When watching Arsenal this season, there are a few things that you can expect to happen. A shocking defensive performance, a half-time substitution and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missing a sitter. Yesterday saw all three happen, and the half-time change saw Laurent Koscielny replace Shkodran Mustafi, to the Gunners’ dismay.
We’re back underway on Merseyside – and we’ve made a sub…
@MustafiOfficial
@6_LKOSCIELNY#LIVARS 4-1 (46) pic.twitter.com/jmATRvH88D— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) 29 December 2018
When Laurent Koscielny came off the bench, the damage had already been done. The Gunners were trailing 4-1 after a Roberto Firmino double had been added to by Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to pile the misery on the London club, yet Unai Emery still saw sense in making a straight swap with one of his central defenders, something very rarely seen in the Premier League.
In truth, the Gunner probably just needed someone to vent their anger at as the Premier League leaders toyed with them, and when Unai Emery dared to try and make a change it put him in the firing line. With Mustafi returning from injury, it was likely always going to be the case that the German was hooked at the break, and Koscielny was the obvious replacement, even if the Gunners on Twitter were fuming.
You can read the Gunners’ thoughts on their half-time switch here:
bring on arshavin
— Mikael (@FtblMikael) 29 December 2018
https://twitter.com/HarryRobinson07/status/1079083022832537601
Why’s man doing this?
— Yandisa (@StewartNgilana) 29 December 2018
Jesus Christ. It’s going to end 10-1 now
— Lainey (@baellerins) December 29, 2018
— Guy Muir (@GuyMuir) December 29, 2018
I'm ashamed of this defense.
— Renato Davanso (@renato_davanso) December 29, 2018
Another own goal on the way
— Dominchez Mwema (@dominchez_mwema) December 29, 2018
The Gunners will be licking their wounds for a while after yesterday and will hope they can bounce back quickly against Fulham on Tuesday.
