Graham Perry
Ed’s Note – Graham Perry sends out his views on matters Arsenal to an email list and happy for us to reproduce them for a wider audience. What follows is the text from his email sent out yesterday…
Dear Fellow Gunners
It is always dangerous to comment on a poor performance so soon after the final whistle.
There is huge disappointment and the temptation is to focus on the failings, the mistakes and the lapses.
So this is just the time for balance and objectivity – not easy because frustration and even anger interferes with clear thinking.
It emphasises the problem facing every manager who is called upon to face the microphone and the media – they have to absorb the pain and the inner feelings and satisfy their responsibilities to the football public and be calm and low key when they might have inner rage and want to let rip.
So some comments;-
We were ahead – it was a good goal – albeit Ruddy contributed with his error but Ozil still had to convert the chance and he did it with considerable skill.
We were on top – passing the ball confidently even though we were not making too many clear chances.
Now Koscielny has already gone off – and we start talking yet again about our terrible injury record but Gabriel appeared to have slotted in. But then again two defensive errors and it is 1-1.
Why did City have time to play the ball into the area and why did Gabriel fail to deal with the situation?
And it could have been 2-1 down and this was more worrying because Hoolahan was unmarked and should have done better. He let us off the hook.
But – and I am no coach at all – when there is a cross from the right you have to sniff danger and worry about the overlap on the left.
Why did he have the chance? – Why was he unchallenged? Was it Cazorla who did not track back? If it was why did it happen?
Half time comes and the mood has changed. Norwich are up. We are down
It is always interesting to know how Wenger tries to re-instill confidence and collective self-belief.
The second half was difficult for us – we worked hard – we were committed but Norwich grew in confidence.
We finished on the front foot – we were making crosses but the threat was not there – we did look jaded.
Fair’s fair the initiative was with Norwich and Cech was called upon to make a great save but let’s keep it in proportion – there are injuries – players are being over-played and risking injuries – three by all accounts with Koscielny, Sanchez and Cazorla all now vulnerable. The worry - we do not have enough in the locker.
The good news – we are having a bad run but we are only two points off the top – confidence was high after Dynamo Zagreb but it will be low after Sunday.
Thankfully there is a week to recover – Ramsey is back, the Ox did well and Walcott may be ready.
Confidence comes slowly and goes quickly as Wenger has said.
It is the same for us – we oscillate – experiencing the highs and the lows.
I know some want to let rip at Wenger – feel he is stubborn, over the hill, limited in his thinking, low horizons.
Others, like myself, want to avoid knee-jerk reactions – resist the temptation to jump on the bandwagon, stand by him.
Every setback has his critics on the front foot. Every victory has his supporters giving him praise.
Each of us has to decide for ourselves.
It is a marathon and not a sprint – there will be many twists and turns to come.
We may find the injury toll is too much for us and with Allardyce stoking up Sunderland we face a real challenge next Saturday.
But that is football – we could all go off and play bowls and be calm and safe and relaxed.
But we like to live a little dangerously.
