The Coach

By Boris Mellor
April 17 2010

Arsenal have been struggling to score more than one goal in open play in the Premiership for over a month now. That's why I wasn't that surprised by the score at Tottenham, after all Spurs have only conceded 11 goals at home all season. The return of Robin van Persie came too late to turn things around.

Return of Crab Football

With RvP the team scored 3.3 goals a game, without him it dropped to 1.8, then if you take into account that Fabregas, Arsenal's lead scorer, was not available it diminished the odds of scoring even further. It was also noticeable that without RvP and Fabregas the Gunners returned to the annoying crab football of last season.

Denilson in particular took the lead in sideway passing, as Nasri failed to understand the Fabregas role. It was not a lack of effort as the team dominated possession, but it lacked guile when it came to the last third. I think it was Wenger who called it "Pointless Possession", if he didn't he should of.

This team does seem to freeze when faced with a crucial game, and it is not unique to this group. In my opinion Wenger's teams have often cracked under pressure. I can think of at least two seasons when they were in the best position to win the league they have imploded. Then when the pressure was off started scoring freely again.

It would be unfair to call them bottlers, as some detractors do, as I don't think the issue is just mental, but mentality does play a role. The fact that the squad often lacks the depth to cope with the injuries that Wenger's teams suffer is another important factor.

The title has gone to Chelsea pressure off

Paddy Power has already paid out on Chelsea winning the league, I doubt if he will regret it as Man U have also imploded under injuries.

Whatever the reason there has developed since 2004, and in fact it was observable in the years before 2004, a tradition that some of Arsenal's best football comes after there is no chance of winning anything. Once the pressure is off, that the title is no longer winnable, suddenly the best football appears. Very often they have started to score for fun once there is nothing to play for.

As I have already stated this team has been struggling to score in open play in the second half of the season. This has been dealt with in two ways, one scoring very late, or winning  a last minute penalty. This has been heralded as mental strength, and in some ways it is. The problem is the days that the late goal doesn't come. Indeed this strength has covered up for the failure to score earlier in the game, what was a strength then turns into  a weakness.

Arsenal still needs points.

Arsenal still do have something to play for, not the title that is long gone, but third is not guaranteed, both Spurs and Man City could overtake them. I doubt it will be Spurs, thus Arsenal must get six points to ensure that place. Wigan also need points, probably 5 or 6 will ensure they will not go down. So this game is not a shoe in.

 As our defence is almost incapable of keeping a clean sheet then the goals must come. Wenger is not sure how RvP will stand up to playing regularly after such a long lay-off; he has had muscle tightness since Spurs, and Wenger will not take risks with him. If he does play I expect the goals to come, not necessarily because he will score, though he may well do so, but because he makes things happen around him.

Hopefully Arsenal will find the flowing football that has eluded them, at least at Wigan. Wigan have conceded 20 goals at home and only scored 14, they should be tailored made for a team looking to bounce back after a big disappointment. That should be the case, as long as Arsenal keep off the crab football and shed the inhibitions they had against Spurs for 70 minutes.

Injuries continue

Song is still unavailable, as are Gallas, Vermaelen, and Arshavin, they are now joined by is Denilson, so we could see Eastmond. RvP might play if he has recovered from exertions at Tottenham.