Painful Transition
Clocked End
By Boris Mellor
March 31 2007
This morning Arsenal Times wrote: There again it could be a good time for Liverpool to play Arsenal, as the Gunners are notorious for failing to get their rhythm back after international week.
Well that was certainly an understatement; it was more than rhythm that was lost, defensive composure went completely out of the window. It was reminiscent of the 2000 –2001 season when Arsenal lost 4-0 at Anfield, and that felt even worse as it was the 23rd of December – what a Christmas present that was.
Yet worse was to come when on the 25th February the Gunners lost 6-1 at Old Trafford, oh how the Mancs crowed. Mind you that team might have had more of an excuse, that not one of the back four spoke English, it was a bit of a scratch eleven unlike the Liverpool game.
Now if you had told anyone that that team was in transition they would have laughed your head off, the team would need a few changes. But the changes were not that extensive. The main change was Lauren at right back, and Cole at left back, the core of the team remained unchanged.
The next season that team won the double, of course if losing heavily meant you won the double the next year then most teams would have won it. The only point is that teams in transition can go through some very rocky moments. No doubt there will be one or two that will not make it to the other side of the transition.
One problem for the team in 2000-1 was the lack of communication; there is a similar problem with this team, a lack of teamwork. Today’s biggest problem was a lack of partnerships, there was no teamwork, just strangers. Perhaps Liverpool’s pacey play was the cause of that, but Arsenal did have possession, at times lots of it, it was in the final third that they were toothless.
The midfield was full of players unable to link up with anyone else; Hleb in particular seems to have gone backwards. Arsenal’s best patch was when he was taken off, for a brief while, with Freddy and Rosicky, the Gunners looked far more direct. Gallas’s goal gave the slightest glimmer of hope, but more defensive weaknesses saw Liverpool score a fourth and that was the end. Letting Crouch score a hat trick smacks of defensive feebleness, true the cross and header could not be legislated for, but much of it was incompetence.
No doubt conceding a goal in four minutes made the task impossible for Arsenal, forced to chase the game they took risks in pushing up for an equaliser. Liverpool benefited again and again as they hit Arsenal on the break. Once again it demonstrates how much Arsenal miss Gilberto playing in front of the back four. His speedy return will be essential to a strong run in to the finishing line.
Will it be the full backs that change for next season? Or will it be Baptista, who sent one of the best chances of the game into row z? Baptista is now running Kaba Diwara close for the all time club shit shot record.
I wouldn’t dwell on it too much, when Arsenal beat Liverpool twice in a week the press claimed that the scousers world had ended, well it clearly hasn’t, and I doubt if it has ended for the Gunners either.
Well it’s a right sickener, but now Arsenal fans know how Liverpool fans felt – three times this season
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