Gazza M I think this is related to something I’ve been mulling over since Graeme Souness’ comments about us having an inferiority complex. He was rightly mocked because that game was the worse possible example, but I think there’s a grain of truth in what he said.
I think we’re too timid and don’t have the confidence top teams do/should. Not sure whether that’s because we lack belief, lack confidence in general, or whether our technical level impacts how we approach games. You can see it in the bigger games against the likes of City, Liverpool, and the CL and even Europa games. We’ve had a right few good results against the top 4/6 in recent years but we still have spells during games where it looks like we’re shaking. These games naturally ebb and flow at times, but we let teams back into it too easily. We don’t have confidence to keep turning the screw when we’re ahead, really dominate games and put them beyond doubt. I’m not sure whether that’s a confidence thing or whether Arteta’s tactics unwittingly instil a bit of hesitance and nerves. You can see in the Champions League (and Europa) we aren’t comfortable on the same technical level as other teams at times and that kills our game plan.
There’s much to be said about Arteta’s ability to adapt but in big games we are not yet at a point where we are comfortable being Arsenal and doing what we want.
This season should have been an evolution of this team. Even accounting for the impact of the red cards, injuries and disruption so far, we look a worse and less capable team.
Less fight, less intensity, less desire. I’m struggling to see leadership on the pitch just now. Heads are down.
