Good Morning Positivistas,
Having looked forward to the opening fixture since the game was announced in mid June the afternoon did not disappoint and will certainly be one of the ‘opening days’ that are carved in the memory of games worth watching.
Clearly to be on the wrong side of a seven goal contest, and to drop three points that I fancied we should collect before the kick off, is a disappointment. A few hours reflection, sober and at times less sober, has however brought that disappointment into perspective, and allowed a drawing apart of the footballing strands of the afternoon.
Of the game itself both Arsenal and Liverpool struck me as rusty in the first half, with passes being hit a little aimlessly and no fluidity our movement compared to our Maytime/end of season smooth run through the gears. Liverpool were scrappy in front of the nervy Mignolet. Holding and Chambers looked fine. Monreal spent the first half hour leaping as high than an elephant’s eye, given any opportunity! A goal I sensed was coming from an error and, lo and behold, it was provided by the ridiculously top-knotted Albert Moreno.
First, his clumsy penalty challenge, then a charge up field to leave Theo unmarked who coolly slotted home our opener. “Theo, Theo, Theo”. A considerable relief for our new right winger and we were on a roll, surely ?
(I do not know if you were watching on Sky like me but the word “assassination’ was used by Neville to describe his own comments on the young Spanish wing back – for once Gary had exactly the right word).
Moving swiftly on however, as we all saw, having forced ourselves in front we did not follow up on the advantage. The Scousers managed to get a foot in the game and took advantage of a soft free kick award to slot an unstoppable rocket into Cech’s corner pocket. Bloody hell.
And then, and then, and then ….. the first fifteen minutes of the second half.
We stumbled out after half time as though under the influence of a mighty jab of dental pain killer. Our minds were as numb as our bodies, we did not appear to know how to keep the ball, or have the individual or collective wit to resist. I have no idea where it came from. I have seen it before, at Stamford Bridge, at Anfield, at the Etihad, even St Marys. One goal deficit becomes two, becomes three, becomes four etcetera. It was not, in my opinion, the second goal that rocked us on our heels. We were already stunned before that went in. But after that excellent finish by Lallana, and it was a very good finish btw, we had ten minutes of team wide, hollow eyed confusion. I have no idea why during this period of confusion in the game two players went down injured, and both had to leave the field ? Cause and effect perhaps.
We suffer from a collective mental malaise. It is not down to individual players, to signings, or to injuries. It is not even down to dodgy refereeing and Oliver was excellent yesterday, imo. We require composure when a game turns against us, and when we look in the basket we have none.
Can I explain why experienced, reliable players, suddenly switch off ? No I can’t. No doubt the experts will have a ‘000 plausible ideas. I shall however call what I cannot explain the meringue.
Much focus in the media, mainstream and social, has been in Chambers and Holding and the ‘weakness’ that they created at the heart of the AFC defence. I am not convinced, not remotely convinced. For goals two and three we were undone by very slick, fast passing and good finishing. Hector was taken out in the move for the second Liverpool goal, Nacho beaten by an excellent Clyne cross for the third. I doubt very much Kosc, Per or Gabby, or the unnamed and newly signed ANOther would had done any better. They certainly did not at Stamford Bridge, Anfield and the Etihad etc.
As Mane’s fourth went in I admit I was heading for the metaphorical exit on my armchair as I stared toward what appeared to be turning into rout. Jurgen Klopp, foolish man, celebrated with his players. Nevertheless that strike proved the difference in the end between the teams.
And then, somehow and against my and Jurgen’s expectations, the Ox twisted his way toward Mignolet who duly obliged with a howler to allow the shot to squirm in. Chambo’s glancing header brought us to within touching distance with about 20 minutes to go ……….
Could we ? Would we ? Should we ?
Well after those excruciating minutes Mr Oliver put us out of our misery, we never really looked like we would grab that fourth and probably did not deserve it. No clear chances created. The nearest we got was Theo standing on the ball on the 92nd minute. During that final phase Le Coq was fortunate to stay in the pitch, as I said the referee was in a forgiving frame of mind. LFC were better than us on the day, creating chances and tucking those chances away. Hard work required. I shall welcome Giroud back like along lost son.
So off we go, sunshine bus loaded, destination Leicester.
Positively Arsenal 
ANicoll
Does Mr. Oliver know about the rule about kicking the ball away?
He seem’d to let Liverpool away with it several times.
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Oh well, some positives from yesterday – not many though.
We played well for the first half, and ended stronger than Liverpool.
Holding looks a prospect – Chambers looked uncomfortable.
Nacho was left exposed by Iwobi not helping much.
Rambo was hot and cold – and did he pull up with a Hamstring?
Theo is a curate’s egg, does a lot of good work but you could never trust him. He might have pulled it back to a draw except tripping over his feet.
Alexis looked like he needed more down time – but I am really unsure about some of the off-side decisions against him – he looked to me like he timed his runs well.
Santi always into a good shooting position – but always lifts it over the bar.
COq ElNeny were the ones who’s minds drifted out of the game in the early stages of the 2nd half. Liverpool were strolling around with the ball and once they found a weakness in the Arsenal defence on the left side they exploited it mercilessly.
Just bad luck that every shot they hot went into the net.
Arsenal scored 3 goals and got nothing out of the game, most of our rivals were actually far worse, but got points.
Finally – Klopp is a mawkish emotion merchant, glad we have nothing to do with him.
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The old fart’s thoughts:
What is it about our first game of the season that gives ammunition to the knocking brigade? Off the top of my head, I can remember 1 win in recent years and that was a bloody awful display against Crystal Palace. Whilst it was more than a bit of a surprise to see Santi and Granit on the bench the first half was more than reasonable. Funny peculiar was Theo teaching Wally how to score from a less easy position. But overall, we deserved our lead and it was a bit cruel to concede a dodgy free kick just before half time. More cruel was the free kick itself.
Just to prove that the gods ain’t smiling on us early days, we went to sleep a bit at the back and lo. 1-0 up to 4-1 down plus injuries to both Iwobi and Rambo, both of whom had to be withdrawn. As far as Rambo is concerned, that will be a major blow if he’s out for any length of time. He was really hot in the first half (as indeed was the Theo wot scored, unlike the Wally who missed the spot kick.) And, for a change, we can’t even point a finger at the ref.
But it did bring Santi and the Ox into the fray and between them, they gave us hopes of salvaging a point. Ox’s goal was very well taken, admittedly with a slight deflection helping and Santi’s free kick onto Chambers’ head gave us all hope.
Unfortunately hope was all we received and with Alexis just not cut out for a central striker’s role, we were more than a bit wanting when it came to the final crunch. But at least we kept trying and kept the remaining fans excited.
Keep the faith.
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I did not notice the licking the ball away – they were wasting time with half an hour to go so the five minutes could have been a minute or two longer. Unfortunately even with 15 minutes added on it did not look like we would get that 4th.
Agree wit you about Theo – it was a good first half, not a great penalty but he bounced back with a good goal. After half time though a rare sighting, out on the wing,not really involved for long periods. As the most experienced player on the pitch for either side ( I think) he should be a lot more visible.
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Thank you Andrew.
“Soft” was the wrong word, “charitable” would’ve be more accurate, and sure you could say that about his attitude to Coquelin but it’s fair to acknowldge that letting players get away with ‘soft’ fouls without a yellow is something we see against from the pgmob officials all the time (Lovren). Of more concern re:Coquelin was the defensive shape on the 2nd/3rd – one mitigation is i thought that was the period when Rambo was lost and they were playing with two instead of three in the centre, if iwobi was niggled then they were carryingtwo for that period.
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I was a bit surprised Elneny went off rather than Le Coq fins and the Egyptian offers a bit of height at corners. May have been a fitness thing.
The other downside of the early Rambo/Iwobi injuries is that we never had a chance to bring on Akpom which, if we could have after it went to 3-4, I am sure we would have.
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In the first half Coq and ElNeny left no space between the lines and we were in control. from the ko in the 2nd half, they did the opposite. If the tactics were changed at half time, then Arsene is to blame. If , as I suspect, the players took it upon themselves, then Arsene should have seen it and stopped it, However it all happened so alarmingly quickly that it left him high and dry. Also we know he likes the players to read the game and adjust accordingly, problem is when they read it wrong.
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Yup losing the chance to bring on Akpom was a huuuuuuge blow. So frustrating.
Some have critiqued the on pitch mentality for those last fifteen minutes but if they were paying attention they’d have notced that Alexis was blowing hard by that stage and ready for replacement. Chuba must’ve been chomping on the bit but two forced subs are two forced subs, Chuba not having the chance to pit his wits at the tiring Liverpool back line was a great shame, would’ve been fascinating to compare his presence on the pitch opposite the young Belgium forward (who is better then Lukaku and Benteke) who came on for Liverpool.
All the above has already been airbrushed from various narratives, you know where, you can bet your lowest common denominater on that!
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Klavan and Lovren were shakey but managed to cling on – I doubt they will be lucky every week.
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Out of the two forced gambles Alexis survived but Ramsey didn’t. And yet the Experts will be slagging the Arsenal off for not starting Koscielny, Xhaka (who also looked ‘rusty’) & Cazorla.
Truly we are blessed with such expertise.
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What was baffling about Theo after HT was that, having got Moreno booked and thoroughly confused in the first 45, he seemed to allow the Spaniard a much easier second half. Did Moreno get more support in the second half from Winjaldum ? I don’t know but it was surely a weakness to go for.
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George our on field ‘leaders’/organisers that the club apprantly don’t have these past three four seasons have been:
Arteta
BFG
Cazorla
Koscielny
in that order.
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That might have been the plan Andrew but the plan went to pot minutes after the re-start!
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Liverpool were clearly going for the LB chanel over the RB in the first half, i can only guess that Monreal was left exposed as Iwobi was feeling a niggle and that the errors on that side by Chambers plus one or two heavy left to right passes reflect that Chambers is more used to playing RCB.
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Got to say I am with Andrew Nic every step of the way. We started really well then seem to lose our way at the beginning of the 2nd half. Despite the fact that several key players we were certainly the technically superior team in the 1st half but lose our mental edge for 20 minutes or so at the beginning of the 2nd half. Despite my love of data, there is no statistical tool that I am aware of that measures “mental strength.” As Arsene said earlier last week that was the real lesson of Leicester, the absolute bloody mindedness to focus on the goal at hand despite any adversity or presumed inferiority. Theo vs Wally is a great example. Thanks gf60.
AndyNic also made a passing comment at the end how we missed that favorite of the boo-boys, our Oliver Giroud. He, by the way, is another example of a player who may have a flaw or two but never lets that undermine his self belief despite massive pressure to peg him down as not good enough. Throughout the game we had no bite at CF, no player around whom Theo or Alexis could feed off. He can’t return too soon for me.
Cheer up girls and boys. It is 9-month campaign. We have had bad starts before (Villa, West Ham) and finished like a runaway train.It is highly unusual for us to score 3 goals and not win a game.
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There’ll be a new CB.
These young CBs are good CBs.
How many of the experts will be focusing their steely gaze on the player entrusted with leadership yesterday in the absence of the aforementioned leaders, our skipper on the day Cech?
I like Cech. He seems nice. However, I’m with Passenal and I think that at this moment in time that WS is the better ‘keeper. On this subject I’d be happy to always defer as i don’t really know.
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our most experienced defender, Monreal, was our worst defender yesterday, he went awol for the second goal, he ran into the middle of the area, leaving lallana completely unmarked, and he turned his back on Mane.
As we have seen in the past, once Coquelin gets booked he becomes a passenger, he is so afraid to play his normal game in case of the second yellow half his game is taken from him.
As for theo being poor in the second half, well maybe the fact our midfield supplied nothing for him was the reason. Alexis was awful, but as said by others, I have my doubts about a few of the offsides he was called on, oddly enough, and not for the first time, sky never replayed the ones that looked close
two enforced subs took away the option of Akpom, and we were crying out for someone of his size up front, lfc knew we had to pass to feet or put in low crosses, it made their job half as difficult.
Anicol mentioned in the article about the conceding of 4 goals in a 20 minute spell was just like the games v lfc, cfc, mcfc, sfc, etc, and that is true, but those are the extreme end of the spectrum of what looks like a much deeper problem, once one goal goes in then far too often a second goes in, and our inability to win once we let in 2 or more goals(only one win last season and in that game we scored 5). We also see this “gallant” fight back that just falls short, its as if the heads completely go once we let in a goal, and the second goal comes, and maybe more, then with the game seemingly up, the players start to play again as if pressure free, a comeback begins but once we are that one goal from getting a result, too many go back in their shells again.
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one thing we have really lacked since the demise of Arteta is a player who knows when to commit a tactical foul, take a yellow for the team, and yet still be able to play the rest of the game at full level without getting the second yellow.
take the Mane goal, Chambers half heartedly tried to pull him back, not once but up to three times, but he done so in a way where it would have you think he was not sure if he should foul or not, as if the idea running through his head was “better not foul him as I’ll get booked, and I don’t want to have to play rest of game with a yellow hanging over me”. Odd thing with the team is that they all are more likely to get booked for a soft foul or even dissent, than for taking one for the team committing a tactical foul.
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Fins: i’d be absolutely with you on that one and had expected WS to come back this season and force his way into the side. Which shows how much I know.
While there is no good time to concede a goal some times are better than others and too often (it seems) we undo good work just before half-time. A spell of boring and non-penetrative possession football to take hope and the ball away from the opposition a few minutes before the break wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to aim for. I know that the England Field Hockey team used to call out (at key moments, or times when they felt they needed to get some rhythm back) a plan to string 15 passes together. that is the sort of thing you need leaders on the pitch for, rather than warriors demanding passion. Easier said than done of course.
I didn’t enjoy the game because I watched it with a sense of real dread: my fault, not the team’s, for caring too much about our fortune’s. And on a theme of fortune, I know that you make your own luck and all of that, but I’m getting more than a little fed up with inch-perfect rocket shots soaring past our hapless keepers the moment we even make the merest hint of a mistake.
But at least we don’t have a Champions League qualifier to worry about, and I suspect things will gradually settle and probably sooner rather than later.
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Arsenal.com give us the paltry sum of 4 minutes of highlights of the u18’s 4-0 win over aston villa, its a joke that they can’t be arsed to put together a proper highlights package.
http://player.arsenal.com/matches/g879652/video/8119/under-18s-v-aston-villa-h?autoplay=true
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PA Dugout @PAdugout 35m35 minutes ago
#Breaking A man who died after being Tasered by police in Telford named locally as former footballer Dalian Atkinson
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Absolutely agree with missing “the man who knows how to commit a tactical foul” comment eddy.
If you can slow the game down, break up the momentum of the opposition if they have you under the cosh, to allow yourselves to catch your breath it is worth a couple of cards.
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As Richard Sharpe would say “Hold the line, Hold , Hold “
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A tonic of a review.
I used to think those spells when we are torn apart were a consequence of us not having any defensively-minded midfielders with a bit of speed, plus one slow centre back; that, in combination with full backs who push on, was what I once thought made those collapses possible. Yesterday suggested there’s more to it than that. (some apologies to you Per and Mikel)
I’m still in a mood where when I look for mitigation or explanations, as i’m compelled to, there’s some pretty heavy resistance (‘come on! sometimes bad really is bad. Leave it!’, etc), but I’ll try anyway.
The main one is this issue of where we are at physically. Liverpool, with their 9 pre-season games- four before we played our first- to our five, aimed to be further ahead than we did for match sharpness and fitness.
They are of course in a different situation, thanks to no European football and no players who went deep in the Euros (english lads in last 16 the latest?), but still, is it unforgivable not to be as ready as possible for the first game? Only if you refuse to apply what you know is true for the season as a whole. So a balance was sought : being as ready as possible without jeopardising the season.
That horrible spell firmly suggests we failed to find the balance, yet it is surely much more complicated than that. The real answer, the truth, the proof is dispersed over weeks and months, and even then, by nature, isn’t clear (a player who you gave every chance to avoid injury can still get injured, etc).
Will we get benefits later in the season from how we have tried to time our fitness, and will Liverpool pay a price for hitting the ground so hard? We don’t know. But our thinking in not pushing the players harder is undoubtedly not the stuff of madness of gross negligence. There’s thought and logic behind it, decades of experience.
I feel thinking about that gets close to the essence of management, or at least some important parts of it; unfortunately they are the very parts that are most in conflict with the short-termism which dominates the coverage of football and the way we experience the game ourselves- one game at a time; one all-important game.
Basically, if Liverpool suffer badly later in the season for their efforts in the early stages, will the verdict be meaningfully amended about this game? Or if we come good later on and have a great season will a re-assesment of the game take place?
Perhaps to both, but not in a way that is commensurate to the wild unhappiness and criticism of today. It’ll be the equivalent of a small clarification on page 15, months after a front page bombardment.
In a game dominated by short-termism (and hysteria) it is quite understandable managers make decisions based on trying, above all else, to avoid terrible headlines this week, even when they know those decisions might cause problems in the longer term. When one bad run can see you lose your job it’s a very forgivable way to behave.
Maybe Wenger is constitutionally a bit different to that, or maybe it is a consequence of how long he has been in the same job, but I don’t think he can ignore mid and long term thinking, and instead he opts to always try balance them all appropriately.
Anyway, just some thoughts on what may have played a major part in where the game went badly for us.
Cech’s comments are another great avenue to look at. I hoped we were past our weakness of panicking after going behind and chasing the game unwisely, and I did not particularly feel we were guilty of it yesterday, but he says we did, and he knows his stuff.
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Hold until relieved, George.
Standing orders.
Arsenal didn’t play half as badly as City, Utd, Leicester or Spurs – but of course who do the media have a song and dance about? Everyone except Gary Neville is on Wenger’s back.
Liverpool had no players involved at the business end of the Euros’ or Copa America.
Arsenal are being punished because our players have had a successful summer.
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DC given the schedule and that so many AFC players had gone so late into the summer two out of the starting eleven were bona fide gambles as there was no other choice. Yet the plunditocracy are attacking the manager for not risking further/more players. Lowest common denominator and all that…
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If you can my take a defeat when a starting eleven is weakened and bereft of it’s most senior characters organisers and senior CBs then you’ll be in for a long season. No matter what team or sport you are following lol!
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< can't take a…
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Not much to add other than I was confident somebody would raise my spirits with a balanced and sensible review, thanks Anicoll.
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I learnt so much from today’s comments that make a lot of sense:
(1) Chambers playing as a LCB when he usually plays Right.
(2) Liverpool being more advanced in their pre-season preparation 9 games vs 5.
(3) Many of our top players going deep into the Euros and Copa compared to Pool’s negligible participation.
All those mitigating factors hasn’t stop the mainstream media and their Arsenal partners in social media from using he opportunity to pile on more psychological pressure on our already mentally weak fans. Fear-mongering sells newspapers and earns more page views on the internet than hard, cold objective analysis. I loved the following line from the movie THE BIG SHORT, where a small group of data driven investors made a killing by shorting the mortgage bubble 7-8 years ago:
“Truth is like poetry. And most people fucking hate poetry.”
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Apologies are due our friend Foreverheady, who I gather is an English major. Lol.
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For Shotta, with apologies to the greatest Walcott of them all.
Broad sun-stoned Emirates.
White heat.
A green pitch.
Conceded goals,
scorched yellow palms
from the summer-sleeping house
drowsing through August.
Days I have held,
days I have lost,
days that outgrow, like daughters,
my harbouring arms.
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I am afraid being tired is no excuse – in Alex’s opinion. What is however sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander.
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I am not entirely unsympathetic to be honest, as if one looks at the French and Portguese players who performed in the Euro Final Matuidi, Sagna, Martial, and Lloris turned out for their PL clubs, (albeit that Lloris apparently did his hammy at Goodison ) while Kosc and Giroo did not play and were not considered. We shall see about Payet this evening. Fonte put in his usual shift for the Saints on Saturday. Sane played for Citeh having been in the loss to France on the SF, Can played in the same semi final defeat as Ozil and at least managed he bench at the Ems.
It is however as it is, and we shall see where those players are three months down the line.
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Surely any avid expert on the Arsenal knows that Sagna has the strength of ten oxen when not recovering from multiple breaks caused by fouls that aren’t called as fouls (yup, multiples!) has great fitness whereas Koscielny has had tendonitis…like Cazorla…
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…Sagna is also a better CB then Kolarov…
…but yes that leads you on to transfers and you can have grumbles about the longstanding plocies at AFC which predate the current manager, if you like.
However I wouldn’t advise a campaign against the manager based upon such, urm, reasoning, as any newbie will obviously have less influence with the board then the current gaffer. Or am I suffering from, delusion?
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In the meantime if you don’t respect or accept the club’s transfers policies (although they operate in a different market they have still managed to snag some players we all know and like..) then you may find yourself in for a fairly long (as in beyond the current manager’s time) and consistent feeling of dissapointment.
Sun is shining. And the weather is sweet.
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As for our supposed new defence signing, the Arsenal Horse twitter feed is saying everything was agreed, but the player has pulled out of the deal.
Of course they could be wrong….but they have been right on the money in the past in their tweets.
if true, not good news
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Adrian Clark explains how it is;
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160815/the-breakdown-liverpool-h-
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Players who’s family act as their agents are nightmares to deal with:
Anelka
Higuain
and now it appears Mustafi.
Or the Horse could be full of Horses*it.
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Certainly hope the horse is wrong DC, he looks a useful player….but if we dont get him, not the end of the world.
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So now even Nial Quinn is wading in:
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/27183/10537420/arsene-wenger-must-change-redundant-arsenal-transfer-policy-says-niall-quinn
His message being Wenger must be prepared to spend Pogba style, because he/Arsenal have no choice
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Rich
Just read your comments. An excellent and plausible explanation of events. A top quality post I have come to expect here on PA. Thanks
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Niall Quinn ?
I thought he was dead.
Or working at Sunlun.
Or something in between anyway.
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Adrian Clarke’s breakdown seems to me to be a very good and balanced analysis. He thinks it was our fitness levels that let us down. He’s in agreement with Rich’s suggestion that Livepool were a few games match-fitness in credit compared to us. That makes me feel much better. Whether it’s confirmation-bias and rose-tinted glasses remains to be seen.
We are going to spank Leicester….
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I suppose, when the phone has not rung for months and what are laughably described as ‘job prospects’ as an ex striker in your late 40s come into financial focus, you think what the hell. How can I make a few bob ?
I know ! I’ll write something totally unoriginal and that only requires a bit of cut and paste on the 100s of on line Bob the Blogger pieces on Wenger.
Brilliant – sorted.
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Nial Quinn…..you mean the managerial legend that did such amazing things when he managed Sunderland?
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I see that if Diego Costa received the dissent memo he did not bother to read it.
Come along referee – despatch the brute swiftly whence he deserves.
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Quinn lasted about half a dozen games at Sunlun before he recognised he was actually shite.
He then moved on to some big ‘director’ job, fuck knows what he was directing.
He has not had a job in football for 5+ years hence you don’t even have to ask why he is spouting his mouth off.
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well on the mustafi transfer, BBC’s David Ornstein has stated that Arsenal not willing to pay the over the top price Valencia are asking cos they want to have enough funds for a striker signing(sounds like the striker we want would have a massive fee). DS says mustafi still our first choice CB, but we are now looking at Turkish CB, Ömer Toprak of Bayer Leverkusen, and Danish CB, Simon Kjaer of Fenerbahçe.
Its normally considered that Ornstein only tweets info on Arsenal that the club have given him.
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