If the Arsenal team get a complex, then it is all Arsene’s fault. One day they are mature, the next young. Puberty can be one hell of a ride as these boys are finding out. Another two points dropped at home, the gap to first and second is now twelve and nine respectively, albeit with a game in hand. Next weekend was all about hoping for a draw between Chelsea and Manchester United, to allow the gap to be closed to four points by the time the visit to Stamford Bridge came around. Now I am more concerned about the visits to The Reebok and Craven Cottage yielding maximum points. On current form, the points total for the season will be in the region of sixty points, something that has struggled to get into Europe in years gone by. Now I know that is overly pessimistic but this team has it right against the big sides but for some reason a mental block against those at the bottom of the table, a situation that creates more pressure on the form on their travels holding up than ought to be necessary.
And where to begin? I guess the biggest mistake Wenger made will be seen to be the resting of Henry, for the first half at least. And yet that harks back to form of seasons past for Henry has struggled as much to make an impact in this type of games in 2006-07 as any of the other forwards but we all know that he is capable of making the difference. Would it have happened for him yesterday? Perhaps but we will never know. Certainly his second half performance acted as a focal point to galvanise the team. The mistake this season though at home is not scoring first – something Arsene readily admits is a problem. But in seasons gone by, that was never an issue; we can all remember games where the team came from behind. Kieron Dyer’s goal yesterday was avoidable. Eboue gave him too much space, the ball in the air to Dyer for a considerable length of time. Clichy was there as well but was occupied by the presence of Martins. The injury prone midfielder took his chance with some aplomb, as good a finish as has been seen so far at The Emirates. And he gives you an idea of what Arsenal are missing: a direct runner from midfield. The passing style may suit some of the technically gifted individuals in the side but they are too easily forced inside or into cul-de-sacs by massed ranks of defenders. The team is crying out for someone to just put their head down and run into the centre for one of the multitude of crosses that are now being made. Baptista was signed this summer to fulfill this role and may yet do so but to expect him to carry out that role yesterday was hopeful to say the least. Indeed, his inclusion was a most “un-Arsene” type of selection; it is the Frenchman’s norm to bring players back gently, using them as a substitute in at least their first game back to fitness. Instead “The Beast” was on from the start giving us an hour of what might be but looking off of the pace, it was unfair to expect anything else yesterday.
As is usual, the team had the majority of possession with the visitors happy to put men behind the ball. It is not difficult to see why Newcastle are struggling though if that has been their approach to matches. Yet again a visiting goalkeeper found inspiring form in the new surroundings and saved their bacon. The shot tally, I believe, was 20 – 2 in Arsenal’s favour. When a team creates that many chances, you expect more to be converted. Yes the post and deflections saved them on a few occasions but that does not escape the basic fact that someone, somewhere has to take these opportunities. That is not say they did not defend well, Scott Parker in particular worked doggedly in midfield and gave a performance that should give The Quiff some food for thought in Owen Hargreaves continued absence.
Henry’s equaliser was an exquisitely executed freekick, Given unable to prevent the ball entering the net. As in previous games, it was the cue for twenty minutes of siege football in the Newcastle area. You can tell what sort of afternoon it has been when Adebayour slips Henry in, his shot is deflected by Parker leaving Given stranded. The ball’s path onto the outside of the post sums it all up.
Fundamentally, the team seem to be developing a mental block if they do not score first at home. In midfield, they have some of the most talented players in Europe. Alexsandr Hleb for example, is showing why Wenger signed him. His close control is second to none, dribbling at speed a skill to be admired. If he could score more goals, he would be one of the most feared players in Europe, leaving even Goofy a distant second in the annual ego massages that FIFA and UEFA enjoy so much. That is not to single him out as the only culprit yesterday but such profligacy in front of goal is something that the team can ill-afford.
It is difficult to see how Arsene will end this current inconsistency at home for I suspect that each and everyone of the squad is hitting the back of the net with such regularity that he probably comes away thinking, “Hmmm, Newcastle at home. We scored twenty in training today so that ought to be three or four on Saturday“. Certainly he will need to resolve this problem for the gap to the top is now bordering on a magnitutde too big to bridge. If he cannot then a top four finish is by no means certain. The next four weeks contain big tests with the visit of Tottenham and travels to Bolton and Chelsea. Anything less than maximum points from those and the short hop to Craven Cottage and the title challenge will be as good as over, the current form of the top two is proving too consistent for any more wasteful home performances.
Hamburg on Tuesday is a big test for the team, with a win required to keep their European destiny in their own hands. It is more important for them to gain some confidence with a win over a side packed in defence, something tangible that can be built upon for the future home games in The Premiership.
