via @Arsenal Instagram
Arsenal dropped two points away from home at Crystal Palace. The result was disappointing considering the blistering start, but when you factor the loss of Torreira at half time, and the dismissal of Auba for an awful challenge, it’s hard not to be satisfied with the performance.
Arteta picked the same team as he did for his last outing in Premier League, the first time that’s happened in over a year. We controlled the opening 30 minutes and made Palace look distinctively average. The problem was we did very little with possession outside a goal. We had one attempt in the first 45 minutes, that’s not good enough.
That attempt did lead to a goal, which was nice. David Luiz was the maker in the move, he was brilliant in the first half, Palace didn’t know what to do with him. His pass through the middle found Mesut, he touched to Lacazette who fed Auba for the simple finish. A lovely goal. 18 passes. Arsenal of old.
The more worrying thing was the that there was another noticeable dip in our physical performance, after 30 minutes, we faded again and we let Palace into the game. Hard not to put that down to going big in the FA Cup in the week. Palace rotated and played 5 academy kids, we went big and played a lot of our senior players in a brutal game against a brutal side that will run you off the park.
Events weren’t helped by the loss of Lucas Torreira. He went off injured and we had to introduce Matteo G to the mix, and he’s simply not comparable at the moment. The goal was desperately unlucky, we didn’t close down a shot in our box fast enough (LT probably would have), Ayews strike ricocheted off Luiz’ foot and flew over Leno. A horrible goal.
Hard to think Arteta will be happy with how many players were on hand to defend the threat in our box. Lacazette didn’t track, our midfielders bunched up in the middle, and we weren’t sharp enough.
Auba made things worse after a horrendous challenge on Max Meyer, it looked like a straight-up ankle breaker, crazy that it took 5 minutes for the muppets in VAR to decide that the clearest red card of the year was in fact a red card. Interestingly, the last Arsenal player to score at Palace and see red was… Arteta.
The manager didn’t wet the bed and go for 9 at the back, he brought on Martinelli for Ozil and went for it.
Like peak-Wenger teams of old, we actually looked better with 10 men. We went very close towards the end after Gabriel found Lacazette in the Palace box, the Frenchman fed in Pepe who casually curled a shot at the back post, but Guaita pulled off a miracle double save, tipping the ball onto the post, then being alert to stop the second shot from Lacazette. Desperately unlucky.
Overall, we were pretty poor in the final third, an insight captured perfectly when Pepe picked the ball out on the right late on, he had Xhaka on the overlap (lololol) and he played his simple pass into a Palace full-back.
The points ended up being shared. When you look at the game in all its glory, it was probably fair. Plenty for the manager to work on.
Thoughts:
The theme of the day was resilience. The team will have been fatigued after the exerts of the last 3 weeks… and obviously, playing the hardest working team in the country midweek didn’t help. I’d normally expect a flaky performance, we didn’t see that. We had a great opening 30, but couldn’t maintain it.
Additionally, things went against us. We lost one of our best players to injury, our captain was sent off, we conceded an unlucky goal, we hit the inside of the post… but we stayed focused. We didn’t become victims, something I think has been a clear issue over the last 5 years.
We also limited Palace. Say what you will about Hodgson, but he knows how to get at us. They hit the target 4 times and had to make do with a deflection for their equaliser. Arteta is building a defensive foundation and it seems to be working in the main. Xhaka continued to drop into the defence giving him the freedom to pick out passes, but also reducing the exposure Kola has to pressure situations. AMN kept Zaha very, very quiet. David Luiz continued to impress, he leads like a beast, he’s confident on the ball, and he was an attacking threat all game, he made the most attacking passes in the final 3rd, clocking up 13. He was also the architect of our goal with a line breaking pass through the middle.
We’re still compact, everyone seems very calm, roles and responsibilities are clear.
Where we’re lacking is in attack. We aren’t creating a lot in the final 3rd. We hit the target 4 times today, but considering the possession, we should be doing better. I think that’ll come, our ability to score goals hasn’t been a worry, and I think when more players come back to full fitness, we won’t worry so much about that. I also think Auba’s 3 game suspension is a massive, massive opportunity for Gabriel to show the world he’s the man to lead the line next season. He is the embodiment of what Arteta attacking football should be. Aggressive, hardworking, and sublimely talented.
The main goal for Arteta over the next few weeks is extending out how much good football he gets per game. We’re maxing out between 40 and 55 minutes. That’ll be down to fitness and relearning how to give your all in every minute of a game. It’s still exciting, you can see where this is going and though results will be rocky, the squad will be firing on all cylinders when we start next season. Top 4 was never on for us, the most we can hope for this season is a good cup run, when you frame the season a long preseason, it makes results like today easier to stomach.
Let me know YOUR thoughts in the comments. xxx
win
1st
2
4
Trophy
trophy!
too slow GD 😉
Marc
Arteta5 matches – 6 points = 1.2 points per game
1+0+3+3+1 =8
Maths!
Mad o
“The more worrying thing was the that there was another noticeable dip in our physical performance” It wasn’t a physical drop. Palace decided to press us and we don’t have the ability to play through the lines. For that you need a David or Bernardo Silva, a Hleb, a Lobotka, a Grealish profile of player. If we look like we’ve physically dropped a level it’s because it is physically and mentally draining being unable to string passes together under duress when you don’t have the tools to. The only time we’ve played decent football is when teams have started slow,… Read more »
Zachars
January 11, 2020 15:24:40
Gonsterous
Very simple. To kill time for the draw
Were we seriously playing for a draw? Against C.P?
Oh boy, up the arsenal right?
It was just a matter of time for Torr to get an injury. Thing will get worse as more players get fatigued since the team is threadbare.
You heard it here 1st
It’s really funny how the “excuses” just keep coming. My god is better than your god. It’s all faith and religion with you lot isn’t it?
Sid
Why didn’t you say that for free?
Trap, you are a nigerian? Carry your mad o commot for here o
I don’t want to sound negative, but I did warn that arteta would break the squad by playing the same players at a high intensity.
Loads of positives but his inexperience shows big time. Bad substitutions again in this game.
At least we are unbeaten. Need to keep the run going.
“”Our lack of goals is a significant worry” – there, fixed your typo.
We should have been out of sight in the first half. Would have been a comfortable three points. But we lost control after 30 minutes and then it played into their hands – a tetchy, fouly game.
Palace ALWAYS. come on strong towards the end of the game. Got to make hay when the sun shines.
As I said our midfield contributes zilch towards scoring.
All our better sides had goals coming in from all midfielders.
Laca doesn’t score now, he could have lifted that rebound over the keeper but just panicked.
We have a big problem to fix.
Paulinho, also easier to control a game when you aren’t physically drained, which we did for 30 mins. We dipped and let Palace back in, who hadn’t fielded a strong team in their FA Cup game which was earlier than ours. Arsenal dipping has been a theme of our 5 games and will likely continue to be until we get up to speed.
The main goal for Arteta over the next few weeks is extending out how much good football he gets per game. We’re maxing out between 40 and 55 minutes.
More changing of the goal posts. Gone from should be doing better to downplaying results to champions within two seasons to his main goal is getting good football for (insert number) mins per game. Next week we’ll beat Sheffield United and it’ll be something else.
Gonsterous, what do you propose… that he doesn’t attempt to rectify the lack of effort and fitness in the squad for 5 months? Not like he’s preserving anything.
Marko, Jamie
I am just being realistic. This is going to be a work in progress. You want s new team? Well it has to start somewhere.
You should all know that between AW unchanged training methods for 10+ years and whatever it was that UE was doing, these players have a serious mountain to climb begore getting back to playing good and organised football.
gonsterous
we were after 90 min. not rocket science
“We dipped and let Palace back in,…”
They should have dipped into some of that special sauce you love so much.
And drizzled it all over your buttocks.
AMN didnt keep Zaha quiet, Zaha has been quiet this season
Xhakalson should not be dropping in defence we should have a midfieldr controlling tempo in midfield. With time every team will learn to attack us.
Things are awful and we are just pepperin over cracks.
Im telling you this for free!
Fact Checker Palace 1 Arsenal 1 Predicted Excrement. (Indeed Guaranteed Excrement these days.) Depleted Palace had 10 players out and have just come off a 1 zero loss at home to lowly Derby County. I see Tierney participated in the fixture. Shame it was the appalling ref. (Our 30 million left back predictably back in the treatment room.) PEA with his 3 game ban can now how have his holiday in Dubai or Gambia or wherever soccer players party these days We are a Midtable tedious team devoid of fluency and with no cash reserves to improve. Wenger leaves and… Read more »
the attack needs to learn how to deal w persistent fouling and shithousing. They should try ACTUALLY cheating since they’ll be accused anyway. I think pepe is the weak point, when laca coming through the middle get 2-3 men on him, it should be pepe moving into space, but since he’s left footed it doesn’t quite work the same as w reiss plus he just doesnt work too hard off the ball or defensively. Would prefer to see reiss get a run in the next few games and see what he can do with a bit of consistency
Marko, a month ago, your goalposts were set at Arteta being the guy that sets the cones. Not sure you’re in a place to be incoherently snarking.
Pedro – Palace let us have it, it had nothing to do with physical condition. They tried to play possum and catch us on the counter. As soon as we scored they moved their lines ten yards higher up the pitch and we folded, like we always do.
Hodgson made a tactical error and should’ve pressed us from the start.
Zach, I thought there was a bit more tactical fouling from us today… or maybe I’m just reframing Xhaka being too slow to tackle.
We actually looked fresher and sharper with ten men.
Funny thing is that people see criticism of Arsenal as criticism of Arteta and therefore not wanting him to do well. It’s the usual tribalism nonsense. Fact is bar one or two of the special cases you get around here most want Arteta to do well hence the arguments of why don’t we sign better players for him why don’t we get rid of certain types to make his life easier.
i think the point pedro makes about after 30 mins physicality beginning to lag has a bit more in this case to do w persistent fouling from ayew et al not being dealt with. i do realize this goes back to mentality and understanding what you’re up against and making in-game adjustments, but just look at the torr injury, blatant cyncial foul from zaha shoving pepe into him. no card. that’s the symbolic play of the game imo
Paulinho, we didn’t fold. They managed 4 shots on target all game, and we still had the better chances when we went down to 10 men. If we’d rested players against Leeds, it’s a different game today.
The chuckle brothers Luiz and Xhaka in full effect for the Palace goal.
Xhaka yet again turning his back on play in his own penalty area and Luiz just all round shit defending for the goal.
But overall a point in this match now not as catastrophic after the Man United win.
Need to back up this away draw with a home win over Sheffield United.
Marko, a month ago, your goalposts were set at Arteta being the guy that sets the cones.
Arteta gets the job and all sense of humour is forgotten.
pedro
i agree, but with the caveat that in cases they weren’t actually fouls and it had more to do with frustrations w the ref not calling the game squarely. just my opinion but i did notice quite a few non-fouls being called against us while ayew was shithousing really blatantly through the whole first half
I forget the most important thing.
(We may be going To The Dogs)
But one must never forget ones manners.
Thanking PedRo for his post.
Don
CG and Victorious comes to mind.
Pedro – Our possession game went to shit. That’s what I mean by folded. We either pass back to the keeper or hoof it long when teams press us.
We fought well, but we know long term success will depend on our play with the ball.
Marko
As for Auba’s red. You were right. Sorry.
I thought that he was already on a yellow.
If we’d rested players against Leeds, it’s a different game today.
Sounds like an Arteta criticism that. Expect a passive aggressive response from a certain poster in a moment. One could argue had we better options in midfield and defence we could have rotated better on Monday but alas it’s Arsenal stuck with the same players unable to find better
Paulinho, what would you add to the mixer this summer?
Zach, agree, need to get far smarter for next season, we’re very naive. Spillover from the niceties of the Wenger era
CG, your faux poshness is embarrassing but then it’s on a blog so your safe.
Pedro – We need players that come alive and thrive when teams press them. Chelsea have a few in Pulisic, William Kovacic. So try and add a ball-playing central midfielder, and a wide player of similar ilk. Bin Lacazette and bring in a more physical forward so the ball sticks up front. Soumare in deep midfield. I think we all want similar things more or less.
Pedro
I think Woy changed tactically. Ayew did nothing for 40 mins and then when they started to get physical he came more into game and they were able to press up the field.
Our passing game went back previous. Torreira was struggling clearly after that drop on his thigh.
John Jules starting for Lincoln.
We also lost our discipline.
Paulinho “We fought well, but we know long term success will depend on our play with the ball.” Arsenal’s aspirations will be higher than just fourth place and the hope of a Europa League win once they get players that can play quick combination passing throughout the team. We saw glimpses of that from the forwards for the Arsenal goal. But it needs more than just the forwards to do this. We all see how adept Man City are at evading the opposition high press. Quick combination passing between several players and from midfield areas and deeper. Give and go.… Read more »
How is that a penalty for Manure???? Was it even VARd???? I don’t think so.
Bob
“””CG, your faux poshness is embarrassing but then it’s on a blog so your safe””
Not as embarrassing as watch us play Bob every week.
Our front 4 alone cost over £200 000 000 today- and we mustered 1 goal against their injury ravaged team.
We are Embarrassing every week.
And We have sunk so low so quickly – our wonderful editor- is incessantly praising David bloody Luiz as if he is Franz Beckenbauer.
Embarrassing all round- I would say.
Ahhhh! Chelsea 3 zero against Burnley- they are missing him..
Deluded Robert
Man U battering Norwich lol.
No Cellabos on the bench today
Yet he has been for the last 2 games.?
Has he had a flare up of the hamstring
The insescapable fact is that our midfield is a wasteland. The only player to show any quality today was Torriera who of course lasted only 45 minutes. Xhaka is a liability who cannot mark or tackle, has very poor positional sense and his distribution very weak – too often he passes sideways or back to the CB or FBs. He slows the game and is totally ineffectual in this key position. Ozil barely left a mark on this game. He is easily marked out of the game, his running off the ball is invariably misplaced and he does not contribute… Read more »
Love how everyones writing about “injury plagued palace”
Ya? Wonder why motherfucker! All
They do is shithouse. Try playing some football and see what happens
Fucking hate palace
Arsenal fc can be a house of comedy sometimes
We need both CB’s who can pass the ball. Once the opponents find out that Luiz is the only one who can do it, they’ll close down on Luiz. It happened two games in a roll.
If we still want to play out from the back, we need to sign a ball playing CB.
Pedro good report, but i dont think we making any progress in term of our midfield control and offensive play.
it’s the same old habit of taking your foot off the gas and resort to the lazy backward and sideways passing
I counted at least 6 times clear forward and attacking passes available, that could have lead to good scoring opportunities, and our useless lot ignored it or didn’t see it and played backward..
Very frustrating and always come back to haunt us
I give you that we were resilient after the sending off though.
G8, really not sure you can take the view our midfield hasn’t improved.
Paulinho, Lacazette needs to go this summer. Just unsure who’d take him, super fanciful to think Atleti will be in for him.
Said it before that arteta is setting himself up for a catastrophic downfall if he still thinks and persists with xhaka. Arteta is clearly at fault for today’s result, forget the palace got physical nonsense like we didn’t know palace would get physical. We folded up once we got the goal, we stopped playing forward, we started playing in our own half, dunno who the players thought they were. Our back passes outweighs our front passes and our master technician watched it all along. Was that his game plan cos we imposed nothing today, I wonder what the game plan… Read more »
G8, you are so on point. Whenever our midfielders receive a pass, their first port of call was not to look up and see players on the front foot making runs but to play safe and they passed the ball back, they were doing it for fun today that made me wonder whether we are still under unai emery. Where were the one or two touches today?
Vickingz, we didn’t fold. They had 4 shots on target, we made 25 tackles to their 32 (considering our possession, that equals out), we made 25 fouls, we went to 10 men.
Folding is conceding 35 shots at Watford.
ESR off to Huddersfield.
Why?
is Guendouzi. better than him? At least he can score which sideshow Bob can’t
Pedro ‘it’s hard not to be satisfied with the performance’ Nah I don’t think it was a good performance overall We played really well for 30 minutes. The red card didn’t happen until the 65th odd minute and I don’t think palace showed any particularly testing quality outside of willingness to run The positives for me were the first 30 mins, plus I liked guendouzi’s performance. The bad was ozil was missing, xhaka was average. Laca was awesome for the goal but otherwise dreadful. Pepe lacked end product outside of one good shot. AMN was okaaaay, but made some silly… Read more »
“G8, really not sure you can take the view our midfield hasn’t improved.”
Pedro: Our midfield has improved in only one aspect – the defence pushing higer restricts the gaps in the centre of the field. This is undoubtedly an improvement.
But Xhaka’s immobility and weak distribution and the total ineffectiveness of Ozil means we cannot exploit the improvement.
Was it just me as I thought Ozil was non existent today, & it was like having 10 men even before PEA got his early bath..
Did not watch the game but judging from the comments looks like we played well early on but Torr injury, constant fouling and pressing from Palace changed the balance of the game. Anyway not a bad result given the circumstances. Compact display from our defense and good possession – so good stuff once again from Arteta. Not expecting any major signing in January. I hope we sign a couple of good midfielders in summer who can deal with opposition press.
Pedro our midfield hasn’t improved since Wenger last few season,
backward and sideways passing iis the theme
Obviously with the exception of 3 our 4 games, this has been our trade mark football for awhile.
Keep the ball , play it save , passive football and definitely the wrong interpretation of possession football!
I know this is a controversial opinion but I maintain zaha is easily one of the most overrated players in the PL
He’s an explosive runner with quick feet but not particularly good end product which is reflected not only in his performances but his lack of goals and assists – and why he’ll probably never be a serious player at a major club
Correction 3 or 4 games
Our Wengers last season results against Palace.
4 1(h) 2-3(a)….7 goals 6 points.
Our Wenger last season results against
Everton.
5-1 (h) 2- 5(a) ……10 goals… 6 points…
But he left such a mess behind …..no players etc…..
Well:
We cant score at Everton anymore
We cant beat Palace any more.
Arsenal FC : the only club in the history of soccer that spent 1/4 billion on players and went BACKWARDS….and DROPPED 5 places in the process.
As I say. We are garbage post Wenger.
Absolute garbage
T.H
Yeah Gazza this was one of those games Pierre will probably pretend didn’t happen or blamemon the manager
Ozil was not useful at all today
TR7
“I hope we sign a couple of good midfielders in summer who can deal with opposition press.”
Absolutely key.
Quick and nimble not only physically but in thought.
You can’t be elated when your club is missing points but it’s simply foolhardy not to see the positive strides the players are making since Arteta took over. Some people can’t just feel alive when they don’t whinge. Arsenal is on a positive e trajectory and it’s a matter of time if we continue like this for results to be better. If this game was you see Emery there’s no doubt that it would ha e been a loss
Massive opportunity for Martinelli to really make his in the first team now. If he develops enough in the next 5 months we may not need to replace Auba come summer allowing us to go and get our 1st choice defensive and midfield targets . Also the system which Arteta uses would suit Gabi more than it suits Auba. Auba is an out and out striker whereas Gabi is a hybrid of CF and LW. Gabi can be more effective in the half spaces when the opposition full back tries to block Kola which leaves Auba with space in the… Read more »
@ pedro, how didn’t we fold? What did we impose after the goal? Did we go to 10 men immediately after we scored? We started playing like nothing was at stake after we scored and decided it was time to train in back passing, time to relive “arsenal under emery”. This was what brought palace into the game. Their coach didn’t even say a word, yet they knew what was to be done to stifle us from playing and they did. Arteta said before the match that playing away at CP was always tough and he expected this game to… Read more »
Aces
“Marc
Arteta5 matches – 6 points = 1.2 points per game
1+0+3+3+1 =8
Maths!”
Do you want to try that again? Maybe look at what matches Arteta has won? Maybe look at the fact he’s actually been in charge of 6 matches but one was a Cup match?
G8, we have better shape, more aggression, we work harder, we are better off the ball and the players like LT are shining.
CG, no one is interested in your hurt feelings over a manager so bad he currently has a desk job with the most corrupt org on the planet.
vickingz
We are definitely lacking a killer edge.
Pedro
Can I have a job with the most corrupt organisation on the planet?
CG, relax man, its only football …
Unless you are in deep shit betting away all your savings !
I thought that was the EU.?
Vickingz, first half one shot. Second half, a man down, with no proper DM, we had 6 attempts with 3 on target.
Hardly a fold.
Marc, I’d take a football association over marketing for sure! 😂
Same, same, same,
1. Relying on ozil wont end well
2. Hyping up Xhakalson will alienate you from fans in the long run.
3. We need a minimum 2 technical players, so that lesser players have an outlet all times.
4. Sangare a better option for deep midfield and more achievable than Soumare.
Im telling you this for free!
Southampton having a nice little upturn of late, Leicester being brought back down to earth. – Pedro You’re banging your head against a wall with some folk here idk why you’re bothering. We’ve moved onto bemoaning a draw away at Palace after going down to 10 men, if people can’t fathom where we were previously ie losing game after game and conceding two dozen shots, then football isn’t for them. Arteta being boss and wanting to play possession football that dominates doesn’t suddenly mean that’s what’s going to happen every game, nvm 6 games into his tenure. We have some… Read more »
I’m running out of patience with laca For how long are we supposed to watch him just sprint around fouling people? Outside of one or two good passes per game, his performances have been wank all season. Say what you will about auba’s contribution but even at our lowest of low times, he was a nailed on goal scorer. If all laca is going to provide is 2 good passes per game, a lot of running and some fouls, that contribution is no better than a fit Danny welbeck. Considering he has some transfer value, his wages are not low,… Read more »
Working hard onfield didnt work for stoke, we need working smart( technical players)
Pedro
And on the bright side you wouldn’t have to lie as much either!
I could lie more, no one would care!
Charlie it would’ve been a defeat under emery and a far worse performance- but it still was not a particularly good performance overall
Pedro
Know the feeling.
Pedro, better shape and aggression only last 30 mins, then back to old habits..
We had the same work rate and aggression and LT was the bees knees when Emery took over… we all know how it ended!
The Art has to make radical changes in term of personnel IMO
I leave it to that
Playing auba on the wings and laca centrally wont end well ask Emery lololol, if you have to play both 352 is the way.
PedRo “””CG, no one is interested in your hurt feelings over a manager so bad he currently has a desk job with the most corrupt org on the planet.”””” Yes., but our virtuous Wenger has gone there to clean it up…..to make it better. By the way….3 things I am Just pointing our facts. 1.(Leeds who battered us Monday….are loosing two zero at home against Sheffield Wed We made them look like Brazil circa 1970 the other night.) 2.We are going backwards at the rate of knots post Wenger – And we will continue to do so….in hindsight he should… Read more »
China1
You’re arguing something that’s not been stated. There’s a level of disappointment about aspects, but says plenty that we’re now bemoaning a point away at Palace with 10 men after an hour.
There’s a wok ethic in place, a coherence, structure, we didn’t fold as is being claimed (and as we’ve seen previously). If you’re expecting a constant stream of good performances then you’re in for some disappointment.
The second half of the season is a period that will be filled with teething pains, a sign of what’s to come, and the odd bad day at the office.
“Arsenal dropped two points away from home at Crystal Palace. The result was disappointing considering the blistering start, but when you factor the loss of Torreira at half time, and the dismissal of Auba for an awful challenge, it’s hard not to be satisfied with the performance.” I did say that I’d take a point from this game. However, considering that we were playing against an injury ravaged Palace side, it’s really hard to be satisfied with the result. Had we made our possession in the first half count, we’d have had at least a 2-goal cushion and maybe, just… Read more »
G8
“””CG, relax man, its only football …
Unless you are in deep shit betting away all your savings !”””
Indeed its only soccer.
I share you a secret- I have devised a system-over many years where your losses are always low and your wins are permantely high…..allied to my footballing acumen- it’s a sure thing.
I dont loose…
I invest in the footballing futures market
Ps. Saints who shipped in 9 at home are on the same level of points as us after 22 games.
Going Swimmingly post AW.
We started playing like nothing was at stake after we scored and decided it was time to train in back passing, time to relive “arsenal under emery”. This was what brought palace into the game.
Going to take time to get that mentality out of players but agreed. Negative back passing.