Archive for March 1st, 2009

Losing the faith

3 comments March 1st, 2009

Arsenal 0 – 0 Fulham
Highlights here; Arsene’s reaction here

A frustrated Andrey ArshavinI would say I am more optimistic than a lot of Arsenal fans.  For much of this season, I have preached the twin beliefs of patience and persistence, in the hope that those would come to fruition in the form of a Champions League place.  Until yesterday, I was very confident that fourth spot would be ours.  After our fourth consecutive 0-0 draw in the league, that has changed.

Champions League?  We’re having a laugh, and I suspect a lot of opposition supporters will be letting us know that between now and the end of the season.  If Aston Villa can overcome Stoke today they’ll be eight points clear with a superior goal difference.  The principle problem is that not only do Aston Villa have to suffer a poor run of form – we have to summon a good one.  At the moment, I am more likely to summon the spirit of Herbert Chapman.

The line-up had looked exciting and full of attacking potential.  We deployed the same system as against Roma, with Vela and Arshavin joining Nasri in a creative trident behind Robin van Persie.  However, we did not begin the game with the same sense of urgency that had Roma on the ropes, and allowed Fulham a foothold in the game.  Whilst chances came, there was no real sustained pressure, apart from a brief spell at the start of the second half.

Even so, there were opportunities you’d expect us to convert.  Whilst Denilson, Diaby, and Nasri all failed to replicate their midweek form, Andrey Arshavin was again excellent until he faded late on.  He picked out one superb cross and a defence-splitting pass, from both of which Robin van Persie really ought to have scored.  Van Persie also headed against a post, whilst Diaby and Arshavin himself pulled good saves from the impressive Mark Schwarzer.

That said, Fulham themselves arguably had clearer chances, with one Andy Johnson turn setting him clear on goal, and Bobby Zamora firing wide when well-placed late on.  Roy Hodgson’s side moved the ball extremely well, and produced a particularly humiliating series of passes in the final ten minutes that left our players not even chasing shadows, but ambling vaguely in their direction.

Maybe they were tired.  Some of them gave a huge amount against Roma.  But I could only accept them being tired in the eightieth minute if they had given everything from the first.  There is a serious problem with motivation in this side, and it seems that so many of them simply don’t realise the importance of going out there every week and hammering sides into submission.  The best sides go for early goals and kill the game – then you’re free to pass the ball sideways to your hearts content.  We start every league game as if we have a three goal advantage.  It’s casual to the point of unproffesionalism.

And now I no longer believe.  I no longer believe we’ll be in the Champions League next season.  I hope to God I’m wrong, but it now seems more likely that we’ll end up in the reformed Europa League.  Yes: Walcott, Cesc, Adebayor, Eduardo & Co will all be back.  But we had three of those players available at the start of the season, and conspired to lose plenty of games.  Dropping six points from our last three home games is not the form required in a tight race.  If Robin van Persie hadn’t grabbed that stoppage time equaliser at Goodison Park, Everton would now be above us.

Boos reverberated around the ground at full-time.  I didn’t partake, and I don’t believe it will prove constructive.  The players are suffering from a paradoxical condition which takes in both laziness and nervousness.  Booing won’t solve either of those things. We need a goal, and a win.  West Brom on Tuesday looks like a good place to start.

Mind you, so did West Ham.  And Sunderland.  And Fulham.

Today feels very much like Sunday.  And that isn’t a good thing.


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