Watching the match with an increasingly certain sense of an inevitable calamity, counterbalanced just enough by that tragicomically irrational optimism of football fan, I could only admire and respect the cheery tenacity of the faithful away fans who had all throughout the season represented the Arsenal with a consistency that if were replicated by the team itself would have been most reassuring about the progress that we all, at least most of us, try to believe is being made. But progress is never linear, and the old cliché about two steps forward and one step back came to visit Arsenal at the time of the season when it was least welcome.
Though this is supposed to be a match review, something that I should have written at least twelve hours ago if not earlier, I find in me not a molecule of enthusiasm to recapitulate the actions, in a structured or chronological manner, that had unfolded on St. James’ Park, often a site of Arsenal triumph in the recent past, but in this occasion turned swiftly into the burial grounds of Arsenal’s hopes of returning back to the Champions League (no, I don’t think even the pasta gods can cause an upset on the final day of the season). If you belong to that rare set of Arsenal fans who do not yet know the result, we lost 0-2, put on one of our most abject performances of the season, and suddenly looked like a team that have reverted all the way back to the form and confidence of those late summer days when our season had started with a bone-chillingly horrific run of results. The result was more than well justified, Newcastle was much the better team, there were no egregious refereeing errors that skewed the course of the match away from us, and we hadn’t had to consume any particularly indigestible slice of bad luck. Ødegaard and Emile Smith-Rowe – two players of immense potential and already some memorable performances under their belt — had two of their worst performances in Arsenal colors (nearly as bad as the Villareal semifinal last season), Tomiyasu (likely not fit enough as the forced substitution in the first half demonstrated) was uncharacteristically troubled, Xhaka and Elneny, after a series of eye-catchingly composed and progressive midfield performances, reverted back to their worst incarnations, Nketiah convinced us again of why Arsenal has remained unconvinced of his future roles as a reliable striker for us, and the entire team for the most part simply forgot to play. White and Gabriel didn’t look fully fit, Saka has been running on fumes for a while now, and Newcastle won almost all the duels, pressed more energetically, and played with a sure footedness that completely deserted us.
I think it was Adorno who had said that the the splinter in your eye is the best magnifying glass. The pain of experiencing this temporary regression – temporary, for I am convinced that the team has made noticeable progress especially as evidenced in the upward curve in the second half of the season – handicapping us exactly when we needed the team to overachieve also bring to our field of vision the cracks and crevices that must be addressed to sustain that progress and then build upon it. In a certain way it is indeed impressive that after going into the second half of the season with no genuine top-class goal scorer – whatever is your opinion of Aubameyang’s latter day misdemeanors, he had in the past often single-handedly won us matches where our performance didn’t necessarily deserve a victory – in the squad, then losing our main midfield player and the first choice left back (who is also often a talismanic figure full of sangfroid and bloody mindedness), and then the first choice right back, who had proved to be essential to the tactical versatility which facilitated the frontline youngsters to express themselves best, we managed to go into the final weekend of the season with still a mathematical chance of qualifying (no, it won’t happen, don’t hope for the improbable) for the Champions League next season. (But in the same breath one might say that maybe a little bit more foresight and proactive attitude in the winter transfer window may have seen us bolstered enough to help us through this final stage where we are likely (surely) to fall agonizingly short of what would have otherwise been a truly exciting achievement.) Anyway, after accepting that bit of well-deserved applause coming from the mirror in front of us, let us also acknowledge that a lot needs to be done over the summer in improving the matchday squad in all possible ways by adding both depth and quality, and depth in quality, especially given that we would also have Europa to contend for, and surely should also try to seriously go for the domestic cups. Qualifying for the Champions League in 2023-24 has to be the minimum goal, and to quote one of Mikel’s favorite phrases, a “non-negotiable.”
And once that essential prerequisite of squad strengthening is achieved, the real work would begin, and I am looking forward to a rapid maturation and growth of the matchday collective – the playing squad, the manager, the coaches, all of them can and must evolve – in the next season.
Cheers Doc! Good stuff.
Thank you, Dr F for a calm, clear-eyed view of what happened and where we are. The fact that if we had been offered 5th at the start of the season so many of us would have snapped it up attests to the progress made by the manager in particular this season; We may feel deflated, but that’s only because we were given a glimpse of the promised land before we thought it possible. Not to mention before we were ready for it. While every season is itself a complete unit, there is still the bigger picture. In that bigger picture,I am convinced the trajectory is upwards. Here’s to next season.
A fine reflective piece, Dr F, summarising our recent crushingly disappointing outing and where we stand in the greater scheme of things. Onward.
Dr F
May I echo the comments above. This is a balanced and proportionate response ( typical of the approach adopted on this site from the template created by Mr.Faber) and a day or so on while I am still bitterly disappointed with how we have collapsed I can process the result.
My heart went out to C100 and the enthusiastic,loyal and faithful band who have given extraordinary support to the team this season. A display like this suggests the team don’t deserve it . I’m putting together a season review at the moment. Sunday’s match is almost irrelevant now and to lose out to our bitterest rivals( a hugely flawed team but I have to say better coached) is deeply painful .
Our gambles on squad size, strike force and the loaning out or selling of AMN and even Chambers have come back to bite us very severely but the biggest concern and it is huge as far as I am concerned , is how we could play so poorly and react so supinely in such a massive game . This is a team who weren’t in Europe , went out of the FA Cup at the first opportunity and have had periods of time where we wondered where the next game was going to occur .
I will attempt to look at why in more detail but we have too many sicknotes, players who will never play a full season without long injury breaks , we have frankly poor players in reserve, inadequate players in key positions and Arteta has, at times made huge errors tactically , eg S***s . Consistency is a huge issue and Mikel must wonder how the team could be so flat at such a vital time .
They are Arsenal and we love them and they have improved in key areas immensely but I’m still gutted by our collapse
Not sure how losing more games than ever before and losing with the same old weak mentality that’s been hanging around the club for at least ten years can be thought of as progress. A higher league placing is just flim flam that makes things look good superficially.
Arseblog talks about possibly selling a player we all like, in order to get money to buy quality players, this morning but it won’t solve anything. We have been buying poorly for many years and we’ve spent stacks of dosh on some very ordinary players.
Truly great, difference making, players are not available to us and I fear we’re stuck with more seasons of not really challenging for anything without some very very astute buying. And by that I don’t mean showing interest in wasters like Calvert-Lewin.
As far as the injury thing goes, our medical staff has been an area of concern for years, raised many many times on here and the previous blog. If there’s a constant factor in terms of personnel then those people have to go and we need a fresh approach to what we’re doing. I’ve always said that our pitch is at least partly to blame for all this, especially as the training pitches mimic the match day surface. Everything should be looked at, from the pitches to the food served up to the air freshener used in the bogs.
Something is not right and it’s about time it was sorted out.
If we’d made the Champions League I would have possibly pushed the boat out to try to get Declan Rice and maybe have gone after a striker like Lewandowski (if not actually him) for a short term top quality, fix up front.
Both would have been a hard target to land but better than all the names we’ve had dangled in front of us.
I’m still banging the drum for Ivan Toney, even though I reckon his ego might be a gamble. You want a striker with swagger but you don’t want one who thinks he’s worthy of better than you.
I wonder how many of our current squad will be trying to engineer moves away because they want to play CL football, when they had it right in front of them and bottled it anyway?
Cheers Dr.
Had avoided checking in here yesterday, but see this was posted today. 😀
I didn’t really want to read a match report even though I didn’t even see a second of it, live or not, so this was a perfect read!
Sunday will be a bit of anticlimax (and like you I don’t believe even the pasta gods could save us), but I’ll be there and not on a day trip this time, so will have time to quench thirst, reminisce and look forward.
Bravo, Dr F. A veritable dialectic of enlightenment. As TTG indicates, the Guv’nor would have been proud.
Thanks Dr F, a fine summary of where we are now.
Like Ollie I didn’t see a second of it live or recorded and certainly won’t try to now. Family were. Visiting so took precedence and I’m thankful for it in retrospect. Our car just ran out of gas, it appears. Maybe we should fill it up to the top? Thanks for the review, Dr. F., and cheers!
My prediction for Sunday is that the football gods will have us beat Everton and the neighbours draw at Norwich, so they can cruelly punish our goal-scoring shortcomings.
I’m not going to say I’d rather lose because I’d rather not but that’s practically the worst possible outcome there, Ned.😱
Of course, perception would also be different if that’s with them equalising in the 98th min or if it’s Norwich doing so.
My prediction is that we’ll play a team unrecognisable from our usual first team, because of injuries and we don’t think we’ll make fourth, and then Norwich will fluke a win and we’ll lose to Everton.
Glass is not half empty, it’s feckin’ bone dry 😉
Thanks everyone for the kind words!
Ned@8: brilliant reference, love it! 🙂 My personal favorite though is the aphoristic “Minima Moralia” .
For our next season we absolutely need two genuine goal scorers, and currently we have none (Eddie’s recent form notwithstanding). Gabi or ESR or Saka will start being more productive in front of the goal but we really need two additional frontline players, to rotate as well as to play together, who can score consistently throughout the season. Mikel and Edu may want to look at seasoned professionals more than promising talents for these two signings.
That’s a pretty likely scenario, Cynic. I offer another:
Arsenal finally take the lead against Everton with 10 minutes to go after a turgid 80 minute yawn and then news comes in that Norwich have also taken the lead with 10 minutes to go. However in added time… the referee at Letsby Avenue points to the spot when Son goes down in the box and Kane steps up to score an equaliser for the Marshdwellers.
I believe that’s what Ned envisaged, bath, in a more detailed version, with the ‘bad’ perception scenario hinted at by my 13.
DOOOMED!
Dr F.@15: I knew that if anyone would spot it, it would be you!
Cheers Dr F for a fine match review. It was just what the doctor ordered, a wider perspective rather than the grim details of the match itself.
Onto Sunday and even with Norwich being fall guys for most of the season I just can’t see spu*s going full on spursy.
Thanks Dr F – tough assignment well handled.
I’m holding fire on my thoughts for a while longer – I think the reasons for our untimely collapse are a bit of a jumble, as the team has been for the last few games due to the crop of injuries.
I must be mad but I’m hoping for a miracle at Carrow Road on Sunday. Hard to see it, as Kane and Son will turn into Phelps and Daly if they need a penalty in the last 15 minutes and there doesn’t seem to be a referee or a VAR who won’t oblige.
Remember the 2015/2016 season. St Totteringham Day occurred on the last day of the season with spu*s losing 5-1 to a relegated Newcastle. So there is precedent.
Not a good day for an unfortunate Rambo, once of this parish, still he’s done great in the cup finals that mattered😉
Read that Hector is too expensive for Betis and may be on the way back. He had a good season by all accounts so should be able to find a new home fairly easily I guess.
From the Beeb’s Gossip page:
Arsenal’s 26-year-old Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe – who joined for a club record fee of £72m in 2019 – is frustrated at his lack of game time and could push for a move away. (Mirror)
If he pushes he’ll fall through a door that’s being held wide open by MA8 and everyone in the squad.
Oh noes, what would we do without our second worst ever singing after Ozil?
In the meantime, this says it all for me.
https://kevinwhitchersarsenalblog.blogspot.com/2022/05/artetas-project-hits-buffers-do-we.html
Cynic @ 24. i shall not comment on player’s singing as I have not heard them do so. 😬
But yeah, what bath said. I think his cameos at the end of this season (unlike some contributions at the end of previous seasons) have shown there is no hope. Or rather, no motivation. If you are frustrated at lack of game time, make the most of the little you have.
So goodbye Nicolas. I had high hopes but it’s not working and now you’ve given up, whatever the initial reason (sure the Willian signing was a huge fuck-up that didn’t help, so I won’t blame it all on you).
Ollie, it’s the same old tune whoever sings it 🙂
Enjoy your trip to That London.
I sort of like the new shirt but at the same time… I don’t
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/05/19/08/58009141-10832305-image-a-15_1652945229200.jpg
We shall play the Everton game in next season’s new home kit, which has the most annoying shirt collar that looks more suited for a frock. Lightning bolts? Really?
https://www.arsenal.com/feelslikehome
Never been able to beat this one and probably never will. The 2019 would have been close if not for the Rwanda shit and the rubbish badge.*hoping the tags work*
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IAJw9ILMQ-0/XVq3DfgLgqI/AAAAAAAAxfA/zZkBOxDntysc8bDl-LJ0PPKRM8HfbwrlwCLcBGAs/s1600/oleary.quinn.fb.only.jpg
Martinelli reportedly will wear no 11 next season.
Xhaka features prominently in the ads for the new home shirts, suggesting TTG’s taxi service to the airport won’t be called upon.
More importantly, so does Vivianne Miedema. 🙂
I did notice that but she is in the promotional photos, not the video. So is Laca, for what it’s worth. No Pepe, though. 🙂
There’s nobody who would persuade me to buy a new shirt to be honest. I’m too old to wear one and £70 is robbery anyway.
Hector’s Betis loan is done. I myself would like to see him stay, support right back rotational opportunity for Tomi in league and start in cups including Europa, and a spirited, matured presence in the dressing room. Immeasurably better option than Cedric.
AMN it is now abundantly clear doesn’t really want to fight for a right back role. It’s a pity as given his physical and technical qualities he could have become a very good fullback if he really wanted to, while offering midfield options when needed. I expect Sambi to take the opportunity offered by Europa group stages and grow rapidly next season.
Dr F@34: I am reminded of Lauren, a midfielder most reluctant to be converted into a full-back. But he had the good sense to take the counsel of Arsene Wenger — eventually –and became one of our finest right-backs.
Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor are the PGMOL referees among the 36 named by FIFA for the Qatar World Cup. (Only France, Argentina and Brazil also have two.) Simmon Bennett, Gary Beswick, Stuart Burt and Adam Nunn are among the 69 assistant referees, and there are no PGMOL officials on the 24-strong VAR list, which speaks volumes in itself.
There will also be three female referees, Stephanie Frappart, Salima Mukansanga and Yoshimi Yamashita, and three female assistant referees.
https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/1da4b811328add8f/original/MEDIA-Alphabetical-order-List-of-Match-Officials-FWC-2022-Qatar.pdf
Now Everton has secured their PL status for next season, I trust they will be off to the beach mentally on Sunday and not do a Newcastle.
dr. faustus, an unenviable task taken to great heights with alacrity. some long-assed sentences, though. 🙂
everton’s win and burnley’s draw mean everton have nothing to play for, and will be coming off a high high high from today on sunday. so, naturally, we’ll be flatter than they are and labor to a draw. and then we’ll find out spurs bottled it and lost to norwich.
if we manage to beat everton along with norwich beating spurs i won’t know whether to laugh or cry…
I note that Mavropanos has left for Stuttgart for the princely sum of £2.5 m. He can be sold on bytyem for considerably more . Great work Edu .
I also note that he apparently values Leno at £8.5m ( a current German international.)
I imagine Edu lives in a stately pile in somewhere like Hadley Wood . Probably 5 bedrooms,gymnasium and swimming pool. Well I’m very happy to give him £50k in cash. He seems an easy man to do business with .Buys high, sells low
Rumours of looking to off load Gabriel for the same price paid for Ben White. Can’t really see the point in that.
Maybe he wants to go? Wouldn’t surprise me
Vivienne Miedema has signed a new contract with us despite the efforts of most of the commentators suggesting she should move on. That suggests we have ambitious plans to strengthen again in the summer .
Interesting that the narrative on Sky and BBC was that Arsenal had come up short in the league and Chelsea were clear champions. But the gap between Citeh and Liverpool is tiny apparently even though the margin is only one point over a season
If Gabriel does leave it has to be for a serious profit and it would suggest Saliba will return . It might suggest that Danny Ballard could join the first team squad next season. My Millwall mate thinks he is a superb defender. Someone like Umtiti may be an option too
Nice nostalgia piece on Arsenal number 11s after Gabi gets given that number.
Viv signs her extension!
UTA
If Gabriel was sold, we would be without a left-footed centre-back. Can’t see Arteta going with that. Umtiti is left-footed, however. But would that be an upgrade?
Stuttgart retaining their Bundesliga status triggered an obligation to buy Mavropanos at a pre-agreed price of 3.2 million euros. His market value is probably 7 million-10 million euros. We would have saved 3 million euros in salary over his two seasons on loan and got 750,000 euros as a loan fee. Not great business, but not an unmitigated disaster in the context of the larger clearout of unwanted squad players
Delighted that Miedema has signed a one-year deal. We could use some uplifting news.
TTG@39: Leno has only a year left on his contract. Getting £8.5 million (and saving £5 million in salary) seems a realistic valuation in those circumstances. I’d bet he gets sold for closer to £5 million, though. Newcastle’s interest has cooled and he reportedly wants to return to Germany and play CL football. That limits his options. There are no obvious openings at Bayern, Dortmund, RB Leipzig and his old club Bayer Leverkusen. He needs to play somewhere, though, if he is to stay in the German World Cup squad.
Interesting that the narrative on Sky and BBC was that Arsenal had come up short in the league and Chelsea were clear champions.
This plays into the myth building around Emma Hayes, who’s been built up as a coach beyond all sanity. Simple fact is, we lost 2-0 to relegated Birmingham in the first game of the New Year and without that blip we’d have toppled them.
Lost fewer games, scored more goals, conceded one goal less but drew double the amount of games they did. They’re nowhere near as dominant as the media want them to appear.
I’ll chime in to take the half century and agree completely with Cynic @50
Well in for the half-ton, GSD.
Dubious goals panel and VAR getting together to confer on GSD’s goal @50. What most fans would call an obvious half century has been brought into question by GSD’s reference to Cynic’s 49 as 50.
You might think they have better things to do.
Seeing as the DGP and VAR are delaying much too long by on this as they always seem to do, I’ll step in and say great half century GSD. 🙂
Cheers Ned.
It should have said that I agreed with Cynic @49.
So, I suppose I’d have to disagree with myself @50 🤣
Heh, bt8.
I’ll take anything I can get. I’m in full Lacazette mode. 👌
Apparently Harry Kane is feeling unwell and has cancelled a press “event” this afternoon.
That was reported on radio and I’d not my invention.
It’s happening again ……..
Ned, please keep all those financial details coming – gives some perspective – very interesting – cheers ! 👍🏻
He talks like a guy who’s had his jaws wired together anyway, so no great loss to the world there.
Congrats on the half-ton, GSD. And I couldn’t but guffaw at bt8’s 52.😂
Amusingly, Trev @ 55, I’m seeing rumours (no, really) about food poisoning…
I know – I’m not joking
I warned CER not to cook that pasta too early. They might recover enough to be ok. We want them at the messy stage
Trev@56: Is the cheque in the post?
Apologies, TTG, but I saw my opportunity and nipped into the kitchens when nobody was looking. Hopefully they complemented the Cannelloni alla Cascara with the delicious bottle of Chateau Anthrax I left next to it.
Reading elsewhere concerns about getting rid of players on the cheap, but it’s not the selling that’s the problem it is the buying. Has been for years.
We’ve chucked silly money at poor players since Wenger was at the club and some of them have not only been very average players but beow average people as well. So when it comes time to sell, it’s a case of taking whatever we can get and the buying club knowing we need to cut our losses.
If the likes of Guendouzi are seen as going on the cheap, I can’t wait to see how much the club loses when Pepe is sold. Whoever thought he was worth £72m should never have another job in football. There’s also a cautionary tale in Pepe when it comes to Saliba. Looking shit hot in France is a bit like being the best team in Scotland.
I know Saliba is already our player so there’s no fee beyond the silly sums we paid in the first place, but I wouldn’t want him at Arsenal. He wants to stay in France, so sell him while his value is at the highest it will ever reach and buy someone else.
Ned @62, it is but I have taken the decision to amortise the cost over 10 years. You should receive the first 9p next week 👍🏻😉
Excellent, Trev. That will allow me to undercut TTG’s silly money bid for Edu’s house. 🙂
There is no doubting Arsenal are as much to blame for Saliba wanting to stay in France and actually play football. Left to our incompetence he would still be sat in the stands with no squad number. I would at least give him a season in England to see if he can cope with our style of play. The French league may lack quality but it’s better than Scotland and the French national team has won shit loads more than England in the last 20 years. Not that that means much.
Further to my @46, I overlooked two left-footed CBs we have out on loan, Pablo Mari and Auston Trusty, although neither looks likely to help address the left-footed CB issue next season if Gabriel goes. Mari will be sold/get a free and Trusty sent on a development loan in Europe. I’ve read that the club is trying to get Gabriel to sign a new contract to tie him down and keep Juventus at bay, but the Umtiti rumours don’t seem to be going away. Has anyone more solid information on either?
I read via Jorge Bird that Omari Hutchinson has been called up by the Jamaica national team. With Flores (Mexico), Ballard (N Ireland), Hein (Estonia) and Rekik (Tunisia), that makes for an impressive roster of full internationals coming up through the ranks.
>>>>>>>