Kevin Whitcher
Firstly, a note to subscribers. Your copies went into the postal system on Wednesday morning, but the good old Royal Mail have changed their system without bothering to inform customers, regarding paperwork. So the way The Gooner has operated for a number of years no longer ticks every box, and some jobsworth decided the sacks of subscriber copies weren’t going anywhere and didn’t bother to contact us. We discovered this yesterday morning, and hopefully the copies are on their way to you now. Apologies for the delay but it was something we had no idea about.
Anyway, house business taken care of, let’s move onto yesterday’s early evening match. It was a very different United from the one that had seen Arsene Wenger enjoy his first Premier League victory over Jose Mourinho last May. Then, the United manager fielded a weakened team, having decided he would rather focus on winning the Europa League than trying to get into fourth place. It was a policy that proved justified. Arsenal won that game, but Mourinho made the Champions League, unlike his opposite number. United, that day, played like a team going through the motions.
It was a far different approach yesterday. Arsenal had a surprisingly good November, but December started very badly. It should be remembered that Arsenal’s approach often leads to mistakes in their own half and opportunities for the opposition. More often than not, they get away with it. However, the top sides are less likely to be profligate. So a crossfield ball from Koscielny to Kloasinac is cut out and Antonio Valencia puts the visitors one up. This is Wengerball. Passing in their own half with the tightest of margins. The accuracy and speed of the interplay is finely honed in training sessions at London Colney. Small pitches, six-a-side – you might have seen it on a Members Day open training session at the Emirates. Thing is, the margin for error can be minimal, especially against a quality side that is expecting it, and waiting the pounce. Neither Monreal nor Cech covered themselves in glory before the ball found its way into the net.
The second goal saw Mustafi on his weaker foot looking for the perfect pass, like an American Football quarterback assessing his options. In the vernacular of that game, he was sacked, dispossessed by Jesse Lingard, who ultimately benefitted by finishing off the resultant move.
Arsenal rallied, and certainly created a hatful of chances. But it wasn't to be. David De Gea was in inspired form and his team-mates threw themselves into challenges to get vital blocks and deflections to keep the ball out of the net. This looked like a highly motivated team.
A goal did come for the home side early in the second half. A Sanchez chip to Ramsey looked like it should be a goal for the Welshman, but he knocked it back to Lacazette. Whether or not that was intentional, I am far from certain, but it worked. 2-1.
Mustafi had gone off after United’s second goal, so the team were playing 4-2-4 chasing the game. That was fair enough, given the visitors were in backs to the wall mode. However, there was always the danger of a counter attack, and shortly after the hour, it came. Pogba outmuscled Koscielny to set up Lingard for a tap-in. The latter was being tracked by Xhaka, who may have assumed his captain would deal with Pogba, and let Lingard go. So you have two areas of repeated weaknesses there. Koscielny’s lack of muscle – he is often physically exposed against stronger opponents, and Xhaka’s switching off when the opposition attacks develop.
The number six needs to get in the gym and the number 29 needs some coaching. What will happen is that they will be encouraged to express themselves on the ball, because Arsene isn’t interested in the ugly stuff. And it’s for this reason the Gunners will never win another league title until there is a change in the dugout. And if Arsenal do not qualify for next season’s Champions League there really is no reason to prolong this. The fish rots from the head down.
The arrivals of Sanllehi and Mislintat are good news for the future, but however good the players they can secure, their good work needs to be matched on the training field and on the tactics board.
After Wednesday’s match against Huddersfield – a game in which, at 1-0, the opposition were certainly presented with chances to equalize, Ian Tanner asked me to relay the stat that Arsenal had won 12 consecutive Premier League home matches and that 13 on Saturday would be record. Always the dreamer. Ian, I know you love your stats, so I’ll relay one from our mutual friend Geoffrey Silman. One point out of 12 against the top 4. Goals 2 scored, 10 conceded. Or another from Ian Henry - Five defeats in 15 Premier League matches so far. He ponders whether losing a third of the games over a season will be the catalyst for change.
So, going forward, a decent enough display. And in the old days, a solitary goal might have won this game. But in 2017, Arsenal need to score a hatful against a top side to compensate for their suicidal tendencies at the back. The bubble has burst, reality once again returns. Until the team’s approach to safety in their own half is addressed, this will continue. It’s been going on for years and isn’t about the change until we all move on from Wengerball.
Neutrals would have loved yesterday’s game. And as we approach the festive season, Arsenal are the gift that keeps on giving.
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