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Weekend Eye: Gunners Out Of Ammo?
Monday 17 Mar 2008
The ability to score late goals is a crucial part of any successful team, but Arsenal in recent weeks have been struggling to find the net outside of the final team minutes, and that is never a healthy situation. In their last seven games, they have scored only two goals before the 80th minute, and have won just one of those matches, which is why their five point lead at the top has been cut down to nothing by Manchester United.
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It could yet get worse for the Gunners too, with both United and Chelsea having games in hand on them, meaning that by the final whistles at Old Trafford and White Hart Lane on Wednesday night, Arsenal could be three points behind the champions and level with the Blues. All of this despite losing only one match so far this season, while United have been beaten four times, which suggests where Arsene Wenger's problems lie.
They have drawn 10 matches, with only Liverpool and Fulham being held more often, and their run of four league draws in a row is costing them dearly, particularly the two at home. They could both have been much worse of course, with late equalisers sparing them from defeat, but that has been no consolation, particularly against Middlesbrough on Saturday evening, where the Gunners dominated almost completely, but failed to convert possession into goals.
What is most alarming for Wenger is that his team do not seem to have properly developed the knack of winning when they are not playing at their best, while both Man United and Chelsea demonstrated their ability to do just that. United could have scored a hatful against Derby in the opening 20 minutes, but again wasted several chances before struggling to create many more as the Rams rallied and started putting pressure on debutant Ben Foster at the other end.
But in Cristiano Ronaldo, United seem to have the kind of player who can score the crucial goals to get them 1-0 wins when they are not doing well. Those are the goals that help to win titles, and Arsenal don't seem to score them at the moment, while Chelsea showed at the Stadium Of Light that they have lost none of their gritty edge despite recent disappointments. With both of the teams above them still to travel to Stamford Bridge, the title is still within their reach.
Of course, the Easter weekend is looking like an important one as the top four meet in another Earthshaking Sunday, but things are just as tense down at the bottom, particularly after Fulham's win over Everton. That has breathed fresh life back into their relegation battle, and keeps them close enough to the teams above them to still have a good chance of escaping, not least because they will be playing most of them in the next few weeks.
The weekend's big losers, in more ways than one, were Bolton Wanderers, who are looking like they could be in big trouble. They pretty much eliminated themselves from the UEFA Cup last week so they would be fresh for Sunday's game at Wigan, only to go and lose that one as well. They have a game in hand on teams above them, but that is their Wednesday trip to Old Trafford, which isn't looking like one they can expect to get much from, particularly as they have now lost keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen for the rest of the season.
Wigan's win was a huge one, not least because it was the fifth time in their last six matches that they have kept a clean sheet (with Titus Bramble stuck on the bench for all of them - coincidence?) and if Steve Bruce can keep this defensive steel, then his team look to have a good chance of avoiding the drop. Goals are still an issue, but if Emile Heskey's volley can spur him on to grab a few more, then the Latics should be ok. Of course, predicting anything down there is a dangerous thing to do, so only Spurs in the bottom half of the table can really call themselves safe.
Performance of the Weekend - Derby County vs Man United - Didn't they do well? Sure, they lost, but you know...
Goal of the Weekend - Emile Heskey vs Bolton - A smart volley that wasn't spectacular but hugely significant for Wigan and for Heskey as goals for him this season have been few and very far between.
Moment of the Weekend - Emmanuel Adebayor's 'goal' is disallowed - The Arsenal striker has has bad luck with offsides this season and this was the worst, not least because the 'pass' through to him was by Boro's George Boateng.
Quote of the Weekend - "No one likes losing games but the way we lost is acceptable." - Paul Jewell on how 'losing well' is the new 'winning' at Derby.
Monday 17 Mar 2008
The ability to score late goals is a crucial part of any successful team, but Arsenal in recent weeks have been struggling to find the net outside of the final team minutes, and that is never a healthy situation. In their last seven games, they have scored only two goals before the 80th minute, and have won just one of those matches, which is why their five point lead at the top has been cut down to nothing by Manchester United.
RONALDO CELEBRATES
It could yet get worse for the Gunners too, with both United and Chelsea having games in hand on them, meaning that by the final whistles at Old Trafford and White Hart Lane on Wednesday night, Arsenal could be three points behind the champions and level with the Blues. All of this despite losing only one match so far this season, while United have been beaten four times, which suggests where Arsene Wenger's problems lie.
They have drawn 10 matches, with only Liverpool and Fulham being held more often, and their run of four league draws in a row is costing them dearly, particularly the two at home. They could both have been much worse of course, with late equalisers sparing them from defeat, but that has been no consolation, particularly against Middlesbrough on Saturday evening, where the Gunners dominated almost completely, but failed to convert possession into goals.
What is most alarming for Wenger is that his team do not seem to have properly developed the knack of winning when they are not playing at their best, while both Man United and Chelsea demonstrated their ability to do just that. United could have scored a hatful against Derby in the opening 20 minutes, but again wasted several chances before struggling to create many more as the Rams rallied and started putting pressure on debutant Ben Foster at the other end.
But in Cristiano Ronaldo, United seem to have the kind of player who can score the crucial goals to get them 1-0 wins when they are not doing well. Those are the goals that help to win titles, and Arsenal don't seem to score them at the moment, while Chelsea showed at the Stadium Of Light that they have lost none of their gritty edge despite recent disappointments. With both of the teams above them still to travel to Stamford Bridge, the title is still within their reach.
Of course, the Easter weekend is looking like an important one as the top four meet in another Earthshaking Sunday, but things are just as tense down at the bottom, particularly after Fulham's win over Everton. That has breathed fresh life back into their relegation battle, and keeps them close enough to the teams above them to still have a good chance of escaping, not least because they will be playing most of them in the next few weeks.
The weekend's big losers, in more ways than one, were Bolton Wanderers, who are looking like they could be in big trouble. They pretty much eliminated themselves from the UEFA Cup last week so they would be fresh for Sunday's game at Wigan, only to go and lose that one as well. They have a game in hand on teams above them, but that is their Wednesday trip to Old Trafford, which isn't looking like one they can expect to get much from, particularly as they have now lost keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen for the rest of the season.
Wigan's win was a huge one, not least because it was the fifth time in their last six matches that they have kept a clean sheet (with Titus Bramble stuck on the bench for all of them - coincidence?) and if Steve Bruce can keep this defensive steel, then his team look to have a good chance of avoiding the drop. Goals are still an issue, but if Emile Heskey's volley can spur him on to grab a few more, then the Latics should be ok. Of course, predicting anything down there is a dangerous thing to do, so only Spurs in the bottom half of the table can really call themselves safe.
Performance of the Weekend - Derby County vs Man United - Didn't they do well? Sure, they lost, but you know...
Goal of the Weekend - Emile Heskey vs Bolton - A smart volley that wasn't spectacular but hugely significant for Wigan and for Heskey as goals for him this season have been few and very far between.
Moment of the Weekend - Emmanuel Adebayor's 'goal' is disallowed - The Arsenal striker has has bad luck with offsides this season and this was the worst, not least because the 'pass' through to him was by Boro's George Boateng.
Quote of the Weekend - "No one likes losing games but the way we lost is acceptable." - Paul Jewell on how 'losing well' is the new 'winning' at Derby.
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