Last Gasp Nightmare

I always write these pieces before devouring other blogs and pods, so this - as with all other interpretations - is mine and mine alone. And from what I understand from speaking to friends and acquaintances over the past day or two my appraisal of Arsenal's performance on Saturday may differ to what others are saying. But what the hell; everyone is entitled to their opinion...

One thing I'm sure of is that your reaction to the 'last kick of the match' defeat would have mirrored mine. I shouted "OH F*CK OFF" at the television, then grabbed the remote and hit the Off button. Of course, there was still VAR to consider, but emotions had got the better of me (and one can usually tell if VAR is likely to intervene in any case, so I knew that there was little chance of the goal being chalked off). 

And one can of course say that Arsenal were unfortunate to lose in such circumstances. But... I personally was never comfortable watching the game. And here's why:

Firstly, team selection. And whilst Arteta's hands were firmly tied by the 'cluster' injuries in central defence - it's so bad that he had to put 16-year-old Marli Salmon on the bench - I was unhappy at how he shaped things ahead of the back 4. Out of a desire to shoehorn Odegaard back into the side, with neither Madueke nor Martinelli having shone over the past week and with Trossard barely fit, he decided to play Eze on the left wing. Not his best position by any means, and with Calafiori behind him always ready to invert there were always likely to be defensive issues down that side. As was proven time and again in the first half. If you go back to my last blog post, I did query whether Odegaard and Eze could play in the same XI; especially when ball retention was likely to be key. It looks like I was right, based on Saturday.

Secondly, tactics; and I was massively disappointed by the decision to play Aston Villa at their own game - from what was a dodgy base (with neither first choice centre half in the side, the team's equlibrium is not as it was/should be). From the very start, it all felt far too open. And I frankly couldn't reconcile the tactics compared to the 'caution first' approach shown earlier in the season against the likes of Liverpool (before everyone realised that they're nothing like as good as we thought they'd be, Newcastle, and far more recently Chelsea). Villa are the form team in the division at the moment, so surely Arsenal ought to have tackled matters differently?

Next is in-game decision-making. Not necessarily by the players, but by the coaching team. If it was obvious to me that Arsenal were really struggling to cope with Villa's slick one-touch passing through midfield and towards the back line, how could they not spot it? Time and again they worked their way through in the course of two or three touches. It felt like things were out of control at times, for all the possession. 

Look, it's not Arsenal were entirely impotent. They have plenty of attacking talent themselves. But I was uncomfortable from the start that the game was being treated as a 'shoot-out'. Whilst Odegaard had the first opportunity - a tame shot straight at Martinez with almost the whole goal to aim at from 20 yards - the opportunity that McGinn presented to Watkins (who put both Timber and Hincapie on the floor) not long after ought to have served as a warning. Raya to the rescue.

Arsenal did have the ball in the net after 20 minutes, following a decent spell of pressure. Saka's cross was turned in by Eze, but the former had mis-timed his run into the penalty area. A shame; especially as the away side were actually well on top in the middle part of the first half. But the concern for me was that Arsenal were pushing TOO hard, with both full backs pushing on at the same time on occasions. 

It is clear that all the defensive injuries have an effect on the entire side. Without the automatisms that regular team selection gives, players can find themselves out of position and leave space for opponents. And Villa began to exploit those spaces; especially down the Arsenal left where Eze appeared unaware of the danger in behind whenever Calafiori roamed infield. The Italian can more easily get away with such ventures when he has the likes of Trossard and Martinelli in front of him - and more importantly with Gabriel clearing up behind him! 

The warning given when Rogers broke down the other wing, and Cash's cross-shot from inside the penalty area was blocked superbly by Rice with Eze trailing a long way back in the full back's wake, was not really heeded. 10 minutes later, Cash sneaked in behind a half-asleep Eze and crashed the ball through Raya's legs to give Villa the lead. Eze was furious with himself; but that was cold comfort. 

At half-time, it was clear that something needed to be done. And the cavalry called for were Trossard and Gyokeres, in place of the disappointing Eze (I think that we'll have to get used to him having the odd bad game) and the ineffective (on this occasion) Merino. Things were instantly improved following the changes - along with the clear exhibition of a little bit more caution and control. The triumvirate of White, Odegaard and Saka had been showing promise, and from some nice link up down the right Odegaard's looped cross was smashed across goal by Trossard. I suspected that if Arsenal were to get back into things, then the returning Belgian might be key.

And so it proved, not long after, as a typical intervention from Rice, and that familiar Odegaard/Saka combination set the latter free to deliver the ball across the 6-yard box, where from a slight deflection off of the diving Martinez Trossard had the simplest of finishes. 1-1, and Arsenal were in the ascendancy at that point. 

But... in their desire to push for the winner, the away side started to leave themselves too open. Time and again Villa worked opportunities; Rogers, Watkins and Kamara all had chances. Odegaard, with whom I had personally been slightly underwhelmed in the first half, continued to combine well with Saka, and had a rasping shot superbly tipped over by the full-stretch Martinez. From the resulting corner, Saka's goal-bound shot was cleared. But for all Arsenal's possession, Villa had more and better chances in the second period. Substitute Malen missed the best of those.

As we got towards the end of the game, neither side appeared happy to settle for the draw. I myself would have taken it any time from the 80th minute onwards... and Arsenal created a decent opportunity when the machine-like Rice found himself on the left wing and hit a superb low cross with his left foot that Gyokeres failed to read - substitute Madueke (on for Starboy who, having been booked, appeared to unusually be walking a disciplinary tightrope) hit the side netting from beyond the far post. 

A word for Gyokeres here; he looked considerably off the pace, and needs game time to get back up to speed. Many players do, of course - Martinelli being a case in point in the Arsenal squad - but we need more, and quickly, from the Swede.

Injury time, and Villa got the reward that their persistence in going for the win probably deserved. An almighty goalmouth scramble - Arsenal had chances to clear prior to this last-ditch assault and during it too. The bounce continually favoured Villa, however, and Buendia's finish was both calm and clever. 94 minutes plus 3 seconds. TV off... P*ssed off...

Several points to make on the back of this result:

• It is clear that Unai Emery has the Indian Sign over/a vendetta against Arsenal. Understandable, of course, in many respects, but I'd really like him to get over it!

• Despite the size of the Arsenal squad, it is clear that NO squad is ever big enough. The injuries at the back are absolutely crippling the squad; and these, coming off the back of a similar set of 'cluster injuries' at the other end of the field, make Arsenal look imbalanced. The forwards don't have the opportunity to play themselves back into form whilst goals are being conceded at the other end of the pitch. On top of all that, the magnificent Declan Rice risks being played to a standstill. He desperately needs a week off to recharge

• What is it whenever Arsenal lose? Massive headlines, and stupid and irritating questions about 'bottling it'. FFS! That's two defeats in 23 matches this season; so when I have Spurs fans - of all people! - attempting some sort of Schadenfreude on me I have to hold myself back. Because when your team loses nearly every week, nobody notices the next defeat. (However, to give some of these people some credit for some realism; one of the 15 year old boys who I coach at cricket on a Monday night gave me a hard time for at least half the session, before finally 'admitting' that he wanted to take advantage of Arsenal's defeat to take the p*ss because Arsenal defeats are so rare). Yet here - yet again - came the lazy headlines in the press and media about Arsenal. And they make me sooooo angry!

• Perspective is needed. Along with a touch of realism. It's a long season, and whilst trophies aren't presented in December Arsenal are top of the Premier League, and top of the Champions League table too. Sure, the gap to Manchester City could and should be bigger - especially considering Arsenal's remarkable consistency - but first place is first place. A slightly easier run of matches now should hopefully mean that they can stretch that out as players come back to form and fitness. We ought to see Saliba back soon - Havertz within a few weeks too, and Gabriel in January - so the squad should with any luck be considerably healthier by the time January rolls round

• A small plea to Mikel Arteta now: please, Mikel, rotate your squad over the next two games. Perhaps stop working your players as hard as you are doing on the training field; play, rest, recuperate. And please rein in the ambition a bit. Grounds like Villa Park are difficult places to go; a point would do. Win your home games and 60% of your away games, and that will be enough. Also, with a rare full week off after Saturday, how about a little trip to Dubai for the players?

Anyway, nothing stands still in football. The games are still coming thick and fast (Bruges in midweek, followed by the easiest game in the division - Wolves at home - on Saturday). And for all that I - and all of you - remain a little bit annoyed about Saturday - I also remain confident that 2025/26 is Arsenal's year. For all my moaning, I am keeeping the faith. And you should too. One rare defeat should not define a season, and I have complete confidence that this group will bounce back quickly. So COYG!