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