‘In the end, it’s quality’
An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective
Where were you at 6:30pm UK time on Sunday?
I had just dropped Max and Axcel off at their game. You need to know about Axcel. Axcel is a local legend.
He is our family’s adopted soccer son. We drive backwards to go forwards three times a week to get this fantastic kid to play on our team.
Axcel has helped me understand that Google Translate is very much imperfect. He sits in the back of my car and types questions on his phone about soccer, cars, immigration or his love for McChicken sandwiches. He calls me, ‘Couh’ which I blame on Google. He is a street footballer from the 80’s where determination, passion and power were king. When he scores, he always looks up at me to see if I saw it. I fist pump and he smiles. I love Axcel.
Anyway, that’s a diversion but he’s worth it and he will be amazed when I show him his face on the internet.
I was in the Morristown West Industrial Park and there were 5 minutes left. I was going to be late to get back for kick off, but I refused to keep driving knowing that a car crash was imminent if either team scored. My private screaming session alone in my car felt like a scene from my own ‘Fever Pitch’ movie. My private Arsenal story. If I had my own Arsenal movie, this would be in it alongside Michael Thomas, Steve Morrow and many Aaron Ramsey moments.
All of the best Arsenal moments have one thing in common. A moment of quality made the difference regardless of the game’s story. A moment when we understand why these guys are professional and we aren’t close.
All of the games’ pivotal moments were top quality. Nick Pope was the keeper cat from the comic strip when I was young. His first save in the 4th minute was top class.
It’s very hard to score against Arsenal. You have to provide high quality to do it and the ball to Woltemade was perfect.
For me, I didn’t see Arsenal coming back but I am reminded that if you have top quality, you should never rule your team out, and we have at least 20 top quality players.
The Rice assist was perfect. The perfect trajectory and the perfect decision to hit it first time and the perfect decision to choose Merino in a box of Geordie tall trees.
Odegaard’s corner was the best moment of all because it exposed Nick Pope’s weakness on crosses. The rainbow-like delivery tempted him to come and as he does infrequently, he came and remembered too late that he can’t dominate a crowd scene.
Finally, Gabriel’s choice to not head it but let it head him. If he puts juice behind it, it goes over. He simply allows it to hit him and then the screaming in the industrial park commenced.
Who was it that dropped Steve Morrow? That wasn’t really ‘quality.’ Sorry Steve.
POSITIVES:
Football:
I love football and this picture embodies the passion I feel.
Never forget why you love football. It’s not the trophies. Not primarily. It’s moments. Moments with friends. Moments with the team. Moments of sadness, frustration and anger that make these moments all the better.
Arteta:
Arteta went for it. He needed to prove to the fans that he was willing to be wrong and learn to not over think. To lean into the fact that we are good enough to win any game and certainly good enough to feel secure enough defensively to leave the back door slightly ajar. I thought he made a mistake against City. They were knackered and fearful of us. They tried to slow the game down and numb our crowd. We should’ve hit the accelerator as everybody at the stadium knew that we were favoured if we utilized their energy.
The Liverpool game was a draw that was snatched away by brilliance. Fair play. The City game was a missed opportunity and was more on Arteta than anyone else. The ‘handbrake’ should be used when you are 2-0 up against an excitable Port Vale. Bore us to death with conservatism, we don’t care. Sometimes I wonder if it would be healthy for coaches to step into social media. It doesn’t have to be Arteta.
When you are coaching anyone you can become very insulated from the vibe. You can misread the room because you are in it all the time and nose blind to what everyone else smells.
Your fans cannot be entirely ignored. The same for their fans. You can often mentally pop their balloon in the first 15 minutes and have the game won.
There was no handbrake on Sunday but an endless first half of flowing attacking football that produced an impressive XG against a very difficult team to play. They were submissive to us and Eddie Howe led the way with his subs. We smelled the fear and won the game. Well done, Mikel.
Timber:
Apart from his fairly disastrous throw-ins, he was very good. Again. Anthony Gordon offered nothing apart from one pea roller, but it was his attacking that stood out. Everyone can see that he can lock down any attacker whether it be Vinicius Jr or Anthony Gordon and that he is far superior to Ben White at this. White has the edge going forward but it now looks like Timber has decided to improve his attacking game by adding more unpredictability.
Gabriel mentality:
I cant prove that his determination to score was elevated by his mistake on the goal, but his footballing maturity is evident. In the long term he has to stop taking the risk of flopping in his own box. It’s just not smart to leave that in the refs hands unless you have zero chance of winning the ball or putting the striker off. He did the same thing a few years ago when the ball had crossed the goal line.
A player with a top mentality not only reacts positively to his mistake but makes it vanish by being responsible for winning the game.
Eze:
I knew he was crafty and composed. I knew he had soft feet. I knew he was clever but I didn’t know that he was so two footed in front of goal. This is a bold prediction but he may end up being our top scorer. He is so frequently getting into the best positions in the box and if he is so clean with both feet then I see no reason why he couldn’t achieve this.
Gyokeres:
He needed this performance more than he needed a goal. His critics aren’t claiming that he’s not good enough because he won’t get the 15-20 goals we need, they just don’t think he is good enough of a footballer. I can’t remember a striker so consistently win his duels and retain possession so often as he did on Sunday. Under the most physical pressure, also. Not only did he retain it, but he started numerous attacks. His movement around the box was much better and when he is full of confidence he will release earlier shots in the two situations he had to score.
Merino:
It’s getting to the point now that when he comes on opponents are fearful. His impact as an attacking midfielder is consistent. It is all linked to his finishing ability. Some players were born in the penalty area and feel as calm and in control in this space as they do in the centre circle under no pressure. Merino is the guy who you hate on Black Friday. You show up at 4:30am to get in line to have an opportunity to get the latest 120K HD Super Fancy TV. You notice that Merino is there in line too but he rolls up 3 minutes before the shop opens. Everyone is trampling over each other but Merino walks in like James Bond, adjusts his cufflinks and grabs the last TV without getting in the scramble. Every team needs a Merino. Other teams don’t have a cool customer like we do.
We actually have two ‘Bond’s.’ Trossard is a clutch player too.
Eddie Nketiah:
I think I screamed as loud in my front room on Saturday as I did in the industrial park on Sunday. What a perfect finish in a difficult situation. A weak foot volley after a textbook chest trap away from pressure. I know he can’t go on the socials and beat his chest, but I bet he wanted to.
NEEDS:
Jarred Gillette (not the best a man can get, not even close):
You are sitting in the referee class exam room and you have one more question and you need to get it right to pass the test. You get it on video from 35 different angles as well as this written description, “ Your striker goes through on goal. He pushes the ball around the keeper. The keeper doesn’t tackle him but misses the ball. The striker hits it onto the keeper’s foot and the keeper’s knee hits the striker’s knee bringing him to the ground on his back. Is this a penalty?
The exam asks you for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and an explanation including whether it was a ‘clear and obvious’ error made by Gillet.
You answer ‘no’ because you are stupid.
The exam tells you exactly what it thinks of you….. “ You numpty! You have failed the referee exam because you are stupid. We advise that you don’t pursue refereeing as you will likely get attacked by partially drunk Sunday league players, fans and probably your wife when you get home.”
“The penalty cannot be taken away and here is why…. The goalkeeper didn’t ‘win the ball’ or ‘tackle’ the player. The attacker wins the ball and touches it into the keeper’s foot and then the momentum of the keeper’s knee takes out the attacker. After Mr Gillet goes home and gets attacked with oversized watermelons by his children, he should watch the decision the week before where Sanchez gave away a penalty kick and was ejected for the same situation. Mbuemo touches the ball onto Sanchez’s body who then takes him out.”
“Secondly, we chose the phrasing ‘clear and obvious’ very carefully when we wrote the rules. The phrasing isn’t ‘invent your personal interpretation taking 2 minutes to decide.’ If you don’t understand ‘clear and obvious’ we suggest you go outside. You will see these. Lots of them.
These are called ‘trees.’ Even in this lame, blurry picture it is ‘clear and obvious’ that they are trees. If it took 35 different angles and 2 minutes for you to decide that they are trees then you deserve no more nice things to happen to you in your life.
Alternatively, you may learn when you get home and after you get hit on the noggin by a third object, you won’t have any doubt that you are being attacked by oversized watermelons and don’t have an itch on your head.”
Jarred Gillet, again:
After recovering from being attacked by your own children, you return to the next available refereeing course as you are determined to not be Jarred Gillet.
The exam goes down to the wire again. The last question.
You are running the PGMOL. You get applications from all over the globe. The first question you ask is, ‘who do you support?’ because obviously it would be smarter to not put a referee in a league where his favourite team plays. The applicant says, ‘Liverpool F.C..’ Do you…..
a) tell him to apply to the Welsh, Irish or Scottish league or any European country where they either speak fluent English or you can speak their dialect?
b) tell him that it should be fine to referee in the Premier League, just as long as he doesn’t tell anyone that he is a Liverpool fan
c) allow him to referee, assist and do the VAR and give him the first 4 of 6 Arsenal games in the season. Clue; Arsenal’s biggest rival is Liverpool
You choose b) and c). Not only did you get it wrong and fail the exam, you got it wrong twice.
Your punishment is 30 years in a jail cell with Keir Starmer, Chris Sutton and Zippee from Rainbow.
Hincapie and Nwaneri:
Back to Arsenal.
I am hoping to see both of them on Wednesday. Hincapie has a groin issue, I believe. Nwaneri is a mystery. Did he pout or react poorly to not being given Odegaard’s position? Injured? I hope it’s the latter.
TWEETS and THOUGHTS:
A huge talking point that has got 0 attention as well.
Joelinton is the new McTominay of the PL. A total immunity pass from whacking people. If you were allowed by rule to whack someone with your first tackle, everybody would.
https://twitter.com/TeleFootball/status/1972636310637621695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
I’m not sure that I get this? Can someone explain?
Nobody is talking about this huge mental advantage. In fact nobody apart from Arsenal fans is giving the guy any credit for anything.
Two great points.
https://twitter.com/HarrySymeou/status/1972330169399669106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
New rules are always trialed by punishing Arsenal. Numerous examples like Martinelli getting two yellows in 5 seconds, but Joelinton yesterday committed 3 yellow card offences in 5 seconds and…
FINAL THOUGHT:
That was a true sliding doors moment on Sunday. If we lose then the loud section of the fanbase start saying that the league is over and blaming Arteta. As far as feelgood is concerned, I’d say that even though the players wouldn’t say it publicly, that felt better than beating Spurs.
I occasionally ask if you could share my work, perhaps with your thoughts (quote tweet). If you ever feel inspired to do so, I’d appreciate it. Jarred Gillet won’t which is why you should do it today! 🙂
Former Highbury regular. Moved to TN, USA in ’99. Married with 3 kids. Coached in UK and US for 27 years.
Mike McDonald Soccer Academy in Morristown TN, Olympic Development coach, Regional Premier League Champion.
The RAF fighter pilots’ thing is about clear, precise and specific communication. Arteta mentioned it at an event in London about leadership skills in response to a question about where he draws ideas from. His point was that, when it’s a matter of life or death, fighter pilots have to relay key information to each other in the most efficient way possible with no misunderstandings. One word has to do the work of 20. He said he wants RAF pilots to teach him how they do that make the communication between coaches, analysts and players more effective.
Hey Axcel, Hi/Hola from the UK.
Great post Mike, as usual, there are many parts of London that remind me of Arsenal goals, because that where I was driving when I heard them on the radio, like Oxford St outside of what used to be House of Fraser when Thierry Henry scored his 3rd vs Roma, or outside the Hilton Park Lane when Limpar scored at Leeds, or Compton St just off of Highbury Corner when Ramsey scored against Hull at Wembley.
The short corner routine Arsenal employ now, which Newcastle used to take the lead, seems to be the new theme, it changes the angle of the ball into the box and maybe lessens the goalkeeper’s ability to clear? The Rice to Merino clipped cross came straight off of the training ground, the movement of Merino and how he found space was perfection.
Gabriel switched positions for the winner going into the mix and banking on the accuracy of Odegaard who didn’t disappoint and the move of Saliba who positioned himself in front of Pope as the corner was taken preventing the keeping from any momentum to clear the ball. Great point on Gabriel using the velocity of the corner instead of his neck muscles to divert the ball into the net.
Regarding Gillett, who awarded the penalty and took some persuading to change his mind, I think he should have trusted his instincts because I reckon he wanted to stick with his initial decision. But Darren England on VAR kept urging him to change his mind ( I heard this from the commentators on NBC who were clearly supporting Newcastle) and eventually Gillett allowed himself to be swayed.
Who does England support?
Liverpool…
That decision probably helped Gabriel from conceding a penalty for handball because those situations almost always go against us. I was actually amazed when it wasn’t given as we never seem to get the rub of the green.
Cheers Mike, great read. I reckon Merino is the Spanish David Platt. Will be so important for us. Always thought Liverpool would fall away at some point. Mind you, I said that last season and it never happened. This season will be different. It’s our season