Half way mark of 2016/2017 season

[Editor’s note: A welcome return for DB10; an early transfer window addition as DB10’s loan move completes]

I know what you’re thinking. Chelsea win the league, Arsenal barely scrap 4th place and Sunderland somehow don’t get relegated. There are certain norms that have taken shape over the last decade or so in the premier league but I think we would be foolish to hold faith in them. Yes, I am disappointed with Arsenal’s overall standing so far in the league and I am quite dumbfounded by how poorly we’ve been playing for a few weeks. That being said, Arsenal are only 8 points back of Chelsea and 1 point out of the top four. Therefore, don’t rule Arsenal out of the top 4 or hand Chelsea the title just yet, things change.

However, this season is so frustrating for Arsenal supporters because this was finally the year we were going to overflow with talent. The training ground would be littered with quality players fighting for places, our starting 11 wouldn’t be a guarantee and our issue of mental strength would be one step closer to finally being fixed. Well, I must say that the reason I am writing this is to highlight exactly where Arsenal have went wrong this season and it has nothing to do with talent, but rather leadership and communication.

I think due to the past 2 seasons of constant improvement Arsenal fan’s assumed that we would naturally continue to get better on the pitch simply as a result of good form; but it is the lack of the right personalities hindering Arsenal.

Now obviously I am not in the dressing room with the players nor on the pitch, but it is easy to gather that few players open their mouths during games. The only Arsenal players to give constant communication to others (excluding goalies) are Kos, Cazorla, Coq, Alexis and Ozil. Giroud has shown over the past few weeks that regardless of his quality he has developed a mental toughness to his game. More importantly he has shown a higher respect for the club where his performances are really dedicated to the team and his work rate is much higher.

Yes, Kos, Cazorla,Coq, Alexis and Ozil talk. Kos has been masterful defensively this year and really deserves recognition. He’s definitely up there now as a top 3 center half in the prem. You guys can decide the other two. The bigger problem is that Kos is a lead by example type of player. He rarely makes mistakes and is incredibly swift on the pitch, but he is not the type of player who will scream at his teammates to stay focused. This is where Coq and Alexis come in, they are the team’s emotional leaders. They get animated and bring passion to the starting 11. A sense of responsibility that comes with playing for a club of this standard and such rich history. Alexis also leads by example but the technical leader, the one who creates for the team is Ozil’s title as well.

The key here is that Cazorla is missing…well because he’s been missing for months. He was our technical leader and emotional leader in the heart of the park. Without his experience, drive and absolute class ability to go right through a defense is not shared by Xhaka and Ramsey. The two players mentioned have great talent in different areas but are currently more focused on using Arsenal and the game of football to raise their status, help their names grow. They are still finding themselves as players and it is clear are more focused for some games and not others. How content are two players like this to develop their games this season, get more comfortable in the first 11 and challenge for the title next year? How content is a player like Ox or Iwobi.

Ox is genuinely the most inconsistent top talent I’ve ever watched. One game he can dominate a mid level Prem side and this past weekend we watched him get dominated by preston. He doesn’t seem to have that passion and drive to be the best. The idea that Arsenal should be wining the league with this team should be reinforced all throughout the club, but Im not sure if it is. Iwobi? he’s an amazing talent but he’s only a kid still, he’s not thinking this is my last chance to win a title, he’s just trying to get good game time and develop at a steady pace.

On their day, this season’s Arsenal team have given us performances that breed a lifetime of happiness. 3-0 over chelsea, 5-1 west ham, 4-1 sunderland. Dominant displays with the ball zipping around but more importantly the players were electric and refused to accept anything but a win.

But the reason why we are in 5th? why this season has fallen short and looks like it will continue to? A lack of leadership and accountability from the team as a whole. On team’s you have your captain and vice-captain, but you also have a technical leader, someone who leads the line, and other’s who dominate certain areas of the pitch. I don’t know who’s Arsenal leader are besides the 5 players mention. One of them has been hurt for ages and it is clear we fucking struggle without him. We need our supporting players to hold themselves to a higher standard, to play with more confidence and passion. If Arsenal want to get second this year, which I think is a realistic goal, they must organize the team off the pitch first. Sometimes it seems like the team doesn’t even know each other that well they’re so silent and distant from one another during matches. And for fuck’s sake, how can you loose the first half to Preston 1-0.

-DB10

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