There has been a lot of acrimony since the defeat to Manchester United at the weekend - much of it deserved. But, while many have been eager to point the finger at Andrey Arshavin and Arsene Wenger, this article tries to provide a more calm-headed and analytical response.
Where was Vermaelen?
First let’s clear up the business of Arshavin, the Ox, and the Boo boys.
Arshavin wasn’t at fault for the second Man United goal. So he missed a tackle - at least he was back near the edge of the box, trying to close down Valencia - more than he’s done for much of the season. Was he brought on to keep United at bay, or to provide an attacking outlet? If Oxlade-Chamberlain or RvP or Gervinho had missed that tackle, would they be getting the level of criticism being thrown at Arshavin? I think not.
My question is: where was Vermaelen? I thought he was playing left back. Oh, and by the way, who missed the header for the first goal?
I’m not saying this to ‘blame’ Vermaelen for the loss on Sunday. My aim is simply to highlight how easy it is to pass the blame onto the nearest scape-goat, rather than acknowledging that even strong, reliable, well-loved players like Vermaelen make mistakes too.
Arsene
And what about the Manager. Sure, he made a mistake. He nearly admitted it in the interview after the game - talking about a “tactical mistake”. But I’d bet my house that he’d have made more of his mistake if he hadn’t been boo-ed so vehemently. When was the last time you accepted responsibility for something after you had been shouted at? More likely, you put your hands up to acknowledge a mistake before someone takes your head off.
Wenger made a mistake pure and simple. It’s easy to see with hind-sight: not so much taking off the Ox, or putting on Arshavin. But the timing. Just after a goal, with no obvious sign that the Ox was tired. At least wait until he’s clearly in pain and signalling to have a break; at least acknowledge that he’s the one making a difference; at least acknowledge that he’s a bit more popular than the diminutive Russian.
It was an ambitious move, one aimed to add a dimension to the attack. Many would have preferred Walcott to go off. Fair enough. But was he at fault to bring on an attacking midfielder like Arshavin, when we looked like we might score a winner?
Interestingly enough, Arsene made two huge correct tactical decisions: putting on Yennaris, who kept Nani and Evra quiet for the whole of the second half; and playing the Ox from the start. A more uncertain manager would have started with the Russian captain, rather than an 18 year old; and might have kept faith with a more experienced player at right back than bring on another 18 year old.
But clearly that’s not good enough for the fans who criticise him for not being creative or taking risks.
The Ox
Let’s turn to some positives now - starting with the Ox.
What a fantastic game he ended up having. Again, if we want to be really critical, we could point out what a torrid time he and Djourou had in the first half. Nani, Evra and finally Giggs ran rings round both of them, ending with a trademark cross leading to the first goal.
But, in between, Oxlade-Chamberlain showed real touches of brilliance. His ability to control and shield the ball is superb for such a seemingly-small player, and his turn and pace led to a yellow-card for Rafael at the end of the first half (and even then, the card was for an attempted, but failed, pull-back).
He set up Theo and Ramsay, before making the telling pass for Robin’s goal. He was Arsenal’s stand-out player.
More positives
Despite the very depressing result, it’s worth taking a few more positives from the game: Yennaris was brought on to stem a tide of pace and movement down the right, which caused mayhem in the first half. Not only did he keep them quiet, he also linked up well with Walcott and produced some dangerous crosses.
Koscielny: his calmness and solidity are no longer a surprise. He seems to have everything: cutting out crosses, critical tackles in the area, and making surging runs which lead to attacking movements. Nearly, very nearly, man-of-the-match.
Rosicky: making up for some of the uncertainties and misplaced passes from his two midfield counterparts, Tomas showed why he needs to start more often.
Down but not out
Arsenal could have won this game - and should never have lost it. Booing players as they come on won’t help build confidence (and I’m not sure what Eden Hazard, who was in the crowd, would make of a team where the fans boo their players). There’s no denying however that there are problems to deal with: RvP needs some back-up, a few bits of dead wood need moving out (including probably Arshavin, regardless of what’s said above), and a bit more grit and focus at the back.
But it’s not all doom-and-gloom - and with some key players coming back - there’s lots to look forward to in the second half of the season. Bring on Villa in the FA Cup! Bring on AC Milan! There’s life in this team yet!
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