During last season we often commented that it seemed a cursed season, albeit one that lasted fifteen months but it ultimately ended in delight and a trophy. Tonight we set out to play a crucial quarter-final on which the immediate future of our club rested. Would we prevail or would the inconsistency that continually surfaces nowadays around this team appear again?
It was frankly a surprising team selection with Willian preferred to Pépé, Lacazette to Aubameyang, and Martinelli confined to the bench despite the absence of Ødegaard. There is a tendency for some Arsenal fans to almost relish failure by some players, and the anaemic first seventy minutes would have had many of the naysayers shaking their heads in despair borne out of a feeling of ‘I told you so’. Rarely can a European quarter-final have proceeded in a lower key for the vast majority of the match. Willian was as ineffective and slow as he usually is, our central midfield had no drive at all and were wasteful in possession and Saka, while brilliant at times, showed naivety in the final third. Part of his problem was the lack of bodies in the box to find. Lacazette was outnumbered and had one of those nights typified by his failure to convert in the second half when in on goal from the halfway line, curling a looping effort against the post .
It was by no means our only dangerous moment either. Saka missed a good chance from the inside right channel in the first half then was repeatedly fouled early in the second half as he ran through on goal, and although it was clearly not a penalty by the letter of the law it may well have been one by the spirit. Willian curved a clever free-kick against the outside of the post and after he was eventually replaced by Martinelli, Gabigol had a fine swerving effort tipped over by the Czech keeper.
The game changed after a belated triple substitution which saw the entry of Aubameyang, Elneny and Pépé, and our Ivorian winger sent through by Auba held off the defender with five minutes to go and turned the ball into the net.
Arsenal 1 Slavia 0- Pépé
There was an obvious and exciting energy and drive about the revised team which had been sadly lacking before and it was hard not to wonder what might have been if we had gone with this team from the start or at least altered things on the hour.
1-0 with a few minutes left it seemed Arsenal would take a decent position to Prague next week but the problem of game management arose again at the end of the match. Slavia had missed several presentable chances earlier and after Leno had made a fine save with the aid of the right hand post in the last minute Slavia levelled the match from the resulting corner after we had failed to deal with a corner – a moment eerily reminiscent of the Olympiakos game last season.
Arsenal 1 Slavia 1 – Holes
It was a cruel moment that will possibly have a massive impact on the result of the tie. Slavia celebrated as the game was already won and Arteta would be well advised to show those celebrations to the players before they step out in Prague next week.
So what conclusions can we draw without the remorseless criticism that floods the Goonerverse after nights like this? I think Arteta picked a very passive starting eleven, the team lacked energy, thrust and drive and though competent Slavia are not the sort of side we should be struggling to beat. The failure to utilise Martinelli denied the team pace and aggression and the ability of Pépé to stretch defenders was immediately obvious when he arrived. Lacazette was hopelessly isolated given this was a home quarter-final of a vital competition. We missed Tierney desperately and while Cedric toiled manfully to fill the breach the Scot’s natural left-footedness would have been a huge asset tonight. It’s easy to become embroiled in negativity but my other concern was the lack of drive from central midfield. The team’s central metronomes, especially Partey, were ticking over very slowly. Partey’s inability to dominate is a concern that is growing by the game.
But this tie is far from over, in fact an Arsenal side who are much more effective away from home and who may be able to add Ødegaard to the mixture are well-capable of victory against this Slavia side. We must begin with the sort of attacking intent we showed against Olympiakos and Benfica and in the league against Wolves, Southampton and Leicester. We must control possession, stretch them especially down their vulnerable right side and we must conjure up the spirit of previous Arsenal sides facing adversity. This tie is not beyond us but the team need belief and Arteta needs to give them the positive mental attitude that will overcome the Czech side.
Believe, Holics!
Great report, thanks TTG.
I’m still a believer!
Given their performances against
Liverpoo it wasn’t a complete
surprise that Auba and Pepe were
left out but it was a risk.
A terrible goal to give away but we
should have been 3-0 up by then.
And I agree that the negativity about
some of the players is just ridiculous.
Thanks for a considered and very accurate report, TTG. Another stultifying performance against a side clearly not as impressive as the pre match media analysis would have us believe. Very disappointing. I so want Arteta to be the answer. At the moment though it’s all a looking bit Emery.
Thanks for a fine and balanced report, TTG.
Whose fault is it that we start so many games (Pool, West Ham etc.) slowly, without desire or passion. Arteta has to take some responsibility for not motivating the players to play the way we played the second half against West Ham. The players appear indifferent for long stretches of a match. I dont know if the players believe in themselves.
Arteta has to find a way to start winning, starting next game, if he is serious about his career with Arsenal. I feel he has to be given the right players and another year to get things right but if we keep playing like yesterday against mediocre teams then the management may not be so patient.
I agree with KSN. Another year for Arteta is only reasonable. He has had to deal with the pandemic and its effects on cash flow in terms of buying players in and shipping them out as well as having to mitigate the excesses of the previous 2 administrations in terms of our accumulation of overpaid, ineffective players, while bringing on some youngsters. Changing horses again now would smack of knee jerk reaction. I remain unconvinced that anyone could do any better with the current group and that time is needed. After all, he has only been here for a season and a bit and, as outlined above, our problems are deep and structural.
A very nice measured report/analysis of last night’s panjandrums, TTG. If only we had taken our chances, we would be sitting somewhat more comfortably. That late concession was indeed a sickener but there is a distinct silver lining to it. Having failed to settle the tie outright by scoring those 3-4 spurned opportunities, I am not convinced that going to Prague clutching a narrow 1-0 lead is a distinct advantage.
Of course concession of an away goal to the Czech team isn’t a smart thing to do and the late equaliser was a horrible sickener after the delayed elation of finally scoring a goal. However, Arteta is such a conservative coach that he would have picked a team and chosen a playing style to hang on to that 1-0 advantage. Frankly, that’s something that we are just not capable of achieving any more.
I think we are far better facing a one-off cup tie that we have to win. We can beat this Czech team. We should be capable of creating as many chances against this team in Prague as we did last night. We must take them in the second leg. Set up to win, play to win. If we go down, go down fighting for victory. No chess tactics. Go win, Arsenal!
A genuinely good job, TTG.
Your plan for next week is spot on but if we are to control possession – which we must – we also have to have the means to break quickly and not allow the Czechs time to organise in front of us. That makes the other pre-requisite pace, so surely Pepe and Martinelli must start. That will enable us to break quickly and press better in order to win possession back.
Bath – good point about the silver lining.
Balogun is about to sign a four year deal ….with us !
Fine and optimistic match report, TTG. The tie is winnable. If we can remember how to put the ball in the net, we should be able to win in Prague.
Great news about Balogun. He looks a real prospect. I would think it also means that Laca goes in the summer.
Great news about Balogun, TTG. Nketiah, leaving?
Good, TTG.
There was nothing good about Arsenal last night and little good about any of the football on offer. There was much that was wrong with both. It’s interesting that, absent a single fan, rugby (and other sports) can serve up really thrilling and engaging encounters. The Premier League and these spin-off events seems spectacularly incapable of getting anywhere close to its over-enhanced reputation for spectacle.
In other news, what’s your source for the Balogun ‘news’? That would be pleasing if correct.
I believe Ornstein was the source BtM
Btm,
C100 is right it was an article by Ornstein and James McNicholas in the Athletic this morning. Charles Watts one of the other reliable ITK journos has also written about it .
The nature of football news now is that it is released in an advance exclusive so that publications can justify their existence ! Balogun is looked after by Nketiah’s agent and he is almost certainly out of the door as I suspect will be Lacazette . There may also be a case for moving on Auba if a decent offer is received . I hear there is serious interest in Edouard at Celtic and Toney at Brentford . These sort of signings of players who aren’t established yet will have to be the way for us going forward . Let us hope our star identification radar is in place and that when signed Arteta is keener to play them than he is Martinelli
Excellent review TTG! Agree with everything … the team selection and subs were indeed baffling even to those who do not generally like to criticize our players.
Unfortunately Gabriel6 too lately has started to make poor decisions. He is only 23, first season in England, in a new place in this strangest of times, natural to start getting physically and mentally fatigued. I thought Mari looked a very capable and calm but n that role whenever he played. Will be interested to see if he starts away at Prague.
Completely agreed with others saying that this result may help the manager and the team to clear their head and recognize the need for simpler, purposeful, positive football in the away leg.
Good news that Balogun will stay, I guess that Eddie will go too. He has had a fair chance I think and I love his attitude but not looking like a top PL striker so far.
Nice stuff TTG.
A difficult night for the supporter. You mention Willian, amongst others above. Personally I didn’t think he was that bad. Certainly no worse than any of the others. It would have been nice to see him switch wings with Saka every now and then.
The centre midfield is a massive worry. Partey looks like he can be a player, but he looks cumbersome and not match fit. Xhaka just slows the play so drastically. We were again massively lacking any leadership. The way we manage games at times is simply schoolboy level. Again, with the quality we have, I have no idea why that is.
We only really came to light after the three changes. Why? Why did it take so long to up the pace? Again, this has to be down to the manager. He sets the game plan, he sends out the instructions. That 10 minute period showed that we are more than capable of winning the tie. However, as every game goes by I start to have more and more reservations about Arteta and his tactical astuteness.
This for me is not now a one off cup tie. The fact is, nil nil sees them through. We need to score at least once over there. I would suggest that a greater sense of urgency from the off may well serve us better than the lethargy of Thursday night
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