The wrong Arsenal team turned up to play Manchester City in the Carabao cup final. It had the majority of the same players that can look sublime in attack but, no, it was the other one. The clueless, amateurish, inept side, the one that frustrates and loses to the substandard opposition. The one that provokes season ticket holders to announce that they will not be renewing.
The team where the fans have to leave the stadium because they’ve exhausted their patience and the one that makes you embarrassed to wear the replica shirt in public. Such was Arsenal’s timid and unimaginative display, that you could forgive the impartial viewer from a far-flung corner of the Galaxy for thinking that they were from a much lower league.
All the old failings were there for everyone to see, all the same issues of the last 8 or 9 seasons were exposed once more by a City side who didn’t even put their foot down on the gas. It was a workout, a practice match and an expensive kick about, especially for the Gunners fans who parted with hard cash and left Wembley with nothing to show for it.
The truth is that the North London side looked like the season couldn’t end quick enough. They were tired, disorganised and scared of a side that have scored all season for fun. Out of all Arsenal’s stars, no one really did themselves any justice, there was no fighting spirit, no trench mentality and no desire.
They stared at each other on occasion, searching for solutions and answers, they looked toward the bench and into the face of their tired manager but he offered a blank and helpless expression.
Guardiola didn’t need a game plan or a series of highly technical or intricate tactics, he just needed the North London club to turn up and roll over and that’s exactly what they did. They were unable to carve out realistic chances, lost the ball too often and were caught on the break by a City squad who thrive going forward with plenty of options.
They looked seriously out of salts, lacked endeavour and ideas, and after they conceded the second goal, those behind the scenes could attach blue ribbons to the handles with confidence before heading off to the canteen for the rest of the match. As an Arsenal fan it was positively awkward to watch and the optimism that one felt prior to the match started to evaporate after the goal machine Sergio Agüero, slotted home his 199 City goal.
The North London club seemed to be stuck in neutral and barely showed any sense of urgency, something that was picked up on by former United player and pundit Gary Neville. As the match progressed, Neville became more irritated with Arsenal and that irritation developed into a series of scathing rants.
Neville singled out Ramsey and Xhaka for special criticism
“An absolute disgrace … they’ve given up … spineless … they’re walking around on a football pitch”.
The camera then showed a young Arsenal fan in floods of tears, devastated by disappointment in probably his first major trip to Wembley.
“That’s what they’ve caused.”
Neville said sternly.
It didn’t end there, the pundit’s observations developed into an endless rant about Arsenal’s general approach and attitude and you sensed that the former United man was about to explode. He was particularly cross about their lack of urgency.
“Ramsey’s walking. They’re walking. Xhaka’s walking. Ozil’s walking. Don’t walk at Wembley. You’re 2-0 down. Run.”
Seats were vacated and there was a tangible sense of anger about the way this supposed “top-flight side” gave nothing and ultimately ended up with nothing. Is there a way back for this side? Not this season, no. It’s over, we will not be in the Champions League next season because it’s going to be mathematically impossible within the next handful of games.
If they continue to play like this they will not have to concern themselves about the Europa league for too much longer either. The Carabao cup was City’s biggest win in a final and Arsenal’s heaviest defeat but more than that, there was the sudden realisation that the gap between the top six sides is getting wider and Arsenal are, at present, incapable of mounting a serious challenge in any major competition until they sort out their defensive problems.
It’s all wrong, there’s no cohesion, no chemistry, no understanding, it doesn’t matter if they go with a back 3,4 or 5 for that matter, the personnel are wrong. Wenger needs a holding midfielder of genuine quality, no more excuses, no more ignoring the fact, he needs one URGENTLY. He then needs to dismantle the central defensive partnership and dispatch his current options to the “for sale” hanger and buy wisely when the transfer window opens.
Ramsey, Xhaka, Elneny, Koscielny, Mustafi, Chambers, Welbeck, Ospina and Cech, all need to look for other clubs, time has run out and so has patience. The patient needs surgery and it will only get worse if left unattended, the diagnosis hasn’t changed for years but the condition is critical. Dr. Wenger needs to use the scalpel, to cut away the malignant parts of Arsenal if they want to survive. If not he may be the next casualty.
