In today's Arsenal Vision Post Match Podcast Elliot (@YankeeGunner), Paul (@PoznanInMyPants), Tim (@Stillberto) and Clive (@ClivePAFC) talk about the crushing and embarrassing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool at Anfield. Talk includes Arsène Wenger’s line up, the manager’s priorities, blowing up the squad, not addressing the midfield, Arsene’s legacy and much more all discussed on this weeks Arsenal Vision Post Match Podcast.
Roberto Firmino found space in the penalty box and headed beyond Cech, not quite sure why he wasn't marked. Liverpool then kept winning the ball from us and breaking at speed against us. Henderson and Salah both had good chances to score before Sadio Mané scored yet another goal against us darting in from the left and smashing a great shot past Cech into the far corner. In the second half, we gambled and left an already exposed defence even more exposed. Bellerin's error allowed Salah to run clean through from the half way line to slot past Cech for 3. Substitute Daniel Sturridge headed in the 4th unmarked at the back post
So the question is, do Koscielny and Mustafi stop Liverpool's goals? It's impossible to say really isn't it? Obviously it does not help having an inexperienced centre back pairing but I think it fits the narrative of not spending a little too conveniently. When we dropped off our intensity in winning the ball high up it looked like absolutely anybody could walk through us and create shots on our goal, especially from wide. That was not down to our centre backs. When we defended as a team in the first half there could not be a bad word said of either Chambers or Holding. In fact, I thought to myself during the game that one of the highlights of this half was Chambers
No I was not I thought it was very poor starting a kid who he didn’t even trust to play ahead of Flamini last season and a kid who hadn’t played a minute in the Premier League. Also playing Coquelin ahead of Xhaka was disrespectful not just to the fans but the team who had already had to endure our season crumble with Ramsey and Coquelin and in the side this year. It made no sense at all but it seems Wenger has an inability to play new signings till the damage is already done so this isn’t a new thing. The rest of the team I agreed with but Ramsey let down the team big time, he needs to take his chance quickly before Cazorla and Özil push him out the team but I pray it has more down
The manager has already ruled out Koscielny from making an early return which is probably the sensible option, although I'd have felt a lot more secure if he was starting this afternoon, so I suspect that Monreal will move back into centre back as cover and Kieran Gibbs will start at left back. Nacho Monreal was our best centre back the last time we had a defensive crisis and that is often overlooked due to our lack of options at the time, the narrative really kicked in during that time. Reports a few days ago suggested that Arsene could turn to Mathieu Debuchy
In today's Arsenal Vision Post Match Podcast: Paul (@PoznanInMyPants), Elliot (@YankeeGunner) & James (@GoonerFanatic49) discuss the heartbreaking 3-3 draw at Anfield. The pod talk midfield problems, Giroud's improvement, Campbell's rise and new signing Mohamed Elneny
Joel Campbell once more. His pass to Aaron Ramsey for the first equaliser was beautiful. Mesut Özil better check himself before Campbell assists wrecks himself, or something. I have a little bit obsession for chipped goals and reverse through passes, Campbell is satisfying the latter obsession. He tried it again for Giroud's second goal and it was Ramsey once again making that run. Wonder if we will see some more of that during this season. From 78th choice on the flank for Arsenal, Joel may have moved to number 2 on current form. All the credit should go to him for his desire and commitment to work himself into this position, then of course his quality which is becoming clearer and clearer as the weeks roll by
We failed to deal with both Liverpool's intensity and also how they outnumbered us in the middle of the pitch with their 3-5-2 system. I wonder how Arsene will look to counteract that this lunch time. Perhaps Danny Welbeck will start on the bench so we can fit Ramsey, Cazorla, Coquelin and Özil into the same team. Or maybe we will just concede possession
How can a governing body wielding that much power, allow decisions to be made by people who quite obviously have no experience or understanding of the game? It must be time to have representation on these panels from someone -anyone - who has some level of experience in football. If not, stupidity, violence and cheating will continue to go unpunished because of appalling incompetence and ridiculous loopholes put in place to enable fat, corrupt bureaucrats to have no means of overruling the dubious Nazis they allow to