Oh for some stability and continuity! by TB
You can talk about Arsenal’s lack of an extra defender and DM signing but one of the negative features of this season is the ‘variation’ from match to match in our line ups.
There must be a measure for this phenomenon. This is caused by the induction of 5 new signings and the incredible run of injuries we have had. The effects are very negative because there is no continuity, no time for an individual or the team to grow and become collectively cohesive and build some momentum of consistency. There is no opportunity for team stability to develop from game to game. Players come in and go out and new formations are re-arranged from game to game to fit the personnel available. This has two further negative knock on effects. The team is more likely not to win or to make mistakes…which leads to a constant drain on individual and team CONFIDENCE….which leads to lower team efficiency…and the negativity grows…
This season, in dealing with this unique experience it feels like the Club is having to run to stand still. It is all very stop start, erratic and very frustrating.
I felt this today particularly – it was like the team go out after a hasty get together for a few days and make it all up on the hoof. The collective CONFIDENCE and fluency of playing regularly as a team is just not there. Ok, we won and we were clearly the superior team but the end product is always disappointing in terms of fluency and the resultant score line. This structural problem has dogged our whole season. As a fan watching – you can never relax – even with a one or two (or 3) goal lead! Despite this we often still dominate games – even though we might have 9 or 11 players on the injured list and our best players missing in key positions – but so often it ends in a disappointing result. Given all this you could argue that we have done remarkably well to achieve what we have achieved but this disruption makes us vulnerable to an unjust result and for us fans – disappointments. I think it is also down to the improved stock of the whole squad that we have done so well to overcome this negative factor. You cant fault the players and manager for their efforts to get on top of all this but it is a major issue that is not being recognised by the fans or the media.
Oh, for some stability and for us to be able to put out our strongest team which I think would be:
Schez, DeBuchy, BFG, Kos, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud, Walcott/Ox. Subs: Jack, Cazorla (I love him), Flamini, Chamberlain, Ospina, Welbeck nb no Rosicky, Podolski, Sanogo…even on the bench.
NB 6 of that XI didn’t start today! A different 6 didn’t start on Wednesday or last Saturday.
Give them a run and some fitness and an opportunity to gain some individual/collective form, confidence and momentum and then you might see something happen…
Terry Barry