Arsenal had no ideas, says Wenger after lucky escape
Humiliation was narrowly averted but, as an audition for Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester City, Arsenal’s fringe players delivered the footballing equivalent of forgetting all their lines and then falling off the stage in a big heap.
Yes, they did ultimately ensure their place in the last 16 of the Europa League by an aggregate 4-2 scoreline but, having gone 2-0 down against a club who have been in existence for less time than Arsene Wenger has been Arsenal manager, the wobble was still spectacular. In isolation, a 2-1 defeat on the night was also among the worst results in Arsenal’s entire history. Ostersunds, after all, are making their debut in European competition and had only played this fixture amid limited training due to freezing conditions back home and a break since December in the Swedish league.
Jack Wilshere immediately acknowledged Arsenal “were nowhere near it and not good enough” but the players were not spared in Wenger’s damning assessment of the first half.
“We were in trouble and in danger,” he said. “We were complacent, not focused, open when we lost the ball and no ideas when we had the ball. That’s why we were in trouble. People subconsciously think they have to just turn up to win but it doesn’t work like that.” It all raises significant questions ahead of Sunday’s final. Alex Iwobi, who hobbled off with cramp, Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Mohamed Elneny all started here and are realistically in competition for two remaining starting spaces but did nothing to advance their case. “We are through – that is probably the only positive,” said Wilshere. “We maybe underestimated them a little bit.”
If the sight of numerous empty seats suggested that Arsenal’s fans were also either supremely confident or just unnterested in the prospect of facing Ostersunds, the 4,500 supporters in the away section underlined the enormity of this fixture for their opponents. It meant that 10 per cent of the population of Ostersund was at the Emirates for what was comfortably the most glamorous match in their history. It created an unusual atmosphere. The surroundings might have been familiar to the Arsenal players but most of the noise was for their visitors. The feeling of an away fixture was perhaps also compounded by Arsenal’s willingness to play in all blue in the knowledge that Ostersunds’ only two kits – red or white – would have clashed with their own home strip.
Arsenal’s initial mindset also could barely have been more welcoming. The players seemed trapped between those who regarded victory as a formality and those who were genuinely nervous. Complacency appeared to afflict most the experienced players furthest forward but Arsenal’s malaise was then compounded by two centre-backs in Rob Holding and Calum Chambers who seem bereft of confidence. Add in Hector Bellerin and Sead Kolasinac’s desire to push forward from full-back and Arsenal could scarcely have made themselves more vulnerable.
Ostersunds sensed their opportunity and were soon creating the best chances. Captain Brwa Nouri was a persistent threat breaking from midfield and, after a move that also involved Jamie Hopcutt – an English midfielder who had played previously for Tadcaster Albion in the Northern Premier League – Arsenal were cut wide open.
They did not heed the warning signs. Holding then wandered forward into a midfield area when Arsenal lost the ball, allowing Hosam Aiesh to sprint into space between Chambers and Kolasinac before shooting past David Ospina. More dreadful defending soon fol-
lowed, with Ken Sema then turning Chambers with embarrassing ease before also finishing calmly. Only 23 minutes had been played.
Wenger had clearly decided that his team lacked midfield presence and Ainsley Maitland-niles, who with Elneny had provided such scarce defensive protection, was replaced by Granit Xhaka at half-time.
Arsenal did immediately improve and, after Bellerin’s cross was only partially cleared by Ronald Mukiibi, Kolasinac finished emphatically to restore a two-goal aggregate cushion.
Wilshere also then released Welbeck but his attempt at a chipped finish was comfortably gathered by Ostersunds goalkeeper Aly Keita. Arsenal had regained some semblance of rhythm and composure but there were still further lapses. After a towering Hopcutt header, Mukiibi missed an opportunity to narrow the deficit further and, while Elneny and especially Welbeck wasted chances to end the tie, Arsenal never once looked comfortable.
They will take their place in today’s draw but the real story from this tie was surely the new chapter in the recent fairy tale of Ostersunds and their inspirational English manager Graham Potter. “We tried to play well, tried to win and hoped for the miracle,” said Potter. “We got two out of three.”