ARSENAL MAIL IT IN

SHAKTAR ASK UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS OF ARTETA

Coming at the Shaktar game very late in the day.

It was absolutely dreadful. That was a very ugly pig, and I refuse to offer up eyeliner to its monstrous face.

The setup was certainly limited due to the continued absence of Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka, but it really didn’t need to have what looked like three 6s clogging up midfield.

The team was stodgy, lacking in creativity, and off their game wildly. We took three points, but I don’t think that’s a game we’ll look back on with pride come the end of the season. Shaktar got at us, they asked difficult questions, and we often didn’t have answers.

The only players that really gave me any hope were Thomas Partey, Kai Havertz, and David Raya (maybe Gabi M). The rest were dreadful.

We’ve had a tough start to the season. Injuries, red cards, the feeling that the whole world is against us. That performance looked like we were feeling that way. That would be the favorable way of framing it. You might also suggest that Arsenal took Shaktar lightly and there’s a bit of complacency setting in. The focus just wasn’t there and we looked surprised the minnows of Ukraine were giving some back.