A Dent To The Title Hopes
Losing to Aston Villa was on Arteta. Moving away from Havertz as 9 to accommodate “Jesus” was a huge mistake. No fucking need. And then taking forever with the subs. Awful result. No getting away from that. Right now I can't even say it’s far from over, even with our superior GD. We need City to draw once which I don’t see happening.
I knew we were going to pay for the many chances we failed to convert in the first half . It indeed came to hunt us in the second half . Arsenal's second half display was seriously below par. For a team that knew a win for them will cement their place at the top , it was a shambolic performance for me from the Gunners I must say . Getting a victory against Villa would have really hit considering the fact that Liverpool dropped points . Of course they alway fail to take the chance when they need to . I know @Ogeewitty might not agree with this though.
Arteta was too reactive. Villa took control of that game 2nd half and even if we made specific tactical switches, momentum was with them. Deserved win from them. Could spell the end to a promising season tbh. I know the boys would be hurt by this but how they react to this loss is all that matters right now . Their character will be questioned and tested going into the remaining matches of the season . Losing at home at this crucial time of the season as a title contender doesn't speak well of their character or winning mentality.
If one result is going to block us, that then we are not strong enough If you want to win titles, when you have this moment you have to stand up.In any other league in the world if you won the number of games Arsenal did in a row your would be six or eight points clear. That is not the case here in the Epl . I feel the boys should take this loss as a wake up call and a challenge to prove bookies and rival fans wrong .
As hard as it sounds, the team needs to swallow this defeat and digest it as soon as possible. Anything can happen going forward. Can’t see how this doesn’t affect us going into the Allianz Arena but we must pull through. Success is always of fine margins.
Last season was the same story. The players and Arteta need to rewrite the script with a different ending. The narratives will hurt this club going forward if there isn’t a change. Win every remaining game and let fate decide our luck. But, let’s get to the end with pride.
Hi, sorry bro I hope soon enough I would be regular here. Well since you wrote this, Arsenal has defeated a Wolves at their very formidable hometurf where they've beaten big sides like Manchester City.
What is it I won't agree with? It's all in my blogs here. By now you should have known that I seek to be objective with things.
I have said that Harvetz ain't no midfielder at least for now. So the moment Villa upped their pressing game in the 2nd half, the midfield was like we were short of one player. You see he repeated same thing against Bayern. Even as a striker against Bayern he was almost invisible. You see this is the part of Arteta I have extensively discussed in my blogs here.
After that defeat to Bayern I left an audio message for an Arsenal fan where I congratulated Arteta for satisfying himself by following through with his earnest desire to field Harvetz at all cost.
It is scandalous to loose to Bayern with the kind of bench that we had! There are midfielders in that bench who could have supported Odegaard much better than Harvetz.
I told somebody that in such a big match you can shock the opposition like Ancelloti did, putting Rodrygo on the left instead of Vinicius. You can play Martinelli as the striker with Trossard to his left, Rowe comes in to partner Odegaard in the midfield and Rice stays at the base. That's energy all over the place. Martinelli doesn't need to score even, he should just trouble them with his movement and speed. That was a weakened Bayern side with injuries!
I would have talked of Partey starting but you see Arteta was deliberately not giving him minutes– and the Arteta I know, won't start you if you lack good minutes.
So I don't do blind love brother, I have talked of the Harvetz bottleneck here in Hive, I still say I'm glad Arteta has followed through with his faulty desire for Harvetz. Why glad? Because it has presented to him results he can learn from. I have seen Arteta learn too.
Let me say it, that Wolves side was a weaker version of themselves due to injuries. When Harvetz was switched to his prpoer role as a nmba 9, he was a crucial part of the second goal, that made us relax.
Well it's Chelsea today and it's a whole lot of back and forth talk, Chelsea and Arsenal fans are having at the moment. I rooting for me Gunners.
Thanks bro, best
You can play Martinelli as the striker with Trossard to his left, Rowe comes in to partner Odegaard in the midfield and Rice stays at the base. That's energy all over the place. Martinelli doesn't need to score even, he should just trouble them with his movement and speed. That was a weakened Bayern side with injuries!- glad having you back on here bro! Arteta is just so regimented with his tactics. I just don’t get it ,why he must always put Havertz into the mix when we have a fit Smith Rowe. If we lose the title which doesn't seem far fetched it's on all Arteta and his inflexibility in making crucial changes to his tactics .
Once I earn millions monthly, I could be here 24 times,every hour of the day.😁
Yeah true, even that loss of Saliba last season that is used to explain the title loss, is actually incorrect. The inflexibility of Arteta cost us that title.
He is unusually blessed to be in a club that affords a coach a record dose of patience.
However, one good thing is that Arteta learns. He is actually more flexible than he was 3 seasons back.
You saw where Harvetz played today? That's all we ask for. That's the role that suits him for now, not the midfield.
I don't know, well maybe I feel free to whisper things to you that I don't often say because folks might misconstrue it. Now I feel a lot of pity on Odegaard. He is our creator in chief,plus he scores and I can't recall when he had a bad game. Even if the whole team underperforms not Odegaard.
Now here is the whisper – Eventhough we agree that Harvetz' best position is up-top, do you see the massive amount of work Odegaard does to lead the press? You will think he is the striker; you would even see him as he runs to press, gesturing to Harvetz and co where to go to support him. Harvetz doesn't have that initial burst of pace Odegaard has, but his speed shows when he covers larger distances.
This makes Odegaard to do so so much for only one player.
Well it's nice to see the General himself, Partey, back. Like I said, if Arteta wanted him for Bayern there was more than enough time to prepare him to start that 2nd leg, but his inflexibility and strange Harvetz love didn't allow him.
I wish Martinelli scored that to make it 6, but let's enjoy this and Timber's goal in the U-21's match– you would think he was an out and out winger.
Now we must wait for City, we can only hope.
Cheers man.
"strange havertz love" I like what you did there . The midfield trio of Partey , Rice and Odeegard will always be a threat. I hope Partey is fit all season next time out.
Hehe, a love that coveredst a multitude of sins.
'All you Chelsea have a chance to rush things in the beginning b4 Partey settles, but as the game wears on, the King[Paretey] will take over the entire estate."
Sent this to WhatsApp group, having a host of Chelsea fans, just before the match. Yep we do hope his fitness improves, and even more crucial is what we just said– that Arteta keeps improving in being flexible, it also helps to save the legs of a player.
Nice discourse man.👍