Arsenal 1 Sheffield United 1
Match Report
Same old, same old!
We drop points again to a team with nothing more than Effort, Commitment and Organisation.
That’s it folks. No amount of team or individual player analysis will, in my opinion, move the debate on, or make me feel more content.
So I have a question for AA’ers around the World ( and my attempt at an answer)
Question :- Why can’t we hold on to a 1-0 lead?
In order to give my answer I am going to use the best proponents of this currently around ie Liverpool FC.
My answer will not include an explanation of why we can’t score TWO goals by the way, just why we can’t hold onto one.
Once we are 1-0 up we know, sooner or later we will drop back ( too far) or, be hit on the break. Let’s start with dropping back as an eleven. The reason I believe we can’t defend for long periods like this – compared to Liverpool – is we have no-one, with the exception of Torreira( my MOM today) who can make a high percentage challenge, in midfield, to hold up, to tackle to stop the advance. Liverpool, professionally have three + who can stop these midfield advances.
Then there is the fast break ………… In that circumstance, Liverpool have VVD and Gomez who can take the ball out of the air, control the ball, pass it off safely. And that even applies to the fullbacks although they don’t really need to and can concentrate on attacking!!
How do we fair in this circumstance? Absolutely useless is my assessment. Daviid you say…..well how many times as last man, has he been ridiculously reckless since he came to us? Mustafi and Sokratis….well, no comment!! If you disagree, my question is would you feel confident with either of them in a one on one against even an averagely good centre forward?
Additionally we had two players today who ARE NOT FULLBACKS.
So in conclusion, Mikel, I feel you are on a loser, unless you can get some large, strong, quick midfielders and defenders in ………… or show us how to score two (or preferably three or four goals).
Sorry very down.
LBG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
A few of my own thoughts
I have always found it hard to know which angle to take after a draw: do you focus on the frustrating fact that a win was within our grasp only for a hopes to be dashed so close to the end. Or, do you focus on the the positives of the game of which there were a few.
My initial feelings were that the surface had been scratched with the loss of key attackers and key defenders only to reveal less than adequate replacements and players forced to play out of position. By contrast our opponents looked strong and organised.
This all changed when Martinelli popped up in a position you would expect Lacazette to be to tap the ball into an open net just before half time. Concerns about a make shift team went out of the window when Arsenal took to the field and took control of the game at the beginning of the second half. We obviously needed a second goal which did not materialise and the familiar pattern of our opponents clawing their way back into the game started to unfold in front of our eyes.
If this game were a hurdle race we again fell at the final fence although had this been played six weeks ago we would have lost rather than crawling to the finish line which I suppose is an improvement.
Onwards and upwards.
Leno: do you remember the dark days of people moaning and moaning (not unjustly) about the state of our goalkeepers? This young man enables us not to have to do that. Well, that is the thought that goes through my mind when I see him. 8
AMN: It really is a pleasure watching him get more and more reliable as the weeks go on. With Bellerin close to return it should be interesting to see how Arteta deploys him in the future. 7
Mustafi: you have to laugh, he might as well have had the words For Sale on his back or Look at me I can still play and then he made the most embarrassing mistake ten minutes in that almost cost us a goal. In fairness he improved enormously as the game went on. 6
Luiz: goes from strength to strength, really enjoy watching him. 8
Saka: took a huge step forward. He has been bullied off the ball in recent appearances and that is exactly what our opponents tried to do but this had clearly been anticipated and worked on as he stood strong and held his ground. His silky crosses were noticeably better, I think if I had to sum it up in a few words it would be – he now belongs. 8
Torreira: again MOTM by a million miles, mopped almost everything up. 8
Xhaka: a hard working performance, some good passes a couple of his usual howlers that he got away with. 7
Ozil: a bit quite in the first half but came to life at the beginning of the second, an ok Mesut performance. 7
Lacazette: missed his mate Auba, did ok, in a non goal scoring kind of way. 6
Martinelli: love him, his energy, his ball control, his eye for a goal, his tracking back and importantly he passes the ball when that is clearly the right thing to do, the Brazilian is everything that Pepe should be. 8
Pepe: the guy frustrates me, pass the ball man, I don’t need to see another step over. 6
Having not seen the game I’m relying on the match report (thank you LBG) and comments (thanks LB).
It doesn’t sound as if we were particularly convincing and obviously a real shame we couldn’t hold onto a lead again.
Anyone who thought things would come right immediately under Arteta is deluded.
As LB says, under Emery we would likely have lost against a well organized and confident Sheffield team.
Hi Rocky
Having watched the extended highlight and MOD again, want to add to my non report.
“Convincing” components:- 1 and 1/2 good chances made for Martinelli by Pepe. Two last ball over hits by Ozil for Martinelli in open space. One definite penalty not given by Dean AND VAR.
The stingy God of football hates us and loves the Scousers! Mind you even he thinks Dean is a ****!
https://mobile.twitter.com/TvTangerine/status/1218842115557535744
Joh Jules goal
VAR was very stingy yesterday not only us were affected
LB and LBG,
Both comments ring true.
But, I actually thought we were in the game the entire time until the last 8 minutes, then the other team got another unreal deflection wonder goal. That guy could never replicate that shot in his entire life including the training ground against a keeper of Leno’s quality.
Now, I am not impressed with Leno in the boxes, yes, both boxes.
He needs to work on distributing the ball quicker to help out our counter attacks and for goodness sake take some people out in the box or work on having a defender get the opposing player’s out of Leno’s face on corners and set pieces. Do we really have a true monster back there? No, sadly.
vaR is $h*Te, said it X times, until they get it fixed just remove it from the game or invest on some actual technology and have the referee’s train on what are actual fouls along with the kooks in the vaR booth.
Was really hoping for 1-0 to the Arsenal, and that is what we have to expect until Mikel gets a few transfer windows under his belt. Until then it will be a roller coaster, yet I still think the Arsenal have been in every game Mikel has coached and can see improvements to the team. Still, need to cut the deadwood loose this summer and or bring up some more youngsters who have potential in midfield and defense. We are actually so thin as a team of this caliber at the moment it is frightening.
Mike Dean penalties awarded (2000-2020):
Man City: 15 in 72 – 1 every 4.8 matches
Man U: 16 in 71 – 1 every 4.4 matches
Chelsea: 12 in 70 – 1 every 5.8 matches
Spurs: 11 in 69 – 1 every 6.3 matches
Arsenal: 5 in 73 – 1 every 14.6 matches
Sue u a United fan for the next 90 minutes like me
Aaron
Agree with you re our period of dominance. Extended highlights commentator – Jonathan Pierce, I think, praised Utd for “being on top” for first 10 mins and last 10mins. Fabrication of facts.
Agree also re Bernt and especially “earlier” distribution fro hand ( and foot). If you attended warm ups pre match you would also see he has two good feet and a long throw if needed.
I believe he hesitates sometimes because he has lost confidence in who he is throwing to.
😜 Absolutely, Fred! Rashford hasn’t made it though, so it could be an annihilation……just like what is happening to the Arsenal women ☹
LBG u attended pre match haha never
Kev.. Unbelievable, isn’t it? He really does make my blood boil… sooner he retires, the better!
Now Fred, I know that may be hard to swallow, but on the occasion (rare) that neither of my big brothers decides to trek down from Nottingham, rather than be a sad b****** drinking on my own, I sometimes have a portion of curried chips and wander down to the Home of Football and go in early.
Did certainly, on one of Leno’s early games for us and saw as above.
Having made you late twice for matches in your recent visit, I do however understand your scepticism!! Lol.
And what about the cricket!
Were the women beaten, missed that one
Lmao
Hammered 4-1, Fred ☹ by the chavs.
Yeah Sue, I’ll celebrate when he hangs his whistle up.
Oh, Fred…. will they ever lose?? 😖 argh, I can’t stand it!!
Up….on loan now with view to deal in summer. Saliba plus Up, with Holding and Mavrapanos and Daviiid as extra but, for me, holding MF.
Morning all
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