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Ipswich 1 Arsenal 0 (Carling Cup): Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

By: Sairax | January 12th, 2011
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Arsenal hadn’t lost to Ipswich on their home ground since 1984. Funny how every time I’ve heard a stat like that this season, we manage to let that particular record slip. It was a poor performance today from the Gunners and one that leaves one’s head shaking. Here’s what Wenger had to say about it:

“Every single pass was a problem from the start. We rely a lot on our sharp and crisp passing, but that was always a problem tonight. In every department we were below our usual level. In the second half we looked more vulnerable defensively and I’ll put that down to fatigue. But I believe we’ll turn it round. We got a good warning tonight … and we will not always be as lacking in creativity as we were this evening.”

That sort of sums up what we saw tonight. It’s amazing really. The team that was sent out was more than capable of getting a result. Many of them had a glorious opportunity to show Wenger why they should be starting more games over some of our other players. Yet what we saw was just a dismal effort, in a cup semifinal no less.

The first 10 minutes went fairly well. We were pushing the Ipswich backline back into their own penalty area and not giving them too much of a chance to attack. After that, things just petered along with sloppy possession and no one taking their chance to shoot. In the 16th minute, Theo blasted a shot into the outside netting. Ipswich managed to win a couple of corners and then we tried to break. Nothing in our attack seemed to click particularly well and we were not able to hang onto possession effectively. It wasn’t long after that that Ipswich put the ball in our net through an overhead kick, but luckily for us it was deemed offside. Ipswich defended well during this time, not letting us play up through the middle and making great blocks. Some more messy play, half-hearted efforts on goal, and Eboue flopping around like a fish and that was it for the first half. Where was the spirit and drive? The players looked like they were already looking forward to the 2nd leg.

I didn’t think the 2nd half could have been much worse, but it was. The thing is, our centrebacks weren’t playing badly. The main problem they faced, particularly in the 2nd half, was long balls over the top. Both Djourou and Kos don’t really accelerate very quickly, so the Ipswich forwards found themselves in a ton of space at times with our CBs scrambling to get back. (Hey, maybe Samba could help with his pace and fleetness of foot!) They dealt with most of the threats well, except for the ball over the top that led to the eventual goal. It came in the 78th minute when Priskin brought the ball down, beat our defenders, and finished his chance off nicely. It looked offside to me, but it doesn’t really matter since we never looked like we were going to win the match at any point. To be fair, it’s not like Djourou or Kos had much help. They were very isolated from our midfield at times, which was surprising because I noticed Denilson sitting quite deep at times. Perhaps it would have helped if Denilson or Eboue did more than just jog back at times. Very infuriating to watch. The more we pushed forward the bigger the gap seemed between our defense and attack, which worked pretty well for the opposition. We lacked real penetration and we were too narrow at times. Not that are crossing was great either. That’s not even mentioning our awful set pieces, half of which consisted of Fabregas kicking the ball into the wall or too short to beat the first man. Not exactly the inspiring display of a team that wants to win trophies.

You would have thought that the players would have learned something from this past weekend when we played against Leeds. Do not take any opposition lightly. Ipswich are having a tough season. They haven’t been in a good run of form and they just had their manager sacked. The Carling Cup could be the one bright spot in an otherwise dismal season. Did we think they would like to get hammered 7-0 again like they did against Chelsea on the weekend in their FA Cup tie? They showed up to this game like they wanted a win. They dug in and got a result playing like a team. They fully deserved to win, unlike us who, quite frankly, showed little respect for the tournament and opposing team.

I would continue ranting, but I just can’t do it anymore. I ranted after the ManUtd game, the Shakhtar and Braga CL away games, and our first Chelsea match. We lost to a Championship side in the Carling Cup and drew against one in the FA Cup over the weekend. We haven’t scored from open play in the last 303 minutes we’ve played, which is the longest drought this season. That includes 2 games against Championship sides and the Man City game. It doesn’t make good reading and we need to start putting the ball in the back of the net again, and soon. We have a lot of important games coming up in a short space of time. These kind of results have unfortunately become the norm for us, while performances like the ones against Chelsea and Birmingham are becoming fewer and farther between. When Theo van Nasregas is on the pitch backed by Song and Wilshere, we look good. We look very good. The second we make a couple of changes it seems the team falls apart, and that cannot happen. Wenger needs to start kicking some butt and the players need to start repaying the faith that Wenger has kept in them for so long. It isn’t going to happen the easy way, and they obviously don’t realize that. Sometimes the guys really show their age in situations like this when they are expected to show up and get a much-needed result. Winning is hard work. Some of these guys need to realize that and grow up.

Player Ratings:

Szczesny 5.5 Made a couple of very good saves, but his decision-making and judgment were suspect at times. He was almost chipped when caught far off of his line and it looked like he handled outside of his area as well. Distribution still needs improvement.

Eboue 3 His constant diving is just getting embarrassing now. He gets beaten for pace and looks generally clumsy. Oh yeah, and he’ll be our rightback against Barcelona. I expect Pedro to rip him a new one.

Djourou 6.5 MOTM Our best player, though the bar wasn’t exactly set very high. Continues to show his qualities with each game. Great in the air and really saved our butts a couple of times when we looked like conceding.

Koscielny 6 Had a decent game. He always looks like he’s making an effort, even if he isn’t the finished product yet. Got in a few good tackles. Made a couple of bad decisions when he fouled in a dangerous area (though he was given a bad pass initially) and also let the ball bounce from over the top, almost leading to a goal.

Gibbs 5.5 Looked lively and tried to keep play going forward, but nothing was really coming off for him. Ipswich defended against him well, I thought.

Denilson 4.5 Didn’t help much in either defense or attack. The best way I can describe his performance was that it was vestigial.

Wilshere 5.5 A bit anonymous and looked a bit petulant and annoyed. I have no idea why. It’s not like he was being kicked off the pitch or the ref was making bad calls. Not his best game.

Walcott 6 His pace always makes him a threat, and he did constantly try to get in a shot or a cross when he could. Credit to Ipswich for not letting him get too much time and space. Often didn’t have a teammate at the end of one of his crosses. I don’t know if he needs to communicate better or if the other players just fell asleep and didn’t read his intentions. Needed to be more clinical with the few chances he did get which were wasted.

Fabregas 5.5 I thought it was a great idea to start Cesc today. He could provide that spark of creativity that Rosicky was unable to bring in recent games, we could get ahead in the first leg, he can come off early and be rested in the 2nd leg. I couldn’t have been more wrong. He hardly looked bothered half the time. He’s been talking a lot lately about winning everything for Arsenal and bringing trophies, but he didn’t look at all like he wanted to win today. I know it’s just the Kiddie Cup and everything, but I would expect our captain, of all people, to be the one to remind everyone how close we are to making a final. He was misplacing passes and getting dispossessed quite easily at times. Had a couple of nice balls in behind the Ipswich defense, but generally a subpar performance.

Arshavin 4.5 To be fair, it didn’t seem like lack of effort was his problem today. I don’t think I saw the Charlie Brown walk at any point (maybe I had my head in my hands and missed it?). Maybe I’m just getting used to his body language or something. Basically, he just had another bad game. Shots going wide, not anticipating passes, and never really looked threatening.

Bendtner 4 I think he’s had enough games now to show us what he brings to our side. Maybe someone forgot to tell him that he isn’t the first choice striker at the moment because he turned in another lackluster display. I’m not even sure if he got a chance on target. You are a striker. Get in the box and attack any ball that’s coming into the area. This was a cup semifinal. What happened to “Big Game Bendtner”? No where near enough to displace RvP or Chamakh in the pecking order.

Subs:

Song 5 Brought on for Jack who was losing steam. Can’t really say he made too much of a difference; not enough time to really have an impact.

Chamakh 5.5 Had a decent header and a good clean strike on target late in the game.

Vela N/A Ran around a bit. Can’t really remember much of anything he did.

Either this team lacks so much confidence that they cannot believe that they can get themselves to any cup final, even in a semi against Ipswich, or they are so arrogant that they believe they can sleepwalk their way to a Mickey Mouse Cup victory no matter who the opposition. I don’t know who this team thinks they are, but if they want to win their first trophy together, they need to work like a dog for it and earn it. You can’t play like champions if you aren’t champions. You have to crawl before you can walk, and if that means we have to win the Carling Cup before we can attempt greater ambitions, well then so be it. We are one match away from a cup final. The players better start acting like it when they play at the Emirates.

***************

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Category: Carling Cup, Match Review Tags: Carling Cup, Ipswich Town, Match Review
    Tweet « Ipswich – Arsenal Match Thread | Home | Gdenkoshwith this kind of inconsistencyArsenal is doomed to fail!! am a die hard arsenal fanatic but wenger sometimes discourages! arrange the players well and buy the defenders mister wenger.Gigi_manOh and Eboue...? I repeat myself: he is NOT right at the back, simple.Gigi_manWell, for me I just had enough of Denilson, the guy according to the writings is not a HMF, maybe he thinks that because he is Brazilian all is done?
Also getting to the limits with Nick, at least Theo isnt the striker per se, but whats up with all the cocky attitude?
And Arsha is just breaking my heart.

Apparently its a disease, and these and others are spreading it to Cesc and others?

Flaps back please, then, and no more joking.

AW should indeed kick some ass, and really start pucking his players to give his faith to....just saying.

How much did Arsha cost..? just askin...GdenkoshGigi you have said it all and i think AW should read this and act!! i support you.SairaxBtw, before everyone starts listing everyone they want to sell, let me just say now that no one is leaving. At least not now. This is the team we have for the season, so saying 'let's sell him and bring in him' is doing nothing really in terms of constructive criticism.Junichi Ezechiel BennettNope, and I think the players have qualities, our style of play is good, we were just not good enough. I think the main issue is we have a full squad, which didn't happen for a long time. Actually, everyone was used to play "a little" because of injuries. For the first time in years, almost everybody is available, and and "natural" first XI has emerged. And mentally, some players have to go past that mind-hurdle saying "your a substitute, really not the first choice".
Let's remember that last year, Denilson was almost a starter. Of course, he was benched sometimes, but when he was on the starting XI, he wasn't like "an alternative". Bendtner had no competition up front, there was no strikers. Arshavin, he was "the spark" of the team, etc. I think what we have lacked against both Ipswich and Leeds is a level of concentration and assurance. Those playing were like, you know how we are before a final exam at school, like the situation is binary: "you fail to impress or you succed in it". Nope, it should be "you have to play the game, and just win it".

And what is amaeing in football, is that everything is contagious. A player a good mood can be contagious to the rest of the team. Tonight, it was the inverse situation. The likes of Arshavin, Delison and Nicklas were contagious to the rest of the team. So what can Arsene do about that? I don't know? Here, start a new work for him. But definitely we have to win this cup. It's like a natural step. If we win it, for sure it will be the beginning of something huge.Gigi_manFor me its a stagefright thing and I agree at some level with you.

Whereas as Nasri did it and Flaps too, there arse simply people (not ony players) who cant.

Mental strenghth isnt for everyone. Psicho staff please, next to Medical staff please.Darren_VI dunno, I always thought competition for places could only be a good thing in a squadJunichi Ezechiel BennettI think, a team consist in players who start, and players who have to push those who start to be better. But the things are clear, some are the starters, the others are the substitutes. Things can change with the time, but it's well define at the beginning. And in my opinion, the problem is that we are facing that situation for the first time. Because of injuries, last year, for example, those who were available played.

So yes, competition is good when each player's role is well define and well understood. Right now we are in the "understanding process".MartinRemember when we were heavily scouting Conor Wickham, but we wouldn't meet Ipswich's asking price? Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a do-over on that one -- that guy looks like a real player. He's a grown-ass man for a 17 year-old and he was running everywhere, muscling us around, and looked really good on the ball and crossing. Kid's got a chance to be really, really good.

As for the other team?

I thought both center backs, Gibbs, and Theo were all very good today. Everyone else was pretty lackluster -- Eboue was atrocious. Still confident we can pull it out in the second leg, but it sure would have been nice for the players to actually put in a performance and get a nice win so we could relax a little. Although I actually thought Arshavin was pretty decent tonight when given a chance to do anything. Big credit to Szczesny for that save at the end, though -- he doesn't make that save, we lose 2-0 and we're really up against it.

I just don't know what happened -- Arsenal were completely unwilling or unable to break through their midfield at all. I'm not defending the strikers, because they weren't good today, but they really didn't get a lot in the way of service -- it seemed like the ball just wasn't even finding its way to the front 3 -- the three midfielders and full-backs would just dick around with it for 6-7 passes and then give the ball away.

And just a reminder that the away goals rule is different for the Carling Cup semifinal -- it does NOT apply after 90 minutes, but it is applied after extra time. So in other words, if we were up 2-1 at the end of 90 minutes in the return leg, Ipswich would NOT go through, as would happen in the Champions League -- rather, it would go to extra-time. But if no goals were scored in extra time, then they would go through. If that makes sense.

I'm gonna go play Red Dead: Redemption and take out my frustration by shooting some rustlers in the head.Darren_VMaybe the reason the strikers didn't get any service was their own fault. As in, RVP and Nasri have excellent movement off the ball, making it very easy for the team to find them.
Bendtner and Arshavin are not exactly well-known for their movement, shall we say.
Theo is good for the ball over the top, but if the other forwards are not drawing the defence forward, it makes it easier to defend Walcott's pace.SairaxOh thank god you're here. I was so frightened and alone!

Looking back I'm wondering if I was too harsh with the ratings. On the other hand, we just lost to Ipswich. At least their Canadian rightback Jamie Peters looked good.

That away goals ruled is messed up.Darren_VGood news, Eboue won't be facing Pedro v Barca. Pedro usually plays on the right.
Bad new, Eboue will be seeing alot of David Villa... eghad!

I really don't understand why any team wouldn't come out and press Arsenal all over the pitch. We clearly cannot handle it, and our own pressing is usually off and we are so so sooo open to simple balls over the top. ManCity and Chelsea were stupid to sit back against us.
Leeds Ipswich Wigan all came out to play and got a result. As did Newcastle, West Brom, Liverpool. Manure pressed us high up the pitch and we couldn't handle it.
It's a huge and massive issue imoJunichi Ezechiel BennettWell I think that Man City and Chelsea had no options than sit back against us, the quality of our play forced them to do that. But we're talking about two games were our strongest team was on the pitch...Gigi_manEboue and Denilson cant play that game, Simple, plain.
We do need a fit rest of the team, a fulll Nasri and Cesc.
And someone to please, please shoot at goal.

But again: Eboue NOT in the back and absolutely NO Denilson. Plain and simpleSairaxMessi isn't on the right?Darren_VHe has been playing through the middle alot lately. A false 9 like RVP. Although you could call it an invisible 9 as well.
Basically he starts as the CF, but drifts all over the place, even to the defenders to pick up the ball. But no one goes into the space he vacates, leaving the 2 CBs with no one to man mark and having to read the play more. And as anyone who has play CB knows, it's very odd not to be defending a man.
I read a tactic blog last week showing this. I'll find the link at work tomorrow. It's pretty interesting
SairaxAh ok. I haven't been able to watch too much Barcelona this season. So then I guess Villa would be out wide at times too. ThanksSteve WhiddonIt is hard for the fans to feel warm towards the lads - especially those who travelled so far (or got up at 2.45 in Thailand) when they are repaid by that performance. If Arsenal are paying any more than 2 'n 6 a week for Eboue, Wenger's judgement in signing him for 5 years must seriously be questioned, as would any further games starting Denilson or Bendtner. The efforts of Eboue, Denilson and Bendtner and to a degree Arsharvin seems now to be rubbing off on some of the leading lights in the team as well.JGPerfectly written, as always, Sairax. For a big club like Arsenal to have not just demoralizing losses, but demoralizing DISPLAYS a large number of times when the season is just half over is very worrying. The usual suspects (Denilson, Arshavin, Eboue, Bendtner) always perform like this, and the fans keep saying the same things over and over. Very frustrating. Wenger should really give some of the guys a kick up their backside or otherwise start giving more chances to JET, Aneke, and whoever our starting reserve fullback is (you think Nordtviet would have done a better job today than Eboue?).blog comments powered by Disqus
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Fergie is Right: Nothing Compares to Man United/Liverpool

By: Rob | September 18th, 2010

There is a disarmingly friendly air around the build up to tomorrow’s clash between Man United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Hodgson exchanging pleasantries, the two good friends taking to the dugouts of the two biggest teams in the land, for the biggest fixture in the land.

Its a big change from when Rafa Benitez was Liverpool manager, his relationship with Fergie was far more strained. Make no mistake though, the two will put their friendship on hold, and on the pitch, and in the stands, there will only be acrimony. It is the biggest fixture of the season – similar to El Classico or the Derby d’Italia.

It doesn’t matter how either side is doing – which is fortunate, as both sides have been all over the place. Man United are coming off the back of a collapse against Everton last week, and a draw with Rangers midweek in the Champions League, while Liverpool’s Jekyll and Hyde performances have seen a struggle to get a point against Birmingham, followed by a 4-1 win in midweek.

Fergie has said that this fixture is “the one” and that no English fixture compares to it, and he’s right. In the playgrounds at school everyone had a team, and also cheered on either Man United or Liverpool when the sides met. The preference might change for whatever reason, but most supporters will want one side or the other to win, regardless of how their team is doing on Sunday.

I’ve written before on the history of the derby, and a couple of years ago I said the striking thing about the two sides is the similarities. The Working Class, Anglo-Irish, Industrial, rich in culture, rich in football success similarities. This year in particular, the similarities seem particularly pertinent.

Both clubs are currently owned by Americans, but not the fun kind. Both clubs have been saddled with the debts of their clubs owners and while Man United supporters wear Green and Gold to defy the club’s ownership, Liverpool are currently in a power struggle, with the owners effectively being told to get the hell out, but with Hicks in particular desperate to cling on.

Both clubs have worries about their future on the field as well. There has been a weird feeling over the last couple of years, that the “Man United Era” of the Premier League might be beginning to wind down. They’ve been such a dominent force over the last 20 years that it genuinely is hard to imagine, but the immediate future doesn’t look quite as bright as the immediate past.

Last season was a disaster for Liverpool fans, and with the rise of Manchester City and Spurs, has raised plenty of questions about Liverpool’s status as a member of the Big Four. I think the “Big Four” will always be Man United/Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool, but the Big Four won’t always be the sides in the Champions League.

All of this makes the early-season derby more fascinating. Both sides could use a win as a real jolt towards the top. Its impossible to overstate how much the fixture means to both clubs, and winning for either side will be a massive boost over the coming weeks.

Fernando Torres, who has been struggling for form a little, surely must be looking forward to this game more than most. He has a great record against Man United, and if anything can boost his season back up to becoming the talisman Liverpool need him to be, a goal or two against United, at Old Trafford would surely do it.

Similarly, Wayne Rooney has gone through a well publicised rough spell. For an ex-Everton player as well, to score the winner against Liverpool would surely be the result he needs. He’s going to come in for a lot of abuse from the crowd I’m sure, and it’ll be interesting to see how he reacts.

I honestly can’t wait, it is going to be absolutely huge.

Category: Liverpool, Manchester United Tags: Arsenal, Big Four, Chelsea, Derby, Gerrard, Liverpool, Man United, Manchester United, North West, Rooney, Torres
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