Morning all.
What a rotten few hours yesterday brought to many of us. Christmas was all but cancelled for many English folk as the South East and London were put into a Tier 4 lockdown. Panic ensued as people hit the shops before they closed at midnight whilst others desperately tried to escape England’s capital city before Big Ben struck twelve. This virus simply won’t go away.
Neither will Arsenal’s bad luck. I’m not trying to suggest the team played brilliantly against Everton but I thought we were a little better at times. I felt sorry for captain Rob Holding when his deflection beat Leno. Everton’s second was just ugly. School boy errors in defence and a flappy Leno right after he’d made a really good save to keep the scores at 1-1. Our equaliser having come from the penalty spot. The penalty decision was an easy one to make after Ben Davies caught AMN. Credit to AMN who was chasing down a lost cause at the time. He forced the error by not giving up, something we don’t see enough of.
After the break it was all Arsenal as the possession stats will prove but we didn’t do enough with the ball. We weren’t decisive enough, quick enough, or clinical enough. A bit like the Toots game, actually, very much like the Toots game.
After the match, Mikel Arteta said:
We need to generate more to win football matches. When it comes to small details, the other team wants it more. The boys are absolutely still fighting. The way the boys reacted in the dressing room tells me they have the belief. When you lose lots of games for different reasons it hurts a lot.
We have to be better, it wasn’t about Everton it was about us.
I agree with Arteta because despite beating Chelsea and Leicester City over the last few days, I didn’t think Everton were anything special. They are just more focused and more together. Their players want the ball and fight for it too. Some of our players are just coasting. Elneny looks like his early good form has deserted him, Ceballos is struggling to have the kind of impact he had towards the end of last season and Willian took 45 minutes to wake up.
Arsenal had 58% possession and 13 shots on goal compared to Everton’s 9 which on paper suggests we were in control but stats are false. We pass the ball around but in safe areas. Areas which the opposition know won’t cause a threat. It’s their plan I’m sure, certainly when in a winning position. Most things this Arsenal team try lacks speed and conviction. Our football is tepid, slow and lethargic.
Don’t get me wrong, Tierney, AMN, Saka, Luiz and then Martinelli when he came on, were all trying to make things happen but they couldn’t do it on their own. Eddie isn’t strong enough to play up front on his own and when his big opportunity came, he seemed to panic. He had time and space to pick his moment but his first time rushed strike went wide. Maybe Aubameyang would have buried that chance, although I wouldn’t have bet my home on it.
Mikel Arteta’s team sit just four points off the relegation places. We’re now in a position where we’re relying on other clubs to beat the bottom four teams. If the return of Big Sam kicks West Brom into action, Arsenal could soon be in deeper waters than we are already.
However, once we’ve played Chelsea on Boxing Day, we have to play a few of those clubs below us. Burnley have already beaten us but if we can beat Brighton and West Brom, we can put some space between ourselves and the drop. That ‘if’ though, is huge right now.
It’s hard to below how low our club has sunk. The same club which after a few years of being the best in the League, started to decline in 2005. There have been moments to enjoy over those years, moments of hope but never a real challenge to win the League and despite finishing runners up to Leicester City in 2016, the points margin was in double figures.
Our recruiting has been poor, of that there is no doubt. Not all but certainly in key areas. Too many older players remain, treating the place like a retirement home. Not their fault I know because who wouldn’t sign a new contract when the money is good?
One can only hope that as the next few transfer windows come and go, the old, and somewhat bewildered looking players, move on to pastures new and in their place will be younger, more eager and more passionate players who just want to play the game and fight for every precious point this League has to offer. After all, it’s not the ones we have now who letting the club down.
Mikel Arteta’s attention now turns to the League Cup and Manchester City on Tuesday evening.
A bit of transfer gossip from The Mirror. Barcelona want Hector Bellerin. Good, they can have him….
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico,
I feel a little more optimistic after that game, we are getting shots off. From a time a few weeks ago where we we registering a single or no shots on target. Yes it wasnt brilliant, plus no luck on our side like for the Everton first goal. But it points out and has become even more clear the players we have arnt good enough. Leno, AMN, Tierny, Holding, Saka the only players who really look good enough and some of the are not world class. Thats 4 outfield players out of 10 who are worthy of a start week in week out.
We do have positives, Martinelli is back and we need him to get upto speed quickly. Nkethia doest do it for me he offers very little and a loan to the championship would suit him best now. If Barca want Bellerin let em have him and use the money to boost the squad. Cebellos and Elneny showed again their not top level players and were badly missing Partey. Caragher said we need 7 players and im inclined to agree. We have to stop going big and buy what we need.
We need some little gems, i would be scouring the Championship, South America and Europe for solutions. We need technically gifted players who have commitment alla Saka Tierney and Martinelli. Let go of the coasters for whatever money we can get for them even if we sell Bellerin, Xhaka, Socratis, Lacazette, Ozil, Mustafi, Kolasinac and Elneny and get 60m for the lot. Thats a lot of mediocre players off the books and a hell of alot of wages saved to reinvest. But we need to go for it or go bust.
We need a massive squad overhaul more than ever.
Morning Rico/all
I thought Everton weren’t much better than us, except for good delivery from the corner, and a player able to head the ball – two things you rarely see from Arsenal.
I felt sorry for Holding too, he did his best.
If Lacazette or Aubameyang had fluffed the chance Nketiah we would never hear the end of it.
Having Willian and Pepe in the starting 11 is a handicap from the start. Reiss Nelson can’t be any worse.
At least the cameo from Martinelli was fun.
at what point does Balogan get his chance in the prem. Weve given Eddie alot of time and now its time to show faith in Balogan and Reiss gor tgat matter. I dont get it is he protecting them or what
Morning James, Limey and all.
Having Martinelli back is such a big boost to the team but like with the other younger players, they sum up how bad the experienced players are. I really hope Balogun plays on Tuesday and then signs a new deal because I too think it’s time he had minutes for the first team. To lose him to Liverpool now would be a disaster.
Imo, AMN has to stay in the team, ESR deserves some time too, even if it’s from the bench and Nelson.
Just drop the plodders Mikel.
I know the pace of Godfrey would beat most right backs but not once did AMN give up the chase. I know I sound like a broken record but it’s blokes like him and the likes of Saka, Tierney, ESR, Balogun etc who might just save Mikel.
At least Luiz tries though and pushes us forward.
Anyone else reckon Ceballos will get a retrospective ban?
Is the sight up and running again?
Welcome back Rico,
Morning Rico and All
Absolutely spot on Rico totally agree with your summing up of the game,The Toffees are in a way playing like we were when Micky started,no one liked that style,Micky was accused of being,negative parking the bus tactics,I hate losing even a game of tiddlywinks with the grandchildren,but with what I see Mickys not a mile away from winning or getting something from most of them losses,other than the Villa game which I think that started this run of bad luck,as I said before on here I always think we will win every game including the Chavs game next up in the league,perhaps the cup game this week can change the gipsy curse on Micky and our team
The Arsenal.
Morning Cicero, Fred and all.
HH had an Arsenal moment yesterday. I’m lucky though as a technical genius put it right. If it was left to me, HH would be offline until this time next year.
Honestly Fred, I think a few tweaks would see us turn results around. Arteta should ignore the critics of negative football right now and go back to being defensively sound. Build some confidence, move the old farts on ASAP and plan for the future.
New post up now
I posted yesteday but it’s not here
Morning!
Another match, another defeat. More frustration, continued concern. I wasn’t in favour of Arteta’s appointment – I thought it was too soon – but I like him and I like what he is, or rather was, trying to do. The FA Cup win had me questioning my own view and maybe he was the right man at the right time. I’m now back at square one – I’m not convinced he is the right man for us now. He may well end up the manager we need, but how rough a journey are the club willing to have to get there? If indeed we ever get back to where we believe we should be i.e. challenging for the title.
Now wonder I’m hearing in the back of my head “Too good to go down”. You know, the phrase appended to the likes of Cloughie’s 92/93 Forest team. On current form, we need to scratch 24 or so points from the remaining 24 matches and stay ahead of 3 other teams. I’m not convinced some of our players have the mindset to do that. Auba, Pepe, Willian, Ceballos and yes Ozil, are technically gifted, but can they roll up their sleeves and play like a “Stoke” when it’s needed? I cannot see it myself.
The PL squad is shot of confidence, which impacts on effort. Look at the likes of Pepe not running into the box. Not that I want to highlight him. I still feel there is a very good player in there. Whether he merited the price tag is entirely different and the blame lays elsewhere for that.
While we need to get rid of much deadwood and invest in some new creative talent – we simply don’t have a central link player from midfield to attack….. apart from Ozil who is on his way out and past his best.
We are never going to completely overhaul the whole squad. We are not Man City. The money isn’t there. However, some do need to go and I’d include not just older players, but many of the youngsters too who are good, but not good enough…… Willock, Nketiah etc. The likes of Saka, Martinelli, Balogun, Azeez and the ones we need to keep. But that’s all for next summer.
Urgency is what we need now, well January. We wont get someone like Aouar in January (if ever with this form), but would we take a punt on an Eriksen or Countinho? We need what Bruno brought to United. That has to be the priority next month. If we can cash in early on the likes of Ozil, Bellerin etc then do so. Lamptey of Brighton looks a good prospect to replace Bellerin at right (wing) back.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to all you out there. Let’s hope the Europa league team gets a run out against City tomorrow in the Caraboa cup.
Good to be back , At least your tech guy seems to have cured your problems perhaps he could nip round to the other Highbury house in Drayton Park and get to work on them .
Those of us that that think , which is most people here , understand that there is no quick fix and changing horses again won’t actually improve things long term.
Whilst the bunch of shall we call them ” senior players ” remain top of their cliques we will eternally go round in circles. Somehow we have to break them up and weaken their self support groups. If you take away an underling any replacement soon becomes tainted as the need to fit in outweighs their independence and that’s what we have lost.
We have lost independent thinking and spontaneity some of which I am afraid comes from the touchline.
Are these players any worse than those of Southampton ,Everton, Burnley , Wolves , Leeds and even Tottenham ? From watching I would say no , so why have we only got 1 point out of those last 6 games .?
Are our players scared to take a chance , take on a player , are they frightened that if they lose the ball or the move breaks down they are scared that the players behind them are not fully doing their jobs ?
Are they scared of the pillorying that they get from the sidelines ?
Unfortunately with the games coming thick and fast it’s not allowing time to address the real problems.
As a group and , how I hate that phrase , we need to step back from tactics , they need to spend time clearing their heads and the air.