Kevin Whitcher
Ed’s note – Many thanks to Gooner contributor Layth Yousif for stepping in and doing the write-up on last night’s League Cup quarter final.
Minutes after Arsenal lost to Southampton 2-0 in the fifth round of the EFL Cup Arsene Wenger said: “We lacked decisiveness, we lacked a sharp spirit – especially in the first 45 minutes. We were passive at the back. It was a surprise to me.”
The only question I can counter with is why?
As Kev’s away sunning himself on his private island (Ed’s note – I wish) he kindly asked me to cover for him for this morning’s editorial.
Where to start? Well, let’s get the positives out of the way. Personally it had been a good week, as myself and a Luton Town supporting journalist colleague – who only mentions April 24, 1988 fewer than three or four times a day - got a world exclusive on Monday as we beat every other news publication on the planet and located the scumbag Barry Bennell.
I also had a successful Waterstones book signing, a preview piece on last night’s game on the official Southampton website, an article in last night’s match programme, and a news piece about people smugglers printed in the New European newspaper.
I really love my newly purchased ‘bruised banana’ bobble hat that I wore last night.
And November is over.
Now for the bad news.
Arsenal are out of the League Cup. We lost our 19 match unbeaten run, stretching back to the first game of the season. We were poor. And disjointed. And we were knocked out by a far more streetwise team. At home. Only three games from Wembley.
Credit where credit is due. When not using the season ticket I’ve had for 30+ years I cover Arsenal home and away from the press box. But for league cup games I always make a point of taking at least one of my three children – sometimes two, and for the 6-1 game v Coventry all three - when Olivier Giroud netted his first Arsenal goal and missed a penalty.
Because it’s a fiver a kid. The club receives deserved criticism about having the highest ticket prices in the world. But the fact I could purchase my own season ticket seat for a tenner and use my mate’s seat who sits next to me - Mozzy the mechanic - for my daughter for a very reasonable price, deserves to be applauded.
As does the fact opening up The Emirates to tens of thousands of fans who may not normally have the chance to attend has got to be a good thing.
But what they saw last night was poor.
Yes Saints’ increasingly impressive former Groningen and Celtic centre half Virgil van Dijk was a towering presence, ditto keeper Fraser Forster, and Sofiane Boufal’s third start after his £21 million summer transfer from Lille showed his undoubted promise by repeatedly powering into space.
Not least when his first time shot after Champions League winner Ryan Bertrand pulled the ball back saw the ball fall to Dutch international Jordy Clasie to strike powerfully and accurately into the net to make it 1-0.
As someone who is still reeling from Nathaniel Clyne’s 35 yard stunner that saw Southampton knock us out of the League Cup two years ago, it pains me to concede from distance against this progressive South Coast club with a superb academy.
And that’s without pondering the fact Charlie Austin, Nathan Redmond, Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares didn’t even play.
But there was still no excuse for Arsenal having such a fragile backline and a lack of cohesion throughout the side.
The kindest thing to say is that Granit Xhaka looked busy, and will certainly benefit from having one more game in England under his belt while he tries to acclimatise.
