I have a vague thought that previous teams were eager to score early and ran out of steam, or perhaps I have just made that up. I don’t know but what I do know is that our slow tempo adds to our problems

Good evening all,

I just wanted to get a few things off my chest and thought that this was the best place to do so. Like all Gooners I am disappointed with the result. Arsenal should be beating Sunderland at home. You would expect Manchester United, Chelsea and any good team to have too much for them at your own stadium.

The good news is that we are still creating chances, we had enough chances to win our last 4 games. The trouble is that we are not taking them. The absence of Cesc, Walcott and Rosicky has meant that we are not creating as much chances as we have done in recent seasons so when the chance does come up the players have to take them.

Much as been made of the Sunderland tactics and I have to agree that it is very boring and disappointing to watch teams play their hearts out for a draw. But the simple truth is that most teams know that they will be beaten if they come to the Emirates and try and match Arsenal. Sunderland would rather come back with a point than nothing. I do think that Arsene does not make this any easier by complaining about it to the press. Managers and clubs know that this gets our managers back up and will do the same as they know it has got results.

Like it or lump it we have to deal with this, we have to over come this problem, otherwise it will continue to thwart us. Missing quality like Cesc and Rosicky has not helped this but do not forget that this has been a problem even when they were fit and available.

One thing that has bugged me is the tempo of the team. This is obviously something that is planned. I have a vague thought that previous teams were eager to score early and ran out of steam, or perhaps I have just made that up. I don’t know but what I do know is that our slow tempo adds to our problems of not breaking teams down because unless the side manages to find the back of the net early then the opposition grows in confidence and we get nervous. It is no surprise that we are joint top with the most amount of goals scored in the 90th minute. This is because the team only start forcing the issue after the 80th minute.

I would like to see us fly out of the traps and play quicker passing around their penalty box. I would like to see more snap shots, more attacking ambition in the first 15 minutes. An early goal changes the whole dynamic of the game. Had Van Persie taken his chance from a great Denilson pass then Sunderland would not have been able to keep that system, otherwise we would have won no matter what we did in the final third.

Arsenal need an early goal against Roma, otherwise the previous draws will be stuck in the players minds.

Another issue I have is with our fullbacks, who are very important to the way we play. Essentially they are our wide men, they are the players who provide the ammunition into the box for the strikers to feed on. The problem is that they are not delivering the goods into the box when it is needed.

Against Sunderland many of our attacks came from Nasri and Sagna overloading their left back and Sagna got himself into crossing positions many times but his end result was disappointing. I was begging for Eboue to replace Sagna before he replaced Song. Only because their left back was isolated so many times and Eboue could have easily dribbled around him after help from Nasri but it wasn’t to be. Clichy on the other side looks to have lost confidence in his game. Not only this but Wenger has asked both fullbacks to play more defensively in the last few months. This has taken a massive chunk out of Clichy’s game as he has been missed making those raiding runs up the left.

Arsene Wenger thinks that Roma will not play for a goalless draw.

Wenger Said:

“I don’t believe Roma will come for a goalless draw, I think they will play in an Italian way, catch us on the break because they know an away goal will give them a good chance. We will have to have a spot-on defensive performance and score goals against them. In Italy, they have a view that the English games are very open and teams go for it. You couldn’t say that against Sunderland. I believe the possession was 70-30 and people have not that kind of image of the Premier League.

I think that Roma would be delighted with a 0-0 and I wouldn’t be surprised if they come and set their stall out just like West Ham and Sunderland have done at the Emirates.

Abou Diaby is back and after the lack of creative edge on Saturday I wonder if Wenger will start him, but I think Wenger will be more cautious against a strong Roma midfield. He is always an option from the bench.

I pray for goals against Roma, because I know we can turn this around but we just need a break.

Right, I’m off. Back tomorrow.

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