Gunners Self-Destruct In The Easter Sunshine
Apr 22nd, 2019 by 'holic
Easter Sunday, with the emphasis being on the Sun. At last I was heading to town to watch my beloved Arsenal in the flesh again. Three pints of Guiness and a glass of white wine later I took up my seat looking forward to us snaffling third place in the Premier League.
Then I looked at the pitch for the first time. “Oh, Carl Jenkinson”. For once I hadn’t scanned the phone an hour before kick-off. I looked up at the big screen just in time to see the substitutes listed. Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Nacho Monreal, Lucas Torreira, Alex Iwobi, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. I scanned the pitch again. Konstsantinos Mavropanos, ok. A pairing of Mohamed Elneny and Matteo Guendouzi. You don’t remember Everton, Unai?
The front three gave hope but in the first half they were denied service from what was behind them. Palace, with their impressive away record, bristled with pace and power. They got a deserved lead when Carl Jenkinson stayed at home as his fellow defenders looked to play offside, and Benteke was left unmarked to head home a free-kick for a rare goal. In truth we were fortunate that they did not add to it before the break.
Once again Unai Emery was forced into half-time changes. Mavropanos and Jenkinson were withdrawn for Iwobi and Maitland-Niles. There was an immediate reaction. Mesut Ozil, looking like the industrious playmaker Emery has cajoled him to be, produced another of his bounce the ball over the goalkeeper finishes. “We’ll kick on from here now, surely?”
We had reckoned without Shkodran Mustafi. I liked him as a player when we first signed him. We could forgive him the easily going to ground for the times he would dig out a performance when needed. That player has rarely been seen this season. For whatever reason he has regressed under Emery and yesterday produced double lapses of concentration that undid all the good we were threatening.
A ball he should have played as Zaha bore down on him was allowed to pass, along with the Palace forward who gleefully took his unexpected chance. Mustafi gestured at Leno but there was never a chance of the ball reaching him first. Then the German went walkabout allowing McArthur a free header to increase the visitors lead.
Torreira’s overdue introduction for Elneny gave us a platform from which to attempt an Easter resurrection, and hope returned when the persistent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reduced the arrears in impressive fashion. A late chance for Iwobi was side footed tamely rather than drilled goal wards and the points were lost.
Mustafi was quick to depart the pitch without acknowledging the supporters. Perhaps it is unfair to mention it, but it summed up completely his failure to accept responsibility for his performance. We will probably need him at Wolves on Wednesday. Surely Laurent Koscielny cannot be put out there again? He is playing too much at the moment, but he is critical, if fit.
As for the support, it was time to retire to the taverns in the area to enjoy some spirit-lifting refreshment and enjoyable chat. The mood remains much better than the last couple of years, but that will be tested by further performances like yesterday. Let’s hope we are not pushed into fielding some of the combinations that cost us yesterday again.
A word too for the supporters of both clubs who made the march from South London to North to raise awareness of mens mental health issues. Somme of ours commented on the friendly and enjoyable nature of the event. That’s not a surprise but still your efforts need commending. Congratulations all.
41 Responses to “Gunners Self-Destruct In The Easter Sunshine”
I’ve not yet seen the highlights but I am sure your report was more of a pleasure to read than they are to watch. I’m delighted you have returned to first team action. It’s a great pity you didn’t bring your boots. It sounds like, even just recuperating, you would still have been an upgrade for Mustafi.
Cheers, Guvna! ?
The manager has to take some responsibility here. That defensive line up – and the midfield protction nedded in front of them – was never going to work against an in form Benteke and Zaha was it ?
Still no excuse for Mustafi being so inept though. That second goal was just laughable…
Have just caught up with the previous drinks. When friend Mahala gave us the line-up in the Hemingford my heart sank and memories of Everton came to mind.
I agree with Steve T’s assessment of yesterday’s disaster in the sun and much of the blame lies at Emery’s door. ? was he trying to rest players and did he underestimate Palace. Surely you play your best available team and the when we are a couple of goals ahead you then give some of them a rest. Memories of some of Arsene’s selections came flooding back.
Then there was Mustafi, every thing has already been said about his errors since he joined us. Yesterday we got the complete repertoire plus the worst dive seen this season. It was embarrassing to watch and deserved the yellow card.
What an opportunity we had to cement our top four place with both Spuds and United loosing, now we have to win our remaining games, a task which I fear will be beyond us.
Going to Leicester next Sunday so hoping for the best.
Good to see you fit again, Holic,
Hope you still enjoyed making the trip again, if not the performance and result.
For me, at this stage of the season and in our circumstances, you play your best players until you are forced to make a change – especially when so many of your squad alternatives are clearly not up to standard.
When a team has developed and appears to have solved some of its problems, let it play. No, I don’t have access to “red zone” information but I did see us play Everton a couple of weeks ago when Elneny and Gouendouzi forced Ozil so deep to look for the ball, that it isolated our attack.
There were better options on the bench that could even have rotated at half time if they couldn’t do 90 minutes – and that’s what happened anyway. That doesn’t, of course, compensate for Mustafi, who is at least one accident waiting to happen in every game he plays, but we have now lost three home points in trying to win three potentially much harder ones away from home.
I quite like Emery and he has put us in a much better position than most of us imagined at the start of the season. He got it wrong yesterday and Mustafi, on several occasions, put his errors beyond redemption.
Let’s hope for a miracle to change Mustafi’s proven ways if we are indeed to see him again in an Arsenal shirt.
I agree with everything that’s already been stated.
To be fair on UE it’s his first season in charge and it’s an upgrade on AW’s last decade in charge. This isn’t his team and he’s learning about the league. I don’t think we’ll cross the finish line in getting top four. Which leaves the Europa league as our only realistic chance of getting Champions League football. We’ll need CL if we are to recruit the kind of personnel that UE needs to play his brand of football. Hopefully, he will learn that he needs to play his strongest 11 in the PL no matter who the opposition is, if he wants to improve our league position next season.
But finish 5th or 6th is about where we should be with this squad of player’s. Mesut will see out the remainder of his contract with us. As no team that would potentially want to recruit him can afford him and those that can afford him don’t need him. Which actually means AFC are hamstrung for at least 2 seasons.
Truly delightful that you are back in harness guvna. A great report. All the pubs in the area were buzzing with the Toffees dismemberment of United in the early game (cries of Theo, Theo spilling out into the sunshine). The mood on a T-shirted and be- shorted (is that a word?) North Bank couldn’t have been better. Although there were a few half time boos, the players left the field at full time to applause (albeit luke warm). The boos awaited the abysmal Jon Moss, comfortably the worst ref in the Prem. Our two goals were quite superb.
Regarding Mustafi, anyone can have a bad game (although he has more than most), but I really dislike the way he coated off and blamed Leno after his howler rather than raising his hand in apology. There are Arsenal dressing rooms of old (e.g that led by Frank McLintock) where he would have found himself lifted up by the throat and pinned against the wall for that little stroke.
So, as I said last night, we’ve got to win these away games now. It’s not beyond us. I’m lucky enough to be going to Wolves and Leicester so here’s hoping.
I don’t blame Emery too much, he needed to rotate with some away games coming up, chose to do it in a homes game, which is sensible, picked a front three that should be able to do the job on Palace and had his allegedly star player in the team plus his regular centre back.
The problem is, we have a poor squad and our regular centre back is shit.
Happy Easter 🙂
Just picking up Countryman’s point concerning Bernd Leno yesterday.
In today’s market of bonkers transfer fees, Leno at £20 million must be the bargain of the season. Are Emerson or Allison at £68m and £70m any better ? Not for me.
Every game Leno is making match saving and match winning saves, he is quick off his line, good with his feet and fits Emery’s desired playing style perfectly.
After another superb double save in the first half yesterday, what was Mustafi thinking throwing accusing arms in the air ………..
So, we went from third in our hands to turd in our pants!
We will scrape top 4 still tho. As long as Emery has learnt from yesterday’s dodgy line up!
Up the Arse!
There but for Mustafi went the Holic pound.
Great to see you back. Enjoyed reading your report much more than I enjoyed the game.
Leno, Torreira and Guendouzi are all good buys, Trev. Guendouzi not quite ready for the level of intensity he’s being subjected to just yet though.
Trev
Leno is a brilliant signing. But he’s an Arsenal player so doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Plus he wasn’t £60m so can’t be as good as the media faves.
Nice report H.
Not really too much to add to what I’ve already said. I fully accept that we need to rotate and rest players. Especially at this stage of the season. But I will never understand why we maker so many changes, especially at the back.
Yesterday was a massive, must win game. Those around us dropped points and we would have known that after Palace, 3 of our 4 remaining games were away. Even more vital in my opinion to get 3 points against Palace. What a wasted opportunity. What massive pressure we now unnecessarily have put ourselves under.
I’ve never been a fan of Mustafi. He was always a panic buy for me and someone that always looks like an error is just around the corner. Surely someone who should be one of the first out of the door in the summer???
Two very tough games away at Wolves and Leicester to follow. I just hope that we are a tad more sensible with our selections this time.
We were rubbish, when I arrived at the game and saw the line up, I thought it was a league cup game.Guedonzi kept arguing with every one including the officials, the lino with one hand shielding the sun kept missing decisions including Maitland-Niles who was tripped but stayed up, we always slag players that go down too easily, so maybe in the future he should do the same. Moss is a crap ref, too short and fat to keep up. Emery totally balls the selection up, big mistake.Mustafi, I cannot stand the man as a or defender, useless to the core, and at fault for two of the goals. Jenkinson keeping the useless Bentake onside. It was a calamity of a game, do we never learn. Wolves will be a tough game, if we come away with a draw, we will be lucky. Three points would have given us a cushion, but there are more twists and turns to the end of the season.
Great that you graced the Arsenal in person Holic. Like Bath I had a funny feeling about this game. Palace are one of the better teams away from home and despite playing two reserve CBs ( who were much better than ours) won well.
I agree with much of what has been written especially with Trev about Leno who I rate highly . I would be happy with rotation IF we did not have such a chasm between first and reserve choices. In that I include Guendouzi. He is obviously very promising but he hasn’t played well this year and his irrepressible nature leads him to overdo the risk in his passing. But he did set up Iwobi for a sitter at the end . As for Mustafi his reaction on the second goal was that of a coward . He looks like Jeff Blockley without the pace. As Countryman said Frank Mclintock ( who had good reason to chastise Blockley) would marmalise Mustafi for trying to blame a goalie he hung out to dry? Remember his pathetic mistake against Wembley in the Carabao Cup Final! He must go in the summer.
If Kos can’t play on Wednesday I’d go with a four and play Sokratis and Monreal in the centre. Sadly we have few options at full back. Better to spend the Suarez loan fee in January on a full back who could back us up on both sides or certainly the left.
I do have a more positive feeling about the next two away games. We can win them both as Wolves are very tired having not rotated much this year and Leicester are bang average . Yesterday so were we
The worst thing about yesterday is that it ruined your return to first team action, Guv’nor.
Much to agree with what senior members of the bar say above, on team selection, Mustafi and Leno in particular.
Nothing to do but put a horrible, wasteful day behind us and move on. Still 12 points to be won.
Plenty to sort out in the close season.
“The worst thing about yesterday is that it ruined your return to first team action…”
No, the worst thing is that Arsenal lost.
Humans before football. Strange formation.
Come on Dyche, step it up!
Thanks for your kind words all. So glad was I to be back, albeit using the Londinium Omnibus Company where normally I would have walked, that the gloom I felt in the stadium was not the dominant emotion. I was back with a number of friends, sadly missed a few more, and this was always a potential banana skin.
The body felt it this morning, but I shall get fitter match by match. The long walk to Highbury and Islington added to a clear inability to sprint for the last train at Paddington means I will have to skip Valencia, but Brighton will see an improving me.
More importantly I hope it sees a competent defence and defensive midfield.
With Chelsea only getting 1 point today, how vital those 3 points would have been from yesterday!!
United to lose at Citeh which might finish them off. Chelsea and United to draw and if we can take at least four points from the next two we might clinch it at home to Brighton . But we are going to win the Europey so it’s not relevant anyway ! Gosh this beer’s strong!
Too right TTG
I have arrived in Frankfurt not too long before Chelksi kicked off against Burnley, I have do admit Burnley did us a favour but we should have taken points yesterday.
Not sure why he played Elneny with Guedouzi again especially after the debacle against Everton. Unai has still a lot to learn from PL it has to be said.
Glad you’re getting back to yourself Holic too!
The Guv’nor is a cut above, Silly Second. Special rules apply 🙂
To end the long weekend only a point out of third after yesterday’s debacle means someone somewhere is smiling down on us.
As things stand we still have about a 60% chance of finishing in the top 4, and about 80% likely to make Champions League overall, so things look a lot better than last season.
Although yesterday’s fiasco is disappointing, we should be cheered by the fact that we can confidently expect (subject to summer squad improvements) to improve by ten points next year.
Things could be a great deal worse……
I just notice that we still have to play Burnley.
The penalty that was not given. When will the FA punish incompetent refs?These guys are getting away with murder judging
by the list of compliants against them.
If Arsenal fail toget 4th,they can be in good company with Wanock..
In a crucial game he was denied a glaring penalty and other
decisions that went went against him.
I cant wait for var to come asap.
Good result for us yesterday as the
Chavs indifferent form continued.
All the teams from 3rd to 6th are
showing exactly why they’re not
title challengers.
Could still be many a slip and all
that before the end – any place
between 3rd and 6th is still wide
open I think.
But for now I hope the seagulls will
want it more than the damned chickens
tomorrow night.
Despite the frustration of Sunday it’s
nice to be still following the games so
closely as May looms.
Still in recovery mode but hope to be ready for Wolves in an emotional sense. Time to rotate the rotatees it would seem to put ourselves in a position to bite back with force.
I know it’s asking a lot, but it would be amazing if Brighton do us a favour tonight! Ya never know,???
I think the end of season full list has been doing the rounds recently! Especially after recent results and performances vs Everton and Palace! I’d rather stick with a more positive mindset .. and look at who might be able to do a job for us next season.
I’d like to see us keep faith with and give a chance to the likes of;
Chambers; he would be come in handy in the recent games mentioned above (in midfield or defence!)
Welbeck; give him a new deal (injury permitting)
Martinez; number 2 goalie
Nacho and Kos. Obvs.
Mhki. He’s a decent player, versatile too.
Nelson. Let’s see what he can do in an Arsenal shirt.
Kola; he has come on loads this year.
If we lose tomorrow I might have to do my clear out list just to aid the cathartic process!!
UTA!
Cull not full.
The Totts will beat Brighton tonight about 3-0. I hold out no hope for the Seagulls as they will merely defend and eventually, Son or Eriksen will punish them.
But- Citeh will school United and Chelsea and United will draw and the Totts still have to play West Ham who hate them almost as much as we do, Bournemouth who are very unpredictable and Everton who are the form team in the division.
If we can win two matches and draw the other two we will qualify for the CL
TTG@30, that sounds very positive. I do hope you are the seventh son of a seventh son! ??
TTG,
Are you still on that strong sauce? ?
In all honesty I’m with you on your prediction, funny enough we got a really good away result in Naples and then the shit show at home. I sincerely hope we learn (Unai) learns from this, it’s an absolute tragedy playing Elneny and Guendouzi together.
Sad to hear that Billy McNeill has passed away though it’s without doubt a merciful release from dementia. A real gentleman who was respected by opponents almost as much as by fans (in an era when respect could trump tribal hatred). He was also the first Briton to lift Big Ears after that remarkable victory in Lisbon. A leader in the TA6 mould but without the demons. RIP Big Man.
Re: Dexter @28. Very thoughtful post and I agree with you on almost all scores. Kola should be kept for his attacking prowess and not put in the team at left back. Welbeck has been a big loss this year and we could have used his spark on many occasions. Those two have been targets of undeserved flak in my opinion although they both have definable weaknesses. I hope you are correct about Chambers and hope he has grown adequately on his loan spells. Mkhitaryan I am not so sure about.
Well said, bath.
I still remember those grainy black and white images from Lisbon that night. One of the few matches televised live bar the FA Cup Final and internationals back then.
I’ve several Celtic supporting friends and sent them a note of sympathy today. Billy was a real British football icon and according to my mate who met him at Glasgow Airport, a real gentleman.
A lot of great players being lost to dementia. Heading those old footballs did them no good at all.
TTG
The Palace result has really messed things up. The margin for error is even slimmer! Hope your predictions are right. I think Emery was complacent in his selection and we paid the price. I’m sure he will learn, he’s a clever fella.
bt8
I just like Henrikh and think he is decent quality and good squad player.
Chambers has received loads of praise from Fulham fans, playing in midfield too. With Ramsey and Elneny (most probably) leaving, there’s space in the squad for him and I really hope he gets a chance.
Arsene Wenger always said Chambers would end up as a defensive midfielder.
I was checking Chambers stats at Fulham this season and comparing them to Mustafi’s, and Mustafi’s are generally much better. Somewhat to my surprise, Mustafi’s are pretty decent overall for the season. Is it just that when he makes mistakes, they are howlers (and costly in goals conceded) so we notice them more than the good things he does?
ned, i think that’s dead on. he does things like for the second goal sunday and it shows his head is where the mistakes lie. decision-making at speed, he’s good most of the time, but seems to always have a stupid move lurking. it’s why he should play only when we’re up by 4.
it could also be that his stats, compared to chambo, are much better because chambo in defense is dreck. i always agreed with the boss when he said (as you mention) chambo would end up as a dm…and those are such different positions, statswise. though the monks could probably make sense of it after a tipple or two after vespers, i’m sure.
Ned, What kind of stats were you comparing, and is it fair to compare the stats of a player on a near top of the table team vs. a player on a relegation quality team? In particular I am wondering about a statistic such as percentage of passes completed.
Insomniac! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>