After the mauling at Man City, Arsenal
looked tattered and torn. They had lost to Napoli 2-0, ultimately setting up
the second straight knockout bash with Bayern, lost to United 1-0 earlier and
allowed a late equalizer to Everton. The pressure was on and their lead at the
top dwindling. But since then they have put in three solid defensive showings
and collected 7 of the 9 points on offer, with only the Chelsea draw in
terrible conditions and with terrible refereeing from the perennially bad Mike
Dean. Today, the Gunners were not at their best, with Ozil and Ramsey on the
sideline, but in the 65th minute, as they were starting to mount some
pressure around the Newcastle goal, Theo Walcott stepped up and delivered a
lovely free kick in front of goal that Giroud finished.
From there, Arsenal made the bizarre
decision to sit back and invite pressure and though it worked in the end, one
does wonder why they didn’t try to retain possession at least for short spells
of the last 15 minutes or so. In any case, the win took Arsenal back to the top
of the table, though only by a point over City and two over Chelsea. The good
news for the Gunners is they now have five very winnable games in a row in the
league before their trip to Anfield on February 8. In the mix during that period,
however, is the FA Cup tie against Tottenham at the Emirates. Wins in those six
contests could be a warning sign to the rest of the league before a tough run
of fixtures in February and mid-March. But a second scrappy win in a row is
certainly good news after the team seemed on the brink of blowing their early season
momentum. A few thoughts from the game …
1.
Wilshere Malaise: it is time to start asking serious
questions about the Arsenal midfielder whose form has been somewhere between
average and poor most of the year. Sure he’s scored a few goals (all in a
two-game stretch), but he otherwise gives the ball away more than anyone else
on the pitch through bad passes, dawdling on the ball, absurd dribbling forays into
multiple defenders and overly ambitious long balls. Beyond this, his defensive
skills are suspect at best, as he is often not only beaten but strewn on the
ground as the attack continues behind him. He blows too many opportunities with
poor shots or ill-advised passes and essentially appears to hurts the team
whenever he is on the pitch. The clear answer is that he is a squad player at
the moment, but could it be that a loan out next season might help? It’s hard
to see Wenger doing this, but I think there would be clear benefits to be had.
2.
Defense holds firm: After
ceding six goals against City a fortnight ago, all on defensive or midfield
errors, Arsenal have only given up one in three. While few are still counting
them among title favorites, with most of the bandwagon onto Man City at the
moment, the defensive nous of the Gunners could become a key factor in the run
in. Beyond the clear back four starters (Mert, Kos, Sagna and Gibbs), Arteta
and Flamini are solid defensive mids (though the later much more than the
former) and Ramsey, when fit again, covers more ground than anyone in the EPL
on a weekly basis. This solid defending will have to hold up if Arsenal are to
have any chance at the title. The most impressive thing I’ve noticed about the
team over the past season is their pressing high up the pitch. This is the
strategy Barcelona used to perfection during their brilliant run a few years
back and one we should employ more often.
3.
Giroud off the Snide, but … : Olivier
Giroud finally scored, for the first time in the league since November 23, but
missed an opportunity a few minutes later that could have sealed the result
(scuffing a right footed shot from in close with the goal gaping). Giroud’s
hold up play was above-par, but he just seems to lack the pace and finishing
touch necessary at the moment. If Wenger fails to pick up another striker in
the winter transfer window, I think he will come to regret the decision. The
other needs appear to be a centre back (not a starter but a solid squad
member), maybe another defensive mid (or maybe Cabaye a little further forward)
and possibly a winger. But with Walcott and Podolski back, the winger is not a
real need.
4. The
Second Half: as I mentioned above, Arsenal have a run of winnable fixtures
heading into the key matchup at Anfield. That starts the first of two tough
periods that will probably decide whether the Gunners are title-contenders or
pretenders. The first starts with Liverpool on the road and then home matches
against United and Bayern (the first leg of the UCL tie). The second, which
starts on March 11 and goes through April 5, sees Arsenal visit the Allianz for
the second leg, then head to White Hart Lane against Tottenham followed by a
trip to the Bridge and Chelsea, Man City at home and then Everton on the road.
The second is a brutal spell, but one that could put Arsenal on the cusp of
silverware if they come through it well.
Next up is Cardiff City on New Year’s
Day at home. COYG!
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