Fozzy 
(Ed’s note – This was submitted shortly after the game v Man Utd, so when reading it, for ‘tonight’, read Wednesday evening)
I have managed to jump on to the Tube and arrive home straight from tonight’s match. I have gone directly on to the keyboard to give it a bashing without even glancing on my mobile for match reports, considered opinions or tweets in attempt not to be influenced by the plethora of so-called experts. I felt that I needed to collect my thoughts and sent them in, knowing full well that the usual bloghounds, with the added advantage of hindsight, will be waiting in the wings to do my legs.
Tonight’s game was there on a plate for us to take three points and put those nasty odious chavs back in their place. Alas, it didn’t happen and it is my gut feeling that Wenger paid ManUre far too much respect. Such a shame because this lot were there for the taking. Goodness knows what they see in Moyes. With his credentials he would easily get a job as the GB bobsleigh manager with his ability to get his team to go downhill so quickly.
So what went wrong? From the back of block 103 it seemed all too obvious. We had no width whatsoever and our movement off the ball was laboured. The first half was as dull as in most matches at home this season, but tonight we were sucked into the middle with just Sagna and Gibbs occasionally bombing forward and then having to backtrack when ManUre broke. Rosicky was buzzing around as normal and Ozil tried to generate some sort of action but there was nobody moving forward to collect his pass. Even our throw-ins were laboured as we had nobody looking for the ball. I somehow missed the halftime highlights on the big screen. Perhaps I blinked.
The second half wore on in a similar vein. ManUre retreated into their shell and Ozil became completely anonymous. We were crying out for more width. The obvious subs would have been Podolski for Ozil and The Ox for Wiggy Arteta. Wiggy was surplus to requirements after the 60th minute because by then, ManUre had tried to dig in for a point. Unfortunately the law of Wenger meant that we had to wait until after the 70th minute before we saw any fresh legs. I put my head in my hands when I saw that The Ox had come on for our most creative player on the night, Rosicky. And Podolski was kept in the shadows, yet again.
The final few minutes were dreadful. We were having all the play but our movement was Denilson-esque in the extreme with crab like passes into and out of their penalty box, and then back to the halfway line. With fifty seconds to go we were awarded a free kick just outside their box. I could see several of our players who fancied their chances. Instead, they left it to Ozil who tamely tapped it into the wall and that was it.
What on earth was going through Wenger’s mind this evening? We keep on being given opportunities from our nearest rivals to nail the league title this season, but every time that happens we never seem to accept the gift.
If we carry on playing like that in our next two games and beyond, we can confidently book our end of season party in early March.
