Football's a funny old game, as the saying goes. On Saturday we saw Arsenal ripped to pieces and two down after 20 minutes, level by half-time and probably unfortunate not to be at least two goals in front by that point, and then over-run by the oppostion's extra quality as the second half progressed.
So Arsenal languish near the bottom of a table - a table that nobody should look at until 6 games at least have been played - with no points, having been handed a nightmare pair of opening fixtures (as were poor Huddersfield, to be fair). I was hoping perhaps for three points, and would have taken two, and I do feel that despite the obvious current flaws they were a little unfortunate not to come away with something on Saturday evening.
I could mention Aubameyang leaving his shooting boots at the hotel, Kovacic's conning of the referee to win a free kick just before the winning goal, the usual set of individual errors, or even touch on the team simply dropping too deep in the second half to be effective and why they might have done that, but I feel that I need to focus on the fundamental issues that leave Arsenal languising at the moment. So this is what I've gleaned from these two matches:
1. It's going to take a little while for players to get out of the bad habits they fell into over the previous year or so. I'm particularly thinking of Bellerin's game, of almost everything about Mustafi, and about certain senior players' perceived lack of urgency when the opposition have the ball (I'm thinking particularly of Xhaka, and of Ozil and Mikhitaryan further forward). We are really yet to see the famous Emery press in action, and as I said last week absolutely everyone needs to buy in to that or it won't work.
I am starting to wonder if Emery isn't going to sacrifice 'quality' for hard work quite soon - perhaps not yet as the next couple of games are considerably easier than the first two - but I wonder if he'll prefer to see Iwobi and even Welbeck working hard than watch certain others sauntering about.
2. There is a case - perhaps not this week - for using both Torreira and Guendouzzi as shielding midfielders. I'd certainly think that he needs the former in the side from the start now, but not at the latter's expense. A bigger name should make way.
3. There's little to worry about going forward - witness that we saw Chelsea's defence torn to shreds again and again in the latter stages of the first half - but the players who did that so well need to have it drilled into them that it's not correct to stroll back, and to rely on others to regain possession once lost. It's a cliche perhaps, but defending starts at the front.
4. Matteo Guendouzzi looks like he's going to be quite the player. Whether he should be playing every game at 19 is doubtful; however, with doubts surrounding much of the rest of the midfield he must stay in the side.
5. Petr Cech appears to have risen to the challenge of the presence of Leno. Whilst he does look dodgy with the ball at his feet, I'd suggest that he has made 5 top-class saves already in the two matches so far. Leno will have to continue to wait.
6. Nacho Monreal - it's as if he'd never been away. Solid and reliable all down the left hand side for Arsenal; thank goodness he's fit again.
Without the knowledge of the players that Emery has, I'd be making changes for Saturday - even allowing for the opposition looking in total disarray already. I'd give Lichtsteiner a game as Bellerin looks devoid of confidence, I'd strongly consider Holding in place of Mustafi (I think that Sokratis would respond well to having a young player to mentor and frankly Holding can't do any worse than the 'mercurial' German), I'd leave Xhaka out for sure and I wonder how Emery can possibly drop Iwobi after Saturday. The situation with Ramsey remains unsettling, but as you can't start with 12 he may well pay the price for not signing his contract.
So Cech, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Holding, Monreal, Torreira, Guendouzzi, Iwobi, Mikhitaryan, Ozil, Aubameyang. And I'm only playing Ozil and Mikhitaryan because the opposition are so poor (Jack Wilshere's return notwithstanding).
Other things that caught my eye over the weekend:
1. Manchester City are really quite good, aren't they?
2. Liverpool are an improving side, but beatable. And I'm yet to be impressed by Tottenham's form this season - 6/6 points duly noted, however.
3. With Jorginho, Kovacic and Hazard in the side, and as they get used to their new manager, Chelsea can be expected to exceed expectations.
4. It's looking like another third season sacking is on the horizon for Mourinho. The surly little sod. Let's hope so.
5. Early days, but I'm tipping Cardiff, Huddersfield and quite possibly West Ham to go down. For all their spending, they look like a complete mess.
Until next week.
Oh, and please feel free to leave a comment. I've got broad shoulders.
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