Ivan Gazidis held an impromptu gathering at Arsenal yesterday to talk fans through plans with his brand spanking new modern team. It feels like the man who has been burdened with ‘what does he fucking do’ and ‘we need more footballing people at the club’ is truly enjoying the limelight as an actual CEO for the first time in 10 years.
I think the key message he’s trying to deliver is that Arsenal is run in a far more democratic way these days. Part of the messaging is we have something new, part of it his way of very publicly stating the old regime wasn’t him.
“We really have a collective effort now, in terms of how we identify players and then how we take forward our interest, and of course Unai is a huge part of that,”
“This is now a different way of doing things, one with a very, very accomplished team of professionals who we have spent time bedding into the club.”
This sort of model might read alien to some folk, but it’s been the one we’ve been pushing for over the past ten years on here. Arsene Wenger’s strength at the beginning of his career was consistently getting decisions right and doubling down on them with major trophies. He was the go-to guy for everything, from player wages, down to the crockery change outs in the training ground canteen.
That method of management only works when you’re winning. Wenger built out a team of psychophants around him that wouldn’t challenge his methodologies, and sadly, the manager truly believed there was a place in the game for a team that simply believed in expressing themselves in a socialist system of comfort would be enough.
Thankfully, we have a CEO who recognised there was a serious need for diverse, expert opinion at the highest level. We now have someone who specifically looks after contracts and finances, well, we have two in Raul and Huss. We have a chief scout who has a modern team of analysts crunching numbers and tracking squad needs. We have a manager who is happy to work in a system that decentralizes power and responsibility.
Some of Ivan’s comments read very much like he’d read Ed Catmull’s book Inc. If you haven’t jumped into it, it’s a fascinating read on how cartoon giant Pixar has maintained creative excellence over the years. One of the approaches is the Braintrust.
‘One of Pixar’s key mechanisms is the Braintrust, which we rely on to push us toward excellence and to root out mediocrity. It is our primary delivery system for straight talk. The Braintrust meets every few months or so to assess each movie we’re making. Its premise is simple: Put smart, passionate people in a room together, charge them with identifying and solving problems, and encourage them to be candid. The Braintrust is not foolproof, but when we get it right, the results are phenomenal.’
It appears Ivan has his Braintrust, and his task force has been going at mediocrity quite hard. It’s all very exciting, and I can’t tell you how much joy I’ve taken in watching the club go full steam into the changeover. I thought we might take it a little slower. Not a chance. We’re doing it all in one year, and it feels like there’s very much a plan.
Year -1: Employ backroom people to see what the mess looks like, start fixing the squad in January
Year 1: Fire the manager, rip out the backroom team, build the squad with top 4 in mind. That means prioritise experience over youth.
Year 2: Start rotating out the older players with younger folk, spend more on shiny objects
Year 3: We’re ready to challenge for the title. Everything is in place.
I mean, that’s just my topline guess. Top 4 seems like the real goal this season. What I do find tantalising is the fact we have Europa League. Now, I know that Emery is going to want to win that, but I think if we find the right balance with our squad early this season, we could challenge for the league. What we lack in quality, we can make up in with fresh legs. Emery can spend the first half of the season with a team that’ll only play once a week. That’s been a huge advantage to Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester over the years.
Can City maintain their focus? Will Chelsea manage to sort their mess of a summer in time for August? Will United collapse under the meanness of Mourinho? Can Spurs go another season without major injury to their big players?
Lots to consider.
Mesut Ozil will at least be fresh for the start of the season, his limp German side hobbled out of the World Cup after taking a beating from South Korea. The VAR came to rescue again and awarded the Koreans a late goal, an absolute masterpiece in my opinion. Germany suffered with a manager who has been on the job too long. They needed fresh ideas and they needed to take their best players. I mean, pretty average summation there, but on a another point, remember all the folk calmouring for Joachim Low to be our manager?
Imagine how flaccid you’d feel right now if he were coming back early…
‘At least he has time to focus on Arsenal, probably did it on purpose’
… would have been the quip.
ENGLAND are up today. The best result would be a loss, but let’s be real, there’s no way you’re going to keep our young lions from ripping Belgium a new one.
BRING IT ON!
Right, that’s me done. Listen to our ace podcast.
We talk:
- Granit Xhaka and Swiss thoughts
- Mesut Ozil and the Bling Bling gang
- Bernd Leno and the state of our exkeepers
- How Spurs make us feel about England
ENJOY!
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“lol, Messi is an overhyped and overblown Ozil”
And there I was looking for someone who knows fuck all about football – looks like I’ve found them.
Too little too late.
Why didn’t Sampaoli start the game with a striker?
Dunce manager
Absolute joke Aguero not being a nailed on starter in that side.
gonsteros
mate if you’re taking offence for someone’s opinion about Messi vs Ronaldo seriously chill the fuck out and have a beer.
Who was the player that shot the ball at a prone player?
How can anyone dislike Messi?
Dear oh dear
I’m getting too old for this shit
Well thats as good as it gets
Paulinho
It’d be one thing if it was because Higuian or Dybala were starting in front but to start without a striker is bonkers.
@Dissenter
It was Otamendi. Dirty cunt.
marc
I take offense cause people are not being reasonable but then that’s what I get on the internet..lol
Rambo
‘How can anyone dislike Messi?Dear oh dear
I agree.
Nice gut and a genius
One of the best players ever
…..buuuuuuuuut
He has that little asterisk on his record, at the national level ; ckoed in 2 Copa America finals and had four chance to win the World Cup.
We can’t ignore the facts just because he’s a likable genius, can we?
gonsterous
I just think offence is maybe a degree or 10 to much!
sanmi dodged my questions better than messi dodged his responsibility tonight..
Dunce
Sanpaoli needs Messi the power broker permission to start Aguero, cos he might take the limelight .
Portugal need to dump Ronaldo.
Team plays shit with Ronaldo.
It is scary to think how good Mbappe could be, still only 19 and he can play like that already.
You just know Ronaldo will be fired up now 🙂
Really stupid not to play with a CF.
They looked so much better with aguerro on.
Criminal sticking that muppet Meza on instead of Dybala.
Madness not to start Aguero either.
marc
if not offense, I’m definitely irritated by people saying Ronaldo is only a goal scorer, the same people saying ozil doesn’t defend. they don’t play all the positions, you know…
Argentina have 30 seconds left to get the get the ball into the French box and Otamendi starts a scrap looooool
How the hell did Mercado stay on the pitch?
Marc/TR7
Clearly a tongue in cheek.. but surely even you two could see he wilted today,
great talent but mentally weak as fvck
Redruth
You need to dump your brain mate.
Uruguay so solid and with Suarez and Cavani up top they can beat any team.
They will edge out Portugal tonight
Messi and Argentina out
Hope Ronaldo is knocked out next.
Messi assist lol It was s weak deflected shot .
gonsterous
mate I’m just taking the piss a little! I shouldn’t really talk you should see me at a match – guy who sits s couple of seats away from me looks forward to telling me who the ref is just to see me lose it.
gonsterous
I know what you’re getting that CR7 dwarfs him on some aspects as well. yeah u not alone in holding such opinion
What. A. Game. That goal by the Argies made it even more naulbitting. Glad that the French have made it through to the next round. Could that be the game to kick them on?
Victorious
He can’t win it single handed especially if the manager is setting up with a daft formation.
You can have great players in poor teams and mediocre players in a successful team.
For me Messi has been an example of what great footballers are all about and one of the greatest of all time.
Portugal have shown they can play without Ronaldo by winning Euro Final.
Ronaldo stays on the field Portugal do not win the game.
“For me Messi has been an example of what great footballers are all about and one of the greatest of all time”
Do you share a similar view on CR7?..he’s gone neck to neck with him on both club and individual achievements..
There is a god in football. Argie’s were shyte even from the qualifiers. This game (despite the goals) wasn’t even close, France out played and out thought them and if they were Brazil they would have put this Argentina team to the sword and won by a cricket score. @ Karim, Deschamp really needs to work on France’s mentality. They need to get a killer instinct to finish off teams. (and defence make too many silly mistakes) Messi is a great player but 0:4 record in the WC and not even a Copa!? That will always be an asterix (as… Read more »
Victorious
Ronaldo is without doubt a supremely talented footballer who deserves to be on the list of all time greats, in fact he makes it onto 2 of the all time greats lists footballers and cunts.
Uruguay can beat France
Not sure Portugal can.
Pepe, Bruno Alves have been around for a while. If I recall correctly, they played against Pele and Eusebio in their primes
Definately CR7 goes ahead on FIFA award.
Absolutely! Hope it spurs him on today,the prospect of facing a resolute but yet untested Uruguay defense will make for an interesting spectacle
For years i’ve been citing Messi’s mediocre international displsys as proof as to why he is overrated and not a geniune great same goes for Ronaldo.
Red
whose your GOAT?
whose your GOAT
Ooooooooooospinaaaaa!!!!
Victorious June 30, 2018 17:26:19
Red
whose your GOAT?
He’s called Billy and Red loves him very much. in fact he has sex with him at least 4 times a day.
Ronaldo’s 4 goals flatter him, he’s been pretty hopeless in the tournament.
Argentina, utter debacle, not starting Aguero or Dybala, Otamendi and his shit house defending with Mercado a close second. Sampaoli done and should be, glad to see back of them.
Shame for Leo, never really had the look of a man in the fight yet somehow they were in it until last kick.
Can we talk about Mbappe?
Les Bleus showing form, interested to see whom Deschamps starts with Matuidi out of next match. I say go balls out attack. Roll on cup!
France 100% will Reach the Semi Finals.
Cannot see Uruguay or Portugal Beating them to it.
@ Vic
I feel Uruguay will have more in the tank than Portugal. CR7 might be marked out in game.
He goes ahead of Messi regardless due to R Madrid winning a 3rd UCL and him doing more at the WC individually for Portugal than Messi has done for the Argies.
Might be a very dirty and difficult game to watch interms of a football spectacle (in comparism to what we just got from France vs Argies)
Anyways, bring it on.
Sal
At the moment it should be a Brazil vs France and a England vs Spain in the semi’s.
At last the World Cup seems to be getting up a head of steam.
For years i’ve been citing Messi’s mediocre international displsys as proof as to why he is overrated and not a geniune great same goes for Ronaldo.
People who say Messi has mediocre international displays are those who think Messi should be good enough to play against 11 men by himself.
This Argentine squad is full of “past” it big names and if we took out Messi from this team, they are a relegation battling team(using league reference).
Victoria
“the cock sucking is what grates me the most”
Stop sucking them then!
Big shame Lanzi couldn’t play. Class player
TonyD
He should at least not talk with his mouth full.
worst Argentina side that I can recall.
if France keep up that level of performance and focus they’ll be very hard to stop.
Sign up Banega
great game today. took on pogba numerous times and held his own.
Great passing and kept things clicking for arg…
France was too much. Mbappe is just on another planet
Even Banega switching at halftime to his lucky black shoes from the white ones, could not stop Mbappe
😛
Mbappe is just so super. Very exciting player.
How long have Meza and Sampaoli been fucking?
Anyone??
@ Axed? Even Argentinians expect more from Leo, are they wrong as well. Messi knows the drill. Same way Brazil expected from Ronaldo and Neymar, same way England expected from Becks and stars like Lineaker, same way the Dutch expected from Van Bastin and the French from Zizou or Portugal from CR7. Leo knows what is expected and he knows he hasn’t delivered. He will go down as one of the best to have ever played a game but his National record will always haunt him. Barca is not Argentina so the average Argie could careless (in the large scheme… Read more »
How can you get to a worldcup final and miss out by one goal, which could have gone either way and people still think you haven’t performed in the international stage?
Messi was the reason Argentina even participated in this world cup but apparently he is not a big game player because he couldn’t beat a team full of superstars playing for a team which was West Ham level. Great reasoning.
“This Argentine squad is full of “past” it big names and if we took out Messi from this team, they are a relegation battling team(using league reference).”
Messi was just as piss poor as his team mates. Regardess how poor Argentina were, Messi was incapable of inspiring his team.
I’m curious to know whether Messi really did have an overbearing influence on team selection during this WC or whether Sampaoli is nothing short of incompetent
Predicted a goal fest and we got one.
Should kick start the French now.
Mbappe is a wonderful talent.
Why the hell wasn’t Aguero on from the start?
A fudging disgrace.
Stick to my earlier prediction for tonights game.
2-1 Uruguay (aet)
TR7
Spot on. Messi is the reason why Argentina even made it to the World Cup.
Its like people forget Messi is human and expect him to do it all by himself.
I can see why Emery is interested in Banega, hard working, holds and uses the ball well in midfield.
@ Samni Until Neymar Jr won a medal with the National team (even if it was the Olympics) he still had an asterix against his name back home in Brazil. Most Europeans (and not saying this as an insult in anyways, especially as I don’t know where you are from) don’t get how fanatical National team performances are held especially in South America. If you were in Brazil when Germany put them to the sword you would think they were in national mourning. (One even expected the Prez to have declared a National day of mourning, probably would have if… Read more »
The way things are going Mbappe is a future £300 Million buy for Madrid
Not really bothered about NT trophies Messi or CR7 have won but thankful for the pleasure their talents have brought to the game over the years.
Marc
Nothing would stop Victoria spewing his vitriol. Funny though.
Looks like Mbappe could be the next world star. He came of age today equally Pele’s 2 goals in a game record.
Still early days but all the signs are there to see.
Equalling *
If Messi was a great player he’d be the standout player in the team and not the pudding he was like the rest of his teammates.
Mbappe turned up. Happy for the kid; because the second half of last season for PSG was a bit underwhelming.
But he’s only 19 and the 2nd most expensive purchase ever. With hard work and the right tutelage he’ll go on to be a superstar
loyika
It doesn’t help when you have such an incompetent manager.
@ TR7 If that’s crazy reasoning then why are players like Pogba getting so much stick back home in France? Why is Ozil getting the same? These kind of players have to play at different levels than the rest to be seen as successful, and they know that to be the case (might not be fair but life isn’t fair) Why was Becks vilified back home to fanatic levels after the red card against Argentina? Great players have to deal with it and Messi knows what is expected (fairly or not) and will deal with the backlash the team will… Read more »
An incompetent manager doesn’t stop great players from performing individual brilliance……
The narrative is Messi needs great players to be a great player…..lol
@ Graham
Think Sampoli gets a “Bum deal” here. Maybe a Big Fish in a small pond kind of Manager, but yeah he does take much of the blame.
France beat a shit Argentina and suddenly for some they are favourites lol
Loyika
“Until Neymar Jr won a medal with the National team (even if it was the Olympics) he still had an asterix against his name back home in Brazil.”
Messi has an under 20 Winners Medal and an Olympic Gold Medal.
Messi is expected to do everything and when things don’t work out, he gets blamed.
Torreira is starting – will be watching him closely but doesn’t seem as terrier like as Kante?
sanmi
How can you get to a worldcup final and miss out by one goal, which could have gone either way and people still think you haven’t performed in the international stage?
you either didn’t watch the game, or you are deluded…
Because of such arguments, I never wanted neither Messi nor Ronaldo to go far in this tournament. I want both to be home so their fan boys can let’s have peace of mind.
messi took Argentina to the world cup cause the team was set up to support him. only difference, he didn’t turn up when the whole world was watching…
Messi only just turned 31. He’ll have another shot at glory.
Cricketing fans would know of Sachin Tendulkar. Very similar story.
‘Cricketing fans would know of Sachin Tendulkar. Very similar story’
Errr Cricket fans…
Anyone?…
*Crickets*
Except Sachin wasn’t the best.
Dravid and Lara were better.
@ RR
Would be surprised if he doesn’t retire for good from Int Footie.
Doubt he will want to go through this torture again. But we will have to wait and see.
@ Axed
He gets blamed because of who he is (and i think he knows the deal) same way he will get the praise when the team does well and win.
Comes with the territory.
In all seriousness think that’s it for Messi in an Argentina jersey unless he wants a go at next year’s Copa America maybe.
Don’t see it personally expect he’ll announce his international retirement in the next few weeks.
Real shame, think we all knew that this Argentina side never had any chance at winning the WC though, 2014 was his chance and I think even he knew it when he had to walk past the trophy.
Dravid?
Looool
Messi 6 goals in 4 World Cups and never scored in a knockout round. .fuck off with this Messi is the best baloney..
“Doubt he will want to go through this torture again.”
Well, he might announce retirement now. Doesn’t mean he can’t come out of it later. If he’s still fit and firing by the time the next World Cup knocks up and he knows he’s got one final opportunity to get that elusive trophy, you think he’ll be able to resist?
No one will.
Red
Everyone knows Ospina is the greatest, we are talking about the 2nd greatest.
There’s no precedent for a forward player being the man at a World Cup at the age of 35.5 though is there?
He’s already slowed down considerably and he’s just turned 31.
Zizou owned the 2006 WC at age 34 but he’s a one off not to mention he was a CM, very different role from a forward.
Eagle, maybe he won’t be the main man. Imagine though that Argentina win the thing with Messi playing a bit part role. Wouldn’t that be awesome for the debaters? 😀
@ RR and WE
We just have to wait and see. But more with WE here, I think if he retires now thats it.
Will put all his efforts in going out with a bang at Barca and probably return home to play club footie before finally hanging up his boots (would be surprised if he goes into management)
I want Portugal to win just so we can get Torreira done
sachin, definitely one of the greatest with Brian Lara… and the whole Australian that dominated cricket 2000-2010
Dravid and Lara were not better than Tendulkar.
Have seen all three in their prime.
All three exceptional players but ST the best.
Maybe RR just wouldn’t strike me as something Messi would want to do and I very much doubt that he’ll still be one of the best players around in 4.5 years time, Dybala will be 28/29 and likely in his prime and they play the same position.
Then again Argies look so poor and have fuck all coming through in the way of young talent compared to the previous generation so you never know.
@ RR
Would be like Keano with the “Invincibles” (Lolz)
Who will Suarez sink his teeth into
Torriera is a a nasty bull dog.