One of the most maddening aspects of following Arsenal is the presumptuousness of its online fan base. So many supporters seem to be able to read the minds of the manager and players; there’s also a know-it-all contingent that enjoys lecturing the club’s representatives on the proper exercise of their professional duties.
As a result, I hesitate to generalize about the priorities, motives, or mindsets of Arsenal executives, manager Arsène Wenger and his staff, or the players.
That said, I think it’s fair to say that Wenger prefers an entertaining style of football, one that encourages the attacking players to express themselves. This is both an aesthetic choice and a business choice: Fans pay for style and goals, and it’s easier to recruit great players by promoting their freedom.
For those reasons, my guess is that the manager is not likely to persist much longer with the approach that produced lackluster performances at Southampton and West Ham. One goal in those two matches, regardless of the opposition’s preference to thwart Arsenal rather than assert themselves offensively, is not the return Wenger wants to deliver.
Expect, then, a different Arsenal when Newcastle visit the Emirates on Saturday.
Again, I don’t presume to read the manager’s mind here or to tell him what to do. God forbid.
Instead, I’m just taking him at his word. For example, reflecting on the match at West Ham, he said, “I will adapt a little bit to the problem we face. I played a back four at West Ham because I thought we’d have a lot of the ball and wanted one more offensive player in the team.”
He also noted that he expected Newcastle to approach the match from a similarly defensive posture, so it’s not crazy to conclude that we could see four at the back again on Saturday.
The question is, who will constitute the attack? The starting center forward (Olivier Giroud), one attacking midfielder (Alex Iwobi), and a central midfielder (Jack Wilshere) were all different against West Ham than they had been against Southampton. Those three have largely been part of the “A-Prime” team that we’ve seen in midweek cup matches.
Although perhaps none of those put in such a poor performance individually on Wednesday, the collection certainly did not amount to a scintillating attack. Sometime star man Alexis is also far from his best—for whatever reason. Would Wenger keep his game-changing qualities on the bench when Arsenal really need a spark?
I’ve no idea what the manager will or should do. But I’m fairly confident that the answer will be interesting.
Trends to Watch
Much of the discomfort Arsenal have experienced this season has come on the road. Performances at the Emirates have been much more pleasing, in general. That despite most visitors setting up to defend in the final third. Can the Gunners leave their frustrations where they happened—away from home? Can they overwhelm Newcastle during one exceptional period and then manage the game from that point? And which group of 11 players, and what playing structure, are most likely to produce those outcomes?
How the Match Plays Out
This topic calls for presumption, but here goes: Arsenal are aggressive from the first whistle, closing down the Magpies and jumping on mistakes. The free flow is back, orchestrated by Mesut Özil, and some of the clinical goalscoring edge returns.
Players to Watch
Arsenal. Alexandre Lacazette. Arsenal paid a record fee—and commensurate wages—to acquire the Frenchman from Lyon. It made those investments precisely for conditions like this, when the team is struggling to score. Maybe that’s not fair, but that’s the business.
Newcastle. Isaac Hayden. The former Arsenal prospect will be motivated to show his worth to his former club, and his position at the base of the midfield might allow him to do that. His responsibilities won’t be eased by the absence of partner Jonjo Shelvey.
Earlier this week, Andrew Mangan from Arseblog explored the less angry, if not muted, reaction to Arsenal’s defeat by Manchester United. It’s worth thinking about this collective psychological shift as Arsenal prepare to visit Southampton on Sunday.
Although I have disagreed with Andrew from time to time, in general I find him a thoughtful, measured, and articulate observer of the club. I would certainly trust his read on the mindset of Arsenal supporters online.
So when he notes that – apart from those outlets that traffic in outrage – the reaction to Saturday’s home loss was “less acute,” that seems like a reasonable statement about a changing mentality.
He goes on to speculate about the reasons for this change: A combination of Manchester City’s breakaway form, “weary resignation” or apathy over past perceived failures, fatigue with what some view as the same story unfolding, anticipation of the end of manager Arsène Wenger's era.
All could be true.
What I’ll say is that whatever the source, this represents a healthy turn. The vitriol of yore certainly didn’t do the Arsenal players any service – all the research on sports psychology indicates that a supportive environment is one of the elements grounding elite athletes’ success.
What’s more, I don’t think it’s particularly functional for those up in arms, either. We are talking about a sporting endeavor here, something that’s supposed to be at least entertaining and at most enjoyable. Individuals don’t survive very long hating what they should be enjoying.
In that light, for the love of Bergkamp, please try to find something to relish about the Gunners’ encounter with the Saints on Sunday.
We probably have the genius of Mesut Özil and the superhuman drive of Alexis Sanchez for a short amount of time, so take pleasure in what they do. We haven’t seen a striker like Alexandre Lacazette at Arsenal in a good while; watch his movement and guile. We’re blessed with one of the world’s top all-around midfielders – do yourself a favor and be amazed at the skill and stamina of Aaron Ramsey.
If you’re also, like myself, interested in the interactions of the complex organism that is a professional football side, take a few minutes during the match to focus on the interplay among Özil, Ramsey, and Granit Xhaka. The understanding of space, the timing, the skill, and the synchronization of movement by these three are a joy to behold.
It’s a human endeavor, though, which means it won’t be perfect and may not meet our expectations. Accepting that fact may, indeed should, reduce the emotional stakes. All the better.
Trends to Watch
Center half Shkodran Mustafi won’t play due to a thigh strain. Until the self-destruction against Manchester United, Mustafi was part of a defensive trio that had not lost a match.
Will the manager replace Mustafi with a member of the squad, Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, or will he restructure the defense as a back four? He did that in the no-risk setting of Thursday’s Europa League contest with BATE Borisov. As a consequence, the flow through midfield was noticeable.
Such a setup would also be a way to reintroduce Jack Wilshere to the Premier League XI. Wilshere can’t do much more to prove he’s worthy of a league start than he’s done in his cup outings.
The guess here is that, away from home less than 72 hours after the previous match, Wenger sticks with three central defenders and goes with Mertesacker in the middle.
How the Match Plays Out
Southampton took the imperious Manchester City to the brink of a draw in midweek last week, so the going won’t be easy for Arsenal. Despite their less-than-prolific goalscoring record this season, Saints can feature Charlie Austin again up front. The former QPR man has troubled the Gunners in the past.
But midfield is the key to this one. Arsenal set the platform there to permit the attacking talent to thrive; this happens on Sunday, giving one of the Gunners’ relentless attackers enough support to find the Southampton net.
Players to Watch
Arsenal. Mesut Özil. The German is in the top form of his Arsenal stay, just as his contract winds down. Watch and cherish his wizardry while you can.
Southampton. Oriol Romeu. Southampton’s noteworthy performances in recent years have come when the Spaniard has ruled the midfield. If he dominates that crucial area the way he can, Saints will have a foundation to trouble Arsenal.
