Anger simmers in the stands as Arsenal face up to a make-or-break week

Flash of genius | Mesut Ozil scores against Newcastle
David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Tony Evans19 December 2017

Goodwill seems in short supply at the Emirates. Even during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday, the undercurrents of anger directed towards Arsene Wenger bubbled to the surface in the stands.

It was hardly a mass protest, but it indicated that the Gunners are only ever a game or two away from a crisis. Frustration was also evident on the pitch.

This is a huge week for Arsenal. Tonight, they host West Ham in the quarter-final of the League Cup. On Friday, they are at home to Liverpool in the league. Two victories would mean a merry Christmas. Anything less and revelry will turn to rancour.

It is hard to see in which direction Arsenal are heading. December has been dispiriting so far on the domestic front. Goals have dried up.

The last three matches, against sides struggling in the bottom half of the table, have been disappointing. Arsenal dropped four points against Southampton and West Ham and it took a flash of genius from Mesut Ozil to see off Newcastle.

Arsenal vs West Ham Preview

Arsenal give the illusion of controlling games but are too often pedestrian in possession and wasteful in front of goal. On days when Alexis Sanchez and Ozil do not provide virtuoso moments, the team display a lack of imagination.

West Ham have frequently been cannon fodder for Wenger’s men, but their performance in the goalless draw at the London Stadium last week should act as a warning. There is a growing confidence about David Moyes’s team. They were compact, organised and showed signs of being able to hurt opponents on the break.

Wenger’s full-backs consistently take up positions more like wingers. Too often, both surge forward, leaving the centre-backs isolated and outnumbered when a counter-attack develops. Every team in the division tries to exploit this flaw, which is particularly pronounced when Arsenal operate with a back four. Moyes is prioritising the fight to escape the drop-zone, but with West Ham bounding up the table since his arrival, the Scot will want to keep the momentum going in the cup.

Ozil provides match-winner for Arsenal: Arsene Wenger press conference

Friday brings a different kind of challenge. Liverpool are at their best against teams who come on to them. Arsenal’s worst performance of the season came in the 4-0 humiliation at Anfield. If the visitors are allowed the sort of running room they were given in August, Arsenal will be on the receiving end again.

They cannot afford to drop points in the battle for Champions League spots. The campaign is almost at its halfway mark. Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham have underachieved but can expect to raise their game in the second part of the season.

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Newcastle | 16/12/2017

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In January, Arsenal’s two best players can begin the process of negotiating to sign for foreign clubs at the end of the season. The exit strategies of Sanchez and Ozil are about to gather pace. There are others at the Emirates with an eye on an escape route, too. None of the other top-four contenders will have similar distractions.

This is a testing time for Wenger and Arsenal. The new year is just around the corner, but a new era of success seems as far away as ever.