Cavalry arrives in time?

By Boris Mellor
February 22 2009

Sunderland are better than Cardiff, so is this the only reason that Arsenal failed yet again. On its own this fact doesn't fully explain this supine performance. Some fans point to Denilson and Song arguing they are not good enough, but they were part of the victory against Cardiff, and they didn't play much differently in this game.

  I don't remember either of them creating much against the Bluebirds. They were no more, or less, sterile against the Black Cats, so I would argue that this is not where the problem lies.

Others argue that the full backs did not create very much, true, but they didn't create much on Monday either. Once again the defence was solid, but as was the case on Monday it was not examined that thoroughly.  Indeed with ten minutes to go Sunderland were not looking for the killer ball, but rather were killing time. Sunderland had two shots on target all match.

Arsenal played better on the Monday because Eduardo, Vela, Bendtner and Nasri combined to devastating effect. Between them they interchanged and used the wings imaginatively. It was not the midfield engine that created the chances, but the strikers and wide midfielders that did the damage.

The unavoidable absence of Eduardo made a repeat of that formation impossible; the resting of Vela meant that his partnership with Bendtner was broken up. Clearly Nik and RvP don't quite gel as well as his combination with Vela or Eduardo.

Arshavin had a promising debut, two very good shots, two good crosses and a couple of good passes. But after 35 minutes he was out of puff. He was also isolated from the rest of the team, it was mainly individual effort. That's not a criticism, but it is hardly surprising is it? Perhaps Wenger wants to develop his match fitness as soon as possible, but bringing on Vela earlier may have had more effect.

Cardiff had tried to press Arsenal, but left too much space down the wings, plus the Gunners moved the ball too quickly for them to block off all avenues to goal. It was the creative use of wide positions that gave Arsenal dominance. Perhaps Sunderland were better at closing off that option, but Arsenal did not build up any tempo, or work effective combinations on the wings.

Chances

Even so Arsenal should have taken at least one of the limited chances that were created, Van Persie, Nasri and Vela all missed sitters. Wenger's claim that Arsenal had ample chances was somewhat exaggerated, thirteen were created as against 24 versus Cardiff. True it was enough to have won the game, but in the past Wenger's teams created chances in the twenties.  On Monday Eduardo had lifted the fans and the team, there was a feel good factor all round.

This time the crowd left feeling cheated and despondent. This team has 22 points from the last 12 games, the same number of points from the next 12 games will see the team on Thursdays Channel 5 Europe For Losers Show, playing at poky obscure venues like Transylvania and Tottenham.

Cavalry in time?

Wenger believes that cavalry will save him, but will they all suffer hamstring injuries having been out so long? How long will Arshavin take to become part of a team? True the team needs his creativity, but quite a few will take a time to get on his wave length. Wenger has, quite correctly, stopped talking about winning the league. It's is touch and go as to whether he will have to do the same for 4^th spot.

 Wenger Has to Take Responsibility

Wenger has demonstrated that he can teach his team to keep clean sheets. The number of clean sheets is increasing, this was the third in a row. The reason he stiffened the defence is that he lacks creative players, goals are scare so it is more important not to concede.

The reason the defence has improved is because Sagna has been told to defend more, and that Song and Denilson both play a holding role. Denilson does not create that much now. None of the midfielders are looking to score. If RvP does not score no one does. The number of chances being created is declining as is the number of players prepared to shoot.

 Wenger has to get the team to take a more collective approach to scoring, it is his responsibility to solve the problem of the goal drought. It is his solution to conceding goals, not just the shortage of creative players, that has caused the problem.

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No Silva No Gold - Wenger Must Take Responsibility

Discussion started by Arsenal Times , 22/02/2009 10:02

Arsenal Times
22/02/2009 10:02

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:02:23:23:06:21 by Padre Pio.

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AJ The Gunner
22/02/2009 11:00

i really doubt that wenger's solution for the team not to concede goals is whats causing the goal drought.the player combinations lacks balance.just the presence of eduardo and vela was enough to creat goals and like you pointed out the midfield was dead to creativity against cardiff.

wenger has to owe up to the fact that he thought song and denilson was good enough, with the combination of over fed ade could win him a trophy this season.

well the results are showing and it will be pathetic if we fail to finish 4th.now i am seriously dreading the game against roma.

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Padre Pio
22/02/2009 11:08

But Wenger didnt start with Vela, and didnt have Eduardo, so he didnt make up for the loss of balance. Nothing comes out of the engine room now - he has to take that into account.

I am not dreading the Roma game we now have a cup team.

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mapleleafgooner
22/02/2009 17:12

"...Arsenal played better on the Monday because Eduardo, Vela, Bendtner and Nasri combined to devastating effect. Between them they interchanged and used the wings imaginatively. It was not the midfield engine that created the chances, but the strikers and wide midfielders that did the damage...."

Confirms my belief that Wenger deploys Song and Denilson as essentially defensive midfielders with the sole tasks of winning and retaining the ball before passing it onto Nasri to create the chances for our strikers. Against Sunderland, Nasri was very poor and Vela did not start until late in the 2nd half thereby nullifying Arsenal of its creativity. And with Clichy and Sagna both not able to cross the ball effectively, we had to rely on Arshavin who is playing his first game in over 2 months. So whatever half chances were presented to our strikers, they will have to convert - the only one capable of that is Eduardo who was not playing.

Don't be surprised if Roma do a man marking on Nasri on Tuesday and we should be seeing another 0-0 game.

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Merlion96
22/02/2009 17:26

Van Persie is the main culprit as he does not seem to gell with any players, with any formation.

Notice that without Adebayor and van Persie, team-work seems to be better with lots of movement.

Teh different is that on Monday, quick passing was the norm.
yesterday, back to the same-old-same-old slow and square passes.

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AJ The Gunner
22/02/2009 19:03

if we have 2 midfielders who can't create anything then its a waiste. no creativity from a midfield equals lack of goals pure and simple.

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Padre Pio
22/02/2009 22:36

They a not there to create AJ, Wenger has clearly sent them both out to hold. We cannot blame them they are doing what is asked of them. Thats why I argue Wenger must take the responsibility

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eduardo
22/02/2009 23:29

there was a time that Nasri and even Denilson would shoot if given space on edge of area but now they won't shoot unless wll inside the area and Denilson now no longer is playing that far forward. We need midfielders to shoot now and again to give packed defenses something more to worry about and make them have to come out to meet midfielders charging at the area, at the moment defenders just back off knowing that they can go into the area cos the midfielders will not shoot,

I wonder if its on instruction from Wenger, as we know all our teams play the same way right down to the youths and I seen recently that our U18 DM Emmanuel Frimpong who has scored a nice few goals this season was told to stop shooting so much by his manager Steve Bould

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Optimistic Gunner
24/02/2009 01:40

Quote:

eduardo
there was a time that Nasri and even Denilson would shoot if given space on edge of area but now they won't shoot unless wll inside the area and Denilson now no longer is playing that far forward. We need midfielders to shoot now and again to give packed defenses something more to worry about and make them have to come out to meet midfielders charging at the area, at the moment defenders just back off knowing that they can go into the area cos the midfielders will not shoot,
I wonder if its on instruction from Wenger, as we know all our teams play the same way right down to the youths and I seen recently that our U18 DM Emmanuel Frimpong who has scored a nice few goals this season was told to stop shooting so much by his manager Steve Bould

Its defintely AW.

He has been "Arsenalising" new signings for last few years now, much more then he used.

By that I mean AW changes the way a player used to play before they joined us.

E.g. Hleb was more direct at Stuttgart, he used to run at players. Rosicky was also more direct and used shoot from long range a lot more too. Same with Nasri and I sure the same will happen to Arshavin too, just yo wait.

AW started to do this after Cesc became a key player in our squad.

I pretty sure AW changed the way we used to play 5 years ago (one touch, high tempo, fast counter attacking football) to how we play now (slow tempo, too many touches, a lot more sideways and backwards passing with virtually no counter attacks) because of Cesc, as he is style doesn't suite the classic wengerball.

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Rockstaar
24/02/2009 01:51

we need to shoot from outside the box..because the goalie can spill it..also it makes defenders come out more and most of all WE MIGHT ACTUALLY SCORE A GOAL

I hate when one of the players gets in a shooting position and everyone in the stadium and at home is SCREAMING SHOOOOOOOOT!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:02:24:01:53:06 by Rockstaar.

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