Head up the Arsenal. Where the defense disappears.
Before the match, NBCSN commentators especially Graeme La Saux were agog about Swansea’s lack of corners, the least in the 5 big leagues. A feature attributed to a transformation from Mikael Laudrup’s wide game through Nathan Dyer and Michu to Garry Monk finding success through Gylfi Sigurdsson linking up with Wilfried Bony down the middle. Against this Arsenal side, a cross is always a good bet to expose the ponderous heart of defense as too slow and too vertically challenged. Five of those six leads squandered have come through wide positions. Sure enough, Jefferson Montero down the left who all game long had a hapless Calum Chambers head on a pike, once again stretched out the defense with the re-engineered centre back struggling to keep up before floating a cross. Bafetimbi Gomi coming in for Bony found success as did Abel Hernandez, Fernando Ulloa, and midweek Anderlecht’s Aleksandr Mitrovic before him as the Arsenal defense failed to react as he rose above them, quicker and stronger for his winning header. That was the 78th minute.
Three minutes before, Sigurdsson equalized through a blindingly brilliant free kick which sailed over and away from a ragged Arsenal wall with enough cracks in it with 5′ 6″ Cazorla, 5′ 6″ Flamini, and 6′ 5″ Mertesacker lining up. In the space of three minutes, Swansea who had no goals through set pieces or crosses all season, had two. Wenger turned to Wilshere, Walcott, and minutes later, Yaya Sanogo paired up with Welbeck. Again, no Podolksi, though he was available on the bench and has shown a propensity for big time goals. Walcott had a big scoring opportunity but his first touch after Alexis Sanchez did all the spadework let him down and Fabianski was able to collect. It was all over quickly after that.
In perspective, leaving Chambers so exposed was criminal, he should have been given cover through Ox the quickest midfielder. Or withdrawing Monreal to make way for Hector Bellerin, the speedster right back and switching Chambers to centre back. Slowing down Montero would have made all the difference. The lack of defensive depth and a squad hollowed out through injuries would make intelligent man management a priority. But Wenger increasingly shows neither the flexibility nor mettle for obvious tactical considerations. Such stunning tactical inertia or naivete in poorly thought out substitutions is just more begging to be punished ruthlessly in a league getting increasingly compressed. In contrast, Garry Monk’s substitutions made an immediate impact, Barrow earning the free kick, Gomis his first league goal. The gap between top placed Chelsea and 4th placed West Ham is 11 points, the same between the Hammers and cellar dwellers Burnley 16 teams below. Not one single club can be taken for granted however adverse their historical record.
Swansea’s surging turnaround takes the shine off the attacking endeavours through the Ox, Welbeck, and the ever indefatigable Sanchez as Arsenal went ahead in the second half through a spectacularly worked out goal. Bony’s carelessly placed back pass was pounced on by the Ox who blistered past midfield brushing aside Tom Carroll and keeping on his feet to find Danny Welbeck to his right entering the box at speed. He thought of having a go himself but instead of settling on a low percentage shot, with great intelligence and composure, cut back, to find Alexis Sanchez in a perfect position to place the ball past Fabianski. As good as that was, there was a better one in the offing in the first half when Welbeck shot straight to Fabianski after an intricate one-two with Sanchez. The trio were all positivity and bristling menace but it was in the middle where Mathieu Flamini, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla’s drop off continues allowing Swansea to dictate terms.
Ramsey seems to be overdoing it to separate himself from an overcrowded attacking midfield and Sanchez taking over his last season thunder when he was the hero on so many occasions. The casualties are the basics of protecting the ball and accurate passing. Losing the ball in the Swansea half proved costly as Kieran Gibbs fouled Mamadou Barrow for the Sigurdsson free kick. If Arsene Wenger has any self awareness he would try and modify Ramsey into what Oscar in Chelsea is achieving under Jose Mourinho quite successfully. The Brazilian has ceded the creative edge to Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas for less heralded defensive duties assisting Nemanja Matic.
In the beginning of the season, fans questioned the wisdom of not replacing Thomas Vermaelen and buying a quality holding midfielder. What was low level grumbling was tamped down by the Wenger’s signings. Sanchez has paid off brilliantly, Debuchy and Ospina are out with injuries, and Chambers so bright till this match shows his limitations matched against pacy, physical wingers. But at this point, Arsenal’s defensive malaise go beyond mere manpower limitations and have become psychological millstones dragging them down. This a side leaking self belief and composure with every defeat. Once again, Arsenal signals they are there for the taking no matter how many goals you are down. Blood in the water. A house of cards. Candle in the wind. Frighteningly, Wenger did not have a clue how this is all happening:
“It is difficult to explain how we lost the lead.”
Arsenal have lost leads against Leicester City, Hull, Man City, Southampton, Anderlecht, and now Swansea. How costly has this been? They have effectively given up competing for top spot in the Champions League group. Crashed out of the Capital One cup. And have only eked out 3 points out of a possible 12, which would have placed them in a comfortable second place in the league. And the fallout has its psychological toll. Sanchez who has given his side the lead in all six matches must be frustrated beyond belief as to what else he can do. And yet, the manager has no answers.
In a fortnight, Arsenal face Man Utd who despite their defensive issues and injuries, should be favoured to win because Arsenal have proven so obliging over the years.
The highlights (painful):
Swansea vs Arsenal 2-1 All Goals & Highlights 2014 by VideoRE