Another North London Derby has passed us with talking-points aplenty and goals apiece as we head into the frankly dull international break with plenty to think about. With the points shared in an enthralling 2-2 draw, there is plenty for Emery to ponder: Echoes of a 'Same old Arsenal' rear their ugly heads in yet more appalling defending and costly individual mistakes, but signs that there might just be a mentality shift of sorts make for some positivity.
The first half was not the display a lot of fans wanted to see. The pre-game talk was dominated with the prospect of PAL lining up together for the first time and the excitement brewed further when the line ups were confirmed, but the question that followed with the announcement was who was going to supply the front three? The question largely went unanswered during a first half where chances were far and few between, particularly in the early stages where we struggled to get a foothold in the game.
A catalogue of errors from a number of senior first team players drew the first goal; Sokratis challenged a long ball that had zero threat and Xhaka was already challenging for, Kane won the header and subsequently took both players out of the game and suddenly there was danger from no where. Son skipped passed Luiz and fed Lamela who's tame effort apparently caused Leno a lot of problems and he failed to hold or push far enough away, Sokratis was then again at fault and on his haunches allowing Eriksen an easy tap in. Not the opening 10 minutes we wanted. The second came from a poorly timed and frankly ludicrous Xhaka tackle in the penalty box (I know right, who'd have thought it??) catching son on the ankle and gifting Kane with his customary goal from the spot against us.
Thankfully, Lacazette did manage to give us some hope right on the stroke of half time. Pepe fizzed in a low cross which Lacazette controlled superbly with his first touch, lifted the ball elegantly over an outstretched Vertonghen leg with his second, before unleashing a thunderous effort past Lloris to restore some hope for the second half.
The second half was all about Arsenal, but it took time to find our stride. For the first 15 minutes or so we huffed and puffed trying to get the ball to our forward 3, but then on came Ceballos who grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and the whole complexion of the game changed. Arsenal had a link between midfield and forward and the football seemed to flow much more freely and caused Tottenham a headache. It was no surprise then that a little over 5 minutes later a deserved equaliser came, Guendouzi picked up the ball on the left hand side and floated a frankly quite sumptuous ball to the box, Auba timed his run perfectly and got a toe on the ball to divert it passed a helpless Lloris. Game on.
We pressed for a winner but ultimately nothing came to fruition. We did manage to bundle the ball into the net once more from a very well worked free kick, only for a superb linesman decision, backed up by VAR, ruling out the goal for offside.
In the end it probably felt like 2 points dropped for both sides. It was a game you felt Arsenal could have taken 3 points from against a struggling Tottenham side who rode their luck for large periods of the game and only managed to score from defensive lapses.
Ratings:
Emery - 4
Hindsight is often a wonderful thing and that usually makes it difficult to rate a managers performance, but this was not Emery's finest match in terms of personnel, from the starting line up to the substitutes during the game there were questions and rightly so. Pre-game we knew this was a game we needed to take to Tottenham and that was very much winnable, but whilst PAL were unleashed, the rest of the team felt very negative. The midfield lacked any kind of dynamism or creativity and was made far too easy to play against, that could be seen before a ball was kicked and proved just-so. The game screamed for Ceballos to come on at half time, but it took until more than an hour had been played for him to be introduced and even then it was for Torreira which seemed a strange decision when Xhaka was really struggling and looked out of his depth. Lacazette was then withdrawn (at his own request, post-game suggestions are because of cramp), but the bizarre decision was to play Mkhitaryan who wouldn't try and take on a makeshift right back and managed to lose the ball 7 times in the short period of time he was on, Nelson appeared to be the much better option and that was again before the sub had even been made. Emery does score some points though for what must have been a good team talk as Arsenal came out of the blocks much quicker in the second half as opposed to the first.
Leno - 6. Poor for the first goal but made up for it with some fine saves, including one spectacular one not long after the first.
AMN - 5.5. Not his usual self going forward and struggled to find his range. But handled himself just fine defensively and didn't do much wrong going back.
Sokratis - 4. Two errors defensively were significant contributions to the opener, looked like he might have lost his head and get himself sent off during fisticuffs with Winks.
Luiz - 6. Maybe beaten a bit too easily by Son for the first goal but otherwise didn't do anything wrong. Long balls weren't the threat they usually would be in another game.
Kolasinac - 5. For a left back he looks remarkably uninterested in defending. Like AMN, couldn't find his range going forward either. Tierney shouldn't be too worried about getting in the side when fit.
Xhaka - 3. Really struggling to find anything in the game he did well. Passing was unspectacular and the less said about the penalty he gave away the better.
Guendouzi - 8 (MOTM). Difficult first half trying to be the man to make something happen but ultimately that isn't his main asset. Industrious and hard working as ever and the ball for Auba's equaliser was just exquisite.
Torreira - 6. Struggled to get into the game and be as effective as he was in the same fixture last year. Having said that, he was being played out of position and shunted out to the right of a midfield three when he's much better in the centre or one of two holding midfielders.
Pepe - 7. A lot of bright moments and got the assist for Lacazette's goal. Stuttered towards the end of the game though trying a bit too hard to get his first goal and maybe tiring too.
Lacazette - 6. Took his goal extremely well and showed his importance to the team with his industrious tracking back. However he did look a yard off the pace for much of the game and cramp ended his game early, maybe a question mark over how fit he really is right now.
Auba - 6.5. Struggled to influence the game from the wing and wasn't able to trouble Sanchez as much as he would have possibly liked.
Ceballos - 7. Took the game by the scruff of the neck when he came on and looked to make things happen. Went close with a worldie of a long range effort that troubled Lloris.
Mkhitaryan - 5. Lost the ball 7 times in 20 minutes which really summed up his cameo and Arsenal career, though there were a couple of nice little touches too. Had a real opportunity with some space late in the game but royally made a mess of his touch and the chance went.
@groningergooner
The first half was not the display a lot of fans wanted to see. The pre-game talk was dominated with the prospect of PAL lining up together for the first time and the excitement brewed further when the line ups were confirmed, but the question that followed with the announcement was who was going to supply the front three? The question largely went unanswered during a first half where chances were far and few between, particularly in the early stages where we struggled to get a foothold in the game.
A catalogue of errors from a number of senior first team players drew the first goal; Sokratis challenged a long ball that had zero threat and Xhaka was already challenging for, Kane won the header and subsequently took both players out of the game and suddenly there was danger from no where. Son skipped passed Luiz and fed Lamela who's tame effort apparently caused Leno a lot of problems and he failed to hold or push far enough away, Sokratis was then again at fault and on his haunches allowing Eriksen an easy tap in. Not the opening 10 minutes we wanted. The second came from a poorly timed and frankly ludicrous Xhaka tackle in the penalty box (I know right, who'd have thought it??) catching son on the ankle and gifting Kane with his customary goal from the spot against us.
Thankfully, Lacazette did manage to give us some hope right on the stroke of half time. Pepe fizzed in a low cross which Lacazette controlled superbly with his first touch, lifted the ball elegantly over an outstretched Vertonghen leg with his second, before unleashing a thunderous effort past Lloris to restore some hope for the second half.
The second half was all about Arsenal, but it took time to find our stride. For the first 15 minutes or so we huffed and puffed trying to get the ball to our forward 3, but then on came Ceballos who grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and the whole complexion of the game changed. Arsenal had a link between midfield and forward and the football seemed to flow much more freely and caused Tottenham a headache. It was no surprise then that a little over 5 minutes later a deserved equaliser came, Guendouzi picked up the ball on the left hand side and floated a frankly quite sumptuous ball to the box, Auba timed his run perfectly and got a toe on the ball to divert it passed a helpless Lloris. Game on.
We pressed for a winner but ultimately nothing came to fruition. We did manage to bundle the ball into the net once more from a very well worked free kick, only for a superb linesman decision, backed up by VAR, ruling out the goal for offside.
In the end it probably felt like 2 points dropped for both sides. It was a game you felt Arsenal could have taken 3 points from against a struggling Tottenham side who rode their luck for large periods of the game and only managed to score from defensive lapses.
Ratings:
Emery - 4
Hindsight is often a wonderful thing and that usually makes it difficult to rate a managers performance, but this was not Emery's finest match in terms of personnel, from the starting line up to the substitutes during the game there were questions and rightly so. Pre-game we knew this was a game we needed to take to Tottenham and that was very much winnable, but whilst PAL were unleashed, the rest of the team felt very negative. The midfield lacked any kind of dynamism or creativity and was made far too easy to play against, that could be seen before a ball was kicked and proved just-so. The game screamed for Ceballos to come on at half time, but it took until more than an hour had been played for him to be introduced and even then it was for Torreira which seemed a strange decision when Xhaka was really struggling and looked out of his depth. Lacazette was then withdrawn (at his own request, post-game suggestions are because of cramp), but the bizarre decision was to play Mkhitaryan who wouldn't try and take on a makeshift right back and managed to lose the ball 7 times in the short period of time he was on, Nelson appeared to be the much better option and that was again before the sub had even been made. Emery does score some points though for what must have been a good team talk as Arsenal came out of the blocks much quicker in the second half as opposed to the first.
Leno - 6. Poor for the first goal but made up for it with some fine saves, including one spectacular one not long after the first.
AMN - 5.5. Not his usual self going forward and struggled to find his range. But handled himself just fine defensively and didn't do much wrong going back.
Sokratis - 4. Two errors defensively were significant contributions to the opener, looked like he might have lost his head and get himself sent off during fisticuffs with Winks.
Luiz - 6. Maybe beaten a bit too easily by Son for the first goal but otherwise didn't do anything wrong. Long balls weren't the threat they usually would be in another game.
Kolasinac - 5. For a left back he looks remarkably uninterested in defending. Like AMN, couldn't find his range going forward either. Tierney shouldn't be too worried about getting in the side when fit.
Xhaka - 3. Really struggling to find anything in the game he did well. Passing was unspectacular and the less said about the penalty he gave away the better.
Guendouzi - 8 (MOTM). Difficult first half trying to be the man to make something happen but ultimately that isn't his main asset. Industrious and hard working as ever and the ball for Auba's equaliser was just exquisite.
Torreira - 6. Struggled to get into the game and be as effective as he was in the same fixture last year. Having said that, he was being played out of position and shunted out to the right of a midfield three when he's much better in the centre or one of two holding midfielders.
Pepe - 7. A lot of bright moments and got the assist for Lacazette's goal. Stuttered towards the end of the game though trying a bit too hard to get his first goal and maybe tiring too.
Lacazette - 6. Took his goal extremely well and showed his importance to the team with his industrious tracking back. However he did look a yard off the pace for much of the game and cramp ended his game early, maybe a question mark over how fit he really is right now.
Auba - 6.5. Struggled to influence the game from the wing and wasn't able to trouble Sanchez as much as he would have possibly liked.
Ceballos - 7. Took the game by the scruff of the neck when he came on and looked to make things happen. Went close with a worldie of a long range effort that troubled Lloris.
Mkhitaryan - 5. Lost the ball 7 times in 20 minutes which really summed up his cameo and Arsenal career, though there were a couple of nice little touches too. Had a real opportunity with some space late in the game but royally made a mess of his touch and the chance went.
@groningergooner
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