Kevin Whitcher
The gameplan was much the same as that which triumphed at Manchester City. For David Silva, read Christian Erikssen and for Sergio Aguerro, read Harry Kane. The difference was that, in their own half, when Arsenal needed to play their way out, the passing yesterday went awry. Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil started as the wide attacking players, the only change from the City match. Welbeck performed with similar verve to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in that game. Mesut Ozil had a couple of delightful touches, and the goal, but aside from that, was the weak link in the plan, rarely available as an outlet for the ball in the way that Alexis Sanchez was. Hindsight tells us that, perhaps, Tomas Rosicky might have been a better starter for this particular fixture.
Still, it was through Ozil’s brilliant volleyed finish that Arsenal established a lead and then seemed to weather the storm created by their own lack of ability to hang onto the ball. However, the cost of this was that their counter attacks were few. Aside from a couple of good chances in close succession in the second half at 1-1, courtesy of Welbeck and Koscielny, the truth is that Hugo Lloris’ goal was rarely threatened.
It is possible to pick faults with the Arsenal defence for both Spurs’ goals, but the reality is they were both excellent finishes and well crafted opportunities. The visitors deserve some credit for largely restricting Tottenham’s attempts to long range attempts for much of the game. However, closer in, Harry Kane proved lethal. The first goal, from a corner, was a well worked set piece, which Ospina did well to parry. Kane wasn’t tracked at the back post, a consequence of zonal marking and he only had to beat Coquelin on the line to score. As for the second goal, maybe Kane could have been jostled more to put him off his header, or indeed the cross closed down by somebody, but the striker worked the space wonderfully well. The player may not have looked all that last season, but there is no doubt now that Spurs have got themselves a forward. All the money paid for Adebayor and Soldado and a kid from the ranks comes through to be the main man. Ironic that he was at Arsenal’s academy for a year under Liam Brady’s watch but that he was released. I know why having first hand experience - as a parent - of the set up there. Technique is everything. Flicks and tricks. “Skills’” as the coaches shout out to the kids. Players are retained for their abilities to do wondrous things with a football, which may be why so few actually ever go on to serve the club in the Premier League. Kane is no Lionel Messi, but his game suits English football to the ground.
One salient point about the defeat was that Spurs’ team was packed with players of fairly limited experience, in comparison to Arsenal. The Gunners had two relative novices (in terms of appearances) – Bellerin and Coquelin. Spurs had far more players with little to no experience of these derby matches. Project youth won the day, but the developer of players was in the home dugout. Of course, the problem with youth is inconsistency, and this is an Achilles’ heel of Spurs generally. Arsenal fall a point behind their neighbours in their quest for a top four spot, but it is a bit early for panic stations. The ten point gap of two seasons ago was far worse and Wenger’s team overcame it.
However, the glorious run of results since New Years’ Day has been punctured and there are valid questions as to why Arsenal’s passing went completely to pot for much of this match. Cazorla, imperious against City, was anything but at the Lane. Coquelin did a decent enough job, but could not stem the Spurs flow on his own and was rarely guilty of giving the ball away as much as his colleagues. Ramsey was also guilty on this front along with the defenders. Maximising possession is not critical, but making the most of the possession you have is. Arsenal did this at the Etihad. At the Lane, they made Ryan Mason look like Yaya Toure.
Tottenham seemed hungrier, invigorated by the home support. Pressure eventually told and they deserved the three points. Arsenal offered hope for the majority of the game thanks to the scoresheet, but not a great deal more. Ospina was tested far more in goal than previously and I thought did well. I couldn’t fault him for either of the goals.
A lot of the Spurs play concentrated on Arsenal’s right hand flank. I am less certain this was because of Bellerin being identified as a weak link, but more because Erikssen plays there, Danny Rose will overlap and Kane moved out there at times to get involved. It was where they felt strongest, and in spite of the best efforts of Welbeck and Ramsey to help out numerically, Arsenal never really got to grips with this part of Pocchetino’s gameplan. At least it didn’t expose Ozil defensively.
It was a bad day at the office for Arsenal. They should not sacrifice the idea of playing initially not to lose a game rather than go gung-ho from the off to win it. It’s a good habit, and occasionally, it won’t work. The problem yesterday was that they could not cope with the intensity of Spurs’ hunger. As the Gunners seemed to want it more at Manchester City, so the boot was on the other foot yesterday. They established a lead, but needed to give themselves breathing space with a second. Would they have got it with Alexis on the pitch? Given the make up of the Spurs’ side, they shouldn’t have needed him. On paper, they should perhaps have bossed this game, but too many players underperformed in the heat of the derby. Giving the ball away cheaply in their own half is a long standing trait and it needs to be sorted out if Wenger is ever to mount another title challenge. And sometimes, there is nothing wrong with Row Z or even just starting a greyhound like Walcott and using him as an outlet.
Spurs take four points from this season’s clashes with Arsenal, with the latter only claiming one. Let’s hope that doesn’t make the difference come the final reckoning in May.
The winners of our competition to win copies of the recently released novel ‘I am Sam’ by James Durose-Rayner, in which the lead character gets obsessed by a documentary he is making about former Arsenal star Jon Sammels, correctly answered that Jon made his full Arsenal debut in the 1962-63 season. They are Johanne Edgington and Dave Potter and when they provide us with postal addresses, we will get the publisher to post them their copies.
Now onto an email we received requesting help for a dissertation project in case you are interested in getting in touch. Here’s what they emailed to us…
“We’re three students at University of Sunderland, studying Broadcast Media Production and we’re in our final year. As part of our final year we have to make a dissertation project and we’ve decided to make a radio documentary series on football fans, specifically Premier League fans. We’re looking for stories where it involves the fan rather than the club, for example, you skipped your sister’s wedding to watch your team play instead and the story of how you managed it and pulled it off, or got caught! If you could help us find fans willing to speak to us, we’d greatly appreciate it by asking through your website, social media or in your fanzine. If you’ve any questions about what we’re doing or want to send people our way, you can contact us via the following:
Facebook: facebook.com/LOAFFProject
Twitter: @LOAFFProject
Email: [email protected]
website: lifeofafootballfan.weebly.com
Regards, Life of a Football Fan Team (Conor, Jack & Sean)”
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
The new issue of The Gooner can be bought online here. It will also be on sale at the home games v Leicester & Middlesbrough.
DIGITAL ISSUES
The Gooner is also available in digital form, through The Gooner App on iPhones and iPads, the Exactly App for Android devices and now Kindle Fire owners can also get their fix by searching the Amazon App Store for The Gooner.
You can also subscribe at www.exacteditions.com and read it through your internet browser as well as receiving a code which will enable you to access issues on all the above devices.
All digital subscriptions include access to our digital back issue library which dates back to August 2010.
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.
