Kevin Whitcher
“In this calendar year, we’ve been the best team in Europe” – Theo Walcott
“What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?” – John W Henry
I was struggling to think of a way to start this particular post-match piece until my neighbour, at about the 75 minute stage, pointed out that Sunderland’s tactics were a bit reminiscent of Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan when they played Barcelona at the Nou Camp in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final in 2010. Basically, every outfield player either in or within two yards of their own penalty area to attempt to prevent an opposition goal. I pointed out that Inter’s defenders were somewhat better than those that Sunderland had to offer which, for some reason, brought Theo Walcott’s recent quote to mind.
There is hype, and there is delusion.
Sunderland, quite obviously happy to take a point, set up to do just that, and Arsenal hammered away at the door, but were unable to outwit them. The performance did not augur well for the remaining matches of the season, but at least the draw means it would take something spectacular to drop to fourth place. United winning by six, for example and Arsenal losing to West Brom. It’s unlikely, although the Gunners would do well to sort themselves out rather then relying on the Hull defence if United get an early goal on Sunday.
The Gunners did create chances, but their finishing was generally woeful, the closest they came to scoring being a near own goal that cannoned off the upright and had nothing to do with an Arsenal attacker. Surreally, Sunderland had two excellent chances to win the game themselves as the clock wound down, but their inability to put the ball in the net from a simple chance echoed that of their hosts. At times, it was almost farcical.
A lot of season ticket holders opted to stay at home and either watch it on TV or do something better. I’d be surprised if the crowd was in reality over 50,000. It reflected the importance of the game. People aren’t that excited about whether the club finish second, third or fourth now that the hallowed top four spot is now secured. I suspect there will be a similar number of absences against West Brom. And that partly is the problem at Arsenal home matches these days. There aren’t really too many games that actually feel like they really matter, where anything significant is at stake. And it’s a high price to pay to watch something that is, although at times entertaining and aesthetically pleasing, without tension, the experience is far less intense.
It would have been a different experience for the travelling supporters, who had plenty at stake. Their seeing the bombardment on their goal and their own man hitting his own post would have not have been an easy watch, but credit to Dick Advocaat’s players for their sheer will to scrap a point.
Arsene Wenger started Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs to give them some game time. One imagines Monreal will start the final at Wembley, in spite of a couple of key lapses recently, although there is a feeling Wenger actually favours Gibbs when everything is equal. Playing Wilshere as a wide attacker might make sense against a team with a marauding left back, but against Sunderland? Arsenal needed more width and when Walcott came on, it seemed to improve things a little. Rosicky was a very late entrant, but at least looked hungrier to do something than many of his colleagues. There seemed an edge missing from their game.
So an end of season late spring evening 0-0 that will not live too long in the memory in North London, but on Wearside, they will have a different memory. It’s all about perspective…
PS – Petr Cech is almost certainly coming to Arsenal… if the Gunners meet Chelsea’s asking price. That is apparently the only barrier, as the keeper wishes to remain in London and the club will not prevent him moving wherever he chooses. Cue a long summer of pontificating and arguing the toss over the last penny. Cech is 32 years old.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
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