Arsenal 1 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur: Wenger has to make some tough decisions

When I saw we were lining up in a 4-1-4-1 again, my first feeling was that this game would not go as well and we'd want it to. There's been enough evidence, and enough analysis of that evidence, to prove that Arsenal don't play so well when trying to load as many of its creative talents as possible into the side and so it proved once again.

Individually, I don't think anyone played badly, which is unusual considering the system they play in doesn't get the best out of them. Other than perhaps Welbeck, who suffered from a lack of service, and Ramsey, who game by game is getting further away from the player he was last season, everyone put in good performances. There was certainly no lack of effort or intensity; the derby requires extra from the players and they gave it.

But it's the same old problem this season. I could literally copy and paste parts from previous threads and it'd still apply. The balance of the side, especially the attack, isn't right and it's effecting our chance creation and, subsequently, our ability to score goals.

There's no shortage of talent in that midfield or frontline but how it's being utilised has been very disappointing. Against Villa last week Ozil returned to his best position where he could play close to Welbeck and the two combined brilliantly. Today, Ozil goes back out wide, so he's further away from Welbeck and the two barely connect at all throughout the whole game. Then there's the issue of Wilshere and Ramsey seemingly being unable to play together, in as much that one always seems unsure about his role in the side. Against Villa, Wilshere was rested, Ramsey played deeper and closer to Arteta and the side looked better balanced.

The fact we can leave Alexis on the bench speaks volumes of the depth of the side in midfield and up front but this in itself is proving to be an issue. Wenger knows his key players are Ramsey, Ozil and Alexis, but he also has Wilshere, Chamberlain and Cazorla who, in his mind, he can't leave out. It's impossible to get them all on the field at the same time, but he's, seemingly, attempting to do just that. In the process, his team aren't winning football matches.

I reiterate that Arsenal didn't play badly. They played very well, in fact. It's just that they're not creating enough chances, and in trying to create more chances they're leaving themselves more open. Inevitably we concede, and have to put in more effort just to salvage something from the game. Instead of beating a team that doesn't have the same quality as us, we're left trying to come from behind and get something from the game.

So where do Arsenal go from here? Arsenal have won just two games out of six so far in the league and it's not good enough. Quite simply, it's decision time for Wenger.

With Arteta and Ramsey injured, and Wilshere carrying an ankle knock as well, it may be that some of these decisions are made for Wenger. If neither Wilshere or Ramsey are available then Ozil has to play in the middle. From there, he has to decide he who wants on the flanks. Does he want Cazorla on the left or Alexis? Does he want Chamberlain on the right or Alexis? Perhaps it's just my frustration getting the best of me but I want him to make up his *bleep* mind about what his best set-up.

Arsenal are unbeaten but have won only twice and with Chelsea to come that unbeaten record will almost certainly disappear. At this rate, I'm prepared to write off the entire season, even at this early stage. Somehow, despite the new signings, we've become worst than last year, and that's hard to swallow.

It's infuriating to see us change our formation after a GOOD game just last week. It's pointless to discuss individuals because our problems are deeper than that BUT Flamini costs us another goal, this guy is truly awful.

Flamini looks slower than Arteta lol.

Arsene Wenger says there is "no chance" that Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta will be fit for Galatasaray on Wednesday.

Oh dear

I don't like criticizing individuals but Flamini is depressing to watch, at least Arteta is a footballer while Flamini looks like a pub player. His reaction when he received the ball under pressure from Spuurz players was priceless

Losing interest in football fast. Parma playing like horseshit but that's expected since the budget is half of a peanut but now Arsenal does too with supposed 100 times more budget fml. Never seen such stacked and dire team, out of energy and idea so early in the season.

This is one of the worse Spurs team in years and we could not do anything against them.


The home points don’t matter much anyways, Wenger will get maximum points at Chelsea and United.

Twoism wrote:Losing interest in football fast. Parma playing like horseshit but that's expected since the budget is half of a peanut but now Arsenal does too with supposed 100 times more budget fml. Never seen such stacked and dire team, out of energy and idea so early in the season.

+1

we are so boring to watch as well, with Chelski away next week and Flamini in the lineup. I fear for us at the moment

Honestly, at this point, we should just throw Diaby in the deep end vs Chelsea away.

Got 0 confidence in Flamini as DM.

Either that or play Chambers there with Bellerin on the right.

Now, with Ramsey and possibly Wilshere out, we won't have to worry about fitting them both in since neither one will even be available

We're cursed with injuries.

This game just further reinforces 3 points that everyone but Wenger seems to know about.

1. Flamini is done and we are paying the price of not bringing in a competent DM during the transfer window.

2. Wenger is too stubborn to rotate, burn players out and is then forced to "rotate" when players get injured.

3. Ozil is best in the middle. The fact that after the Villa game Wenger still persists with 4-1-4-1 and Ozil on the left against shows his arrogance and stubbornness.

After watching I feel like we just have the absolute worst derby out there

almost every other major derby has a special feeling to it. No matter what the outside issues are or what is going on in the world, things seem to stop when they play each other. The players AND the fans seem to set aside other things, and the matches are almost always something special

Except us against Spurs. I never ever feel that urgency or sense of importance from the players, or even the fans watching these games lately. We might as well have been playing Southampton or something with the sense of urgency our team played with.. Or from the involvement from the fans... Extremely disappointing.

Feel like the only one who really understands the importance of these games in our squad was sitting on the bench wearing a suit

Our average positions for today's game:

VendettaRed07 wrote:After watching I feel like we just have the absolute worst derby out there

almost every other major derby has a special feeling to it. No matter what the outside issues are or what is going on in the world, things seem to stop when they play each other. The players AND the fans seem to set aside other things, and the matches are almost always something special

Except us against Spurs. I never ever feel that urgency or sense of importance from the players, or even the fans watching these games lately. We might as well have been playing Southampton or something with the sense of urgency our team played with.. Or from the involvement from the fans... Extremely disappointing.

Feel like the only one who really understands the importance of these games in our squad was sitting on the bench wearing a suit

I sure hope you are not talking about Wenger. I do not think he sees the importance in any game these days

It's a bit tough for Arsenal and many clubs that had WC elimination round players... just look at the standings around the different leagues.  A lot of slow starts.

Kos, Per, Debuchy, Sanchez, Giroud, etc. all started late... and then some got injured.  

The one thing i will criticize Wenger about is that he is too optimistic with players...  he looks at the bright side too much.  It was clear as day that Arsenal needed a physical CM and a proper striker to compete with Giroud.  He doesn't sign a CM and Welbeck is, always was, and always will be a crap scorer...  Nothing was addressed.  

When a season is based on hoping for things to happen as opposed to having a reasonable level certainty....  then you're just asking for it.  Been like this for years at Arsenal tbh.  Money is not an excuse anymore either.

VendettaRed07 wrote:After watching I feel like we just have the absolute worst derby out there

almost every other major derby has a special feeling to it. No matter what the outside issues are or what is going on in the world, things seem to stop when they play each other. The players AND the fans seem to set aside other things, and the matches are almost always something special

Except us against Spurs. I never ever feel that urgency or sense of importance from the players, or even the fans watching these games lately. We might as well have been playing Southampton or something with the sense of urgency our team played with.. Or from the involvement from the fans... Extremely disappointing.

Feel like the only one who really understands the importance of these games in our squad was sitting on the bench wearing a suit

Tottenham have regressed and there isn't really an edge to it now. A few seasons ago the derby games were immense

I feel you Jay.

We should be better prepared and playing better this season, but that is not the case. And it's all because of Wenger's stubborness and stupidity.

We have all discussed this since the beginning of the season. Why is Wenger trying something else that doesn't look like it'll work out, especially not anytime soon.
If he is thinking he can do what Rodgers did with Liverpool last season, by trying something else and working on it till it results in working unit that gives us results, he is unfortunately mistaken. The system and style of play (which I'm not even 100% of what he is trying to achieve) is not made for our players. If we had the players for this new system then I would understand. But what I just don't understand is why is he trying to change something which came good at the end of last season. Why doesn't he just build on what we did last season. I mean, that would be soooo much easier.

It's cool that we're still unbeaten thus far in the league, but 2 wins and 4 draws is just not good enough, when we know we should have, if things just went slightly in another way, won against all those teams which we have drawn against.

Honestly, I think we would've won all our games so far this season if we continued with what and where we left off last season.

This is all on Wenger really.

El Gunner wrote:

It's cool that we're still unbeaten thus far in the league....

Atleast we don't have to put up with that shit come next weekend.

srigooner wrote:

El Gunner wrote:

It's cool that we're still unbeaten thus far in the league....

Atleast we don't have to put up with that shit come next weekend.

Lol you should see my whatsapp status...
OMG Chelsea are going to proper humiliate us again next weekend. #*bleep*

think it was one of those games that playing 2 up front would have saved the day
combination of Giroud-Welbeck could be tricky to deal with
shame

Had a day to think about the performance and the result.

A frustrating day, and yet another draw combined with more injuries. It was, I think, the poorest derby in a long time.

We had enough possession to win the game, but losing Arteta & Ramsey upset us massively. Alexis and Cazorla starting on the bench was imo bizarre. I feel maybe it was because Wilshere & Chamberlain are English and know the derby 'better' but it's a weird one.

Overall, we have started the season with 4 draws and 2 wins in the League and when you consider we have played Everton, Man City, Spurs in those 6 games, it's not an awful start. Throw in the Besiktas and Dortmund games too and overall, our start has been very tricky but we have done not too bad.

Chambers and Gibbs were maybe our two best players against Spurs, I thought. The former has started his career with us so well.

Now we face two massive games, again. Firstly Galatasaray (h) which is a must-win after our defeat in Dortmund. It will be interesting to see who plays, particularly if Wilshere, Ramsey and Arteta are all out. We may see:

Szczesny; Chambers Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs; Flamini Chamberlain; Alexis Ozil Cazorla; Welbeck

Ospina Bellerin Coquelin Diaby Rosicky Podolski Campbell

Then we have Chelsea away, which, well, I don't really want to say might happen.

You are right Jay "4 draws and 2 wins in the League and when you consider we have played Everton, Man City, Spurs" Is not that bad. What is bad is that we do not look like can beat anyone. Since we concluded the exist of all our world class players when we lost RVP a couple of years ago the ability to score a goal has turned into a chore not a certainty. Now we try to possess the ball for 90 minutes and pray that at some time during the 90 minutes we actually are able to get a goal. Even for our win over AV, did we look good? Did we look confident? Not at all we looked like we wanted to posses the ball for as long as we could and had no clue what to do with it. There was a 4 minute window in that game that the stars lined up in a way and caused a situation in which the game went our way. We did not start the game earning a win until the last minute. For the first half AV fought us and for the most part looked the more likely to score. For the entirety of the second half both teams capitulated. As long as we continued to play like we have through every minute of every game this year and just passed the ball around the midfield not looking like we were attempting to score, AV did not care! That is what is that bad!
FFS We are Arsenal, We are supposed to play beautiful attacking football, We are supposed to be challenging for honors. When did a record of 2 wins, 4 draws with 0 losses actually become acceptable? A "season with 4 draws and 2 wins in the League and when you consider we have played Everton, Man City, Spurs in those 6 games" is not bad, it is horrible and I think shows how far down or once proud club has fallen.

We become so mediocre, predictable and boring, thank you Genius Wenger. All these draws will kill us in the end, not even worried about Chelsea game cant be worse than last year.

Nothing changed last year and Wenger is not going to change now, really not expecting anything from Wenger anymore. Our team has great potential we just have a manager that is not getting the best out of them.

Football is about tactics, and we will keep losing points unless the Genius takes some classes to learn tactics to win games.

Szczesny; Chambers Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs; Flamini Chamberlain; Alexis Ozil Cazorla; Welbeck

Ospina Bellerin Coquelin Diaby Rosicky Podolski Campbell

Then we have Chelsea away, which, well, I don't really want to say might happen.
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Despite all the injuries, we still have a decent side there
Don't like OX in midfield, gives the ball away too often and makes poor decision on the ball but Rosicky was so bad against Southampton so we have no choice.

Cazorla against Ivanovic is such a physical mismatch
dont want that
might as well count on Coquelin to play in midfield