Laurent Koscielny wrestles Edin Dzeko to the ground
Arsenal 0 – 2 Man City
Match Report | Highlights | Arsene’s reaction
All the talk before this game was of the exorbitant prices fans were asked to pay to watch the match. It felt particularly expensive for Arsenal fans when Laurent Koscielny’s red card effectively ended the contest after 10 minutes.
In fairness, it might not have been much of a game regardless. In his post-match press conference, Arsene Wenger admitted:
“Overall we started too timidly, with not enough authority in a game like that, and we allowed them to dictate from the start. We paid very early from it.”
It’s a relief to see him be honest and avoid laying all the blame at the door of referee Mike Dean, who I believe got most of the major decisions right. From kick-off City were more purposeful, more organised, and more commanding. They looked like the home team. What happened in the tenth minute simply compounded problems that were already alarmingly evident.
I think Laurent Koscielny is probably Arsenal’s best all-round defender, and yet I wouldn’t have him in the first-team. It’s a paradoxical statement about a bewildering player. For all his excellence, his time in English football has been littered with some major errors, and his decision to bear-hug Edin Dzeko to the ground inside the penalty box was inexplicable and yet entirely in character.
Was it a foul? Certainly. Did it deny a goalscoring opportunity? Yes. Although Tevez ultimately reached the ball, it was only Koscielny’s intervention that prevented Dzeko getting there. If pulling someone’s shirt as the last man forty yards from goal warrants a red card, then rugby tackling someone to the ground six yards out should definitely do the same.
Some fans have suggested that Dean’s decision “ruined the game”. I didn’t hear them making the same point when Emmanuel Adebayor was dismissed in the 17th minute of the North London Derby. We know Dean enjoys the limelight and will gleefully make a big call given the opportunity, but it took Koscielny to be stupid enough to give him that chance. For what it’s worth, I thought Dean did a decent job with a difficult match, and made the correct call with Vincent Kompany’s late dismissal too.
Back to the penalty. I didn’t fancy Dzeko to score the spot-kick at all, and indeed Wojciech Szczesny made the first of several important saves to deny the Bosnian. Without another impressive performance from the Pole, the score could have become humiliating.
The fact we survived the penalty with our clean sheet intact made the way we gave away the two goals all the more infuriating. First the team failed to switch on as City took a quick free-kick and released James Milner to thump brilliantly past Szczesny; then Kieran Gibbs was caught in possession and duly punished as Zabaleta crossed for Dzeko to tap in via another Szczesny save.
City were in complete control of the game, and though the second half introduction of Olivier Giroud gave them the occasional scare, they never looked less than comfortable. The fact they managed nine shots on target as compared with Arsenal’s four tells you that they looked more like adding to their tally than conceding.
I was relieved that the scoreline wasn’t more embarrassing. Arsenal have difficult fixtures to come in this month, and a home humiliation would have been hugely unhelpful.
Afterwards, Arsene Wenger was unusually unguarded about the failings in his team:
“We need to be a bit more confident in this kind of game. We want to do so well that we are a bit up tight. I’m not angry, it’s frustration that you do not see from the start what this team is capable of.”
We are not, he makes clear, seeing the best of the players we have. Questions must therefore be asked of the man being tasked with coaching, organising and motivating them: Arsene himself.
I’d also query today’s team selection. The manager seems to harbour a desire to reunite Koscielny and Vermaelen for the big games. He tried it against Chelsea back in September, and we combusted. Today produced a similar result.
Theo Walcott got the nod in the central striker’s role, and although it was something of a thankless task today, was entirely unconvincing. Amid rumours of an imminent new deal, a cynic might suggest his performance was that of a man who has now got the golden handshake he’s been after.
I was more immediately concerned by his failure to provide any kind of outlet for our embattled midfield. He never came and showed for the ball in to feet, and was dominated by Kompany and Nastasic throughout. Whenever we created space wide, we neglected to cross as Walcott doesn’t have the capacity to provide any kind of aerial threat.
It’s worth noting that of Walcott’s 14 goals this season, only five have come while playing through the middle. While I’m not convinced that Olivier Giroud is good enough for a side with top four ‘ambitions’, he remains the best centre-forward we have, and should be starting games.
The injury to Mikel Arteta is obviously a blow, but throwing the very rusty Abou Diaby back in after three months out was a strange decision. Leaving him on at the expense of Oxlade-Chamberlain after the sending off was arguably stranger. A red card to a centre-back robs you of one substitution; leaving a barely fit Diaby on effectively robs you of another.
Perhaps Arsene wasn’t fussed, as he knew that Olivier Giroud was the only attacker available on the bench. The unexplained omission of Arshavin and Rosicky meant that of the six outfield substitutes available, three were defenders and one a defensive midfielder. The absence of player capable of coming on and changing the game was palpable, which makes Arsene Wenger’s reluctance to enter the transfer market all the more infuriating.
Asked if Arteta’s injury would prompt him to move to reinforce the squad, he replied:
“To find players of a calibre of Arteta, available in January, I wish you good luck.”
Cry me a river, Arsene. You had the summer, but you ‘kept your powder dry’. Since then you’ve had four months to identify players to improve the squad. You’ve now had a full two weeks in which you could have actually bought someone; a period in which we’ve failed to qualify in the cup and dropped five league points. Stop moaning and do your job.
The real positive for Arsenal was the performance of Jack Wilshere. Faced with adversity, he was fearless, bold, and brave. City did their best to kick him out of the game, and he responded time after time with driving runs that represented our only real hope of getting back in to the game.
In a match in which the talented but timid Cazorla was anonymous, Wilshere emerged as our true playmaker. Our true leader. The class and courage he displayed was reminiscent of one Cesc Fabregas – a player who ultimately left Arsenal because the club failed to build a side befitting of such a unique talent.
If Arsenal and Arsene continue to neglect their responsibility to improve the squad, Jack will go the way of Cesc. And Van Persie, Nasri, Clichy and Song. Jack’s enthusiasm and love for the club was entirely evident against City, but no player is immune from disillusionment. Years of stagnation and decline will wear that affinity thin. We’ve seen it before. Let’s not let history repeat itself.
Its almost like hes given up..the decisions and lack of coaching are beyond a quote plus niave tactics nothing inspires me to think he will change
It is beyond parady but insulting given what we pay to watch this shambles
Fantastic report on the game and the state of our club at present. Jack today was immense and the only one who showed any passion and guts in the match. We are still making defensive errors game after game – is Bould having the effect that is required or does the question need to be asked of whether he is being allowed to exert his influence. The first half was extremely worrying and even though it was slightly better in 2nd I am not looking forward to Chelsea next week at all!
Chelsea will beat us no question. We have to hope Spurs lose to RVP and as such we have 6 points to make up and a game in hand. It’s going to be very difficult to get 4th
If we don’t will Wenger go?
If he goes will things improve?
Things have to change either way
A direct, fair and clear-eyed analysis that puts into words what for me was a bewildering and troubling performance,
Well written. We won’t make top 4 with this squad.
A perfect review of not only the match but the state of our beloved club.
Where was the intensity? Where was the fight (other than Jack and Giroud when he came on)?
Theo was a ghost in the midst of the expensive city machine. I myself would have my run my legs to a nubb on the verge of a new contract like his, checking back and moving wide to the wing to assist the overloaded Sagna( who finally had a decent game after several bad ones) as was obviously needed.
Diaby was not as terribly as I thought he would be but he really was not ready. How Wenger continues on with the idea that our midfield is a complete product and does not move heaven and earth to bring in not only reinforcements but superior jugadors is beyond me.
This team is making me tired, and even though I go into each match with a sliver of optimism I feel like true greatness is beyond several our players.
Football is a tough game, and it should be played by those with true grit.
Very well observed piece.
I ask your readers to cast your minds back to the Wenger early years, when we were down to ten men every other week. What saddened me most about today in a sea of what frustrates me generally about the current state of our great club, is the way we responded to going down a man. Heads dropped! We were awful in the first half and had absolutely no belief we could get something out of the game. This is completely at odds with the teams Wenger managed in his first seven years at the club!
Almost every public word uttered by this once great leader makes a mockery of his former self.
Mr Wenger, I implore you, do the honest thing and resign with immediate effect. Those that worry this could damage our chances of finishing in the top four, you too need to smell the coffee. At the highest ticket prices in world football, we are now no more than also rans. We are not going to get top four!!!!
I do not believe I’m being melodramatic!
THESE ARE SERIOUS TIMES FOR OUR ONCE GREAT CLUB!
I fear for the future!
You’ve read the situation so well Gunnerblog. May I just add that even tho we have according to Mr Wenger the ‘complete squad’, when we lost Arteta to a calf strain (no surprise there as he has been crying out for a rest, bound to happen) we can only turn to Diaby, a man who suffers from glass leg-itis. He is unfit and lacks match sharpness. It showed.
Are you telling me there is no space for defensive cover? This man is killing this team. The Rosicky situation is worrying. He didn’t even make the bench.
@wenger_out
Yeah, what the hell is the story with Rosicky at the moment?? Is he been prepared for sale also?
I completely agree with every word in this post.
Unfortunately we have an owner, a CEO and a board who know bugger all about football – and are in awe of Wenger. Depressingly he is likely to survive overseeing several more seasons of mediocrity and decline.
Great comment re Cesc. All the talk of DNA etc. if the side was good enough he would have happily stayed – perhaps not forever but the dragged out saga would certainly have been avoided.
…………and still Wenger refuses to use the January transfer window!
There are only so many ways you can say the same thing over and over again and not sound redundant . Things won’t change at Arsenal unless they happen from the top, buying a player or two won’t make any difference , not the kind Wenger is looking to bring in anyways. Selling off their best players and replacing them with lesser ones year after year has gutted this club mentally . Watching RVP flourish at Man U should be the final nail to Wenger’s managerial coffin but surely a badge of honor on his lapelle as the accountant in chief, which is clearly who he has become. Some have compared this Arsenal to Ajax which is erroneous because Ajax never sold their best players to domestic title rivals as Wenger has ,thus creating a chasm from what was just a gap between his club and top clubs in England, proving that winning titles is not his objective.
What a disgusting article from you GS.
Who do you think you are questioning Sir Arsene’s coaching, transfer policy, team selection and substitutions. This is the greatest ever Arsenal manager. He has given you new stadium with good grass (something you Englanders can’t even get right) and he has brought French class to your little island.
Sir Arsene has coached some of the best players in the world, he has made £millions for the shareholders in the transfer market, he has introduced you peasants to class acts like Bendtner, Chamakh, Djourou, Squillaci, Park, Gervinho etc…..These are some of the finest players to ever wear the shirt…..Sir Arsene said so – And you lo-life’s still complain.
Me and my dad watched the full 12 minutes on Match of The G’day and you didn’t see us getting up from our sofa’s and leaving 2-3 minutes before the end….That’s cos we’re real supporters. Not like you, the plastic kind that want Sir Arsene to follow in Portsmouth’s footsteps.
Well said! These Englander peasants should spend more time watching Gardeners World learning how to lay grass properly, instead of getting upset about getting knocked out of cups by Bradford!
GS a better title would be “Do your job Ivan”
so true.. its so strange that wenger does not get world class players around the world as if all of them are average and his team is full of world class players..
if so then why is the premier league table showing us at 34 points and man u at 52 points?
i have not seen some one so stubborn as wenger in my whole life..
VP 21 goals this season:
AFC 21 points behind ManU
There’s an Arsenal cardigan on sale for £30 at the Arsenal shop. Does anyone know if it looks good in real life?
We have seen the handwriting on the wall a long time ago. Wenger is past his bed time, it is time to leave. Bring in Laudrup!
I disagree on one point….if you concede a penalty as the last man, you shouldn’t be sent off…because you have not denied a goal-scoring opportunity, you have just changed its nature (open play opportunity to spot kick). If anything a penalty is more of a goal-scoring opportunity than a chance from open with only keeper to beat (this happens at high speed, and anyone who has played soccer at the any level will tell you, it’s difficult to make a correct decision and execute it that quickly….as evidenced by Tevez miss i second half). If you illegally deny a certain goal (by handling ball on line or fouling a player who has already beaten keeper etc) then get a red card and award the pen…’cause the pen can still be missed.
This rule was brought in deliberately on the request of Fergie to prevent Arsenal from winning trophies. That is a fact!
Wenger from my own point of view is the most foolish man on earth. Sold his farming implement to a rival and went home to sleep hoping manna will fall from heaven. Get rid of the old fool!!!!!!!
“Cry me a river, Arsene. You had the summer, but you ‘kept your powder dry’. Since then you’ve had four months to identify players to improve the squad. You’ve now had a full two weeks in which you could have actually bought someone; a period in which we’ve failed to qualify in the cup and dropped five league points. Stop moaning and do your job.”
CRACKING!
Now a days i get the feeling even before the match starts is whether Arsenal is going to win.
Arsenal is on a down fall.They use to loose only to the top sides and the results against the team below them was always positive.
This season they have started loosing to lower table sides aswell and is depending on others to drop the points to be there in the top.
The ticket prices fans pay are the most to see the team loose. I can’t comment on whether we need to change the manager, sign the star players etc. But as a fan i want is the board to understand the importance of winning and make the required changes.
I love the Arsenal but am not expecting much from this season. I have retired my red membership until the club matches my ambitions on the pitch (not even mentioning the price of the tickets)
Something in our club is inheritently wrong … do you think Ferguson, Mancini, Alladyce, AVB etc would put up with constant performamces like that. Wenger has lost his fire and it is reflecting on the team – no tatics, no desire, no energy, no will to win and continuing to lie to supporters about transfer activity and the state of the squad – the supporters show more passion that the players and we don’t get paid we pay through the nose to watch the sub par performances.
The sport pundits laugh at our defensive mistakes, lack of creativity and our demise over the last 7 years but our club does nothing about it.
It hurts to say but I hope we finish out of europe this season with lost of empty seats from now to the end of the season – maybe this is the knee-jerk outcome we need for our board to act.
Red Member,
I agree with you totally. What we have is a business and not a football club. My thinking is before any match, Wenger goes throught the dictionary to see the terminology he is going to in his press conference. He is tired of using the word mental strenght which i strongly believe the club lacks. Mcheeeew!
So now the latest excuse for the poor start yesterday was cos of the negative atmosphere at the ground: “The players are nervous because they feel the scepticism around the team.”
Yes AW, we the paying support who have stood by you thru the famine, being drained financially with the highest prices in the world, whilst getting nothing in return, feeding the fat cats at the board. We have a right to an opinion. I guess you’ve just taken our good will a step too far old boy. How can you suggest that we are to blame?!
This man is fast showing all the signs of dementia. He needs help.
@wenger_out
Great post
gunnerblog
i must admit – you’ve really changed…and become a “real” Realistic Gunner these days
you’re actually “giving it” to wenger – no excuses…and saying what needs to be said
well done – it’s about time
only a matter of time matey – he’ll relieve himself me thinks!!! lol
Come on fellas “do your job “has to be quote of the day
Perspective please! This kind of negligence from Wenger is nothing new? Wenger’s been neglecting his duties for years. Why would he start now?
Wenger has an easy option to bring the AKB’s back on side. If I recall the summer of 2011 transfer window when Wenger went panic buying, the acclaim some gave him was hilarious. So what happens if after more poor performances against Chelsea and Liverpool, Wenger goes out and buys another 5 last minute purchases. The euphoria will return, and we’ll be back to another phase of ‘transition’ and how the new shit French signings will be a force next season.
We can’t afford any more time ‘hoping’ Wenger will do his job. We’ve had too many years of stalling tactics pulling the wool over the AKB’s eyes.
Just fuck off Wenger is the solution.
Your point please?
You struggle with English?
Fuck off Wenger is my point.
Hehehe…your point please?
Speak in English, it helps.
That’s the thing Stevio, we can afford more time – all because Sir Arsene has created a club that runs on a sound financial footing.
What you peasants don’t get, is that if it wasn’t for Sir Arsene, instead of watching class acts like Almunia, Djourou, Squillaci, Denilson, Chamakh and Bendtner, you’d still be watching players like Seaman, Bould, Adams and Wright, with Bruce “Allardyce” Rioch in charge.
But you clever Englanders are right, lets bring in Roberto “Houdhini” Martinez. Or maybe Brendan “Pompous” Rodgers. Face it, there are no better managers than Sir Arsene – not even Fergie or Mourinho. Sir Arsene brings class to your little island. All you have to offer is Bangers ‘n Mash.
While Sir Arsene is shagging a bird half his age, behind his wife’s back and sipping £1000 bottles of Moët & Chandon Dom Perignon whilst running one of the best football clubs on the planet, you peasants are jerking off to Cheryl Cole, turning burgers & serving milkshakes and playing football manager in your spare time.
Not to mention of course putting together that defense that went unbeaten (apart from keown)…
Sorry to pop your expensive cock of Dom Perignon but even Peasants know that fact.
Agree 100% … good post Gilberto
The AST meeting should be interesting this Time….
AST are a boring bunch. Toothless whingers that complain behind the gaffers back but rarely bring up anything properly substantiated.
Spuds are going to have to exceed even their normal levels of chokiness to cough up fourth this year. Can they really hope to out choke wengers chief chokers? Seems unlikely.
But choke they will.
Considering they had a much larger lead last time round and still cocked it up. (no pun)
Coquelin should have started instead of Diaby.
Coquelin is still inexperienced.
Should have been played more next to Arteta during the limited run for the league cup.
Diaby is a better choice but should have played with Rosicky, the best choice.
Great article- on the first goal, vermeulen our captain fell asleep the most and let him score- Verm has been shit this year
cuntene wenger tells his acolytes how hard it is to sign players better than what he has… meanwhile over at relegation battlers QPR…
But Redknapp delayed his return to London from France yesterday and convinced Remy he can be a major factor in the club’s survival fight.
QPR chief executive Philip Beard flew out to join him and the surprise double deal was concluded in Paris before the pair jetted back to England.
M’Vila, 22, has 22 caps for France but he is currently serving a two-year ban for breaking a curfew and going out clubbing while on international duty.
Wenger get the fuck out
Yeah MVila is clearly cack as is Remy.
Should be able to afford them for fire sale price when twitchy gets the Queens relegated.:D
Come on dude wenger is signing the next Adams as we speak ……don’t be fooled by wengers interest in Wilfred zaha all the peasants can see is a wing speedster while t,he real genius can see Wilfred is a dead stamp centre back all day long
Peasants got not time for football, too busy preparing for the planting season.
get yourself an honest job.;)
1) Wenger has not been rotating efficiently. Arsharvin was a perfectly viable option unused and gift wrap currently for a phantom buyer. Instead we have Ramsey played out of position where clearly he is better going through the middle.
Ditto Rosicky whom to me would have given us the experience and dynamism we needed in Arteta’s absence, playing next to Diaby with Jack just ahead.
Simply put, Wenger has been poor tactically, an issue that has come to fore as his competitive advantage in the market has been eroded over time.
2) Walcott situation is terribly distracting. I said it in the summer that we should have either had Walcott’s signature on contract or got rid of him then. dragging this into season has been detrimental to the team particularly in recent games pandering to his whim to play up top.
Clearly Walcott is not effective against more disciplined defenses.
Rather I would have preferred Podolski up top with Santi @LW, Walcott back out on the right.
Seems to me the current Walcott situation is witholding our pressing need for a striker as an alternate capability set to Giroud who currently remains patchy.
3) In concert with Walcott, I thought Wenger made a massive mistake letting Song go.
This quote about Arteta level is clearly nonsense. We don’t need someone to be Arteta rather a viable alternate who may not necessarily carry similar skill set but can do the no nonsense job of mopping up in front of defense and be slightly more available than say Diaby.
Considering France is currently awash with likely reasonable players in the position aside from MVila…Capoue, Sissoko, Gonalons all 23yrs and 6’2 (take your pick against Fellaini), I’m not sure what the allergy is towards reinforcement,
Even more baffling the fact that last summer’s target Sahin righly leaving Mr Rodger’s Neighbourhood, is now going on loan to Dortmund for 18 months.
Get it fixed Wenger. We are running the risk again of self destruct unnecessarily.
all your points are valid and detailed but can be sumarised easily with a lot less effort ….Piss poor rank bad managementof arsenal football club and whats worse is we pay the highest price to what I can only say now is some of the most boring inept dislays I have seen from any team let a lone my beloved arsenal …he spouts that shit about arteta , when it is clear we have needed a serious holding cm for god knows how long and at 7 miliion for mvillia that is hardly breaking the bank, he lets harry slip in and get a proven international and a french one for fucks sake for a snip and he is actually looking at westham rejects and injured westham players as super super quality to add to his shit squad of crap players , the man is taking the arsenal fans for complete cunts …. sorry but it can’t be anything other than that or he has mental issues
In my opinion arsenal really need a leftback, a goal keeper, a center back , dm and a striker .would really have been happy with Ba and villa as they would have helped the current team which can not manage to win consistently and are not capable at present of winning a trophy of any sort and at 7.5 mill for ba and 7 mill for villa they represent real bargains with todays inflated prices and neither are cup tied and available for use immediately but yet we are told the most important bit of business arsenal will do is to offer one of their existing players an improved contract , really feel there is no ambition at arsenal and no urgency to try and improve as there is no pressure, can see we have four more games and our season is over by which time we will be told how fantastic this current squad of players is and what fantastic attitude they have and that is why we should be glad to pay the price we do to watch such a fantastic team ….where is drunken cunt by the way, we are in need of some humour
Oh no Wenger realised that 4th place is a trophy and is aiming not to achieve that aswell to keep his trophyless streak running lol, the man has totally lost it!
You chaps still think the arsenal will be tickety boo with new signings and tactics. How cute.
Listen Peasnats, 4th is not the only trophy. There is 5th place and 6th place trophy too. This would give us the chance to win Europa League. A cup no other Arsenal Manager has ever won…Wouldn’t you like to win it whilst building new stadium with good grass?
Now go back and play football manager whilst the real manager runs Arsenal.
Dear Peasants, I thought I would conduct a little test. Here in the outback, it can get a bit boring so I decided to play a season on Football Manager. I wanted to see if Sir Arsene could win the league given his current squad and injury issues….And guess what Arsenal were Premier League and Champions league winners…and we did it with the exact same squad/players that we currently have, just a bit of tweaking…
First, I put Walcott in Goal, this was a masterstroke as he loves to play in the central goal mouth. Then I put Szes in at left back, he loves playing there anyway, now it’s official. Djourou was the main striker with Squillaci in the hole and Voila! no team could touch us. We even beat Barcelona 4-0 in the CL Final with Messi scoring an own goal.
….I knew Sir Arsene had a winning squad – now even the biggest doubters need to step down. Anyway got to go now sport, I can see a Kangaroo lurking in the bush….DINNER!
Frankly? Your sarcasm is drying up.
Then don’t read it Peasant.
Btw, it’s better than your pee wee cock drying up.
Now fuck off and suck my cock you cunt.
Match preview, GS?
The bad news keeps piling up. Unfortunately no Guardiola or Villa and if the managent stays dormant much longer no Sneijder either. Meanwhile Cazorla and Arteta are obviously tired with no real outstanding back up on the bench.
What about Wilshere, Diaby and Ramsey?
All internationals!
Wilshire fills the third spot in midfield so he shouldn’t be considered as a back up. Diaby barely is an a football player and Ramsey…well… he tries hard but just doesn’t seem to be good enough.
Good result for the boys ,Wiltshire was quality and diaby looking good just his presence makes a difference and in the second half looked a lot more like the arsenal we are use 2
Nice win tonight still no cutting edge up front all a bit lack lustre.
wats the jackanory rory