Deacon Causes Problems As Arsenal Do A Professional Job
Feb 20th, 2017 by 'holic
Arsene Wenger’s mix and match selection was a good mix of youth and experience, it appeared, ahead of the match at Gander Green Lane. In front of David Ospina a back four of Gabriel, Skhodran Mustafi, Rob Holding, and Nacho Monreal, were backed up on the bench by Mathieu Debuchy, Per Mertesacker, and Kieran Gibbs. Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka were in behind a creative trio of Theo Walcott, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, and Alex Iwobi. Just for good measure Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ainsley Maitland-Niles were substitutes along with Alexis, displaced by Lucas in the first eleven.
Both sides started cautiously and the first moment of ‘excitement’ was created by a pitch invader eleven minutes in. Why, when you are one of the holders of the 5000 hottest tickets in town, would you ensure your ejection and the waste of a space in the ground? A quarter of an hour passed before Elneny launched a conversion attempt far over the crossbar. There followed a shocking dive by former Gunner Craig Eastmond. Disappointing but not surprising to see that. Michael Oliver was not fooled.
Roarie Deacon, another former Gunner, enjoyed the opening quarter of the match and caused both Arsenal full-backs some nervous moments. As the clock ticked over 23 minutes Xhaka was awarded a yellow card for his first foul of the contest when he held Eastmond back. He does appear to be a marked man by the PGMOL officials.Β Arsenal grabbed the lead when Xhaka sent Lucas scurrying down the right flank. He cut in and sent a cross towards Walcott, who completely missed his attempted backheel, and the ball curled inside the far post.
Sutton United 0-1 Arsenal
A scramble ensued when Monreal was denied by the goalkeeper but Iwobi was unable to tee up anyone in the chaos that followed the ball not going out of play. Moments later Walcott did connect with a drive from outside the box that missed the target by some distance and nestled in the back of the home end. Collins challenge on Iwobi was ‘interesting’ in the light of the Xhaka booking. The non-award of a free-kick raised eyebrows. Man and ball was a great challenge many moons ago, but today? Of course Alan Shearer laughed it off and mocked Martin Keown for considering it a foul.
Just over five minutes before the break Reine-Adelaide found himself the covering right-back and was forced to take a yellow card for the team when Deacon threatened to break clear. The resulting free-kick was rapidly taken to the other end by Walcott, and Iwobi’s effort was deflected just past the post. Sutton were all but gifted a response when Ospina’s careless clearance presented May with a free shot which he sliced into the rough wide of the near post.
Elneny, who looked to have picked up a calf problem in the first-half, did not reappear after the break and Oxlade-Chamberlain was introduced. The National League side started the half enthusiastically pressing across the pitch but the Gunners did quickly adjust to the increased pace of the game. With both sides careless in possession Sutton coach Ian Baird, once of Southampton,Β screamed “for flips sake get ‘old of the flipping ball”, or words to that effect. The beauty of a small venue!
Gomis created panic in the Arsenal box and the Gunners had Oxlade-Chamberlain to thank for bringing the ball out of danger. The feeling that we needed the cushion of a second goal was growing. It came courtesy of a wonderfully intricate exchange around the box and ended with Walcott sweeping Monreal’s cross in at the far post with his left foot.
Sutton United 0-2 Arsenal
Chances were traded but both goalkeepers were able to deny first Biamou for Sutton, then Lucas for the Arsenal. Monreal had to be at his best to head a dangerous looking Deacon cross away for a corner which Collins head narrowly over. Sutton, and their supporters, were lifted by the moment. Just short of 65Β minutes Deacon’s 25 yard pile-driver crashed back into play off the crossbar. Bigger clubs are sniffing around him, and you can see why.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s scintillating break over half of the pitch came to nought when he failed to pick out the three unmarked Gunners in the box. Spence responded with a cross that brought an excellent punch clear from Ospina. This tie was still very much alive with twenty minutes to play. Sutton sent Hudson-Odoi on for the luckless May. The Gunners went for the double substitution of Alexis and Maitland-Niles for Reine-Adelaide and Iwobi.
Holding had to be alert to clear when Oxlade-Chamberlain had his pocket picked by Gomis. Some of the Sutton lads may have started to tire at this point but Gomis was not one of them. The Ox attempted to make amends but Worner managed to parry his goal bound effort.
Collins took a kick at the stricken Alexis then pushed him over as he attempted to get up. I wonder what Xhaka thought of him getting away with a quick word of warning by the inconsistent Oliver. The fact that he is the finest the PGMOL have at the moment is telling.
As the clock ticked down Xhaka’s long range effort was deflected to Oxlade-Chamberlain, sadly off target with his snapshot. Martin Keown, perhaps unsurprisingly, praised Arsenal’s approach to a potential banana skin. We should also pay tribute to Sutton who were far from disgraced on the evening. Their passage to the fifth round was a thrilling ride for them and their supporters, and the two Football League scalps they claimed along the way will not be forgotten for a long time.
All in all, a very satisfying evening. Bring on Lincoln.
68 Responses to “Deacon Causes Problems As Arsenal Do A Professional Job”
That was about as comfortable as it gets really. If it had been anything else I would have been amazed.
That was a tough watch A true no win situation but job done – What are those bellends with their flag all about, Of all the nights, that said fuck me we have a few passengers in this side and our football is slow ponderous going nowhere tripe at times,
Job done. Thirteen days off. Anfield awaits. We’ll have to improve a little ……
Countryman, A little is an understatement π Sutton got at us – Im a little,well a lot fearful of what liverpools pressing will achieve, the likes of Mane could well over run us – We fold like a pack of cards at the nearest sign of any pressure !!
We won because we were solid at the back despite an eccentric display by Ospina. Holding looks a real player. We were playing with nine in the first half as Jeff and Iwobi were very uncomfortable on the pitch and did very little of note .
Ox made a difference in the second half as did Maitland- Nikes late on and that Alexis looks decent but to book Xhaka and let Collins run through umpteen ‘ tackles’ was negligent by Oliver. Sanchez was chopped twice at the end.
Deacon as I said during the game was significantly better than some of our players but I liked the attitude of our back four, Xhaka was ok and Ox and Theo coped well physically and showed real class. Lucas should start every day of the week ahead of Iwobi at present . He is a goal threat and much braver and more effective than Iwobi.
I hope I never see another game on a pitch as awful as that. Elneny has picked up an injury and it was a banana skin not just in terms of the potential result but the slipperiness of the pitch. Pitches like that end careers and compromise entertainment.
TTG,
Sorry cannot agree Monreal looked a walking liability and the back 4 were pulled all over by Roarie Deacon !!! And as for Theo looking class well if failing to control a moving ball or find a team mate in space is class I best get my boots back on he was atrocious, The only 3 players that looked like Arsenal players were Lucas, Holding bar the odd one or two dribbles from the back and the Oz when he come on the rest at best were Meh
The Ox even π
Monreal saved us from a certain concession when he headed away for the corner. That pitch was impossible to play on and well though Deacon did he scarcely pulled the back 4 all over the pitch. Mustafi and Holding basically played in their armchairs all game. Deacon hit a great dipping shot but that and the criss and the flap by Ospina ( and his pass to May in the first half) were the only chances they had.
When you get your boots on try playing on that pitch against a team given carte blanche by the referee.
The Oz! I like it! Nice one Chippy! π
I know a song we could link it to!
Lucas, Chippy? Apart from the goal for which Theo deserves the credit for distracting the keeper, he was hopeless … couldn’t pass, couldn’t shoot and kept losing the ball. One decent run down the left in the second half (before giving the ball away) is all I would credit him with.
Theo was a constant threat only mitigated by woeful through balls never reaching him. In fact our passing was awful today, even worse than it generally has been in recent seasons.
Err, on my screen I saw the opposite of Chris. Same as usual.
Calm down chaps, this was never going to be easy . I think Wenger would have seen who has a future and who doesn’t. Lucas is very useful and he and Theo playing wide of Ozil with Sanchez ahead would be a very tricky proposition. But I do worry why Iwobi gets so much game time compared to say Lucas and I can’t see anything in the Jeff. He lopes around but doesn’t look like a potential Premier League player to me.
We’ve got plenty of tin men countryman π
TTG there was nowt wrong with the pitch we train on one at Colney at times, If anything it should have aided our so called quick incisive football, Far better to play on that than a rutted mud heap, But yes I agree that a couple of challenges could and one should have resulted in a red card, Still cannot agree we looked tight at the back a better side would have punished us,
Chris
The only constant threat Walcott provides is to defenders midriffs when he runs straight into them π Your view of Lucas is pretty much the exact same write up I’d attribute to Theo,
In the Cup, you beat what is in front of you and move on. That we did. There are no marks for artistic impression. End of.
Unless there is significant snow the men do not train on the covered artificial pitch at Shenley. I understand we had one session on it at the weekend in preparation for Sutton. I’m told the Ladies use it much more.
We should have played the ladies then π
I thought Lucas was great. The quality wasn’t there but he was all over the place, never hid and deserved his goal. No surprise that I didn’t think Theo was anywhere near as bad as has been mentioned.
I thought Ozil had his best ever game for us tonight π
As for the pitch, 3G pitches are fucking awful and should be banned. A team I watch locally has had to play on various incarnations of 3G this year and the players hate them all.
TTG,
As for the boots I might give it a miss,I’m more a reserve goalkeeper of the Sutton variety in stature thes days π
Lucas will be gone in the summer, so need to keep arguing about him. π I agree Iwobi is going backwards. He looked promising once, but now looks well out of his depth. Motm was probabaly Deacon.
*probabobabaly….
Chippy. Dont you realiise Chris knows everything?
Please try and keep up…..
No opinions of your own, Failage? Just the same old same old. Grow up ffs.
Our players were scared to play on that surface and were, understandably, tentative. The ball moved so fast that players could not reach passes they would have on normal pitches. As NBN said we have beaten what was in front of us and we move on.
I think Welbeck in place of Iwobi would strengthen our team and provide some speed and strength. Lucas’s movement is great though his passing lets him down now and then. He will improve if given decent playing time. Ox has improved significantly and I would play him alongside Xhaka in the midfield ( though he had a rotten time against Bayern just like everyone else).
Liverpool will tell us whether we are heading out of the top four.
Poor old Theo, keeps scoring regularly (only four less than Alexis this season) but still can’t do anything right for some.
Oops, make that 5 goals less than Alexis, but in 9 less starts. And still comfortably our second best striker.
My deepest condolences to Gooner Steve. That must hurt.
Let’s hope that Lincoln give us a right good kicking.
π
Fine report Guvna and good call on Oliver. It was quite clear the unfamiliar surface contributed to our erratic passing over and above the underlying lack of confidence. Nonetheless despite some dysfunctional play, we got the job done without any drama.
The story of the night however was Michael Oliver’s clear demonstration that objective application of the laws of the game is no longer a component of the PGMOL’s philosophy. I thought he was an absolute disgrace last night but at least it makes it abundantly clear why inexplicable decisions are made.
Agree with Chippy 6.
We looked nervous initially, Lucas decided to grab the game with the scruff of the neck and sprinted forward.
Just his gusto showed class. This is the drive and Will and exactly what all Arsenal players need to Show.
That’s all we are asking for , the players to give their all for every second but in modern game as we all know that is not enough. Tactics at high level can make the difference. Anyways…
I met Wenger about six months ago in North London not far from where i live. I couldn’t resist and went up and shook his hand saying he was a legend and my hero. He was really appreciative, five minutes later i saw him walking the other way and he said good bye and waived going past. Which was a real surprise and a touch of class.
So as a person he is amazing, a genuine fellow! and that is why players accept his philosophy.
Unfortunately players take advantage of that and human psychology is such that if your ass is not kicked, you wont give 110%.
Pundits don’t realise that we as fans have also supported and guided Wenger for a while now (since 2005-6) with a number of things including: a real push to spend money which he really wasn’t comfortable with, we proposed a defensive assistant (follow Pat’s departure) when we started leaking goals to no end.
We also wanted a team of leaders but he doesn’t agree, we wanted a world class players but he wanted home grown prioritised. I have always maintained he could have got rid of Diaby and the likes long time ago but that’s the culture of club he wants to develop where players play for fun and are protected and paid till the very end. This is of course has been detrimental to the clubs progress but he doesn’t want success, he wants stability without pressure and top 4.
Its fair enough to keep believing you have the hunger but he could have had much more success if he kept the hunger to win over the last 10 years and was more ruthless with the clearouts.
Either way Arsenal is more important to me than Arsene and i think now he needs to walk away with the head held high.
Arsene please do the right thing!
Bath
Absolutely right. One law for the underdogs and another for the Premier League team. Collins did at least two tackles worse than the ones Xhaka was red- carded for this season.
David Squires features both Arsene and Alexis into his latest offering.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2017/feb/21/david-squires-on-lincoln-city-joey-barton-and-the-fa-cup-fifth-round
UTA.
The name Roarie makes me think of
http://img.youtube.com/vi/4yr0M1q0GiY/0.jpg
Someone on Twitter has just suggested that The Arsenal have had four transformational managers: Chapman; Mee; Graham and Wenger. I’d agree with three but take issue with Mee – most of the credit for that late 60s/early 70s double winning team should go to Don Howe.
There are many on here with decades of experience – what do you guys think? Any other names to add to the list?
Those who still think Walcott is a disgrace to Arsenal for his short sleeves, which were long sleeves rolled up anyway, please note the following pre-match image.
http://1tvs492zptzq380hni2k8x8p.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/alez.png
Maybe it was the pitch or we underestimated the sutton lot but we were average at best. Job done and that is sufficient for i know the potential banana skin on such games.
Lucas deserves to start ahead of Iwobi against pool. If we have any ambition of winning that game, he needs to start. Jeff was poor and xhaka positionally unaware most times. Ox looked lively and it looks more and more that central midfield it will be for him. United in for him is the rumor and we would do well to hold on to him knowing his want for game time.
Lincoln next at home and a potential spurs semis. I would rather hope it all ends with an Arsenal win over united in the final, Wenger laughing at mou and then announcing his decision to leave the club. Perfect ending, aint it??
I think your list sums it up Countryman but I wouldn’t qualify Mee’s tenure like that myself, while accepting he is only the 4th most successful in trophies lifted, assuming we posthumously credit Chapman with the 34 and 35 titles, which is only right. But we hadn’t won a trophy since 1953 when he took over. I think he very much delivered “victory through harmony” with Howe calling the shots on the coaching side. But let’s remember also that Howe flopped as Manager himself for a few years so this also suggests Mee was pretty accomplished as boss. That heavy delegation should also in no way detract from his legacy and was further shown by his inspirational captain Frank McLintock, although I don’t think he signed him. He was a real Gent too who quietly went about his business with the minimum of fuss. Emulating Spurs from 1961 with our first ever Double in 1971 was surely what has helped define our relationship with them ever since and re-announced us as a superpower in English football. Not that the first few years were easy for him and Swindon in the League Cup Final was fairly humiliating. He also had to deal with Revie and an incredibly strong Leeds United team and it became tough competing when the Double side broke up. Remember we basically used 12 players all season back then (I could name them very easily in about 5 seconds, so sharp are such boyhood memories!). So that made transition and team building really difficult. Basically, Bertie Mee brought back success after a couple of lost decades and Graham and Wenger continued the good work….one could say. I liked GG as a manager and tactician, he was more successful than Mee and things were never boring with him around (even if we were boring, boring Arsenal !) but let’s face it he had a real shady side whereas Bertie was traditional, understated and very Arsenal in that way I’d say. I’ll also add Wenger showed all his own class and more at Sutton this week, all credit to him for that. Chapman, if it hadn’t been for his early death and WWII, would probably have beaten Wenger’s haul quite comfortably, given the club won the title again straight after the war. COYG.
Talking of class, Nice touch the Silver Cannon and the 50 large shows we can and do still do things The Arsenal way,
ScG. All good points and very well made. I think I have been biased by Charlie George. I had the pleasure of doing the Legends Tour a few years ago, hosted by the long haired one himself. He was brilliant. At the Q&A at the end he was asked about Mee. He couldn’t stand him (the reason he left so soon after the double) and reckoned it was all down to Howe and the strong influence of McClintock. Let’s put it down to a combo of the three, Mee, Howe and Frank.
Cheers H!
I done the Legends tour with Charlie as well. He was ace.
Little Story about CG, At a certain game when a donkey won the Derby a Mr CG was sat in the row behind me let’s just say he spent the entire 90 minutes hurling abuse at the LWCs, From that day Forth I knew just how much an Arsenal man he was π !! Lucky for him camera phones had still to be invented π !
He comes from Islington. Straight off the terraces onto the pitch.
I think Tom Whittaker should be added to that list. Although George Allison was the nominal manager, Tom ran the technical side from Herbert Chapman’s death in 1934 to his own prematurity in 1956. In that time the Gunners won 2 championships before the war & 2 after, together with FA Cup wins in 1936 & 1950.
The club had real problems after the war & flirted with relegation in 1946/47 until the ageing Ronnie Rooke was bought from Fulham & banged them in like nobody’s business. The following season we won the league in a canter. A true Arsenal legend.
When I met him I said “I was just 14 when you scored that winner at Wembley”. He said “bugger me boy, I wasn’t much older myself!”. I think he was 20.
Huge AW fan. He starts his tour by asking “who is the best signing Arsenal ever made”? People of course say Bergkamp or Henry or Vieira. “Nope” he said. “Arsene Wenger”.
Arsenal progressed significantly under Bertie Mee, and he brought trophies after a long drought. But it would be hard to argue that he was a transformational manager in the way of Chapman and Wenger. Mostly he was a superb administrator. Tactically he was in tune with the increasingly defensive approach adopted by managers in the second half of the 60s, but much of that was down to Don Howe anyway off the field and McLintock on it.
Probably a fair caveat NBN in retrospect, especially given that Charlie George horse’s mouth account from C100. I wouldn’t be a Gooner today if CG hadn’t scored and lay down like that in the cup final. I think the Double winning first XI might also have been a bit special in terms of personality, chemistry and hardness – as well as that captain fantastic. I’m afraid we have 25 Peter Marinellos these days. COYG.
I always thought Marinello was ahead of
his time π
First game i saw on colour tv was the 71 cup
final. My 7 year old self was a bit confused
at first why we were cheering for the yellows instead
of the reds as I’d never been to an away game π
Like SC, Charlie’s goal is a great memory.
I was shocked when Bertie left but agree with others
that tactically Don gets a lot of credit. In the end those
players get the credit for their toughness, though to be
fair Bertie must have played a big part in building
the group.
In transformation terms I feel GG made the change
more by simply being GG whereas AW was more the
persuader and had Dein to help him. No right or
wrong way of course. Dein wasn’t the manager either
but i think he was a big change agent for the club.
In my time, before and since Dein we’ve never had
board members who actually want to get involved.
Mee inherited from Billy Wright: George Armstrong; Frank McLintock; John Radford; Jon Sammels; Peter Simpson; Peter Storey and Bob Wilson. The core of a team good enough to win the double.
NBN,
@47
True enough.
But then Mee brought in
Rice, McNab, Kelly, Graham,
Kennedy and George.
However, I know I have the
rose-coloured specs of youth
about Bertie as he was my first.
That double was a trump card in
many a playground argument
with the South London Chavs
fans and I loved that we’d done
it.
Arsene Wenger inherited an entire defence and goalkeeper and since they all packed it in he has failed to replace any of them sufficiently.
Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole. π
Though the fact that Lauren and Kolo started out as midfielders was beginning to say something perhaps Holic…and let’s not dwell on 90% of the next 15-20 first team defenders who arrived. It was a great defence though in fairness and a masterly transition. Unlike deciding to play with mini-men, ditching strong captains, misreading FFP, building the fabulous British core and much of the rest of Wenger Act II…I better shut up.
Cole was already at the club and he tried to sell him π
But point taken.
He still had almost all of his success with most of Graham’s back five in the team though.
Holic Cambell was the glue holding the other journeymen midfielders, Lauren and Toure were always prone to panic!.
If we didnt have Campbell 2001 Wengers errors would have been obvious from there on!
Countryman
Late to the debate on managers .Very good drink from Scgooner. I’ve discussed Mee with several of the Double side. Frank McLintock( bought by Billy Wright) says Bertie was called Captain Mainwaring by the team. They give the football credit to Don Howe but said Bertie was a great organiser and front man .George deserves lots of credit for the transformation he brought about without much Big spending. His big signing was Ian Wright but that was after the two titles. His first signing was Perry Groves!
I must reject Cynic’s argument about defences. You could argue that Graham inherited Tony Adams. Arsene produced a defence that didn’t lose all season and a defence that reached the Champions League Final after 14 games without conceding . Keown may have coached them but Arsene brought those players to the club.
Chapman was before even my time but was clearly a great innovator and did it at two clubs. My dad always thought Tom Whittaker was good too . He was a great servant to the club.
But Arsene and Herbert Chapman can be said to have transformed the club financially and in playing terms .
OM@48: Mee signings included Graham, McNab, Rice, George, Kelly, Kennedy, Brady, Stapleton, OβLeary. Not too shabby a list by any measure.
…and every one of them UK, Ned. Those were the days!
So, will have to put something together on Thursday night. Anybody got any requests? (Immediately realises the folly of the question!) ?
Chris, are you having a laugh ? So Brady, Stapleton and O’Leary came from the UK ? I’ll give you Pat Rice, just.
Anybody got any requests?
Moon River by Andy Williams.
#43
I also did the legends Emiartes tour with CH back in 2013 – it was superb and he was a proper gentleman – was the morning after a Spuds exit from the Europa league and he kept taking the piss all throughout the tour.
Two years later in 2015 I took my (then) 8 year old Daughter on the standard stadium tour – we bumped into CG and (even though he was off the clock) stopped for a quick chat and photo with her.
Class act.
Confirmed that Santi is out for the season.
It’s funny. With all of the comments about sack the board, sack the manager etc perhaps our first priority should be to sort out the constant injury problems?? It’s been done several times but it can’t just be coincidence or bad luck? There must be more to it?
Yes Steve T @61 there is an interesting correlation between our position with and without Santi in the last two seasons . He departed the Sven around the same time in both seasons with our fortunes looking pretty good. Our challenge collapsed without him in both seasons.
Could his injury have been managed better? The inevitable question and one I hope Gazidis is addressing seriously. It does seem to me that Arsene ought to shake up his staff more often as SAF did to get more energy and new idea into the club. Boron and Gerry Peyton and Banfield have been there for years as has Colin Lewin and Bouldy . I wonder if he needs to shake things up more on and off the pitch?
Incidentally, and it’s no surprise I’m told that Sanchez is not at all popular in the dressing room and is much more likely to leave than Ozil . If Arsene leaves I could see that changing
Would Santi have been immune from the last two traditional seasonal collapses ? I don’t think so. Injuries ? Don’t think we’ve been too bad this year. We’ve at last started to sign bigger, more resilient looking athletes. Footnote ; We should have bloody well taken Cesc back summer 2014, would have been 25 mill well spent and we would hardly have missed Santi, as much as I love the little fellow. No room in the Inn at the time ? As I recall – Diaby, TR7, Arteta, Flamini and Wilshere were all CMs still getting wedged up with contracts and extensions. Were we even still Kallstromed up at the time ?!? Grrrrr. COYG.
Chris – I do have an opinion.
Unlike you though, I am happy with stating it only once.
You wouldn’t want to hear my opinion of your ceaseless and repetitive ramblings.
I won’t tell you to grow up FFs,though – only children do that.
Leicester sack Ranieri.
Ranieri sacked. That’s fucking harsh.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Will sacking Ranieri prevent them from relegation?