Speaking after the match away at Old Trafford where we managed to scrape a draw, fullback, Nacho Monreal, said that the first half was the worst we’d played all season.

He’s not wrong.

Arsenal’s first half display was the stuff of nightmares. Not quite the 8-2 kind of nightmares but still… not pretty, and we found ourselves trailing at the break. However, in the second half, especially after some choice substitutions, we improved and came back to equalise.

Leftback Monreal is convinced that the first half was the worst we’d played in a long time.

“We know that we didn’t play very well in the first half, it was probably the worst 45 minutes we have played this season,” he said after the match. “The boss was angry, which is normal and we knew that we have another 45 minutes to fix it. In the second half we played much better than the first, we were lucky because we could score and draw the game. And we go home happy with the score.”

At least that puts to bed the rumour that Arsene Wenger never gets angry at the players.

Monreal then revealed how they planned to put it right and how self belief was a big part of it, saying, “We didn’t play well in the first half and the boss was a bit angry with our performance, but we knew we could make a difference. We played much better and drew the game, and almost won it as we had some chances. But the draw is good for us.”

This match definitely feels like a point gained rather than two lost, considering how poorly we played. It could’ve been a lot worse at half time and I think our players, and the boss, all know that.

Hopefully we bounce back and win our remaining matches.