The least culpable took responsibility and showed they understood at the final whistle yesterday
Arsenal 0 – 1 Blackburn Rovers
0 – 1 Kazim-Richards (72)
The span through air, traversing it’s course toward the net. Bodies arced upwards, as their emotions erupted. Save for one, the one that mattered and in an instant, fingertips deflected the ball as words contorted and events changed. Twenty-three minutes had been played and the first telling moment of the match happened, Diaby almost made the telling impact. But he failed to do so as did his team-mates for the next hour.
It was a performance borne of the starting line-up. No player was awful, none was outstanding and therein was the problem; everyone was just average. Actually that’s harsh, some played well and in that I would point to Rosicky and Monreal but that is definitely it.
Arsène said afterwards that the preparation for this game was the same as the previous sixteen seasons; why wouldn’t it be? Plenty of lower division teams have come to The Emirates or Highbury and been beaten by the second string. Yesterday should have followed that lead, there was nothing to indicate it would not. The starting line-up was strong, a healthy mixture of those eager to prove their worth and others returning from injury.
So why was this performance so ordinary?
The most significant indicator of this was Abou Diaby. I am not singling him out for criticism, just that his performance encapsulated what was wrong. The passing was for the most part accurate but there was too much of it and too much of it was ponderous and pedestrian. The surging runs that were needed, were noticeable by their absence.
This was highlighted even more when Wilshere and Cazorla entered the fray with Theo Walcott.
Until that point, Arsenal could not penetrate the visitors well-drilled banks for five and four. Suddenly there was an energy, a dynamism which had previously been noticeable by its absence. Of course, chasing a goal safe in the knowledge that failure meant elimination, was a key motivation. When Wenger made his changes, he wanted to make an impact but not the one he got. Barely had the players entered the pitch than Olsson exploited space behind Coquelin and rifled his shot at Szczesny whose parry fell kindly to Kazim-Richards, the returning shot bounced into the ground onto the post and into the net. It was a ‘nothing’ goal, entirely in fitting with the game.
Arsenal had their chances before that but too often a cross was met by the Blackburn defence. The original post title was Dare To Achieve. Arsenal did not do that, the ball from the flank was too often not anticipated by the forwards and more tellingly, the midfield running in to meet it. They did not do that and as a consequence, Blackburn sat back comfortably, rarely troubled. When they were, wayward finishing from Gervinho as the first half drew to it’s close or the woodwork denying Rosicky. Diaby shot at Kean but that was more of a wake-up call, a tester to see if he was paying attention as opposed to being numbed by the indolent Arsenal attack.
Chasing the game sparked life into the Arsenal performance but it was not enough. Monreal is a dependable full back in the Winterburn mould. Sadly his shooting is as well, powerful but wayward. Walcott was denied by a good save from Kean whilst as the dying embers of Arsenal’s domestic silverware chase flickered, Arteta fired into the side-netting. The flame was truly extinguished by Mike Dean’s shrill blast on the whistle moments later.
It is a huge disappointment to lose this match, not just the result but the manner of surrender. To field a good line-up and be served with such fare would be at once saddening, maddening and baffling to the manager. Where was the leader on the pitch to take the game by the scruff of the neck, to drive the game forward. In truth he was sat deep in front of the back four as he has been all season. Arteta floated, prompted and with Rosicky, tried to raise the standard but two on their own could not do it.
The FA Cup, as with the League Cup, ended in meek surrender.
Arsenal spark new controvesy over official attendance figures
’til Tomorrow.
Bac has openly acknowledged his form hadn’t been great.
However he on the improve again, and he is a long way ahead of Jenkinson.
I hope he gets the contract extension, but I suspect he wont.
OK, so it doesn’t apply to you either, GA. You protest so strongly that I’m convinced.
I could not give a Fuck if every one of our players, to a man, was from Mongolia. As long as they could produce better than that lazy rancid shite that was on display yesterday.
That’s the point, Andy. The rest? Well, I don’t follow the media. Most fans trust their eyes. The noise comes from a few.
I don’t recall any undue abuse directed at Sagna above and beyond the typical abuse given out to most Arsenal players
Gervinho Eboue Song – I felt that was/is a little more bit more than just the usual
Mind you they hate Ramsey – Welsh
Some of those pretending to be non-critical fans were also slagging Sagna too (by downplaying his importance to the squad), I guess as a sort of pre-emptive strike in case he leaves over contract/wage disputes. Stuff like, ‘look how poor Sagna is, age might be catching up to him.. who can blame the club if they refuse to give him the contract he wants…, who needs him anyway, Jenks is ready to take over…’
Theo got the same treatment too, until he signed the extension.
Lazy rancid shite
Outstanding
What ever happened to not fit to wear the shirt ?
No one said that, Anicoll, so your linkage is mischievous.
Anicoll – a phrase I have never used as it goes. I prefer to be a bit more inventive.
It amazes me how so often we allow a team to score with their only significant attack of the game. Genuinely, it would be funny if it wasn’t arsenal it happened to.
Oh btw. Appetite for Self-Destruction? My favourite track from that was “Welcome to the Bungle”.
Woeful!
What – the lazy rancid shite comment ?
As you say an outstanding example of your inventive expression
Roland Friesler would shudder at such imaginative prose
Al – civil war seems more apt this season.
Anicoll – a little crude maybe, but accurate just the same.
And I am sure you will throw your weight behind the 14 lazy rancid purveyors of shit with your usual brio come Tuesday
How the lads can fail I can’t imagine
Still it’s Wenger’s fault
And the board
And the 14 lazy rancid little shits
bloody yo-yo fence sitting pseudo support. Always startling the freaking fence safely falling to one side or the other depending on win lose draw.
the best Thing for AW and the team is to shut this noisy minority out of their minds and get on with their business. Fuck the boo boys and the moaners. We can give this bunch a massive lift every time they play at home and yet they choose to sap the confidence right out of them. Stupidest fan base in all leagues . Truly unworthy of supporting this club and organization.
Old turdfford park is that away. Get a move on. You won’t achieve your agenda that you have hide for years and passed yourself off as a genuinely loyal supporter.
The etihad is that away. Get a move on you two faced miserable dopes.
ARSENAL::ARSENAL:::ARSENAL:
Well, not being at the game, it’s hard* to comment, but on a dodgy stream all I saw were lethargic performances; against the Stokes and Sunderlands we played with verve and desire; that looked like a spineless, tired team out there – yet they had so much to play for, and to prove. This isn’t just about shit support, it’s about highly trained people performing very very below par. To blame the crowd is not reasonable; this is the arsenal and we DEMAND a high level of performance and commitment; the results can go either way, but the play was slow and tepid, for the most part.
* But not that hard.
Anicoll
Interesting that you are out of step with the captain in having a pop at fans not supporting them unreservedly. According to Thomas Vermaelen,
“I think the tempo could have been higher sometimes. I think we had too many touches on the ball, didn’t respect the game sometimes and it was difficult to get through their defence.”
When the captain says that, it’s pretty much time for the players to stand up and be counted. Not showing the game enough respect?
The AKBs are struggling to justify their ridiculous arguements. They too realise that Arsene’s time is up and he’s sinking faster than the Titanic. He’s been in charge for 4 years too long. He’s a dinosaur and we know what happened to them. Anyhow, I’m happy to read the all the AKB comments on this site but the arguments for keeping Wenger are getting weaker by the day.
I totally agree PONY BOY. No one is blaming the boo boys and the moaners 100%. Still who is to say if the atmosphere was more conducive and dare I say
Intimidating to the opponents that even the group making up the team yesterday wouldn’t have been able to grind out a result. But NO… the Basterds that booed Needed to feel better about themselves and sap the little confidence this group had right out of them.
My point is instead of helping the situation they decided to make it worse for the team that hadn’t played football together that often. The choice is clear. Demoralizing the team as opposed to building them up. A vocal minority of no nothings are at it again year after year. Maybe they are starting to develop a taste for humble pie dished out to them every year. Be true to the club you claim to love.
Don’t get elated at them not progressing just so you can achive you agenda.
That what I call a two face person.
That statement for Vermaelen said it all YW. At least, he is not making any excuses unlike some superfans. He basically means we underestimated our opponents. I donno what to say. How can we underestimate Bburn after what happened at Bradford a few games back!!!
The sad thing is that disappointment has become so usual for us!
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/transfer-gossip/time-for-the-78s-to-be-replaced-by-45s/
Morning all, scarily early for today’s post but it is here!