Author Archives: keenosafc

Doesn’t score, doesn’t create, can’t defend: What does the Arsenal midfield actually do?

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What exactly does the Arsenal midfield do?

https://twitter.com/Clockend88/status/1275148703058313220

One thing they do not do is score goals.

Mesut Ozil (1) and Lucas Torreira (1) are the only midfielders who have contributed a league goal this season.

Dani Ceballos, Granit Xhaka, Matteo Guendouzi and Joe Willock have all yet to score a league this season.

The problem with Arsenal’s midfield is what else are they actually doing?

Liverpool are running away with the league this season and their midfield contribute little in terms of goals.

Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson have 3 each, as does Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whilst Fabinho has just one league goal. They are certainly not putting in Frank Lampard of Steven Gerrard type figures.

But there job in the team is not to get forward and score goals.

Jurgen Klopp as a hard working midfield that covers a lot of ground, limiting the opponents chances. They have conceded just 21 goals this season.

A big threat for Liverpool is their full backs.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has 12 in the league this season (2nd most), whilst Andrew Roberston has 7 (9th).

Liverpool use their midfielders to cover the full backs as the bomb forward.

Henderson and Fabinho are often found at right or left back during an attack, whilst Alexander-Arnold is putting in a cross which leads to a goal.

But Arsenal’s midfield does not provide much defensive cover.

Too often this season (and previous seasons) it has been too easy to cut through Arsenal’s midfield, to get at the defence. And when was the last time a midfielder covered his full back when bombing forward? It just does not happen.

So at Arsenal, the midfield does not protect the defence, it also does not score goals.

Barcelona’s peak team that had Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta in it did not provide much cover for the defence, and did not score too many goals.

Between them they average a goal every 13 games for Barcelona.

But what they did is create a lot.

There role in the time was to pass the ball in tight spaces until a gap appeared, which lead to goals for Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, David Villa or Neymar. It did not matter that they did not score many when they created so much.

Take Ozil, Xhaka, Torreira, Ceballos, Guendouzi & Willock as a collective.

In 8217 minutes of football, they have scored 2 goals and assisted 7.

That is a goal or assist every 913 minutes.

With 41 goals conceded in 30 games (8th highest), they are clearly also not providing much defensive cover.

So what exactly does Arsenal’s midfield do?

Keenos

Talk about medals; not money

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According to this mornings media, Matteo Guendouzi spent the game boasting that  earns more than any Brighton player ‘ever will’.

‘He was saying the Brighton players were s*** and that he and his team-mates earn so much more than they ever will,’ a source said. ‘He’s done it in other games as well. Arsenal are a decent club and hate that sort of behaviour.’

It is a crass attitude and one which Guendouzi either needs to sort out, or get out.

Boasting about how much money you earn is poor form. We see it on social media a lot. People claiming others are jealous of them because of how much they earn. This ignores the fact that their are much more important things in life than having a big bank account.

There is no point earning big money if you have no loved one, no friends, no family. It is a lonely existence.

In football, earning big money should not take the place of winning trophies.

Too many players these days are motivated by how much money they earn. It has seen players go to China and the Middle East in the hunt for big bucks.

In 2015/16, Leicester players would have earned less than those at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham. They won the league.

Whilst Dele Alli can look at a big bank balance, Marc Albrighton can look at his Premier League winners medal.

Someone needs to get hold of Guendouzi and explain that he should be focusing on winning games, winning trophies, and not his bank balance.

That if the Frenchmen knuckles down and puts in the consistent performances he is capable of, even bigger money than the £40,000 a week he earns will come his way.

The worry is Guendouzi’s comments are echoed amongst others in the squad.

From Mesut Ozil to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Matteo Guendouzi to Bukayo Saka, have we amassed a group of players more interested in what they earn rather than what they win?

The Saka contract situation is becoming a worry.

The talk is he (or his representatives) are holding out for more money.

At 18-years-old, he is getting regular football at a top Premier League club. His career is now potentially at a crossroads.

Go and join Manchester City or Liverpool for more money, sit on the bench and become the next Scott Sinclair; or remain at Arsenal on less money, play week in week out and potentially become a superstar.

If he is as good as he thinks he is, the big money and success will come with time – whether that be at Arsenal or elsewhere. But a move now would be entirely motivated by money.

Maybe as punishment for his attitude, Guendouzi should be cleaning the changing rooms for a week. Get him scrubbing those toilets. Teach him to appreciate and respect the privileged position he is in.

If he only cares about what he earns, maybe the time has come to sell him to PSG.

Keenos

The Return of Arsenal Act II: As predictable and disappointing as Act I

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Against Manchester City, Arsenal put in a predictable performance which led to a predictable result. Act II of the Return of Arsenal was equally as predictable.

The defeat against Brighton could have been a game from many over the last 5 years.

Arsenal dominated play without really creating many clear cut chances. Having finally taken the lead, the defence then switched off to concede an equaliser, and then switched off for a second time as the opponents scored a late winner. Conceding goals from the opponents only chances.

For all the technically or physically gifted players we have, the side is continually let down by players losing concentration, making mistakes and conceding goals.

Against Manchester City, it was individual errors in David Luiz that led to Arsenal demise. Against Brighton it was the lack of concentration of the collective.

Basics of defending a corner – if your opponent is setting up for a short corner, send two players out to it. This stops the opponents outnumbering you and having a free run at an easy cross.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang went out for the short corner; but Nicolas Pepe did not.

The Ivorian was close to the edge of the box, but for some reason decided to turn his back on play and run back to the middle of the box.

Had he stayed in position, he would have been a lot closer to be able to cut out the cross.

What the incident showed is the team has a lack of leaders. A lack of natural organisers. This is not anything new.

Where was the senior figures at the club screaming at Pepe to get out to the short corner. Shouting at him when he started making his way to the middle of the box. It was just poor.

The second goal was well worked by Brighton, but again Arsenal turned off.

Some good one touch football from a throw on; but Arsenal players did not even get close to putting in a challenge.

At 4 minutes of 3 minutes injury time, were they expecting the final whistle to go? Did they completely switch off? Again; it as not good enough.

Losing concentration has long been a problem for Arsenal.

It has plagued the likes of Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka’s career.

How often have the pair been having a good game, only to make a lapse of judgement which leads to an error and in turn a goal?

From Arsene Wenger through to Unai Emery, our recruitment over the last 5 years has gone down hill.

In Wenger’s early days, recruitment was forensic. We would almost stalk a player to know everything about him, his life. Not only the type of footballer he is but also the type of character. What was between the ears.

Intelligence was key for Wenger, with many players enrolling in college and university courses at Arsenal.

That seems to have been discarded, and it has resulted in us having a collective of players that lack intelligence. Players that are unable to make decisions for themselves.

We have not had an organisers on the pitch since Per Mertesacker.

Arsenal need to ensure that leadership, organisation and intelligence is a key part of recruitment moving forward. It is why we are reportedly going to sign Pablo Mari – Arteta is highly impressed by his organisational skills on the pitch.

Saturday was frustrating.

Like many defeats in recent years, we can point to poor referring decisions – a goal keeper injured from a challenge where the opponent had no intention of winning the ball, consistent fouling that what unpunished, an extra 90 seconds injury time found from 3 minutes.

But ultimately it was our own fault we lost. We switched off.

And you have to question why Arteta made 3 substitutions with 3 minutes to go that were for no reason whatsoever.

Keenos