MAN UTD 1
ARSENAL 1
Match Review
Arsenal’s Frustrating Stalemate: Same Problems, No Solutions
Well, here we are, Arsenal fans. Another match, another frustrating result. If you caught my last video, you’d know I was riding a wave of cautious optimism after the PSV game. But after today? I feel completely mugged off. How did I ever believe that one good performance was going to magically fix everything? How did I think Arsenal would suddenly start scoring goals and dominating teams? What was I thinking?
Because let’s be honest—this was the same old story. If I replayed my reaction from the West Ham or Nottingham Forest games, I’d probably be saying the exact same things. It’s getting painfully repetitive, and worse than that, we keep making poor teams look good. Leicester, who are battling relegation, looked decent against us. Manchester United, who we’ve mocked all season for sitting in the bottom half of the table, suddenly looked competent. And yet, we’re the ones supposed to be in a title race.
Let’s get into the performance.
Defensive Resillience, but Costly Errors
First things first—David Raya deserves credit. He pulled off some brilliant saves, especially towards the end. His reactions and ability to recover quickly are becoming his trademark. But the first goal we conceded? A complete disaster.
Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick should never have gone in. It wasn’t perfectly placed in the corner, which makes you question Raya’s positioning. But then you look at the wall—set miles away, making it way too easy for him to strike. Was this down to the players not being switched on? The referee positioning them poorly? A lapse from the keeper? Maybe all of the above. Either way, it was far too simple for United.
What made it worse? A few minutes later, we had a similar free-kick opportunity, and I can guarantee none of you thought Martin Ødegaard was scoring. He just can’t shoot. His free-kicks are woeful, and yet, somehow, he’s still taking them. Surely, someone else in the squad has a better dead-ball delivery?
That being said, defensively, we weren’t awful. William Saliba and Gabriel were solid, as usual. Jurrien Timber put in another strong shift and at least tried to push forward and make something happen. Calafiori? As I said in my preview, I think he’s better suited to playing further up the pitch. He’s not a defender, and we have enough solid ones already, so why not give him a chance elsewhere?
Midfield Woes and Predictable Play
Declan Rice was one of the few positives again. He’s not lighting up the league, but he’s working tirelessly. His goal was well taken, and his last-ditch tackle in the second half was outstanding.
But then there’s Ødegaard. Oh my days. If there’s one player who epitomizes the frustrating nature of this team, it’s him. He gets the ball, shimmies left, shimmies right, then passes sideways or backwards. Never forward. And did anyone else notice how often he ignored Ethan Nwaneri in space? Almost like he was scared the young lad would show him up. It happened over and over again.
The midfield as a whole was just too slow. Every time they received the ball, their first instinct was to look backward rather than turning and attacking space. I get that movement ahead of them is limited, but at least have the intention to be positive. The lack of urgency is shocking for a team supposedly chasing the title.
Attack? What Attack?
With no traditional striker leading the line, Arsenal’s fluid front three thrived. Leandro Trossard was particularly impressive, scoring a stunning goal and linking up play effectively. Ethan Nwaneri, the 17-year-old sensation, showcased his immense talent and provided glimpses of his star potential. Meanwhile, Mikel Merino, who has faced criticism for inconsistent performances, also got on the scoresheet. While doubts remain over his overall impact, his goal was well taken.
Could Have Been Even More
Leandro Trossard. Wow. What has happened to him? Completely ineffective, playing with zero confidence. He hogs the ball, makes no impact, and constantly looks like he’s got a chip on his shoulder. Like he thinks he’s Lionel Messi or something. Meanwhile, Merino up top is just… awful. He is NOT a striker, so why does Mikel Arteta insist on playing him there? It’s baffling.
Then we get to the substitutions. The 60th minute comes, the game is slipping away, and Arteta looks lost. We needed a goal, yet he brought on two defenders. Martinelli was on the bench. So was Raheem Sterling. Zinchenko. Tierney. We had attacking options, but instead, Arteta stuck with a system that wasn’t working.
And at this point, I have to ask—what is Sterling even doing here? If Arteta doesn’t trust him to make an impact, why is he even on the bench? It’s becoming pointless.
This overly cautious approach from Arteta is infuriating. He’s so scared to lose that he ends up ensuring we don’t win. We see the same handbrake football, the same sideways passing, and the same lack of attacking ambition week after week.
The Bigger Picture - Arteta's Limitations
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the Kroenkes need to go. But at this point, so does Arteta.
He’s done well to make us competitive, but he’s never going to win us a Premier League title. His reluctance to take risks and his inability to adapt mid-game are massive red flags. Where is the creativity? Where is the urgency? Where is the hunger to win?
And here’s the most frustrating thing—Liverpool are walking away with the league. It’s criminal that we’ve allowed this to happen. We had a chance to push them, but instead, we’re rolling over. It’s been the same story for weeks now. We can’t score. We can’t create. And as much as I wanted to believe the PSV game was a turning point, it clearly wasn’t. They must be absolutely dreadful for us to have scored seven past them.
Whats Next?
We move on to the PSV rematch, and then Chelsea at home. And let’s be real—Chelsea have way more attacking firepower than Manchester United did today. If we play the same way, we’re in trouble.
Unless something drastic changes, we’ll be here again after the next game, talking about another frustrating, toothless performance. And that, Arsenal fans, is the real problem.
Let me know your thoughts—are you as fed up as I am? What’s the solution? Don’t forget to check out the site for match previews, reactions, and transfer analysis and watch the video and get in touch to let me know your thoughts.
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