Arsenal need the Ox!

Monday, 16/01/2012

by Richard Leighton, Shoot's Arsenal blogger

Once again this weekend saw Arsenal involved in a televised game that everybody else thoroughly enjoyed and that we lost. Swansea outplayed, outpassed and outthought us as we went on to deservedly lose 3-2.

After the game Arsène Wenger said: “We cannot panic every time they have the ball in the final third of the pitch. We have to show more composure and ambition.”

He is absolutely bang on because Swansea only had four shots on target and yet scored three goals.

What’s puzzling me is that we can go away from home to a side whose home record is excellent, score two goals and still lose the game. Before yesterday, Swansea had only conceded four at home all season. It defies belief and yet because it’s Arsenal, it doesn’t.

We have this exceptional knack for stats like these and one more thing the boss said afterwards was: “It is time for us to wake up and be focused.”

This was clearly in reference to conceding the third goal about half a nanosecond after equalising ourselves, which was absolutely criminal.

I don’t want to go on about the lack of full backs but it’s a fact that this area contributed heavily to our downfall yesterday but with Thomas Vermaelen thought to be fit for Manchester United next week, I just don’t see Wenger spending any money now.

I know every team is on the receiving end of bad refereeing decisions and generally I’m not one to complain because they are everywhere. But when Aaron Ramsey is on the receiving end of ‘tackle’ worthy of a red card and is then penalised himself, conceding a penalty in the process, it is incredibly hard to take.

What would have happened if Dyer’s challenge had injured Ramsey? Would Michael Oliver still have given a penalty?

Another slightly odd thing to come out of the game was that two of our poorer players on the day, Andrey Arshavin and Theo Walcott, ended up with an assist and a goal respectively.

The problem with this is that because Wenger is such a one for numbers and stats, he will see this and they will probably start the next game when, in truth, they gave us very little.

This is why I want to see much underused Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain start at the Emirates next weekend against the champions. Why not? That’s one win in four league games now so let’s give him a chance.

Nobody needs reminding of what happened last time we played them and if I were to predict this one I would say the neutrals will end up enjoying it far more than the home support.

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