Here’s the simplest of statistics of the game against Southampton. We had a 60% possession. We went 1-0 up, thanks to a Xhaka boom. Our second half performance fell off the cliff, and our subs, brought in to make difference, was too late and too little.
We were not clinical enough in front of the goal. Our intensity in second half was poor and Southampton were clearly the better side in that second half.
We have seen this pattern earlier in Arteta’s reign. Remember Lacazette, not able to run after 60min? It was Jesus this time. Remember the anxiety you have had each time we scored, because we weren’t able to maintain the lead? Yes, I do.
Why?
We are over playing. We were fatigued, both physically and mentally. I am all for 70 games a season, but if it is affecting your performance, it’s not a good tactic innit? We are fighting on two fronts, but I don’t think it’s sustainable with a thin squad like we have. Curse Wenger as much as you want, but he did know how to use the Europa / FA Cup games to blood youngsters and not burn out your playing XI.
We do not have enough quality on the bench. An injury to ESR hasn’t helped, but there is a massive drop in performance when Eddie replaces Jesus/Martinelli and Vieira comes on for Odegaard. Sambi is no match for Partey and we don’t have a rotation option for Saka at all. However, Arteta’s 82nd minutes subs haven’t helped much in giving game times to any of the bench players.
When Eddie had a run of games in last season, he was prolific. Strikers feed on confidence (remember Lukaku?), giving them 10 min towards the end won’t help. Arteta needs to fix his rotational tactics, not because we don’t want to see the same playing XI for 70 games a season, but because when it’s not possible due to injuries or for any goddamn reason, the replacements are confident enough to keep up the team performance.
We need a Partey’s back-up. Sambi is not the answer, not with the game he shows these days. Do we need a Neves? Yes. An injury to Partey at any stage in the season would mean an end to it, how come we were so naïve to recognise that? Or did we recognise it but decided to ignore it? I don’t know.
Saka needs to be rested. Nelson was starting games under Emery, he can’t be so sh*t to not cover Martinelli when we are 2-0 up. We also had decided to keep Marquinhos, can he not cover Saka against Bodo/Glimt – because if he can’t, why the f*ck we didn’t loan him out to grow?
Before you decide to remind me that it was only the second game where we have dropped points, I must say we have seen these patterns earlier and it hadn’t ended well. Also, I have a very high expectation from a manager leading the best club in the world, who was appointed in December 2019, and haven’t made it to top 4 yet.
A season where Liverpool is sitting in 8th, every top 6 teams are dropping points except City; there is an opportunity to grab. Win the ones you are expected to, and mix it with a bit of hope and you never know. I’m a realist but it’s a two horse race till now and it always looks impossible until it’s done.
On a positive note, we are still top of the league, 2 points ahead of a team Pep built over years. Drink some hopium, and believe we will keep it like that till end of the season.
I watched him in Europa, and no one else was outstanding either in last 3 games.
Eddie’s last season’s end performance was brilliant and there is a player in there.
“and there is a player in there”
Maybe, he had a good end of the season but so far this season only 2 goals in the Europa league and wasteful in front of goal. We have no 2nd stringers to score in the last group stage game on Thursday and are forced 3 days before the bridge game to put 1st string players on. The contract to Eddie was solely because he would have left on a free not because of his footballing nous. Goal scoring problem from last season and being clinical in front of goal not solved yet especially since Jesus had a drop in form to finish sitters. This form of his last season would have gotten him benched at City.
Spot on Killroy…no one’s claiming that Eddie’s a grabage player, but he’s certainly not near good enough to carry the load in Jesus’s absence and/or if Gabs continues to struggle for goals…even LG’s resident Eddie fluff-meister, Pierre, must have tempered his incessant bloviating tendencies when it comes to this rather underwhelming “Striker”
Morning all
We we hoped for a better 2nd half and we got it from a team that the Arsenal ladies or our U23s would have beaten. Jekyll and Hyde performances for home beating L’pool and losing 5:0 to us.
Still, the footballing gods have been kind to us this weekend with other results where we have our 2 point lead over City for another week at least.
Watching the match with Junior we felt our intensity didn’t have to be as high as in previous games because of the way Forest surrendered to 5 goals that could have been 8. A lucky break in a run of previously hard fought games.
The Saka injury seemed to be inevitable with the amount of punishment he takes each game along with Jesus. To be honest I hope it’s niggly enough to keep him out of the WC for purely selfish Arsenal reasons. The lad is young he will have many more WCs to play in.
As I expect there to be many on LG will be riding the hot tamale train of Arteta’s greatness. The band aid got ripped off and we ran amok through Forest at every turn.
The question I ask myself is whether the win is a papering over the cracks of the more serious issues because of the fragility of our squad in terms of quality & crocs from the bench and our midfield? Has Arteta resolved the issue of out fitness levels? We’ll know more from the Chav’s game where Potter is a worthy adversary and know’s us well.
The high note was Nelson. I was so happy for the lad who I felt was a little too cocky when he broke out into there first team. Then I felt his attitude wasn’t right and he had things in his head he needed to understand. Gone have the corn rows to a simple hair style and a more direct pace in his play as well as some good technical ability.
I hope Nelson gets more time ahead of Eddie, as he did was Eddie is supposed to do and score goals (plural). Nothing against Eddie, he just hasn’t performed and seems to have some temperament issues no doubt borne out of frustration of his lack of scoring form. Nothing worse for a ST is a goal drought. Maybe Jesus can help Eddie get his head straight and be as productive off the ball as Jesus.
All in all a win to be happy with and out still being top. Happy days to be a Gooner!
well we*