What the Liverpool result showed us

[IBK]

I was under the impression he'd improve the other players around him but now it's looking like we'll need a lot more to get the best of him. Or maybe he just needs time to adjust. Our style of play keeps changing and it's hard to pin down what exactly it is we're doing. We've stopped pressing defensively, it looked like we played a higher line against Liverpool and the passing and movement has become more labored. We're not breaking quickly enough for counters and it's an old Wenger cliche but we lack sharpness.

I knew the fluidity of our play had taken a knock since losing Cesc and I'd say the quick and efficient play was a result of us not being able to string together endless passes like we used to. I wouldn't say it was a tactic to sit deep and then break. Not intentionally. When Ozil, Rosicky, Ramsey and Cazorla were on there game, that fluency came back and the players kept interchanging. It was more like the total football we used to play. But since the Christmas break that has gone out the window and we're struggling to string passes together and open teams up. We may need to go back to basics and focus on defence because I think that period of playing champagne football may have gone to the players heads and they're trying to replicate it all the time.

Well said. Whether its because of fatigue; complacency or other managers simply getting better at working us out (and here, I would mention the 'lesser' teams that have worked us out tactically and fustrated us even though we've won), playing a high line is leaving us vulnerable rather than giving us a consistent scoring platform. If we're going to adopt a 'play for 15/20 minutes approach' - which is what we've been doing - then why the fuck don't we hold back and compress the space in behind, and defend as a team - then looking to exploit when the opposition tires in the second half?

As for Ozil - I get that he might need time to adjust; that the Spanish league isn't as physical; that many of Wenger's successes have been gradual rather than instant. But 42M is a lot to spunk on a player that needs a season to improve - in other words a prospect rather than someone who can do the business right now. How good would we be, for example, if we'd shelled out 8M more and landed Suarez (IMO 50M would have got Suarez in the Summer, with his ban still hanging over him) - or even Higuain? Seems to me that Ozil was bought because he was a Wenger laminate and available, rather than the product of any proper plan to make us function better as a team this season. In any event, when you consider Wenger's most expensive signings - after Ozil they are Cazorla; Arshavin; Nasri; Wiltord and Reyes - he ain't great at spending money!

In any event - when you look at some of Ozil's work at the beginning of the season and at Southampton, for example - where he shows that he can battle and run when he wants to. Its hard to avoid the impression that he's not giving us 100% - which is unforgivable given his cost - if true.

[Power n Glory]

I know the Spanish league isn't all that physical but we've seen players like Torres, Augero, Silva and Toure slot right in after playing in La Liga. Cazorla had no problems in his first season with the physical side of things. Even little Robinho was able to pull off some magic when he could be bothered. It's a tough league but I would have thought fatigue would have been more of problem and we'd see his performance level drop after 60 minutes or something like that.

I really surprised at how he's playing. It's all pass and move from him with very few attempts to take on his man to create space. I wouldn't mind if he wanted to play that sort of style by dropping deeper to help build attacks but I really can't stand to see players not attempt to shake their marker and just attempt ball into feet with the odd through ball all day when in the final third. It's lazy. Someone has to step up the pace and we've seen it recently when Cazorla scored two goals and then Ox against Palace. More purpose and drive. I'm hoping to see that against Man Utd because Ozil has it in his locker.

[AFC Leveller]

It showed us that our worst nightmare, ie the old Arsenal of recent years, can manisfest itself at any given match against the big boys (and Southampton, Villa and West Brom).

Tomorrow night is HUGE, a win would set up nicely for the weekend game but a loss or even draw would represent a step back after taking 2 or 3 this season.