ian darke – CONFESSIONS OF A (NOT-SO) YOUNG GOONER

His Darke Materials

As NBC match commentator Ian Darke pointed out during today’s match, Wolves had not beaten the Gunners away from home since 1979, our average of nine shots on goal per match is our worst in the last 22 years, and a loss today would ensure our lowest point total through the first 10 matches of a season in the Premier League era.

Charlie Brown, Lucy, and a Football

I foolishly believed our early season defensive results would at least somewhat offset our offensive struggles, but if our loss to Leicester (who played without Jamie Vardy for nearly two-thirds of the match) wasn’t bad enough, today we somehow managed to concede twice in the first half to a Wolves side that had only scored two goals in an entire match just two other times all season. Even more damning, they did so today without their leading scorer. How much longer will Gooners and ownership give Arteta to turn things around?

Silver-ish Linings

This is a tough one. Sideshow Bob actually looked pretty good playing with a concussion through the end of the first half? We scored a goal from open play in the league for the first time since October 4th? Willian picked up an assist for the first time since Week One of the league season? We actually took more shots today than we averaged coming into today’s match? Perhaps Partey, Elneny, and Pépé will be available next week?

De Mortuis Nihil Nisi Bonum

While the act of typing the score above was pretty painful, it was nowhere near as painful as watching Sunday’s thrashing. If what they say about “speaking ill of the dead” is true, then perhaps I spoke too soon by giving Arteta the edge over Emery through their respective first 26 matches in charge at the Emirates. Where should I begin? John McGinn’s first-minute screamer that was ruled out on a technicality? No way Leno makes that save (even without Ross Barkley in his line of sight). Or perhaps Willian’s stray ball which set up the Villa move that ended with Saka’s own goal? I was hoping the crafty ball Willian delivered to Bellerin last week (which resulted in the game-winning pen) was the beginning of something good for both Willian and us, but alas, he has yet to contribute anything positive since Week One v. Fulham. Zero shots (not on goal, no shots, period) for Auba? Our inability to create chances continues to plague us as one of our best chances of the day was created by…you guessed it…Gabriel…for…wait for it…Holding.

The Difference Maker

On the positive side, Thomas continued to impress. And who knows? Things may have ended differently if after he intercepted McGinn’s poor back pass Thomas had found a way to put his close-range shot past former Arsenal journeyman Emi Martinez in the ninth minute. Multiple times during the first half Thomas was able to break up play and help us maintain possession. Who says one man can’t make a difference? Not only did we look like a different team after Thomas did not return to the pitch after half time, the scoreline ballooned in the second half without him sitting in front of our backline, and if I’m honest, Villa could have scored at least one or two more in his absence. With our anemic offense,–and I never thought I’d say this–our defense may be the only thing that gives us a chance this season, so let’s hope Thomas is fit again after the international break.

Tip of the Hat

In the department of giving credit where credit is due, hats off to Emi for his performance on Sunday. After spending most of his career outside of the Arsenal Starting XI, he came on late last season for us and performed well with Leno out injured, which led to Villa picking him up over the summer for a reported £20 million. In the words of commentator Ian Darke during Sunday’s match, “It took him ten years to become an overnight sensation”. I can only imagine how it must have felt for Emi to earn a clean sheet against his former teammates at the Emirates.