Arsenal: And that, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, is what you’re up against

Arsenal made things as bad as they could possibly be for Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s debut, but isn’t that what he was always going to have to face?

What do they say about every relationship? You have to take the good times with the bad. Arsenal take that more seriously than any other entity in the known universe. When the good times get going, it is literally paradise on earth. But when things go wrong, you wish time would just hurry up and get over itself.

That is what Henrikh Mkhitaryan went through on his first professional day as a beloved Gunner.

On the bad side of things, he witnessed a complete shit show, most of it from the confines of a comfy chair he shouldn’t have been sitting in. And then, when he came on, it only got worse. By no direct fault of his, I should add.

On the bright side, Arsenal went ahead and got everything that can possibly ever go wrong out in the open in one fell swoop. Nothing the Gunners can do anymore can surprise Mkhitaryan, because he has seen, and been a part of, as bad as it can get.

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There were defensive mistakes out of the wazoo, with seemingly each and every one leading to a goal. There was a lack of intelligent positioning on the front foot. The team looked physically weak, as if it was only raining on them.

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And the worst part, that part that I am actually embarrassed for (as if I represent the club) is that Mkhitaryan wasn’t even allowed to be a big part of it. The man was benched, which brought all of my frustration and anger at this club to the forefront.

Here is an elite attacker who you brought in to replace your other elite attacker and he has had over a week to “gel” with his new team mates. Instead, you give the start to Alex Iwobi, who has been so inadequate that you needed Mkhitaryan in the first place.

This is what you are up against, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Sometimes, when the team screws up and you’re forced to watch, you, in your vast abilities, will be helpless to stop it because you will be inexplicably on the bench. It’s one thing to be on an enigma of a club that can’t seem to figure themselves out, but it’s another thing to have to sit and watch it happen.

Mkhitaryan made Swansea a good deal more uncomfortable in the limited time that he had then Iwobi did. Which means that next time out, against Everton, he absolutely has to be starting.

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I’m trying stay calm. To take deep breaths. The only way I’m doing that is reminding myself that they literally escorted Mkhitaryan to rock bottom, let him have a look around, and had a nap. There’s nowhere to go but up, Henrikh! Trust me!