Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Nicely, that was not good. A 1-0 defeat to Newcastle makes it three video games with no win within the Premier League, and albeit we barely deserved the 0 in that scoreline.
I’ll be sincere and say I wasn’t a fan of the beginning line-up. Regardless of enjoying very nicely there final week in opposition to Liverpool, Thomas Partey at right-back simply doesn’t do it for me. It’s not even a lot about his skill to play there, as a result of he’s typically effective, nevertheless it all the time feels just like the staff isn’t correctly balanced. It’s like going out with a shoe two sizes too small or one thing. I can’t clarify it, however I essentially simply don’t prefer it (which, I realise, is my subject above all else).
Nonetheless, while you see a superb right-back beginning at left-back, it’s onerous to not be a bit annoyed. Particularly when the supervisor talks about it afterwards, saying:
I don’t have the impression he [Partey] struggled a lot. We don’t have one other proper again as a result of Ben couldn’t begin the sport.
I feel the primary half is totally true, actually not more than anybody else yesterday, however the second half is considerably disingenuous as a result of he did have Jurrien Timber, and a plethora of choices for left-back. It would nicely say one thing about these choices. I can perceive, for instance, if Mikel Arteta was reluctant to start out an 18 yr previous who’s being repurposed into that place while you’re enjoying a tough staff away from dwelling. Nonetheless, it’s not a ringing endorsement of both Jakub Kiwior or Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Hindsight is 20/20, however would now we have been any worse off with Timber at right-back, Kiwior or Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left, and Partey in midfield? I don’t suppose so. We had been terrible yesterday, I don’t suppose that line-up might have struggled much more, and the chances are in midfield we’d most likely have been higher with Partey in his extra pure place.
The one aim of the sport got here from that aspect too. I don’t suppose Partey’s header is nice, Newcastle switched it rapidly, Anthony Gordon put in an excellent cross and Alexander Isak thumped dwelling and spectacular header. On TV they mentioned how generally you simply have to simply accept the opposition have scored a ‘excellent’ aim, and whereas the supply and end had been glorious, I feel we might have achieved a bit higher. The preliminary header might have been higher, as I discussed, and it’s uncommon to see William Saliba so flat-footed, he might see Isak drifting off the again of Gabriel and didn’t react. Maybe that’s nit-picking, however nonetheless.
Anyway, the aim got here within the 14th minute. There was loads of time to react, to reply, and to get one thing from this recreation, and we didn’t. Or couldn’t. It was, to my thoughts not less than, our worst efficiency of the season. We had been simply so pedestrian. Newcastle made it bodily, which is hardly surprising, and it was onerous to construct any rhythm, however we didn’t do sufficient to trigger them issues.
The one probability of the primary half fell to Mikel Merino, and whereas it was near aim, there have been so many our bodies in the way in which it wasn’t like he missed a sitter or one thing. Within the second half, Declan Rice had a second which noticed a shot deflect not far huge, and it’s a must to go to the 93rd minute for our greatest opening. Bukayo Saka’s cross to the again put up ought to have seen Rice equalise, however he headed huge. That summed up our day. The horrible end, and the paucity of alternatives.
Arteta tried to vary the dynamic, placing on Ethan Nwaneri and Zinchenko with half-hour to go. The previous struggled to make an impression with simply 11 touches, though he did have an try at aim which few others managed; whereas the latter performed so poorly you possibly can totally perceive why the supervisor wouldn’t ponder beginning him in a recreation like this. Gabriel Jesus got here on and made no impression, and there wasn’t even a Hail Mary look for Raheem Sterling which could additionally inform you one thing about how Arteta views him at this second in time.
Even set-pieces, one thing we’re normally actually good at – higher than anybody else! – had been terrible. Rice’s supply was dreadful all day. The consistency of his corners, free kicks and many others, has been actually good, and I don’t suppose he took one first rate one yesterday. The sport received scrappy, Newcastle gained free kicks and wasted time (which they’re completely entitled to do, by the way in which), and it was as much as us to discover a resolution. We couldn’t, and whereas I don’t suppose they put us below large strain with plenty of possibilities, I feel they deserved the three factors. And I hate saying that.
Afterwards, Arteta mentioned:
We weren’t ok and didn’t have sufficient solutions to get out of that, particularly creating the menace that we wanted, so on the finish, you’re reliant on two or three massive possibilities that we had with Mikel, two with Declan and one with Gabi. Not sufficient menace to vary the sport in any second and win it. That’s the irritating half, however credit score to them as nicely for what they did.
For me, solely the Rice one might be categorised as a giant probability. The Merino one I’ve talked about, and I do not know what he’s speaking about in the case of Gabriel Martinelli. He didn’t have a shot or an opportunity all day. In the end it is a efficiency the supervisor has take full accountability for. I’m positive he’ll, he’s not one to shirk that in any method, nevertheless it was a day when the absence of Martin Odegaard was totally felt.
The truth that we’re determined for a 17 yr previous – who’s undoubtedly extremely proficient by the way in which – to fill that hole most likely says extra in regards to the state of the squad than Nwaneri’s potential. That’s not a criticism of him, however when your solely creative-minded midfielder is an Academy child who continues to be feeling his method into the sport at this degree, then it’s essential take a look at the way you’ve constructed your squad.
Hopefully Odegaard might be again quickly, there’s chat he is perhaps in line to make the Inter recreation, and that may solely be an excellent factor – albeit I fear slightly about prompt burden he’ll be carrying on this staff. What Arteta has to do is get us out of this funk in a short time. Man Metropolis dropping yesterday was a slight security internet end result for us, however now we have to enhance quick.
This can be a staff that unquestionably can play higher, that may rating loads of aim as we noticed final season, however proper now one thing’s not proper. Not a single participant on that pitch yesterday got here anyplace close to their finest, and too many had been a good distance beneath it. This needs to be our blip, if we’re to problem once more this season – and it’s already trying fairly tough – then the supervisor has to discover a method to get them firing. In any other case, it’s a season that might very simply slip away from us by way of the title. Some would argue it already has, but when there’s a silver lining, there may be time to make up floor, however virtually no margin for additional error.
Proper, I’ll go away it there for now. Again tomorrow with extra, and an Arsecast Further. Have an excellent Sunday.