“Houston, we have a problem” – or do we? by AndersS
We may be few on JA, who remember the Apollo 13 space expedition, and the origins of “Houston, we have a problem”. Not from the film, but from the actual flight.
Don’t know why I came to think of it in connection with one the numerous posts on JA these days trying to analyze, what our problem is.
I have seen many analyzing, what is wrong. To mention a few “results”:
- We have been found out tactically
- We are too one dimensional in our playing style
- Arteta is too stubborn in his team selection
- Arteta has favourites, so he doesn’t pick the best team
- We can’t handle the pressure
I am sure there are many more.
Maybe one of them is true? Maybe they all are?
Or maybe none of them are?
If we think logically for a moment, we may come to the conclusion, that maybe, we don’t have problem at all, and if that is the case then all the analyzing like the above, actually is nothing but irrational feelings.
Has there ever been a team going through the whole season not only winning every game, but also dominating the opponent in every game? Stupid question, because the answer is so obvious.
Did anyone expect Arsenal to go through this season playing dominating football in almost every game and becoming runaway champions with a point tally of 100 or more? Certainly not a single person before the season, and I wonder if any did it just before the Everton game.
For sure, some believed, and some still believe, we will win the league. But were any of us actually believing in a whole season with the points average and the performance level, we generally have seen in the first half of the season?
My guess is, if anyone had that belief, they were very few, and with all respect, probably caught up in a state of mind usually only obtained with large amounts of beer or certain drugs.
If we can agree, that if Arsenal are to win the league, it will actually be done the way every champion has done it. Through a season with ups and downs, including fantastic performances and poor performances. Unexpected losses and ugly wins included.
Then the logical consequence is, that our dip in form earlier in the season, where we had a couple of performances we weren’t so happy with, and the last couple of poor performances are nothing but exactly what should be expected to happen. Furthermore, we should actually expect more of it, before the season is over, and there might not be any reason at all to play “armchair doctor”. There could be no “illness”, and no need for a diagnosis.
Personally, I am looking forward not only to the City game, but also to the rest of the season, and even to the ones to come. Because no matter how we fare against City, I am convinced, we have built the most talented team in the league, and possibly the most exciting.
Maybe they won’t go all the way this season, maybe they will. But it is a very sound project, which has the potential to establish us among the title contenders also in the seasons to come, and I see no reason to panic, running around thinking this will be our only chance.
Anders S
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We are still in it
This is one of the more reasonable and balanced articles on this site.
Much better than the regular wailing and moaning as if the sky had fallen.
+1
If we don’t go all the way this season then we cant be the most talented this season can we ?
Who wins the title is the best team
Losing 7-9 points to terrible decisions by officials where other teams have, if anything, gained from bad decisions…
That means we certainly can be the best team and still lose.
If someone else wins it, they’d better be 10+ points clear (more if we see more of these issues) or we’ll certainly have a case for claiming “we was robbed”.
Are we the only team then that happens too as in didn’t man city lose derby to terrible decision ?
Didn’t Gabriel get away with handball against palace and liverpool ?
Wasn’t Saka goal offside Vs Liverpool due to them not putting on the line
Swings and round abouts
Yes, we are the only people losing 7-9 points. MOre as someone else pointe dout – the Soton decision adds another couple in as well.
I’m not sure why you’d mention *one* decision to counter someone talking about a deficit of around 9-11 points.
No-one else is in anything like that territory. We even had 2 apologies from PGMOL in those 4 decisions – acknowledged by them to be “game changing”.
Best and most talented aren’t neccessarily the same.
Man City had shown how to tweak our tactics, because they used a similar formation last night against Aston Villa
I’m sure Arteta watched that game to get some ideas and Zinchenko was trying to implement it against Brentford, so I bet we’ll bounce back at Villa Park
We might get a disappointing result against Man City, but we’d likely play better afterwards. Let’s remember that any top 4 finish is an improvement from last season’s result
Fair assessment there, Anders.
Its a bit like watching a 5 set tennis match half way through Wimbledon fortnight, with each one going to the tie break. Up sometimes, and then down in others and still some way to go before the final. Too soon to call.
While I agree with the article, there’s a little concern over the drop-off the last few games have seen in terms of performance level, collectively and in some cases individually.
There is no doubt the last couple of games, have been much below the average, the team has produced, and the same goes for the individual performances.
My point is, it was never a question of whether this would happen. Nobody could expect us to win the leaague in a runaway fashion with 100+ points.
Good article, our duty as fan’s is to Cheer the team up even when there performance level is dropping, so lets give them positive and moral bursting support. This team can beat any including Man city.
Why is everybody predicting that City will beat us? Haven’t we been better than them all season to be where we are? In every game we have lost, refereeing is partly to blame just as it can happen to any team.
The road to glory is full of thorns that we must be prepared to surmount in order to triumph. I predict victory for Arsenal.
When was the last time we claimed all 3 points in pl match against Man city?? To be better than them all season does not mean we are going to beat them tomorrow. But I can I guarantee you that city are going to hammer us by 3_0 margin
Am in agreement with the writer, but the first two of five analyzing examples by AndersS.
Yes teams have studied us tactically and set up how to play against us and with more success recently, hence why they are opting to the low block playing style.
And I think also as you suggested we could be one dimensional, all teams knows our main attack is Saka cutting in to the left on his approach to goal and Martinelli not to be given space to run at defenders.
Still dosen’t think the gaffer has all the players he need just yet, but I still think we haven’t quite master the art of mixing things up a bit and if we are going to continue to be one dimensional we got to move the ball much quicker.
Well the next two games will tell us a lot more about where Arsenal are at. I noticed that an out of confidence Liverpool were able to overcome Dyche Ball.
Can’t blame some fans for worrying. Many are still scarred by past blips that led to an eventual implosion.
I’m always positive that things will be better this time, though frankly I have more often been wrong. Nonetheless, it doesn’t bother me because to me as a football fan, it’s never about who has the better foresight. It’s only about the passion and joy or sorrow from supporting the team I love. You know…I can be wrong every time but it’s all worthwhile if I enjoy the process. Come what may, let’s stand by the Arsenal and hope for the best
Good article. I suspect an element of the ‘blip’ is probably nerves. And that is to be expected. We are top of the league and suddenly it is starting to look possible. However, we have had our best ever start to a season, reaching 50 points before even the Invincibles did, yet if City win on Wednesday they go even on points in a season where their defending has been everywhere, they have binned the best player in the league from last season and Pep no longer wants to play with a Left Back. And they will go level with us if they win. We don’t have the best or most talented group of players in the league, just a group that have over-achieved by comparison.
The issue for me is the drop in energy and intensity over the last couple games. Losses happen, and sometimes even when giving 100% the other team is just better on that day.
Forms dip, but effort, energy, and intensity are different. There was a drop off in first half of both matches, and we failed to match the intensity of our opponents.
Perhaps a change in players or tactics is needed to reinstate the levels we have seen previously.