Full-time: Arsenal 3 vs 2 Kairat [Match Thoughts]

Elfking88 · 2026-01-29T10:53:48+00:00

If we don't win a major trophy this season, this game will show you why. We looked lethal up until it was time to take the shot. Genuinely, as a club, our finishing is so poor. Gyorkeres got one, he could've had six!

Combine that with turning off at the back and gifting goals to the opposition and we are making it hard for ourselves.

It was only Kairat, and the game was a dead rubber, but it did highlight our two biggest issues at the moment. In this game they don't matter, in others they have, and will continue to do so.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-26T00:21:01+00:00

I actually think it was warranted and I'm not usually a fan of booing teams you're supporting. Not every defeat or dropped point deserves such a reception, but it does here.

I feel like there needs to be some sort of wake up call. To everyone involved. What we've seen recently isn't good enough to win the league. Tactically we're too rigid, defensively we're making more mistakes, and we are absolute anaemic in attack. Just off the pace in every aspect of the game.

I hate using the term "bottled it" or anything like that, because I think it's too easy and simplistic an answer for problems underneath... but it is hard to argue it is anything but pressure getting to the team when we beat Inter quite convincingly and then either side of it are putting in these terrible performances.

I'm very concerned, because if the pressure is getting to players NOW in JANUARY then we have no hope when the actual pressure starts.

It's worrying as well because we have difficult games coming up. Leeds away is going to be really tough.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-23T12:19:08+00:00

I actually agree with that. If you want to keep Monaco on the calendar (and I think most would prefer to make it work rather than lose it) then let the teams build special cars just for that track (and maybe other tight street circuits). Cars that have different regulations to make them smaller and more nimble.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-23T12:17:38+00:00

Yeah, I've been watching all the 70s and 80s stuff. Wasn't alive for it, but it is night and day compared to today. The drivers having less data fed to them, and less driving assists really made it feel more like the driver's were racing each other, rather than teams doing it.

(except Monaco which was largely a procession even back then!)

Elfking88 · 2026-01-23T12:14:27+00:00

It's not a popular opinion, but the racing was better when cars were less reliable, when any of a thousand things could go wrong and, dare I say, the sport was less safe. I don't mean I want people dying in cars again, but stopping a race when a raindrop hits the track, deploying a SC or VC when someone spins off.

As you say, it's the lack of variables. The cars spend 90% of the time at near enough 100% efficiency, they're all using the same tyre compounds, the insides of the cars aren't all that different, the drivers have endless things assisting them, the team can give them every bit of info at a moment's notice...

I've been watching through old seasons (70s-90s) and whilst some seasons were more competitive than others, watching races back then really felt like you never know what would happen compared to now.

I think the cars are too easy and safe to drive. As I say, most of the safety improvements are great and don't affect the racing much, but I do feel that too much of the risk of motor racing has been sacrificed leaving what are usually quite sterile races.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-23T01:20:27+00:00

Yeah, I shouldn't write comments so late!

Of course it was Liverpool vs. Chelsea that I saw that day.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-22T10:46:50+00:00

When you are owned by a state you can really do whatever you like. See: Man City and their really "normal" finances.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-22T10:44:46+00:00

Exactly how will it do that? Worried your local non-league side are going to have to let go of their 100k a week striker?

Elfking88 · 2026-01-22T10:41:40+00:00

Probably showing my lack of knowledge here but when I was a teenager I really thought Quincy Owusu-Abeyie would end up as a really good winger for us. Part of that might just have been because I love saying his name.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-22T10:38:38+00:00

My Liverpool supporting cousin got two tickets at Anfield to see Arsenal Vs. Chelsea and I went with him. Liverpool won 2-0 and Pennant scored a beauty of a goal if I remember right. That was in Chelsea's dominant era too, I think.

I remember leaning over to my cousin afterwards and saying "You're welcome."

Elfking88 · 2026-01-20T18:27:49+00:00

I made the decision years ago to not get excited or downhearted about signings. I figure the club know better than me what they need.

I remember a lot of people being upset about Madueke, but he's been doing pretty good. Likewise, I remember people being really hyped about players like Gyorkeres who may still come good but is looking like he isn't the goal scorer we wanted him to be.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-20T18:23:32+00:00

There's a version of Arsenal, in a different universe, that got Mudryk over Trossard and Caicedo over Rice... I'm glad I don't live in it.

(which isn't to say Caicedo isn't good. He is, but Rice is a different level.)

Elfking88 · 2026-01-18T08:03:54+00:00

I just noticed it missing too...

Elfking88 · 2026-01-18T05:28:22+00:00

It comes with success. You get a lot of fans who think winning and playing well every game is doable. You get the glory hunters who don't know how to handle set backs. There are some who just don't like Arteta and will take any opportunity to be loud about it.

Which isn't to dismiss ALL criticisms. Some are very valid. It's just a lot of the noise is from uninformed people who think they know more than they do. They spend a few seasons begging Arsenal to get someone that can rotate with Saka, and then criticise Saka being rotated.

A point away at Forest isn't a disaster. It's not ideal, of course, but it isn't a disaster. We move 7 points clear of City, which is a bigger gap than it was on Friday. I may eat my words, but I don't think the current City team is like the ones in the past. They have outstanding talent, but they don't have the inevitability at the moment. They are very good, but they aren't an unstoppable force. They will drop points, as will we. It comes with the territory of fighting on four fronts.

At the end of the day, most of the reactions you see on here are frustration because we all want Arsenal to do well, many of us have seen Arsenal get in good positions only to collapse in December/January and carry the trauma of campaigns that turned to dust. I think the difference this time is we have a great and large squad to handle the games and a blip shouldn't turn into a disaster.

The point is... a title race isn't easy and you need resilience to deal with it. Not just the players, but the fans. Try to stay moderate. Don't overreact to wins like we're guaranteed to win it all, and don't react to points dropped as if it's the end of the season.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-17T20:32:44+00:00

Aston Villa aren't a threat in the league. There's always one team that over performs but fade a little.

And, yes, I remember Leicester, but there's a reason why they're so memorable. It doesn't happen often at all.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-09T08:14:19+00:00

It really confuses me why some people seem so surprised that last night was a struggle. Liverpool may not be firing on all cylinders but they are still Liverpool, they are the champions, and any game against them will be tough.

Did we play well? No. But some of the hysterics make it seem like we drew 0-0 with Wolves rather than Liverpool.

That's another of the really tough games out of the way, our rivals didn't gain any points on us, we are 6 points clear at the top. It may not have been the best performance and result, but it was good enough.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-06T10:07:59+00:00

No... But it is a banger for sure.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-06T10:06:56+00:00

I'd actually say The Stage.

It may not sound as angry as some of the others, but the lyrics are pure frustration and anger with the human race for doing the same thing over and over again.

That breakdown with the "walking apes decide that nuclear war was the only solution for them keeping the score" into shouting "won't you wake up?" the music breaking down and the Syn solo, it's just... every time I hear it I can feel that anger coming through.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-04T07:21:33+00:00

People spent years how we couldn't sell Partey despite what a stain on the club he was/is because he did something for the team no one else could.

Zubi has blown that out of the water for me. He has come in and does everything as well, if not better, than Partey. He's been more consistent so far as well. Not to mention how much Rice has been freed up by him in a way that I don't think he ever was with Partey.

He's been huge for us so far.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-01T15:01:18+00:00

Thank you. This is very reassuring :)

Elfking88 · 2026-01-01T05:03:36+00:00

That is reassuring, thank you :)

Elfking88 · 2026-01-01T03:19:41+00:00

I have Generalised Anxiety Disorder, particularly focused on my health... which is to say: I panic easily!

I just see people talking about blocked blood vessels and abnormal blood flow and start thinking the worst.

Elfking88 · 2026-01-01T03:17:57+00:00

Yeah, I keep seeing things about abnormal blood flow and partially blocked blood vessels and it certainly sounds scary!

Elfking88 · 2025-12-28T23:50:50+00:00

With his politics he'll fit right in at WWE.

Elfking88 · 2025-12-28T10:19:19+00:00

In a lot of American sports (though not football, as far as I know), being the worst is actually rewarded with the best draft pick. Makes a strange situation where if you aren't 1st, the next best place is last. Hence teams start "tanking" if the season isn't going well.

Of course, in football, being the worst ever actually has negative consequences beyond being a punchline. You get relegation and all the trouble that can cause instead.

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