Park strollin

By Boris Mellor
November 2 2011

This wasn’t a bad result, four points out of six against a team that has only conceded one goal at this stage of the CL, and top of the group is more than satisfactory. Also a clean sheet is to be valued, especially as it was against a team that really did try to score, they had nine shots off target and one on. Arsenal had more shots on target, but they never really troubled Mandanda.

The best chance of the night fell to RvP, but his chip was easily caught by the Marseille goalie. Perhaps if Robin had been on longer he would have scored. The neutral may have found the match entertaining as it was end to end stuff, but fans see things differently. They had seen five goals on Saturday and were expecting to see a few against Marseille. But this was after the Lord Mayor’s show, and it was not to be.

Hungover?
It does raise the question has the team rid itself of having a dip in form after every big victory? Is it the case they get hungover after big games? That certainly happened last season. Perhaps they were tired emotionally after the Chelsea game, hopefully this was a reality check which means that form will pick up again in the league. It also has to be taken into account that Marseille played very well. This was half time in the group stage and Marseille were in the last chance saloon, they rose to the occasion. They defended tenaciously and counterattacked in numbers. All credit to Vermaelen who not only marshalled the defence very well, but also found time for two very good headers at the other end. The bloke never stops running, he is a human dynamo.

The other change of personnel fared less well, Park seemed loss in the no man’s land of 4-5-1. I don’t remember him having a chance all night, I may have missed it, but it seemed that way. He and the ball rarely seemed to connect. His failure demonstrated the strengths of RvP, when Robin doesn’t get service he looks for the ball, he persuades other players to get it through to him. Park was too static and passive. He will have learnt that there is a gulf between the Carling Cup and the Champion’s league. It is now obvious why Wenger has not rushed to start him in the league.

If Wenger's substitions had been inspired on Saturday they were too little too late this time around. Giving Arshavin 15 mins is not enough time to get into the game. Much more of that and I can see the little Russian leaving sooner than later. Even Grandma Rosicky could not get the team to raise its tempo.

This Arsenal is not a one man team; and Wenger said of his decision to rest RvP, “you cannot say he has to make the difference”, in theory Arsene is right, unfortunately last night, in practice, RvP’s absence made all the difference.