Zlatan Ibrahimovic inspires Milan to the perfect game

February 16, 2012

If there was a football equivalent of a “perfect game” then AC Milan might have executed it. Unlike baseball though, it’d be qualitative because Milan didn’t overwhelmingly dominate in any of the main statistics – except shots – but their game-plan went perfectly according to plan to emphatically defeat Arsenal 4-0 in the 1st leg of the Champions League knock-out stage. It doesn’t happen often; FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star) might have claimed to have done that when they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the European Cup in 1973, imploring even the Anfield crown to applaud their winner. Or Ajax in 1966 as they defeated the same club 5-1, forcing Bill Shankly to peculiarly declare that “they were the most defensive team we have ever met” – everything just went right for Ajax. Milan’s 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 1994 final may have been as perfect as it got in the European Cup while you can argue Barcelona themselves do it every week (except very recently), winning by doing EXACTLY what it wants.

There is a feeling, though, that Milan played a perfect game because Arsenal’s inefficiencies make that more likely to happen against them.

For all of Arsenal’s progress this season after a summer of discontent, there are still teething issues throughout the squad. Arsène Wenger admitted before the game that this Arsenal team had more “mental quality” than technical quality in comparison to the 2008 side which conquered at the San Siro, noting that that side were “technically perfect.” However, last night they well and truly suffered on both departments. Arsenal had a game-plan – to play in the opponent’s half (“at the start we will try to get out of our own half and try to get up there and play. Spurs won the game when they were dominated, but that is football today”) and in training the players were given instructions on what they might face and must do against the red-and-black. The reality was much starker as on the pitch, Arsenal didn’t react to scenarios Milan threw at them. Patrick Vieira talked about Arsenal lacking “leadership” on the pitch and he’s right. As Gus Hiddink stresses, players must “coach” team-mates on the pitch and Arsenal don’t do that enough.

Much was made of the pitch beforehand and that may have had some influence on Arsène Wenger eschewing a wide game. He started Tomáš Rosický on the left instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, possibly to help cover the returning Kieran Gibbs but mainly to help retain possession better. In that, it wasn’t such a bad move because he was one of Arsenal’s most creative players and by working the ball wide, they might have shuffled around Milan’s supposedly narrow midfield. Milan, though, threw a spanner in the works and set-up much more dynamically than expected.

Massimiliano Allegri played a 4-3-2-1 shape, using the three forward players in a roaming capacity when in possession which overwhelmed Arsenal’s defence because when they attacked, it meant Arsenal’s centre-backs had an extra man to watch. They couldn’t mark man-for-man because they didn’t know who to pick up as Milan committed runners superbly. In midfield, they alleviated any numerical disadvantage, partly because of Arsenal’s shape, but also because they closed of any gaps with a midfield three which was backed up a vociferous three in front. ”Our positioning was excellent and it prevented them from creating good openings,” said Allegri.

Arsenal partly played to their downfall as their shape was closer to a 4-4-1-1 and especially when they pressed, only Aaron Ramsey and Robin van Persie did meaning it was very easy to bypass the men closing down and get into midfield. And when Milan did attack, they used all areas of the pitch, stretching it with a roaming front three and pushing the full-backs forward. Arsenal’s inefficiencies were exposed.

Arsenal's strategy fell desperately apart. Their pressing game was non-existent beyond the front two and that made it easy to pass into the midfield. But it was the front three who caused problems all game for the Arsenal defence - backed up by an energetic midfield. Arsenal might have been expected to have a numerical advantage but Milan overwhelmed them with their tactical dominance.

But Arsenal, famed for their exuberance in attack were improbably flat and suffered from a “poverty of ideas”; they could not get any telling support to Robin van Persie. At half-time, Wenger whipped off Walcott – not necessarily for his individual performance, because were bad all-round but because he characterised the team’s lack of ingenuity. Arsenal were able to work it into wide areas but most often just crossed the ball into the box. Wenger resorted, in the second-half, to looking to play through the two players that Arsenal have that can make something happen – van Persie and Thierry Henry – and now one of those is now gone. The narrow shape created one great chance which was saved brilliantly by Cristian Abbiati but the lack of technical ability in the side is galling. It’s just not Arsenal and Wenger knows it; his words before the game remained upbeat but were filled with underdog rhetoric. But, this is not a club in decline although the strategic direction since the move to the Emirates has hampered their competitiveness. The blow was delivered by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the man who got away from them because Arsenal insisted a trial and The Gunners were unable to handle him as he created SIX chances. He was at the heart of all the Rossoneri’s attacking play. Tuttosport wrote this morning, that it had been a “magical night”. It was the perfect night for Milan.

Via @OptaJean

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Mark van Bommel at the heart of a new, harder Milan

February 14, 2012

They are two markedly different periods in AC Milan’s history but owner Silvio Berlusconi is having to show the same level of faith he did to legendary coach, Arrigo Sacchi, as he is to incumbent manager, Massimiliano Allegri. Berlusconi took over the club in 1986 and after a nervy start, which drew heavy criticism from star striker, Marco van Basten, he kept his trust in Sacchi. That show of confidence was rewarded as it saw Milan experience their most successful spell in their hostory, winning three European Cups in ten years and five league titles. “It was to become a magnificent Milan team, probably unrepeatable, but I was grateful to Silvio Berlusconi,” said Sacchi. “Because he always placed trust in me, especially at the beginning when the losses first came. The board always supported me. Always. The board trusted me and said follow your way, it is the right way.”

And while Massimo Allegri has begun in winning fashion – securing the championship in his debut season – the exuberant spending that once characterised Serie A club owners is no more and that means a different type of trust has to be placed on Allegri. And it is a different type of team too. ”You can’t always dine on lobster and caviar,” said Allegri dismissively when asked about the way his Milan side are playing. “Every now and again you have to be satisfied with a ham sandwich.” His team is a side in transition – not necessarily in terms of age which it seems Milan have forever been stuck in anyway (as Arsenal are in youth); even Sacchi himself has recently belittled the squad’s age – but in terms of philosophy where graft has replaced craft. Berlusconi is willing to accept it due to the financial constraints hampering their attempts to bring in a “fantasia” or a “regista” but also because some argue it’s a step towards the modern era. And it’s because of that ideological shift that Milan stand the greatest chance of overcoming their “English taboo” in the Champions League.

A new Milan emerges

In the library of Coverciano, the Italian Football Federation’s legendary technical centre, sits Carlo Ancelotti’s thesis, ’Il Futuro del Calcio: Piu Dinamicita’ – ‘The Future of Football: More Dynamism’ and though he preferred to err on romanticism when in charge of Milan, it seems Allegri’s team at the closest end of that extreme.

Functionality pervades Allegri’s Milan. Michael Cox of ZonalMarking.net writes of how boring their midfield has become, which is “now based around physical attributes” and indeed, the statistics show that their midfield four is creating less on average, at only 0.85 key passes a game (that means in some matches, they even fail to create any chances). To be fair on Milan, though, they have missed their main creative outlet in midfield, Alberto Aquilani while fantastically intelligent as he may be, Clarence Seerdorf’s heavy legs deem him a liability in the defensive phase. They’ve added energy to their game which was once their kryptonite (they were so impressed by Mathieu Flamini’s astronomical fitness levels in one game, that they signed him a year later) and now they depend highly on individual quality upfront rather than intelligent play from midfield to create chances.

In a sense, Mark van Bommel personifies the new Milan. He makes just as many passes as the celestial Andrea Pirlo did in the red-an-black but is seen as an antithesis of what their midfield was built around before. Pirlo was the conductor; the instigator of attacks while van Bommel is the retardant; he stops the opponents’ attacks. His role, however, cannot be understated because it’s just as important. In fact, he might as well be Milan because take him out and they’re a severely less efficient team. In that regards, van Bommel is just like Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, giving security to a system which was once deemed inefficient.

Milan, who play a 4-3-1-2 formation, have long been regarded as being weak on the flanks, both from a defensive capacity as well as an attacking one. The full-backs are expected to provide the width but as soon as they lose it, they’re just as quickly expected to filter back. Perhaps, it’s a tactic that works well in Serie A where matches are less intense because in the league, the midfield three have done well to get back into position and double up in wide areas but with the pace of Arsenal, Milan might be exposed. Indeed, this is where Mark van Bommel has been superb since his move in January last season – a move which Allegri admits was a gamble, the opposite of Arteta – because he marshals his troops so expertly. “As for Van Bommel, what to say,” said Allegri. “This is a very intelligent player who has already figured out Italian football and gives a sense of security needed in defensive line.”

Against Napoli, in the 0-0 draw a fortnight ago, van Bommel was the coach on the pitch, shouting and ordering his team-mates to position like a general and covered any gaps that emerged. Indeed, theirin may lie a weakness because there’s often an overwhelming reliance on him to paper over the cracks tactically. This can be highlighted by a moment in the Napoli game where, after reading an unsuccessful through-pass, he was ushered into the full-back position and when pressed, rather than get it safe, he played a dangerous ball across his own box which fortunately for his side, went unharmed. Simply, he’s doing too much. And with a booking away from suspension, he’s certainly walking a thin line.

Van Bommel’s success is that he alleviates any weakness that Milan has, especially on the flanks, and shifts the tactical battle in the middle of the pitch – where Milan are strongest. They might draw courage from the way Benfica compressed play towards the middle of the pitch against Arsenal in pre-season in a similar diamond formation although when they did score, it came from expected fashion; a quick attack down the flank saw Kieran Gibbs free Robin van Persie. The fear is that it might happen again. Milan will need Mark van Bommel to be his typical self for that not to happen and the referee to talk groceries with the Dutch midfielder.

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Theo Walcott deserves more credit for being a key player for Arsenal

February 9, 2012

Now that Cesc Fábregas is no more, there is a spot vacant for the player who personifies Arsenal the most. Robin van Persie might be it because of the goals he has scored and also being the incumbent of the captain’s armband. But more suited might be Jack Wilshere who, is not only homegrown, but has a glide and spontaneity on the ball that is supposed to represent the new Arsenal. However, it might be Theo Walcott who defines Arsenal most at the moment. A “product” of Project Youth, on his day he can be scintillating but he is clearly a player who thrives on confidence. The 7-1 win over Blackburn Rovers brought Arsenal and also, Theo Walcott, back to form but as Miguel Delaney writes for Eircom, it tells us little about Arsenal. “But then that’s the point,” he says. “On the day, Arsene Wenger’s side completely exploited one of the most porous and mentally fragile backlines in the league, with that circumstance only going so far as to perpetuate Arsenal’s own confidence.”

One must hope the win results in an upsurge of form because Blackburn was the kind of beleaguered opponents that Arsenal thrive upon and should dismantle given their style. And that they did that can only be positive for their confidence. Walcott made three assists – as good as three goals says van Persie – and he’s certainly buzzing. Perhaps the assists are better for his confidence than goals because it reasserts what he is doing is correct. “The goals are a secondary thing,” he said after the win. Indeed, earlier in the season, he seemed to play with an agenda; in an attempt to demonstrate to Arsene Wenger he can play as a central striker. He has since found that more difficult to prove as chances are harder to come by on the flanks. It might happen only once a match which means Walcott must be alert to it, otherwise the tight defences make it nigh on impossible at times, to get behind. ”When I was younger, my team-mates would kick it behind the defense and I’d run onto it and score,” he told Arsenal Magazine last year. “It’s not that easy anymore.”

Nevertheless, Walcott’s movement is usually excellent and it’s a key feature for Arsenal in breaking down tough, defensive sides. By hugging the touchline, he’s opening space for Arsenal’s passers to work it before darting in off the flanks to get onto the end of it. If it doesn’t pay off, he picks himself up and tries it again. Indeed, if anything, it’s a good tactic to stop him being marked out of games. “If you are on the flanks, you have to make the runs anyway. You can’t stay quiet on the wings and Arsenal are not the sort of team who will cross it anyway. We try and walk it into the net,” says Walcott.

Walcott’s influence has grown with Arsenal’s new system. He’s playing a duel role on the right of the front three – either looking to play somebody in with his movement (his style is rarely focused on dribbling and more on the timing of runs) – or get on the end of it himself. Wenger has stated he is working Walcott more defensively because he’s also acting as a buoy in the system – a balancer in Arsenal’s forward mechanisms. With Gervinho or Andrey Arshavin on the other side, his tracking back allows them to stay up the pitch and play with freedom. Now, the breakthrough of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – the player some harshly argue Walcott should have been – seems to have increased his competition but it might liberate him. Oxlade-Chamberlain is more of a natural winger thus it should decrease some of expectations that have been bestowed upon Walcott in that role. Indeed, while Walcott seemed to revel in Francis Coquelin’s overlaps against Blackburn, the stretching of play on the other side gave Walcott more room to make his runs. He had a couple of opportunities against Manchester United following Oxlade-Chamberlain’s good work too. “It is very very difficult to affect the game against a side like Arsenal, they keep possession really well, they kept their wide players wide all game and that made it difficult for us,” said Blackburn manager Steve Kean after the defeat.

Walcott's presence in the line-up always forces the full-back to look over his shoulder. Against Blackburn, he constantly looked to get behind and as Arsenal's wingers stayed up the pitch, he forced the defence to narrow, creating the space for him to run unmarked.

Wenger has indicated it’s a possibility we might see Walcott play up front; if Arsenal keep the ball well, it might just be a viable option. There’s no doubt he has much to improve and he must understand movement and speed is not enough. Wenger has used Walcott has a counter-attacking capacity from corner-kicks (coincidentally, they’ve scored the most goals from fast breaks this season, 6) and any success in that medium might fast track him into a striker.

As Arsenal's specialised player, Theo Walcott's evolution this season is best highlighted by his dribbles statistic - he's embarked on less this season and plays higher up the pitch. Perhaps it's a sign that Walcott is becoming smarter in his play.

It’s Walcott’s ability to allow Arsenal break away from the endless triangular patterns which they create which makes him such a crucial factor in the side’s and therefore, it’s about time he’s got the recognition he deserves. Selected for the World Cup 2006 manifested a false idea of what Walcott should be as a player and as such, he’s found it hard to develop into the player he promises to be. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s breakthrough might just afford him the time away from the spotlight he deserves. And maybe recognition might come then.

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Wing-wizards prove the difference for Arsenal against Blackburn Rovers

February 6, 2012

The writing was on the wall for Blackburn Rovers even before Gaël Givet’s red card effectively ended the contest for them – as early as the first minute in fact. Theo Walcott found it too easy to creep behind the defence and receiving Francis Coquelin’s pass, he was able to slide in a cross for Robin van Persie to score. This is what happens when everything falls into place for Arsenal and despite the brief aberration that was Morten Gamst-Pedersen’s equaliser, this was as perfect as Arsenal have played this season. Perhaps it’s not possible to read to much into a defeat of the league’s worst defence; the kind of beleaguered opponents that Arsenal thrive upon and should dismantle given their style. But they certainly did just that anyway.

For Arsène Wenger, it was the perfect response to their profligacy previously against Bolton Wanderers and given that the team’s game is based on confidence, Arsenal should take every positive from the 7-1 win. However, there was another part of this win which would provide Wenger with every inch of satisfaction and it was the contribution of the wide men.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott were superb, stretching the play before cutting into Blackburn like a pair of flying daggers. They played slightly differing roles, giving Arsenal a balance they had before lacked. Oxlade-Chamberlain, on the left, showed dexterous footwork allied with the ability to see the penetrative pass. Walcott, though, prefers to kill through subtle movement, darting off the right flank to deliver decisive passes. Indeed, the wide area has been a problem position for Arsenal in that it hasn’t delivered what they’ve wanted. Gervinho has got into great positions before inexplicably suffering from frequent bouts of nervousness; Oxlade-Chamberlain’s fearlessness is a marked contrast. And that Arsenal’s play has become more vertical, it’s forced Walcott into a more orthodox winger role. At least recently, Arsenal have shown visible steps to improve their ball retention. Here though, everything fitted into place as Walcott delivered three assists and he was rampant in creating for chances, evidently boosted by the presence of an overlapping full-back. Meanwhile Chamberlain – some regard as the player Walcott was supposed to be – showed his all-roundedness by scoring two goals, some fantastic footwork and a great understanding already with Robin van Persie.

It might be notable that the terminology Wenger uses to describe the system fluctuates, often in the same press conference, sometimes as the team playing with three “strikers” or “wingers”, highlighting the dual role. If the creative part of the game has slotted into place, the goalscoring hasn’t. Saturday – or rather, Wednesday night following the 0-0 draw with Bolton – might be the turning point. “[Sharing the goals around] was a problem I faced in all the press conferences at the start of the season,” said Wenger. “If he doesn’t score, who scores, you know? It was right, I couldn’t deny that. But I always felt that if you look at our numbers the trio of Gervinho, Walcott and Van Persie were involved in all the goals so they are more the providers because we play with two wingers. But the wingers can score as well, like today. It is something that is needed and we need some more goals from midfield as well.”

If there’s one affect the ideological slant has had on Arsenal’s play, it’s been their ability to keep the ball for sustained periods but here they had a lot of the play in the opponent’s half. That gave a great platform for the front three to revel and by keeping those wide players high up the pitch, it gave the midfielders a constant outlet behind. Blackburn manager, Steve Kean, explains: “It is very very difficult to affect the game against a side like Arsenal, they keep possession really well, they kept their wide players wide all game and that made it difficult for us.”

Arsenal 2-1 Bolton: Arsenal's second typified the effectiveness of the team's game plan. By keeping two wingers up the pitch, Blackburn's full-backs were forced to play narrow. But, with Arsenal keeping the ball so well and creating space by dragging defenders around, they were able to get behind with alarming frequency. Song was superb in aiding that part of the game, often threading key through-balls to the forwards.

But while it might have been a game where everything went their way, it wasn’t the case for Tomáš Rosický who looked visibly frustrated at some of the things he tried to pull off. A kicked bottle summed his mood as his shot at 6-1 was deflected wide. It wasn’t a bad performance by the Czech; he showed the fluidity he brings to the side and was brilliant as Arsenal responded to Blackburn’s equaliser. In fact, Rosický’s role was a great “decoy” role as he roamed across the pitch to create space for his team-mates. Indeed, in the lead up to Arsenal third, Rosický’s part was understating as he was felled playing a quick one-touch pass for van Persie to free Oxlade-Chamberlain to score. Perhaps a bit of his anxiety came from seeing his other attacking peers make a direct contribution to the goals and sensing that extra penetration may set him apart from his rival in the position, Aaron Ramsey. Nevertheless, in midfield, Mikel Arteta and Alex Song once again set the platform and all game, they instigated and probed. Song, in particular, gives Arsenal a drive that they have missed following the injuries to Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby but his forte has since becoming his ability to play the ball round the corner as it is, the attack-braking tackles. Below the chalkboard shows how often he tried the pass behind, failing on four occasions but finding his man with a through-ball, three times (which is actually a large amount by any footballer).

Alex Song passes

On song – and with Alex Song’s passes – Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott can be a formidable foil for Robin van Persie who got his 22nd league goal with a hat-trick. He took home the match ball but the day belonged to Arsenal’s wing-wizards as they put The Emirates in a spell with their performance. It’s as David Winner, author of Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football, told SI.com: ”the two wingers are creating waves while Van Persie dances and plays in the splashes that they make.”

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Arsenal must make more of their chances

February 3, 2012

When Marouane Chamakh signed for Arsenal in 2010, there were doubts about whether he was the type of striker Arsenal need. After all, his record, before the last two seasons, wasn’t very prolific and his, and his team’s form dramatically faltered in the second-half of the campaign. Arsène Wenger, though, had felt that his composure in front of goal could be corrected like other strikers he had signed previously, Thierry Henry and Emmanuel Adebayor to name two. But, a season-and-a-half later, Chamakh’s form has dropped since scoring 10 goals in 17 after he signed to just one in his last 14 this season. His confidence has disappeared and he now ambles about on the pitch, a shadow of his former self and looking to compensate his lack of penetration by constantly dropping deep.

Arséne Wenger feels Chamakh will rediscover his goalscoring touch with confidence, Chamakh’s reply is that he can’t gain confidence if he doesn’t play. Former Liverpool striker, Ian Rush, agrees that confidence has a big part to play in scoring goals and the example of Fernando Torres serves as a prescient reminder of just how important it is. ”Mentally, that’s what it’s all about,” he told Daily Mail in 2010. “I remember when I used to coach Michael Owen, he could have five chances and miss all of them but it didn’t worry him because he knew another time he’d take them all. I had that myself. I wasn’t worried about missing them because, if you’re missing chances, you’re still doing something right by being in the right place. Torres isn’t scared to get chances and, if he misses them, it doesn’t worry him. His finishing is quality but I think Robbie Fowler, for instance, was a more natural finisher.”

Not everybody is a natural finisher though. Henry had an infamously slow start to his Arsenal career while Robin van Persie has scored more as he has matured. “They have similarities, Thierry and Robin,” said Wenger.“At the start they are not goalscorers, they are football players who you expect to create something special. You do not think they have to score so many goals, they added that to their game. Someone like Alan Shearer was a goalscorer first but they are more link players Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry. They are creative players and not just on the end of things. Even at the start of the season, people ask ‘why is Robin playing centre forward, he is not a centre forward’. But both have the intelligence to be in the right place at the right moment.” Van Persie illustrates this in his own way when he says: “A few years ago I used to weigh up the options, think whether there was a chip or a backheel or a beautiful finish, or whether someone else was free in front of goal. Now, the ball has to go in. I don’t give a damn how.”

Indeed, Robin van Persie’s evolution is fascinating and even more so because he has consistently delivered the goals even as Arsenal have implemented a series of tactical and strategic changes in their play. When he first began in the 4-3-3, he blazed a trail for the roaming central striker. Indeed, it looked like his interpretation of the role was going to revolutionise the position of the striker with Sven-Göran Eriksson saying: ”the striker today moves around the field more than in the past, they can go to the left or the right—that’s something that has changed in football.” Now, though, van Persie has refined his game so much that the creative and goalscoring part of his game has almost become blurred. “I’ve hardly ever seen a player who plays so deep in midfield and then is such a danger in the box,” said Jürgen Klopp.

However, if the series of tactical changes can be argued to have been implemented to maximise van Persie’s impact, this season he has been given some help. Wenger has placed a three striker system so Arsenal can be more dynamic and goalscoring coming from more than one source. However that has not been the case yet. In fact, van Persie has monopolised the scoring again, scoring 19 out of the team’s 49 goals and has assisted 5 more. The next closest is Gervinho with four goals and five assists.

Wenger admits there is a reliance on van Persie “because he scores many goals” but the statement is not frank as it may first seem. He feels his team do a lot of good approach play but at the moment, the outlet is singular – usually Robin van Persie. On the other hand, the fact that Robin van Persie has adapted so fantastically to the striker role must partly be owed to the two wide forwards either side of him who have relinquished the spotlight to their captain, setting up 12 of his 25 goals in all competitions. ”The two wingers are creating waves while Van Persie dances and plays in the splashes that they make,” says David Winner, author of Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football to SI.com. If goalscoring is singular, at least Arsenal have improved on last season as creative duties are more spread; Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Alex Song all have four or more assists. Although, so too does van Persie himself.

But if the support players’ altruism mustn’t go unnoticed, so mustn’t their contribution in front of goal which has been almost negligible in comparison to van Persie. Indeed, if there is one narrative to the season – the other being the lengthy injury list – it is the failure to put away chances when the team is dominating. This can be characterised by the start they made against Manchester United in which, while having more of the possession, they looked cautious and hesitant. Gradually, United took the ascendancy and they did so because there was a visible gulf in confidence and the precision in which they executed their attacks. Confidence might explain Gervinho’s conversion rate which has seen him pass up the chances his peers might have. Indeed, it looks like he has inhibited slightly by his early season woes and often looks to other options than taking a shot on himself. Nevertheless, at 12%, it is a conversion rate which surpasses the measly 5.5% and 2.4% of Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey respectively. And certainly, as Tee Song points out on this blog, if the pair were able to match Gervinho’s conversion-rate, the team would have EIGHT more goals this season. Such a detail would prove crucial to where Arsenal end up this season. At least Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain looks to have that “fearlessness” that the team is lacking.

With a young squad, it is hoped that the mental strength in front of goal will come in time but for Arsenal, it must come sooner. It’s not that they haven’t passed up some good chances; they have passed up some GREAT opportunities. As was the case in the 0-0 draw against Bolton Wanderers, it cost them two points and crucially, two places in the league table. It was as Wenger said after the game, the team “lacked a little bit the relaxed attitude we need when we get chances at the moment and hopefully that will go away now.” And it must, very quickly.

Statistic courtesy of WhoScored.com. Table showing the scoring rates of each of the perceived Top Six’s front four and a reserve striker. The bracketed player is not included in the average but only used as an example of the next best player.

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Aaron Ramsey’s drive sets the tone for FA Cup comeback

January 30, 2012

The expeditious comeback may have been seen by some as masking Arsenal’s flaws but there wasn’t anything wholly atypical about the performance. It’s true that Arsenal took advantage brilliantly in an amazing seven minutes to better the half-time deficit, showing a mental fortitude that had deserted them during the winter period but the way they came back wasn’t too unfamiliar. Again this season, as they did in the previous game against Manchester United, Arsenal seemed to benefit from that extra direction given by Arséne Wenger after the break and simply upped their intensity. (Arsenal have won 7 matches after half-time from drawing or losing positions, scoring 13 goals). Aaron Ramsey was pushed closer to Robin van Persie, the team pressed higher and passed the ball with greater urgency than what was lacking in the first-half as Arsenal sought about salvaging the season.

As Alan Hansen writes in The Telegraph, Arsenal’s “system is overly reliant on having regular good days playing attractive football. They can no longer be certain of the old levels of consistency. The way Arsenal defend, they can lose even when they play well in possession.” Thus a cautiousness has snuck in, as typified by their comatose first-half performance and they have generally relied on Robin van Persie to break them out of their tedium. In Wenger’s defence, there were visible attempts by Arsenal to improve their keeping of the ball against Villa; such as the centre-backs spreading wide to receive the short-pass from goal-kicks, Alex Song making himself a visible outlet from the back (that was helped, strangely, by Alex McLeish opting not to have Robbie Keane sit on Song in the defensive phase) and the use quick, short passing in the centre.

But Arsenal have lacked that Cesc Fábregas factor; somebody that can link the midfield and attack and as a result, Aston Villa were not required to exert extreme physical effort to contain Arsenal. They did, to give them credit, defended in two banks of four but Arsenal’s passivity allowed them to gain confidence. Essentially their two goals came by exposing Arsenal’s weaknesses in the only times they attacked. The Gunners dozed off from a short-corner kick to let Richard Dunne head in but scored a worthy goal of their own when Darren Bent put the finishing touches to Aston Villa’s rapid counter-attack.

In the second-half Arsenal finally came to life. The instigator of this comeback was Aaron Ramsey who played less of a roaming role as he did the first and supported Robin van Persie closer. He’s often Wenger’s go-to man, usually tasked with tactical briefs before the match or at half-time with the main objective of taking the game “by the scruff of the neck” and here Ramsey proved the catalyst as his tackle on the halfway line started the move which won the penalty (which he was fouled by Richard Dunne).

Ramsey pressed higher, Rosicky followed and Alex Song followed. Indeed, the whole team did and there was a moment at 3-2 on 67 minutes where McLeish urged his team to push out but lost the ball immediately due to Arsenal’s asphyxiating pressure. The shape of Arsenal changed from a 4-2-1-3 to 4-3-3 and it suited the midfielders better. And the sign that Arsenal are playing with a tempo and urgency is Song bursting forward and the midfielder gave great impetus with his drive. But crucially, the half-time change gave Arsenal a better balance, especially without Mikel Arteta, who made a comeback, and transformed them to the Arsenal we are more familiar with. Aaron Ramsey was key, getting into great positions and linking up play neatly and with the two wide forwards more involved, finally Arsenal had a sting to their play. Yet, most reassuringly might be how Arsenal defended when they pressed higher up the pitch and only restricted Aston Villa to a meek response to the three goal salvo. At the moment, outside pressures and injuries dictate Arsenal’s approach to games but if this was a game which highlighted outstanding flaws that need to be ironed out, it also gave a glimpse to what might be in the coming months.