With a spineless team we had 66% of the ball « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade
By Walter Broeckx
When Arsenal loses a game it is always a difficult moment. Every defeat hurts and the defeat against ****** even more than any other.
We could all do like the catastrophists do, and slaughter all the players, the manager and everyone else involved in the club. I think there are plenty of internet sites where you can join in today in the moaning so enjoy yourself there.
After a short night with almost no sleep, (my way of digesting defeat), and after seeing a great sunrise I think I can give my more balanced view on things.
First of all a team consists of two group of players. The leaders and the water carriers. The leaders and the assistants. In fact another word for leaders could be the world class players, and for the assistants the not yet world class players.
A team has to be in balance. Look at Real Madrid, they have bought 11 world class players and they found out, once again, that you also need water carriers in your team. Barcelona on the other hand looks to be a team that has found the right mix. Real world class players and some players like Keita, Toure who are doing what is needed to help the leaders.
It is also important to keep in mind that current water carriers could become world class players in a few years time. Those things come most with more experience although there are exceptions as some players just have more natural ability than others.
Arsenal has in our squad also a very good mix. We have real world class players in every line. Up front we have Van Persie. If fit one of the best strikers in the world. In fact we even have two world class players up front. Arshavin has not had his best season as he had to play in a different position than he prefers and is used to and he has been playing for months with a foot injury.
So two world class players who have a few water carriers surrounding them. Players like Bendtner, Walcott, Vela and Eduardo are not or not yet world class. Sometimes because of their age of in Eduardo’s case because of an injury. The ideal thing is to be able to mix them up. One world class player in the front line can be enough to lift the game of the other two players.
Unfortunately both could not start yesterday and we had to do it with the water carriers. The difference could be seen as Van Persie came on. As a world class player, even without any game in 5 months, he lifted the whole team and in the last 15 minutes we had enough chances to win the game. Notice the fact that a fully match fit Van Persie would have scored a goal but you can not ask from him to just deliver from the first minute on. Coming back needs time and he can only get better by playing again.
In midfield we have the best 22 year old midfield player in the world in the person of Cesc. I think we all have seen enough of him to know that he is an exceptional player and that even at this young age he is the dominating player in the team. He can decide any game and he was banging in goals as if it was nothing and giving assists to others as well. He leads by example and when he is on the field the other play better because he makes everyone play better.
Our other midfielders are about the same age but they are not like Cesc yet. The are water carriers but they can and most of them will become world class players. Take Song. He has become such an important player for the team as he brings balance in the team and he can play in the defensive midfield and is in the absence of Djourou our third choice centre back.
Some may have noticed both were out injured yesterday. So again we had to do it with players with great talent like Nasri, Denilson and Diaby but who are not yet finished as Cesc is. They have improved this season but they still could need a helping hand from Cesc for the moment. Maybe next season they can do it at their own but for now this is asked a bit to much.
In defence we have a real world class centre back in the person of Gallas. He has won many things in his career and he was a new player since the arrival of his water carrier Vermaelen. Note that I don’t think Vermaelen is world class yet. He is very close and maybe from next year he will be world class but this was his learning year. But the partnership between Gallas and Vermaelen worked rather nice this season. Those who say we conceded a lot of goals I can only tell that if you play an attacking game like we do, this is part of the risk you take.
But once again Gallas was not available and Vermaelen went out with an injury. If you take the order from the beginning of the season one could say that Wenger would have gone for Gallas, Vermaelen, Djourou, Song and finally Silvestre.
Since the signing of Campbell, a masterstroke from the manager, Campbell came in front of Silvestre but he would have been on the bench if Djourou and song would have been fit. So yesterday we played our 5th and 6th option at centre back.
But if you take a line from our own penalty area to the other you would normally have players lined up from Gallas over Song to Cesc and finally to Van Persie. That would be the spine of Arsenal this year and on that spine the other players would be filled in at random order. Arshavin also would be a certain pick from the manager but on the left or right hand side of Van Persie.
So we played without our spine yesterday (and against Barcelona) and the spine of a team is like the spine of a human being : it is hard to do without.
And yet with this spineless team we had 66% of the ball, had more shots on goal, and we played away at the home of our biggest local rivals. They scored an early goal with a cracking shot but I will give £100 to that player if he ever does this again against us. No chance of me needing to pay up. This was a once in a lifetime shot and it happened against us.
And yes we did make mistakes, as we all make mistakes but we still could have won the game if lady luck would have been on our side. She wasn’t.
So our spineless team dominated the game but we could not score. The difference between players who are the finished article and those who are not finished was visible when Robin came on. The day our spine is back and fit we will be dominating and scoring like we did at the begin of the season when they were fit.
Is the title lost ? It could be as for the moment we need Chelsea to make a real mess of their last games. We just have to make sure we don’t regret not giving everything in every game. Yesterday I felt that most players gave everything and this is all we can ask as fans.
After the Chelsea game I ended an article by saying: it isn’t over till its over. This could be the moment that our water carriers will make the last step to maturity. Let’s just support our players.
And if defeat hurts us so bad, on a rare and seldom day
We will not desert you, our Gunners in arms