Arsenal certainly came out of the box flying with wave after wave of attack with flicks and backheels galore. In fact in the first 10 mins they had 88% of the possession but couldnt quite get the breakthrough.
Then in the Hammers first attack the ball was in the net – and VAR had a problem. Yet again Arsenal were done by the inferior technology and it couldn¡t be proved that the ball went out of play. Robbed again but Arsenal must surely be ready to assume control after that setback.
West Ham were more confident after that but were also happy to sit back and soak up the pressure and did it well.
On the half hour mark Saka had a great header but a brilliant reflex save denied us the equalizer.
Paqueta was quickly taken off injured and replaced by Benrahma but Arsenal kept up the high tempo pressure with Ben White next to come close with his head.
Jesus had a penalty claim on 35 mins but VAR said no of course.
5 mins later and Saka was sweetly put through but smacked it against the post and West Ham survived again.
The Hammers got their first corner on 43 minutes but it was dealt with cleanly and we limped to half time without a breakthough…..
The second half started in torrential rain but the Gunners came out firing with Rice getting his first shot at his old club.
But the West Ham got their second corner of the game and who would believe that Mavropanos scores his very first EPL goal ever with his head. You couldnt make it up….
West Ham have two attempts and two goals. Arsenal have a mountain to climb now.
On 65 mins Jesus had a great header but straight into the keepers arms and 2 mins later he missed another one. It’s not looking like our night but on the bright side Spurs got hammered…..
Nketiah and Nelson replace a tired Martinelli and an off form Zinchenko and Arsenal kept on the pressure but cant get through. Weve dominated possession and had 20 attempts to West Hams 5 but still cant get the final touch.
Smith Rowe replaces Trossard for last 15 minutes and gets his first half chance with ten mins to go but no banana.
VAR yet again denies Saka a certain penalty and there will be serious discussion after this game. Arteta could get in trouble again unless we can make an unlikely comeback now.
Arsenal fans are pouring out the door with 5 mins to go and the ones left are hoping for a miracle. Nketiah tries an overhead kick but the keeper is equal yet again.
Odegaard tries a cracker but Areola is looking like the man of the match right now.
In the 5th minute of extra time things went from bad to worse when Rice gave away a penalty but thankfully his blushes were saved by Raya from Benrahma.
A very very very disappointing night indeed…..
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Relax guys, it’s not yet over. COYG!
you are right but I don’t have any confidence in them. The team can beat anyone, but they can lose to anyone as well…the lack of finishing is a real problem. Jesus can’t hit broad side of barn door.
Anyone who thinks Arsenal will win silverware with likes of Raya, Kiwor, Zinch, forever injured Tomiyasu, Party & ESR, Elneny, Jorginho, Havertz, Gabriel J., Eddie need to get themselves checked. I’m done with this tinpot manager, we’re winning nothing this year. Rather than scouting and hiring players in Jan, we need to scout and hire a proper manager first. Hire Zidane and the UCL is ours. Not too late. Wake up or walk out Arteta.
The Hammers didn’t even play well. Forget about EPL title and just focus on UCL
I think we need a bigger CF in January to finish the season in top four
@gai
I think they played well enough to win. Which is all that matters. They neutralised our attack, dominated midfield and score 2 goals without a reply from us…Jus sayin
We dominated them, based on the ball possession rate of the game
Their first goal was dubious and lady luck smiled upon them for the second goal
Yes it’s impossible now to win the PL. We should give up (sarcasm)
Mathematically possible, but an EPL title contender should’ve won against a mid-table team with a lousy performance at home and Liverpool have been very consistent lately
Gai, I have always said on this plartform that there comes a time that play making and ball possession won’t win you games but goals. In a situation that our wingers can’t score then you depend on the CF but Jesus can’t always be relied upon. We couldn’t even battle in midfield because only Rice is the tall man. Odegard even put up a fight but Trossard couldn’t compete. I wonder why Jorginho didn’t play. If we are losing at home to a non top6 team then it leaves little to be uptimistic on winning Epl this season.
West Ham played the perfect game. They smothered us in defence, broke well & took their goals well, although I’m not convinced about the first one.
Very disrespectful to Wet Spam, who could have won 3-0. They played better than us with the ball, which wasn’t a lot and better than us without it, which was a lot. We never looked like scoring at any point.
Not sure we had a shot on target.
Slow build up lateral passing awful to watch
I could have played in goal for Wet Spam.
We were wasteful, in the box, we created enough chance to win it nicely.
The old master didn’t show the student all the formulas.
This must have been the most convincing win by the old fox on the road
We had eight shots on target, but you knew that already.
It has to be said Wet Spam were comfortable and Arsenal lacked any quality and ideas. That sort of football we play, is very poor. This possession based sheet football at all costs is, sheet. Rubbish game and deserved to get beat.
Hard to disagree after that display
We’re not playing very differently to play season, but I don’t think it works without partey. Odegaard did his best today, but we don’t really probe and test the opposition defence enough when it’s just him – we spend far too much time knocking it about, not enough serious attempts to break through.
Odegaard was on a hiding to nothing tonight. Poor bloke tried every trick
I thought Odergaard was poor first half Sue and guilty of giving the ball away poorly. Yes he tried second half and was better but produced very little.
Beg to differ overall, Reggie. He tried all sorts of tricks to get the ball forward in the box, but WH were everywhere. He at least tried and I think that is my point. Others were happy to pass sideways with no end result at all.
He did Sue and credit to him for that but he was sloppy first half.
We were especially poor tonight. That performance was easily the worst this season. We never ever looked like scoring. Our football was shocking.
@Reggie
RealTalk 👍🏾
Huge loss. We’re short of finishers. Our main striker has what, 1 PL goal?
New striker needed along with new midfielder or winger,in January.
Sides have worked out Saka and Martinelli.
Far too slow in build up..
Obviously they got that goal ball out of play.
But we weren’t good enough score at our home.
Disgusted
It’s obvious Eddie and Nelson not good enough for us.
Big game on Sunday
We saw this coming. Defense is carrying the team and our goal shy offense have no capability to overcome 2 goal deficit. we rely to much on our wingers and we are s***t when they don’t perform.
Not good enough. Too light weight performance. The only positive could be the quick turn around to the next game
This slow passing and slow build can’t win title, Arsenal is known for fast pace football, we are too predictable
We were awful and lacked any pride whatsoever. We have had some embarrassing performances over the last few years but this one for me was one of the worst. On that show we need a decent forward so get rid of the rubbish we have and buy Toney. We won’t win a thing with Jesus up top
it wasn’t a travesty, it was a close call and there was no evidence to overturn. The travesty was the awful defending and lack of direction from our reliable number one goalie.
Correct!!! I think the article written, was completely off the mark and totally misses the REAL story of the game. Plus the real reason we lost was we were rubbish.
You’re blaming the goalie?🙄
Yes 100% on the goalie, totally inept and all over the place.
The goalkeeper was left in no man’s land due to the way the play developed for the first goal. I am not sure what people expected the GK to do to prevent the second.
Those criticising the GK have given no clear explanation as to how he could have been culpable for either of the goals. Or what he should have done differently.
Instead, we have such insights as “all over the place”.
Build up
I would wish to remain positive but performances like today’s are so un inspiring.
Unless we get a proper L.b a proper partner to Declan and a C.F we are in for another season like those before.
1. Gabriel Jesus is NOT a striker/CF – not just today but I have always said even before mid last season. All the talks of work rate and “offers more” is trash. Hold up and link up play, making runs and getting into good areas, finishing… – He’s got none good enough!
2. Odegaard was immense today but he needs to play more centrally – he just doesn’t seem interested going central not to mention LW. He orchestrated everything we had going forward but all from Saka.
Hope Smith Rowe comes strong, to pair with him with Rice as their base.
3. Martinelli – form keeps dropping and dropping.
4. VAR?? Well…!
My verdict: our attackers are costing us games this season – it’s okay to concede the odd goal, but you’ve got to finish off the chances created. We NEED a CF!
We will hear from Arteta that we should have won.
Zinchenko awful again and cost us the game
Haha.
Poor me forgot he was on for over an hour. He really didn’t cost us this game, but I have been NO fan of him at LB.
Don’t we mock ourselves to say that our main striker has only one PL goal so far. Our weakest link is White. He is naive and his ball sense is below average. Zinchenko is not a Left back but Arteta won’t listen. More than 90% of our players are average and below average players. Let him sell those he has no confidence in and get quality striker whose business is just to score goals and a central midfielder. Without which, our stories will continue at the end of May.
Arsenal is too predictable and the coach refused to do anything about it. I will not be surprised if we get a shocking result at Fulham on Sunday.
The first goal was the whole game. It should not have happened but we screwed up and ran around like a bunch of headless chickens. Oh well, better hopes for Fulham
Zinchenkou is a F***ING liability at fault for the first and the second goal
Where was his fault at the second goal? It was from a corner, and Gabriel was making Mavro, not Zinchenko.
He was parrially to blame as he didnt track the run but to be fair, was partially checked but with his experience?
THE SECOND GOAL IS NOT GABRIEL, IT’S ZINNY’S FAULT AS HE LEFT HIS MARKER AS CAMERA WAS ON BOTH OF THEM BEFORE THE CORNER KICKED.
The only game I have properly watched us play ,and what a boring watch I must say. No believe whatsoever that they can turn this around.
It happens …..We love on
We move on
As I said earlier we have been sussed out. As for the complaints about VAR, if they could not confirm it was out for the first goal then it’s not the fault of VAR. As for the penalty appeal, it wasn’t a pen and Saka could have been booked for diving. There were not enough crosses into the box tonight and far too much effing about in and around the area, just shoot or cross! Anyway, all is not lost, whatever GAI says!!
The ball was clearly bro…Not an excuse though
Clearly out
It wasn’t “clearly” out. That was the point of the VAR decision, as it was impossible to see past Bowen’s leg. I thought it was out, but don’t have the technology to prove it.
👍
100% correct, the article above is poor, making out, we lost because of VAR. Its getting to be sad the way some, look to the ref every time.
Although West Ham thoroughly deserved the win thanks to a brilliant defensive performance, that first goal was a joke!
Yes it was allowed to stand within the rules of the game (they couldn’t definitively say it went over the line, hence the goal stands), there was more evidence to suggest it was over the line.
They couldn’t definitively say it went over the line, but surely the opposite also applies – they couldn’t definitively say it was inside or on the line either. The starting frame had the ball slightly over the line, the next frame the ball disappears, so we now know it’s either in or out by the tiniest of margins, but then they go two more frames, and you can see the ball move further away from the line.
We can’t tell either way, but looks more out than in. Definitely needs to be a rule change on that.
And how the Saka one wasn’t a pen was ridiculous! I don’t think any Arsenal fan can defend VAR anymore.
Overall, poor performance, and we really need at least a couple of signings in January.
If you understand VAR, then the goal has to stand. You cant guess, we would have no game then. In or out, the goal has to stand. Please lets not look at VAR as the excuse tonight. This defeat was all us.
As I said, I understand the rule, and that’s why it stood, but it’s a stupid rule as all the evidence says it was out. You say they can’t guess, but that’s exactly what they did!
Either way they couldn’t tell, and either way they have to make a decision, so it would make far more sense to go on the evidence to help the decision making, rather than a poor guess based on a technicality. Hopefully they’ll look at a rule change for next season.
It may be or not be a stupid rule but it is the same for all. The same with the stupid handball rule. Its stupid but the same for all. These are the rules we play too.
There’s a handball rule? Really? Sorry, but they’re making that up game by game. How Odegaard’s wasn’t a pen against Liverpool is yet more proof of that.
No they aren’t Jen, its clear in its rule, or rules but the rule is poor.
Exactly, VAR is no excuse for tonight Reggie, poor performance and the team not showing up
Actually VAR is a good excuse, because when you’re not performing, you need some help, and VAR screwed us twice today.
Don’t get me wrong, we were poor and deserved to lose, but it was VAR getting the big calls wrong yet again, and these we decisive.
The same VAR saved us loss and got us a bonus point at Pool. Remember the handball? No penalty given. Period!
You’re contradicting yourself throughout. You made the correct judgement in the first half of your second paragraph.
Can no one read today? I didn’t contradict myself.
Yet again…I understand the decision, but I went on to explain as to how the decision was ridiculous as they had to ignore the evidence because of the technicality of the rule. Thus proving how farcical the rule is.
But the rule was followed, farcical or not.
Yes, and it was farcical. A guess is better than evidence haha!
But you are guessing the ball was out?
Spot on, Jax
“They couldn’t definitively say it went over the line, but surely the opposite also applies – they couldn’t definitively say it was inside or on the line either. ”
That doesn’t matter – to disallow the goal, they would have to show a reason to disallow it. As they couldn’t conclusively say the ball went out of play, they couldn’t disallow the goal.
Had the referee disallowed the goal, they would have to prove that the ball stayed in (ie prove a clear error) in order to overturn the decision.
Yes exactly. You said it as clear as it gets. When VAR cannot definitively prove the referee wrong, the referee’s decision prevails. That’s it
The answer is… when you can’t score against this West Ham side, and you also concede two goals, and the bumbling players are confused as usual, the answers come by themselves.
Halfway through the season. Just seen Artetas interview on TV and if he believes what he said, we are in trouble. He was very wrong in his summing up. What was also said, is Jesus, Saka and Martinelli 10 goals between them. Probably sums up what afew of us said at the beginning of the season. We need a Striker and a more progressive style.
Reggie, we have had no CF or striker since last season. Our wingers carried us all through last season, and unfortunately haven’t been able to replicate anything close to that form yet.
Also, the buildup and offensive play is way slower, and the chances eventually created are wasted.
Yes, you’re right – WE NEED A STRIKER!
What did he say Reggie?
He said, we were unlucky, we made chance after chance, we played a perfect game but didn’t score. After he said West Ham were fortunate. That when the interviewer asked about the 10 goals our forwards had scored between them. And sort of reminded him, they could have had 3. He then went all huffy and mumbling, before a hasty exit.
I hope tonight was just a poor performance. It happens to all teams.
That said, if the chances that WERE made are not converted then then winning becomes an impossibility. Possession doesn’t win a match.
Blaming VAR doesn’t help either. In all probability the ball was out, but it appears that the burden of proof lies with the ball being visibly out and that could not be ascertained. That was not the reason why we lost
I do though, have to give much credit to West Ham who thoroughly deserved their win. They stuck to their task
Correct..
Very much spot on sue
Agree
No doubt a suboptimal performance from Arsenal even though we had more of the ball.
WH did a good job with their approach to the game and well done to them. However, I feel there is a tendency to state that a team “deserved” to win mainly because they won rather than the overall balance of play.
Arsenal had more possession, more chances, and a higher xG.
I agree that one cannot blame VAR or the rules as they are the same for everyone. However, there was clearly an issue here. The technology exists to clarify situations like WH’s first goal. The question needs to be asked as why this is not the case.
Going forward Arteta will really need to look at getting in a more consistently reliable goalscoring forward; even though that is likely to come at huge cost.
Imagine if we had a goal scoring striker – a player who scores goals. Imagine having a player who could score those chances squandered by Jesus every time he starts. I would offer Jesus plus 90 million and sign Osimhen. Blame VAR all you want but it isn’t VAR that fails to score goals for us.
Osimhen has recently signed a new contract with Napoli and is going to cost a lot of money, perhaps over £100m. Anyway he’ll be off to the Africa Cup for a few weeks.
I don’t blame MA for this defeat we had enough chances to at least draw the match if not win it. The trio of Jesus, Martinelli and Odergaard with only 10 goals between them halfway through the season must take most of the blame. Our main opponent, Man City, still find ways to score without Haaland, they just have better finishers in Foden and Alvarez. If the above named get their shooting boots on in the New Year we are still in with a chance.
We will not win the league with this team.
1. Lack of depth. No game changer on the bench
2. Our full backs can’t win a tackle. Ben white and zinchenko are our weakest link. They are too soft and make average wingers look world class.
3. We need a proper number 8. Someone with legs to push the team forward and can offer us a lot in attack.
4. Get a proper number 9 or forget it. The gaffer needs to know that we can’t win the league with Jesus. We need a proven fox in the box in this modern game. This is EPL and not La liga. Even the likes of Real Madrid turn to Joselu when opposing teams figure them out.
Edward, Pep realised Jesus was never going to be a lethal finisher so got rid of him. Check out his stats over the past 6 or 7 years in the EPL, never scored over 14 with an average of under 10. But his style suits MA’s style of play he doesn’t fancy out and out strikers – my opinion not unlike Pep until Haaland dropped in his lap for £52m and an established world class striker aged 22. All his lotteries came up at once !!! the boy is probably worth probably 3 times what MC paid. Where do you find another gift from God? There just not about!!! The bad news Is him, de Bruynne and Doku are nearly match fit. This is the time to prove we are here to stay with the big boys like last year. No more moans about VAR just get on with the job.
Right on Peps assessment of Jesus striking prowess. It’s not surprising Brazil’s national team faces the same problem. We need a proven number 9 to give our full backs a chance of overlapping and putting in crosses. We need to be dynamic than just having wingers cutting in to have a shot. Our bench is the weakest of the teams challenging for the premiership. I do not see any game changer when we hit a wall. Liverpool score a lot of goals due to the number of accurate crosses put in the box by TAA and AR. We need to feed of crosses and scraps sometimes to break the opposition. We have been figured out after last season and our Gaffer seems not to get it. No more complains. If he can’t deliver after the resources he has been given, we might have to look at a getting the championship coach.
This is a typical “poor loser” article. West Ham played the perfect game in defence and scored from their three chances. I’m not convinced about the VAR decision, but as Clattenburg said, if they can’t see definitely that the ball was out, then they have to judge it as in. The other VAR checks were correct.
Correct and Simples.
Controversy is no excuse for no goals. We know our weaknesses and they will continue to haunt us.
The excuse that Var was again the reason for the loss tonight is absolute nonsense. As a team we were just not good enough. With more 80% of posession we should have a least had some shots on target. Even if we get recognised striker in the transfer window with the type of football we played this evening, all possesion and no cutting edge, I do not see us wining the league
I am going to say it this is on Arteta. Arsenal need more dynamics and tailored tactics towards low block teams. Baiting the press is too risky, instead they should force teams like this to play with possession by using direct passes rather than shorter passes to move the ball up the field. This way the opponent is more likely to intercept the ball from deep and build up their play opening their defence. Arteta needs to form tactics for space utilisation rather than control
One positive was Smith Roes good performance in his fifteen minutes or so. He moved the ball forward with speed and was unlucky with a couple of efforts on goal. If he’d come on at half time it may have made a difference.
I’d really love to see him start at Craven Cottage Sunday.
I just can’t follow the thoughts of some of our fans and VAR.
The on field referees made a decision that the ball was in and signalled a goal.
The officials used the current var technology to see if that was the correct decision.
They couldn’t overturn the decision, as there was no clear evidence…. hence the decision of the on field referees stood.
Now, IF the on field referees had decided it wasn’t a goal, as the ball was out of play, then the same official using the same var technology, couldn’t and wouldn’t have overturned that decision either.
So, if the decision WAS incorrect, it had nothing to do with VAR whatsoever, but, rather, the on field officials.
As for the game itself, all the things some of us pointed out, became true tonight.
1. Zinchenko is not a LB.
2. Raya is a very good keeper.
3. We need a goalscorer.
4. Havertz most certainly has a role to play in the squad and was sorely missed tonight.
5. We sold a perfectly good centre back for peanuts, without giving him a chance to prove himself.
6. We believed we were better than we actually are.
Some hard lessons to learn and WHU deserved their win… and Michael Oliver, possibly, did us once again!!
Your first point ken is correct.
Ken, true that the final and correct judgement was to uphold the onfield decision, but to be fair to Oliver, there was no way he could judge that, and the linesman on that side of the pitch was covering the opposite half, so no help from him either. It’s about time the Premier League got up to date with the current technology on offer at international level.
Absolutely agree with you regarding the fact that var did NOT make ANY decision Jax and that was the wrong and misleading headline of the article.
Why the PL hasn’t installed the technology that will be able to tell 100% if the ball crossed the line, if available, is as big a mystery as Michael Oliver not awarding us a 100% penalty…. but as it was Oliver, perhaps we could understand the latter, but the former has no excuses whatsoever.
The best league in the world?
Humbug and nonsense!!
It is literally a relief when I view a match which is officiated well in the PL no matter the outcome. It’s become almost a rarity it seems for matches in general (not specific to Arsenal). I cringe every time I see Michael Oliver as the referee wondering what he’s going to do or not do this time. These people are so highly trained and experienced and yet this is the result. It makes you start to wonder if something else isn’t at play in some of the matches.
No, AFC did not lose because of vaR, and yes the ball was out.
They lost because they gave up 2 goals on .5 shots, sarcasm.
We have no finishers, no cf who can score and create their own shot.
To get top 3, yes top 3, AFC needs a defender in January-full stop.
To get into the top 2, they also need a finisher, and Partey to come back and complete the last 10 games well, with no injuries to Saliba, Gabriel or White.
Can’t agree on the headline another VAR travesty we simple wasn’t good enough tonight. Plenty of possession but no killer instinct once again. All I can say is I hope i can just chalk it up as just one of those game mavro scores and declan gives away a pen against his old team after being outstanding this season 🤷 positives from the game ode was back to his sliky best and like the change in defence with gabs pulling out to left and declan dropping in when zinny pushed up but apart from that a disappointing night.
I have always seen them this toothless. I have always complained. We have only been lucky because we control possessions. A team that does that will likely find space and score goals.
Arteta isn’t yet at the level they’re hyping him. Not an Elite.
Look, if prevent Martinelli from running
And block Saka from driving and cutting in.. the team is Dead. They’ll only pass around and backwards and time runs out. This is it, no creativity and spark, NO Ozil kind of quality to pick something special and spark the team.
It’s terrible!!!
It’s that simple! I agree with you. When you catch the saka in one of his men, you have destroyed half of Arsenal, when you neutralize and drive Martinelli permanently to Lathi, then that’s all that’s left It is Odegaard playing the spinner, turning with his head down about himself, and Jesus without a plan struggling stupidly. Ah? we are then completely confused, we lose Unbelievable time, and they themselves are disappointed. The game becomes butter on the bread of the opponent, and you feel weak, that the rooster of your bench, Arteta, has not managed three Years at least for him to add at least one second plan, and for the team to start playing another football with internal movements of the players, and with a different development. No way. We forget That his poor coaching fortune gave the championship a gift last year.. Arteta is very good, he has risen in levels, but he has not worked on a second or third plan, he is one-dimensional and if he sits, everything is fine… but when he doesn’t sit, and there are many times like this, you can’t always be lucky. And If with Aston Villa, where the inability to change the way of your shameful game appeared again, you say at least I lost from the third place in the table, with West Ham, what can you say? Stupid Arteta, we can do it from here And in the future to improve, and yes we will improve? then what are you going to do? And why haven’t you done it until now?You do this nonsense at the press conference, which doesn’t apply to you, because You argue and contradict, you become graphic. Now, with the new year, we will improve? because the wrong attitude is difficult to improve, and you are now soaked in the garden with cucumbers. One Laoplanos.
If Partey was in the midfield in place of Rice, we would have won th match by at least 2 goals margin.
Partey AS WELL AS Rice
If if if – but but but – var var var – injuries injuries injuries – officials officials officials – the REAL truth is that, last night, we were second best – the better organised team won – Havertz was sorely missed – END OF!!
Lots of good points Ken! I agree we lost to a better, more obviously tactically astute and better organised team.
And NOT because of VAR, this time.
And you could well have added, supposing you agree, an all round, all season long, LACK of passing pace throughout the team, a lack of tactical variety, distaste of MA for necessary rotation,esp of Saka and Martinelli meaning he has little faith in his hardly ever used players,and meaning WHY does he not try harder to get them out and get better ones in.
I mean Viera, Nelson, ESR, and esp Elneny, who I have NEVER understood WHY such a rank poor player is STILL here after seven years of being a really poor player. Far more WORRYING questions for MA than he can seem to provide answers for, I reckon KEN.
Do you agree or not on all those points KEN?
We dominated the game and we are not lucky and all that are just grammar. Ball Possessions don’t win games. Goals does. Arteta should find ways to sell those players he has no confidence on to raise money and a goal scoring striker. Jesus and Nketia are not. Also, he should also get a quality central midfielder that is, if we intended to challenge for the title.
Finally, some one close to him should tell him to play his players according to opponent. The team is very very predictable. The lost is not a title defining one. This is just half way but Arteta and Edu must fix the team and fast too.
Liverpool 2nd team beat West ham. The same West Ham beat us twice and we are dreaming for Title with Arteta and Edu 😀
Still wiping the egg off my face. I predicted an easy win. And so it should have been, however we can’t score goals and there are at least two players in our team who are not up to scratch. Everybody loves Ben White but did anyone put the spotlight on him and count the number of misdirected passes and the slowness of his recovery. Then there are Trossard and Zivchenko. The Belgian is in the Pepe class. Often gets things wrong, doesn’t make much happen but can occasionally pull something off. But not today. Then there is Jesus who is not a striker and can’t make much of his few opportunities. And how about Nketian? Did we notice he had been on the field before his decent bicycle effort? Well, how about the two star boys who were way off their game, but is it totally their fault? Poor Odegard! He often looked like a one man team, trying to kick start something. At least Smith Rowe showed some forward movement and pitched in to help in what was already a lost cause. Let’s face it, this was three points lost against an ordinary team who were better prepared and motivated. On that count Arteta deserves a one for his effort in contrast to Moyes’ perfect 10.We can blame VAR indefinitely but let’s not try to cover up a woeful effort from at least give or six players.
Real talk Lt. Coach law. This was a dead performance from our players and coach.
It is amazing we are still in 2023, with one game left to complete the year, and with the January transfer window opening in a few days time yet fans have written us off.
Wondering if Man city fans feels the same, as they are fourth with five points off the pace, maybe a bird in the hand that worth two in the bushes doesn’t apply to them.
It’s not about writing the team off, there is still time, but it is a realistic appraisal of what needs to be fixed . And don’t expect anything concrete from the transfer window or we will be having the same discussions as last February regarding whether or not signing Trossard and Jorghino were a master stroke or simply papering cracks.
It’s always sad when our beloved Arsenal loses a match. However, the signs have been there, the low block and out inability to convert possession to goals has been our biggest undoings.
If we can address these issues quickly, we still have a good chance of winning the EPL. We’ve just gone half way and there is still plenty to play for.
However, If we don’t make the appropriate changes and keep doing things the same way and expecting a different result, that would be the definition of insanity.
The truth is that we played with no passion and lost ideas. Even though no one has said it, we truly missed Kai Havertz. His height and style of play would have made the midfield better. Trossard was lost. ESR should have started in place of Havertz. This game was just a blip and I don’t read too much into it unless, God forbid, it is followed by other poor performances. I strongly believe we shall come back stronger and atone for yesterday’s loss. Hopefully, Takehiro will recover soon. I am not talking of Partey because soon he will be leaving for AFCON and may not be available for over one month. We should also avoid the habit of bashing some players when the whole team was performing below par.
In my assessment, our team was a victim of complacency and the feeling of entitlement to win games at home the way Liverpool does. It does not always work that way. Yes, the 12th man works but when the 11 are up to it. I strongly feel that soon Liverpool will lose at home and then the fallacy of 12th man will be exposed! It was also wrong of Arteta to imitate Klopp’s antics by calling on the fans to fully support the team. Games are won on the pitch, not through noise! Liverpool was lucky that we lacked clinical finishers, otherwise we would have thoroughly defeated them at Anfield. Let us get behind our team. We shall come good.
Shambolic. However hard Arsenal played without goal is the problem. Can’t imagine 20-5 goal attempts for 0-2 goals! The lots of VAR-denied accountability is destroying the image of EPL across the world for alternative league. But we cannot deny our spinelessness in front of goal.
we failed to score and that is it. we can only win by outscoring our opponents including VAR. No PL title again am afraid.
Disappointing, playing like this SMH.
Arteta has taken us as far as he can I believe.
Top 4 manager but I doubt he will ever win us the prem , last season we were flying playing fast attacking football , more points , more goals and less goals against.
Our main 3 attackers have 10 goals between them and our wingers are not as effective this season. I will tell you why in my opinion .
Arteta has clearly told White and Zinny to not overlap which slows us down, I dont understand this “controlling” the game tactic at all , why would you want to stop the flowing attacks to favour having control, what’s the point in controlling the game when we can’t break down the opposition as they get time to get back while we are playing keep ball.
Our wingers are not getting the help they need, especially on the left as Zinny goes central leaving Martinelli alone (2 goals so far in the prem).
The first goal yesterday I blame White and Saka , White followed Paqueta inside leaving our RB position exposed as Saka didnt offer any help at all in covering.
Another thing I notice is we seem unbalanced, Ødegård is mainly central but most often on the right , you can almost predict what will happen and if I can see it then im sure opposition managers see it.
Var has nothing to do with this loss , its all on Arteta in my opinion.
We have become so predictable and we have no plan b .
In my honest opinion this team is not better then last seasons after 200 million spent 🤷♂️
I’m not bashing Arteta as I think he’s done a great job competing and getting us back in the CL but I honestly don’t think he’s good enough to take us over the line .
Spot on. Arteta can not and will not win us the premier league with his tactic. Odegaard needs to offer more in CAM than just flicks and cute passes.ie driving runs, shots on targets. Our full backs offer nothing than central passes to an already packed opposition midfield. We need fast overlapping full backs to give our wingers a chance. Arteta has been given all the resources to thrive. However, I do not believe he can take us to the next level with the same tactics week in week out.
100% with you on our wingers and fullbacks woes. Said it several times before and glad to have likeminded fans who also see the root of the problem.
What good is missing out on overlapping fullbacks to play possession based football in midfield using inverted or stay behind fullbacks? It’s counterintuitive to the kind of football that I always believe will stretch the opposition and create space for attackers to penetrate
An astute tactical summary of our obvious problems by you.
The EPL is not won halfway through the season. So far we are just two points behind leaders, Liverpool, and if Man City win their game in hand we shall be tied with them on points. So why are some people in panic? There will be twists and turns but we need not lose our cool. In the end the team with the most consistent performances will win the trophy. If we reorganise ourselves and get a new striker we can win EPL this season.
We played rubbish, pressed with side to side plays,
We need dominating CMs, CMs that can break defences, that shoot on half chances, a strong,tall and fast CF,
Rice alone can’t handle the midfield, we need Zubimendi, Onana,
I’m tired of 2nd position, at this rate Rice would be fatigued soon.
I’ve never been this disappointed .