Arsenal’s latest defeat echoes a past era of missed chances

Here they go again. It is remarkable how almost everything around a club can change and, with a few familiar warning signs, there are suddenly so many echoes of a troubled past.

Here was the Arsenal attack, taking that one extra pass when they should have shot. Here were the Arsenal fans, agitatedly imploring the manager to buy a striker – sometimes turning to the press box to angrily reiterate the point. And there was the big-club opposition showing them how it’s done. There was the Arsenal manager defiantly talking a good game for his team, possibly a better one than actually played out.

Was this 2014 again, or even 2008? What next, checking out AFTV? One of Mikel Arteta’s lines in his post-game press conference did actually generate as much online traction as one of the more excitable arguments on the fan channel usually would.

“Merit-wise and performance-wise there is no question that we deserve to win the games but the results are very different,” the manager said after his side’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool, a result that made it three losses in a row.

Deserve, however, hasn’t got much to do with it. Goals-wise, whatever about merit and performance, Liverpool made that clear. For Arteta’s part, it is true that Arsenal created a lot of chances and there was generally a vibrancy about their play… until they got to the box. They then missed opportunities in ways that were almost more inventive than the actual attacking.

open image in gallery

The greater issue with that, however, is whether that begins to foster a growing problem; whether the players start to develop a mental block about scoring. People outside the club might consider Arteta’s response to that question more reflective of the situation.

“Probably it has,” the manager said when asked if the problem is becoming psychological. “Especially after today, more than it was against Fulham or West Ham [United] before that.” That is precisely why Arteta says they can benefit from the refresh this next two weeks may offer. Arsenal don’t have a game until Crystal Palace at home on 20 January.

“That’s why I think we need a reset,” he said. “This break is good. It comes in a good time.”

There does seem something here that goes beyond psychology, though. There is similarly an argument that Arsenal performed beyond their level last season.

Bukayo Saka still looks physically exhausted. One attempted finish was strikingly like that against Fulham, where it was almost as if a lethargy afflicted his game. That isn’t a surprise given how much the 22-year-old has been overused. Arsenal suddenly look thin in attack, with players either too young or too short of that exacting quality. While Saka and Gabriel Martinelli can, of course represent the future of their attack, it still feels like all of Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe should be little more than back-up options if you are seriously thinking about challenging Manchester City.

Then there’s the enigmatic Kai Havertz, or at least enigmatic in the sense it’s hard to predict whether he’s going to take an exquisite touch or send the ball in a completely unexpected direction. It is almost an achievement for a player whose technique is this good to offer so many baffling moments.

open image in gallery

“Baffling” is now the word being used to describe the signing as a whole, especially as Arsenal desperately try to find the money for a finisher.

There was a pointed line from Arteta as regards a January purchase. “One thing is what we need and another is what we can do.”

Arsenal have a genuine interest in Ivan Toney and would like to do it in this window but they can’t get there due to Profit and Sustainability rules, with Brentford demanding £100m. That is a non-starter without a big sale.

Which of course raises the issue of the huge outlay on Havertz in the summer. From that perspective, it seems to make even less sense. Except, it’s not so much why Havertz was signed but when.

The German would almost be the perfect signing if a team wanted to offer a different dimension after winning a title, when opposition sides have started to figure them out. Now, at this stage of Arsenal’s development, he looks like a luxury when they need extreme efficiency.

There’s then the other major forward, who was missing on Sunday. The question on Monday is whether Gabriel Jesus is going to be missing for much longer.

open image in gallery

“He had some pain in his knee,” Arteta said. “We have done a scan that shows something. Hopefully it’s not something big. It’s the same knee that he had [before], so we could not take any risks.”

So it could be big, came the obvious question. “No, hopefully not.”

If it is, though, it may dictate Arsenal’s actions – but only to a certain degree. Arteta freely admitted that signing a striker “does not look realistic” at the moment, which is understood to relate to figuring out the finances required to get Toney.

It left Arteta appealing to the faith of fans, when asked about some of the comments in the stadium during the Liverpool defeat.

“What I beg from the supporters is that they are behind the team like they have been in difficult moments. Stick behind the ones that we have. They are incredibly good. If not then they don’t do what they’ve done today and in Anfield. Stick by them. That’s exactly what they need. Then they feel important and supported. With their attitude, they don’t deserve anything different.”

That doesn’t change the possibility that, even after this break, Arsenal might need something different. Here we go again.