It seemed a strange team selection which smacked of gross underestimation of the opposition. Jenkinson, Elneny and Guendouzi in tandem through the centre plus twin strikers for a must win game at home. Hmmmm.
On the positive side, pre-match drinks with the boys and Peaches were excellent listening to updates from Goodison, just a shame they proved to be the high point of a day that slipped thereafter.
First Half
Mesut should have scored early on but for someone whose passing is so good, his shooting is abysmal.
Palace scored from a free kick which looked miles offside in the ground but probably wasn’t. (just looked at the goal and Jenko played Benteke onside – as you all would have known already)
The team seemed unbalanced and toothless, changes were required.
Second Half
Team selection mistakes were half rectified at the interval. Iwobi for Jenks excellent. Taking Mavropanos off when he had been one of our best players in the first half seemed weird. I suppose hindsight is a wonderful thing – if only one of our other centre backs had got the hook!
Superb start with Mesut scoring straight away.Iwobi on the left and Ainsley on the right were suddenly causing Palace problems on the flanks. It was surely only a matter of time before we scored a second.
Then things took a plunge. Mustafi gave the freedom of Islington to the Palace striker, Zaha and then seemed aggrieved at what? – Who knows? 2-1 down to a poor team but with lots of time to rectify the situation.
Getty Images
More shocking defending from a corner and we were 3-1 with little hope of a positive result all of a sudden. Auba played a one two off a defender and gave us some false hope. Alex Iwobi fluffed a great chance at an equaliser from a cut back but virtually passed to the keeper.
Conclusion
Bang goes fortress Emirates. A combination of poor team selection, dreadful defending and the lack of any real plan up front contributed to our own downfall.
Such a great opportunity to strengthen our claim for a top four place squandered. We’re still in 4th spot – well, until the chavs play Burnley tonight, that is.
Wolves at Molineux next up.
Ratings
Leno – kept us in with a shout with a great save just before half time … 6
Jenkinson – not much to say … 3
Mavropanos – no idea why he was subbed off – yellow card? … 6
Koscielny – struggled to make up for the deficiencies of those around him … 6
Mustafi – some around me in the ground were booing him touching the ball in the second half – inexplicable defending at times – thick as pig excrement unfortunately – the nadir of his performance was getting booked for diving … 1
Kolasinac – drove me bananas in the first half just passing the ball back from where it came – we could have kept Theo Walcott if we needed someone who could only do that … 3
Elneny – nah … 3
Guendouzi – yet again given too much to do with the lack of decent senior partner … 5
Ozil – a game tailor-made for him to dominate and he wasn’t up to it – a fine goal though… 5
Aubameyang – out of position and it showed … 5
Lacazette – huffed a puffed with little service … 5
Subs
Iwobi – had an immediate impact – should have been playing from the start … 6
Maitland-Niles – added much on the right flank but just couldn’t make that crucial difference at the end of the day … 6
Torreira – another who should have started if he was fit enough to be on the bench … 6
Managers
Emery – bound to have an off day every now and again – just a shame I had to witness it in person … 3
Wagnerson – must be so pleased we put up such a poor fight … 6
Referee
Moss – as dreadful a performance as Arsenal’s – just appalling … 2
chas
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Seems appropriate today somehow 🙂
That is a really good post, better than the game.
Mavra came off because he offers nothing going forward. As you say AMN offered some much needed forward thrust.
Unless you are saying that Mustafi should have been the one hooked?
When exactly was the last time Benteke scored?? 10 years ago? Why do we have this incredible habit of letting players either score their first goal against us or end their goal drought against us??
Mustafi, you muppet! So now Wolves away has become a MUST WIN game… actually all of our remaining games are now.. not sure that’ll happen 😖
I’d have given Mustafi 0, same for Moss – his ignorance & incompetence made my blood boil
I don’t EVER want to see Elneny & Guendouzi together again… I don’t ever want to see Mustafi play for us ever again. I read that Roma are interested in him & Elneny 😂 omg please take them now 🙏
Don’t think I’d give a MOTM.. Torreira & AMN did well when they came on (how cool & calm is AMN? 😎) Iwobi was good at going forward, but gives the ball away too much & he really should have scored! Iwobi in front of goal is like a rabbit in the headlights!!
Nice goals from Ozil & Laca 👌 just a very, very disappointing result…..
LB 7.27
Is that irony in your last sentence?
And why the hell have I got that ‘ Glad all over’ song in my head?! 😂😂😂😂
LB
Yes I was suggesting that, in hindsight, perhaps it should have been Mustafi taken off at halftime. 😊
Mavro offers nothing going forward but Mustafi does?
https://streamable.com/98lcs
As an advocate of using youth at this point in the season to learn from GOOD, experienced fellow team mates, I worry most for Ouzi and Mav. As Chas points out, it is too much for him to play in the holding midfield position if he does not have solid thoughtfulness alongside him ( especially as his natural tendencies currently are somewhat wayward positionally). ELNENY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
Mav has plenty of potential alongside Kos and/or Sokratis, did nothing wrong except get a yellow card, and his substitution left MUSTAFI AND KOLA ON THE PITCH WHO CANNOT DEFEND.
Jenkinson is not good enough as either a defender or in an attacking role whatsoever ( despite one cross into the box). If you add Kola’s determination to do anything but get beyond the Palace back line, as pointed out by Chas, and the fifth Palace man, Moss, seriously what chance did we have.
Aubang played close to Laca for everything except the last fifteen minutes, and although I saw no reason for him moving out to the right when he did, the goal came from there.
Emery largely to blame for his team selection of too many players without quality, footballing sense or discipline, and who dont take responsibility for their own actions.
A wonderful opportunity thrown away.
Well first things first.
everybody who went to that game and viewed the debacle from the stands has my deepest sympathy!!
Don’t go again until Kroenke digs in his pocket for better quality players — enough with austerity Bow Locks
Next – a very well put Post, Chas, reflecting your anguish, and when read just before the heart felt comments of Susie Q, gave the reader (me) a despondent feeling of what it was like to be there.
Thank you to all concerned.
Cheers Chas for a sharp dissection of a poor game, especially from a defensive point of view. Two goals at home should have been enough for the three points but a back five of Jenk – Mavro – Must – KOS – Kola, protected by low-on-confidence Elneny and defensively frivolous Guendo, were never going to defend well against a team that found the net several times at Anfield, Old Toilet and Citeh. No Sok, Holding and Bels did not help of course, but boy do we need to sort things out in defence in terms of strength in depth over the summer.
Fine follow up comments by Sue and LBG and nothing to disagree with. I am a big, big fan of Iwobi but that was a chance he should have put away. There are moments in a player’s career when they actually have to make the move on the fine lady.
It is games like that, and too many others – in
particular the lack of points gleaned from a poor Palace team yesterday, Saturday, I think – that simply demonstrates the huge gap between Citeh, ‘Pool and even the Spuds not just in the quality of their teams but the gutsy never say die attitude that is so foreign to the Arsenal team/squad.
Whenever I have said the above, or similar, some very loyal Gooners go all defensive and insist there is nothing wrong with the quality of our team, or the individuals in it, and they will come good.
I am not going to name names, as some of you have already done that, and I get bored with the pointless back and forth that often causes, but I see with mine eyes – and mine eyes tell me we have still got some really poor players.
To justify their entitlement to be in any Arsenal team, is to acquiesce in a grievous lack of ambition and dearth of success, and for some, only getting kicks from how long the manager will survive.
Not to worry, if the rumours are true – Unai will get a minuscule £49m to go out and buy the 4 quality players we need this summer, and of course the ‘war chest’ also includes the salaries needed to pay them too. Oh, great!
To be fair – I think that Emery has far exceeded my expectations this season – I thought the team would wallow, like fat hogs in the mud in the hollow.
Give him the resources – and I think he will make more of a fist at making Arsenal a threat to the current pretenders for the title!
A tired performance by some, an inadequate performance by others and it showed again that our squad isn’t as strong as many think it is, to me it’s a question of depth and quality.
Sokratis is our best central defender and we really miss him when he’s absent. He deals with Benteke on the 1st and 3rd Palace goals and the Eagles don’t score either.
Another penalty by another group of questionable officials not given to us at a key time in the game. It’s becoming habitual…
Sue,
Something terrible has happened.
I went to get my matching Ant-Man and Duck ra-ra skirt to give it its annual clean, and ……. there it was …….. gone!!
I am sure you can understand how mortified I was – Arsenal were being rubbish – and my favourite – well my only – ra-ra was gone too.
Ant-Man and Duck will run rings around me in the fashion stakes at Ascot. It would not be so bad, but Ant-Man is the 10/1 favourite. 😩
Kev, agreed the refereeing was once again pooh in the pants.
TA, it’s not even a surprise anymore is it mate, the standard of our refereeing it awful, all under the watch of the appalling Mike Riley…
Yes Kev, it is the weekly lottery and Riley oversees it with pleasure. It does not take away from our very poor defending, mind you.
RA… I’m devastated for you – what the hell will you wear now??
Going back to your comments yesterday.. you said about Chas’s picture changing, from that green/pink lump, to a wine glass… I think if you look closer it’s a woman’s legs… haha you’ll be drooling over it now!! 😂
So I’m not seeing any reports about OGS being sacked or Jon Moss retiring to become a weight watchers representative…. the ref’s have been absolutely awful this season.. Mike Riley take a bow….
Morning all,
Thank you Chas.
Like all of us I’m disappointed with the result – but it really shows the lack of depth we have in the squad. We have the numbers to field a team but the fill ins are simply not adequate. The old flaws came flooding back and our defensive vulnerability was once again exposed.
I feel for Emery as he can only do his best with the players at his disposal. It goes without saying that we are not helped by the crushing schedule or the wicked officiating.
Early on in the day there were a couple of highlights – Everton showing up Man U and then the Vines rail trip – sadly we then got a big dose of reality at The Emirates.
Cech
Ospina
Ramsey
Mustafi
Jenkinson
Lichsteiner
Elneny
Suarez
Mkhitaryan
Other than the Ramsey loss, I can’t say I’d be too upset to see all these players leave, but it does leave big gaps in the squad.
AMN has solved the RWB cover issue and may be able to fill in in midfield when needed. Chambers has proven to be a better HM player than a CB at Fulham and may be able to come in as replacement for Elneny. We also have Willock on the fringes. With the attacking areas it looks like Nelson could have a very bright future and will certainly be involved with the first team and there have also been rumours of Welbeck being offered a new contract. There is still the possibility that Suarez and/or Mkhi could stay and produce but we haven’t seen enough from them this season to warrant keeping them around.
The priority must be to find a suitable Ramsey replacement as he’s shown how important he is for the team this season. We then need a quality CB, a sub GK, and a tricky wide player who can find the net. That’s 4 signings, possibly 3 if we have a young GK capable of stepping up. If we can offload the players listed above then I’d hope that 3 quality signings isnt beyond us.
Leno
Martinez (or other youngster if we have one!)
Bellerin
AMN
Kolasinac
Monreal
Sokratis
Koscielny
Mavropanos
Holding
??????
Torreira
Xhaka
Geundouzi
Chambers
Willock
??????
Özil
Iwobi
Nelson
?????
Mkhi/Suarez
Aubameyang
Lacazette
Welbeck
That’s a squad of 25.
Hi Sue,
As regards the avatar, I was pulling Chas’ leg and showing him nothing gets past my gimlet eye! 🤪
He is very naughty, but these things are all in the perception of the viewer — mine were intended to make him wriggle!!
As for the ra-ra skirt, I can say nothing more, or I might incriminate Rasp, the fishy connoisseur, from whom I may have borrowed it. Ooops, sorry Rasper. 😎
RA,
I want some of those funny pills you must be taking.
I do too GN5… RA – you’re a very funny guy 👏👍😝😉😀
The Arsenal have not had squad depth for a decade!
Two of our starting defenders are coming off ACL surgeries, Lich has no legs, Kola is not a defender, Kos is running out of gas,Sok is always on a yellow card, and Mustafi should never start for the Arsenal ever again. Those are our starters.
We have not played the same back for over over 10 games in a very long time.
Sort the D over the summer, promote some youth, but do not just bring back what we have and call it good, if the boardroom does this the Arsenal fans will have a rough time for the next decade too.
Moving forward, the Arsenal are not going to get top 4, look at the remaining schedules, only Chelsea have it harder, but at least they can win at home and away.
Bring in some youth for the wolves game and prepare for Valencia.
More importantly Chas- you are a writing machine, and if our defenders could actually defend as consistently as you write on this blog, the Arenal would be in great shape.
Agree with the ratings, except mustafi should receive a negative integer.
I wrote nice goals from Ozil & Laca 😂😂😂😂 I meant Auba!!! Oh dear what a donkey (just like Shkodran!)
Please Burnley – chuck us a lifeline to 🙏
Just got to my phone at last.
Unless you are saying that Mustafi should have been hooked.
Which obviously would have made complete sense.
Didn’t think I needed to say that but hey ho.
Now lookit here Sue-be -doo, I reckon GN5 is a blog friend of longstanding, and you are on that path too, but you saying’ I look funny is making me qwy.
It’s becos I’m a lump, innit?
Just becos I said I was quite tall and a bit heavy is no excuse. If I tell you I am 6 feet 7 inches and 20 stone give or take, oh, OK 22 stone I still expect some respeck from a fellow (fellowesque?) Gooner!
And if you say, fergit the 6 feet and just show me your 7 inches I will have to report you to the hightist equality thingy. So there.
And as for you GN5, may the snow melt under your sleigh!
Oddly enough, listening/watching something or other, I could have sworn the commentator said LaCaz had scored for us – and not Auba.
Life is hard being a big Gunner. 🥺
Aaron,
I am pleased to read you seem to have a similar feeling about Arsenal’s squad and squad depth as I do.
TA/Rico might rap your knuckles for not being uber positive – but you are correct in my eyes.
We could be heading into another decade, or two, of tumbleweed rolling through the Emirates, if something of an obscene monetary nature is not embarked on by Krankee to secure better players.
Sue,
—- “Moss retiring to become a weight watchers representative….” 🤪 😳 😂
U meant aubameyang
Freddie baby
Only just over 2 hours late.
Pretty good for you!
At least Kevin Friend had the balls to book the GK for time wasting (Jon Moss take note)
FGG, with you all the way on that one. 🙂
RA @ 6.04pm Bloody hilarious innit 👌😆
Well Chelsea draw all we need to do is win and back to third easy to say than to do apparently
Be nice if our players stuck their hands up and volunteered for top 4 because it seems no other bugger wants it!
If City beat United and United beat Chelsea then we’d need 7 points from our last 4 games. Just a thought.
Thank you Burnley… Chelsea dropping 2 points is good, 3 would have been better, but 2 will do!
So Brighton to win tomorrow would be superb.. then it’s the big one on Wednesday… if United win & we lose, I’m contemplating finding the nearest bridge & jumping off 😂😂
Won’t matter, take a look at the teams we have away including Valenica. Those are tough outs!
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