Morning all,
Do you ever get that feeling when you wake up that you are hoping the day before never happened? As I woke up this morning I approached my phone with trepidation. I was hoping beyond hope that this morning was in fact Saturday and we would have an afternoon filled with exciting football, just as I felt yesterday.
Unfortunately there was no such luck and what we actually had yesterday, was an awful performance devoid of any real passion or commitment; the two things that have been integral to our fantastic run. It was not a bad dream.
Yesterday’s match was exactly as I predicted, a tough encounter against an organised team fighting for their lives. The match started off brightly and we looked to be quickly in our groove. This however lasted all of 12 minutes and following that, we were not very penetrative and were genuinely poor throughout. QPR were physical, powerful and quick into the challenge without ever really overstepping the boundary. It would be stating the obvious to say they wanted it more, which is very surprising but not unbelievable. Whilst we have been fantastic in the past 7 games, yesterday we were anything but.
However, these things happen especially in football. It is why we love it. If we would beat every team lower than us and lost to every team higher than us than it would be pointless. I was astounded with the level of negativity on Twitter last night. Calls for overhauls, vast clear outs and the like that were prevalent before this run, came back to the fore last night. Whilst not with the same ferocious potency as before but back in a diluted form which, even then is a little crazy. If you asked any Arsenal fan at the end of January that “you can have 7 wins and 1 loss in the next 8, what do you think?” The vast majority including yours truly would have bitten off the hand, arm and anything else I could get to.
It has still been a fantastic run and the most important thing now is to look forward. I will not deny my anger at a performance abject of any real conviction but I cannot deny that if we look at the bigger picture; we are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League and we must do everything to get behind the team and all the players.
There were strange decisions yesterday and Ramsey didn’t have the best of the games but hearing one fan exclaim “I knew we’d lose as soon as I saw Ramsey playing” made me feel sick. Don’t know why though, with that foresight I should be excited and ask him to do my lottery numbers. It is all the more surprising to see Ramsey as a scapegoat for yesterday’s loss given the actual nature of our defeat. The whole team was awful but aside from two opportunities gifted to QPR by Thomas Vermaelen there was no real standout moments in a team all below par.
Either way, what’s done is done and all good things must come to an end. The task now is to re-build go back and come out swinging. Our next game might well be the most difficult of the season but we must do everything to win. It is imperative we try in every game and not believe our own hype. Next week is not a must win game but avoiding defeat will be a great result to reaffirm our position as favourites for a Champions League place.
Player Ratings
Wojciech Szczesny - 6.5
Had little to do aside from picking the ball out of the net. Had little chance with the goals.
Thomas Vermaelen – 4
Had perhaps his worst game in an Arsenal shirt. Was responsible for both goals conceded and despite his efforts to make amends he only made it worse by leaving holes at the back. A game to forget
Had little to do aside from picking the ball out of the net. Had little chance with the goals.
Thomas Vermaelen – 4
Had perhaps his worst game in an Arsenal shirt. Was responsible for both goals conceded and despite his efforts to make amends he only made it worse by leaving holes at the back. A game to forget
Laurent Koscienly - 6.5
Was solid and rarely threatened as he didn’t have much to do. Showed no signs of carrying an injury.
Kieran Gibbs - 6
Never really got into the game like much of the team around him. Was never awful but never really great either. A very average performance.
Bacary Sagna – 6.5
Not a great performance but not as bad as some. Played okay for the entirety of the match.
Mikel Arteta – 6.5
Some neat passing in the middle and was defensively responsible. Provided a link between Song and Rosicky to keep things ticking over.
Alex Song - 6
Passed the ball well but offered the side little defensive cover. He tried too hard to do the spectacular and of 7 attempted through balls he only completed one. Could have kept it simpler at times.
Ramsey – 4.5
Struggled to get into the game despite a high work rate. Did little to justify his selection but was unjustifiably used as a scapegoat by some Arsenal fans. Was not the worst player on the pitch.
Theo Walcott – 6.5
Had a quiet game but came to the rescue to bring Arsenal back in the game with a well taken goal. Was largely ineffectual for the rest of the match.
Tomas Rosicky – 6
Comfortable on the ball but struggled to really get a hold of the game as he has done in games gone by.
Robin Van Persie – 5.5
Could have scored but surprisingly didn’t have his goal scoring boots on yet again. He had a quiet game and found it difficult to get into the game.
Robin Van Persie – 5.5
Could have scored but surprisingly didn’t have his goal scoring boots on yet again. He had a quiet game and found it difficult to get into the game.
Well I think that’ll probably do it for today.
GoonerVerse.
well this game was a bad game for the gunners we missed the litle chances we had.we could have had a penalty but mother luck was not with us as in the games we played more badly like in liverpool and everton.....nx match we will be back smoking
ReplyDeleteRamsey and RVP carried Arsenal for several months this season. When the pitches are bad and the opposition is tough--Ramsey is picked if fit. At home, Song, Arteta and Rosicky can usually cope. For Wales-- Ramsey is a box to box CM. He is surrounded by grafters and runners who share the closing down'. Against Milan away, ManU away, Swansea away, Blackburn away and QPR away- there was no closing down. We don't just want players who are comfortable on the ball and keep us ticking along. Xavi etc can all do that-- but they can close down for 60mins as well. Ramsey, RVP, Song, Jack, The Ox, The Coq and The Frimp can do it. Against Scruffs away ---these are the players we need in the trenches. Get them fit and out there Arsene. Wimps are no good in the trenches.
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