By drawing 2-2 with Swansea, Arsenal slipped up again in a game which all but ended their minute title hopes. Arsène Wenger made two changes from the 6-0 mauling at Chelsea, but his side were powerless as the Gunners dropped yet more points.
Arsenal started positively, keeping possession and seemingly camping just outside Swansea’s box. Despite that, Wilfried Bony gave the away side the lead when he got across and onto the end of Neil Taylor’s cross to head home,there may have been a stint of poor marking from Thomas Vermaelen as he didn’t track Bony in time. Arsenal rarely threatened Michel Vorm’s goal in the first half, only Santi Cazorla forced a save out of the Dutchman with a tame effort. Arsène opted to play Arteta and Flamini as a double-pivot and they lacked the passing range and mobility to feed the forward men at the times when Arsenal seemingly needed it most.
Arsenal came firing out the blocks in the second half, with the full-backs and wingers firing in a number of crosses which rarely found Oliver Giroud. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was replaced by Lukas Podolski on the hour, and the substitution paid dividence when Kieran Gibbs got in behind the Swansea defence and fed the German who fired home from point blank range to level the scores. A minute later it was 2-1 as Arsenal came pouring forward with Lukas Podolski once more, his low, perfectly-timed cross was greeted by Oliver Giroud who turned the game on its head and made it 2-1 to the home side. The Emirates was suddenly alive and breathing signs of new life into their season. But Swansea were no pushovers the tried many a time to get in behind Arsenal and that strategy paid off when Leon Britton’s burst forward ricocheted in off Mathieu Flamini and made it all square once more in the dying minutes of the game.
Where were we inadequate?
Arsenal were not at their best, in fact it was very far from it. You can say what you like about injuries, etc. but some of the teams above us seem to have deeper squads than us and can cope with injuries better. This isn’t new phenomenon either – it happens year after year.
Arsenal look mediocre in all areas, but one area I want to specifically identify and analyse in-depth is the defensive midfield area which we have employed lots of different combinations over this season. From Arteta and Ramsey to Wilshere and Flamini. This area of midfield has been one of our strongest positions in years, with arguably our best two deeper midfielders both injured in Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere. The one problem is when fielding Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini is that you lose that penetration and drive that Ramsey and Wilshere give you. They also provide energy and do a tireless job of protecting the defence or pulling another defence apart themselves. Mikel Arteta is half the athlete that Ramsey is but has twice the discipline Wilshere has. So there are different aspects to think of when it comes to picking apart the different midfield combinations. We seem to have a lot of talented options, it is just about what combination to field when all are fit. If that ever happens.
Last night’s game just rectified that case even further, Arteta is very slow and can’t catch up with a fast defence whilst Flamini is very indisciplined when he comes into the team. Come back soon, Aaron Ramsey.
