Sh*tshow By The Sea

Whatever the opposite of 'superlative' is, I'm running out of the right words to use to describe how the 2019-20 season has gone for Arsenal.

The latest instalment saw another abject display, against what journalists and ex-professionals might call an 'honest and hard-working' Brighton side ('honest' is not a word that I'd use) that led to late and ignominious defeat. And I pick out the word honest for two reasons.

Firstly, the continual fouling performed by Bissouma in midfield for which referee Atkinson - now very close to Mike Dean at the bottom of my list of favourite referees - allowed him to get away with merely a late telling-off (and let's not lose sight of the forearm block he performed on Saka in the second half). 

And secondly the late, unncessary challenge by Maupay on Leno that led to the latter's quite obviously serious knee ligament injury. This reminded me very much of the challenge perpetrated by Arnautovic (the Poundland Ibrahimovic) on Debuchy all those years ago, which ruined the full back's Arsenal career before it had started. If you challenge a player who has both feet off the ground, then you risk perpetrating a serious injury; it's not rocket science. That Maupay should score the winner in injury time merely added insult to injury.

However... this must not detract from a number of serious issues that very much came to the surface during the game:

• Defeat to Manchester City can easily be put down to coming up against a highly technical and well-drilled side of better players, but it now very much looks like our analysis of that game was wrong. Arsenal were really poor in that game, and against vastly inferior opposition looked little better. The cracks that were papered over after the City game were blown wide open against Brighton
• The reaction to Leno's injury was tepid. Arsenal sides with bigger characters would have responded entirely differently. Remember Old Trafford 2003? This lot simply lack the fight and team spirit to respond correctly
• There is something seriously lacking in the Arsenal midfield, and wholesale improvements must be made in the close season. Ceballos looked slow not just of feet but also of thought; whilst Guendouzi, nominally the 'defensive' midfielder, went though the entire game without making a single tackle (cue comparisons to Bissouma). That Saka, playing in his third different position in two games, should have outshone them is really poor
• There is also clearly something clearly lacking in the dressing-room itself. I said this about Emery, but it bears repeating about Arteta; he cannot seem to motivate these players. So, in fairness to Emery who additionally had a language barrier to overcome, it's quite clear what the common denominator is - the players themselves. At this level, they're supposed to be self-starters, but as a group they do not show this at all. The body language of many of them is poor, and the defence once more looked all over the place and desperate for an Adams/Campbell type to knock them literally into shape
• If I want to criticise Arteta, it will be on his substitutions. We haven't seen Martinelli at all, and I'd love to know why. As for not bringing on Ozil, there's not much to say that hasn't been said before
• The season is clearly a write-off at this point, and we should be grateful to already have the mythical 40 points on the board. Unfortunately, lack of European football is not going to help as far as the transfer market is concerned, but in order to protect his investment Kroenke must act. For me, this is also Sanllehi's last chance or he's gone

So what of this squad? Many fans are already doing a Keep or Bin exercise on them, and for me if it were at all practical I'd get shot of 75% of them. Although that's too much churn. But there is clearly something very wrong in the dressing-room if even a man like Arteta (who has been schooled in Management by two of the Greats) cannot get into their heads.

Either way, personnel need to change in a wholesale manner; and very soon. It is clear to me that the current talented cohort of youngsters need a number of seasoned and highly motivated professionals to help bring out the best in them. But this current Arsenal squad possesses very few of those.

And so to Southampton away; a match of which I have little or no expectation or hope. This fixture is a bogey for Arsenal in any case, although it should be one of the more winnable of the remaining games. Lest we forget that we still have Liverpool, Spurs, Leicester and Wolves to come, along with the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United. I can literally barely watch any more.

Anyway, I'm a glutton for punishment so I'll be back in a few days. Stay safe and keep alert.