Fluke Loss in the Carling Cup

By: Dan | January 24th, 2008

It took me a while to wrap my head around the score. A 5-1 loss to the Spurs…simply painful. Arsenal was disjointed and lacked any real urgency, even as Fabianski had a howler and the goals began to add up. By the time Adebayor’s goal came we were 4-0 down and the game was long since over. The sheer embarrassment of the loss, Arsenal’s first in the North London Derby since 1999, was shocking, but in the end the loss is honestly not that important.

We played our weak second-string team even if Gallas and Sagna played. Eduardo didn’t start and Diarra is gone, so the team was actually more disjointed then usual despite a few first-teamers. Couple that with the fact that our third-string right back was playing center-back, and it is little surprise we leaked goals. The scoreline is incredibly flattering to Tottenham as well, and though few would argue the Spurs weren’t the better team over the two legs, the game was over after Bendtner’s own goal to make it 2-0. Tottenham’s first shot was a goal, and the team was never going to come back.

Take Arsene’s word.

“The score is very high and very brutal but I think it does not reflect what happened on the pitch. The first shot on goal was a goal, the second goal was an own goal, the third was straight after half time. After that, the game was over. It had no real meaning after that. They could concentrate on defending and catching us on the break. I don’t give a big meaning to the importance of the score.”

This is part of the learning process for young players. A defeat like this may be perfect to galvanize the team and spark the attitude necessary to win the Premier League or Champion’s League or FA Cup (none of which Tottenham can win after they are beaten by Manchester United in the FA Cup). Let the Spurs rejoice over beating a second-string team in a second-string cup while Arsenal strives for real trophies. One defeat does not change the fact that Arsenal is the pride of North London.

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That said, the performance was dismal. I am fully confident of the ability of most of our players to shake it off and bounce back. Fabianski and Hoyte both had a terrible time, but I think they are both talented and strong enough to rebound. However, I am fed up with Diaby, Gilberto and Walcott. Diaby has been simply atrocious lately - wasteful, greedy and lazy. I’ve never seen a player under Wenger take so many unnecessary touches and so thoroughly disregard the players around him. Dribbling slowly through the midfield, crippling the attack and abandoning your position before losing the ball is hardly what Arsenal needs. He is so terribly dependent on his right foot as well and was the reason for the impotence of the left wing on Wednesday. He never recognized Traore’s runs, making Traore look far worse then he is.

Gilberto is a shadow of his former self. He plays with the same deliberateness as last year, but the defense is under siege whenever he plays, perhaps because the team has gotten used to Flamini’s high energy play. Both Gilberto and Diaby have come as far as they will with this club and it time for them to leave. Sell Gilberto to Juventus while you can Arsene, and either loan Diaby out for a very long time or sell him. It pains me to criticize Gilberto, but I simply can’t take his lackluster performances any more.

Walcott on the other hand needs a loan. Regular playing time as a striker (at Birmingham in all likelihood) is just what he needs for his confidence and his development. This is his second season at Arsenal, and Wenger finally seems ready to let him go on loan.

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And finally, Adebayor headbutted Bendtner. The two strikers got into an argument and after Bendtner seemed to say something Adebayor pretty clearly headbutted him in the face. Gallas came over and broke up the argument when Bendtner said something to Gallas, causing our captain to yell at the Dane.

My sympathies are completely with our top goalscorer. Bendtner is a cocky teenager, and just because Adebayor managed to do (a cracking shot) what he couldn’t, Bendtner responded terrbily. If Gallas sided against Adebayor, I am fully confident that the incident was the fault of Bendtner.

Fortunately, there were no repercussions for either player.

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We play Newcastle in the FA Cup on Saturday and I want a massive win. This is the opportunity to prove the flukiness of Tottenham’s win and assert Arsenal’s ability to challenge for a trophy. I expect the strongest side available and a win. Let’s make Kevin Keegan’s entrance even worse.

The line-up:

———–Lehmann

Sagna—Senderos—-Gallas—-Clichy

Hleb—Flamini—Cesc—-Rosicky

————Adebayor—-Eduardo

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