Bore draw at the Emirates

Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

It was very easy for journalists and pundits to predictably proclaim the Gunners missed Robin Van Persie, following a listless 0-0 draw against Sunderland on Saturday. Of course if the Dutchman had still been wearing the red and white of Arsenal and not posing for photographs with Alex Ferguson, the home side would have been able to break down Martin O’Neil’s ultra-defensive Sunderland. Although Arsenal fans would wish to avoid similarities to last season’s opening games, these are the very same journalists and pundits, who suggested the Gunners were toothless without Cesc Fabregas, having failed to score in their opening two games of the 2011/12 season. Incidentally, Van Persie played in both those games.

Needless to say, the team will miss the Dutchman’s presence up front and it will take time for the new signings, Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla to settle into the squad, adjust to the rigours of Premier League football and reach an understanding with their new team mates. What the football experts failed to highlight was that the main issue on Saturday was not the absence of Van Persie, but the slow tempo in which Arsenal passed the ball. The transition between defence, midfield and attack was far too ponderous and the Gunners ended up passing the ball sideways time and time again. Per Metesacker, replacing the injured Koscielny, did not seem comfortable on the ball at all, his repeated indecisiveness allowing Sunderland to get back in numbers.  

Lukas Podolski worked extremely hard, in the lone striker role, continually chasing the ball, but was unable to really get himself in the game, with Wenger citing a lack of match fitness as the main reason behind this. Gervinho was lively on the right flank, but in similar fashion to last season, the Ivorian’s approach play as he bore down on the final third was fantastic at times, but his decision making once he got there was mostly atrocious. Meanwhile Theo Walcott, on the left wing, had another poor game, while Abou Diaby returned to first team action, but was not able to impose himself on the game. However Santi Cazorla provided a glimpse of his wondrous skill, technique and vision, which will only improve as the season wears on. The Spaniard could prove to be one of the buys of the season.

As in previous seasons, the Gunners had plenty of possession on Saturday, but just could not do anything with it.  With Sunderland sitting deeper and deeper as the game wore on, Arsenal needed to inject some pace into their game, but seemed unable to do so, maybe as a result of the intense heat or a lack of sharpness due to a less than ideal pre-season programme. As a result, the home side were only able to create one clear cut opportunity, thanks to the magical feet of Cazorla. Unfortunately Giroud seemed to rush his shot and skewed it wide. Arsenal’s hopes of an opening day victory went with it.

Following the final whistle, the club confirmed it had reached an agreement with Barcelona for the sale of Alex Song. Reports in today’s newspapers claim the Cameroonian had become disillusioned in North London, having seen the club fail to award his vastly improved performances with a new contract. His wage at Barcelona will reportedly be £70,000 a week; if Arsenal cannot offer this to one of their most improved and important players, we may as well not even bother any more. How the club can have sanctioned deals of £60,000 and £50,000 a week to the likes of Chamakh, Djourou and Almunia, in the past, but not be able to offer Song the same deal he will have at Barcelona is beyond me.  Apparently the powers that be didn’t place Song’s contract extension as one of their main priorities and consequently the fans will see yet another one of our main performers leave the club.

Wenger will now need to buy another defensive midfielder. His claims in the post-match press conference that he has plenty of midfielders with Wilshere, Rosicky and Diaby all coming back seemed very strange indeed, as none of these are defensive midfielders and all have suffered greatly with injuries in recent years. Add to this the rumours that Arsenal were prepared to make Van Persie the highest paid player in the club’s history but never actually offered him a new deal and we can only conclude that the way the club we love is being run at the moment is deeply disturbing. It appears as though any decent offer received for any player will be accepted, simply stoking the view that the owners only want to achieve qualification for Champions League football for the cheapest possible outlay. Sooner or later the bubble will burst.