Well, if that performance was the result of crisis meetings and players being asked by their children why the team is so poor, then there really is very little hope.
First Half
How is it possible that Petr Cech at 6’5″ and with the advantage of being able to use his arms cannot get to a ball above an opponent’s head? The keeper flaps 3 yards from the goal line, no defenders give him support – shambolic, 1-0.
Koscielny passes to a Brighton midfielder. Big, arching cross to a striker with two defenders in attendance, no danger. Hang on, first defender caught under the ball, second stood behind admiring the forward’s leap, goalkeeper allows the ball to bounce virtually under his creaking body, 2-0.
After 40 minutes Brighton could have been further ahead. They were first to every ball, fought like tigers and ran as if their Premiership survival depended on it. Oh, and they created all of the decent attempts on goal.
Forty three minutes gone, Auba diverts a Xhaka pass into the net. Suddenly we don’t want half time to come. Kos hits the post with a header with the keeper a bystander. Maybe if that had gone in……..
Second Half
There was some hope of an equaliser after the break. The tempo from Arsenal increased and with that came more attempts at goal. Mesut forced the Brighton keeper into a decent save with a swerving drive. Auba had a couple of half-chances including rounding the keeper but being too wide to score.
The Beast clubbing a baby seal to death in the 65th minute and subsequent delay, killed any Arsenal momentum in its tracks. Not much of note happened in the Brighton half for the rest of the ninety. The 7 minutes of injury time were a damp squib, too. Holding on to the ball in deep midfield or defence was not what was required.
Assessment
There has been some talk that the players might as well have been publicly stabbing the manager in the back with that colossally inept display. I struggle to believe that it could have been a deliberate act but see it more a case of a bunch of frightened sailors adrift at sea with no engine, masts torn down by the storm, no rudder and without a clue how to get back to port. Clueless.
Ratings
Cech – Clean sheets are a thing of the past – 2
Chambers – Meh – 4
Koscielny – forced by our midfield support into suicidal passes forward, may as well just hoof it – 3
Mustafi – headless chicken – 3
Kolasinac – clips of him playing for Schalke were of a dynamic attacking full back – now he’s more likely to just pass the ball back from whence it came – 4
Xhaka – an assist with a pass into the penalty area – can’t understand how he raises his arm to signal where a corner is going, the ball lands in a great spot and yet not one Arsenal player is anywhere to be seen in the landing area – 4
Wilshere – Looks as though he wished he was still at Bournemouth – 4
Ozil – Tried to get things moving but efforts were largely futile – 5
Iwobi – Doesn’t look like a first team player anymore – even his running style looks nervous – 3
Mkhitaryan – I’d imagine he’d be very good in a team that was playing well – 4
Aubameyang – a goal at least, shame a second didn’t come – 5
Manager assessment
LBG says
If you want (really really want) to turn it round, Arsene, you have got to ‘input’ significantly. Input loud and positive change on the training ground. Input minute by minute from the bench in response to the ebb and flow. YOUR/OUR players are lost!! They repeat, repeat the method even though it isn’t working. They do not believe, and we watch you shaking your head equally not believing. Break the circle.
chas
Posted by D.I. Bongo 
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