23 Dec 2013 22:59:54
A little bit disappointed.
Sure, Chelsea are a very good team, but not impossible to beat.
Do we want to win the league? Well, if that's the case than we better start winning our home games, especially against our main rivals.
The weather was dreadful but that's no excuse. What worries me is we have no plan B. Yes, our normal game(plan A) is great when all the players are up for it and it looks good against inferior opposition but when you come against a stubborn team and its not working than you have to try and change things around.

We only seem to play one way, pass, pass, pass, pass and than pass some more. Teams like Chelsea, with Mourinho as manager, can deal with that all day.
Play slightly defensive, 2 banks of 4 with a holding player in the middle, and one up top.
Soak up the pressure and hit on the counter. I have to admit, 12 months ago we probably would have lost today, but we are defensively more solid than previous years.

IMO, Wenger should have changed things around with half hour to go. Bring on Podolski or Bendtner to partner Giroud up front, lose one of the midfielders and play 4-4-2, at least that way we would have stretched their back four and given us more option in attack.

Plus points.
We are joint top, 3rd highest scorers and only Everton have conceded less than us.
We are still doing ok but we have lost so much of the sparkle that we had 5 or 6 games ago.
Giroud can't buy a goal at the moment, Ramsey has stopped scoring, ozil drifts in and out of the game too much for my liking and we don't seem to have the same cohesion as before.

Rant over, and I will probably feel more happier tomorrow than I am at the moment.

1.) 24 Dec 2013
DG, I know it's a dangerous tactic and its important not to lose but the big teams seem to be able to contain us so do you not think it would be worth it after 60_70 mins to drastically change formation and personal and try surprise them. Really think we'd pick up more points than lose.

2.) 24 Dec 2013
I couldn't have said it better myself. We have a busy period between today and early Jan why are we not substituting players like Arteta, Rosicky when you have players like Flamini and Cazorla to come on with a fresh set of legs.
I love Wenger and what he has done for Arsenal however in recent seasons his on field tactics have not evolved so opposition club's manager 'out smart' him on the pitch. We have to mix up our play. Stop walking the ball into the net. Shoot!

3.) 24 Dec 2013
Hi Belly,
Yes mate, that's what I would do if things were not going to plan.
Change tac-tics and formation, why not? Play with 2 up front for the last 20 minutes, our mids would have more space and it wouls stretch their back four.
I love Olly to bits but he's not cutting the mustard upfront. His work ethic is fantastic but he needs help and I don't think our mids are supporting him as much as they should.