Inconsistancy triumphs again. It follows Arsenal like a plague; with players, the team, the manager, and officials. Ozil was left out to hang again, and this time he did not cope. He struggled. And all the work in the game’s he’s played well in has come undone again. I don’t blame Ozil, he’s not a hard worker, that’s something Arsenal have to compensate with, you work with your strengths, not your weaknesses. Ozil’s weakness is tracking back, and playing with energy down the flanks. He can’t do it, so why the continued torture? It is the manager’s job to make the team work, and he continues to get it wrong. Why was Chamberlain left out after a solid midweek performance? Why is Flamini seen as our defensive midfield option? Hayden can do a job there. He’s the same age as Chambers who has been cast into the lion’s den already, so why is that he’s not being considered? These are recurring problems that are not being solved. It is tiring.
Still, as a supporter you have to cling on to hope, hope that eventually someone who has the power to make a difference wakes up, because let’s face it, all we can do is shout. Amidst the gloom, the silver lining appears to be the English core of the team, which is odd considering England’s own recurring shortcomings. But Arsenal’s player of the week is Danny Welbeck, after his superb display against, albeit, weak opposition in the Champions League. Each goal marked something different Welbeck brings to the table, and I can confidently say that given the same chances, Giroud would not have had the capabilities to take them. Welbeck played with pace, power, and clinical finishing, everything an Arsenal striker should have. His first goal was a neat one two with Alexis, his second a half-chance that his sheer pace rewarded, and his third was deft chip, marking a player brimming with confidence and enjoying his football. What a pity that Arsenal’s best creator was discarded to the flanks again on Sunday. Is Fabregas on the wings? No. Did he tear our defence apart with one pass? Yes.
You have to rememeber the mid-week performance though, because it’s been the rare piece of excitement this season, which looks longer and more draining by the week. Welbeck can be a success story this season, if he isn’t already. He has the hunger and pace to be a nightmare for anyone when he’s on his game. But at the moment we’re still missing a certain Englishman, get Theo back, and this Arsenal attack is a different weapon, right now it’s bits and pieces misfiring, sometimes hitting the target, but firing blanks when facing something nasty.
Further along the English spectrum, other positives can be found in all of: Chambers, Gibbs, Chamberlain, as mentioned, and Jack Wilshere; who is putting together some sort of resurgance to World Class status. He’s not there yet, but you can see the progress. He was excellent against Chelsea, and really our only driving force. He doesn’t have the same killer instinct as Ramsey who, probably, on form, would have burried Wilshere’s chances, but at least Wilshere is one the players forcing the issue and pushing other teams around. Gibbs also did himself some favours, and looks to have learnt from his kamikaze approach to the same fixture last year. He appears more disiplined, but without sacrificing his bursting runs. And Chambers grows more impressive with each game. He looks like a fantatsic buy, which is inevitably dampened by the lack of reinforcements in the one area Arsenal needed it the the most. Presence.
As nobody really challenged his mid-week performance, Welbeck keeps the limelight, only strengthened by his reckless challenge on Fabregas, which I’m sure among many fans is seen as some sort of little victory. That’s how it is with Arsenal at the moment though, grab onto anything, and hold on, and pray.