Sat 11th September 2010; 15:00, Emirates Stadium
Wenger’s Gamble Stokes Arsenal Out Of The FA Cup
ByThe morning after any defeat is a strange one. For many Arsenal supporters, it’s probably the headlines and the recycled TV footage of the said defeat that can make them lose the will to live.
For others, it’s a balance between lying in a dark room with a cold towel over the face or confronting friends and colleagues at work to explain why yet again, Arsenal fell short. Sometimes I’m glad I don’t have to face such an inquisition, but nevertheless, any loss is disappointing for the simple reason that I don’t like losing.
When my Liverpool supporting friend walked into the room and asked me “Have you seen your team playing Stoke?”, my first question was “Has Wenger done a Man United?”.
You see, in March 2008, I was with Dean (my friend) listening on the car radio while driving when Arsenal visited Old Trafford in the 5th round of the FA cup. At that time, the Gunners were top of the league, 5 points clear and with a game in hand.
For some reason, the Arsenal team didn’t get off the bus that day and were dispatched back to London with a 4 nil defeat. Dean’s reaction to that game was that Wenger threw the game to focus on the Premier league and the Champions league.
With a threadbare squad leading up to this weekend, it was therefore anyone’s guess as to who will make an appearance. Most of the headlines of course went to Sol Campbell, who I must say, didn’t have a bad game for someone who’s been in the wilderness for a while.
And so the team was overhauled. Dean joked in exclamation when he pointed out that “Jesus! Arsenal have started the game with 4 English players. This is a miracle. ” I reminded him that it could have been 5 if Little Jack Willy didn’t pull a sicky forcing Cesc to make an appearance.
We had a bet as to how many times the commentators will mention the fact that Arsenal started the game with 4 English players, 2 shy of Stoke’s 6 Englishmen. I said they wouldn’t notice and I won the bet.
Stoke seemed to want this game more than Arsenal did and within 70 seconds, Delap duly obliged with one of his trademark throws. Fabianski was none the wiser as the ball ghosted past him into the net.
The match then took that “they’re going to park the bus” feeling. A scrappy match followed for most part with constant references of Stoke’s giants vs. Arsenal’s pint sized diddy men. Clearly the revised script titled “How to be a lazy observer” was in full use.
The match ticked on at 1-1 with Denilson’s equalizer being referred to constantly as a deflected shot. I actually got pissed off the more this was said. Frank Lampard for example, has perfected the craft of scoring deflected goals yet no one bothers to mention that they’re deflected.
I expected that at some point, Wenger would relieve Theo Walcott off his misery. Theo couldn’t even fart on the pitch without being surrounded by a gang of red and white Stoke shirts. For all intents and purposes, it was like Arsenal were playing with 10 men.
When Wenger decided to unleash all 3 substitutes at the same time, I said to Dean – “this is going to be dodgy”.
The only time I remember Wenger ever employing a triple substitution was in early September 2006. I was actually sat at a bar in a mall in down town Kampala with Dean and some friends.
Middlesbrough were 1 mil up and Wenger brought on Thierry Henry, Alex Hleb and Julio Baptista at the same time. We still ended up drawing 1-1 despite the reinforcements.
Maybe it was déjà vu, but triple substitutions give me the jitters. At one point, Sly nearly ruled himself out of the game and I was convinced Arsenal were going to complete the game with 10 men.
Stoke however applied themselves well, and scored twice from attacks launched after Arsenal sloppily conceded the ball. I guess that’s what you get with a team determined to cause an upset and a heckling Britannia stadium behind them.
The team selection was always going to be a slippery banana skin for Wenger. Damned if he played his strongest team, damned if he didn’t. I was actually pleased that Gallas and Vermaelen had their feet up with a cup of cocoa watching the game from home. The two needed a rest and this game was as good a chance as any to give them a rest.
Doom and gloom merchants as well as media hawks and I-Zombies (the new name for plonkers and pundits aka plundits) will be quick to point out that Arsenal have killed their chances of silverware this season.
Frankly speaking – that’s total nonsense. Arsenal had to make a choice and prioritize and in the grand scheme of things, the FA cup was the sacrifice.
Of course Arsenal want to win, but prioritizing the Champions League and the Premier league has to be the case. The blunt truth is that the FA cup doesn’t bring in big bucks.
It’s still very disappointing to lose a game and I’m sure that the team that played were bitterly disappointed.
Time will tell whether the loss adversely affects the morale of the team ala the drama following the 5th round defeat in 2008.
Stoke were worthy winners on the day and they gave the game a really good cup atmosphere. I must say, their crowd are brilliant and get well behind their team.
It was also very nice to see J Emmanuel Thomas have his full debut for the first team. I like the lad and he has a lot to offer this team. I seriously hope he gets more game time.
And as for the nonsense about Stoke being our new bogey team, there’s a simple answer to that according to Wenger. Arsenal doesn’t struggle against Stoke at the Britannia, Arsenal struggles against any team if they don’t play well, period.
A positive response is needed at Villa Park on Wednesday night when the first team returns for duty.
You put the whole Cup loss fret into its proper perspective rather nicely, Darius. It is amazing how people go poplectic whenever Arsenal looses a game. Choices needed to be made after a rather very dicey injury situation. We new that our players needed a rest, but injury has decimated our squad; thanks to the advocates of kick them off the park. So, what was the manager to do? Go buy a whole new squad? I do know that some idiots would like that, so that our club too could get into the bad debt scenario. The players chosen did their best and they loss, but were not disgraced in any way. You win some and loose some. Winning, as much as we like it, is not our exclusive preserve. Other teams deserve their own wins too.
LRV.
3rd time lucky for Stoke you know. We kicked them out of 2 FA cup semi-finals in the early 70s, and maybe their time had come.
I must say though, the Stoke crowd really know how to give the game an atmosphere. Arsenal could learn from it.
As for the mass hysteria, it’ll be either forgotten or amplified on Wednesday night. I tend not to worry too much on the basis that news columns need to be filled and a 24 hour news cycle needs something.
Nice article Darius.
I can understand AW playing the team he did. His hand was kinda forced in that respect with the injuries and games coming up. That said – what struck me most was our propensity to concede silly goals yet again. All three were terrible goals from a defensive perspective – and its a problem we have that runs right through from the first team down to our third string.
Sol and Cesc were up for it – and I also thought JET did very well considering the lack of support and service he got. What I really wanted to see was some of the fringe players stand up and take the opportunity to shine. But they fell way short against a pretty mediocre side. If Theo / Vela / Fabianski / Traore can’t front up against a team like Stoke – what chance have they against the Man Utd’s and Chelskis of this world?
Pretty much agree with all of that Darius & most of the comments.
I don’t think Stoke are mediocre on their own patch, Joe. They have a decent record there & because of their physical strength this was always going to be a difficult tie for a young team augmented by only 2 regulars & back ups.
AW got the tactics right putting us in a position for 3 seniors, including Ramsey in that now, to go on for 20 minutes to win the game. Unfortunately it was Stoke who seized the initiative from there to deservedly win the game. No complaints, we needed the home draw for this type of match.
The decision to play this team will be proved right or wrong by our performance at Villa. In all honesty the disappointment from this loss (I am as bad as the next man in defeat) was diluted by the draw for the next round. Man City away would not have been a game for the kids just before Porto away.
Big plus the performance of young Craig Eastmond, who clearly is a good reader of the game & is fast becoming a good solid member of the squad capable of filling several duties. We need his type as well as the more extravagant creators.
Also Sol & Sylvestre did well. Coquelin grew into the game but looks way short at the moment, whilst JET did enough to show he can be put in for the right occasion.
Difficult game for Theo & Vela but you would have hoped for more from them. Theo simply did not contribute but to be fair needs the games for fitness & confidence.
Flint,
Good points regarding the City tie and Eastmond’s performance. Also thought that Coquelin was as good as one could expect for his debut.
As for Theo, well I know of no other young man who been given so many opportunities with yet so much to prove. I do hope he comes good from here on in – but if Im honest – I just dont think the lad has the necessary natural football instincts to make it even when he is fit. For his own sake I hope he sorts himself out. Every year Wenger brings in new talent – and a time will come when if Theo doesn’t take his chance – someone else will..!!
Anyways – we
We played poorly, that’s the bottom line.
And Im with you Darius on that deflected shot issue. Denilson will never get any break unless he could pull a 15 goal and 10 assists season because people’s minds are already made up about him being worse than Lucas.
What you say about Theo is in my mind too, Joe.
However his short purple spell earlier last season showed what he might be capable of. Vela to me is much more of a natural footballer (as you say) & with him I am sure it is just a matter of time before he becomes a regular. Maybe 1 or 2 seasons for both of them but Theo is so reliant on pace that he needs a long stretch of full fitness.
Great points there Joe and Flint.
I too worry about Theo sometimes but I feel that if he continues to play with quality players and has a long stretch of games, he will deliver.
His pace is most definitely an option, but perhaps it’s worth comparing him to Vela, who is equally pacy if not as quick as Theo, but is better on the ball and is a more clinical finisher. Wenger reckons that Vela and Eduardo are Arsenal’s most clinical finishers when they’re in their element.