There Will Be Days Like This
Oct 23rd, 2016 by 'holic
There was an element of “I’ve seen this game before” about yesterday’s match with Middlesborough. Shades of last season when Santi Cazorla was missing and our excellent midfield didn’t look quite so excellent.
It’s not that we played badly, but the things that have been coming off for the front four in recent weeks were denied by some very resolute defending by the visitors. They did what they had to and probably at the end were rueing the opportunities that came their way.
We started brightly enough. A Mesut Ozil free-kick and a long range fizzer from Mohamed Elneny promised more would follow. Boro had other ideas on the break and it took an excellent double save from Petr Cech to deny Traore and Negredo. Seconds later Ramirez swerved a free-kick onto the Gunners crossbar. The warnings had been given.
Midway through the half Francis Coquelin was upended on the edge of the box and Alexis brought the best out of former Barca goalkeeper, Valdes. Back came Boro and Traore turned Hector Bellerin to hit a cross that eventually arrived on the head of Ramirez at the far post and Cech again saved from point-blank range.
We started the second-half on the front foot and could have taken the lead if Laurent Koscielny could have made contact with an Alexis cross after Valdes had dropped the ball. When Oxil was fouled Alexis curled another free-kick just wide of the near post. The same player then drew another excellent save out of Valdes with a spectacular strike from 23 yards out.
It was Cech, however, who would be called into action next when turning a far-post drive from Traore away for a corner. Alexis continued his personal battle with his former team-mate when put through by Theo Walcott, but Valdes again proved equal to the Chilean’s effort. Boro all but sealed the shock win when Traore again broke at pace and played in Negredo but we survived when Koscielny produced a stunning sliding tackle to deny the former Manchester City striker.
There remained an agonising five added minutes in which Ozil finally found the net but from an offside position. Walcott too was flagged as he put the last chance of the game wide.
The point was enough to put us top of the table, for a day at least, but an air of frustration could be felt around the ground. Although we stretched our unbeaten run to twelve matches this was a reminder that some of our old demons may still be lurking.
Hopefully this was a rare failure to break down organised and determined opponents. Yet that is successive matches in which the defence has looked vulnerable to out and out pace. Too often the back four were exposed to Boro’s flyers and defence starts in front of the back four where the normally dependable Coquelin and Elneny were not up to their usual standard.
Arsene’s birthday celebration may have been a bit flat. His are the final words.
“We were exposed at times. When you cannot win, you must not lose. At least you can have a drink on your birthday. When you win you deserve it, when you don’t you need it.”
45 Responses to “There Will Be Days Like This”
Morning
When is Giroud back ?
Thinking a HFB Plan B would have got us a 1-0 yesterday…
Thank you for a fine report Guvna. I spent match day visiting old friends in Fife – who are not of this tribal affiliation unlike two Fifers we know, and it would have been inappropriate to interrupt the reunion to check the score during a game that I glibly assumed would be a formality. An evening reunion with an even older friend at a fine dining establishment in Glasgow meant that I failed even to catch MOTD last night. Thus I am grateful for an account of our travails and indeed relative good fortune in reaping a point.
In truth I am of the opinion that it is a relatively painless and useful lesson for our team and its followers. To have taken the leader position in October in an assertive style rather than today’s slender and transient lead would IMHO lead to a far more painful stumble before too long. We are not ready to be such a target and a place at the shoulder of Athens leader going into January will suit me just fine. Keep the focus and the work rate and the trophy will be ours.
And good work yersel’ Holic. ?
Where on earth did Athens come from? I must somehow have acquired TTG’s phone. Or is it my recollection of that old claim that Auld Reekie was once the Athens of the North and my deep anxiety that she may soon acquire that mantle again?
Not just the Boro game. The Burnley game easily could have ended 0-0 and the reason we scored in that game had very little to do with our strikers. All the praise for the solution of Alexis at center forward could be a little premature?
Grand report. Disappointing result. Pity Giroud wasn’t around to add a different twist.
Excellent report
Here’s my comments from the last drinks
I had trouble getting on the site yesterday which might not have been a bad thing as I was a bit unimpressed by our performance. Tactically we were naive and limited trying to continually go through the middle. The offside goal abthe end was an indication of how we might have broken them down but we didn’t use width at all.
In addition Koscielny had a curate’s egg of a game and he was clearly concerned by Mustafi’s wanderlust which does leave us vulnerable to the counter- attack. For two weeks in a row we’ve seen two greyhounds cause us enormous trouble down the left flank. Nacho coped better yesterday but Traore was very effective.
Only Cech would get more than a 6 for their performance yesterday from me and Boro without being brilliant were well worth their point.
We clearly missed Cazorla and Giroud and Ramsey’s late runs into the box might have unlocked them. Also I thought the way Mustafi wiped out the Boro attacker on the break seemed to me to be much more of a red card than Xhaka’s last week. Mike Dean was very decent yesterday and did little wrong. If only the same could be said of our lads. But as Wenger said if you can’t win don’t lose and we didn’t. It is part of the way the PL is now. I think we got away with it at Burnley now but couldn’t repeat it here.
Sense a little fatigue in our game.. no doubt due to the fixtures.
So much for the strength in depth, we could do with a little more quality in depth too..
Nevertheless not too bad a result all things considering.
Oh hey…saints just scored against tippy tappy city..!
😀
It could have gone both ways I suppose we looked a bit jaded not our usual fluent ways.
Saints keep us top for now!
Good report guvna! 😉
Although I went to the match with some expectations I did have the nagging feeling at the back of my mind that Boro would come and park the bus and unless we managed to score early on we would be in for a frustrating afternoon and so it proved to be.
We looked out of sorts, even the lovely Hector let me down and without the skills of Cech we would have been in serious trouble. Santi was a huge miss leaving Ozil and Alexis without their midfield provider. Elneny who I like is a different sort of player.
The Boro tall robust defenders were more than a match for our front 3 and persisting to play through the middle with intricate passes was a complete waste of effort. We didn’t use our pace on the flanks to advantage and we ran out of ideas when Plan A failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Had Giroud and Ramsey been available we might have created more chances. Sadly yesterdays subs were ineffective and we were a little lucky to get away with a draw. As TTG said Mustafi was very lucky to get away with just a Yellow card, Mr Dean was indeed generous.
Tuesday night will be a very different game with a much changed line-up. I’m looking forward to seeing The Jeff and Rob Holding.
COYRs
The kind of game Manchester City have to win if they want to win the League.
This the league. Teams win games, teams draw games. Apart from the Invincibles teams lose games. Thank God for that.
We move on. Come on you Gunners!
In the meanwhile, for my US Gunner colleagues
Cubs win, Cubs win – Holy Cow!
Cubs fan since 1988. Four visits to the Lord’s of Baseball, Wrigley Field. So thrilled for a team that haven’t been in a World Series since 1945 and haven’t won it since 1908.
Great fans, great ground, great sports City and, this year, great team.
Bring on the Indians!
Take that you Moaning c@#$!
HAha!
1-0 to the chavs…
Countryman, You are of course right that it is (nearly) impossible to win them all but it is fun to turn the anti-Arsenal pundits’ language against them when appropriate. 😉
Cubs’ fan here temporarily too. 🙂
bt8 – was really talking about our game and internet meltdown rather than City but you are of course right!
But you need experience and grey hairs (and I’ve plenty of them!) when following a league campaign. As of course you are well aware! 🙂
2-0..
The chavs (who we obliterated!) are taking apart the Moaning one’s team.. HAHA!
Hope they do europa or worse again next season..!
😀
The headline is absolutely spot on.All teams including MU/Chelsea/Barca/Rm cannot be winning 100%of the time.
As I write the so is trailing by 2 goals.
The day didn’t start well. I was Slightly late to the station. Then not finding a parking space all meant that I spent most of the journey with West Ham fans. They all seem to be dealing in single figure brain cells and all smell a bit funny.
I thought we were poor yesterday. I agree with a lot of TTG and Delia above. We did not just miss Santi in the middle of the park but also Xhaka. Elneny and Le Coq as a pairing restricts the creativity quite considerably. I wonder now how many who were not too disappointed with his “one for the team” ridiculous red from last week are now realising what an error it was.
The stats I have just read tell you that we had 75% of the play but still only 5 shots on target. There is no doubt that Boro were happy to defend. They were overjoyed with a point. However they also ensured that Cech was our best player.
At times Boro played a line of 6 along the back. We looked clueless when it came to trying to break that down. Rather than go wide and try and get in behind the defence we resorted to hitting big high balls into the box and expecting Alexis to out jump to massive centre backs. I can’t be the only one that was not surprised when that failed miserably??
We have played sides like this before and still don’t seem to have a plan to counteract it. Giroud would have been a welcome addition. However I do remember a similar game at home previously. We hit big high balls to Theo up front. We brought on Ollie G and then played it on the deck?
A poor performance and a bad day at the office. We need to work out how to beat teams that play like this. It isn’t a new tactic and should be one by now that we know how to play against.
Onwards and upwards.
Now that Conte’s got his knife in…he’s twisting it too!
Hahahahah!
Mourinho is getting a taste of his own medicine (sitting deep and playing on the counter) as Chelsea are tearing apart a pathetic Manure, 4-0 in the 70th minute. Wish we beat Manure at Old Trafford, losing to that lot would be difficult to take especially as we have quality players now who can win against any team in the EPL. But we know Mourinho will set up like Middlesborough and try and nick a win.
Maureen
#specialistinfailure
Hey Guv, like TTG, I had a hard go of it trying to get into the bar yesterday. Must be Russians trying to hack into important sites.
Yes, one of those days…Though he didn’t do much when he came on late, I thought this match was one where it would have been good to give Lucas a start. Give the opposition something different to deal with and give Alexis a bit of a blow, and bring him on late if need be. And while we love Alexis to death, when the opposition stacks the box, Alexis tries to take on the world with his head down and his multiple cut backs, so the defense gets to reset and rest and his teammates have to stand around and figure out where he’s going. And where the HFB was missed because of his aerial ability and the way he occupies the CDs, he has the oft overlooked ability to break down defenses with flicks to runners that can break through the wall.
Interesting note on the Mourinho debacle at the bridge: at the end, Conte has to jump up and down to gee up the satisfied front running Chelsea supporters to drown out the Mancs supporters! Fickle bunch. And Mourinho will announce that going forward Smalling’s shirt will have the “ing” removed from it when (if) he next appears.
I hear ‘Appy ‘Arry’s free (the one with the twitch!), once Moaninho gets the boot at the end of the season (or earlier)..!
Can’t wait for us to play them and stick it to him.
😀
Manchester United’s goal differential through one quarter of the season with Mourinho in charge: plus one.
About what they deserve for hiring someone like that. *Funny sound effects*
Cheers, Holic, same game here.
Steve T,
You’re right, we did miss Xhaka yesterday although I thought Elneny had a decent enough game considering how little time he’s spent on the pitch.
Where we’re just going to have to disagree is that it was the red card that was ridiculous, not his decideldy non-violent action. Had Barrow got away at that point, Swansea had a four versus two on – and we know how they end.
Still, it is what it is. All the top teams drew so not too much harm done.
Evening H
Team looked tired physically and mentally yesterday, 3 games a week, no matter who the opposition,does take it’s toll.
Not enough credit given to Boro,who i thought were half a yard ahead of us in thought and deed,were brilliant on the counter,and with a bit more composure in front of goal could easily have taken the 3 pts.
I wasn’t aware until my sister pointed it out,that in our last 7 meetings with Boro,we have only beaten them once.
Apart from Leicester,the other 3 English teams who played in Europe midweek,all drew.
In Spain, Athletico lost,Barca needed an injury time penalty to beat Valencia,and Real needed a late goal to beat Bilbao.
Dortmund also drew in Germany,Juve lost in Italy,and as of a few minutes ago PSG were drawing at home as well.
So it seems depth doesn’t have much to do with it.
Would a marathon runner run 3 of those a week. ?? Course not.
That’s what the players at the top sides are doing constantly,so when the legs and the brain are in the Red zone,and you came up against a well rested and fully focused opposition,if you cannot win,you make sure you don’t lose.
More than happy to be where we are after the opening round disaster against Pool.
The main players will get a good weeks rest this week,so expect them back refreshed for the visit to Sunderland next weekend.
Indeed, there will be days like this. The encouraging thing is that nowadays they seem to be one point salvaged rather than three points dropped days.
Clive@28: Good point. You need speed and intensity to breakdown a parked bus, both in short supply from CL-drained bodies.
Clive,
Great post. Interesting set of results.
Thnks Trev
Now please restrain yourself when Chris logs in later,and gives Mesut a serve.
Reading match is Tuesday evening and Sunderland match is Saturday lunchtime so it’s looking like a quick week. Must remember not to blink.
Me, Holic ?
Who’s Chris ? ?
Sorry, Clive. – not Holic ??
Evening all.
Grand’holics and puppy are in the vicinity so I am distracted delightfully.
I won’t apologise. 🙂
Grandholics and puppy, Holic ?
Sounds like my life –
go straight from looking after the kids to the doghouse. ?
Parked buses do not suit our speed merchants. With them contrained it was up to the midfield’s slide-rule technicians to open them up. Unfortunately Santi was unavailable.
On the other hand, we’d have lost the game to a late counter attack last season so a point better off than we might have been. Thanks mostly to Cech being on his game when some were not.
Another nightmare runaround for Nacho has me wondering whether the LB position needs a look.
Good to see you up an running, ‘holic. Your site that is. Gave me more time for a ‘considered’ opinion.
Did you think Mesut deserved a serve, Clive?
In rebuttal of this article, which I admit to not having read,
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37747469
may I point out a reason why it may actually not be too early to write off Manchester United: They are relying heavily on a 35 year old striker who will only be getting older as the season progresses. And that doesn’t even take into account how they are relying on Rooney, who is now another old guy. And that doesn’t even take into account how they are relying heavily on Mourinho, who is a has-been.
Glory Glory Man United …
*makes rude noises and gestures*
Chelsea and Liverpool are not in European competitions and can field the same well rested players week after week. Gives them a huge advantage and will have a big bearing on who finishes in the top four at the end of the season. We can keep up only if AW uses the squad judiciously instead of fielding the same players game after game. In addition, the demands made by the players national teams will certainly affect players fitness, especially for players like Sanchez who play every game with the utmost intensity. Going to be a tough season.
Zico, from preview bar –
Great stuff – i missed it somehow – and the preview post actually – work’s a pain sometimes but has to be done.
The guys on star sports stated the obvious when they said pool and chelsea have the clear run in because of their rest and no mid-week endeavors. As much as I laughed at mou, 3 games in a week do take its toll. Oh no not that I am complaining. I hate that so and so. They should be very close to the league barring their usual dose of draws during the season.
We were tired and yes santi is irreplaceable. Ozil had a poor game and as tidy as coq and elneny were, the creative spark was missed and hence there were hardly any clear cut chances. Cech kept us in the game and that is saying a lot at home. Theo had one of those games which have left a lot to be frustrated with him. Clearly, the jadedness was visible all throughout the pitch.
Reading should see us make a whole lot changes. Hopefully, Giroud gets playing time for we need him, the plan B.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ox again!!!! 2-0.