Fighting Arsenal miss the chance to beat Leicester by Konstantin Mitov
Lovely Arsenal people, I am so disappointed we didn’t beat Leicester. I was so pumped, I really thought we’d smoke them. I bought my favorite burger paired with a soft drink and a Haagen-Daaz ice cream to top it off. I was hoping for a repeat of that Welbeck goal against them, but it wasn’t to be.
We started well though and played a sublime first half. Honestly one of the best I’ve seen us do! Our midfield was strong, looking for forward passes, taking risks and we created chances.
We looked like we had purpose! We had a lot of desire and looked like a team full of confidence. We were first to the ball when it mattered, we tried more aggressive passes, created chances, but only scored once and this proved vital.
In the second half, we dropped off. We allowed Leicester to take control of the game and this highlighted our inability to play this style of football for 90 minutes. It took more than the players had in them.
Then came the ref, who was an absolute joke. Leicester made a lot of fouls, yet nothing. Eddie made one challenge and he was off. It was stupid from him though. There’s no reason to do this in the middle of the park. This is a trait that we need to erase. We have a history of giving away too many red cards and it cost us again.
Than that VAR goal by Vardy was an absolute joke as Perez touched it, and Vardy was offside. As much as the ref was garbage our second half was poor. The subs were questionable. Why didn’t we bring on Pepe?
There are positives to take from this game though. Tierney produced some excellent crosses. Ceballos was controlling the midfield, Martinez made some vital saves again. But it was only the first half…
Our chances for the top 5 were slim anyway, but I’m so gutted not to win. We need to invest in the squad. We show signs of improvements, but we can only get so far with the current set of players.
Individual mistakes have cost us massively. I just wish we could reduce them, but for me this will only happen by investing in better players. Yet I can’t blame the effort today. The players gave what they had in them and I can’t ask for more.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Klopp finished like 8th in his first season for Liverpool. Not that I want to make any comparisons, it’s just unrealistic for a squad that bears so many burdens to suddenly turn into a winning machine.
More difficult games lie ahead and we shouldn’t drop our heads. We must learn our lessons (once and for all) and build on the positives. Hopefully we can do ourselves an honour against the 3 teams coming next, because you can easily say that they are the ones we’d like to beat the most.
Konstantin
I know that this is early days but I think I like the reaction of bellerin to being dropped for Cedric. A little competition is very good to avoid complacency, which I think has been bellerin’s downfall for a while. If ceballos keeps playing like this then I think he is worth a shot. What I love most about Arsenal now is there willingness to do well. Before we would have lost this game, heads would have been dropped. And fatigue played a big part as we are the only team to have played more games and we play every two days. I see positive signs and I’m hopeful for next season. The future is looking bright, and I know they are youths but I think we have the most promising youth in the premier league. I like Arteta as he plays only players that wants to play for the badge. And for all his criticism, Xhaka is one of the most mentally strong characters I’ve seen in an arsenal team. Few months ago things where looking bleak for him but he has put his head down and fought his way back. Same goes to mustafi whom has transformed into a different player since Arteta took over. I say keep him around, sell chambers, sokratis and kolasinac. Keep musti, holding, saiba, (luiz as a squad/utility player) sign a commanding and pacey Cb. And we are sorted at the back. Coyg
I do agree that both Mustafi and Xhaka have shown much mental resolve and are mature individuals.. Shame though that neither are even near the standard a top team needs. Some fans confuse a tighter team shape, which is obvious under Arteta, with a necessary upgrade in player quality. Fewer mistakes do not, by themselves, make players better, just less likely to be the subject of the next article.
But we need REAL RELIABLE defenders and proper MIDFIELDERS with mobility and pace. Mustafi and Xhaka, respectively, fit neither description, however much SOME FANS wish it so. Mature personal attitude are laudable but unless the talent matches – which in both cases it doesn’t – then that is not enough. Nowhere near in fact!
You are 100% right Jon, endeavour is admirable but we won’t win anything without quality in the two areas mentioned. This has been our problem for a number of years and I am sure MA knows this but does the owner care enough to back him financially? In hindsight spending £72m on a winger instead of strengthening these two areas seems to be a mistake particularly as we now have the young and versatile Saka.
Spot on. We just can’t read too much into these performances. Over the long term we’ve seen how unreliable many of these players are. Glad they are doing well now. But i would put easy money on them not going a full season being consistently quality. Auba and Leno have been the only consistent performer this season. That is a FACT. Everyone else should have their positions in the team questioned.
Midfield still needs attention; Thomas Partey should be a high priority along with a CAM.
Spot on, back to reality, we do not have team & coach to finish in top5. If we get Europa league be best we can and only way to CL hope in a year.
Nor building a top5 such a team with Luiz & co…. But adding top players where team needs it.
Juve Inter Athletico making moves on Laca. Swap him for Partey, call it a day.
Ozil is going to Turkey, pay him off 5M to help facilitate.
Buy Said Benrahma, sell Xhaka to make it even.
Go for Harvertz: sell Pepe, Mustafi, Sokratis, to break even. Give them Rowe on loan.
Swap Torreira and Kolas wanted by Napoli and add our average 50M for summer budget for Koulibaly..
Let go Luiz for free, pay him off 1M.
Bring Allegri to take us we’re we deserve to be
Leno
Bellerin Koulibaly Saliba Tierny
………………………….Partey
…………….Said………………Havertz
Saka. Auba. Martinelli
Nelson, chambers
I advise to check Said to those not familiar, be an instant hit and adapt quick, best player in championship, talent mix of maestro and warrior.
If board & Arteta can pick players as Mari Luiz & co instead of Koulibaly,
and Harvertz, theyy simply not supposed to be there.
Sell Auba if not extended, bring on Traore,
Traore Martinelli Saka, as front 3 works perfectly to me. Nketiah, Nelson, Belogun are 3 options to rotate, don’t lose that young gun.
Point im making is ambition which doesn’t cost much to achieve goal if you do smart business.
Past 2 windows had Koulibaly handed to us, Napoli wanted Torreira and Kolas, Berlin wanted Xhaka, this breaks it even to secure Koulibaly!!!
That one top CB would have change us us as Virgil at Reds. Laca Partey swap same way, doable for ages.
All over sudden we are a top 6 team, fighting for title, among Spurs also to not neglect at all, spending money and smart acquisitions… If they can Kane Son & co, add up Couthino as they seem to try to, Spurs can fight.
We must make moves as everyone does, target players so they can see level of ambition, chase Partey Koulibaly Havertz is precisly that.
Mogunna,
You certainly have it all sorted out!
I also missed the news that Ozil was off to Turkey.
I absolutely cannot agree with you that Arteta isn’t the right coach to finish in the top 5. It was a slow start for him, mostly due to the dreadful mess we were in. There wasn’t the typical new manager bounce, but what I am seeing now makes me soooo happy that we passed on the older managers (or they passed on us)
Boy oh boy, you must really think transfer deals works out as simple as buying groceries in a pawnshop.
Sell Pepe + Mustafi to bring Harvertz.
Swap Torreira, Kolasinac + 50M for Koulibaly… I don’t know why you said that but I’d be branding the board incompetent and stupid if they were to do that to get Koulibaly.
You really think it works out easily for players don’t you? You believe Koulibaly would suddenly end of defensive issues?
Okay that’s Four players you’ve sold to bring in two players.
I’d love to see the players on your bench.
I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw your statement to bring in Allegri.
Lol, Heaven knows I never wanted him, I was vocal about that, he was another Emery, a reactive manager. Don’t give me the he won this and did this at Juve Blah blah blah. Any manager would do what he did with Juve.
I was among the few calling for younger coaches, I’m glad we didn’t get any of those dinosaurs.
Allegri might not be as old as Mourinho and the rest but be ain’t young either.
You’re a big fan of Wenger, always mentioned how we needed to bring Wenger back to take over instead of Arteta.
Despite everything we’ve all seen this season under Arteta, you constantly keep talking about bringing in a new coach.
You have it all mapped out
Eddie, Groceries in a pawn shop? And that is simple , as you claim? We get our groceries from a grocers or supermarket to give them their proper name. I personally like analogys but they must make sense and your ” grocers and pawnshop ” makes no sense. CARE TO EXPLAIN IT PLEASE, AS I AM REALLY KEEN TO KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN?
You don’t know ball
Mogunna,I am sorry to say but you really do have a distorted perception of reality!there is so much wrong in your comment that I wouldn’t know where to start,by the way results and performances do not back up your claim that MA is not a top 5 club manager.
@ Mogunna,
You’re a confirmed novice. You think this is cookies and candy shopping?
If Laca is such a dross player why are those heavyweight clubs you mentioned vying for him and not Auba. You always look outside the club for solution with your sell this sell that buy this and that. Maybe you will have your wish when you buy Kroenke out.
Mobella, who cares if other clubs want him. We need to stop being so scared of players succeeding somewhere else. The facts are Laca is not pulling his weight for us. What he does for Arsenal is what should matter
A very important point
Mogunna, Still deep in mourning for your hero Wenger it seems and now almost alone in not seeing what everyone else can clearly see, that in Arteta we have a very special coach, depite your puerile and daft comments about him. You have eyes; suggest you open them!
@admin….. I posted a reply to Lucia (the first comment), and it hasn’t appeared. I tried it again, but I got the message that the site senses a duplicate, because I’ve said that before. Could you please fix it?
Apparently not
That we are unlucky and gutted not to win that match shows how much progress arteta has done in only half a season. Leicester and wolves would have been certain losses with previous managers.
Nketiah foul was just the result of a forward pressing to win the ball and a clumsy tackle typical of a forward.
Spot on Ackshay, I was against Arteta for playing that dreadful Ozil which slowed our game and no one was really playing their hearts out when he was on the team sheet then. Now that he is not around, the others are really putting in a shift and playing for pride and glory. We just fell short yesterday in the dying moments, well I can take that as a learning experience for all.
Drop your obsession with Ozil bruv… Others have. Seems you’re the only one always mentioning and bringing up Ozil every now and then now.
Move on
Yes bro, I will drop all interest of Ozil when he leaves Arsenal for good or till he starts performing every week like the rest of the lads are doing without him.
Eddie I would have thought , as many, many otherd do too, to judge from numerous comments that far from being obsessed with Ozil as you wrongly claim, he is simplY desperate to get this fraud gone from our club. CountlesS other Gooners are too. An odd comment by you therefore.
I must also assume your comment saying “Move on” was meant for Ozil, not Loose Cannon, who is only saying what almost all Gooners crave; Ozils exit!
OT.. Well Eric ‘sit back down’ Dier won’t be playing on Sunday… he’s been handed a 4 match ban…..
He’s so bad though, that it’s a huge blow for us haha
😂😂😂😂👍
😂
Good game, we are moving in the right direction, the ref had a shocker. The officiating really needs to improve.
I think we’ll be waiting until hell freezes over for that to happen, Mike!!
Mike and Sue, the officiating situation, particularly in relation to applying VAR the same as the rest of Europe, won’t improve until Mike Reilly is moved on.
👍
It’s being reported we’re to appeal the red card…
There is no need appealing the red card, it was 100% a red card incident.
👍
No problem with the card but I get irretated when it’s a good game, strong tackling from both sides but we the only team being carded. The refs should start explaining themselves, but as usual it will never happen
What about Vardy’s dangerous play in kicking Mustafi in the head. So much for consistency!
Exactly all we want to see is the ref being consistent, that’s it
It was a red. Problem is consistency. There is none when it comes to VAR and Arsenal. They’ve taken 4 points away from us in clear daylight. Yesterday, and Crystal Palace winner they denied and still cannot explain why. Stop protecting these fraudulent refs…
Sad really sad
No surprise that we still top the red and yellow card table!
We won’t be taking 6th position now…..we just made it harder by not beating Leicester City.
I was proud of the team yesterday with all honesty we played a fantastic game .All we need now is be clinical and ruthless ……and you could tell we are headed in the right direction