EBL@EBL2017
I am beyond calm about Arsenal from here until the end of the season.
Last night's emotional outburst from the masses was predictable, but also predictably illogical.
In moments like this, true analysts comes to the fore and the weak are separated from the chaff. The charlatan's reveal themselves in broad daylight. Unfortunately, they take up 99.9% of the population.
Anybody who complained about Arteta's system, the balance, certain players not succeeding because of the coach, or even those complaining about certain individuals not being up to par are almost all completely mistaken.
We learnt nothing new about Arsenal last night. Not one thing. From a tactical or player-based point of view.
The reality of the situation is that Arsenal came up against the most in-form team in England and played a rotated team due to injuries. This is not an excuse, as Arsenal should still be beating Southampton, but losing to them becomes less of a surprise when considering the context.
Arteta's selection was incredibly balanced. I only saw one other analyst on this platform say this, and he is correct. Completely. Yet he is being 'dragged' for it. The first half performance proved that to be entirely correct, too. Arsenal were dominant against a Southampton team who didn't press.
However, Southampton did have some moments. Why? Because Mosquera, White, and Gabriel all made unforced individual errors which negatively impacted the flow of the game. That's football, and it can happen, but it certainly happened far too often last night which made the game basketball-y.
Then, as the game wore on, Arsenal got weaker due to their injury situation. It was 1-1 at the time and Arsenal had Dowman in the #10 - a role that is instrumental to organising Arsenal's press and exerting control on the game. As good as Dowman is going forwards, his non-existent attempt at a counter-press for the first goal conceded, lack of defensive intensity, and immaturity to organise the press is why he will only be used as a wildcard late on in games against deep-lying defences or when Arsenal need a goal. Right now, he is a total passenger defensively.
Then, to make matters worse, Gabriel came off injured and Havertz came off as well (no doubt to manage his load). Arsenal were simply not as well co-ordinated as they typically are defensively as a consequence of these factors all taken together. Arteta picked a rotated team which got weaker as the game went on.
The second goal summed up their issues. Southampton kicked long from a goal kick down Mosquera's side, he failed to win the initial aerial duel, and instead of Arsenal having one of Rice, Merino, or Havertz to compete for the second ball on the left, they had Zubimendi, who also failed to win the duel. From here, Southampton scored in transition.
Would that have happened if Arsenal didn't have injuries or need to rest Gabriel, Rice, Merino, or Havertz? No. But it did happen, and knockout football is ruthless. One loss and you're out.
But does a rotated and injury-hit Arsenal team losing to Southampton mean that the club are in crisis mode? Or that the system is fundamentally broken? Or that there is genuine concern over the Premier League title race or the Champions League situation?
Not to any attentive viewer, no, and here's why:
In the Carabao Cup final, City surprised Arsenal tactically. Mikel and his staff should have come up with solutions at half-time, but they did not. Players also could have helped on the day, sure, but they suffered too.
But, like I said at the time, would Arsenal rather be surprised tactically in the Carabao Cup final or in the league game against City? The answer is so obviously in the cup final.
Now, when the league game comes around, Arsenal will be prepared to face that likely City set-up. Trust me on that.
Plus, despite losing to Southampton, the balance in the team was excellent. We saw that in the first half. Just because individual errors and a weakened performance as the game went on may skew that notion does not mean that Arteta's system is flawed or that any individuals are not up to par or anything ridiculous like that. Remember, none of Raya, Timber, Saliba, Hincapié, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Trossard, and Gyökeres started. That is quite literally Arsenal's XI outside of Gabriel, and he came off injured too!
Realistically, the argument being thrown about regarding the defeat to Southampton is that because Arsenal's second string XI lost, the entire season is in jeopardy.
I mean… come on! What a lot of nonsense!
Remove emotion from the situation. Zoom out. Realise that Arsenal are 9 points clear in the Premier League with 7 games to play. City have a game in hand, sure, but that game in hand is against Chelsea away. Plus, Arsenal have to play first in the Premier League against Bournemouth at home, giving them the opportunity to extend the lead to 12 points with 6 games to go.
Arsenal are also in the quarter finals of the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon. The weakest team left in the competition.
If you said this was the situation to any Arsenal fan at the start of the season, they would have bitten your hand off for it, and rightly so.
Plus, I don't buy into the notion that Arsenal are in bad form as they enter the business end of the season. What a whole load of contextless nonsense that is.
City sprung a tactical surprise in the final. Arsenal will be better prepared for the league game. Plus, against Southampton, Arsenal played their second string XI. They are one off occurrences.
The only legitimate concern Arsenal have at this point is their injury situation. The likes of Timber, Gabriel, Hincapié, Rice, Saka, and Trossard are key figures who Arsenal need to be fit and firing to see out the season.
Plus, knowing the freakish nature of these guys, I don't expect them to miss too much football from here on out. They are almost all athletic freaks and mental giants.
Outside of that, I couldn't be more calm and confident about the situation.
Plus, on a personal level, last night revealed that my mission on this platform is far from complete. I still have so much work to do to educate the masses. So, so much work.
I feel outnumbered in this moment, but I will not waver. I never have. Not since 2017. And I am not about to start now.
Signing out,
EBL.
