I had plenty of time to jot down my thoughts after the game yesterday evening but I ended up staring into the screen not managing to write anything down. Plenty of people seem to relish coming out after defeat and setbacks but I just cannot do it. When we win I want to read and contribute with all like minded Gooners but when we lose I want to hide away and deal with the pain. The pain was in full effect at the final whistle that’s for sure.
Why oh why do we have to make everything so difficult for ourselves?
Defeat is one thing, losing the way we did is another at it is difficult to take but what I find the hardest to stomach is that we got to the final and did not play our game. What has served us so well for the last few months just did not materialise throughout the whole 90 minutes.
There would be more weight attached to the tiredness theory had we started in the way that we usually do and then dropped off but that just didn’t happen. We looked like a disjointed second team rather than the team who close you down all over the pitch and move the ball too quickly for defenders to handle. The Wembley pitch should have suited one team and one team only but we did not use it apart from in our own half.
After what Birmingham City did to our players at St Andrews this season, I have very little time for them but I have to credit them for their commitment and determination which was spot on. With the absence of Theo Walcott they played a very high line and swarmed over us in the middle of the pitch. The three Birmingham City midfielders moved together as a trio and they cut down our passing options as often as they could.
We did not see the triangles, did not see the fluidity from our game at all and that hurt. That was the major disappointment.
We had been riding our luck at points during the game. Bowyer was flagged for offside when Gael Clichy played him on, our young keeper could have received his marching orders had the assistant linesman not come to his rescue. Woodwork was also struck from the opposition in the second half.
Birmingham City’s opening goal came from the predictable set piece, and while many are slamming our players for not dealing with it, you have to bare in mind that Birmingham City have scored the most amount of goals from set pieces in the league this season and not all of those goals has come against Arsenal. They have scored the most from set pieces because they are very good at it. When the ball is played in the air to a player who is 6ft7 then it is difficult to stop him from winning the ball.
Our response was very good and within ten minutes we found the equaliser, Wilshere struck the crossbar from distance with a great strike from outside the box. The ball ended up at the feet of Andrey Arshavin who rolled his man very well but his cut back was top class. He didn’t just put the ball into the box, he measured his cut back to perfection and Van Persie who can finish equally well with both feet executed a fantastic volley on his right foot into the corner.
That should have been the wake up call, should have inspired the side to play their game and score the second goal.
In the second half we had a spell where we could have won the game, Rosicky had a half volley just wide of the far post, Nasri hit the face of Foster in goal and Bendtner, the second half substitute had an effort saved by man of the match Ben Foster in goal.
When not at your best you have to be ruthless when the chances come your way because you are not going to be presented with endless opportunities to make it count.
Without being at our best, we dominated possession, we had more shots on and off target and looked the more likely scorers of the next all important goal but then came the mistake. Minutes away from extra time Koscielny and Szczesny got in each others way, and the ball rolled to Martins to tap into an empty net for what is likely to be his easiest career goal to date.
As usual we are hearing and seeing the finger being pointed in all directions. Our goalkeeper and new defender have been part of the reason why we have got to a final and are still competing in three competitions. Mistakes happen, even at awful times of the game. This was not the fault of any individual, it was most certainly a collective failure. We didn’t function correctly, we didn’t purr as we can. Partly due to Birmingham City’s display on the day but mostly, at least in my eyes on our own performance.
I wanted Arsenal to win the Carling cup after getting to the finals, I am sure the players would have wanted to lift the trophy. We are all disappointed but let us get one thing straight here. The previous season, this season and next season, the Carling cup is placed as fourth priority. Let’s not get it twisted, we have bigger targets and that has been the case since Arsene Wenger took over.
We started this competition allowing our squad players to get games, allowing fringe players the chance to impress. Whilst the praise should rightly go to the opposition for beating us the players should not let this distract them from our main objectives.
Before Sunday we had lost once, away to Ipswich since mid December. We have played our way into a good position in the league title race, we have a narrow margin against Barcelona to try and keep hold of. As well as an away trip to Manchester United in the FA Cup. We have plenty to play for.
I do not expect the players to feel sorry for themselves, point fingers and sulk so why should we as supporters? Let us dust ourselves down, pick ourselves up and correct our wrong’s.
If we win a big trophy this season then this pain will turn into a minor itch.
Arsenal till I die.
Szczesny (6.5)
Sagna (6)
Djourou (7)
Koscielny (6)
Clichy (6)
Song (5)
Wilshere (6.5)
Rosicky (5)
Nasri (6)
Van Persie (6)
Arshavin (5.5)
Please note that ratings are only my interpretations of the game and that others will have differing opinions
Catch Wenger Boy’s inspirational words here
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