Morning all.
I’ll admit it, I was banking on Man City doing us a huge favour yesterday. Even a draw would have been enough to lift my footballing spirits but expecting anything from Guardiola’s team was stupid of me. Liverpool breezed to a 2-0 win. The league title is theirs to lose now and I can’t see any realistic scenario unfolding to change that.
I used the wrong terminology yesterday by saying I wasn’t angry about our defeat to West Ham, what I should have written is I wasn’t surprised because it’s happened before. Twice now, Arsenal have collapsed when the door to win the league has been open. I would say three times if one is to add this season into the equation but sadly, it was Liverpool who looked the strongest from day one.
We’re hanging on to second spot with a six point gap between ourselves and Nottingham Forest in third place and nine ahead of Man City in fourth and whilst there’s a mathematical change of winning the title, that has to be aim although in reality, staying ahead of the clubs behind us is the real challenge.
You might think I’m being negative but I’m not, I’m just a realist. If this group of players can’t muster up something better than they did on Saturday, knowing full well that there was an opportunity to gain two points on the league leaders, then what’s the point in trying to believe they can do anything more than secure top four?
We have injuries, the players are tired, we didn’t make enough signings etc etc, there are plenty of excuses to point the finger at but my gripe is about attitude and the way we play the game.
I know I posted this yesterday in the comments but here it is again. It’s Graham Potter talking after his teams 1-0 victory on Saturday afternoon:
“The players gave everything, and left everything out on the pitch, which is what we’ve been trying to instil and encourage. When you do that, you’ve got a chance to get results. Talent is one thing, but it’s about being a team, and having a collective mentality. I think we showed that today in abundance, so I’m delighted.”
Did the Arsenal players give their everything?
Losing in sport it part and parcel of the game someone or a team plays but I’ve always believed that it’s how a loss comes about which makes the difference. Years ago I posted a quote from the great Martina Navratilova who said:
What matters isn’t how well you play when you’re playing well. What matters is how well you play when you’re playing badly.
Great teams win games when they’re playing badly which in my opinion is something this Arsenal needs to learn to do if they’re going to experience success. To do that though, I think we need players to step up in personality. Grow a backbone and drag the team from its slumber to playing like a team who wants to win come hell or high waters. Even if victory evades the team, at least play in a way which gives the team a chance. We have to be able to turn games we’re losing into draws and games we’re drawing into wins.
I love players like Ben White and Gabriel, Myles Lewis-Skelly too because they have an attitude few others in the squad have. Put simply, I think we’re too nice, our football is too nice whereas a bit more aggression in the way we play might make us more difficult to beat. I don’t mean kicking opponents off the park by the way, just be less passive in the way we play because we do make it easy for defences to block us out.
I watched some of the Newcastle v Nottingham Forest game yesterday and even at 4-1 down, Forest didn’t give up. Ok, they lost 4-3 in the end but not for the lack of effort in the second half. Arsenal will certainly need to be a lot better than they were on Saturday to have any chance of winning on Wednesday.
Catch up in the comments.
For me its not Arsenal being nice. It should be the players asking themselves why they cant cope under pressure. Every year its the same old story. Here we go again – giving away 3 points that we should have won and at a critical stage.
Perhaps Arteta needs to build a team with players that have been under this type of pressure so they know what they are dealing with and can handle it. I believe he is wanting Nico Williams, Zubimendi, Sesko. Come on Arsenal, put your money on the table, stop being tight fisted and give Arteta what he wants and let us see the difference and finally win the Prem!
Sadly we have had some horrendous injuries and we are all missing SAKA, but that is no excuse to play the way they did against West Ham. They have to learn to adapt when injuries happen and I don’t think some of them have.
But hey who knows, in the past some clubs have managed to overturn a 10 point lead, like Arsenal did against Man U. BUT if they are going to do this, they are going to have to win the remaining matches, which at the moment will be a tall order from some of the players if they don’t change their “mind set” and start believing they can do this.
Hopefully this Wednesday we will see a big change and bag three valuable points, Will Newcastle overturn Liverpool – who knows as Liverpool are playing well but “miracles” do happen!
We aren’t too nice we are too damn slow. CB’s posing like Spuds cock with foot on ball. Opposition given all time in the world to organise their defence. Pathetic slow ponderous football is the problem, and that’s due to the managers tactics
Good morning Rico and Laura.
Nobody can deny that we’ve been hit hard by injuries this season, I can’t remember when we have had so many players out long term. I think it comes down to having to rely on some “fragile” members of the squad. By that I’m in no way disparaging anyone, just highlighting a few such as Jesus, Calafiori, Martinelli, Tierney, Zinchenko who seem a bit injury prone and have to be “managed” rather than being fit to play ninety minutes on a regular basis.
With the exception of M L S and Nwaneri the rest of the squad are either in their peak years or, in a few cases, slowly approaching the end of them.
Arteta seriously needs to boost the squad, not just with the odd striker, but with more experience and strength in midfield.
Losing Partey and Jorgino, this summer, is going to significantly weaken our midfield so any incoming players need to be signed early in order to get a chance to settle in with a full pre-season.
Morning Laura, Cicero, Al.
It’s kind of the same thing Laura, we’re too passive in the way we play and in attitude. The two merge together imo.
Agreed Cicero. I know it’s not the players fault for having injuries etc, that’s life in the game but we now have too many. I’m amazed Partey has lasted but thank goodness he as.
I see former gunner Lucas Perez has signed for PSV.
This is as old as I can remember. Arsenal had driven players like Thierry Henry, Ashley Cole, Lauren, Keown, Ljungberg, Ray Parlour, Uper Sol who fought like mad despite the circumstances. But that’s only to a point. I know we were paying for a stadium, but the club always promises to fans and players about new players without the intention of investing. So that’s why you ended up seeing the Vieiras, Henrys, Nasris, van Persie, Clichys, Sagnas and Cescs take stock and choose to leave for a chance at trophies, or the big trophy (UCL) in the case of Vieira and Henry. It is a club hierarchy thing, and translates into a culture of contentment with inferior results such as top four (Champions League qualification), while sneering at the League Cup. What boggles the mind is why Arsene and his successors seemingly protect the boards poor attitude towards squad construction. If the fault lies with the coaching or scouting teams or manager, it needs to be clear. Fans spend tonnes on merchandise and following Arsenal to be scammed all the time. Arsenal is not an elite club. Not Barcelona, or Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich. They demand results. We’re nice, we never have title or trophy pressure. On signing his extension, Arteta said he’s not under pressure to deliver trophies this season. Telling that.
Hope you don’t mind Rico, I’ve copied this from my last comment on yesterday’s post:-
Perish the thought, but could there have been a touch revenge in the decision by Var to upgrade Miles Lewis-Skerry’s card from yellow to red. The Howard Webb Empire Strikes Back! With apologies to the Star Wars franchise.
He’s done well to sign for them at 36 years old. I bet he can’t wait for the CL match..
Of course I don’t Cicero.
Thomas, I’m not convinced it’s the board/ownership thing, after all, the club has spent and lost a lot of money since Arteta became manager. I don’t expect Arteta to tell the world what pressure he is or isn’t under because the media would have a field day but I’m pretty sure he puts pressure on himself to win something each season.
Are we too nice ? Possibly , are we driven ? No !
There are too many players that seem to be drifting , there’s been no real competition for places especially as the injuries have come in . All the players know Arteta’s favourites and they know where they stand in the pecking order. The reserves know they will only play in dire emergency and the fringe players know that they have to play because there is nobody else and if they are left out this time there is every chance that they will be back tomorrow.
In a true balanced squad you give 100% every game because you know that there are any number of squad mates willing and ready to take your place.
We all know that the squad was not right at the beginning of the season and the long term injuries have conspired to make it worse. We also have players that have stated that they are leaving at the end of the season and are not likely to risk all in what most realists now know is a lost cause. Coming second three years on the trot is commendable but that’s not really the outcome that they would have wanted when they joined.
We can only hope that our management team have seen this and plans are already in place for the start of the summer window but I fear that Kev may well be right and I too will not be surprised to see our targets lining up elsewhere next August as the complacency being seen on the pitch I fear also spreads to the boardroom.
Well said.
I think about Tierney who’d be a good option on the left wing but as professional as his is, he’s probably got one eye on playing in the SPL next season and won’t want to pick up an injury. Kiwior is another, there little to no chance of him staying put imo and honestly, who could blame him…
On another subject :- https://www.facebook.com/reel/1056428519583063
I remember it well , as we were giving it large on the North Bank Sheringham was about to take a corner and the abuse got louder . A steward went to throw a kid out from the east stand and Sheringham stopped him and waved at the North Bank as if to say .Are you going to chuck that lot out as well.
The England manager, Thomas Tuchel, has held talks with Ben White over his return to international football, according to The Sun.
Jeez, he’s not even returned for his club yet.
Hi Cicero.
Crazy to my way of thinking Rico.
When did international managers ever consider anything other than the next result.
Absolutely Cicero.
Could be the chit chat was about the future rather than the break coming up.
Never Potter.
Regarding the headline Rico, no, I don’t think that Arsenal are too nice I think we have no choice but to play the way we do given the two-tier officiating.
Whenever Man City stop a transition with a professional foul or Liverpool for that matter (of course) they don’t always get a yellow card but Arsenal always get a yellow card and if Oliver is in charge it’s a red card!
Arsenal are referee’d to a different standard to everyone else in England, we don’t enjoy the ‘Liverpool penalty’ for example, 11 to them, 2 to us. Any Arsenal transgression is punished to the maximum, Rice/Trossard/Saliba, yet Diaz dives in the box at Anfield trying to get a penalty, which is overturned by VAR (no really!) and no yellow card for simulating, but if Lewis Skelly had done it you all know he’d be booked.
So no Rico, we play within the parameters that we are allowed by the mendaciousness of the PGMOL.
I’d happily take a draw at Forest btw
I clarified my “nice” yesterday Kev, nice didn’t mean being cynical with fouls etc but more in personality, attitude etc.
Football teams tend to be a reflection of the manager Rico and I can’t imagine Arteta of ever being accused of being too nice, in fact quite the opposite, I think he rubs people up the wrong way, so no we’re not too nice imo, we just lack a striker of three…
I think we lack more than just a couple of strikers Kev..
I don’t think we are too nice,and while I agree with Kevs comments it’s no exaggeration that nearly all fans think their club is hard done by the referees.
Devil recently said about this about a Liverpool supporting colleague and I have a mate I used to work with who is exactly the same,not only thinks the refs are biased against them also the FA.
It’s obvious,watching the Liverpool game the other day the commentators said Salah had scored his 8th penalty of the season. I would guess Arsenal have had 2 or 3 if that.
I’ve just read Kevs comments again,the numbers are in there. It’s shocking how few penalties we get.
Probably because it’s usually Jesus going over in the box and he’s known for making a meal of things. Not that should make a difference, a penalty is a penalty, albeit a subjective decision. There’s the problem imo.
Apart from dodgy handballs most penalties are given for trips in the area. So If you spend much of your time passing square outside the area you don’t get them . If however you enter the area at pace you have more of a chance.
Agreed. Pace in the box is a rare Arsenal thing…
Just watched the Copa de Rey semi final between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid finished 4 -4 . shocking defending by both teams . Any good attacking team will get the better of both of them.
Let’s hope we don’t draw either in the CL then. 😜
It doesn’t matter who we get, if can’t find the back of the net.
There is that…
New post up