Last night the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium was one of the most toxic it has ever been. So much was going from VAR to Xhaka’s substitution. With all this drama, one thing must not be forgotten. That’s the football being played by Arsenal.
Dry, bland and unseasoned. That is how I describes the way Arsenal are currently playing. There is no creativity and no flair. Frankly, I just don’t know what type of football it is. Are they an attacking side or a defensive side? Are they meant to sit back, soak up pressure and then attack on the counter? Are they meant to build pressure by keeping the ball and try to break down the opposition? Are they a pressing side, pressing from the front and then attack directly, when winning the ball? I just don’t know. There is nothing to Arsenal. There is only one man that can answer these questions, and that's Unai Emery.
Most baffling thing about the tactics is how the match never runs the way Emery wants. He’s the most reactionary manager ever, and not in a good way. Every match he has to make changes mid-game, to allow the match to move in Arsenals favour. Pretty much every match starts with Arsenal sitting back, soaking up pressure, with no control of the direction the match is going. The tactics and style of play resembles a team fighting for relegation, trying to hold on just to get something from a game. Not a team who should be trying to get in champions league next season, or a team that should be building to win trophies. Once Arsenal concede, only then do they turn around and attack. This isn’t the Arsenal we know and love.
When watching Arsenal, were expecting them to control the match, keep possession of the ball and try to beak down the opposition by playing beautiful football. Even when it went bad under Wenger, they still played beautiful football. Really they played the best type of football in England, right up until Pep arrived at Man City. We haven’t seen this type of football for a long time.
Pundits who talk about Arsenal are talking rubbish. They talk about Arsenal like it is the same old Arsenal. Like this is the same team which played under Wenger. You’re completely wrong. To act like nothing has changed is just false. Joe Cole said Arsenal can’t win ugly. My question to Joe Cole is when have Arsenal won playing beautiful football under Emery. You’re analysis of Arsenal just tells me you have not watched Arsenal play this season. Most pundits don’t know what they’re talking about regarding Arsenal. All the good Wenger left us with has gone. All the bad aspects have multiplied.
Personally, there is only one way to mend Arsenal. Start playing attacking, creative football again. It will not fix everything, but it will go a long way to change things around. To play creative football, the most creative player has to play. Mesut Ozil has to be back in the squad. Ozil is best when he has goalscoring wingers. His link with Alexis Sanchez was phenomenal. If Ozil were to return, Pepe would most definitely improve. Ozil would enhance the ability Pepe has, by creating goalscoring opportunities and allowing him to get in behind the defence.
Another positive by playing attacking football would mean that the defence isn’t being exposed every second. The defence is a major problem. By sitting back, the defence can’t handle the constant pressure. No wonder they can’t keep any clean sheet. For Arsenal, the best form of defence is attack. By keeping the ball in the oppositions half, there is less opportunities to concede. On top of that, play Arsenals best defensive midfielder, Lucas Torreira, in his preferred position.
These changes won’t completely fix all the problems. The defence is still a problem. For me the bigger problems are off the field. The board completely threw Arsene Wenger under the bus. Allowing players to run down contracts and letting them go for nothing is mad. How can you replace the best players when you get nothing in return? RVP went for £23 million when he was the best striker in the world. How are you meant to replace a striker who scores 30 goals a season on a budget? Aubameyang and Lacazette have still not signed new contracts. Arsenal can’t afford to do the same to them, like they did with RVP, Sanchez, Ramsey etc. Arsenal have many problems. At the moment the biggest problem has to be the style of play. I just don’t understand what it is. It just does not make sense. There is only man that has to take the blame for these dreadful performances and that’s Unai Emery. By the way, his appointment was one of the last decisions made by…….. Ivan Gazidis.
Aleha
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