Morning all.
Despite surrendering a two goal lead, I suspect the Toots will be the happier club after yesterday’s draw at The Emirates because apart from a few counter attacks, we were pretty much all over them. Ok, we were the better team and if you’re a stats fan, we outdid them in every department. They should have been on the end of a battering! However…
A cock up between Sokratis and Xhaka led to their opener. Both challenged for the ball in the air, neither cleared it. Leno couldn’t push a resulting shot wide enough and the Toots scored one of the easiest tap ins they will ever score. Leno made two really good saves soon after. But then the Toots scored again, this time from a penalty with that man Xhaka responsible once more. When will he learn? Never, that’s my answer.
Just before halftime, Alexandra Lacazette made it 2-1. Grit, determination and a fine fine strike past Lloris. Our second goal was pretty special. When Guendouzi lofted his pass towards the goal I wondered what on earth he was aiming for but the reality was, he always knew what he was doing, as did Aubameyang. I reckon they’ve worked on that move before because it was perfectly executed.
A draw wasn’t what we wanted but we did well to fight back from 2-0 down. I thought we’d got a third too but Kolasinac had strayed just cms offside. We certainly created enough chances to win the game, we just couldn’t take them.
Shots
Total –
On target – 8 whereas they had 9.
A neutral would have enjoyed the game I’m sure as it had everything. Defensive errors, missed opportunities, moments of feistiness, moments of magic too. As Gary Neville said, it wasn’t a game for the purists but it was great to watch. Apart from Kane resorting to diving and nothing in their penalty area was reviewed by VAR, or that’s how it seemed to me.
Arsenal missed a trick though, many actually. We were too soft on their defence. Too rushed, too naive perhaps. More pressure on Rose should have been the way forward as he’d been booked, Sanchez was awful and Vertonghen wasn’t much better but we made their life too easy. Their playing out from the back was worse than ours but again, we were too gentle on them in my opinion.
As for rest, nothing changes really. We can’t defend particularly well, our midfield remains a weakness and as a team, we were too gung ho which is why Toots enjoyed playing on the counter. Schoolboy stuff really and something Unai Emery really should have rectified by now. Perhaps the man known for his extensive preparations before a game isn’t as thorough as has been said. Whilst I’m no footballing expert, far from it, it doesn’t need a footballing scientist to know that Xhaka and Sokratis are liabilities and both were fortunate to be on the pitch at the end.
Perhaps once Rob Holding, Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney come into the team, Luiz will play in front of a back four and Xhaka will drop to the bench. Maybe Chambers will return to the defence, or midfield if only Emery would see what most of us do. Xhaka really needs dropping and then selling.
Matteo Guendouzi continues to improve and I thought he was excellent. As was Ceballos when he came on and only a good save from Lloris prevented him from scoring. Pepe, Lacazette and Auba are a great front three but the latter is far more dangerous when he’s not out wide.
There are many negatives to take from this performance but the positive is that we didn’t cave in at 2-0 down. We fought back for the draw but at home and against Toots, that’s not enough.
Another positive this morning is that Mkhitaryan could be heading out on loan to Roma according to Sky Sports. I really hope this move materialises as he’s another player who should never be seen wearing an Arsenal kit again. He was dreadful yesterday and why Emery opted for him to come on instead of Willock will remain another mystery to me. Many things Emery does will remain a mystery.
There’s a two week international break now so there won’t be a post every day.
Morning Rico and all. I agree with that summation and I do wonder just how many times Kane has to dive during a game before any action is taken. It’s hard not to believe that the ‘England thing’ isn’t the reason and that refs give him extra latitude because of it. I think he dived 3 times yesterday if I remember correctly.
Their first goal was a defensive cock-up with 2 players half-heartedly going for the same ball. Leno messed up the shot, Sokratis was slow to react and we were one nil down. Xhaka’s latest mad moment cost us a penalty just as his stupidity in the home game against Brighton might be said to have cost us a CL place. Obviously Unai isn’t going to criticise him openly as that would dent his confidence and more importantly, his value. But, in my opinion we will never achieve anything with him, Sokratis or even Luiz in the team. They are wild and impetuous and red cards waiting to happen. All 3 together in the same team is something of a nightmare. Both of our goals were proper. Chances created and taken and not given away. Guendouzi looks as if he has really moved up this season and the club need to tie him to a new contract. Ceballos made all the difference for me but Torreira worries me, perhaps because of the role he is asked to play. Get Xhaka out and sold at Christmas and bring in a proper, professional player in his place with Torreira next to him and see how that works. At the moment Willock must be a better bet than Xhaka surely.
Emery is also a concern and I have little doubt that his performance is under constant scrutiny by Raul. He needs to up his game though as we really cannot let opportunities like yesterday slip by.
Because that was the worst Spurs team I’ve seen for a few years.
Great summing up of the match Rico. Xhaka is certainly a liability in giving away free kicks in dangerous positions as well as penalties… opposition teams must know this and will play on it.
The substitution of Torreira was a strange decision especially as Mkhitaryan is not the most physical of players.
Pity about the 3rd offside goal as well….
Morning Adam, Marinello, all.
Good comment Adam. I really can’t see Raul putting up with the way we are playing or Edu. Our defending is shocking but I still wonder how much of our problem is Emery and his approach, or simply personnel. I don’t mind Sokratis because of his attitude but he really needs to be wiser and smarter – Xhaka and Mikki should be nowhere near the club, let alone the team.
Willock every day over Xhaka in midfield, or Chambers.
Hi Rico
Dead on as usual, no need for me to add anything.
I would like to see AM-N move to defensive midfield when Bellerin comes back.
There was one of tje worst examples of anti-Arsenal bias in The Times this mornimg . When they gave their player ratings they gave us a total of 65 and them a total of 74! What game were they watching?
Brian
I forgot to add they gave Winks 8!!!
Brian
I should have said that the main report by Henry Winter was fine, it was the ratings article by Gary Jacobs (who?) I was talking about
Brian
Hi Brian, that’s an interesting suggestion.
Mkhitaryan has arrived in Rome.
I do think that Xhaka comes in for some unfair criticism at times.
Yes he gave away a penalty with a rash challenge, but why was he put in a situation like that? Our defence was a total shambles. Both wing-backs were going up-field at the same time. Torreira was moving to the right to cover behind the out of position AMN. Guendouzi was doing the same on the other side of the pitch to cover for Kolascinac, thus leaving Sokratis and Luiz vulnerable. The only player dropping back was the hapless Xhaka.
Luiz was out of position for the Spuds first goal, Xhaka and Sokratis both went for the same ball and negated each other, again where were AMN, Kolascinac and Luiz?
the return of Bellerin and Holding and the arrival of Tierney will make no difference unless the coaches sort out the shambles and clearly define each players defensive responsibilities, with particular emphasis on the one or other of the wing-backs holding position and not bombing forward at the drop of a hat.
Cancel his work permit quick before he changes his mind. 😉
I feel Xhaka gets all the criticism he deserves. Doesn’t matter what others are doing wrong or being out of place etc etc, there was simply no need for him to make the kind of challenge he did and often does make,
Afternoon House,
Good stuff Rico – If Emery persists with Xhaka,he probably won’t be around next season.Xhaka may well be gone too, but as we’ve seen it’s not always easy to shift high earning players.
Great news about Mikhi,ironic if both him and Alexis Sanchez end up on loan in Italy,with both parent clubs paying millions of their wages.That swap deal must go down as the worst ever.At least the agents did well out of it.
It looked like his confidence has gone completely, the records show he scored 8 Arsenal goals,they must have been early on, he contributes little now, hopefully we get to see the likes of Saka,Martenelli,and Nelson of course.
Xhaka is a joke. He never learns from the same mistakes he keeps making.
He is far too slow for the premiership. Should never be our captain.
Until we can replace him with a proper DM we should play Torriera and Guendouzi as holding midfielders with either Willock or Cebellos as the attacking one in the midfield three.
Mkhitaryan has gone to Roma on a season long loan. The other good news is that Roma will pay not only his wages but also a loan fee. The only drawback there is no agreement to buy the player at the end of the loan period.
Hi Rico
Did you happen to see my comment 9.56pm last night? Just curious.
Thanks Limey, good point re Emery and persisting with Xhaka..
Hi Reg, I did see it this morning. I don’t think HH is glass half empty though, I certainly know I’m not.
Another good result for Viera at the weekend, I also noticed Gervinho and even Denis Suarez scored.. and Lichsteiner was sent off!
Vcc, Lacazette does more good in our midfield than Xhaka… 😆
Guendouzi has been called into the French senior squad as a replacement for Pogba.
Shame! No great surprise though as he’s been playing well..
Rico,
Thanks for your reply.
rico 5:18. Anyone would do better in midfield than Xhaka.
Even me Vcc… 😆
New post up now