When I made my long-awaited podcast debut on The Arsenal Opinion -
(you will be able, if so inclined, to listen to my dulcet tones at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-arsenal-opinion-by-le-grove/id498781996?i=1000672317140) a full month ago my friend and podcast co-host Matt Kandela - @mattkandela on X - asked me to start with my Hot Take of that moment; which is how The AOP always begin their recordings.
Arsenal had just beaten Southampton (slightly unconvincingly), and my Hot Take was off on a little tangent; that the team were missing Martin Odegaard a lot more than people were aware or prepared to admit. This was quite contrary to the views of many Arsenal fans - especially on social media - at that time; people who had looked at the results since he’d been injured and felt that Arsenal weren’t missing him. Indeed, that his scoring and assist stats weren’t up to scratch, and that maybe Arsenal didn’t need him at all!
Well, I’m sorry to say that I have been proved 100% correct. It hasn’t helped that having lost the skipper in the first Interlull, the team then lost the services of its Starboy in the second. But what is quite clear to anybody with any understanding of the way Arteta likes the team to play is that the loss of Odegaard had completely altered the balance of the entire side. Havertz has been tasked with working out to the right, and that has meant that he hasn’t been engaging opposition centre halves as previously, and the focus of the attack has shifted.
Add the loss of Saka to that of Odegaard; plus that of White, Timber and Calafiori on various occasions, and that of Saliba for one crucial game. Then there’s the integration of Merino into the side, which has shifted the focus somewhat and, with that, the lack of creativity in midfield has made Arsenal look ponderous. With the left side still mainly dysfunctional, and midfield currently lacking in creativity, it has been easy for teams to deal with whatever threat there is. Gang up on Saka, and the current version of Arsenal is largely impotent.
And finally the clamour to play Nwaneri; and it’s a big jump up from under 21 or League Cup football for anybody, as his inability to make much impact against a Newcastle showed. And here’s where it’s easy to criticise the Manager. He thrust Nwaneri in on Saturday at a moment when he needed him to have a major impact, but the short-sightedness of not giving him time when he could have done - against the likes of Leicester and Southampton - has come back to bite him. The kid was almost invisible; just 6 successful passes in half an hour, and his performance summed up by his failure to read White’s through ball late on - a pass that Odegaard (or anyone who’s spent sufficient time on the field with White) would have been expecting.
In short, it has been impossible to gather any rhythm or momentum for weeks now. Performances, and results - one point out of the last 9 - have frankly been dire. Well below the standards we should expect. Perhaps with the exception of 20 first half minutes at home to Liverpool, with the crowd driving the team on.
Central to that has been the loss of the man who oils the wheels and drives the pistons of the attacking engine; arguably the best passer in the side (Partey would be the other main candidate) and certainly the cleverest. It is absolutely crucial to Arsenal’s season that Odegaard comes back into the side as quickly as possible. Before it’s too late!
I’m not going to go into too much detail about the Newcastle loss. It’s too depressing. I can sum it up by saying that Arsenal started ok, but then conceded what was a very good goal - although Gordon was afforded too much time, and the failure to anticipate or pick up Isak’s run was a collective error - but the team were then simply unable to respond in any shape or form.
Where was the urgency? Where was the drive? Why didn’t they try anything different? Same old patterns. Lack of any form of movement in attack to try to draw them out of their shape. It was all so pedestrian and predictable. The sight of the smug Howe on the sideline, with his irritating grinning and perma-tanned sidekick Tindall at his side, made me sick. We owed them big time from last season, yet the team could not rouse themselves.
Two decent chances in 90+ minutes was all that Arsenal could muster. One shot from Merino from point blank range blocked by Hall, and Rice’s inexplicable inability to head the ball on target from inside the 6-yard box in the 93rd minute - although a goal at that point was more than Arsenal deserved.
What I am seeing is that the shape and emphasis of the team is all wrong at the moment. And it shouldn’t be like this due to the loss of a single player. Odegaard has been out for weeks, and yes, we can acknowledge that the loss for a game or two here and there of Saka, White, Timber, Calafiori and Saliba hasn’t helped; but it’s clear to me - and surely you too - that the answers haven’t been found.
There’s a knock-on effect all over the field - and yes; the makeshift defence that the team ended up with at the end of the Liverpool game exaggerated the problems. But the solutions that Arteta has tried have now clearly been seen to have failed, and he must try something different. There is a more than sufficient body of evidence to show that.
What has bothered me is that the decision to pull Havertz out to the right to link with Saka has affected the whole attacking front. I wish I’d have mentioned it before on here; but the sight of the German pulling out wide beyond Saka as the latter cut inside was something I could not fathom. Of all our players, Saka is the one that needs the least help! And this has been going on for weeks!
The issues for me are:
- 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!
As a result of the Newcastle defeat, Arsenal are in danger of losing touch at the top of the table. Thank goodness that City finally lost a PL game on Saturday. But it’s Chelsea - above Arsenal on goal difference now - away next. Preceded by a Champions League game against Inter at the San Siro. There is no let-up, and it’s not as if the home game with Nottingham Forest that comes up after the next effing Interlull is looking like an easy game!
Talking of Nottingham Forest, news has broken of the impending departure of Edu from his role as Sporting Director at Arsenal. Head-hunted by Forest, apparently… does he really regard that as a step up?
More to the point, this weakens Arteta’s position at the club at a time when his reputation has dipped a bit. I for one am not advocating that he leave - far from it - but his now legendary stubbornness must surely change. With the departure of Edu - preceded by that of Jack Wilshere a couple of weeks ago - that leaves just Arteta and the BFG as the last two former players at the club.
Between them, Arteta and Edu have neglected the forward part of the pitch over the past couple of years. What Arsenal need is a viable alternative to what they have to offer at the pointy end; neither Havertz nor Jesus is what anybody can possibly call prolific. That needs to be priority number one - and not in the summer; but in January. A goal-scoring centre forward, and probably a left winger, are vital now. My Wish List is Gyokeres and Williams - fat chance tbh!
In the meantime, Arsenal need to cling on to Liverpool’s coat tails. Somehow. They cannot afford to lose at Chelsea; indeed, they can barely afford to even draw! And they must equally get something out of Wednesday’s trip to Milan. Otherwise the season is in danger of falling apart in November!
Yes, I and many others are being critical. But it doesn’t mean that we don’t support or believe in the team any less. We’re criticising out of love for them. So COYG!!!
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