It finally happened, Mikel Arteta has returned home to manage The Arsenal. I’m over-joyed, you should be too.
The Spaniard turned up in a sharp suit, he looked the part and delivered an electric press conference. The sentiment amongst a fractured fanbase was unanimous in its positivity. We’re all excited to have a coach in place that speaks our language, literally, footballistically, and spiritually.
First and foremost, Arteta is here to fix the culture of a club that’s been going off the rails for the best part of 10 years. He said he felt low after coming here last week to give us a spanking at The Emirates. He’ll have seen that the team was flat on the pitch and he’ll have felt the toxicity in the stands. He has to change both those issues, but clearly, he recognises that the two are intertwined… not in a chicken and egg situation, in a great-football-means-great-vibes with the fans kind of way.
We have to try to engage everybody, I have to try and convince the players about what I want to do, how I want to do it, they have to start accepting a different process, a different way of thinking, and I want to get all the staff and everybody at the club with the same mindset.
We have to build a culture that has to sustain the rest. If you don’t have the right culture, in the difficult moments, the tree is going to shake, so my job is to convince everybody that this is how we are going to live, and if you are going to be part of this organisation it has to be in these terms and in this way.
And after that, we can talk about other things. Obviously now we need an immediate impact, we need to start winning games, we need to start to raise the level of confidence of the players, and finally we need the fans.
A culture is a set of desirable behaviours or actions you expect from a group. The trouble we’ve had over the last decade is there has been very little direction. A culture has to be in service of something. If there’s no vision or philosophy to believe in, it’s very difficult to expect players to behave in accordance to whatever views of culture we have in our own heads as fans.
A lot of us have pondered aloud ‘what is the Arsenal way?’ I think Arteta is about to bring some colour to that. He wants fast, free-flowing, attacking football. He wants players to be accountable, he wants to create a ruthless culture built around high performance. That was never clear under the last regime, or the one before that.
What I’ve learned mostly is that you have to be ruthless and you have to be consistent and you have to fit every day the culture of the club to create a winning mentality.
To sustain it is even harder, so every day is important, every act is important, every organisation is important. His work-rate is incredible, how inspirational he is to people is incredible.
But for me, the secret is that the people, the players and the staff, have to believe what they’re trying to deliver. You have to be able to transmit it, and people will buy into that.
The above is so important. Don’t just live your culture on warm summer days, or when you fancy it. Every day is important, every moment is an opportunity to prove yourself. This is what high performance is all about. One broken spoke at the highest level takes the machine off the road. He has a lot of broken spokes to mend, both amongst the playing staff and the backroom team.
I thought he handled most of the questions really well. He saluted Arsene Wenger and his impact on his own career. He celebrated the history, style and values of Arsenal, likening us to Barcelona. He held his hands up to the lack of experience accusation. He doesn’t have it, it’s a weakness, but one that he wants to address with passion, great ideas, and energy.
What I love, love, love is how much he wanted this job. He mentioned that he always yearned to return, he sees us as his club. He has Arsenal DNA.
When Arsenal knocks on any door, it’s difficult to say no. When it knocks on my door, this is my house and it makes it very difficult.
It was a very difficult decision, it’s true, but also I felt that the club needed someone to appoint. I saw that and they transmitted that.
They were so convinced that they wanted to go with me, that I had to take the challenge.
Love it. He is grateful for the opportunity. He respects the shirt. He desperately wants to make us great again. You bring in Jose, he’s bigger than Arsenal and he’d let you know. You bring in Allegri, he’s above the job. You flunk out with Nuno or Martinez, the ceiling is low, you’re going nowhere. Arteta is the future of football. Listen to him talk about the game here.
“Football is about habit & angles. It’s much more simple for a player if you can process the image of where your team-mate will be before receiving the ball.If I am in the kitchen and I know the glasses are always in this cupboard, I get my glass of water more quickly.”
He’s talking about cognition in football. Players learning patterns and movements so complex systems become second nature. Owning territories, seeking out playing signals, sensing danger. He’s painting complex ideas with simple words, can you now see why Emery had such a rough time?
He’s only been with us ten minutes and he’s asking where the drones are at so he can see training sessions from more angles. He’s an innovator, a deep thinker, and an absolute obsessive. The Athletic had a piece about him living on his own and people worrying about him because he’d have loads of games on TV with Beautiful Mind like tactical diagrams all over the place.
Now, cute stories in the media mean fuck all. Being young isn’t a skill. He still has a huge job on his hands. A great press conference isn’t going to win him points, it’s just a good start.
Reality is this: He is going to have a very rough 3 months. We’re going to lose games. He’ll fall out with players. There will be Youtubers shrieking about how they’re abandoning the vision just so they can be the first. As fans, we can’t cave, we have to show faith. There is an idea here. We are on the path to better. By the end of the season, I have no doubt we’ll be seeing a sharper identity. If we have a great summer, we will be competing for top 4 next season. From there, who knows where we could go.
We just need to keep the faith, accept the job is a big one, and believe in a new manager that is burning every drop of blood he has to make this work. I’m also hoping that Edu, who has taken ownership of this decision if his .com interview with Raul is anything to go by, is in lockstep about what the plan is. We need him to build an elite staff around Arteta, from what I gather, there are lots of moves in the pipeline, but some clubs are being tough about releasing staff. Steve Round is the assistant, he knows Mikel from his Everton days. We also have an exBarca goalkeeping coach. Most importantly, we have to address some of the player problems. If Xhaka is off in January, who is the dynamic midfielder we have lined up to replace him? If we’re losing big names in the summer, do we have a robust list of players we want to backfill? Who are the kids he’ll bring in?
I sound like a full-kit-coach-wanker saying this, but I believe great coaches make statements early on by bringing an unexpected kid through the ranks (Wenger > Anelka), making an average player great (Conte > Moses), or by killing a senior player (Mourinho > Mata). I pondered if Xhaka could be the average player, but I think he lacks physicality and pace. AMN could be an opportunity? ESR looked very good the other night, maybe he’s the kid? Could the senior player ready for the axe be one of our star strikers? Could Arteta revive Mesut Ozil?
So many questions. Reality is, this time, we have a world-class coach built for the Premier League. If Arteta can’t extract greatness, as he appears to have done with some big names at City, then the player isn’t going to work for Arsenal.
I am nervous about this hire. As they say in politics, it’s easy to be in opposition. I’ve been in opposition for 18 months, not really expecting Arsenal to make an incredibly bold and ambitious move. Now they have, I have to shut the fuck up and back this until the end. I’m confident though. Settling for a has-been would have been regressive. I don’t want a super-agent bitch at our club. There was no way we could have waited until the end of the season. Arteta is a very smart risk, he’s our moon-shot, the upsides to this are electric.
So in the words of Josh Kroenke, be excited, this is the next chapter we’ve been waiting for, it’s going to outrageous amounts of fun, I can’t wait to share the good times with you. He’s in the stands today, his first game in the dugout will be Bournemouth, his first home game, against Chelsea, which I will be at!
See you in the comments. x
Spanish I think the biggest issue isn’t about having a creative player, it’s that there are huge gaps between midfield and attack, so good passes to the forwards are rarely on and when they do receive it, the midfield are a way back and can’t support in numbers to take the burden off the guy on the ball How many times when our attackers receive the ball are they up against two defenders and the nearest team mate is 12+m away and also marked? It’s really hard to do anything with that and they can’t bank on support from the… Read more »
China There are always exceptions to any rule. The Calf Theory is just a quick way of scouting players. You cant scout every player after all, can you? The most expedient way- is to line the players up. Scan the Calf Zone – and then concentrate on the players that are most well stocked in that area. Its the quickest , oldest and easiest way to scout players. (Thats why Pepe cant play ) Same as goalkeepers. You dont want a keeper with small digits or hands. Big hands make great goalkeepers. Think Pat Jennings Mind you we have drones… Read more »
Martinelli overhyped, why is it a thing yo bus people early just in case you get lucky and they turn out to be turd?
18 electric knack for goal scoring, tody finisher. Please find me a lid jn Europe doing that regularly right now.
If you want to talk about overrated please look at guendouzi, people screaming over him but our record with him in the team is appaling. We go to hell in a hamdbasket defensively when hes in as hes all over the shop positiknally. He ain’t no ozil offensively either.
“What exactly are you saying?”
I don’t know. Failed attempt at a joke I guess.
Anyway, we’ll see how Martinelli fares. Oxlade Chamberlain had more about him, just saying.
As much as I detest emery and think freddie is average its telling they have both dropped pepe.
I hope a big part of our interview with arteta was how to utilise him. We either get value from pepe or whoever is responsible for buying a 72m player nobody wants to use needs the sack
“Anyway, we’ll see how Martinelli fares. Oxlade Chamberlain had more about him, just saying“
Pfft you sure? Maybe on social media. Martinelli has a lot of substance for such a green cunt
Nah chambo got 9 goals in 130 odd appearances for us. For production at his age martinelli looks elite in comparison
I mean martinelli is already one of our best performers. Our squad is wank but it still means something
Understand Mikel Arteta wants 6 staff including Ljungberg. As per others, Steve Round & Inaki Cana also incoming.
According to Ornstein. 6 staff!?! Pedro won’t be happy. Heard Cana is supposed to be very highly rated.
Boring game. But a draw is a fair result for two teams and coaches who didn’t want to lose.
Very youthful team. I’m liking so many senior players are getting shafted.
Very British team today. Youth academy players.
We still have cups to fight for during this season. League has been poor, but while in the fa cup and Europa. Arteta will want to push for something.
Sanllehi on Arteta’s inexperience: ‘I think he is a very experienced person, actually. He has an incredible experience of the Premier League, he knows it inside and out, he knows all the coaches, all the teams. He has been with arguably one of the best coaches in the world and he is not been having a passive role with him. On the contrary. He has been actively involved. I know that from him but I know that from many other sources. He had been a real part of that coaching team. There is always risk but in a general way,… Read more »
“According to Ornstein. 6 staff!?! Pedro won’t be happy.”
Arteta can appoint a team of 25 including his wife in some capacity and Pedro would still spin it as revolutionary.
Pedro won’t mind if Arteta replaces all the ball boys with imports from city.
It’s not a coincidence that our best spell came at the start of the second half where we played almost exclusively 2 touch football I don’t know why we stopped doing that a bit later in the half In a way if you impose an unofficial rule that players are to not take more than 2 touches unless circumstances really require it, it actually forces the players off the ball to be more proactive in their movement to make runs into space or come short for the ball knowing that their team mate on the ball will have a harder… Read more »
I’m talking footballing abilities, especially for one playing a wide role. Ox showed a lot of promise at a similar age, failed to live up though.
Aston Villa getting absolutely smashed at home in a relegation scrap match.
China
There’s been a lack of movement by forward players when we’re attacking for some time now. Everything’s too slow and static.
Ox was ridiculously overrated at arsenal
He had a great physique and engine but was a crap passer, score few goals, used to do Wally walnut impressions running the ball straight out of play plus injury prone as hell
He’s still injury prone but Klopp is finally coaxing more out of him after regressing horribly at arsenal
We can all agree martinelli will end up in the middle. Only arsenal would take an st prodigy and try make him a Wideman
Ox was a huge prospect but after 2 years at arsenal it was hugely down hill
Walnut was much better for us and that’s saying something
Martinelli got a football brain. Ox lacked one.
I like martinelli a lot. After the team regains some structure and form he’s going to be very very useful
Ox was enjoying as he is good at a lot of things but never really settled on a position to hone himself in. Raw ability he was good but at the end of the day in the main his production was weak.
Caveat he did have a horrible injury record which stunted progression
Sport on Samsung. You can tell he gets the game already
It’s not their calf muscles that are the problem.
“It’s what’s between there Ears.”
Saka/ Martinelli imagine them in a top side
both played well in a very hesitant side.?
If ox had stayed injury free and had a manager that could coach him rather than just say express yourself, he might’ve become a huge player
But it wasn’t to be with us
Nelson looks a write off, martinelli is killing him already and supposedly hes he senior guy. Classic English talent who has had smoke blown up his arse from the off and thinks hes made it
Reports that police were called in to escort Robbie Lyle (Arsenal Fan TV) from away fans at Goodison today.
Un na
See https://www.givemesport.com/1531663-arsenal-fans-shouted-abuse-at-aftv-presenter-after-draw-with-everton?autoplay=on
For a team that’s hasn’t finished top four in three years ,100% good enough for it with just coaching sure is generous.
Finishing top four in this league requires consistency, consistency that this team has lacked for ages now. Last season it was down to beating two teams playing for nothing at home , even that proved beyond them.
All to do with coaching though right
Watching Bournemouth vs Burnley. If you want to play well in the EPL, you would better get used to hitting a wet ball. I always find a wet ball is so much heavier.
“on Mesut Ozil… For me, I got asked after the game about Mesut. He walked off the pitch [in the Man City game] and then kicked his gloves. The fans were not happy. I got asked about it and said, ‘At Arsenal, that’s not how we behave and not what we do’. I stand by that. Mesut was injured but I would not have picked him for the squad because I want to make a stance that it’s not what I accept from an Arsenal football player. That’s my decision. I won’t make the decisions again but that’s what I… Read more »
5 wins in 18.
Blame the board? No
Blame Robbie who asks questions and gives fans voices? Yes.
My word ppl always blame the wrong thing when times get tough
Guns:
It’s called Shooting the Messenger.
The anger being directed at Robbie Lyle is misplaced.
He’s not the one that made bad decision after bad decision. Envy has to be part of the silly anger being generated.
if you think Robbie who’s always balanced is the reason for negativity then start own positive fan channel.
Wolves and Sheff Utd now winning.
Any predictions on here where Arsenal will finish at the end of the season with the now added Arteta affect and this new defensive resolve shown today against a rampant Everton side?
Arsenal fans proving to be collectively dim.
Nothing wrong with fans making money off the team by the way, why should only an American billionaire be the only one making off with a profit?
Robbie just gave regular fans a chance to vent.
It might have just been a good game from him, but if saka can play that way consistently at LB then we actually have a good tierney alternative and don’t need to use kola
But one game is just one game. Can’t read that much into it but he really did a great job.
Have to say though Arteta is saying all the right things.
That message to the players.
I’m watching you from the stands.
And what I really liked about it was that he said he was going to watch how the players act and respond when they lose the ball first. On the ball was his second comment.
Yeah fair play to Freddie
He might not have performed miracles as a caretaker manager but he did provide some marginal gains especially at the back and most importantly he ‘gets’ what the fans think and has tried his best given the shitty circumstances and lack of time/genuine authority
Great effort from him and we owe him a massive thank you. I hope he stays at the club in some capacity
And Bournemouth losing at home to Burnley now.
Bournemouth will be fighting for their lives against Arsenal next match up.
Will be a far more interseting match than today’s bore with Everton.
China and Ishola
I share this Freddie sentiments, after reflecting further
I’m grateful that he called out Ozil
Freddie L dislikes Ozil.
That is clear enough now to everbody.
Even Pierre.
The funny thing is Pierre after Emery was shown the door was like yeah now we have Freddie to cuddle Ozil.
Now it will be after Freddie steps aside yeah now we have Arteta to cuddle Ozil.
Un we do lack creativity – very much so, I just believe that can be (mostly) remedied through setup/formation/player selection/tactics etc tweaks I may be wrong but I have a suspicion that between all of the attacking young talent we have coming through, at least one of them (pepe? ESR? RN? Saka? Willock? Etc) May be able to provide a lot more creativity if not multiple players from that lot How can we be less creative than last season whilst having a better squad? I think the answer lies in us being in a perfect storm of having loads of… Read more »
Arsenal bang midtable now 10th.
Newcastle leapfrog.
Wolves and Sheff Utd with their wins today gain points on Arsenal.
Arsenal need a run and now.
It doesn’t look like Arteta cuddles anyone, Ozil is in big trouble.
It looks like Arteta will bring some much needed ruthlessness.
The board have to back him. Just because they put a spineless limpet on £350 000 a week doesn’t mean they should pressure a manager to make him work.
Lol Pierre
Club legend thinks ozil is a wanker and a lazy shit based on first hand dealing with his bs
Shock horror
Must be Freddie’s fault tho.
11 th!
Half way gone.
Wenger left us 6th.
And he was washed up.
£250 million shredded since he departed.
Our record transfer- unselectable and not putting in the work in training.
A journeyman coach coming to assist our inexperienced manager
£ 30 million Tierney injured.
Teenage players wearing gloves
(Wenger last visit to Goodison was a thumping 5-2…..cost Koeman his job!)
And still Our of Head Of Football Ops- keeps his job….?
The Dense Arsenal fans should be targeting him not the AFTV owner.
What’s in the water over there….
Assistant coach Steve Round has served his time under top top managers
Fat Sam
Steve McClaren
David Moyes
Yeah 11th now in table.
Forgot Burnley.
The concern is that now Wolves and Sheff Utd are more than one win away in points more than three points.
Arsenal have to start winning and next match really.
Hill wood .Top managers.
Or was that tongue in cheek.👅
Wenger was the start of the regression you plum.
The Ozil obsessives sprouting their usual nonsense…
Pierre
“The Ozil obsessives sprouting their usual nonsense…”
What nonsense?
You’ve heard it from the horses’ mouth.
What more do you want?
The snooze fest is I keeping with the blandness of the appointment.
Since Emery’s departure my assessment that the players were to blame has been vindicated.
Who put out the better XI today?
Arsenal or Wolves?
If not for Auba’s goals, we’d be battling relegation.
Wonder who’ll save Arsenal if he forces his way out in January.
At least Wolves have two of the toughest fixtures you can get next two matches.
But Arsenal have got to win to close the gap starting from Bournemouth.
Pierre those are actual quotes from Freddie
That’s coach number three tired of the pretend footballer, counting the German national coach.
Maybe just maybe its him not them eh?
Maybe the intelligence you believe you see is just an uninterested footballer hiding from responsibility.
David Silva, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, those are the playmakers Arteta has been coaching, watch them play then it will dawn on you Ozil is done here
This is the reality guys.
We are talking Arsenal being marooned just above midtable.
Have to see a run and from next game.
Man C vs Lesiceter should be a cracker of a game
Ishola70
You looked at our Expected points, goals for and conceded, we’re performing almost exactly how were supposed to be. Dec 26 at Bournemouth, Dec 29 (H) Chelsea and Jan 1 (H) Man Utd. Need at least 7pts to move up a few spots.
Nobody is accusing AFTV to be responsible for the mess Arsenal is. What most people have a problem with AFTV is that it tries to portray itself as a platform for the fans when in fact it is a closed vulgar platform to increase the media exposure of a small number of cretins so they can make money on the back of Arsenal failure. Most of the so z-celebrity being interviewed after the game are morons of highest order. Most of Arsenal fans have ashamed of being associated with that clique and it just went ahead today. Robbie may be… Read more »
Ishola
Hard to look at the EPL this season, it’s so grim
We blew our chances this season by not sacking Emery early enough
I said it at the time he should have being shown the door instantly the moment we were getting close to double figures off top4..But we really have some clueless people running things in the club so not surprised we’re here today
Poor Arteta has a huge task to have us finish the season respectfully from here onward
Freddie’s comment about his team selection said it all. It was the biggest FU that the caretaker on his final game could tell to some of the players.
Vardy Party!
Vardy
oh my, oh my
China1, If you expect a great CAM from our current crop of youngster, I am afraid that you are likely to be disappointed. Willock is a No8 not a 10. Saka is a winger who obviously can deputise at left back, but he is not a CAM. Martinelli is central striker who can deputise on the left wing. Nelson is a winger. ESR does not have YET the physicality, the speed of vision and passing ability to be an effective No10. He needs lots of coaching at least one year on loan. However the saving grace is that I believe… Read more »
Man City absolutely dominating Leicester, running rings round them.
Leicester 1 nil up!
Vardy is on a roll just like he was in 2015-2016
“The Ozil obsessives sprouting their usual nonsense…”
So who’s really to blame for Ozil’s malaise then, Pierre? He’s as enigmatic as they come and in all honesty, a real liability now as you never truly know which version of the Ozil Experience you are going to get and worse, what excuse for his absence will be invoked.
Said it last week and will say it again, Arsenal should try to recoup something for Ozil and if unable, cut your losses and release him outright. He’s a serious liability, one that they no longer can afford.
Pierre
I really wish you take a good look at yourself.
Too many people are saying the same things about Ozil, yet you persevere and keep misusing the word “obsessive”.
Some will say Arteta not sitting beside Pep today might be the reason they’re struggling here
Very much possible he’s been a bigger force than we know already behind the success of this city side,well see.
Vardy has mastered that art of beating the offside trap by starting his runs in his own half.
The deflection was from an offside player?
It was Soyuncu
Dissenter
Most of us don’t spend much time talking about Ozil at all and when we do it’s often countering something Pierre’s said.
It’s like Emilia Clarke keeps saying she wished people would stop talking about her tits but she talks about her nude scenes more than anyone else.
Mahrez is giving Chilwell nightmares lmao. What a footballer
Marc
Used to think those half-nude scenes of Emilia Clark were done buy a double.
*by a double
no penalty
that’s a dive
So, the shit show of this afternoon is supposed to help us being “excited”, Pedro ??
Hope for him that mikel has david copperfield’s private number…
Exciting match today by the excited players excited by the exciting new special sauce manger coming in
*this is not a dive.
Pierre
“Sprouting “
Are you suggesting Özil critics are germinating vegetables
“The Spaniard turned up in a sharp suit”
Thank God, he’s elegant.
Highbury
Learned that from Pep
How this is a one-goal game is beyond me, City flopping their cock on Brendas forehead.
Mahrez making Chilwell look like a league one defender.
Sad news that Martin Peters has passed.
World Cup legend.
Valentin
Seriously, what are you on about?
Correct me if I’m wrong but those so-called cretins pay their money to follow arsenal all over the globe. If they want to criticise then they’re entitled too.
I’ve seen them big-up the team when we win, the same way they (rightfully) criticised the team when we lose.
You’ve allowed those idiots on Talksport to control the narrative about AFTV. I’m ambivalent to AFTV’s agenda, but I’ve watched enough of their content to say that their critique is mostly justified.
Quite appalling that the AFTV man was harrangued and targeted by some Delinquents today.
Free speech should always prevail.
And most certainly over soccer and it’s ups and downs -they are inconsequential in comparison.
My golly – these fans …….
Valentin “As far as I know, it was not violent, it was just people chanting for AFTV to get out of our club. Some of those people got so used to be treated as minor royalties that they took offense of people telling to their face that they really are: unwelcome negative parasitic media whore.” Twenty people chanting ASTV has 1.2 million followers on youtube. The comments weekly for all videos is about 500k. What;’s wrong with anyone making money off Arsenal? It that a privilege reserved for just Kroenke? Has it occurred to you that ASTV will make more… Read more »
AFTV are a bunch of wannabe celebrities.
But that being said, if you don’t like it, don’t watch. Quite simple.
Carts, I don’t listen to TalkSport, the inventor is sensationalism and radio clickbait before clickbait existed. AFTV is the same, they made their name by broadcasting the most extreme and vocal opinion. Half of them are so illiterate and boneheaded, they make people such as Piers Morgan like fountain of wisdom. People who shout loudly hoping that people will not notice they can’t articulate a coherent thought. Let’s agree to disagree, you like them I despise them. I don’t view them as regular fans, but as bottom feeders cretins. The same kind, you tended to avoid in pub when watching… Read more »
Barnes should score.
Was looking at the GK and not thinking about the shot.
When a smear job is what you need no one does it better than Valentin
AMN needs to realise quickly that being a right back is his best and only chance of a career at Arsenal. And he needs to realise he has all the skills to be a top quality player in that position. Hopefully Arteta can make him realise this
Commentators are right.
GKs get way too much freedom from referees.