Arsenal had scored just 3 goals in our last 4 League games – totalling 360 minutes – but when faced with a 2-0 deficit to Liverpool we came back from 2-0 down to make a 3-2 lead in the space of 6 minutes, so it is not true that we can’t score goals.According to Wenger, it was just a hangover from our game against Manchester United when we had 32 shots on goal but only hit the net once. Wenger admitted that the setback mentally affected his team in the first half tonight and they were just scared of going for the goal. After the game, Wenger said: ‘I felt in the first half we were paralysed and frozen. We played too deep. We gave the ball away to often and looked second best.
‘But it was down to the psychological factor and the bearing of the [Manchester] United game was there.
‘But at half-time we were only 1-0 down, it could have been game over. We showed quality and character in the second half. We played inhibited in the first half.’
But when it looked all over at half time Wenger must have given a brilliant half time talk and somehow persuaded his team to start fighting for the points. ‘I told the players the good thing is we are only 1-0 down, we had a great opportunity to create a different phase,’ Wenger told Sky Sports after the game. ‘What we did was not good enough, we had nothing to lose, we wanted to go for it.’
And they did! The players obviously listened and we had an incredible start to the second half after going 2-0 down. Surely this will now give us the belief that we really are a top team and can play like our second half every week?
Surely we must give some credit to Wenger for turning this around?
Sam P
3 lucky goals.
If we didn’t have ozIL tonight we would have lost 6 0.The fact that he was the one player doing his job saved us that embarrassment
” we had nothing to lose, we wanted to go for it.’’ There you go..The gaffer himself admitting we only started playing once we knew we were in deep s***.
Why can’t he instruct his players to go for it from the kick-off..Why cant he motivate the team to start games more positive..How many times are we going to rely on our second half performance to save us..
I have been asking myself these questions for years. I wonder if these questions are ever raised at management level
Wenger should motivate the players from the first minute not just half time!! How many times have we seen them not turn up in the first half then finally get going in the second half!!
Sorry to disagree, we will never be a top team with our excuse for a defence. We were awful in the first half and lucky to draw the match. Also can someone please explain to me why AW keeps picking Iwobi and Bellerin? Is he trying to prove that the Academy is working? And why were Mustafi and Kolasinac on the bench? Only Arsene knows!!!
At least we got away with a point.
Wenger’s team selection baffles me most weeks!
This is my assessment of our squad based on our season so far..
Lacazette – One of the best strikers we have had in years but we are not playing to his strengths..Anyone who has seen him play for Lyon would know that his strengths are pace,dribbling and finishing..With him leading the line we should be looking to play on the counter and exploit his pace..To his credit he makes great runs behind the defence but noone in the team seems to find him. With our slow build up, posession based play we are not utilising him properly.
Ozil – Our best player this season and by a mile..Everytime we have scored he seems to be at the heart of it..This season he has been phenomenal for us and seems to be working harder than ever..Even in defence he doesnt seem to be shy of putting in a tacke..Although he seems to be missing the creative spark of Cazorla in CM as now he has to start our attack from the back and is forced to drop deep in midfield..If we get a better CM than Xhaka then we can leave Ozil to do what he does best,provide assists all day long.
Alexis – Seems to be struggling for form this season and guilty of trying too hard..Also with Lacazette in the team now, he doesnt seem to get into scoring positions that often..These days he just seems to stay wide,shout fot the ball and then dink the ball in the box or out wide to Bellerin..If we are going to keep playing him then I suggest he move to the right wing.
Iwobi – He seems to have gone backwards..Doesnt know when to pass and when to shoot, zero composure..at times carries the ball way too long and tends to run into defenders..The less said about his finishing the better. Surprisingly he still gets picked to start against teams like City,Liverpool,Chelsea..and was brought on in the 15th min. against United for Mustafi..Only Wenger knows why.
Wilshere – Has been a decent season for him so far..Has done well in the few games he has started..He needs to keep working on his fitness as it looks like he is getting back to his best..Make no mistake on his day he is the best English midfielder..
Xhaka – Hugely disappointing season so far..I, for one fail to understand his role in the team..If he is supposed to be a DM,he is not doing his defensive duties as we are shipping more goals than ever..And if he is a CM or a DLP , then he is simply not doing enough to warrant a starting place..As a CM or a DLP he is supposed to create chances for our strikers and transition our defence to attack but all he does is side and backpasses and still loses posession with zero to little pressure..
Koscielny – Seems to be declining rapidly with his Achilles problem a major concern..Couple of seasons ago he was easily amongst the best CB’s in the PL but this season his performances have been far from convincing..Another player guilty of giving away the ball cheaply on numerous occasions this season.
Mustafi – Started the season great with the goal against Spurs but after the blunder against United and subsequent injury looks extremely low on confidence..Has to take some of the blame for Salah’s goal tonight.
Bellerin – Another one who seems to have gone backwards..Seemed to struggle especially when we were playing a back three as he didnt seem to understand his role..Now that we have gone back to 4 at the back, looks like he is starting to get better.. Another one who doesnt know when to shoot and when to put in a cross..Also defensively he hasnt been as good as he was 2 years ago..
Monreal – One of our most consistent performers for the last 2 seasons and an unsung hero..He has had an ok season so far although I think he shouldnt be starting for us as CB. He does not have the attributes of a CB(short, not strong enough)but Wenger seems to trust him more than Holding or Chambers.
Kolasinac – Fantastic buy for a free agent and started the season great with excellent performances in the first few games..But after having returned from injury seemed less concerned about his defensive duties which is probably why Wenger dropped him..He isnt giving up yet and seems like he will be back in the lineup sooner than later.
Cech – Hasnt had the best of seasons this year,partly because of the defence playing in front of him ,but truth be told,he is getting on..No longer the once reliable Cech of old, we need to invest in a top GK next season..
To answer your headline question: nobody said Arsenal couldn’t score goals, but that’s not the problem. It’s the fact that the team can’t stop conceding goals and has no idea how to defend which mean this will be another year of failure at the club. TWENTY-ONE points off top spot and battling with Burnley for a Europa league place.
We must ask again; what does Steve Bould contribute to earn his salary?
Give us a break dude, we were once again guessing team, out of position, wrong pick; betting companies are making hundreds of milions with Arsenal…Something’s up mates. Players not concerned but on the pitch, we down 2-0 not 4 or 5 by 50th minutes, lucky Cech made some miracles and Reds missed to burry us 5 times. Sanchez is a real bet, he can score anytime if he plays; makes loads of cash to betting companies…. To me Arsenal board and Wenger are paid by batting companies. This is just too crazy…Instead ti write non sense, get realistic, we have no clue of what da heck is comling next,but used to see all that same non sense… Peace gunnaz!
Wenger deserves credit for the draw? Serious question Sam P, did you watch the entire game?
At the time of our first goal, we could have easily have been around 4/5 nil down, given how many clear cut opportunities Liverpool had. So was that good management from Wenger? Did he set the team up correctly, especially from a defensive perspective? It was a great comeback, but ask yourself, why are we always having to make great comebacks?
Liverpool’s defence was poor, but their attack is what let them down tonight despite scoring three. They should have easily scored 7/8, because our defending was worse than Sunday league. Very lucky tonight to get a point. Oh yes Sam P, and was it brilliant play from Wenger at 3-2? Did he tell his players to sit back, and protect that lead…no! Lets try and score more goals, which just kept leaving us wide open at the back. So again, very poor game management!
Wenger even claimed after the game that we defended well!!!!! The guy is getting more delusional by the day!
Arsenal will win the epl. Seriously if you want to win games and trophies ,a strong defence
is atop,top,top, priority.
In this respect ,Wenger has failed repeatedly and shd pay the price .
Does Man city have a good defence?
3rd goal for liverpool . 6 arsenals players near box and no one took firmino. pathetic positioning & concentration
Sam P, You must be the worlds greatest optimist writing as you do. Talk about a glass being half full or half empty, which is oftern in life, down to the nature of the person watching. But when you see a mere thimble full of water in the glass, like against Liverpool but think the glass is overflowing, as you seem to think, a visit to Specsavers , and quickly too is called for. I saw 50 appalling minutes , 5 brilliant minutes(the thimble) and the rest tepid at best . Doesn’t add up to much of a drink, as pretty much all the other posts on here think too, rightly.