If teams could be subjected to Linnaean classification, Arsenal would probably come out as genus Scyphozoa, the non-stinging jellyfish. Those ethereal, luminous, effortlessly gliding organisms doomed to wash ashore reduced to a pathetic gelatinous blob of cellular material wound around flotsam. Quivering with a poke of a stick but otherwise quite dead.
What else can explain Olivier Giroud’s senseless sendoff in the latest example of Arsenal’s emotional intelligence now hovering between that of a neonate and a toddler. After losing to AS Monaco in the knock out stage last season, the Gunners also provide strong evidence of suffering from learning disabilities. This coming on the heels of both Manchester sides losing to far superior opposition which should serve as a wake up call no match can be taken for granted on the European stage. Arsenal’s problem is it lies in a state of either inertia or being reactionary. Seizing the initiative and being pro-active has never been Arsenal and Arsene Wenger’s strength. It’s a strange conundrum- a side well seasoned into it’s 18th successive appearance in the Champions League, demonstrating such protracted mental frailty.
Olivier Giroud is for a player of his size and strength, a soft touch. When he misses from a scoring chance, there comes out the tongue, a sort of frustration barometer. He goes down too easily and sitting on the turf windmills his arms to signal his displeasure. It’s an annoying tic and shows a player who gets mentally boxed in too easily. Yes, it’s been a tough month for him with Wenger playing devil’s advocate with Walcott and his scoring touch which often times is flighty, deserting him. Two good chances on goal which Eduardo denied both times probably frayed his nerves further. But there is no excuse for his stupid flailing tirade at the referee for which he received a deserved booking after he had clearly committed a foul. It put him on short notice and in the 40th minute he was gone after a much softer challenge. Arsenal played a man down and a goal down, an unlucky deflection coming off Alex Oxlade Chamberlain but when you’re the Gunners rarely do you count on good fortune.
The second half, Dinamo added another goal as they continued to riddle Arsenal’s porous backfield manned by Mikel Arteta, a player missing many minutes, slowed down by age and injury, and never entirely comfortable in his role of protecting the back four. Off a corner, Gibbs and Koscielny make a meal of defending Junior Fernandez. It was all too reminiscent of Monaco actually. Clever, surging counterattacks and a stingy, biting midfield. This is what the the manager of the Croatian side had to say after the match:
The Dinamo manager, Zoran Mamic, described his team’s performance as tactically perfect. He added: “We tried to close the middle and stop their fast passes. It is nothing new. Other teams who have beaten Arsenal play like this.
“This is a good way to beat them. We were just concentrated on not letting their quality players come to the ball.”
It’s all too simple to beat Wenger. We have gone through so many iterations. But this brings no tactical adjustments from a manager who can be out coached by a 12 year old learning the game on an Xbox. After keeping Coquelin and Walcott on the bench with an eye out on resting them for the weekend game, he was forced to bring both out in a desperate roll of the dice. Arsenal put in an improved performance and clawed a goal back through Walcott but once again the rearguard action was too little too late.
Arsenal roll into Stamford Bridge this weekend with their tails firmly tucked in between their legs. They face a Chelsea who have been battered in the league but are feeling better about themselves after their victory against Maccabi and who always find ways to use Arsenal as a pinata. Nothing will change.
For those Arsenal fans want to inflict pain on themselves: The match – 1st half and 2nd half.