Arsène Wenger elected to play a 4-3-3 but Antonio Conte’s side essentially attack with five players and this was underlined by the Premier League leaders’ first goalArsenal’s 3-1 defeat by Chelsea felt somewhat familiar; it was their seventh loss from their past eight visits to Stamford Bridge. However, whereas Arsène Wenger has frequently been accused of tactical naivety after these defeats and ridiculed for failing to adapt his tactics, on this occasion Arsenal’s manager had attempted to surprise Chelsea with his lineup. Related: Arsenal’s Arsène Wenger fumes at first goal after defeat by Chelsea Related: Eden Hazard mesmerises Arsenal to tighten Chelsea’s Premier League grip Continue reading...
Tweaks here and some fine-tuning there make no difference as Arsène Wenger’s men show at Stamford Bridge how they flatter only to deceiveThey bring in a new fitness coach, embrace analytics in an attempt to modernise their scouting department and hint at enhanced ambition in the transfer market every summer. They no longer lose their best players to richer rivals. Every now and then, they produce a statement victory that suggests the grand project is approaching a golden conclusion and greatness beckons. But for all the little tweaks and fine-tuning, nothing much of any major significance changes at Arsenal.Examining this pattern of underachievement, there is one constant. Easy though it is to point the finger of blame at the manager...
Wenger needs a reaction at Chelsea after the fallout from another demoralising defeat has increased the speculation that this season will be his last at ArsenalIt was a gloriously enigmatic line, the sort that might have come from the hero in one of those black and white nouvelle vague films. “It is not all quantifiable. It is linked with your gut feeling, as well. Thank you.” All that was missing was the Gallic shrug. And with that, Arsène Wenger turned on his heel and left.Since last summer, when the countdown to the end of his contract officially started, the Arsenal manager has stuck to his guns. He has said that he will decide at the end of the season, when...
The damaging home defeat by Watford has raised familiar concerns about the capability of Arsène Wenger’s side to maintain a title challenge when the pressure is really onThe vast majority of a football manager’s life revolves around dealing with situations that are testing, thought-provoking and demanding but once in a while something magical comes along that makes all the questions and pressures and nonsense they have to deal with in their everyday work seem humdrum.For Arsène Wenger one of those came along at the beginning of this season when he watched his team produce a blueprint performance. Chelsea were demolished with a swagger, 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to an impressive demonstration of dashing attacking mixed with rigorous team control....
Liverpool’s defence needs to find cohesion fast, Lincoln felt the force with Alan Power and Bastian Schweinsteiger is welcomed back by José MourinhoIt was an afternoon when the ball would not go in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Chelsea attacking midfielder was twice denied by the Brentford goalkeeper, Daniel Bentley, and, when he clipped over him on 58 minutes, the effort came back off the crossbar. Loftus-Cheek had two other moments when he jinked inside the area but could not find a finish. It was, nonetheless, an eye-catching performance from the 21-year-old – in front of the watching England manager, Gareth Southgate – in which he advertised both his power and the deftness of his touch. Could it offer him a...