Reviewing Tottenham (eventually), and Watford preview

Well, it's taken me a while... but we've been in Interlull mode so I felt I had time - to revisit the Spurs match (please don't make me watch their goals again!), but I've got there in the end. Here's what I've taken from it:

1. Arsenal's forward line has the potential to be as potent as Liverpool's and Manchester City's. This is very exciting as we look forward to the rest of the season.

2.  Emery needs to make some important decisions as to the make up of his midfield. Selecting three midfielders of limited range on the offensive side of the game stifled creativity, but did not add any noticable solidity to the defensive side of the game as these players pushed forward into what to them were slightly unnatural positions. Time and again Arsenal were cut open on the break, and 2-0 could easily have been more until Arsenal finally took a measure of control. There are two aspects to this: 

Firstly, we immediately saw the difference when Ceballos came on (for all that he had looked shell-shocked against Liverpool - but they are an exceptional side the likes of whom Arsenal will not meet too often this season) and one should hope that two shielding midfielders would be enough against any opposition. 

But which two? Well, I think that after the clumsiest and most stupid of fouls on Son, that this graphic says everything we need to know:

But what do we know? He is one of the Manager's most trusted players,as he was Wenger's. Arsenal's midfield liability... which it was easy to contrast against Guendouzi's Man of the Match performance.

3. To my eyes, there was a massive contrast in how the two teams went about their business. Tottenham looked better organised and better coached but, by sheer will and effort, a more freestyle Arsenal fought their way back into the game and could easily have won it. I appreciate that Spurs are a more settled side and that Arsenal needs to bed its new players in, but it will be interesting to see if Emery looks to develop a single defined style of play or whether he continues to adapt his side to the opposition for every single game.

Actually, this would be anathema to me. How can Arsenal impose themselves if the main focus is on stopping the opposition? That has to take away from what his players can do. I want to see structure and tactics, but this would be the exact opposite of what the previous Manager did (i.e take little or no notice of one's opponents). A middle road, please.

Anyway, a point is better than what we might have expected at 5.11pm that afternoon. And it's worth bearing in mind additionally that the Arsenal defence is going to be vastly different personnel-wise by the beginning of November than it looks like now. But it's the midfield that's the main conundrum.

However, Arsenal now go into a stretch of extremely winnable games for a few weeks (and I'm even including Manchester United away in that). Starting on Sunday at Watford.

What is it about other Premier League teams that they all seem to leave it until the week before they're due to play Arsenal to sack their Manager, leaving us open to the 'bounce factor'? Is it me, or does it happen to Arsenal more than any other side? Anyway, they've got off to a wretched start this season (which is why the trigger-happy Pozzos have done the deed to Gracia) but it's always a difficult game there. A fortunate win last season in the middle of that wretched season-ending debacle, and an embarrassing late defeat the season before. Still, Troy Deeney and his massive cojones have had a poor time of it against Arsenal since he opened his big mouth three years ago, and that really ought to continue. Watford away is the sort of game Arsenal should expect to win if they want to ensure that they push for a Top Four spot.

And finally, a word on Harry Kane. Is there anyone who doesn't think that he's a serial diver? And that he gets away with it a bit more than he should in the same way that Alan Shearer got away with trying to kick Neil Lennon's head into the stands all those years ago. Anyway, now that matters have started to get highlighted a bit more, hopefully that will work against him and his club. And whilst I'll always support him while he's wearing an England shirt, I really did enjoy him missing that penalty on Wednesday evening. Bad David!

Until next Monday. 

Bloodied but unbowed

I must say that I got a little p*ssed off reading some of the comments on social media after the Liverpool game. Stuff like 'Emery is clueless', the signings are all rubbish etc. Daft, defeatist and melodramatic.

Arsenal were up against the European champions, a side who haven't lost since... I really don't know when, who have won goodness knows how many home games in a row and who are a good 4 years ahead in their 'project' compared to where Arsenal are - reasons for that to nonetheless be discussed later. So whilst on the face of it a 3-1 defeat doesn't look encouraging, from where I was sitting there was plenty to take out of the game. Liverpool away is one of the two most difficult games any team will play all season.

It took me a few minutes to work out the tactics, but once I got them I understood them completely. The extremely low block conceded tons of possession, but meant that all the play was restricted to areas where Liverpool could not get behind the defence - barring errors, that is... Diamond or flat 4-3-3; I'm not sure it really mattered.

The press only started 25 years from goal, severely compressing the play. And also meaning that with Liverpool's full backs pushed well forward and two rapid players up top, they'd have the added advantage of likely being left two on two, with loads of the pitch to work with, against the opposition's central defenders. And it so nearly worked. Aubameyang and especially Pepe missed gilt-edged opportunities in the first half, and for once van Dijk looked genuinely rattled in one on one situations against Pepe. Goodness knows what Pepe will do to inferior defenders, but it's something to get very excited about!

I found this tweet which tells its own story:

OptaJoe

@OptaJoe

50 - Nicolas Pepe has become the first player to successfully dribble past Virgil van Dijk in the Dutch defender's last 50 appearances in the Premier League, since Mikel Merino in March 2018 for Newcastle.

So, whilst a 'blown coverage' at a corner, a slightly contentious (OK; definitely a penalty) shirt pull and a wonder goal were the reasons for Liverpool's three goals - and one can easily argue that they took their foot off the gas at 3-0 - on the whole it worked, and there's plenty of encouragement to be had.

But again, I'd suggest that playing out from the back - with the ball lost too close to goal on a dozen occasions or more on Saturday - needs more consideration; admirable as the plan may be.

Easy to argue, of course, that Emery picked the wrong personnel and played the wrong formation, but I'd argue that Torreira for Xhaka might have been the only thing I'd have done differently; notwithstanding that Lacazette can't have been pleased to have missed out. Willock justified his inclusion, and there is cause for great optimism over the forward line. I'm not sure that Ceballos quite knew what had hit him, though. And David Luiz? Well, that's what you can get from David Luiz. Let's face it; he's no Kurt Zouma...

So in Top Four terms I'd rather be putting up a reasonably decent fight at Liverpool than losing at home to Newcastle. Or to Crystal Palace. A bit of perspective is needed.

It's worth considering why Liverpool are so far ahead of Arsenal at this time. It's been discussed all over the place, and for years, but I think that for the moment we have to put the past behind us and look forward, as the Board appear to now be doing. If one wants to seek out the villains of the piece, we'd should probably look no further than Danny Fiszman - yes, really... - and Ivan Gazidis. But it would appear that there are genuine plans afoot to narrow the gap. We need to be patient, and accept whatever progress we can get. Realistically, Top Four and the Europa League look reasonable enough targets for 2019-20.

And so to Tottenham. A dressing room that appears unhappy, and a Manager who is showing an element of frustration; and that's been reflected in their performances so far this season. Of course, we will come out and play against them, and that will help them. But I would imagine that there will be worse times than next weekend to be playing Tottenham Hotspur. 

Before I go, a word on Ben Stokes. Sunday's performance was quite possibly, in context, the greatest innings by an English batsman ever. Certainly the best I've ever seen (and I've been watching cricket since the 1970s). How he has come back from his mauling at the hands of Carlos Brathwaite in the World Twenty 20 Final just over three years ago, and the cloud of the charge of affray for that incident in Bristol 18 months later, to become one of the biggest players on the world stage is a testament not just to his ability, but to hard work and an incredible psyche. He has that 1-2% that makes the difference. If only he could have a word with Mesut Ozil about how he does what he does...

Big game Sunday #coyg

Reasons To Be Cheerful

This week, I'm going to cover Arsenal 2 Burnley 1, the impact of the new signings and a preview of the massive game hoving into view next weekend. I'll also spare a few words for Robin van Persie, and for VAR.

For the first time for a good number of years, going to Emirates Stadium didn't feel like a chore on Saturday. More positive vibes at Board level, and the consequential new signings, brought a buzz of optimism to the crowd, and we were not disappointed. But it wouldn't be Arsenal, of course, without a few moments of concern.

So, the good: 

David Luiz clearly adds a new dimension to Arsenal's rearguard. Yes, he can distribute the ball well. Yes, he stood up well to the physical threat of Barnes and Wood. Yes, he was the last to step up to play Barnes onside for the Burnley goal. So all pretty par for the course for David Luiz (and I should mention that I felt sorry for Calum Chambers missing out after a good solid display last week). 

And I love this photo, by the way :)

Whilst Nelson was fairly quiet (notwithstanding a lovely finish for his disallowed goal) and Maitland-Niles slightly error-prone, along with his fellow-youngsters, Joe Willock shone out as the most advanced of the three boys and the most likely to keep his place in the side. Although with it being Liverpool next week I'd more than half expect Xhaka or Torreira to come in.

Dani Ceballos had a really good game. I've seen him likened to 'Santi Cazorla on speed' and to the demigod Robert Pires, but I saw quite a lot of Fabregas in him too. And who wouldn't take a hybrid of those three?!?

Nicolas Pepe played a half as he builds up to speed, and looks a really exciting addition to the team. Rapid, very skilful (he mugged off Mee at one point with a spectacular nutmeg) and clearly already building a rapport with Auba and Laca. What's not to be excited about?

It was also good to see Kolsasinac back for a short cameo. Rumours abound, however, that mainly for non-footballing reasons we may have seen the last of the mercurial Ozil in our lovely new red shirt.

And one thing I loved, and haven't seen for a long while in an Arsenal side. Leaving two men up - split on both sides - when the opposition had a corner. It's a numbers game, and it had Burnley rather confused.

And the not so good:

Playing out from the back from goal kicks. Firstly, Leno needs to speed up his thought processes. Secondly, all this is doing is putting pressure on ourselves. If Burnley can give us palpitations closing defenders down, what will Liverpool and Spurs do to us in the next two matches? If I could make a plea to the Manager, it would be to mix it up a bit so as to put a bit of doubt into the opposition's minds at Arsenal goal kicks. We will concede a penalty or goal if we continue with it.

But on the whole a perfectly satisfactory and promising start to the season so far. Acid tests are about to follow, however.

And so to Liverpool. Champions of Europe. Unlucky not to have won the Premier League last year. etc etc. And of course there's plenty to fear; especially the inverted wingers who are going to put massive pressure on our full backs and look to commit our centre halves early. And for that reason I see Emery playing two defensive midfielders to help them out, and to look to hit them on the break where possible. If they have weaknesses, they might be in central midfield - although I'm sure that Klopp will make plans for Ceballos - and in central defence where whilst van Dijk is almost peerless, questions can be asked of whoever is chosen to partner him. The work rate of the entire side is going to be critical, but we have pace to burn on the break, so we shall see. A big game, but maybe a bridge too far so early in the season.

And so to two side issues:

1.  Robin van Persie. I'm sorry, but his 'explanation' on BT Sport takes quite a lot of believing. I watched it on Twitter and smelt a rat, feeling that it didn't add up - didn't really make much sense and I wasn't sure quite what he was saying - and then looked at the comments... and, well! It seems that 99% of Arsenal fans feel the same way - that it's a re-write of history. If he's trying to ingratiate himself with Arsenal fans he'd have been better off coming clean. I don't buy it. And another reason to read the book that I sincerely hope that Arsene Wenger is currently writing - the chapter on Cole/Fabregas/Nasri/Adebayor/van Persie will be fascinating.

2.  VAR. Well, once more Tottenham benefit from a marginal over-rule against Manchester City. And having had my first experience of it 'live' on Saturday I must add that whilst I can see the benefits of it, it a) sucks a good percentage of the enjoyment out of celebrating and b) whilst I can see the advantages of having clearly defined parameters, it's the Laws that VAR is looking to uphold that need to be re-examined. That it was Tottenham who benefitted was a pity - although seeing City drop points is always good. Anyhoo, it's early days for VAR and we will have to see if the 'swings and roundabouts' effect does work out. On balance, I remain in the Against column.

And so to Liverpool. I'll take a draw right now. Until next week.

Start as you mean to go on

So, after a hiatus (there's only so many times I can say the same thing again and again and again), the least read Arsenal Blog in existence is back for more in 2019-20. In this first post of the season I'll first cover the game against Newcastle, and then look at what's been going on in pre-season and why I think that Arsenal fans should be optimistic for the months ahead.

It took Arsenal 8 months last season to manage a clean sheet away from home in the league. This season they managed it on Matchday One, and helped themselves to a pretty comfortable three points from Newcastle. The major talking points from the game were as follows:

1.  Lots of new signings to look forward to, yet for various reasons none of them started. Pepe has only just arrived, and (slightly left-field and very interesting signing) David Luiz had a single training session last week, Dani Ceballos was suffering from a slight ankle injury, and Kieran Tierney was signed injured. I personally had no problems with the team selection (many on social media did, but they need to get over themselves; it's going to be a long season), and was delighted to see Willock and Nelson get starts. The team selection was solid, if unexciting, and the way it was set up was pragmatic. Players did their job well all over the field.

2.  It's difficult to knock anybody's performance (unexciting as the match was). Leno did everything expected of him (although I dont' think I'll ever be free of heart palpitations when they try to play it out from the back!). The defence was solid and barely allowed Newcastle an opportunity. The experienced Sokratis and Monreal did exactly what we would have expected of them, whilst I'm personally delighted to see Calum Chambers finally get (and take) an opportunity. Plus although Maitland-Niles still has a lot to learn about playing right back he had a decent game - and a lovely assist.
In midfield, I barely noticed Xhaka (something of a relief!), whilst Willock had a quiet-ish game, but the star of the midfield three was undoubtedly Matteo Guendouzi. I have very high hopes for him.
Higher up the pitch, Mkhitaryan was quiet and mainly disappointing, but generally did the job asked of him, whilst Nelson looked very promising indeed, using the ball intelligently and working hard when out of possession. As for Aubameyang, I thought he had a great game, leading the line well, making intelligent runs and dragging defenders out of position continually. And of course he took his goal superbly.
It's too early to judge, but I liked the look of Ceballos, Pepe looks like he's going to excite us as the season progresses, and Martinelli looks OK too.
As the season goes on, the starting line-up is likely to look very different to what it did on Sunday, but those people moaning about new players not starting etc. should not lose sight of the fact that we've gone to a difficult away ground and started with three points and a clean sheet. That's what matters most.

Now a look back at the main talking points from the summer; namely, #wecaredoyou and the transfer window in general, the strange situation surrounding Ozil and Kolasinac, plus the man who calls himself Heavy D and the whole AFTV phenomenon. Followed by a prediction...

1.  I'm pretty sure that the #wecaredoyou campaign had a negligible effect on the thinking of the owner and the Board, and that they were planning to spend the sort of money they ended up spending all along. Nonetheless Josh Kroenke was true to his word, considerably more money was laid out than I think almost all of us were expecting, most of the holes were filled (sorry to see Kos go - and especially the way he did - but David Luiz's suprising signing takes care of that) and the club's transfer record was smashed good and proper. I think that we have to accept that in Sanllehi and now Edu we have a more dynamic recruitment team, and the funds were supplied to back them up. Personally, I'm both delighted with and excited by the summer's business. Maybe it's time to ease off Silent Stan's back?

The downside is the surprising loss of Iwobi (to balance the books, it would appear) but that's business I suppose. And the presence of what many of us may describe as 'dead wood' in the squad - or if not dead wood then players who are costing more than their worth. In this I'd include Mustafi, who does look as though he's on his way, Mkhitaryan who has only convinced in very small flashes, and more controversially Xhaka and Ozil.

Sunday's team wasn't set up to do much for Xhaka, whose range of passing - his main asset - could not be shown off because the team played so narrowly. And without that he's not got much to offer. He's a risk in the tackle, and tends to dwell on the ball. As for Ozil - and I'm moving on to organised crime in a moment - I have to admit that following Baku I'm pretty much done with him. A wonderful footballer on his day, but not worth what he's being paid if he can't/won't turn it on more than occasionally. If they both go in the next three weeks, I won't shed too many tears (maybe just a few for Ozil; a joy to behold on his day) .

2.  Organised crime, eh? We can't possibly expect to be privy to what's going on with Ozil and Kolasinac, but it's clearly serious, and I'm wondering if they'd be better off plying their trade elsewhere for the sakes of themselves and their families. It would be wrong to speculate on why they're being targetted - although there are all sorts of rumours and conjecture on social media - but to think that the street of Golders Green are looking like the Wild West is absoltely terrifying and I hope that the Police sort it out quickly.

3.  Now I normally wouldn't wish to give AFTV any oxygen whatsoever, as they're an absolute embarrassment and laughing stock to the majority of Arsenal fans, but how this guy who styles himself as Heavy D has managed to sink even lower than the likes of Claude, Troopz and Mr DT I don't know. All I can say is that I've just given them a tiny bit of oxygen here, but I'd beg Arsenal fans to ignore them completely on social media so that they get swallowed back up their own holes as swiftly as possible.

4.  Finally, a prediction. It is clear that Manchester City and Liverpool will continue to dominate the title chase this season and that one of them will win it. However, of Arsenal's 'rivals' for Top Four, I'd venture to suggest that we'll finish very close to (if not above) Spurs this season, but that if I were a fan of either Chelsea or Manchester United I'd be worried. People will point to Manchester United's 4-0 win over Chelsea and wonder what I'm going on about, but that was the most unrepresentative 4-0 I've ever seen. I'd be concerned for United with Solskjaer in charge as ther season goes on and Chelsea, having lost Hazard and with Lampard at the reins and a transfer embargo, are in my opinion really going to struggle to keep up.
So whilst I was concerned 6 weeks ago that Arsenal may need to start looking over their shoulders at Wolves, Leicester and Everton, I think that we can safely now look up and at a golden opportunity to qualify for the Champions League this season. 4th at worst; it's back on!

See you next week.

Another Blue Day

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.

Lessons learned

So the new era has started; unfortunately with the biggest test there could possibly be. I gave myself the summer - for all that it was a momentous one for Arsenal - off from blogging (there was still plenty for Arsenal fans to read, was there not?), so in this opening post of the season I'll cover not just the first game of the season but some thoughts on Wenger vs Emery, and also on our friend Mr Kroenke.

Firstly, what did we learn yesterday? And I'll preface this by pointing out what Basil Fawlty would have called "the bleedin' obvious" -  that Arsenal won't find themselves too often up against a group of players who are as comfortable as City are on the ball, and thus able to ping the ball about in midfield as they did.

From my seat in the lower tier, I felt that most important thing that Emery should be taking away is that if he wants to play the high press he is going to think very hard about whether he can play both Ozil and Mikhitaryan in the same side. My personal view is that he cannot. If you want to play like that, then everybody has to participate; otherwise there is always an outlet for the opposition, but neither did it consistently and the personnel have to be right.  Plus on the attacking side I thought that the latter, in particular, had a poor game and is even less consistent than Ozil. Having one in the side is a luxury one can live with against most opposition. But not both.

If he agrees with me on that, then Emery should be looking instead at playing both Aubameyang and Lacazette up top. The latter certainly made a difference when he was introduced, but I also feel that it was unfortunate that Ramsey wasn't fit enough to last longer than he did, because he's a much better option for the press than either the aforementioned German or Armenian. As to how that leaves his bench, then either Welbeck or Nketiah will have to take up a spot there.

Additionally, I believe that Ramsey is absolutely key to this Arsenal side. Now, some people might look back and see that I have in the past called him "a square peg in a round hole", but I feel that in the system that Emery wants to play somebody with his energy - and the ability to break the lines with an eye for goal - is just as important as somebody like Ozil who has the ability to play the killer pass. Whatever is needed to pay him, I feel that the 'IRS' (that's 'IvanRaulSven' for those who didn't follow) need to find it.

Defensively, there are clearly issues. But you'd expect them to be exposed by a side like City. The semi-absence of Mikhitaryan (who gave Maitland-Niles no help whatsoever in the time that the latter was on the pitch) meant that not only did he have to deal with Mahrez but also the overlapping Walker. This was simply impossible for a kid playing out of position, and he deserves no criticism for his performance; merely sympathy. As an addendum, I was impressed by Lichtsteiner; a proper professional. I'd like to see more of him, please. Sokratis and Mustafi lack pace, clearly, but didn't do too badly in the circumstances, and I thought that Bellerin did OK. The thing is this; City are really slick, so it's unfair to judge on Day One.

In midfield, Guendouzzi did well for somebody so young, but clearly has a lot to learn and at times looked a little out of his depth (his hair, however, did not!). This is, of course, perfectly understandable. And I was impressed by Teeny Tiny Torreira's little cameo late in the game. He's my new favourite player, I think.

Once again, for me, Xhaka disappointed. But I will say this; it takes a short time to get into bad habits and a considerably longer time to break them, so whilst I'd criticise his performance in the same way as I criticise those of Ozil and Mikhitaryan, I feel that we need to give the manager time to break the bad habits that these players developed in the Dog Days of Wenger.

Up front, Aubameyang was fairly anonymous, but he was ploughing a lone furrow - with a little help from Ramsey - until Lacazette appeared. Give him/them time too.

So on the whole it wasn't great, but it could have been much worse. We had a few chances, after all, even if some would suggest that City were coasting.

However, I do think that Emery needs to revisit the tactic of playing out from the back at all costs. It was agonising to watch at times - and City didn't do it too well either - and almost ended in embarrassment and disaster. On the subject of goalkeepers, I'm not really sure why Cech started once £26m had been spent on Leno, but the manager watches them every day and we don't.  Leno will get his chance soon, I'm sure.

So onto the next easy fixture - Chelsea away. Goodness me! It will certainly get easier after that.

Just to cover the end of Wenger and the beginning of the new regime. This will have been written elsewhere, I am sure, but what I would say is that it was time for change - well past time for change, frankly - and whilst M Wenger gave us some of the most wonderful football memories we will ever have, what we saw over the past few years was an inexorable decline, with nothing but more of the same to look forward to. I'm sure that what what led to him going was that Kroenke saw, on top of the decline in football standards and the speed at which our so-called peers were moving away from us, were the empty seats and the mismanagement of player contracts and sales that led to huge sums of money being flushed away. So it was more than the slide down the table; it was a holistic thing. Everything had stagnated.

As for 'IRS' (assuming that 'I' stays, that is, in the face of the offer from AC Milan) and Emery, we must give them time. It might take weeks, but it's more likely to take months or even years to get back where Arsenal fans feel the team belongs. That is the legacy of the end of the Wenger era, I'm afraid. The signs, despite yesterday's loss, are not bad. We must be patient and it might take quite a bit more work on the training pitch, and more personnel change, to get there.

Now quickly on to our friend Stan. I'm afraid that taking the club private was inevitable, and there's nothing we could have done, or can do about it. It's sad, but (contrary to pretty much all the evidence) we just have to trust that he'll do right by the club. If there are any positives to take from what's happened recently at KSE, I'd cite these two: a) he took the necessary action on Wenger (and perhaps listened to his son before he did it - maybe, just maybe, Josh is going to be less dispassionate than his father about the sporting empire that he is going to inherit), and b) the LA Rams are going to be Superbowl contenders this year, and KSE have spent a hell of a lot of money on the Rams in the past year or two. Hopefully, Stan will at last acknowledge the correlation between investment and success. Be sad. Be angry. But don't lose hope.

Until next week.

Adieu, mon cher ami

I've refrained from posting about Arsene Wenger since the announcement of his departure. There's been so much stuff flying about, and I wanted to write something personal when the time was right. Today feels like the right time.

It's my birthday tomorrow. In 2006, Arsenal threw a massive party for me on my actual birthday - May 7th - to commemorate leaving Highbury. That was a celebration, in a time of hope, and a time when Arsenal FC were able to compete with the best that England - and Europe - could offer. But the problem is that this feels to me, as I type, like something of a wake. Not just for Arsene, but for a club that through inertia and an unwillingness to face reality finds itself in something of a mess. And a watershed moment that feels, at the moment, like an opportunity wasted.

There's no doubt that the Manager leaves the club in a better place than he found it. A state-of-the-art stadium and an amazing training facility, and an impressive infrastructure that has made the club able to compete on a financial and commercial level with pretty much anybody. All those wonderful moments; and of course the trophies! However we, the fans, were promised more; we were sold a dream of being able to absolutely compete with the very best - and boy, we were close in those last few years at Highbury! The problem is not the infrastructure, but the playing staff. A comparison to 2006 is frankly embarrassing, with hardly a single player in the current group capable of even making the bench of the 2006 team (let alone the 2004 team!). This is damning, and inexcusable.

For me the Manager has been part of, but hasn't been the root cause of the problem. It's been the inability and unwillingness of those above him to grasp the mettle, to take responsibility instead of abdicating it, and to act on the dream we were sold that has caused the ructions and resentment amongst the fan base. The willingness to accept what, for a club who were in Arsenal's position in 2006, is essentially mediocrity. As long as the money keeps rolling in, eh... I know that fans of most clubs in England would scoff and say we don't know how lucky we are. And that's a fair point. Except that it depends on one's expectations, and we were told to expect much more than what we have.

So Arsene Wenger, whose commitment to the cause and belief in his own ability cannot be questioned, has been treated poorly by those within whose power it was to make the big decisions that needed to be made. As he himself has said: 'If you eat caviar every day, it's difficult to return to sausages'. Compare that to Ivan Gazidis advising; 'We should be able to compete at a level like a club such as Bayern Munich'. Well, we've seen how that worked out!

In the early Noughties, Manchester United's sole competition was Arsenal. This, I maintain, was down to Wenger's recruitment, his willingness to allow those great players to express themselves, and the changes he brought to methods of training and fitness. At that point the move away from Highbury was intended - laudably - to build a legacy; a club that would continue to compete with the very best that England could offer - and for the foreseeable future. And for all one could say that the arrival of Roman Abramovich and latterly Sheikh Mansour, plus the way that FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League messed up FFP, created a perfect storm for Arsenal FC, it's necessary for the club to look inwards to see what really went wrong. And of course they have finally realised that action needed to be taken. Now, that is, that there are no less than five clubs currently ranked above Arsenal - including Tottenham Hotspur.

There's been plenty of revisionism going on, and I would sincerely hope that people will be able to take stock of what Arsene achieved in his time at the club. I have to mention at this point one of my fondest, yet perhaps more indeterminate memories (as I have no recollection of what game it was, although I reckon it would have been during the Invincibles season). It's of sitting back comfortably in my seat at Highbury, actually giggling as I watched Arsenal literally run rings around whoever the opposition were. We were 3 up at the time, I think. I remember turning round to my friend Jill, who sat right behind me (and still does at the new ground, as it happens) saying: 'Sit back and enjoy; it doesn't get any better than this.' I was right; although I do wish that I was wrong!

And it's pretty easy to be critical of the last 10 years or so - let's face it, most Arsenal fans have been, especially recently. But we shouldn't lose sight of the great times, and great teams, that Wenger gave us. The moments like the frisson of excitement as Patrick Vieira made his debut, the magnificent battles with United, winning the league at White Hart Lane and Old Trafford, Henry's slalom goal versus Liverpool, Pires' lobs and goals against Spurs, the Vieira goal against Leicester that wrapped up the Invincibles season, Tony Adams' miracle effort against Everton - they all seem so long ago now. Gone and replaced by a sense of apathy and resignation. And it's inexcusable from Arsenal FC. And not a single member of the current squad comes close to getting into an all-time Wenger XI. The proof of the pudding is, as they say, in the eating.

So I expect that today I will feel, above all else, a sense of overwhelming sadness and disappointment that the legacy of a great man has been tarnished; not only by himself - because he of course has to take some responsibility - but by those who had it in their power to do better by him, and by this great club. I will nonetheless celebrate Arsene Wenger, and remember him  in my mind's eye for enabling me to enjoy watching Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie in their pomp to name just a few; and for moments like the photo montage below gave me and all Arsenal fans. It's this that I want to remember him for. 

Adieu, Arsene, et merci pour tous.