This morning is a chore already. One of those days I wish I could just go back to bed, pull the covers over my head and sleep until I woke up. I can’t remember the last time I did that though. I might have been 16 or something. Anyway, the world keeps on turning and there’s some stuff going on so we might as well talk about the stuff because that’s what we’re all here for.
Firstly, Per Mertesacker says Arsenal don’t deserve a place in the top three because of the horrible away days at the Middle Eastlands, Anfield, and Stamford Bridge. Speaking after the Newcastle game the other night, he said:
The fans wanted us to finish further up, we were top of the league for a long time and everyone dreamt about getting the title, but it takes more than just staying at the top until the winter period. We could not afford those big games against big teams, so we did not deserve to be in the first three. That is something we have to manage much better next year.
And he said those trips have to provide lessons for next season:
We have to learn how to play and how to defend in the first 20 minutes. The games were all similar, we got caught on the break and that is something we have to look at.
It’s good to hear a player speak so forthrightly about the failings of the team, and there’s no doubt those results were horrible, both in terms of performance and the way it dented the confidence fans had in the team (not to mention the team’s confidence itself).
Yet, now that a little time has passed, and without trying to downplay how terrible we were and how poor our approach was to those games on a tactical level, is it possible to suggest that it was something extraordinary to lose like three times in one season? It was our own fault, we were the masters of our own destruction, but I can’t remember it happening before and I doubt that it’s going to happen again next season, because on a very basic level you expect the lessons to be learned – and for the team and the manager to go into these games differently next season.
Yesterday, I wrote a piece for ESPN which touched on three other games which, to me anyway, provide more regret than those spankings which exist in a kind of surreal realm I find it hard to make sense of. The first was Everton at home when we went ahead late and conceded an equaliser almost straight away; the second away to Southampton when, having gone ahead, we allowed ourselves to be sucker punched and conceded within 100 seconds; and the third was the Swansea game when we scored a late own goal to drop two points.
What makes those games more frustrating for me is that we had some measure of control over them, while certainly at Anfield and Stamford Bridge the contest was over inside 20 minutes and we were in damage control mode. When you also think about Stoke, United at home (even though that came after the Liverpool game and we were clearly a bit shell-shocked), and a couple of other games where we let points slip, it does get frustrating.
I should stress, it’s not to downplay the big defeats, but to focus on them entirely as the reason for our season falling apart doesn’t seem quite right to me. The points lost there could have been offset in the other games with more organisation, better concentration, and perhaps a little extra cynicism. I remember clearly in the build-up to that Everton goal we had the chance to stop the move with a ‘tactical foul’, and didn’t. There’s another lesson that should be learned.
So, if we’re determined to make sure that crazy occurrences like being beaten 5-1 and 6-0 don’t happen again, we’d be foolish to ignore the more prosaic shortcomings that also cost us points throughout a season. Ultimately, the heavy defeats are painful, embarrassing, and do taint the positive aspects of this season – but losing points from winning positions as we did against Everton, Southampton, Swansea (and even Villa on the opening day), is another weakness that has to be addressed.
Maybe you disagree, which is fine. We can do that, it’s not the end of the world. It’s worth thinking about though.
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger has revealed that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is being fully rested for the next couple of weeks with a groin problem. It leaves his participation in the cup final in doubt, which would be something of a blow – although one softened by the fact we have Ramsey and Ozil back in the team. All the same, he can offer a measure of unpredictability and positivity which could be very important if we’re looking to change the momentum of a game.
Fingers crossed he can make it back in time.
Finally, if you want to hear a discussion about the manager changing his ways next season (assuming he stays), Wilfried Bony as a potential transfer target, what kind of business we might do this summer, and whether or not drinking a pint of bees is preferable to Piers Morgan being Arsenal manager, check out this week’s Arsecast Extra.
It’s good for what ails ya.
Till tomorrow.
