Kevin Whitcher
Video analysis? Unai Emery might be less traumatized by ‘Saw’ or ‘The Exorcist’ than he will be watching some of Arsenal’s defensive play, and indeed their finishing, in yesterday’s visit to Stamford Bridge.
It was certainly a great advert for the Premier League, and a reminder why broadcasters love showing Arsenal matches. It also demonstrated the best (creating a hatful of fantastic opportunities to score in the first half) and the worst (allowing the opposition chances through their poor work when not in possession) of The Gunners in 2018.
The starting eleven contained a huge surprise with the absence of Lucas Torreira. As against City, Xhaka and Guendouzi started, although Emery at least had enough sense to hook Xhaka at the interval and replace him with the Uruguayan. The Swiss player rarely creates and rarely defends. Not great attributes for a central midfielder. Alex Iwobi, rather than Lacazette, came in for Aaron Ramsey.
Early on Jorginho was running the show. Didn’t Emery’s preparation identify this from last weekend’s Chelsea performance at Huddersfield? I think they even highlighted it on Match of the Day! There was either a lack of preparation or execution. The same can be said for the threat of Marcus Alonso. No surprise that. He created the first Chelsea goal and converted the winner. In both instances he was not tracked closely enough.
In theory, Maurizio Sarri has a similar job to Emery. One big difference though – his team won the title 15 months ago. They know how to get a result, and have the quality in personnel required to win the league if you add a Diego Costa up front. The same cannot be said of Arsenal, who have not won the league in 14 seasons. Their squad is of far lesser quality than Chelsea’s, that is the reality. Emery will succeed by taking the Diego Simeone approach of blending organization with spirit, will to win. Sometimes, you have to forego the pretty football to do that, although there is no indication Emery is willing to take that step.
Arsenal have not tended to have too many problems scoring goals, but the profligate display in the first half was beyond belief - Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan and Iwobi all guilty of blasting over the bar with the goal gaping after good creative work on the flanks. It should be noted that Chelsea’s first two goals came in the immediate aftermath of failed Arsenal chances – first Ozil’s and then Aubameyang’s. A lack of clinicism followed by a lack of focus. Both Bellerin and Mkhitaryan shared the responsibility for Pedro’s goal, the right back far too close to his centre-backs to do anything to prevent the run and cross from Alonso, once Mkhitaryan had switched off and let him go.
As for the second, a long punt did for Mustafi as he was outpaced by Morata, the man who supposedly cannot score. The Chelsea fans chanted “Are you Wenger in disguise?” at Emery. Still, at least Arsenal rallied, with two goals before the interval, courtesy of Mkhitaryan and Iwobi, both benefitting from good play on the flanks, with Bellerin and Mkhitaryan providing the assists. The second goal demonstated how playing from the back can work, if the players work to find space and make themselves available for a simple, albeit immediate, pass.
When Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal, the team, picked by Pat Rice, was challenging for top spot, and the starting eleven relatively settled. The new manager did not have bad habits to iron out. He has left his successor with a far tougher job and this match was evidence of that.
One bright spot for Arsenal was that Eden Hazard started on the bench. It couldn’t last though and in the last 30 minutes, he made his entrance and made the difference. Ultimately, quality told as he created the chance for Alonso to net the winner 10 minutes from time.
It was, when all is said and done, an expected loss, a fixture too early in the season. Yet, with better finishing, Arsenal could have got something from this game. One cannot legislate for the misses in the first half, although we can be encouraged by their creation. Mesut Ozil was largely peripheral, and replaced by Lacazette eventually in the second half. His body language was forlorn, hardly representing the fighting spirit the club need at this time of change. Unfortunately, it looks for all the world that Arsenal have committed a ridiculous amount of money in wages for a player who looks like a passenger, totally unsuited to the requirements of an Emery team. The club gave him a deal so that they would not lose him for nothing last summer, but who is going to offer him enough wages for him to leave now, even with a vastly reduced transfer fee? He sure doesn’t need to be playing regular football to keep his place in the German team anymore. Some of the decisions made in recent months, such as the extension of Xhaka’s contract, mystify.
At right back, Bellerin, although suffering from a lack of support at times, did not cover himself with glory when it came to the business of defending, and a bit of me thinks Emery might have been better playing Lichtsteiner against superior opposition, until the young Spaniard learns the discipline he is lacking from the new head coach. Is Steve Bould now able to work on the defence? There were a lot of basic errors when it came to positioning. Arsenal’s backline were too high up the pitch too often.
Ultimately, it became a game of who could find space and use it best. The winner was Chelsea, especially with Hazard on the pitch. It was an emotional rollercoaster, especially in the opening 45 minutes, and even taking the positives, Arsenal have ended up pointless from their first two matches. Still, their next eight fixtures at least provide opposition they should be good enough to beat, so that by the time they next face another ‘top six’ side, Liverpool at home on November 3rd, they should have improved significantly and posted a decent amount of points on the board. You certainly could not ask for easier opposition in your next game than the woeful West Ham.
It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. When Chelsea went two goals up, you genuinely feared this could be another drubbing akin to Arsene Wenger’s 1000th game at the same venue. At least Arsenal got out with their dignity intact. Their season proper starts next weekend. The first two games were always likely to be a write-off, and they can work on their defensive organization against lesser opposition for a few matches now. Doing a U-turn with a juggernaut is not the easiest of manoeuvres, and as has been said before here and elsewhere, more personnel may have to head out of the exit door before Arsenal can return to the days of defensive solidity those old enough to buy a pint in a pub might remember with fondness.
This season, The Gooner and onlinegooner.com are partnered with Fansbet. If you enjoy a flutter on your football, sign up as an Arsenal fan and select The Gooner Fanzine as your ‘branch’ from the drop down menu. In the event that Fansbet make any profit from your bets, 50% of that goes to help fund the continued survival of The Gooner fanzine. However, if you cannot gamble responsibly, please do not bet.
The current issue of The Gooner can be bought online here (price includes postage of £1 to UK addresses of £2.50 abroad) or if you wish to subscribe for the season, here’s the page to do that.
There are other ways of ordering the issue if you do not wish to order via credit / debit card through the website store…
Online Bank Transfer For the current issue, pay £6 UK / £7.50 abroad (or for a 2018-19 six issue subscription £30 UK / £42 abroad) via online bank transfer to –
Account name: The Gooner
Sort Code: 20-76-90
Account Number: 03004112
Swift / BIC: BUKBGB22
Iban: GB79 BUKB 2076 9003 0041 12
Please use the reference ‘272YourSurname’ on the payment – eg ‘272Smith’ and follow up the payment with an email to [email protected] stating your name and address, and the reference that you used for payment (e.g. 272Smith or whatever).
Via direct PayPal payment to the email address thegoonerfanzine@bt internet.com. For the current issue, pay £6 UK / £7.50 abroad (or for a 2018-19 six issue subscription £30 UK / £42 abroad) via your PayPal account state in the message you are requesting issue 272 (although we’ll assume this if there is no message from the amount paid). If doing this, please make your payment a 'friends and family' / personal gift payment – this helps keep our costs down. PLEASE remember to add the name and address for your issue(s) to be mailed to in the note with the payment.
Finally, you can pay by cheque made payable to ‘The Gooner’ to the address below. For the current issue, pay £6 UK / £7.50 abroad (or for a 2018-19 six issue subscription £30 UK / £42 abroad)
The Gooner
12 Buxton Court
Hanbury Drive
London
E11 1GB
