Arsenal: Sam Allardyce Utterly Destroys Arsene Wenger’s Sense

Sam Allardyce detailed Crystal Palace’s plan against Arsenal in his post-match interview, utterly destroying Arsene Wenger’s and the player’s sense.

Setting up a team to play Arsenal must be wonderful. There are so many glaring weaknesses in the side that have been prevalent for so many years, without ever being addressed, that is simply a case of installing a rather straightforward plan to exploit their obvious shortcomings.

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That is exactly what Sam Allardyce and Crystal Palace did on Monday day night. It was a must-win game for the Gunners, as they looked to haul their way back into the top four. Perhaps what was so concerning in their display was the period after half-time. With the side one-goal down and in need of a stirring second half, they lacked any semblance of fight or desire. They were second to ever challenge. They were uncommitted in challenges. They were simply disinterested.

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Credit, though, must be given to Allardyce and his Palace side, who were accurate in their exposing of Arsenal and their defensive weaknesses. When asked about how he prepared his team for the upcoming match after the 3-0 dismantling, Allardyce was unequivocal in his assessment of his visitor’s weaknesses and how Palace would be able to exploit them:

"“The weaknesses with Arsenal have been defensively because they leave Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel really exposed.” Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin play like right and left wingers, the wingers come inside with the centre-forward and they’re just left on their own.”"

They are damning comments regarding Arsene Wenger and his tactical astuteness. For how many years have centre-halves that have too little support in front of them and at full-back been the key defensive shortcoming of Arsenal? Palace were not discreet about their intentions. Their plans were obvious: play it long to Christian Benteke, allow him to bully Mustafi and Gabriel, and ensure that Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and Jason Puncheon were collecting the second balls and then driving at the back four.

And yet, not only has Wenger not addressed this weakness for many years, but there was no leadership on the pitch. There was no instruction, no change of plan, no contingency. Perhaps more than any other side in the Premier League, Arsenal are rigid in a defensive approach that does not work. They can’t smell danger.

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Allardyce’s tactics are not especially revolutionary. He should be praised for implementing, as his players should be praised to executing it. But the fact that Wenger, his coaches (What the hell does Steve Bould actually do?) and his players were not able to identify their issues and then make changes to address to them is incomprehensibly poor.