Match Report: Arsenal 0 – 2 Tottenham

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Arsenal (0) 0 Tottenham Hotspur (1) 2

Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) Quarter Final

Emirates Stadium, Drayton Park, London N5 1BU

Wednesday, 19th December 2018. Kick-off time: 7.45pm

(4-2-3-1) Čech, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Xhaka, Monreal; Torreira, Guendouzi; Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Iwobi; Aubameyang.

Substitutes: Lichtsteiner, Elneny, Lacazette, Koscielny, Martínez, Nketiah, Willock

Yellow Cards: Xhaka, Guendouzi

Referee: Jonathan Moss

Attendance: 59,016

And we meet again, and so soon, as well. Obviously our N17 adversaries enjoy playing at The Emirates, as this is the second occasion in fifteen days; let’s hope that we end up with the same scoreline as well! This match reminds me of a two-legged semi-final in this competition that I recall being present at in November and December 1968. A solitary John Radford goal saw us win the first leg at The Old Place quite comfortably, and a fortnight later an extremely bad tempered match at White Hart Lane which ended in a 1-1 draw (courtesy of John Radford again) somehow saw us through to our second appearance in the League Cup Final a year after losing to Leeds United via a controversial goal. In this particular Wembley final our opponents were lowly Swindon Town of the (then) Third Division, and surely none of us of a certain age wish to be reminded of the appalling horror that unfolded in front of our very eyes on Saturday, 15th March 1969. A deep unhealed scar that is best left in the past where it belongs.

The usual physical sparring between these two rivals certainly became apparent in the early stages with free-kicks being given away by both sides with few chances becoming available. After twenty minutes of strong play, an Arsenal attack that was broken up by the Spurs defence saw Dele Alli create a through ball that was picked up by Son Heung-Min who wasted no time in placing it in the back of the net. Being 0-1 down so early in the match can always do one of two things to a team; either capitulation or inspiration. Thankfully it was the second one that Arsenal decided on. Although we went into the break in a deficit situation, there were some good chances created by the strikers, and it looked as if we could level up the scores at any time in the proceedings.

Arsenal started the second half with Laurent Koscielny replacing the ineffective Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and almost immediately The Gunners showed purpose and vigour by putting the Spurs defence under extreme pressure time and time again. Although Spurs tried to use the same tactic that in the first half led to a goal, they were unsuccessful, and the pendulum of the match swung back our way again. On the hour, Alex Iwobi was substituted by Alexandre Lacazette and just minutes later, we were caught again by a long ball situation. Harry Kane lobbed the ball into the path of Dele Alli who scored the second of the night for the visitors. Still we were not finished; a little more than a minute after the restart, Alexandre Lacazette unluckily hit the post with a right-footed shot. Eddie Nketiah replaced Matteo Guendouzi with 25 minutes left on the clock, and right away we played with more desire and purpose. After a chance out of nothing by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bounced off the top of the crossbar, Granit Xhaka picked up a yellow card for a pointless incident. Although we tried our best, the match started to slip away, and despite a late rally by our forwards, it was to no avail.

This was the first time that we lost back-to-back matches since the beginning of the season, and I have to say that we deserved more from this match than we actually got in the end. The major issue again for us is the one of our defence. The ease in which Spurs put through their passes for their players to score two goals, which in essence were quite soft, was truly appalling, and unless Mr. Emery signs defenders in the January transfer window, other teams will see our Achilles heel and act on it, just as the visitors did here tonight. Of course, there is no criticism over their spirit nor desire; but unless the defence issue is not resolved soon, then one fears for our chances to win trophies both domestically and in Europe this season. The solution is in our hands; whether we are able to sign new defenders next month is now open to conjecture. Remember everyone, keep the faith, get behind the team and the manager, as these early days are going to be crucial for our future success in all competitions. Stick with the winners. Victoria Concordia Crescit.

Steve

Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten: Arsenal v Racing Club de Paris 1930-1962 by Steve Ingless (Rangemore Publications, ISBN 978-1-5272-0135-4) is now available on Amazon.

The Highs and Lows of Following The Arsenal

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It’s ying and yang. Black and white. North Korea and South Korea. Leave and remain. You can’t have one without the other.

Football is very much like that.

Over the course of your life, you will suffer more heartbreak, more disappointment, than you will see success.

Luckily for Arsenal fans we have seen a lot more success, and less heartbreak, than the likes of Tottenham, Chelsea or West Ham. But 13 league titles in 130 years. That is a lot of disappointing seasons.

For every result like last night against Tottenham, Arsenal have half a dozen memories of beating that lot.

From Rosicky on the wing, Flamini scoring twice, the FA Cup game in 2010, the 4-1 on their patch, numerous 5-2’s. In recent years we have far more W’s than L’s. And I haven’t even mentioned 2004 yet.

Take the Flamini double. What a night. The Arsenal took the piss on the High Road. But the other side of the coin is last night. In football you can’t really have one without the other.

Manchester City are riding high at the moment, a decade of success. But the prior decade was relegation after relegation.

There city rivals Manchester United are suffering after 20 years of dominating English football.

Nights like last night will hurt. Losing 5-1 to them hurt. 1991 hurt. But without that hurt, the victories will not taste as good.

North London is red” comes from nearly 60 years of dominance
Of 13 league titles & 13 FA Cups
Of 71 and 2004
The invincibles and 49 unbeaten
Winning a handful of times or finishing ahead twice in over 20 years changes nothing

The world is not perfect. You can not expect to only ever celebrate. The majority of us do not.

Last night was a bad day at the office for The Arsenal. There have been hundreds of bad days in my lifetime. And there will be hundreds more before I die. There will also be plenty of glory days. Plenty of success.

They balance themselves out. Without one you can not have the other.

Pleasure and pain.

Keenos

5 changes Unai Emery needs to make at Arsenal

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Return to 4 at the back

I have never been a fan of 3 at the back.

It puts too much onus on the full backs, less to too much space in behind them and not enough cover in front.

To play 3 at the back you need your wide centre backs to be comfortable at full back.

Tottenham can do it as in Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweild, they have two central defenders who have previously played full back.

Arsenal need to return to 4 at the back.

Play Xhaka/Torreira in the middle

The axis of Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira is the best central midfield pairing in the Premier League.

The pair compliment each other. Both can defend, both can pass.

Torreira has allowed Xhaka to push further up the park, allowing him to be his aggressive self on the half way line. The Uruguayan also gives us that extra bit of protection when Xhaka miss reads a tackle or pass.

Both also have tremendous ability on the ball. Playing the pair gives the defence and goal keeper 2 options when playing out from the back. It is no surprise our passing is a lot better when both play.

Ultimately, the statistics speak for themselves:

Sign genuine width

Alex Iwobi is not good enough to play week in, week out. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are not natural wide men. Arsenal need to invest in a pair of wide forwards.

Playing 4 at the back, with Xhaka and Torreira in the middle, Arsenal have a stable base and centre. Add two wide men either side of a number 10 and the team is starting to take shape.

In the early part of the season, we were a threat in behind the opponents fulls backs. This was due to Iwobi and Aubameyang getting in behind – or making space for Bellerin and Monreal to get in behind.

With Iwobi and Mkhitaryan playing narrow, we lose all width and cover for the full backs.

Reiss Nelson returns in the summer. We need someone one the left hand side.

Decide his best striker

A tough decision needs to be made up top.

We have two top class strikers who broke our transfer record. Unai Emery needs to decide who his first choice is; and stick to it.

Do not panic

We have just lost our first game after going 22 unbeaten. We are in the race for 4th and progressing nicely in Europe.

Against Southampton we were a defensive mess. We were without our 3 first choice centre backs and started the game with a midfielder and a right back in central defence.

At the final whistle the only two defenders on the pitch have not started a league game for a combined 12 months.

There is not need to panic. No need to be rash in the transfer market.

Emery is here for the long term. Sanllehi and Mislintat have a long term vision. There is no need to rip that up just because we lost 1 game.

Keenos