- Southampton 1-1 Arsenal, Premier League, St. Mary’s, 1st January 2013
(Southampton - Ramirez 34; Arsenal - do Prado (O.G) 41))
The Gunners were jotting together a decent run, after a mixed first half of the season. The game was on the back of four back-to-back Premier League wins, 2-0 against West Brom, 5-2 at Reading, 1-0 at Wigan and an epic 7-3 against Newcastle. However, they came unstuck with a putrid performance against a bustling Saints side. The South Coast side were the more dominant side in this game and took the lead through their record signing Gaston Ramirez, after a series of comical schoolboy errors from Arsenal. However, Arsenal were level 7 minutes later, when Julian do Prado guided the ball into the back of his own net off a Walcott free kick. Arsenal’s performance was symbolized by Gervinho theatrically stumbling to the ground like a pack of cards with no contact whatsoever.
- Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Arsenal, Premier League, White Hart Lane, 3rd March 2013
(Tottenham - Bale 37, Lennon 39; Arsenal – Mertesacker 50)
This was not really a bad performance, rather a bad result. This was an even contest all the way until the 37th minute, when Sprs struck. Arsenal were playing a risky high defensive line, and Gylfi Sigurdsson played in the quick Gareth Bale, who had the easy task of rounding off Szczesny to tap home the opener. And before Arsenal knew it, they fell victim to their own tactics, when Aaron Lennon burst past the defence to score Sprs second in as many minutes. Arsenal rallied and got one back when the ball bumbled off Mertesacker into the net. The game remained even throughout with both sides having plenty of chances to score, but Sp*rs won to take them to 3rd place, 7 points clear of Arsenal. We know how it all ended, though.
- Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal, Premier League, Old Trafford, 3rd November 2012
(Manchester United - van Persie 3, Evra 67; Arsenal - Cazorla 94)
In a match that was billed to be a chance for Arsenal to prove to Dutch traitor Robin van Persie that they were still a force to be reckoned with, the Gunners came woefully short of any sort of desire or intent to win the game. They were put on the backfoot in just the 3rd minute, when van Persie capitalized on a Vermaelen mistake to score the opening goal. Arsenal lacked any sort of creativity, and Manchester United should have doubled the lead, but Wayne Rooney scuffed his penalty. Patrice Evra, of all people, made it 2-0, before Jack Wilshere was sent off seconds later. Arsenal finished with a bit of a flourish, as Cazorla scored late on, but it was a terribly uninspiring performance. The match was also overshadowed by the infamous Andre Santos shirt incident.
- Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea, Premier League, Emirates Stadium, 29th September 2012
(Arsenal - Gervinho 42; Chelsea - Torres 20, Mata 53)
Arsenal were looking solid so far, having drawn Sunderland and Stoke in their opening games, convincingly beaten Liverpool and Southampton and a fine performance at the Etihad. But this encounter with Chelsea showed just how much was lacking in the side. Fernando Torres easily scored the opening goal, Koscielny just an onlooker. Diaby hobbled off the pitch with an injury, and Arsenal huffed and puffed to get their equalizer, when Gervinho scored on 42 minutes, with a well taken effort. However, Juan Mata’s free kick from long range went in unchallenged, and Chelsea effectively shut out Arsenal for the rest of the game.
- Arsenal 0-2 Swansea, Premier League, Emirates Stadium, 1st December 2012
(Swansea - Michu 88, 91)
Arsenal suffered the 4th defeat of the season, with an insipid performance. Arsenal were poor in the first half, as the Swans managed to control large parts of the game. Arsenal came out with more intent in the second half, but lacked the cutting edge to score. When the came close, Gerrhard Tremmel denied them. In the 88th minute, Spanish striker Michu, after playing a 1-2 with Luke Moore, found himself free of the Arsenal defence and tapped home the opener. And the win was sealed in injury time, when Jenkinson’s poor backpass again fell to the path of Michu.
- Arsenal 1-3 Bayern Munich, Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg, Emirates Stadium, 19th February 2013
(Arsenal - Podolski 55; Bayern Munich - Kroos 7, Mueller 21, Mandzukic 77)
Arsenal’s season was in the doldrums at this stage. Already out of the title race, been knocked out by lowly Bradford in the League cup and an ouster from the FA Cup by Championship side Blackburn just 3 days earlier; they faced powerful Bayern Munich. Bayern were steamrollering their way to the Bundesliga title, 18 points of second placed Borussia Dortmund, a goal difference of 50 (It would be 80 at the end of the season), 7 clean sheets in a row, and a perfect squad with the right mix of German talent and foreign skill. That difference told as Bayern dominated a lackluster Arsenal side, taking a 2-0 lead with just 21 minutes gone. Arsenal briefly rallied, with Podolski managing to head home a goal in the 55th minute against his former employers. Olivier Giroud had a great chance to make it 2-2 but his shot could only strike the post. Bayern completed the job with a Mandzukic goal on 77 minutes.
- Norwich City 1-0 Arsenal, Premier League, Carrow Road, 20th October 2012
(Norwich - Holt 19)
One of the most terrible performances from an Arsenal side I have seen. Norwich had almost their entire squad at home during the international break, while Arsenal had almost the entire squad on international duty. But that was no reason for a poor performance, against a struggling Norwich, who outfought and outran the Gunners. Grant Holt made most of a Mannone fumble to poke home the opener, and it took the Gunners 85 minutes to force John Ruddy into a save.
- Arsenal 0-2 Schalke 04, Champions League Group Stage, Emirates Stadium, 24th October 2012
(Schalke - Huntelaar 76, Afellay 86)
Arsenal produced another terrible performance, just days after the Norwich shocker, this time at home to German side Schalke. Schalke looked more dangerous throughout the game and came close to scoring on several occasions. They finally got their reward in the 76th minute, when Huntelaar beat the offside trap to score past Mannone. 10 minutes later, more calamitous defending resulted in Schalke’s second goal, scored by Ibrahim Afellay, off a cross on the right from Jefferson Farfan. What was more shambolic was that it took Arsenal precisely 92 minutes and 49 seconds to register their first shot on target, which came from 17 year old substitute Serge Gnabry.
- Arsenal 0-1 Blackburn Rovers, FA Cup 5th Round, Emirates Stadium, 16th February 2013
(Blackburn - Kazim-Richards 72)
Blackburn became the second lower league club of the season to knock Arsenal out of a cup competition, when they visited the Emirates for this fifth round tie. Despite a squad boasting off 11 internationals, Arsenal failed to find the urgency and the desire required to win cup games. There was a lethargic feel to their play, and Blackburn defended resolutely. Goalkeeper Jake Kean was in inspired form. When the manager did make the changes by bringing Walcott, Wilshere and Cazorla on, Blackburn struck within a minute of those substitutions as Colin Kazim Richards put the ball into the back of the net, completely against the run of play. Arsenal barely made any inroads into the Rovers’ defence and were deservedly knocked out.According to BBC, the team was given a one hour hairdryer treatment after the game by the manager.
- Bradford City 1 (3)-1 (2) Arsenal, League Cup, 11th December 2012
(Bradford - Thompson 16; Arsenal - Vermaelen 88)
Arsenal were knocked out of the Capitol One Cup in humiliating fashion by League Two outfit Bradford. The Bantams truly deserved the result for the enormous effort they put in over the course of 120 minutes. On a questionable pitch, and an extremely cold night, Bradford set about hassling their esteemed opponents, and scored the opening goal on 16 minutes, thanks to school boy marking from Arsenal. Arsenal huffed and puffed, but barely troubled a well drilled Bradford. There was no creativity, incisiveness and certainly no inspiration. Arsenal got their equalizer on 88 minutes, when Vermaelen headed in a Cazorla cross. Arsenal came close to scoring in extra time, but the post came to Bradford’s rescue. The post helped them secure passage into the semi-finals as well, when Vermaelen conked his decisive spot kick on to the post.
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