Not losing, (while trying not to lose…) (Positives Needs & Hopes) [MUN 0-1 ARS]

Not losing, while trying not to lose

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

Well, that was a surreal experience.

Not at all what I had expected or predicted. I thought that we would dominate the ball. That they would allow us to do so. We would score two before half time and United would give up and the final score would be Man Utd nil Arsenal a lot. I’m not sure if what I saw was tactical genius or a risky dice roll, or both.

It was clear that we were trying to stop transitions. That this was the only way that they could score. That they would be confused and unready if we gave them the ball. Some have said that we just played poorly and we were trying to dominate. That’s not what happened though and proven by the strategy not changing in the second half either.

I think that if Arteta had this game back he would lean into ball domination because what I saw that he probably didn’t bank on was the nervous energy that I think he accidentally created by changing our game model.

Man Utd seemed to win most all of the duels. The fact that our wide players stayed more central rather than spreading the big Old Trafford pitch out was conservative and telling. Arsenal are a team built on automatisms and those were taken away. Our midfield lost the ball regularly because they were unsure. Players were in different locations. I think the nervous energy came from the players walking out there not knowing where each other might be. I thought that this risk was too big and gave United an advantage because it took away ours.

On the other hand, Arteta leant into our greatest strength. Keeping clean sheets. Essentially 1 in every 2 games this season. Remarkable. He trusted that we could close the front door and have them try the back door only to find bouncers at every door they tried. What I’m sure he didn’t bank on was creating this negative energy which caused us to lose possession and duels so frequently that our bouncers were knocking on the manager’s door at the end of the game asking for overtime pay.

Considering that we rocked up to see Manchester United in the worst shape they’ve been in in my lifetime, I feel that if he had that back he wouldn’t risk paying his bouncers overtime and would try to be ball dominant and trust that his bouncers have worked at small terraced homes as well as huge country estates with far more ground to cover.

Because we won, Arteta can point to that and rightly so and scream success and genius and I would just nod and agree because sitting here today, I don’t care how it happened. We leant into nullification and we nullified.

I would just like Mikel to stop by my house sometime and help clean the poopy stains from the couch. He can bring the PL trophy with him and smack me upside the head when he’s done. It would be well deserved.

POSITIVES:

William Saliba

It’s a shame that the FA vote for their awards back in early February. If you have been as baffled as I over the years as to why they don’t wait until the season is actually over before voting then read on. My ITK powers have deduced that it takes Carlos 4 months to ride from Newcastle to Bournemouth and everywhere in between collecting vote totals. By the looks of Carlos, I think he puts the votes on his head.

Sorry that the image of Carlos is so grainy. It was shot with one of those throw away cameras from the 90’s. The 1790’s. I just wanted to fall in line with similar traditions that the FA use.

If and when Carlos and his donkey (Jeff) are no more, and the FA realize that voting could be done on an app in 12 seconds, then William Saliba might have a chance of winning more than just Man of the Match.

Saliba doesn’t need recognition because he has what matters. He is the best young defender in the world. He has respect from everyone who understands football. This image is the main reason why.Trossard:

Everybody is saying the same things. He deserves to start. He scores vital goals. He’s the best finisher at Arsenal. He went to the same dentist as Gabriel. What is imminent and very interesting is that with summer improvements on the horizon, I bet most fans would shift Trossard to the bench in their 24-25 line up. Sometimes football is simple. You can look into the world of XG this or field tilt that but when you pick a team who is consistently effective in big moments, you are likely over thinking it to not include him.

Perhaps the argument should be more about maximizing the pace and enthusiasm of Martinelli as a sub and game changer because he’s built for that. Perhaps we should consider that the next level is finding players that can execute against Bayern Munich away and that more Leo’s are what we need.

David Raya:

Because United didn’t create hardly anything, it will be forgotten that Raya was yet again pivotal. He has a gift of cutting out danger before it becomes danger.

NEEDS:

I think Paul is right.

I’m not sure if the block is mental. Well, that’s not true. I think it has to be. It’s most certainly not a technical or tactical lack and only Odegaard gets bullied and that’s only when he receives it with his back to goal, which is rare. Do some of our players have an inferiority complex? Over thinkers? Too much respect for opponents? Does the coach tighten their shoulders?