Yesterday’s horror show at Anfield has brought out all the usual media clichés, memes and tropes about Arsenal Football Club. No fight, no leadership, no spirit, no heart, etc.
As readers are familiar, conventional ideas based on feelings and opinions have no appeal to me. There is need to identify the real objective reasons for this sub-standard performance and support real solutions rather than engage in hyperbole and vitriol. That is if we truly care for the club, rather than our own egos.
Arsene Wenger in the post game presser expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance:
“I think from the first to the last minute we were not at the level requested for such a game and not physically, not technically, not mentally were we at the level and we were punished and that’s basically it. You can of course analyse the chances we gave away, but I just think overall that the performance was not at the requested level.”
But he was careful not to offer his opinion as to why it was substandard:
“That’s a question that is very difficult to answer straight away after the game and there are some reasons, but I don’t think I have too much to come out on that now.”
We as fans are entitled to our own opinion. Many have been quick to suggest there was lack of commitment by want-away players prior to the close of the transfer window. Those of us who witnessed a very lackadaisical performance by Samir Nasri in his final game for the club prior to his Manchester City transfer have good reason to believe it is déjà vu all over again.
Outplayed in midfield
While there may be truth about lack of commitment by some team members, I am more concerned about how easily we were outplayed in midfield. Possession statistics are very misleading having Liverpool and Arsenal at 49% and 51% respectively. While Arsenal apparently had superiority, most telling was AFC’s inability to turn possession into goal-scoring opportunities. The data makes horrible reading. Liverpool had 18 shots on goal with 8 on target. In comparison Arsenal had 10 shots on goal, nearly 50% less, but zero on target. Watching the game it was obvious Arsenal’s midfielders were easily pressured and did not have the ability to retain possession or make forward passes into dangerous areas where the forwards could make good shots thus forcing the clearly skittish Kaius to make saves.
Whoscored.com summarized Liverpool’s strengths as the following:
- Created a high number of chances relative to their possession
- Stole the ball often from the opposition
- Were effective at creating goalscoring opportunities from the flanks
- Were effective at creating goalscoring opportunities from counter attacks
- Were strong at finishing
In contrast they concluded Arsenal had “no strengths.” (Brutal.)
Compare this to the similar fixture last year, Sunday, August 14th, at the Emirates when Arsenal lost 3:4 and the same analytics indicated Arsenal’s strengths as:
- Were effective at creating goalscoring opportunities through individual skill
- Were strong at finishing
Those with vibrant memories will recall Arsenal was playing poorly that day. The club was down 1:3 at the 61st minute mark when a certain little Spanish magician entered the fray and from his deep-lying midfield position helped retrieve some honor from a bleak position. It even worsened to 1:4 but Santi helped to stem the tide and bring it to a respectable 3:4 final score.
With Santi starting every game from then onward to October, when he finally succumbed to his current long term injury, Arsenal was an unbeatable force. I have kept banging the point since then. Arsenal’s midfield has a big giant hole, and needs a deep-lying playmaker to make the system work. This is a technically based team that needs technically accomplished players, especially in midfield, to play according to its DNA.
Arsenal’s midfielders are collectively inferior to main rivals
Based on EPL data, the brutal fact is, collectively Arsenal’s current crop of midfielders are arguably of inferior standard when compared to its main EPL rivals. I used data from Whoscored to compare like with like. For midfielders returning to their current teams I compared their 2016-17 data for Goals, Assists and overall Average Rating. By the way Whoscored classifies players like Alexis and Walcott as midfielders when in my opinion they are primarily wide forwards. In these cases and for similar players from other clubs they are excluded from the analysis. Similarly players classified as defenders but who played primarily as defensive midfielders, e.g. Emre Can, I include them in the analysis.
| Club | Goals | Assists | Avg Rating |
| Liverpool | 43 | 30 | 7.27 |
| Manchester City | 24 | 35 | 7.22 |
| Chelsea | 26 | 26 | 7.10 |
| Manchester United | 18 | 16 | 7.09 |
| Tottenham | 34 | 27 | 7.00 |
| Arsenal | 16 | 25 | 6.92 |
The data makes somber reading for all gooners. Among the top-6, of the returning midfielders from 2016-17 Arsenal is dead last in goals-scored and second from last in assists. Top of the list is Liverpool and hopefully the data should shut up the screaming imbeciles who think they are chopped liver.
What most concerns me is that although Wenger has bought quality players in Lacazette and Kolosinac to improve the forward-line and defense repectively, unlike his main rivals he has been unable to sign a top-top midfielder. Liverpool has brought Salah as an AM and he was rated 7.48 in the Scudetto, United has bought Matic who had a 7.01 overall rating at Chelsea last year, City has bought Silva who had a 7.29 rating in Ligue Une and Chelsea bought Bakayoko who brings a 7.27 overall rating from Monaco.
I am not arguing that any of these new players will suddenly become world class at their new clubs but they are clearly making an effort to strengthen with at least 7/10 players. Apart from Ozil, all other midfielders at Arsenal were less than 7/10 last year. This I would suggest is the root of Arsenal’s current midfield woes.
In my last blog I argued Arsenal will challenge based on the consistency of the club and its manager over the past 21 years and the evident efforts to strengthen the squad this season. The emotional outpouring of wailing and gnashing of teeth after the Liverpool defeat strengthens my contrarian conviction. There was a similar outpouring last year and the margin of defeat was far less. The data leads me to the conclusion that the manager knows where the weakness lie and will use the last days of the transfer window to try find a fix.
PS: I must take a temporary leave of absence from blogging to take care of some pressing issues. Hoping to return after the international break.
Positively Arsenal 
TFL £60M of that bid would have been from Man City, and his place in the team would have been Alexis’s spot, so seeing as City did not bid till last night, and did not bid £60M till midday what can we do
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Eduardo we gambled this window and we couldn’t pull it off.
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I don’t understand why AW is getting so much abuse – he does not actually negotiate the transfers himself. Isn’t that what Gazidis, Law and the rest of the backroom boys do? And didn’t we invest millions in a contract specialist recently?
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Joel Campbell on loan to Betis has been confirmed
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Independent reports that senior figures at AFC have described City’s behavior in Alexis saga as ‘baffling arrogance’ AFC didn’t view City’s attempts to land Alexis as serious ones especially when they thought they could get him for £30m AFC were baffled with the amount of time City took to send their second offer for Alexis
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Important that everyone is led to understand that if Alexis leaves Arsenal will have failed in this transfer window.
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A date that if Alexis stays, Arsenal will have failed in this transfer window.
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rumor from spain that AFC have asked Barcelona for €60M for Ozil
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Arsenal 25 man squad looks like it will be this, unless some of these have moved late
Goalies
Cech, Ospina, Macey
CB
Koscielny, Mustafi, Holding, Mertesacker, Chambers
RB
Bellerin, Debuchy
LB
Kolasinac, Monreal
CM
Xhaka, Ramsey, Cazorla, Wilshere, Elneny, Coquelin
Forwards
Ozil, Alexis, Walcott, Welbeck
CF
Lacazette, Giroud, Akpom
u21’s
Iwobi, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Willock
player over 21 not in squad – Iliev
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Arsenal loaned Kelechi Nwakali to VVV Venlo for the season
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Arsenal made over £25M in transfer profit, the AGM this year is going to beat all
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A very difficult window, not helped by what looks like a very serious injury to Kos.
With the players lost, hard to say we are a stronger squad than last season, despite a couple very good signings.
Nest summer is going to be tough as well, but that’s for another day
This is going to be a tough season, Wenger will have to lift players, including one of two that give no indication of really wanting to be with the club, very key players at that.
A time for the strong to step forward.
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Ed, I would imagine they will need a war chest for next summer, a lot may need replacing
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mandy that will not quell the mob at the AGM,
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Spanish transfer window does not shut till tomorrow, lets hope there is nothing in the Ozil to Barcelona rumor.
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7 deal sheets moves waiting to be completed by bpl clubs, they have till 1am
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no media agenda against Arseanl,
but the coverage from the English media of the failed Man City move for Alexis, reads like a PR statement from Man City. No one asking
why they did not bid earlier than yesterday,
why they did not bid higher sooner today
why with all the forwards they have they did not include one in the deal as asked for by AFC
no, its all Arsenal’s fault for not bending over backwards and giving them Alexis.
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A bit disappointed we couldn’t pull off the Lemat xfer at the expense of the very individualistic Sanchez. The club needed that £60million from City to take the midfielder from Monaco. Unlike the over emotional transfer geniuses on Twitter whose mood rose and fell with every rumor I think PA did well to keep it’s shit together and not blame the club or Wenger for the ebbs and flows of the xfer market.
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well shotta what you think of our squad
Goalies
Cech, Ospina, Macey
CB
Koscielny, Mustafi, Holding, Mertesacker, Chambers
RB
Bellerin, Debuchy
LB
Kolasinac, Monreal
CM
Xhaka, Ramsey, Cazorla, Wilshere, Elneny, Coquelin
Forwards
Ozil, Alexis, Walcott, Welbeck
CF
Lacazette, Giroud, Akpom
u21’s
Iwobi, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Willock
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alexis playing for chile. ht chile 0-1 paraguay
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Not the worst squad I have ever seen Ed.
Hope Alexis and Ozil perform, that Jack can recover and Callum Chambers can develop.
Jack is our main hope of filling the Santi hole I guess.
But it will be tough, negative press , negative fans, board divisions, if reports to be believed,Wenger may need to get some players onside, free spending rivals who do not respect the FFP we reportedly adhere to,
Bring it on
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FT Chile 0 – 3 Paraguay
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odd thing mandy on the FFP thing re wages and 7% increase, it actually looks like we may have reduced our wage bill with all the outgoings, if we we will be making it even harder for ourselves to increase the wages next summer, unless of course we manage to get a number of player on new contract before then and get our wage bill up to reach that 7% increase
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Drinkwater has signed for Chelsea, £35M
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Asano scored the opener as Japan booked their place in the World Cup finals, with a 2-0 win over australia
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Another Transfer Trophyless season
I’m in despair – I really am
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I thought Debuchy was having his contract cancelled to allow him to move obviously this could still happen. Then most of our cover would be from midfielders.
Also loans to lower league clubs can still happen can’t they if so Chuba might go as well
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Not bad Transfer window imo.
Wenger keeping Alexis is a big slap in the face of the AAA and the media who were predicting Alexis sale to City n pSg.
Legroan must be fuming.
Well done Arsenal.
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I suppose the clever thing to do would be to renew Alexis’s contract and insert a juicy release fee for next summer, much as Liverpool did back in the days when you could almost buy a global thoroughbred for the price of a lowly oxen.
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Looking at the numbers, I hope fitness staff reduce injuries, a big net loss in player numbers.
Maybe we have been Stanned!
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Simon Collings @sr_collings
Trevor Sinclair on BBC.
On The Ox: “He’s world class.”
On Mbappe: “He’s had one good season.”
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the hypocrisy among the ASB uber bloggers etcc is shameful, for 5 years now they have used AFC selling RVP to Man utd as a stick to beat the club and wenger with, now they are trying to overlook this so that they can attack the club for not selling Alexis to Man city so they can beat the club and wenger with it.
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For me the transfer window by Arsenal has been a poor one, for many reasons.
I’m delighted with the signings of Lacazette and Kolasinac. But I’m sad about the sale of Szczesny, a bit surprised at the sale of Gabrile, and a bit annoyed that we were unable to sell Campbell, Jenkinson and Perez, especially the first two as I think their contracts are up in a year so basically they are gone for free.
Debuchy and Alexis still being here is unexpected, not sure what to feel about it. I can see with OX going that maybe Debuchy has a path again to the first team as cover for Bellerin, but Maitland-Niles and Chambers seem ahead of him for that, maybe even Nelson although the lad does not want to play wingback, he wants an attacking role only.
Now for Alexis, as you know here on PA I was for his sale all summer, so when City came in I thought it was correct to sell him for the right fee, sadly city did not offer the right fee, or at least not in time, why if city really wanted him they did not bid sooner, or include Sterling in the deal I do not know, but maybe they did not really want him, just wanted to unsettle him and leave us with an unhappy player.
We can only hope that Alexis shows the right attitude for the rest of the season, but I’m doubtful of this going on his fondness for little tantrums. As some else stated lets hope we can get him to sign a new contract with a nice release clause, then we might get a productive Alexis.
with the sales and loans, our squad has now got 25 senior players with the only player having to miss out on registration being young goalie Iliev, who is only back from 2 year out with injury and who is not anywhere near the squad anyway
I am happy that we have finally 25 players over the age of 21 to make up the squad, the u21’s can then add extra to it, of course only a couple of them are involved or close to the squad – Iwobi, AMN, Bielik(injured at moment) Nelson, Willock and the next closest seems to be Nketiah
Chambers, Holding, Monreal, Kolasinac, Elneny, Welbeck are versatile players who can play in a variety of positions, so this gives the squad options.
Hopefully Cazorla soon comes back to fitness.
Wilshere is an interesting one, in his last U23 game he showed signs of the old jack, that little burst of speed was back, so maybe there is hope of an Arsenal career for him yet.
Talking of Jack, he along with Ozil and Alexis have only one year remaining on their contracts, and that needs addressing, as does those like Ramsey who only have 2 years remaining. We need this contract uncertainty removed.
from the squad we have I would see our likely starting 11 being
Cech
Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Bellerin Xhaka Ramsey Kolasinac
Ozil Lacazette Alexis
subs Ospina, Holding, Coqeulin, Wilshere, Walcott, Giroud, Welbeck
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ΜċGεε @Labo_Goon 39m39 minutes ago
BBC ask what went wrong at AFC this window?
We sold a player not assured of a starting spot, kept our star players and added 2 star players
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Mavididi scored on his England U20 debut yesterday
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Overall impression is we played it pretty safe from a financial viewpoint.
Rejecting big Sanchez sale may suggest otherwise, likewise the apparently gigantic bid for Lemar, but the facts of ending up in profit and not signing anyone once the market got crazier speak louder.
My hope was that missing CL, and the drawn out Wenger contract saga, would leave us in a mood to take a calculated risk, aiming to bring in players who, we hoped, dramatically improved our chance of both a title shot and CL qualification, really stretching ourselves financially and, of course, leaving us more open to hurt if we were to miss out on CL again.
That was probably daft and unwise of me. We don’t do that and I accept the reasons and even correctness of it.
But still, this way seems pretty damn risky to me as well. We have guaranteed at least the same levels of fan dissatisfaction as last year are instantly back upon us, causing whatever trouble they cause, with worse to come if we can’t start winning right away and keep winning a heck of a lot.
Maybe Lacazette and Kolasinac will make a big difference, maybe injury luck will be better, maybe some players will kick on, maybe a young gun- Nelson- can come in and do brilliantly, maybe the existing players somehow figure out how to provide necessary balance in midfield.
It feels to me like our chances for title and CL qualification are similar to last year’s. Before any estimates of how rivals will perform and whether they are stronger.
I guess I hope two bad results including one awful performance have had a disproportionate negative impact on my thinking. At the moment it feels the safer or safest financial strategy is incredibly risky.
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Ed i do not agree we had a bad TW.
Keeping hold of Alexis is a bold decision fron AW. I am sure we can convince him to sign a bumper contract. Adding Lacazette and Kolasianic means we have strengthen both the defence and attack. Once Santi is back i am sure we will be a formidable force.
Keeping the core intact yields better results than adding new faces which takes time to gel imo.
The media criticizing making joke of us that Lemar has turned us down is a makeup story for sure as we cannot offer 90 M for a raw talent imo. Correct me if i am wrong.
I am amused why media is not taking a dig on chelsea who have missed numerous transfer targets during this TW.Another proof of the biased media?
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On Ox, I don’t expect the vertical rise in gamesmanship et al we’d have seen at Chelsea, but I do expect him to be amazed by how much better he does with winning free-kicks and, especially, pens
Can’t think of any pens he has won for us- one of two maybe- but with his speed and directness, in a Pool shirt, I think he’ll soon be winning lots, particularly once he has received a little guidance. I’ll go for 2 this year, when my bet with us would be 0
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The last two results in particular the performance on Sunday, that have fuelled the intense anger on Social Mediasphere.
Coupled with the fact of hundreds possibly thousands of people who depend on AFC for a full or part-time living help keep them relvent.
I don’t always agree with The Boss, but he has made his decisions and as he has more info than I (plus 40 years more actual football manager experience than I) . We will have to wait and see.
When we were Boring
Arsenal have never been boring
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Emol Deportes
Tribuna Virtual: Hinchas culpan al Arsenal por bajo rendimiento de Alexis y respaldan a Vidal pese a autogol
Fans blame Arsenal poor performance of Alexis and support Vidal in spite of his own goal.
Big club problems!
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I think Ox won us a penalty in the FA Cup quarter final against Everton, a penalty that had to be retaken as one of our players strayed into the area. The first and only time I have ever seen that happen. And what nerves of steel from Arteta to take both successfully.
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In the cold light of day, can only conclude it looks a poor TW to me.
There are valuable players who havent signed contracts, they may not want to be here, some played like that in the last game, that is a risk. There are players we cannot be sure Wenger rates, and who he reportedly would have been moved on. We can only hope all stay very professional, and that we dont hit an injury crisis, we have some great players, but not a huge squad.
Not replacing Ox, was , in my view a mistake, as is playing those who , reportedly, have openly said they do not want to be at the club.
I find it impossible to look at the situation and not conclude that clubs above us, and some below have strengthened to a far greater extent than we have. If we are adhereing to FFP, I would say we are in a very very small group who do.
I am not sure if this summer was for quite reasonable financial reasons, financial pressure from above, poor planning, some even suggest money was withdrawn by board members who would have a vested interest to undermine or no longer trust wenger. But nothing seems to fit, stories of a warchest, then a club mouthpiece this week says there is very little money, then a huge bid for Lemar, rapidly withdrawn. What is going on?
The club doesnt seem in a good place at the moment, those running it dont appear to be covering themselves in glory, recent weeks will fuel the angry more than the reasonable. But ,can only back those that wear the shirt I guess, as whatever is or isnt going on may be affecting them as well, the players are not leveraging for other projects, they are not part of alleged boardroom splits, they dont run the finances, or any other reported things going on behind the scenes at the club, they just need our support in what I fear will be a very difficult environment as those who blame the manager for everything try to set about conditions to remove him. I fear coming weeks will play in the hands of the malcontents, unless Wenger does something to lift this team, and quickly
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Foreverheady
Don’t remember that, but a Gerrard one at Anfield just came back to me.
Point is that, like Walcott, and Sanchez, you’d expect him to earn them at about the same rate as other players with that sort of speed and directness- Vardy, Hazard, ha, Young, etc- and I’m pretty sure he hasn’t but will from now on.
Sanchez in particular I’ve often looked at and thought he would be on for 3-5 most years in another shirt.
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Cheer up Mandy, cheer up Eddy
Just 122 days until the next transfer window opens
(Banned everything)
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Yes, cannot wait
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I’m minded to write a blog about what I think of the window just closed, but I don’t know what to think !
That makes things difficult. I’m up and down like a fiddlers elbow
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It is difficult to know exactly what to make of it, a lot of contradictions, things that seem strange, a bit of an info vacuum.
there may be very good reasons for making such a big profit when it seems we need to strengthen to keep pace with others, but superficially, feels like not the greatest PR and a very fertile breeding ground for speculation, and mischief.
Lots of stories of warchests, big wage increases over the summer, then suddenly the words of the Great Oracle of Ornstein, which seemed to turn out accurate, despite the reported 92m bid for Lemar, which seemed to be quickly withdrawn for some reason.
At the risk of adding to speculation, just cannot help believe money for strengthening was taken away, suddenly and at a late stage for some reason, to cover for the Ozil Sanchez losses, or something else
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Jeezus guys. A lot of the drama at the close of the window is simply a case of failure of brinkmanship. At the death Sanchez transfer to City was a possibility. In return Arsenal needed a replacement in the form of Lemar. Once City decided to fuck around and not offer big money for Sanchez both deals crashed. Simples. It happens every last day of the xfer window not only to Arsenal. Look at the shambles with Chelsea and Ross Bartley. It’s the nature of the market.
The Uber bloggers and journos, many of whom refuse to disclose their relationship with agents, etc., simply want to use the fact Arsenal did not overspend in the window as another pretext to bash the club Wenger. This is a self-sufficient, self-financing club which has to watch the bottom line. That is necessary to pay the big wages for players whose contracts are coming up for renewal. Can’t we see beyond our damn noses.?
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