In this post; my thoughts on Sunday's draw at Chelsea. Then a personal view on the David Coote video. And finally something personal I need to share regarding the use and abuse of social media in this crazy world. So let's crack on:
marksyspeaks
Arsenal-centric football-based blog. I shall pass my opinion on other sporting issues, as and when I have the urge. Enjoy!
Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Odegaard's Return Sparks Uptick In Quality
In this post; my thoughts on Sunday's draw at Chelsea. Then a personal view on the David Coote video. And finally something personal I need to share regarding the use and abuse of social media in this crazy world. So let's crack on:
Monday, 4 November 2024
Lacklustre Arsenal Get Exactly What They Deserve
When I made my long-awaited podcast debut on The Arsenal Opinion -
- Havertz’s game has been affected. He’s been taken out of the role he’s been doing best at - occupying the central defenders or rolling out left to overload that side of the field
- Using a flatter midfield three of Partey, Rice and Merino has failed. There’s not enough creativity in there - and even when Partey was ostensibly selected at right back on Saturday he was consistently inverting. Alternating Havertz and Trossard as the front two, and first line of the press, has also failed as they’ve not taken up correct positions on the field
- Martinelli has been disappointing. His effort cannot be questioned, but he is currently lacking in confidence, and his decision-making is suffering as a result. There’s no sense of serenity with him; contrast that to what Saka delivers on the other side of the field (even when double- or even triple-teamed)
- The failure to give Nwaneri minutes in the Odegaard role in recent ‘easier’ home matches was frankly negligent. The kid is 17; he has massive potential, but it’s a lot to ask of him to impact a game at Newcastle coming in from ‘cold’ (it’s a gigantic step up from Bolton and Preston to Newcastle United away)
- I don’t understand Arteta’s unwillingness to trust Zinchenko any more. Sure, he has a mistake in him; but if playing him means that more players - specifically Partey - can be put in their best positions then that should be done
- Is Mikel Merino the player we hoped he would be? He lacks the necessary creativity that a number 8 requires. He feels like more of a 6 to me; and, frankly, I prefer 2022/23 Granit Xhaka to him
- Arteta was wedded to 4-1-2-3 when Odegaard was available. If he’s not willing to use Nwaneri there, then why not drop Trossard in to right 8 - and leave Havertz up top? Alternatively, get Jesus into the team!
Friday, 1 November 2024
PGMOL strike again - And Ethan Excels
Arsenal 2 Liverpool 2. Firstly, I must state that from my seat in Block 17 this was an absolutely superb game of football. The best I've seen for quite a while, with two top sides battling it out. But...
...I should also add that - biased as I may be - I felt that Arsenal deserved to win (despite everything that went against them during the game), but that it's really difficult to witness the fortunes of the team I love being constantly hampered - week after week - by playing against not only the 11 opposition players, but also against officials who seem hell bent on perverting the course of Justice.
I'll get to my views on the officiating in a moment, but I need to say that whilst I hate suggesting that there is something funny going on, there surely is. To follow up the THREE red cards already given to Arsenal players this season with a man who is allegedly the very best referee that England has to offer performing as he did... well...
And to the team news for a start. Such a relief to hear that both Jurrien Timber and - particularly - Bukayo Saka were fit enough to take their places in the starting line-up. And which point the rest of the side picked itself, with Thomas Partey asked to cover at right back as Ben White moved across to replace the suspended Saliba. Quite how long the two of them might last, we couldn't be sure, but there was something of a sense that they'd been rushed back for this game.
In the first few minutes, Liverpool made things difficult for the home side, who couldn't get past the first line of the press. But in the 9th minute Ben White found a little bit of time and decided to go long; isolating Robertson with Saka. A foot race, which Starboy won easily, a chop back and and quick turn to finish Robertson off, and with the next touch the ball was in the back of the net. Three touches and Boom! I recall my thoughts as the ball headed over the top towards Saka. 'Go on B', I said under my breath as I sensed a big opportunity. And a second later we were on our feet. Never in doubt...
Not long after, Havertz tussled with/was assaulted by Van Dijk. I'll cover this below when I rant about the officiating, but having seen the replay I simply have no idea why the referee took no action.
Soon, Liverpool were level. Arsenal had had an earlier warning when Van Dijk flicked on a TAA free kick at the near post, and this time some clever movement from Diaz gave him the space to beat Havertz to the ball at the near post, and Van Dijk bundled the ball in from close range. Annoying; and more worryingly that this was the second week in a row that the set piece masters had been beaten at their own game. Perhaps Mr Jover needs to pay some attention to defending at set pieces over the next week or so?
However, the equaliser appeared to kick Arsenal into a gear that we frankly hadn't seen from them all season. It was as if a switch had finally been turned on, as up until half time they played their best football for months. And Liverpool responded by some Dark Arts of their own - against Dark Arts FC (I'm taking the mickey here; any suggestion of Arsenal being Dark Arts masters is shallow punditry). Diaz kicked the ball away; ignored by the referee. MacAllister spent a minute rolling around on the floor whilst Arsenal played on, and then miraculously got to his feet and started running. Liverpool challenges all around the pitch, intended to slow Arsenal down, went unpunished.
Merino nearly scored from a beautifully weighted Rice free kick. Martinelli - who had TAA on toast all afternoon, but who couldn't deal with Konate at all - fired in a cross that neither Havertz nor Saka could quite reach. Saka curled a shot wide. And then Martinelli went down under a double challenge from TAA and Konate. It looked like at least one of the defenders had caught him - Konate went right through him - but Taylor gave nothing. Stonewall penalty, if you ask me; see my rant below... To be fair, that could all have been rendered moot had Havertz, to whom the ball broke, not knocked the ball over the bar instead of hitting the target.
MacAllister was finally booked for yet another assault on Starboy; it's the only way anyone can stop him. Martinelli shot over from a decent opportunity following a piece of skill from Merino reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp's statue on the concourse (the great man was in attendance, by the way; greeted by rapturous applause by the faithful). Havertz failed to react to a cross that Van Dijk failed to clear, and the Dutchman cleared another away. Then it was Nunez's turn to assault Starboy. It was frantic - and Arsenal needed to take advantage of their superiority.
Which they finally did. Partey was fouled 30 yards out on the right, and yet another sublime Rice delivery was headed home powerfully by Merino. It looked tight for offside, and it took almost 5 minutes for the VAR to finally give in - despite concerted attempts to rule the goal out, I'm sure - and the goal was awarded. Still, we got to celebrate twice, I guess. And so the first half ended with Arsenal firmly on top; although we expected a reaction from Liverpool in the second half.
Early in the second half, things started to go wrong. Gabriel was pushed in the back by Nunez as they chased down a long ball, and the King of Brazil went down holding his knee. He struggled back on, but could not continue, and the makeshift look of the Arsenal defence became even more rickety as he was replaced by Kivior.
No Saliba or Gabriel for the first time in the Premier League for over a year. A central midfielder at right back. The right centre half playing in a position he had barely played for two years. The fourth choice left centre back now on. And a half-fit Timber soldiering on at left back. Against a front line of Diaz, Nunez and Salah. Trepidation in the stands... and the team started to ease back too; what we have, we hold...
But Liverpool were now on top. And the nonsense punditry later on about time-wasting and feigning injury was pure drivel. There's a fine line between Game Management and time-wasting; and it would appear that it's only Arsenal who ever cross it...
And so Raya was booked as early as the 66th minute. Taylor couldn't wait to do it. Soon after, Timber went down with what was hopefully only cramp (remember, he has barely trained for two weeks) and finally had to leave the field. To my eyes, he'd done a marvellous job at keeping Salah quiet, but it was now the turn of teenager Miles Lewis-Skelly. Partey, White, Kivior, MLS - could they possibly hold on? And was the choice of MLS over Zinchenko the right one? We'll never know, I guess, but I do have bad memories of the Salah/Zinchenko match-up from previous encounters. At that point Liverpool's triple substitution was already having an effect on the other side of the pitch.
And the answer was No. MLS fed Martinelli, who naively ran into the man mountain Konate for the umpteenth time. In the blink of an eye, TAA sent a missile over the retreating left hand side of Arsenal's defence (both of whom who had been caught slightly ahead of safety by the speed of the pass). Nunez beat MLS t the ball, and Salah criss-crossed with him in front of the struggling Kivior to crack home the equaliser. To be frank, a superb goal, but could Arsenal (particularly Martinelli) have done better?
85 minutes gone, and finally the ineffective Martinelli (who'd spent the second half running down blind alleys when he wasn't supporting Timber) and the exhausted Saka were replaced by Jesus and - at last! - Ethan Nwaneri. The latter had little time to impose himself, but Jesus had two difficult half-chances (the guy was desperate for a goal!).
Yet the excitement wasn't over. And nor was the influence of Anthony Taylor. A bouncing ball was won cleanly by Kivior as he jumped over the top of a static Szoboszlai. The ball broke to Havertz, whose shoulder deflected the ball over Konate and, as he prepared to lob Kelleher, Taylor blew his whistle. Literally. At the very second that he realised that Arsenal might score. Forget the instruction to allow these moments to play out; he blew the play dead, long before the ball hit the back of the net. No chance of it going to VAR... and people want to know why Arsenal supporters think that there's something dodgy going on.
And as if that wasn't enough he failed to give an obvious corner in the final minute of extra time.
Before I complete my rant, a few thoughts on how the players performed:
- Partey - sensational at right back. Dealt with Diaz really well. Man of the Match. He is having a remarkable season
- White - super reliable as usual
- Gabriel - noticeable by his absence when he went off. Say no more
- Kivior - not up to the level, unfortunately. Found out at a crucial moment
- Timber - a beast! Dealt with Salah superbly. He can do it all; and bearing in mind his lack of fitness that was an immense performance
- MLS - he's young. He is therefore forgiven for any transgressions
- Rice - his best game of the season so far
- Merino - apart from one horrible moment in the first half, extremely solid
- Trossard - decent
- Havertz - everywhere as usual. Really needs to brush up his finishing!
- Saka - excellent first half. Faded as the game went on due to lack of fitness
- Martinelli - must improve his decision-making and final ball. His growth is stagnating, and if it wasn't for his defensive work he'd find himself out of the team
- Nwaneri - not on long enough to rate, tbh
- Jesus - did enough in the short time he was on to suggest that he's on his way back
I have a mate who was a Sunday League referee for the best part of 30 years, and who advised me just after the game ended yesterday that 'overall, Anthony Taylor had a good game and there was nothing in the slightest bit controversial'. I should add at this point that he is also a Liverpool supporter...
But personally, I - and those around me - thought that Taylor had a shocker.
There was the Van Dijk assault on Havertz. https://x.com/Mo_Arsenal9/status/1850831280125993083 (apologies for the Arabic commentary)
Constant fouling by MacAllister and particularly Diaz (who also showed petulance and threw the ball into the ground at one point, and at another point kicked the ball away a good 10 yards from the scene of a free kick). Nunez? - all elbows; pushed Gabriel in the back early in the second half, leading to the latter's knee injury. Salah had one nastily-timed push in Timber's back while he was in the air. Little or nothing given.
The penalty incident. https://x.com/EminentGooner/status/1850627194524983749
Blowing up for a foul after almost every Arsenal tackle in the second half - a guy behind me shouted out: 'That's it. Keep giving them everything... until they equalise!'
And then the icing on the cake of blowing up in the 90th minute when he could see that Arsenal were about to score the wining goal. https://x.com/EGTVEgal/status/1850643031479013399
This guy and Michael Oliver (architect of an even bigger farce than any of the above earlier in the day at West Ham) are supposed to be the best we've got in England. So what the hell is going on?
Yes, I know that it's ludicrous to suggest that there's an anti-Arsenal agenda - and I'm sure that every club can do the same (with the exception of Manchester City, of course) - but these first 9 games have taken things to a new level of... well, let's call it incompetence, shall we? In the circumstances, it's remarkable that Arsenal are so close to the top of the table, and these were the first points they've dropped this season whilst keeping 11 men on the pitch.
Anyway, we move on. To yet another Week From Hell, but preceded by a trip to Preston. At which Ethan Nwaneri announced himself (again) with a sublime goal; all in a performance in which Arsenal completely outclassed their Championship opposition. Into the quarter finals, and with City going out - although it's always a shame to see Tottenham fans happy, this may be an opportunity for Arsenal to win their first League Cup since 1993.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqp1ojx1DQU
The Week From Hell starts at Newcastle on Saturday morning. And we owe them one after last year's biggest slice of injustice.
They're not in fantastic form, but it's a difficult place to go. Depending on players' fitness, I'd be tempted to give young Nwaneri a start. Give Martinelli the day off, move Trossard out to the left wing, and play the boy at right 8. Which would also give Havertz the opportunity to play more centrally than he has been able to do in the continuing absence of Odegaard.
Anyway, we'll see. COYG!
Sunday, 27 October 2024
Trossard’s Trying Week - And Time To Show Some ‘Smarts’
It has been a difficult week for Arsenal on several fronts. A chastening defeat at Bournemouth. A struggle to get over the line against Shakhtar. Wracked by injuries; and additionally by a key suspension. Luckily, we’ve got an easy game coming up!
Liverpool preview to follow lower down the page. But I first want to discuss the latest two results/performances. Then the raft of injuries - which is in complete contrast to last season’s plain sailing. The individual errors that continue to both plague and cost the team. Arteta’s conservative team selections. And then finally whether Arsenal are being refereed differently to other teams.
Bournemouth away. Not a venue where Arsenal have traditionally suffered. But with no Odegaard, no Saka and no Timber the team looked out of kilter from the very start. The midfield that Arteta selected was - how can I express it - ‘functional’ - Partey, Rice, Merino does lack flair, but it was clear that the Manager wanted solidity.
I was disappointed not to see Ethan Nwaneri given the opportunity to start a game. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough; but it does seem that Arteta - hopefully not repeating the type of mistakes of 2020 that led to a run of 7 successive defeats (a sequence that very nearly cost him his job) until he finally had no choice but to pitch ESR into the side - prefers to select his teams in a hierarchical manner. More experienced players first… and I don’t like that.
The first of Trossard’s two major errors of the week occurred when he attempted an ambitious, but ultimately dangerous, first time lofted cross field pass from the wing to Saliba. The pass lacked any form of control and the normally unflappable defender, caught on the wrong side of Evanilson (who was technically standing in an offside position; although not, obviously, if he received the ball from an opponent - I do understand the Laws!), panicked and brought him down. Two individual errors in the space of three seconds;... and the yellow card came out. Which was perhaps understandable - after all, the incident took place fully 45 yards from goal, the forward wouldn’t have found it easy to get the bouncing ball under control, and Ben White was technically on the cover; although a fair distance away.
I instinctively felt that we’d got away with it when the yellow card appeared, as it could easily have been red, but what transpired over the next couple of minutes angered me greatly. Jared Gillett, the (Liverpool supporting) VAR, decided that the incident needed further consideration. Of course he did; Arsenal play Liverpool next. And, despite the brandishing of the yellow card not being a ‘clear and obvious error’, decided to re-referee the incident. And we all know what that means. Yellow upgraded to Red. And with this image popping up on our television screens just beforehand... again, I reiterate, I'm not one for conspiracy theories…
The frustration of that decision was not only felt during the game itself, but also the next day when in a virtually identical incident Tosin of Chelsea was given a yellow card for a carbon copy foul (probably a worse one, in fact), in almost exactly the same place on the field.
The Arsenal fans started a new song at that point; showing a macabre sense of humour: '10 men again Ole Ole'. And Arteta reacted to the loss of Saliba by bringing on Kivior - the last fit centre half - for the largely ineffective Sterling (now there’s a guy struggling to find his feet in the side), and things stabilised for a while until a minute’s play that formed a microcosm of the game, and of how a side can get punished. First Martinelli, released by Merino and through on goal, failed to make the most of his opportunity and shot directly at Kepa the keeper. From there, Bournemouth made their way up field and won a corner from which Christie lashed home a half volley that I defy him to manage to do ever again. Nice routine - one that Nicolas Jover would be proud of - but distinctly unsatisfactory and frustrating from an Arsenal point of view.
At which point I sensed that it was going to be a long evening. And so it proved as Arsenal - lacking in creative quality - struggled to produce a worthwhile opportunity. The game was crying out for the introduction of Nwaneri, and perhaps on reflection dropping Rice back into central defence to allow that to happen may have been a viable alternative (thank you, Captain Hindsight).
Arsenal created little from then on as the 10 men were largely pinned back (not Man City style, but difficult). And then followed a further individual error, as Kivior’s under hit back pass under pressure from Evanilson led to Raya giving away a penalty. 2-0, and 'that was all she wrote'. Too late to bring on Nwaneri then, Mikel… and, irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the Saliba incident, Arsenal got all that they deserved from the match.Nothing.
So that was that. A first defeat of the season, followed by the usual media - and fan - pile on. Arsenal’s first defeat since February, and the reaction was ridiculous. The thing is this; it’s so rare for Arsenal to lose a game that it becomes big news. If you’re a supporter of Man United or Tottenham, it happens almost every other week. But an Arsenal defeat is News. And no; it’s not terminal from a ‘title-winning chances’ point of view. But you wouldn’t know it from the press they got.
On Tuesday, Arsenal had the opportunity to change the mood with the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Not the most challenging of opposition in Champions League terms, so perhaps an opportunity for Arteta to finally start Nwaneri.
But not a bit of it. Same midfield as before; and that lack of creativity was quite evident as they struggled to a 1-0 win. Gabriel Martinelli was the difference-maker; he had the Shakhtar right back on toast in the first half, and it was his shot that - amusingly - deflected off the post and then the keeper’s backside for the only goal of the game.
And as the game wore on and the opposition were quite clearly seen not to be the pushovers we’d hoped, things got rather tense. Especially when Trossard heaped further pressure on his team-mates with his limp effort from the penalty spot following a VAR-awarded penalty. Finished off his week, did that. It's not been a good week for the Belgian, and he perhaps needs to start on the bench for a game or two now, but he has plenty of credit in the Bank. Although, if he'd have allowed Havertz to take it, the German may have set a new record for scoring in successive matches at the stadium…
Arsenal held on, though, but at a further cost; Riccardo Califiori limping off with a knee injury to further exacerbate the defensive crisis. And to dismay my wife, I must add!
Goodness knows what the Manager is going to do with the meagre defensive resources that remain. No Saliba; very likely no Califiori; doubts over Timber; Zinchenko half fit; no Tomiyasu (injured following a comeback that lasted a full 6 minutes). What a mess. And with Odegaard definitely still out, and Saka’s fitness a matter of guesswork, squad depth (such as it is) is going to be sorely tested against an almost full-strength Liverpool. For those of a certain age, you can almost hear Captain Edmund Blackadder pronounce that: 'This is a crisis. A large crisis. In fact, if you've got a moment, it's a twelve-storey crisis with a magnificent entrance hall, carpeting throughout, 24-hour porterage and an enormous sign on the roof saying This Is A Large Crisis'
Before I get to the Liverpool game, I’m going to have another go at examining how Arsenal are being refereed this season. And it’s been harsh, to say the least. The standards against which Arsenal ‘transgressions’ are being judged do seem to be at a considerably higher bar than other clubs are getting away with. The Rice red card; letter of the Law, but harsh. Trossard’s exactly the same. Both costly in terms of dropped points. Other clubs being seen to be treated more leniently. Same issue for Saliba; on balance probably a Red; but once the Yellow had been shown… and we saw the contrast to the Chelsea one the very next day. 7 points gone… and that’s a lot in the context of the oppositions' pace at the top of the table. As regards the next match; one defeat is careless, but two would be a disaster.
And so to Liverpool. Who knows who may or may not be fit, but if it’s all bad news I can see Arsenal lining up as follows:
Raya, Partey, White, Gabriel, Kivior, Jorginho (surely needed this week), Rice, Merino, Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli.
And that’s not going to strike fear into the opposition. Partey up against Diaz. And - worse - Kivior versus Mo Salah. Close your eyes… If the Manager wanted to be brave, he could chuck in Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly. But if Bournemouth and Shakhtar weren't deemed the right games to do that, what are the chances of that in this one?
It hardly feels right to be typing that I’ll take a draw now. Because we really have to beat them. I just can’t see how - unless Arteta has a pleasant surprise or two for us on the injury front. Come on, Bukayo!
Let’s wait. And hope. And if you’re going to the game make plenty of noise! COYG!
Just before I go, I'd like to wish Arsene Wenger a very happy birthday for earlier this week. No matter the rights and wrongs of how long he stayed at the helm of the club, he gave me some of my most enjoyable moments as an Arsenal supporter. Who can deny that? Bonne anniversaire, Chef.
Back soon...
Tuesday, 8 October 2024
The Cavalry Ride To Arteta’s Rescue
To rotate or not to rotate? That is the question? Although if there ever was going to be an opportunity to do so, then Southampton at home ought to have been it. And so Arteta twisted instead of sticking (one cannot expect him to select essentially the same XI 55+ times in a season); but I sensed pre-game that perhaps he had overdone it with three personnel changes, plus one positional.