Expect the Expected

The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  As optimistic as I was before the match, I am wondering if I was insane for thinking that the match against Liverpool would go any other way but south.  Its not that I think Liverpool are better than us or that I have no faith in our players, it is simply that our last seven opening matches have been lackluster and our only win came with a late goal.  By the time this is posted, most of you will have already read many match analysis or reports and have formulated your own opinions about why opening match of the season was such a horror show.
The script was probably written well before kickoff when we were without our two best center backs, the experienced back up, our star midfielder, and our established striker.  Injuries and resting players back from their summer tournaments limited our starting lineup to a slim squad.  Our midfield wasn't anything to be concerned about as Ramsey led the attacking midfield with Coquelin and Elneny.  The fullbacks were Bellerin and Monreal so no real surprise there.  What was alarming is that Wenger chose Holding and Chambers as the center back pairing.  It did not fill me with the greatest confidence but I was still calm knowing that we had Coquelin and Elneny ahead of them to help mitigate the attack.  Sanchez leading the line as the lone striker was fine as he definitely has the qualities to be a striker.  Walcott on the right was not much of a surprise as we are used to seeing him use his pace from this position.  Lastly that leaves a talented but still raw Alex Iwobi on the left.  I would be lying if said I wasn't slightly worried that our squad was under powered and inexperienced to take on a Liverpool squad that is trying to rebuild and prove itself under Jurgen Klopp.
The result of the team selection was going to 4-1 down after being 1-0 up.  The lack of experience and no bite wrote the result in a 20 minute stretch in the second half.  Sure we got a couple of late goals to make the scoreline more respectable but the damage was done.  We lost an opening match at home...again.  Anger and frustration were the emotions of the day.  An all too familiar set of emotions that we Gooners have been feeling for a long time now.  The back to back FA Cup wins are sinking in the horizon as we rode those coattails into a second place finish in the league last season as a result of Spurs being so Spursy.  That hilarious and jubilant day was mostly a bandage on the stab wound that was missing out on the league to Leicester, who frankly, pulled too far ahead for anybody to catch them anyway, like a motorcycle race where a last lap crash takes out everybody but the lead bike. 
I mentioned insanity to start because we are left in the same position again, the same as it has been for many years now.  Every season we watch the gaps in our squad go unfilled entering the season.  We suffer the same type of losses and wins turned into draws.  We repeatedly watch us drop points that cost us so much in the end all because we haven't fixed the glaring problems in the team.  I am not blaming the players at all.  This Arsenal is filled with not only incredible players but experienced ones and young ones.  We all love watching Ozil play the sublime pass, Sanchez scoring a wonder strike and laugh as Giroud misses a sitter, but slots home a shot from the most acute angle it takes a double take to realize what happened.  The same goes for us cheering on Bellerin as he plays a cross into the box one second, then is sprinting down the right to stop a counterattack.  We have so much talent and skill that it makes it that much harder to rationalize a loss.  
Insanity when we lose is watching two of your established center backs get injured in the offseason and not getting a replacement.  Insanity is seeing your striking options getting injuries or playing themselves out of form and not getting another one to help take the load off of others.  Season after season we don't do anything to fix the problems that everyone can see exist.  We were without a true defensive midfielder for years and we finally got one out of sheer blind luck (and the underlying skill) of Coquelin.  We played with fire as we relied on him and an aging Flamini to hold our midfield together.  Finally we mange to get Elneny to assist too little too late last season.  With the signing of Xhaka early, it seemed we were finally learning our lesson and being proactive.  It was all smoke and mirrors as we enter the first game without a striker or a center back.  We are not proactive and barely reactive in the transfer market.  If anything we are static.  We pray to the injury gods every season and every season, those gods smite us but we continue to hope that everything just works out in the end.  Spoilers: it hasn't worked.  To add insult to injury, Iwobi and Ramsey suffered injuries on Sunday so now have to deal with that.  Thankfully, the transfer market is still open so we can grit our teeth and wait for us to make a signing that will give us the edge to turn that second place finish into first place.
I said last week that a loss opening the season doesn't mean all is lost but it doesn't give us the confidence that the season will be filled with trophies.  Our emotions as supporters are often tied to whether or not we win or lose.  This kind of passion and connection to a group of strangers is fascinating.  Our work weeks seem longer when we lose as we trudge to the weekend, waiting for the win to turn or frowns to smiles and our curses to cheers.  Win our match and suddenly we are ready to take on anything.  The first week is even harder as we have been without our Arsenal for a few months.  Sure we have international competitions and some preseason matches to tune to but it just isn't the same.  The season is upon us and we can once again share the gauntlet of emotions the season will bring.  
We take on Leicester this weekend, who lost to Hull, so maybe some hope that we can put last week behind us perhaps?  Time will tell.
Until next week, C'mon you Gunners!