Arsenal 5 – 0 Villa; A gulf in class and an utter shambles

They say the bookies are usually right and so it proved today.
With 20-20 hindsight, we didn’t even deserve that 13-1 that was quoted, in my opinion.

So what went wrong?
I don’t know where to start, but I guess the lineup is as good a place as any.
Cleverley and Richardson started and as per usual I asked myself why?
Gabby, who’s been reasonably prolific against Arsenal was not started. I know I’ve called for him to be dropped myself, but this is one of the only games of the season where I’d actually want him to play.

I just don’t understand Lambert’s thinking at all, as we’ve had decent results against the top clubs by sitting deep and countering. Yet what has previously worked was abandoned by Lambert today and we tried to play far too high up, resulting in Arsenal getting in behind us to score after only eight minutes.
The deft flick on from Ozil didn’t help matters and the sickening thing here is that I was thinking about him and how he was bound to score, just before the kickoff.
To think we were linked with him not that long ago. That’s how far we’ve fallen.

We were very lucky to go in only one down at half time, as it could easily have been three, after they had chances and hit the post.
Our defence just after the goal was a complete shambles and we weren’t picking their players up at all.
Do we man mark or zone defend?
I don’t have a clue.

Then we came out for the second half, where things just got worse.
We looked aimless and I’m struggling to see what there is to discuss here.

A couple of points though;
Sanchez, while he was incredibly frustrating in the way he gave the ball away today, was for me, the only one (Gil apart) that was looking to actually go forward and look for something. I remember him at least twice running straight down the middle, only for him to reach a position where you could practically see him thinking “now what am I supposed to do?”, because there wasn’t an option around him, apart from Benteke, who was isolated up front.
I feel really sorry for him and he surely must be wondering what’s going on in the way we play the game.

Gil looked good again and he too was actually looking to achieve something.

The rest of the midfield were totally anonymous and I just kept thinking to myself it’s either the players are utter rubbish or it’s the way they’re being played.
I came to the conclusion that it’s probably a bit of both.

Lambert changed it up, but it was already too late and the game was already lost when we went two down by a goal from Ozil.

At the end of the day, we had two chances on target and yet again, that just isn’t enough.
So, we’ve now gone six games or ten hours and twelve minutes without scoring in the league.
Apparently, that’s another record low, although I’m not sure if that’s in the prem or overall.

They’ve just shown a table of the lowest scorers in the English league, on the telly.
West brom are 91st with 20 goals scored.
We’re 92nd with 11 scored.

While I expected a loss today, Lambert should be sacked for that alone.
He should also be sacked for the way we came out against Arsenal too, as that was tactical naivety at it’s best.
But we all know it isn’t going to happen.

To think it’s Chelsea up next.
What’s the solution there Lambert?
Will you be mug enough to try the same again?
It really wouldn’t surprise me if he does, as it seems he’s untouchable.
And that’s a bigger joke than what happened today.