The latest MNF Extra, with Jamie Carragher, looks at Arsenal’s defensive battles and asks?
Arsenal’s capitulation from Watford on Sunday was the most recent reminder of the defensive issues that continue to hamper them. In the long run, despite having reached half-time with a two-goal advantage, they were fortunate to emerge from Vicarage Road with a stage.
That they avoided defeatis little consolation to mad Arsenal fans who have seen it before. A trip to the Premier League side should have been a relatively straight-forward assignment. Instead, another masterclass was produced by Arsenal .
On this particular occasion, the main offenders were Sokratis Papastathopoulos, whose weak pass from inside his own box enabled Tom Cleverley to score Watford’s primary target, and his centre-back spouse David Luiz, who conceded the penalty for the equaliser after he brought down Roberto Pereyra.
“For a very long time, going back to when I was a child, Arsenal were called a really solid team,” Jamie Carragher informs MNF Extra. “They’ve now gone the other way. They’re a team you expect things to happen to. Even when they’re 2-0 up, you can never be convinced by them.
“I believe Liverpool had a similar issue a few decades ago, below Brendan Rodgers and in the start under Jurgen Klopp. No matter what the situation has been, you always believed something could go wrong. What is worrying for Arsenal is the fact that it’s occurring again in Emery’s second season.”
The mistakes are a consistent theme of this Spaniard’s tenure. Emery was charged with enhancing the defence of Arsenal when he was appointed but since then they have made 14 errors leading to resistance targets and surrendered 10 penalties, placing them high among Premier League sides in both groups.
Relegated Fulham are the only side who come close to the total of Arsenal for mistakes – they left 12 season – but much more worrying for the Gunners is that just three sides have faced more shots on target. The statistics point to frailties.
When playing out from the trunk, the issues have been exacerbated by Arsenal’s struggles. Emery’s side were not able to play through Watford’s press on Sunday, their determination to perform goal that is short kicks eventually costing them a goal, and it was not the time.
In accordance with the complex metrics of Opta, Arsenal have surrendered 34 high turnovers this season. Surprisingly, that than another Premier League side. They are currently inviting opposition pressure and paying the price by losing possession close to their goal.
In part, the difficulties return to personnel. “Emery inherited poor defenders,” adds Carragher. “He has tried to proceed on Shkodran Mustafi, who left a lot of errors, but at David Luiz they’ve signed an additional guardian who makes errors and in Sokratis, the team have brought in someone else who’s possibly not at the point where they need him.
“I can comprehend the registering of David Luiz as he had been cheap and they wanted someone, but I am not his biggest fan and to give away two penalties in four different games is not a fantastic start in any way. The problem is, which won’t change. David Luiz has plenty of managers and he has always had exactly the very exact issues.”
Nevertheless, the match of Sunday has set the man . Their weaknesses are being exposed instead of protected, although Arsenal defenders not help emery.
On Sunday, Arsenal supporters were entitled to wonder why Emery turned to Joe Willock, 20, 19, also Reiss Nelson, if they should have been protecting their lead. A midfield that was struggling suddenly became more stretched and Watford took advantage, exposing the traffic to a barrage of all 23 shots in the second half.
The absence of discipline and organisation in midfield was summed up. Arsenal were 10 minutes away in victory, and Lucas Torreira their midfielder, was one of five red-shirted players stationed within the Watford box the hosts sprang along with as soon as an attack broke down.
David Luiz chose the blame for his filthy on Pereyra, however although it is true that the Brazilian has been prone to lapses of focus, it needs to be pointed out that he surrendered three penalties in 160 Premier League appearances for Chelsea. He is not being given anything like the exact identical degree of security.
“Sunday was incredible in how open it was,” says Carragher. “You don’t see many games like that. It was embarrassing for Arsenal how easy it was for Watford to play them. They seemed like they could not run. You only have to check out that second half and you may realize that the equilibrium of the team is not right.”
Emery is not reflected well on by These issues that are structural along with the travelling enthusiasts at Vicarage Road created their frustrations clear if they booed the decision.
“It was not a good day for Emery in relation to how he’s seen by the Arsenal fans,” adds Carragher. “I think this is a big season for him. At the season you receive a little bit of leeway, and I’d still say they had a decent time, but I believe people will soon be looking more in the trainer now than the players.
“People questioned him at the end of last season if they missed out on the top , and they are questioning him now. Could he change things? Can the machine change? These players he is working with today are mostly players he’s earned, so it is down to him to start getting results with them.”
When Rob Holding Hector Bellerin and new registering Kieran Tierney return from harm, arsenal will have more options in defence. They’ll be further strengthened by the arrival of William Saliba from Saint Etienne, next summer. But their issues run deeper than individuals. Evidence indicates they’re not any closer to understanding the lessons of the past.
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