Kevin Whitcher
There are two ways of looking at this result. One – Arsenal have sometimes struggled to get a win at Sunderland over the years. Two – Gus Poyet’s team conceded eight goals at Southampton the previous weekend and were there for the taking, so that it took two gifts from their players for Arsenal to score should be of concern.
With the current tide of understandable frustration amongst many Gooners at a somewhat underwhelming start to the campaign, mainly as a consequence of defensive issues, the reaction I have seen so far is that many are disappointed with the performance yesterday. There is no debating Sunderland look a very poor side at present. It is difficult to really understand how they put together the incredible sequence of results that saved their Premier League status last spring. This season, they again have the look of a doomed team about them. Goals like that presented to Alexis in the first half by Wes Brown are the last thing a struggling team can afford.
Arsenal certainly dominated the match, and effectively, the defence had a breather for the most part, such was the paucity of the home side’s attack. The game had to be won by hook or by crook and it was. For this observer, in isolation of the other matches played this season, that’s fair enough. I will never complain about a win. However, it is sometimes valid to point out problem areas, as even wins have lessons.
One thing that did not cost, but troubled me slightly was the profligacy towards the end of the match. There were a number of very excellent opportunities to exploit Sunderland’s lack of numbers as they pushed forward to equalize, but for some reason, the sharpness and accuracy of passing was absent when Arsenal broke, a trait we have seen a little too often of late from the Gunners. It shouldn’t have taken a Vito Mannone blunder to ensure the victory. Still, if a team can afford an off day in front of goal, then this was it.
The selection was a surprise, with both Ramsey and Wilshere being demoted to the bench. It allowed Alexis to play behind Welbeck in the centre with Cazorla and Oxlade-Chamberlain wide. One imagines once Theo Walcott finally starts matches, this positioning of the Chilean might continue. Certainly, it strengthened Arsenal’s game defensively, not least because there was a lot more pressing of Sunderland’s players in their own half. It was this that led directly to the first goal. So credit to Arsene Wenger for making a change that had tangible benefits.
The Gunners defensive solidity was aided by the selection of Arteta and Flamini in tandem, meaning more of a 4-2-3-1 formation after the 4-1-4-1 we have seen for much of this season. However, on defensive matters, one has to wonder why an evidently injured Kieron Gibbs was allowed to hobble on for far too long before being switched for Hector Bellerin. The defensive shuffle probably strengthened the team by moving Chambers into the centre and Monreal left. One more injury will probably see Flamini or Coquelin start matches at full back, but the lack of depth is well-worn territory. With Arsenal in theory having a run of more winnable matches, the club will hope to get away with it. All hope of a title challenge looks well and truly gone now though as the quality in depth at the back is patently not good enough.
There’s not much more to say about yesterday and with an issue of The Gooner to get to press by the day’s end, I will leave it there. Job done, but Arsenal can’t rely on assists from the opposition too often to win their points.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
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Further Reading
A sequel to Arsènal – The Making of a Modern Superclub and entitled Arsène and Arsenal The Quest to Rediscover Past Glories has been written by myself and co-author Alex Fynn. It takes up the story of the club from the last update of the previous book, and can be bought online here. Use the promo code ‘Gooner’ to get 10% off the publisher’s price of £8.99.
