Morning all.
Mikel Arteta wasn’t happy with his players performance on Saturday night and he didn’t hold back during his post match press conference.
On the mood in the dressing room:
It was a relief, but a very clear understanding that the margin should have been bigger. After not being precise enough in the first half with the amount of situations that we generated inside the opposition box and we didn’t pick the right colour of shirt on so many occasions, we had an overload to do that. We had to improve in the second half in relation to that, I think we did it. We generated more chances, scored a goal, but after we had a period of two or three minutes in deep, totally passive, with horrible defensive habits, that is nowhere near the level that is required against a team that hasn’t had a single shot. The first time that they had the opportunity to do it, they scored the goal and this is the Premier League. Unfortunately, we are relieved because we managed to score a goal at the end and go and win it, but we need to improve in that sense for sure.
On the grit and determination we showed:
That’s something very positive, but I don’t put it down sometimes to, yeah, resilience and goal. No, it’s what happened before. We should have stopped the source before and that’s on us. You have to give credit to Wolves and what they’ve done. I watched a game when they played Stamford Bridge, when they played against Villa and how unlucky they were not to get a result. I knew that wasn’t going to be an easy game at all, but we made it even harder with what we did in the manner that we conceded the goal and that’s unacceptable.
On not having a shot on target in the first half:
Because we didn’t pick out the right colour of the shirt. When you have a free metre, normally we put the ball not on target and go, and we put it out and time and time and time again, it is frustrating, yeah, but this is the game, but I expect to hit the right colour. You have to hit the back post every single time at this level, and today we haven’t done it, so we started to make things more difficult for us.
So, if Arteta is not happy, it’s clearly not him who encourages the team to drop back and defend rather than continue to try and control the game with our own possession further up the pitch. I’ve watched a lot of the bench cams on the official site and more often than not, he’s encouraging his players out of defence. Obviously there are fixtures in which we might have to defend, defend and defend, playing with ten men against Man City springs to mind but not 11 v 11 at home and against the bottom club in the league. Not 11 v 11 at home against any club really because that’s not the way to defend a slender lead. We drop back, the opposition push forward whereas if we push forward, the opposition has to drop back, or at least not commit so many players forward.
In my opinion, Arsenal as a group of players need to be smarter. When the pressure is relentless, step into the dark arts, feign injury, just do anything to stop the game and reset. It’s times like these when the team need their captain to step up and take control. This is when Gabriel’s leadership qualities are missed in my opinion, as well as the partnership and understanding he’s formed with William Saliba, because the big Brazilian isn’t afraid of being vocal. Yes, I know both were on the pitch when Sunderland equalised but let’s be honest, as a pair, they don’t come better.
This frenzied football in defence isn’t good. Hoofing the ball upfield is fine but only if there’s a player ready to hold the ball up but with everyone back in their own half, another wave of pressure will soon follow. As others have mentioned before, possession is the best was to preserve a narrow lead.
The Arsenal players have a couple of days rest now before returning to prepare for the trip to Everton at the weekend. After then, we have a game every 3/4 days again which run through the festive period.
- 23rd – H v Crystal Palace (League Cup)
- 27th – H v Brighton
- 30th – H v Aston Villa
- 3rd January A v Bournemouth
I would love to say it gets easier after that but it doesn’t. The FA Cup comes into play and the Champions League returns. But this is footballers and fans wish for each season isn’t it? To be in all four competitions come February/March? There’s a lot of work to be done yet to ensure we are but yes, to be fighting on all four fronts as the season draws to a close is certainly where I’d love to see Arsenal.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico.
Arteta has a full week in which to reset the squad’s attitude and thinking.
The shambolic defending of late is excusable given the number of players unavailable, but those who come in are not arriving from the far reaches of the galaxy. They all train together they are all aware of the tactics they need to deploy there ought to be more cohesion in their play.
As you rightly point out Rico, the use of the dark arts must be an integral part of our tactics. Two one up in the dying minutes? Get the ball to the corner flag. The ‘keepers are the only players on the pitch who can be treated and not have to stand on the touchline for thirty seconds before returning to play. Use that as an opportunity to settle the nerves, calm everything thing down and take the sting out of the moment. A problem with an ankle twist perhaps, a knock to the head maybe. It’s happening regularly in the women’s game.
Be that bit more aware be that bit smarter.
To attack and break blanket defences you need variety and we are a one trick pony . We overload the midfield to gain possession and we spread the ball wide to the right to bring Saka , Odegaard and White into the game and slowly pass around a horse shoe back and forth . Occasionally it goes left to Trossard or Martinelli and frequently it then goes back inside to pass square across to the other side again . Sometimes you have to risk things and take a man on and pass forward quickly and give those up front a bit of room to work in . Wolves doubled up on Saka and the two centre backs hardly ever left Gyokere’s side . Pumping centres to a man that is shorter than his opponents where one follows the man whilst the other attacks the ball is like the wrongly attributed phrase about repeating a failing action and expecting a different outcome.
I read somewhere that someone said that Arsenal’s problem is that the players like the ball too much and when they get it they like to hang on to it. I believe that whoever said it has a point , how often do we witness one touch football ? how often do we attack moving the ball with pace ? Not often enough in my book.
Morning Cicero, Potter, guys.
One trick pony is a good description. I thought we’d moved away from the slow and tedious attacking approach.
Perhaps the players do like having the ball but I’m sure that’s not a decision they’ve made on their own.
Bottom line is that our boys have to decide if they want to win the EPL or not. The standard they displayed on Saturday will certainly not cut it. If we play like this against Everton, we will drop points! And they way City is going now, they wont drop many points from here on to the end.
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico, how is it that Man City, who are in everything as well, don’t seem to look as mentality and physically tired as our players, am I right about that because I don’t watch their games?
What do City do that is different?
Do they rotate more than Arsenal?
Do they sign more durable players than us?
Or is it just that they have a couple of players in Haarland and Foden who score regularly?
Are they just better than us at finishing, more efficient in front of goal?
Or is it more complex than that?
Is it psychological, does Guardiola elicit a more calmer persona that then reflects in his players?
I agree with Cicero, we miss Gabriel, of course we do but he isn’t the captain, the captain is Odegaard or Saka and they are great players but are they leaders like say Declan Rice, not that the players should need someone shaking a fist at them and telling them to ‘come on’ – it’s almost as if a few dropped points is seeing us panic. Where has that defensive intensity gone, that over my dead body defending? No wonder the Arsenal crowd has a neurosis over City, we have seen this kind of thing too many times before and the Etihad are just waiting for us to implode!
Maybe it’s the hangover from that late Aston Villa winner? The nerves are getting frayed, across the board, all of us, that game at Everton, you can bet that Etihad are looking at that game and at Arsenal dropping points there! It’s not make or break yet but we need to win a big match like next weekend, just to settle us down.
Hi Kev, I think with City they use the ball better, so the ball does the work rather than their legs.
Sorry you were stuck in moderation Ozed.
I think the biggest leader on the pitch is Gabriel, followed closely by Rice.
Personally, I believe that the reason why we are finding it a bit hard at the moment is that ither clubs know that we play through Sake too much.