Finally, a performance to make the Arsenal fans proud! by Konstantin Mitov
Hello everybody and what a fine weekend for us it has been. We reached the FA cup final for the 3rd time in 4 years and one North London team didn’t make it there. I ate so much banter this season that finally I can be happy for a moment!
It’s been a dreadful season, but we changed the formation and it’s a second 2:1 win even though it was after extra time. Before the game I wasn’t too optimistic because our form has been bad, but as the game went by we grew with it and there were some things I hadn’t seen in months.
In the first half, we weren’t great and City had a badly disallowed goal, but overall we were okay defensively and lacking ideas forward. What happened at half time shocked me. We came out for the second half much livelier. We started to grow with the game and I started feeling some positive vibes.
Than in typical Arsenal fashion we conceded, after a sloppy mistake from Ramsey, which set Aguero 1:1 with Cech, who could’ve done better, but he didn’t and we were 1:0 down. All the vibes went missing for me, but in unlikely fashion we continued to be the better team for the second half and the Ox whipped in a cross that Nacho converted and it was excellent!
We showed spirit and desire and hunger and we didn’t suddenly abandon ship once we were a goal down. In all honesty we had a bit of luck with City hitting the bar twice, but we had chances too and Welbeck had a couple of good chances he missed, but in minute 110 the man for Arsenal stepped up once again!
Alexis Sanchez produced when it mattered, despite not having the best of games overall and we won 2:1. We were rewarded a victory for actually trying hard and not giving up! For showing some fight and for trying out a new approach with a new formation that gives everyone some hope and excitement that something new might happen.
I though the Ox was sublime today. Man of the match for me, his desire and application is something every Arsenal player needs to show every game. He is also one of the people who notices the fans and their mood and he gave us a performance to be proud of!
Big shouts to our other wing-back Monreal who was sublime again. I enjoyed his celebration and his greet to Bellerin was also so nice to see. This was some sort of togetherness which I haven’t seen in a long time. And this shows that if you try hard it will happen for you! Other than them, Xhaka had a solid game and the back 3 were suberb.
Gabriel really looked a beast and made some immense sliding tackles! Rob Holding looks like a great future CB and Koscielny was back to standards and I think leaving out Mustafi who was awful after his injury return has boosted our defensive confidence.
There were a few players who weren’t really good starting with Ramsey who was shocking. He was really bad, giving away a goal and a few other nasty mistakes didn’t help his case. Wenger said he and the Ox are the future of Arsenal and while Alex was superb, Aaron was terrible.
Petr Cech didn’t do great for me on the Aguero goal and his kicking has been pretty bad lately. Now Mesut Oezil. He looked good against Boro, but today he lost the ball quite a few times. at the end he made some pretty weak appeals for a foul, because he simply didn’t know what to do.
I am not sure all the players get the new formation yet. Giroud was another player largely isolated and going forward our main threat came from the wings. In central midfield we looked slow. When Welbeck came on the wing and Alexis moved in the middle we started to create chances. But maybe with a bit of confidence coming, we’ll polish the new system! After all it’s been just 2 games with it.
But I am really happy to see us put in a tackle. We injured a few City players, but it wasn’t because we fouled them with anger, but rather because were strong in challenges, we put in sliding tackles when it was needed and we were rewarded for our grittiness.
Now, the real problem is, we don’t see it every game. Today even Arsene was spotted leaving his chair to give some instructions! Problem is a few years back we did the same performance and won 2:0 at City and people were like “oh, so Arsenal can play different if they want to” and we wen’t back to our usual selves.
With Liverpool losing 1:2 at home against Palace this is a fine weekend for us, but we need to keep our heads cool and just focus on the next game. I’d love to see us win the cup, but it doesn’t hide the disappointments of the champions league and the premier league. If you remember the squads Arsene played in the FA cup, because he wanted the champions league trophy.
He won’t get it, but if he leaves with the cup that’d be great. Sadly though, he is 99% staying, but again today, I am so happy the players played for something and we got the result. We have tricky games coming up and for us, only the next one matters. Leicester is coming up and hopefuly we could string 2 wins in a row in the league for the first time since forever!
Konstantin
I really think that Holding should be given more chances. For such a big game he kept his nerves and looked quite good.
Wih this 3-4-3 we need to try out Danny welbeck instead of giroud.
Also if mustafi comes back to form then a trio of Kos-Mustafi-Holding/Gabriel/new solid CB would be damn good.
Heck even Mert can be played in this formation for this season because kos and mustafi are pacy enough.
Walcott doesn’t fit this formation. Please sell him.
Ramsey doesn’t cut it too. Sell him
Play Elneny/xhaka with bellerin and ox as wing backs.
However we desperately need to strengthen this squad in the summer.
Lets win the FA cup come May 27th.
TBH im a wenger out but today we have to support the team and look at the positives.
Holding awesome deserves a long stint in the team
Gaby awesome
OX played really positive
Xhaka not much for him but did well today
Ramsey worked hard
Sanchez not his best game but bagged the winner
there are cons but lets leave them for another day and just be happy
You are right,i’m a Wenger out too but you have to give credit where credit is due so i say well done Arsene Wenger on the victory today.
I think it’s unfair Ramsey getting stick that he is just because a ball got cut out at the top end of field. We cut out plenty of balls around our box, you see this happen in every game you watch. Whether it’s a lapse pass, an interception, or a ricochet, it happens. It doesn’t mean you gifted them a goal, it doesn’t even mean you gifted them a chance. Not being able to deal with it afterwards is not Ramsey’s fault, it should have been dealt with.
Good display good result. Just finish the season like this. In my opinion I think theh players went out and did it for themselves and not for wenger.
A walcott-less Arsenal is much more effective.
Good win today I am Happy for the Arsenal Fans. The Board and Wenger are keeping the Arsenal Fans in the Dark about the Future I personally think they are being disrespectful to the Fans. The Fans are the people spending their hard earned cash supporting Arsenal. This does not come as a Surprise to me as it Mr Wenger never gave a monkeys about the Arsenal Fans. Wenger and Board OUT.
Fantastic win but Alexis needs to play up front against Chelsea with Giroud coming from the bench
please come to Arsenal Messi??
Great Article Konstantin ?
It Makes a nice change for you to be happy…. For once ??
No matter how much we all want change and all the stick that we’ve been giving Wenger, the deluded one deserves a day off from it all, after today’s result… Yes, we were lucky but still Well Done to Wenger and the lads (excluding Ozil & Ramsey?) let’s hope that they can kick on and win all our remaining games, whilst the Spuds lose all there’s and who knows, we could still have a happy-ish ending to what was a demoralising season.
I don’t judge a manager or player over the short term, so I am still 100% Wenger out based on facts, but I don’t mind saying today that he got it spot on with tactics for once.
Wenger had the balls to stick with three at the back, and it made sense to keep the starting XI the same, as they were more used to the system in a competitive environment, rather than our other players.
City were unlucky on occasion, but I think overall we looked so much better in this new formation, and it was great to see some fight again. Going 1-0 down to a top side, and to turn it around and win was fantastic to see. Great effort, and spirit from everyone.
Such a shame that Wenger only decided to FINALLY change things, once we’d been humiliated in Europe yet again, out of the title race by a million miles, and on the verge of missing out on the top four.
In a unimpressed performance Arsenal overpowered in extra time an undecided Manchester City
Lucky Wenger
2-1 to Arsenal when the final whistle blew,that’s all that matters.