Arsenal chokers say goodbye to the Premiership as the rot continues…

Posted on April 18th, 2011 | by Pedro in Arsenal,Arsenal News,Cesc,Dalglish,Football,Premiership,Wenger

Sometimes I feel like I’m getting old. In fact, I know I’m getting old and it’s down to Arsenal, yesterday the only solace I could take from the day was spending a delightful afternoon in the sunshine. I was half expecting a resurgent Arsenal, perhaps buoyed by the prospect of hosting a resurgent Kenny Dalglish Liverpool side.

Boy was I disappointed.

There was a kind of flat despondent feeling around the ground. People unsure what to think of the latest takeover, the groundhog nostalgia from seasons past and even a light mourning for Danny Fiszman. The minute’s silence before the game was combined with the backdrop of the of Hillsborough. That still wasn’t enough to pacify the Scousers. I knew my day was off to a bad start when there were two fat bindippers sitting in my seats wearing track suits holding alcoholic drinks glasses. I moved them on and they just wandered off to find some empty seats elsewhere.

The team that started was pretty strong, Wenger had avoided the temptation to start with Alex Song, rewarding a strong Abou Diaby performance at Blackpool. He also started with Theo and sadly he was forced into going with Eboue at right back.

Our first real chance came from a Nari freekick into the box that was glanced just wide. Up the other end Suarez hit a dead ball that Chezzer did well to claim.

Jack was a touch sloppy in the middle of the park with a few wayward passes that resulted in dangerous counter attacks for the Scousers.

Theo Walcott had a rasping volley parried away by Reina, RVP made it to the second ball but could only loop it back into the box without anyone to turn the ball in.

Our tactics seemed more determined by Theo’s pace than anything else. Firing the ball outwide, letting him roast his full back and power low, generally aimless crosses into the box.

Koscielny was doing well from corners, he smashed a header against the bar after beating Reina to the ball, the rebound was struck back in and looked to be a hand ball but the ref waved play on.

Robin watched a looping ball into the box down and slotted it home on the volley. He was deemed offside.

Theo continued to cause problems down the right, so much so that Liverpool had to double up on him. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking this, but sometimes I really do think Theo is wasted at Arsenal. Even if he does sort his crossing out, we don’t play the game that suits his attributes. We rarely have more than one player in the box, that’s big ask on the accuracy front for someone who wasn’t raised as a winger.

The first chance of the second half fell to Suarez who waltzed through our midfield and placed his shot just wide of Chesney.

Down the other end Robin was played through on goal but couldn’t get a shot off.

Andrey and Bendtner replaced Theo and Jack on 73 minutes. The Russian arrived to rapturous applause. Whatever people think of his work ethic, one thing that is never in doubt is his sheer talent.

Suarez forced a couple of neat saves from Chezzer, one he parried but Eboue was on hand to clear.

Around the 70 minute mark you really did start to see why this Arsenal team aren’t top of the league. Firstly Robin Van Persie has Bergkamp type instincts. He loves to drop deep which often leaves us without a target man. Which is bizarre because Nik Bendtner can be that man and he’s shifted out onto the wing. We’re also very one dimensional and the most irritating part is that we’re very one paced.

We’re a circus of talent without a ring master dictating the pace of the show.

There is no one demanding people up the tempo and there is no one taking the initiative. No one shoots, no one takes a gamble… so defending is pretty easy if you’ve got a bit of discipline.

Cesc summed up the afternoon when we countered. He had 4 players on and he tried to thread the ball through the tightest gap available to him and we fluffed the counter.

Actually, no, what summed up the afternoon and our season was bringing Alex Song on as our final throw of the dice. Did that say we were more interested in not losing than going for the win? If it was the latter, how deluded is the coach about the abilities of the man from Cameroon?

Anyway, due to the 15 minutes Carragher was knocked out for there was plenty of injury time. Cesc played a neat one two with Robin, he bounded into the box and went down. It looked like he’d played for it from where we were all sitting, regardless, we had a chance to bury the game in injury time.

Robin stepped up, sent the keeper the wrong way and scored what we hoped was the winner.

With this team though, one thing we’ve learnt is that the game is NEVER over.

Song and Koscielny tamely cleared the ball, Liverpool worked their way towards the danger zone, Song came back and lumped over Lucas on the edge of the box and the ref blew for a freekick. Suarez fired the kick at the wall, Eboue chased Lucas for the ball and bundled him over in quite ridiculous fashion, the ref had no choice but to blow up and award a penalty.

Dirk Kuyt stepped up and smashed it home, the ref blew up and the game was over.

Arsenal panicking after taking a lead has almost become traditional. You think of some of the leads we’ve blown over the past 3 years and you really do see that we have a major psychological issue.

There were some remonstrations between Dalglish and Wenger, I’m not sure why, you can’t look any further than the players if you’re looking to play the blame game.

Arsenal said goodbye to Danny Fiszman and their Premiership season all in one day. One will be remembered for all the right reasons, the other will be forgotten like the past 6 seasons of disappointment.

After thoughts…

Arsenal need a leader, a new mentality and something more than a plan b. At the moment there’s no mystery to our game, it’s predictable. Opposition don’t even need to be that intelligent to stifle the way we play. Our counter attacking style is too slow to be devastating. What is the point in Theo Walcott arriving down the other end 6 seconds before anyone else? Our slow approach to build up play leaves players flat-footed and allows a wall of 8 defenders to assemble and our reticence to shoot takes away any real need for the opposition to lunge in.

We’re impotent on the pitch. It’s taken a few months, but we’ve been found out and we can’t do anything to rectify the problem. We’ve put all our eggs into one style basket in the hope this utopic way of playing would see us through in the same way it has Barcelona. We’ve arrogantly underestimated the ability of other managers and players to out think us and we’re now suffering. In fact, we now seem to be the team with the players who lack intelligence.

Why do we insist on crossing balls into the box if there aren’t any players there? Why do we constantly try and thread the ball through the eye of the needle if we’re not getting any luck that way? Why doesn’t anyone shoot?

The most worrying thing about the current squad is the clear lack of urgency. The only players who really drive the team are Chesney and Jack Wilshere. The rest don’t seem too fussed. People are fuming that Gareth Bale won the PFA player of the year and I can empathise with them. However, I can’t say that Nasri deserves it based on the whole load of nothing he’s offered the team in the second half of the season.

Where are the big names when the chips are down? Where is the fight in our team when we’re chasing a Premiership? Why are there only Liverpool player hassling the referee when OUR player has been chopped down in the middle of the park? There’s no team spirit there, there’s no will to win at all costs, there’s no fight. Our team is spineless and I do wonder how much of that is reflected in both our leaders.

Cesc Fabregas is the best player in his position in the world. Last summer, he disrespected his position as club captain and this season, he’s played pretty much how he behaved during the August 2010. He’s been sloppy, disinterested and injured on more occasions than I care to mention. He should not be our Captain if he’s not committed. The Captaincy of Arsenal should not be an inducement to stay for one more year, it should be a cherished honour.

In the dressing room, we have Arsene Wenger. The King excuse maker. The man who allows young players from around the world to make their apprenticeship mistakes at the cost of trophies. The man who doesn’t punish unacceptable performances. The man who builds a team based on date of birth over the needed quality.

If you foster a culture of rewarded failure, don’t be surprised when you see that happen on the pitch.

We’re a good, solid side. We’re not Champions though. We constantly flunk the big games because the coach hasn’t instilled the right attitude in his crop of young players. No one is leading that team, telling the players the expectations of the shirt and something needs to change this summer.

We’ve got Spurs followed by Bolton and United. If we don’t watch it, we’re in serious danger of having to qualify for the Champions League next season.

That is a pretty disgusting thought considering this season was gift wrapped for us this year…

On the upswing of things, at least there can be no excuses this summer. Injuries have been kind to us this year and in the main, our first team has shown they’re not good enough, not just our reserves like seasons past.

If changes aren’t made this summer, well, you’d have to say the great man is past it or just doesn’t care anymore.

This years predictable season end caused by last years predictable summer…

P.S. Well played Jack on your PFA award!