Tag Archives: She Wore

6 goals in 8 games – Is Aubameyang form really a “major problem”?

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In recent months, we have seen some really extreme views from Arsenal fans in what has been a rollercoaster of a season.

Some people have shown their true colours, sharing views based on RTs, likes and attention.

These usually take the form of sharing an extreme view that makes like sense, all because you are an attention seeker.

It is not only just the wannabe YouTubers and Twitter celebs doing this either.

These ones are who go viral, who we all know about. But others are doing the same. Extreme views for a bit of attention.

I read one view yesterday that sums it up:

Aubamayeng’s form is becoming a major problem…time to start playing Martinelli and bench Auba

I have decided not to post the actual tweet in the blog because I want to avoid a “pile on” and people abusing the Tweeter in question. We have no idea how fragile he or she is and it is common in these situations for people to post an extreme view for attention, and then play the victim when they get that attention.

Aubameyang has not had a great season. He struggled prior to the turn of the year with just 5 goals. Although this was highlighted by a bigger problem at Arsenal – that we were not creating enough chances.

His current run reads a lot better:

  • 6 goals in 8 games
  • 6 goals in 6 starts
  • 5 goals 5 Premier League games
  • 5 goals in 3 Premier League starts

If 6 goals in 9 games is “a major problem” then I do not know what the Tweeter is expecting? 10 goals in 8 games? 20?

Yes, Auba has had chances to score more – he could have grabbed himself a double against Benfica; but I am certainly not worried about his form.

Anyone that has followed Aubameyang’s career will know that he has a history of missing easy chances.

He is better when he does not have to think is a tag that has been given to many a world class striker in their time. And Aubameyang falls into the bracket.

What is the problem here? Is it that Arsenal fans need someone to constantly hate? And with Mesut Ozil now gone they are slowly moving onto Aubameyang.

Is it that they do not actually like Aubameyang – they detest a rich young man who likes fast cars, load clothes and hair cuts that would get you suspended in Primary School?

When you take into account that Aubameyang has been carrying some personal problems on his shoulders in the last few months, to say 6 goals in 8 games is “out of form” is just stupid. It is attention seeking.

And then they say that Martinelli should start is equally as ridiculous.

Have you forgotten about Alexandre Lacazette? Or do we not want him to play because he is also in poor form?

Lacazette had a nice little run around Christmas where he scored 5 goals in 4 games, but his current run is 1 goal in 9 games – although he only started 4 games.

So even if Auba was dropped due to his “bad form”, it would be Lacazette and not Martinelli that comes in for him.

This sort of Tweeter would probably be the first to say “we played Martinelli too much too soon at a young age and after a poor injury” if he played 5 games in a row and then picked up reoccurrence of his injury.

For some fans, Arsenal and Arsenal players will never win.

They will moan when a youngster is not picked; they will moan when he is not picked enough. They will moan when a player only scores 6 goals in 8 games. They just like to moan.

Negativity garners attention – TalkSport make a radio station out of it.

You constantly see people on Twitter and other social media platforms doing the same. Sharing extreme negative views for attention.

Ultimately, if you need to spend your time attention seeking on Twitter, you clearly have something key missing in the real world.

Keenos

Losing is never a positive result – although there might be positives

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One thing I hate is when I see fans say “at least it was only 1-0” as if losing by a single goal was a positive.

This mentality shows just how far we have fallen behind the rest.

Gone are the days we would go to Anfield, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford or Maine Road expecting a win. Now we are satisfied with “not being thrashed”.

I understand that the hammerings we took on the road in those later years have left some fans scared. I was at many of those games. It was horrendous.

However if we are to return to the big time, we need to act like a big club. Get the mentality right.

Being happy that you did not get smashed on the road is a small club mentality. Leave that to the likes of West Ham, Burnley and Newcastle. We are The Arsenal. We should not be happy losing 1-0.

I felt Mikel Arteta got his line-up and game plan spot on.

A few questioned why he changed the centre backs from David Luiz and Gabriel to Rob Holding and Pablo Mari; and why Nicholas Pepe came in for Emile Smite Rowe.

The reasoning was a change in game plan.

When we are looking to dominate a game, to play in the opponents half, we need athletic centre backs who can play in a high line – Luiz and Gabriel.

Against Manchester City, Arteta’s game plan was to defend deep and hit them quick on the break.

It is a tactic which has since us beat Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man U under Arteta.

Holding and Mari are better options when defending deep than Luiz and Gabriel.

Likewise in the middle, if we were going for compact and deep, Mohamed Elneny was a better choice than Dani Ceballos. Extra defensive steel in the middle.

And if we are playing on the break, we want the pace of Pepe rather than the guile of Smith Rowe.

Arteta also got the substitutes spot on.

As we began to dominate the play half way through the second half, he bought on the players who operate better in tight spaces – Smith Rowe & Lacazette; sacrificing Pepe who needs space to run in to.

What Arteta could not legislate for was City scoring in the opening 90 seconds; and the manner of the goal.

A few pundits went over the top, going as far as saying “Sterling outjumped 2 centre backs”. He did not. He outjumped no one.

He found space between Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding.

Bellerin dropped back to follow the run of Bernardo Silva, but clearly did not communicate to Holding that Sterling was behind him and now unmarked.

The ball was floated over, Holding was unaware of the man behind him and that Bellerin was not on him, and Sterling rose unchallenged to score.

It is the run of Bernardo Silva that was clever – had he not made that move outside of Bellerin, Hector would have been tight to Sterling; challenging him in the air.

It is becoming clear what Arteta’s game plan is in these bigger games – defend deep and hit them on the break.

This can lead us to look untidy at the back whilst we play quick, risky passes to go from front to back as fast as possible to avoid City’s high press.

It worked in the FA Cup semi final and it nearly worked Sunday when Bukayo Saka and Kieran Tierney both finding space down the left hand side. The final ball was lacking however.

Manchester City will now run away with the league title.

18 wins in a row in all competitions, and just 6 goals conceded in that time. It is a truly incredible run.

We are moving forward under Arteta, but the mentality of fans needs to move forward with him.

Losing 1-0 should not be a positive. We need to begin going into these games expecting to win.

Up next we are back to the Europa League with a home game in Athens.

Keenos

Why Willian, Why?

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Willian is becoming the newest figure of hate for some Arsenal fans. Why they always need to have a player to hurl abuse at is mystifying, but it has something that has happened for decades.

I have always thought that at least when they are getting angry at Willian online or I the stands, at least it stops the blokes taking out their anger on their misses.

The Willian saga is one which the narrative on the season will look back on.

Why did we sign him? Why did we offer him so much money? And such a long contract? And why does Mikel Arteta play him so much?

Well all of those questions are for another blog, another day. I am only going to talk about his appearance versus Leeds United on Sunday and the logic behind Arteta bringing him on.

Firstly let’s bust a myth.

Myth: Arsenal were 4-0 up and cruising before bringing Willian on. We then conceded 2 goals

Truth: Willian actually  came on between Leeds United’s first and 2nd goal; and he certainly could not be blamed for the Yorkshire sides second which came down our right hand side. Willian was playing on the left.

So why did Arteta opt for Willian ahead of Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli?

The answer is simple: control.

At 4-0 (when Willian would have been sent to warm up), the game was over, Leeds beaten, demoralised.

Usually in these situations the team leading would end up coasting to the final whistle with about 70% possession, just knocking it about, controlling the game.

The opposition, knowing they will not win, batten down the hatches, do not send men forward like they would at 1 or 2-nil. Defend deep, do not get embarrassed.

The likes of Pepe and Martinelli need space to play in. To run in behind. Both would have been perfect substitutes if the margin was not a 4 (and then 3) goal one.

At a 2 goal margin Leeds would still be motivated to attack, so Arsenal would look to sit deep and hit them on the counter.

But a 3 or 4 goal margin, we are in the previous scenario of Arsenal controlling the game.

And like Willian or not, he is a better passer than both Pepe and Martinelli.

Do not believe me? Let’s look at the statistics:

The fact is, ball retention is Martinelli and Pepe’s weakest asset.

Not only are they the worst of the midfielders for keeping hold of the ball, but when it comes to pass completion ratio, they rank 25th and 27th out of 29. Only keeper Runar Alex Runarsson is worse than the pair, with Cedric Soares splitting them.

So if you want to see a game out, to control the game, to not give away the ball, you do not bring on Martinelli or Pepe.

Of those players who are better at retaining the ball than Willian, 3 were already on the pitch – Granit Xhaka, Dani Cabellos and Martin Odergaard. And with only 60 minutes on, brining Mo Elneny on for Emile Smith Rowe would have been too defensive.

With Thomas Partey injured, Willian for Smith Rowe was the clear and obvious substitution if we wanted to retain control, shape and attacking intent.

At 4-2 up, the Willian substitution looked poor. But as established he was not at fault for either of the goals.

The poor decision was made by Arteta.

He failed to take into account the side he was playing, and who manages them.

Marcelo Bielsa sides do not stop coming at you.

They could be 2-0 up or 4-0 down and they will keep playing one way – throwing men forward.

Arteta should have recognised the man in the other dug out and realised that even at 4-0 or 4-1, Arsenal would get chances on the break. That in this game, pace on the counter would probably have been better than looking for control.

But in 99% of other games, at 4-0 up, you bring on the man that will retain the ball. Pass and move. Move and pass. You do not bring on players with poor ball retention.

Willian was the right substitution but against the wrong opponents.

Keenos