Complacency Kills

“We can do some good stuff on special teams, but you don’t want guys to get complacent and say ‘we’re good’ and then not work as hard.” – Chad Morton former NFL running back who played for the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants

In last week’s win over Aston Villa, I noticed something curious. Infuriatingly curious. With Arsenal safely up at 2-0 and Villa posing now attacking threat whatsoever, I noticed Arsenal start to get cute with the ball. Before I go on, this isn’t Aaron Ramsey only who tries a back heel every time its NOT warranted, it was an entire team effort to show how ‘skilled’ they were with the ball. It was culminated by Robin Van Persie who took the ball deep into the left corner. There he held up the ball and after a few minutes decided to some sort of flick up and over (okay it was cool, really cool but was it necessary). It was just part of the overall failure to take an opponent and shut them out completely.

Carry over to this week and I got the distinct impression that Arsenal came into the match thinking that QPR would quietly roll over for the juggernaut that was the newly revitalized Arsenal. They forgot three important facts:

• QPR are in a relegation battle and the wound dog analogy works perfect for them,
• Mark Hughes knows how to get under ANY Arsenal squad skin, and
• QPR have actually done quite well against the big clubs this well (ask Chelsea & Liverpool)

Arsenal looked bright for oh about 10 minutes. Then they seemed to just, well in my opinion, shut off. There was none of the swagger or decisiveness that was the hallmark of the 7 game winning streak. They moved the ball slowly and deliberately letting QPR get their men behind the ball.  This let QPR dictate the style play rather than letting Arsenal’s incisive play be the rule of the day.

The problem sometimes with a team as it transitions over from being mediocre to good is that the begin to believe all the hype that is being said about them. It is what I think is wrong with Manchester City and from the looks of it could be what is wrong with Arsenal at the moment. They need to understand that it was a work ethic that got them to where they are. You have to bring your ‘lunch pale’ to work every match and make a go of it the same way each time. It requires a similar effort each time. You can’t think ever, that it is going to be easy, no matter how poor an opponent may seem at times.

QPR came out and were the hungrier team. They wanted this match more and they made Arsenal pay for it. The hope is that Arsenal understand what it takes now and regain their focus. This upcoming match isn’t going to be any easier. Manchester City are having their own rut of the moment. Bad form as well as a ton of internal issues has hurt their title chances. With United like to get a result today vs Blackburn, they will come into the Emirates with everything to play for. Manchester City will show up for the match and if Arsenal don’t then the threat of falling out of the top four is still quite possible.

We should never as a team and organization rest on our laurels. It is what killed this weekend. I hope, as do many other Gooners, that it serves as a slap in the face that was needed to get them over the complacency that may have started to take hold.

Wenger Blame Game.

All it takes is one loss for Wenger Out Brigade (WOB) to come out. And they were out with some force on Saturday and Sunday. Now, I have always maintained that Wenger should be allowed to manage through the season and fix the error of his ways. Something he seemed and still seems likely to do.

However, that does not mean that the manager doesn’t deserve a bit of criticism. If the players didn’t take the pitch with the right attitude, I blame them, but setting up the team the way he did was completely wrong in my opinion. By putting anyone other than either Gervinho or Oxlade-Chamberlain on the wings the team went in to the match unbalanced. And it was clearly evident when Aaron Ramsey playing out left kept drifting too far into the middle.

His natural tendency to play in the middle left the left side of the team vulnerable and it was the area that QPR attacked the most for their outlets. Gibbs was left having to cover too much without support from his wing too many times. The second goal came from that side with Gibbs pushed too far forward and Vermaelen coming into the left cover for him. I don’t know if this would’ve been different had Ramsey been more situated in his wing role but as it stands it was one of the things I noticed throughout the match.

Gervinho and Ox are better defencively and let’s not forget – NATURAL WINGERS. They get the role and understand what their offencive and defencive duties are. They know when to drift in but also know when to stay back. Ramsey did not and was constantly in the middle.

One thing I would like to say, is that Wenger at least was honest about the defeat in the end. I was waiting for the we were unlucky speech combined with the naivety curve ball thrown in for good measure. In the end he said we didn’t show up and QPR wanted it more and deserved it more. If he had thrown in a wrong setup statement I think I would’ve choked on my food.

Thomas the Goat.

Let’s be honest. We all like Thomas Vermaelen. He has grit, determination and is steel in a team that in the past hasn’t been known for its steel. But he also has one major flaw – he is overly aggressive and plays as such. It was his aggressive play in attacking the player that caused him to basically overplay then slip against players that would score both goals. No one else had anything to do wrong with those plays. Had Vermaelen not overplayed each one he might have been positionaly set to get the ball. As it was he went in, overplayed it – both times and Arsenal paid for it.

OFF TOPIC

I talked in the match preview about how certain things remind us that this is only a game and this weekend was no different. Last night, news spread that former Lazio & NY Cosmos great and co-host of Sirius XM’s The Football Show  Giorgio Chinaglia died of complications from a heart attack.

Admittedly I wasn’t the biggest fan of the show he had been on since 2006. I felt they always carried the water bucket for both Manchester United and Chelsea. But in recent weeks and months I came to appreciate the show because Giorgio and what he brought to the conversation. Simply, a love of the game.

He brought that Italian love for life to his love for the game and it showed in how he talked about it. Even in his short answers when you wanted more detail, the emphasis and resolute nature of his one word answers let you know how assured he was of his opinion on the matter.

Giorgio scored 98 goals in 209 games for Lazio and 231 goals in 234 games (both outdoor and indoor) for the Cosmos.

Rest In Peace Giorgio, you were truly one of the great characters of football.