Four games – four defensive errors - Boro 2 Asnl 1

Keep Flag Flying
By Boris Mellor
October 1 2005

Four games and six points and the main reason is not forwards failing to score, but defensive frailty. At the current rate we are heading for 38 goals conceded, which is almost what we conceded last year. If we do that again we will not win league.

More worryingly we have gone behind first in three out of four matches. Chelsea, Fulham, and Boro all scored first. Newcastle didn’t, but that is because they can’t score full stop. Chelsea scored and it was too late to come back, Fulham scored but are too poor to hold a lead. Boro scored, went deep and suckered Arsenal for the second goal, good night Vienna.

My first reaction was to blame the forwards, but in the first 30 minutes we looked the team most likely to score, Boro’s first real shot was the one they scored with. So we could berate the forwards for not scoring – but if we had gone in level at half time that could have put that right. But by conceding the goal it was only going to get harder, Boro went deep, and sure enough they got the second.

On another day Arsenal will create less chances and score more, but no use if the defence continues to leak like an old rusty bucket. By the way blaming Cygan is not enough. Four games, four defensive errors, everyone by a centre back – the roll of honour?

Toure 2

Senderos 1

Cygan 1

At the moment it’s Toure who is making the most, and worst errors. He is getting too tight on players, he did it against Fulham and Boro, forgetting where the ball was and playing rugby instead. We need Sol fit, and Senderos back on form. The defence need coaching and drilling.

Arsenal also needs to shake off having horror performances just before the CL midweek game. Last year it was the awful draw against WBA at home. International weeks, and the CL are still undermining Arsenal far more than they should.

Fortunately for us it did the same for Man U. Unfortunately they are not the team to chase, Charlton are.