Written by Mean Lean on Wednesday, 24 November 2010 13:14

Before writing my thoughts on an Arsenal performance, I usually try and watch the game at least twice, perhaps once and then extended highlights. You do not realise how much you actually miss during the first time of watching a game with all the nerves and anticipation.

For the first time in a long, long time I have gone two games on the stretch only watching the game live. For obvious reasons I could not bring myself to sit through the North London derby, not even our fantastic first half because the end result is still too painful.

Last night was a different story, I am not sitting through that again because so much of it was just dull and depressing. We played without any spark, imagination or flair and it looked as if a goal was nowhere in sight.

For this reason I shall keep this down to a minimum. No need to write a match review as such, let us just skip straight to the conclusion.

Firstly too many changes were made to the team from the weekend. I have said many times, we need our players to have a run of games together to build continuity. Our game is based on continuity more than many teams. Three changes to our defence from the weekend. One change from our midfield and a further three changes to our attacking front line.

The team were starting again from scratch.

I am not at all blaming Arsene Wenger for these changes, because I believe that these changes were necessary. These were not Rafa Benitez changes for the sake of changes. The timeframe from Everton away until Sunday against Aston Villa is only two weeks. During that time the players would have been asked to play three Premier League games, one International friendly and a Champions League match. It would have been too much to play our full team in all of those games.

The changes were important but even without continuity and momentum, Wenger would have expected his team to have had enough to beat Braga. A team that were destroyed 6-0 earlier in the season.

Too many players were below the required level. Too many players have been through a stop-start period in their season. Wilshere who missed Saturday played his worst game of the season, losing possession more in this game than he probably has since the start of the season.

Cesc looked as if he had the handbrakes on, he looked as if he was restricted until he stretched for one Wilshere long pass and his hamstring went yet again. We were beginning to see the real Cesc Fabregas during the first 45 minutes on Saturday and now he is back on the sidelines and when he returns we will have to wait for him to find his stride again. A massive blow.

I thought that Theo Walcott hugged the touchline too much, especially when he had Emmanuel Eboue behind him. We only caught glimpses of his off the ball movement. Theo was caught on the ball too many times and looked like he is missing match sharpness. At the same time he looked our most dynamic player and the only player who looked like he could score or create a goal.

Nicklas Bendtner who had been claiming that he is in the shape and form of his life was way off the pace in attack. He was disappointing in his last start for us away to Shakhtar in the same competition and equally last night. His touch was not good enough and he looked immobile. You can now understand why Arsene has told him to be patient and that he needs to improve his condition on the training ground before he can think of being a number one striker.

Chamakh made a massive difference when he replaced Bendtner. It was only then, did we look dangerous and threatening. Chamakh may not be able to win games on his own. He may not be able to beat and man and then smash it into the top corner like Bendtner on form can but he makes others play and his introduction started to make Arsenal play.

Carlos Vela came on and was denied the clearest of penalties. How clear does it have to be before one of 562 officials placed all over the bloody pitch could see it? Even if the fall was slightly exaggerated, does it mean it should not be given? Had it have been given and Nasri scored from the spot then it would have been a different game and we probably would have won the game but we did not do enough way before that incident. We did not create enough chances and were not sharp enough to win the game.

Arsene made three changes.

Nasri >> Cesc,
Chamakh >> Bendtner and
Vela >> Walcott.

So Braga gained an advantage by kicking our players all over the pitch. Eboue came off and could not be replaced. We were down to ten men due to terrible tackling from the opposition.

Even with this in mind, we should not be beaten by long balls so easily. We started the season well in this regard. Koscielny, Djourou and Squillaci have all by the most part done well defensively. But in recent games our old habits are creeping back. We were undone by a ball over the top on Saturday and again yesterday with a more direct ball through the middle of our defence.

Then with our players pushing forward trying to get something out of the game we were undone down the side where Eboue would have been placed.

It now means top spot is very difficult and out of our hands. Braga have a chance of going through if we do not put things right against Partizan Belgrade at home in the last game. We have to forget about that game for now.

The most important thing now is to stop the rot and make sure we do not continue to lose on Sunday. We go to Aston Villa without Cesc Fabregas and a good performance is vital now.

Fabianski (6)
Eboue (5.5)
Djourou (6)
Squillaci (6)
Gibbs (6)
Denilson (6)
Wilshere (5.5)
Cesc (6)
Walcott (6)
Bendtner (4.5)
Rosicky (6)

Please note that ratings are only my interpretations of the game and that others will have differing opinions

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Comments (9)

• 24-Nov-2010 13:41 | | Bala
  

  7 changes made but the 1 change we did not make has come back to haunt us.Hoping to see Cesc make atleast the bench at OT

• 24-Nov-2010 13:45 | | Bala
  

  Just read Djourou's thoughts on Arsenal.com and he speaks like a sensible lad.I think Squillaci is not using his experience at all to organise our defence and it should be Djourou and Kosh as CB at Villa

• 24-Nov-2010 14:09 | | Anon
  

  You said that AW doesn't make changes for changes sake like Benitez. What about replacing Djorou for Kosielny last Saturday. Djorou had played well the previous games and I believe statistically that the Djorou / Squilacci partnership is far better than the Squilacci / Kscielny one. More than any other position in the team a confident CD partnership is crucial and if you have a partnership in form, confident, and seemingly striking up an understanding why suddenly break it up against your North London rivals.

• 24-Nov-2010 14:12 | | RedandDread  - Vs Braga
  

  I had an inkling that the game might end the way it did and for the 1st time in years I did not watch an Arsneal match live. Unlike you I can rarely bring myself to watch an Arsenal loss but you are correct in that you miss so much on the 1st take. If you are writing a report then it is a must to watch a re-run to make a sensible and relatively objective assessment of our performance.
  
  For years, we have been looking for that "performace" away from home in the CL in a match that has some significance. If my memory serves me right, the last time that occured was against Real Madrid and maybe Juventus in our run to the final. I do not include the Villareal game as we got lucky and required a penalty save and we did not play a particularly good game that night.
  
  We have tended to look like "deers in the headlight" when confronted by any type of opposition away from home in the CL. Where is all this mental strength that Arsene keeps banging on about.

• 24-Nov-2010 14:37 | | DJ Dragonfly
  

  @ ML
  
  At the start of last season, I thought Wenger finally cracked the defensive deficienies in our game by adopting a similar pressing style to Barcelona. Since the early part part of that season, we have failed to return to that successful ploy.
  
  We are excellent when we have the ball in possession, but without it, we're a joke. Even if we are two nil up, the opposition senses that they still have a chance and that's a terrible trait to have.
  
  In regards to our central defensive partnership, Koscielny hasn't done enough to convince me of starting regularly for our team. The best partnership at present is Squillaci and Djourou.
  
  Wenger seems to think that this is the best squad he has assembled. IMO, we have the best group of attacking players, but the squad overall is not better than the Untouchables of 2004 and the double winning sides of 1998 and 2002.

• 24-Nov-2010 19:48 | | Man United Killa  - Wake up Our beloved Arsenal
  

  We are NOT GOING TO WIN A THING---not even a plastic cup...rubbish players...If we dont wake up and show some ambition, what is the point in worrying about the teams performance.You reap what you sow....
  very laughable indeed that the Board and Wenger really think this is a title winning team...Dreamers displaying lack of ambition...am disgusted.

• 24-Nov-2010 21:53 | | yidahoy  - waiting waiting
  

  right ..over to you now ...we have thrashed the holders, spanked the dutch champs and beaten a poor german side..
  best of luck I am sure you will come through your tough group !
  
  YIDAHOY !...

• 24-Nov-2010 23:42 | | Iron Man  - mrmus@hotmail.com
  

  ML, I know that Denlison is one of your favourite players but I can't believe you would point fingers at others and ignore his failings on BOTH goals. He was the one marking Matheus for the first goal, found himself the wrong side of him and was exposed for his complete lack of pace in embarrassing fashion. For the second goal, his attempt to block the opposition player before being sent crashing to the ground like some kind of rag doll would have been laughable if it wasn't so infuriating.
  
  I know he wasn't the only one to blame but he is massively culpable and it is wrong to criticise others and ignore this.

• 25-Nov-2010 01:00 | | luis zelaya
  

  i can't find the courage to see arsenal play live anymore,
  seeing the result doesn't hurt as much.

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