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Is Wenger on Borrowed Time?
Photo: @Arsenal | Twitter
“Winning (the FA Cup) gives us a good platform to come back stronger next year."
So said Arsene Wenger at the end of last season, but as the 60,000 people inside The Emirates on Saturday evening witnessed, precious little has changed: oodles of pretty yet meaningless possession, Lehman Brothers levels of profligacy in front of goal and as naïve as a 19th century debutante in defense. Oh, and another key player injured.
Manchester United should have been torn limb from limb, but instead the Red Devils did what they and countless other teams have done to Arsenal over the years: stayed compact, soaked up the pressure and then picked them off on the counter.
Today, Arsenal’s second-largest shareholder, Alisher Usimov, told reporters: “no genius can retain its (sic) level when he does not admit his own mistakes… I like Arsene for his principles. But principles are sort of a restriction.”
With Arsenal having clocked up their worst start to a top-flight league campaign in 32 years, it feels very much like the clock is now ticking on Arsene Wenger’s time in North London.
Failure to Launch
Photo: @ObioraBizweez | Twitter
"I think we can have an exciting season next year. We can build towards that.”
So said Brendan Rodgers at the end of last year, but Liverpool’s loss to Crystal Palace this weekend sums up The Reds’ season to date in microcosm: in the corresponding fixture last year, Palace scored three goals, just as they did on Sunday. The difference, however, is that where last year Liverpool also scored three, this year they only managed one.
After 12 games last season Liverpool had already notched up 24 goals, 75% of which were scored be either Daniel Sturridge or Luis Suarez. This season, Liverpool have just 15 goals to their name: the difference isn’t hard to reconcile.
Brendan Rodgers will be praying than Sturridge recovers from his various ailments sooner rather than later.
What do Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Burnley have in Common?
Well, for one, they all won last weekend. (Photo: @SkySportsNewsHQ | Twitter)
The18 has highlighted the death of Tiki-Taka in previous reviews, but the emptiness of the myth that possession constitutes 9/10ths of the law was never more evident than this weekend. Consider the following possession statistics:
Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-1 with only 38% of possession
Crystal Palace beat Liverpool 3-1 only 36% of possession
Burnley beat Stoke City 2-1 with only 26% of possession
You can’t score without the ball, but you don’t need to hog it in order to find the back of the net more often than your opponents. Indeed, United were 1-0 up against Arsenal without having recorded a single shot on goal.
40 and Counting
Photo: @MUFCSphera | Twitter
Leaving the pitch with a twisted ankle after only 16 minutes against Arsenal on Saturday, Luke Shaw became the 40th injury of Louis van Gaal’s brief reign as United manager.
If David Moyes wasn’t the sort of gritty, spit and sawdust Glaswegian that we know him to be, we’d swear he had a cupboard full of Official Manchester United Voodoo Dolls riddled with needles.
Simulation
Photo: @JOEdotie | Twitter
This weekend had more handbags and tantrums than an episode of Real Housewives (or so we’re told – never watched it. Not ever). West Ham’s James Tompkins had his chest fondled by Everton’s Kevin Mirallas and fell to the ground clutching his face, while Spurs’ Jan Vertongen had his calf stroked by Hull City’s Gaston Ramires and doubled over as though he’d taken a headshot.
And as for Ross Barkley’s swan dive when in the vicinity of nothing even vaguely resembling a tackle, the less said the better.
From La Masia to Stoke
Photo: @bojan_krkiced | Twitter
The career path from Barcelona’s fabled youth academy La Masia to the somewhat less salubrious surroundings of Stoke isn’t a well-trodden one, yet Mark Hughes’ squad currently boasts two Barca products in Marc Muniesa and Bojan Krkic. The latter was imperious in defeat against Burnley on Saturday, completing more dribbles, creating more chances and winning the ball more often than any other player on the pitch. Having spent less than $3m to acquire the young Spaniard’s services (he’s still only 24), Hughes appears to have landed himself a bargain.
It’s all a far cry from the Stoke City of just a few years ago, when their most potent attacking weapon was defender Rory Delap’s ability to throw the ball a very, very long way.
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