colleague and he said one thing to me, Arsenal has lost it’s identity as a club and I couldn’t really argue with that which is really depressing.
As for Luiz staying on the pitch was a bad decision by the doctors and by Arteta! No excuses there, he wasn’t fit to play the game.
“I cant be bothered with it anymore.”
I didn’t watch us for long on Thursday as our reserves vs some other rubbish held no appeal. I watched NFL instead.
There was a time where the only real reason I wanted a sports package was to watch Arsenal. These days the thing that keeps me from cancelling it everything else. It’s not just Arsenal though, it’s VARball in general, which has even turned me off watching the EFL. Football just feels dead.
The players Arteta worked with at City are no comparison to the sorry shambles of a team he inherited from Emery. The FA Cup was a complete smokescreen. We are only marginally better off as a team but actually worse off points wise. Edu in a national role in his homeland is again absolutely no comparison. You can imagine Vinai patting them on the back and walking slowly back to his office.
He won’t stand a chance of getting this right unless he is allowed to cull the dross in the first team, some of which only arrived a couple of months ago.
Good comments and discussion above. To see spirits flagging in some of the long-standing optimists in the bar is telling. Nevertheless, some of the longer-standing denizens will remember too well when mid-table was the norm, not the exception.
Arteta is only providing the lightest coating of sugar when he says: At the end of the day, we are always really close to winning football matches and we have ended up losing them in the last few games, and this is only in our hands with the players that we have.
To extend ‘desi’gner gooner’s point @198 about Auba’s body language, the confidence has drained out of the whole team. Thus the runs are more hesitant, the shots snatched, the sprints less explosive. As Arteta indicates above, the margins are small. Regardless of the overall performance, a point at least could have been salvaged with more composed finishing of the half chances we did get.
The Ozil situation is down to that £350,000 a week contract, which made him unsellable. Do we really know why Arteta eventually decided Ozil was not worth a place in the squad? A pure footballing judgement about a player past his zenith, or a clash of wills?
Best wishes, too, to Raul Jimenez for a speedy recovery from his skull fracture. I hope it is not career-ending for him.
Jorge Bird reports that Zak Swanson’s loan deal in Holland is being cut short. It clearly wasn’t working out for him, but interesting timing for a well-regarded young right-back to be returning.
Dr. F’s point about Chelsea pensioners also applies to Real Madrid, and all other pensioners. The odds are almost almost more favorable when we sign young players from lower profile clubs like Lorient or Montpellier.
What TTG said @218 about Jimenez and Luiz.
Good day to you all.
This unsophisticated guy sees some of our failures & frustrations as the following:
1) A very measly number of shorts on target, in most the PL games this season.
2) Allowing a lot of space to the guy with the ball, especially on the flanks – & @ the same the defending guy just back peddling. Even poor positional defending – allowing the opposing guy on the flanks, even without the ball loads of open space.
3) Poor/Slow ball movement – I have noticed players like Joe Willock holding on to the ball, way too long instead of a quick pass to a teammate.
4) We seem to have lost our spirited desire to get the ball back.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>