jamie vardy – 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?

The Facts on the Ground

Leicester had not beaten the Gunners away in the league since 1973 (i.e., before I was born). The Foxes failed to score in each of their two previous league matches (against “perennial title-chasers” West Ham and Aston Villa). And to put the proverbial cherry on top, reigning Prem golden boot winner and incessant Gunner troll (with 10 goals in 11 matches v. the Arsenal) Jamie Vardy was not fit enough to start.

Things Fall Apart

If Laca’s fourth minute-header is allowed, then does a less-than-healthy Vardy even make his second half cameo (check that, 11 goals in 12 matches v. the Arsenal)? Perhaps Auba shouldn’t have taken those downers during the match? In all fairness, Bellerin could have (justifiably) been sent off for what would have been his second yellow. And if I’m honest, Leicester could have easily bagged a second before full-time.

Islington, We Have a Problem

While our well-publicized woes of recent seasons have been largely defensive in nature, and there remains plenty of work to be done at the back (when Mustafi is your first option to replace an injured Luiz), allowing seven goals in six matches this season does not especially worry me–particularly in light of the recent addition of Partey (who should provide some welcome support in the midfield) and the fact that this season we have already played two of the highest scoring sides in the league (i.e., Liverpool and Man City). Unfortunately we have only scored eight goals in the league this season, and despite taking 11 shots in the first half of this match–which shockingly is an improvement over the 11 shots taken in our entire Europa league match vs. Vienna–, we never really looked like scoring other than when a drug-addled Auba found Bellerin (of all people) with a near-perfect cross in the 68th minute. Should Arteta have kept Auba playing out wide on the left for the entire match rather than experimenting with him on the right as he did for much of the match? Should he have played Auba centrally from the off and left Laca on the bench? Should Saka have played in the midfield instead of Xhaka to offer more creativity through the middle of the park? Well, no rest for the weary – We’ll soon see if our manager has an answer or two when we visit United on the 1st.