Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal – 21/11/09 – (Premier League) 22 November, 2009
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News.trackback
Fuck Internationals.
If it weren’t for that bloody break we would’ve won yesterday. Not just because we were missing Gibbs and van Persie and everyone was tired (especially Gallas and Sagna). But also our good run was broken and we lost our focus. The players hardly had one day to get back into the Arsenal state of mind and focus on a tough Premier League game.
We weren’t at our best yesterday but we didn’t play all that badly. I think we badly missed van Persie and the front line of Rosicky, Eduardo and Nasri wasn’t lethal enough – Yesterday was the first game this season we haven’t scored; some achievement for Sunderland seeing as how free-scoring we’ve been of late.
You have to give credit to the home side, the result wasn’t just because we didn’t turn up. They played their football right from the start, they didn’t care that they were playing the team in second place – they have confidence that they can beat anyone if they try and they proved it again yesterday. Their goal was very lucky was due to our awful defending from a corner, the ball was loose in the area and Darren Bent was allowed to get to it first.
Arshavin, Vela and Walcott all came on in the second half but it wasn’t enough to score. To be fair once they went a goal down we really put the pressure on and Sunderland did well to keep the clean sheet. Our best chances were two low crosses across the face of the goal but no one could just reach a leg out far enough to stick it in.
Last year Fabregas scored in the 94th minute to make it 1-1 and I had this thought in the back of my mind right up until the final whistle but yesterday just wasn’t our day.
The players will be upset about the loss but we’ve got to get over it quickly. We’ve got an important Champions League fixture on Tuesday and then Chelsea on Sunday. We should really concentrate on Europe instead of looking ahead to Chelsea but yesterday’s loss has put us in an awkward position in the league.
We’ve dropped into third, three points behind United and eight behind Chelsea now. A win against the leaders would be massive for us but that game is more important simply not to lose now. An eleven point gap this early would be very difficult to close down, even with the game in hand we have. Avoid defeat on Sunday and we’re very much still in it, lose and then we’ve really got some work to do.
Wenger won’t be thinking about any of this yet, we’ve got Standard Liege on Tuesday and a draw is enough to take us through to the next round. We’ll be going for the win though and we’ll want to win well to boost confidence. More build up to come in the week. Thanks for reading.
Playing against teams like Sunderland in the EPL and away is what defines the Champion at the end of the season. These are the absolute Must Win matches and Arsenal’s trophy drought can be traced more to losing or drawing matches like this than results against Man U, Chelski or Liverpool head on. The fact that we conceded on a set piece is functional deficiency recidivism at level befitting a pub team.
As for the match itself, AW must realize that no one below the 6th spot in the table is going to come out and try and play with us for 90 minutes. 10 behind the ball, take the man as often as possible, work your socks off to close down space on the flanks and play on the counter. There will not be “space behind” to get into very often so his lamenting the fact that his team did not “get behind” the defense enough is maybe a line he’s comfortable spilling for the TV cameras.
So we must understand that while getting behind defenses is always desirable, and certainly a “best” way to get good chances, we have to take a page from other teams that face this dilemma on a weekly basis and push defenses as deep as they will drop and then start bombing the ball at goal from outside the box – on target to make the keeper work as well as to leave bits and pieces to be turned in.
As defenses react to that propensity to threaten from distance and push defenders onto our shooting players in the central channel, more space will be available to exploit to slip the ball into to “get behind” much of the defense as well as on the flanks.
depressingly familiar story.already falling behind chelsea who have a manager who prioritises winning above playing a brand of football that flatters to deceive.no nothing mugs and broadsheet press lap his shit up.wonnothing without pat and thierry . was so fortunate to have 2 best prem players at same time,without them would have been exposed years ago.open your eyes and dont take this shit anymore.
everybody will be up for it against the cheating french c**ts for a while and lets face it they have a history of hiding when the going gets a bit hot,
USELESS GUNNERS
From the start of the match believe me i saw arsenal loosing to sunderland. This is the only team that arsenal has not scored any goals. I was very happy to see their heads bowed down in disbelive that sunderland were the winners. Yeap beaten by sunderland and who said that sunderland can not beat arsenal. They will be beaten again and again… That game really made my day
Fuck off Ruthiee
it’s not so bad – sunderland at home are no pushovers for anyone, and the other top teams have all lost against lower placed opposition. of chelsea’s remaining 8 games this year, 5 are away from home, inlcuding us, man city, and west ham, then they have a home derby against fulham – let’s see where they are in january before we get caried away with gloom
fucking hell what’s wrong with you ruthiee? Useless fucking prat.fuck off and stick yer spuds shirts on you cunt