Yes Drogba is an excellent striker but Arsenal's defending was woeful, but even that is not the point; the point is that the game was played at a snail's pace with very few passes finding the target.

 Fabregas had one of the poorest games I can remember in a long time. Only Theo, Toure and Gibbs had a good game. Eboue was reasonable, and most of the rest were downright poor. However it isn't the case that Chelsea outplayed us all of the match, it was more that we were poor. Indeed the Chelsea goal was scored against the run of play, however goals change games and the Gunners seemed to lack any real spark after that.

So is that just the sour grapes of an Arsenal fan? Let me be clear I am not disputing that Chelsea deserved to win, they took the gifts offered with gratitude, just as Arsenal would have done if they had the chance. They scored two fair and square goals, and Arsenal only one, no denying it.

However it is useful to look at a Manchester United viewpoint of the game:

Quote Republik of Mancunia, "Arsenal started pretty well but as the game went on, I started to see something very familiar to me. The inability to keep possession. Both Chelsea and Arsenal made unforced error after unforced error, passing it to the opposition time and again. Hey, this is what United do! The mistakes were taking place all over the pitch and it was great to see! It made for a pretty low quality game of football but it was enjoyable enough for a United fan."

In other words the winner of today's other semi-final has little to fear.

So what is the explanation? Well partly the pitch affected things, making high tempo football an impossibility. Of course it was just as bad for both teams, but Chelsea showed more experience in dealing with the problem. Long direct balls, often over the top were more suited to the conditions. Arsenal tried to play a passing game that was doomed to fail.

The Arshavin Mystery

Secondly Wenger fell between two stalls - should he play a more defensive or attacking team? As it was already known that we had a defence that was liable to fluff its lines there were two options 1. All out attack and outscore the opposition. 2. Shield the defence with a holding midfielder. My belief is that Wenger set out to do the second but maintain an element of the first. Hence he didn't believe that Arshavin was suited to the game. I assume he was unhappy with Arshavin's first half performance at Wigan, and decided he couldn't do a job against Chelsea. However I Arshavin is the one Arsenal player who might have done something unexpected. Also he must be really fed up he didn't get to start in such a big match.

By not playing Arshavin he gave up on the all out attack option, but his defensive shield failed. I had the feeling before the game it was a big mistake. If Arshavin had played would it have made a difference? Who knows it can't be proved. All I would say is he couldn't have been worse than the midfield on display.

Play your best team

It also seemed a strange decision to rest Song, what for? Villa drew the Liverpool match is not key. The big match was Saturday not Tuesday. Surely the strongest team includes Song and Arshavin. Yes Wenger has to rotate, but this was the wrong day to play a weaker team, just one match off the final. Liverpool is not sudden death. This was the most realistic chance of silverware, realistically the only chance.

Let's not exaggerate

Of course it's a great disappointment, but the main cause of the defeat was the poor defending, and there was very little Wenger could do about that at this stage of the season. Wenger is an unlucky manager; very few could have suffered his injury list this season. To lose four out of your back five in just over a week would be a setback for any team. Chelsea leaked four goals in one game without Terry.

Fabregas didn't have the best of games, but players who come back after a long layoff often have a poor four or fifth game. On the bright side Theo had an excellent game, as did Gibbs.

Always look on the bright side 

No time for misery

There is still a lot to play for, but the big question will be can the team lift its self after this setback?  The reaction to this defeat will tell us much about the character of this team. Unfortunately they may have to do it without key players; Clichy will not be back in the near future. However there is more hope for Sagna, more importantly we will need Almunia back ASAP. Fabianski is a long way off being his replacement, his rushing out of his area has been an accident waiting to happen, and unfortunately it happened once too many on this occasion.

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We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: Arsenal Times (IP Logged)

Date: 19/04/2009 15:45

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:04:20:20:44:26 by Padre Pio.

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Re: We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: Since 66 (IP Logged)

Date: 19/04/2009 19:36

and three with him

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APRIL 2012

Chelsea v Barcelona

REVENGE AND REDEMPTION - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

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Re: We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)

Date: 19/04/2009 19:52

es he is not what he was - hence his constant falling over yesterday.
Come on the blues

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Re: We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: AJ The Gunner (IP Logged)

Date: 19/04/2009 22:30

the game was lost because wenger blew it.he messed up big time.
we had defensive injuries so that defense would be a sham any way.the best form of defense is to attack and in that you play your best attacking option. He took the FA cup for a ride and in-effect killed off another chance of a trophy.

Trust my philosophy right?

well maybe this loss will be a blessing in disguise cos wenger really wants us to judge him by the end of the season.2 trophies gone so far.mr.wenger..time is running out....

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Re: We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: Optimistic Gunner (IP Logged)

Date: 20/04/2009 02:08

Quote:

AJ The Gunner
the game was lost because wenger blew it.he messed up big time.
we had defensive injuries so that defense would be a sham any way.the best form of defense is to attack and in that you play your best attacking option

Spot on!

Quote:

Boris
As it was already known that we had a defence that was liable to fluff its lines there were two options 1. All out attack and outscore the opposition. 2. Shield the defence with a holding midfielder

Option should not be availble to us to use the "Shield the defence with a holding midfielder" option to work against BIG teams teams you quality, experienced and solid midfielder which we don't have. So only the attacking option woould've worked, but AW failed.

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Re: We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)

Date: 20/04/2009 20:43

Indeed my point precisely

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Re: We didn't have a Song and the Arshavin mystery

Posted by: Bergmars (IP Logged)

Date: 20/04/2009 20:51

I have noticed time and again how our full backs tuck in and give the opponents wide men acres.Sagna doesnt get caught very often but Clichy,Eboue on Sat and even Gibbs do it.Is this the way they are told to defend,if so its schollboy stuff,but our wide men take some of the blame by not supporting their full backs.At one point on sat Malouda was actually behind Cole and helping him cope with Theo.Wengers defensive nous has never been great,but the last two seasons have benn very poor.

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DB10,the best.

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