I’ve been powering through a lot of books of late, leadership and power are my favoured topics because I have no power in my life and I’m bullied by the man at the laundrette who charges me double for my shirts because he says they are dresses. Anyway, I’m just over halfway through Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog and I stumbled across this line.
‘No matter the sport— no matter the human endeavor, really— total effort will win people’s hearts’
He was referencing Pre Fontaine, a legendary American distance runner, and how he captured the imagination of the crowd with his ‘put it all out there’ there approach to running.
Mikel Arteta has constantly referenced the connection between the fans and the players and how important it is. The hot takers (particular from The Guardian) have lent many paragraphs to the Arsenal fans being a problem for the players on the pitch. I’ve always thought this was a junk POV that totally misses the impact blood-and-guts spilling has on the fans. We’re all pretty basic, if players give it their all on the pitch, generally fans respond favourably. The new trend for citing ‘expectation’ as a problem in football reminds me of the years-long assault on the notion of ‘passion’ in the game. ‘Pashun merchant’ was an insult, generally directed to the sort of fan who didn’t understand the nuances of Mesut Ozil’s body language, and was widely derided as an unsophisticated desire of stupid fans. Skip to 2020 and one of the most perfect teams ever to exist is being managed by a passion merchant. Every Chairman now wants a lunatic on the touchline.
Fan expectations have never been the problem at United, coaching has been. Same was true at Arsenal. Citing fan ‘expectation’ always sounds nice because it sets you apart as a different sort of fan, more elite, thoroughly considered, just attending football so you can rock the flat cap, have a pie, and mix it with the working class. It’s not reality though. Expectations hold clubs accountable, everything should be in the name of a better footballing output, that’s what makes you an appealing club to join… which player, coach, analyst or business person would want to join a club that didn’t think fan expectations were a positive? None that you’d want to give a £180k a week contract to, that’s for sure. I think Mikel Arteta understands that. I don’t think he’d decry fan expectation, I think he desperately wants to meet and surpass them because that’s what ambition is.
I have not sat in an atmosphere like the one the players created at that United game in years. What changed? The players giving a fuck and showing it with their performances.
I think Arteta is using the adulation of the fans as a carrot to provoke an outrageous work ethic. When the fans will the team on, the players want to go harder, it’s a symbiotic relationship that can push them onto greater heights.
Tonight, at Chelsea, we’re going to need something from the fans and the players. Chelsea offers us a very quick opportunity to demonstrate progress. The 7th game under Arteta is a return leg Premier League game that gives us the chance to show the fans that the ideas are sinking in and the players are moving forward. It’s also an away game against a top 6 side that are in the same mess we’re in… chasing top 4 badly.
The game needs to be an all-out assault. It has to be war on the pitch. Tired legs aren’t an excuse in a derby like this. This needs to be retribution.
We didn’t deserve to lose last time around, the outcome really spun on a Cal Chambers injury and the terror of Mustafi on the pitch.
This time, it has to be different. Mustafi looked much better against Sheffield United at the weekend, and generally speaking, the defensive approach of the team looked much better. We really kept Chelsea quiet. That needs to be repeated for the full 90.
The major challenge for Arsenal is going to be how we operate moving forward. We’ve lacked creativity and the goals have tended to come from one place, Auba. He’s out for the second game of his suspension. That means we’re relying on Laca, Martinelli, Pepe and maybe Nkeitiah. I know a few people in the comments have been questioning whether anything has changed at Arsenal, which feels like a weird thing for someone to say that is so obsessed with Arsenal, they comment on a blog… so here’s a video from Statman Dave to explain where the club is going.
It’s going to be a tough evening, but hopefully, the adrenaline of a big game and a huge greasy chip on the player’s shoulders (sitting there because of the rough luck we’ve had) should drive us forward.
The manager wants to go all the way in the table.
“It’s very, very important for us to win this game to fight for [the top four],”
“The game we played at home could have made a big difference and we were very close to it. Tomorrow we need to win.”
“If we are able to win three or four games on the trot, then we are right there. That’s the challenge we have and all the teams have at the moment. When you look at the results from the weekend, all the draws, and how one decision changed the whole game between Burnley and Leicester, the margin is not that big. So it is complicated. You have to dominate every aspect of the game.”
The squad should be motivated to be back in the big time, they make top 4 it means a big fat bonus coming their way, elite status amongst their peers, pride, as well as the excitement of playing the best teams in the world. This game will tell us a lot about their belief, so I’m hoping for a big one.
Right, nice and short today, if you’re heading up to the game, take a listen of yesterday’s podcast I recorded with Alex.
DissenterJanuary 21, 2020 20:50:25
When Mustafi made the same errors last season, Emery was held responsible.I’m not holding Arteta responsible for individual errors, but I hope some can realize how absurd their scape goating of the former manager was.
Dissenter…it was during that time where mustafi gave a PR interview talking about being destroyed by social media…some posters here who I won’t name even embarrassingly lambasted emery for freezing him out of the team….unreal.
If I have to give props to anyone, it’s to The Arsenal boys who were still singing after that fuck up from Mustafi’s fuck up and Luiz’s red.
Good that Mustafi know’s he’s shit. But why won’t he leave to save himself the pity party?
Mustafi genuinely is the worst CB in the world.
Cheer up lads, we’re only one nil down…….
Mustafi played a wrong pass but if I were arteta, i’d asking luiz for explanation of that nonsense he did. To say he’s a big player is an insult to big players
Haha, commentator said Xhaka slipped… didnt look like it to me.
Chelsea been shit. We’ve been average also. Even with 10 men I can see us scoring.
I’m backing Arteta to the hills.
But if these baffling team selections continue with certain players getting favouritism, despite their clear and utter shit performances – I don’t know how to react.
Arteta’s in game management has been shite since his arrival. Big test of that now.
It’s not really Mustafi’s fault. If he was Manager he wouldn’t pick himself.
Leading up to the pen defenders backing off and off until attacker in box before making a challenge….you shouldn’t have to teach these “pros” the basics ffs
We are in a serious mess as a club.
There needs to be a in inquest into the situation , it’s dire.
Un Dos Tres is desperate for a Lego Hair miracle.
Fuck it at this point our GD wont mean shit.
Bring on Nelson and other attackers… can see if we can nick a goal….
Do the standard 1-1 scoreline
How can manager after manager think mustafi, xhaka and ozil should be playing fir arsenal? I feel sorry for our good players being dragged down by these clowns.
Cesc- agree.
Let’s have a 2 2 and release the rest. For confidence we need to score a goal this half even if it means conceding another looking for it
Cesc appeal I wouldn’t mind those changes. If we could sub out mustafi I would love that. But sadly he is a center back, the worst CB in the world.
Chelsea started well, but have been in a slumber after scoring. We’ve been much better since.
Really uphill task second half because you fancy Chelsea to get a rocket and come out swinging. Ozil should make way for me, Ceballos more to offer from deep.
Nelson is injured, isn’t he?
What can you do with players like Mustafi who have shown too many times they have a calamity in them. And Xhaka’s attempted challenge when he lied down on the floor was fucking comical. I don’t think Luiz should have been given a straight red. It was a foul by Luiz and a yellow card and penalty to Chelsea but the plum Mustafi who committed the error had run back to goal and he was the last defender not Luiz so Luiz was not the last defender in that play. Game is not over just yet while it is still… Read more »
Dean Henderson of Sheffield….perhaps Leno isn’t good enough and we should be looking at him.
Now it will force the board to get another CB on loan. I hope we’ll not see Mustafi in an Arsenal shirt again.
Caballos needs a go . We’ve seen ozil it’s usually 1 good game and 2 anonymous towards dreadful.im tired.
Let’s go with him and change the shape
Axis of evil lol
Torr deep guen and caballos as roaming 8s. I don’t know but something needs to change
Any chance Mustafi never plays for us again?
Luiz will just miss FA cup tie. Feel for him, he’s been playing really well and Mustafi’s error got him sent off at his old club. Too easy to say he should of let Abraham shoot without a challenge, against a defender’s instincts. Did you notice Leno remove his foot just in time to avoid contact, not his fault either.
Xhaka lost his footing ffs, state of the usual vultures. Swear some live for our fuckups, get a grip.
Pepe on Emerson should be our tactic second half, that lad is a shit defender on a yellow.
Look, this is what u get with all this passing backwards stuff, play on the front foot. when you make a mistake like Mustafa, it ends up a goal.cant we play attacking football anymore?
Left
Maybe we need to get Mustafi’s Mum on the payroll – she can write him a note saying he can’t paly today.
I want Arteta to suceed but he’s making it increasingly difficult to back him.
It is a red card. Luiz is the last man defending.
Dissenter seems to like dissenting, WHO IN THEIR F*CKING MIND WANTED MUSTAFI AND BERATED EMERY? Emery is shit, end off, but Arteta will get called out too, we siad it from the beginning, anyone picking Mustafi deserves any vitriol. But at this point Raul and co are accountable for this, why they couldn’t shift him out i don’t understand.
Dale
dean Henderson is a man utd player on loan at Sheffield. A keeper is the least of our worries right now. are you seeing Our centerbacks and midfielders.
Mustafi was covering so not a red for me. But we get fuck all off refs or VAR.
@Marc….lol! Cant play…because he cant!
Yes the attempted back pass was atrocious that doesn’t still excuse what Luiz did there, let him shoot and score if he must, how does giving away a penalty and going a man down help us.
Now we need Arteta to tweak this and save us a demoralizing loss, take off Ozil,this isn’t a game for pretenders.
DDG
He will replace DDG. 🙂
He´s a manure player
Show some balls Arteta, replace Ozil.
MUStHAVEAFUCKUP! Lol…..you new it was coming.next up HACKER.Theres no way he’ll survive another 45 + without a mistake in him.Two reds what’s the bet?
@Left : you can count on many here to still back him even if we lose tonight.
CC, what kind of cunt are you?
Tbf to Arteta we literally have no cbs. Who do you play a half fit holding?
We have overlooked cub for years. We bought sokratis knowing kos was on his last legs. We didn’t show the position the respect it needed.
If it takes 50m to get Dayton now do it, getting relegated with Mustafi would be much more costly
Need at least 1 CB in this window. Loan or permanent. Cant keep rolling with Mustafi. Man never learns.
Is it a one game or three games suspension.
Arteta could pick any player from
The youth that could surely be better than Mustafi!
Be bold. Fuck this useless prick off.
I don’t think it should be a red card
but what do you expect from the PGMOL!?
Not an excuse though, just like his predecessor, Arteta and the team are going to suffer from all these individual errors time and time again!
Cue this page having a meltdown when the second team comes out and Ozil is still on the pitch….:
Arteta has he’s favourites, it’s going to come
Back to haunt him.
Nelson, one, it’s three for violent play.
We should play anybody at the academy ahead of mustafi. If he is training with the first team next morning that would be gross negligence
@Nelson….full life term, with any luck
Saka the best player out there, looks so comfortable at LB
I alos felt Leno was way too slow coming out for that pass. He soaks so much pressure when ball comes towards him him with the back passes or playing out from back…Leno has to act like a footballer and get into receiving these balls.
I’d go as far as putting Pepe in Ozil position and tell him to play behind Martinelli.
Down to 10 men. Going to take something to turn this around. It’s crazy.
Game is definitely not over.. but it will take a few minor miracles. If we can somehow get an equalizer Chelsea might panic. I doubt they practiced playing against 10 men. The odds are very low though. Yep Axis of Evil.. all we were missing was Mkhitaryan to make it the full compliment of the 4 horseman of the apocalypse..
If the summer only involved getting saliba and dayot I would be happy
Apologies CC, that was a tad harsh.
I’d be playing Medley over Mustafi at this stage, but the club needs to act and bring another defender in before the end of the window.
Dumb play by Mustafi but Luiz was also crap there. I’m not sure why it’s taking Arteta this long to take Özil off.
Ozil still out there in body, if not in spirit.
The best chance we have is to give the ball to Pepe and tell him to commit Emerson to a yellow card.to even it up. I would have taken off Ozil after the red but to be honest he has been on the ball and has kept possession which is what we needed for that 15 minutes before half time as it allows us to have some breathing space at the back. Yes , I know it looks negative but intelligence is needed in these situations . If we are to get anything from this game we need first to… Read more »
My advice to Mustardi : to avoid twitter at all cost!! Lol
DUIFG
Then Arteta should have insisted on the club giving him some support when he took on the role.
We’ve lost Chambers – who I think was doing OK but no one was calling him out as a top CB.
Please ARSETETA.go 4-4-1 & just frustrate the chav b’stards .whats left?
Why ozil still playing?
FFS Arteta!
Any one who played a football match will probably make that luiz tackle. Only top defenders will avoid the tackle or get there in the first place. This is why I don’t like players with a lot of weaknesses in their game hence my problems with Xhaka, Mustafi and Ozil. you should at least hold your own. Nobody should cover you for most of the game.
Highbury
He’s fucking lucky we’ve haven’t got a home match for a while.
And Pepe doesn’t get into or near the box, we need him to play as a forward, he just stays on the sideline, needs to get near the box
Tammy was going away from goal.
Luiz should’ve just slid in the direction of where the ball would have to travel. In doing so he’d either intercept the shot of Mustafi would’ve cleared it off the line.
Tell ozil we are kicking the other way…we’ve had halftime
It’s beginning to look to me like Arteta is caught in the headlights of a job that’s just too big for him as his first role.
Saka injured???
If someone takes a red for snapping Jorginho in half I wouldn’t grumble.
I’m not saying I haven’t seen discernible progress under Arteta but immediately I saw the lineup I decided I wasn’t watching. We’re underutilizing the squad it’s not funny. What has Ceballos done wrong not deserve a spot ahead of or in place of Ozil or Xhaka? Mustafi is forced and that’s understandable. But sticking to the same failing players, the death of Emery, will likely be his downfall too if he continues down this foolish path.
Marc agreed it’s all a bit reactive. Left emery in when it was obvious we were shot.
Cb again has been left vacant until it was too late.
The finances are pickled, we need an equity injection. I don’t think we are flush to go out and buy 50m cbs. Depressing
If we are to believe we won’t be signing any player this window, who would you suggest we play if we drop Mustafi?
Ozil just jogging around with no intention of making a tackle.
I’m only going to give stick towards the manager.
If certain players are consistently picked upon ahi performances. Xhaka has improved.
Ozil downhill.
Mustafi always shit.
Lol @ Everton throwing a two goal lead by the way. Such a clownish game football at times.
It will take months and a summer window before Arteta can radically improve things. The injury situation is chronic and tge back-up eg Mustafi is nowhere good enough. Fans jumping on his back when he has only lost to one team is way too premature and unfair .
This club needs a reset and it will take time
We look to be playing harder defensively but still too much pressure
Bellerin looks a good yard off the pace to me, feel for him a bit mind you.
Arsenal need to target Emerson over and over.
Laca again looks fucked. Ok 10 men but it’s at 50mmins man
Why aren’t we making any signings this window? It’s not like we can’t ask Mustafi to find a club on loan, I’d take Boateng at this point.
Cc it’s unsaid but bellerin being so passive in the first 20mwas a big factor in us being dominated
Ozil’s stats….omg
Don’t get hurt Saka we need you dude.
Arteta can keep talking about “energy” as much as Emery did about “performance” and “our way”, but it will soon be clear to all and sundry that certain of these players are just not good enough.
We’re carrying far too many average players for a side that wants to break into the top 4.
I’m sure Arteta knows this already. But he can only work with what he has. But even if he gets in the players he wants in the summer, they’ll need half the season to adapt and settle in.
Guendouzi on for Ozil
Starting to wonder about Ceballos, doesn’t look like he’s worth a lick.
Maybe the vegan diet affected Bellerin’s recovery from injury
If Matty G comes on. And Ozil stays on. Barely heard his name.
Disgraceful.
Pepe draws so much heat to him. Feel for the kid. Very rarely allowed to get 1 on 1
Guen for Ozil.
Arteta grows a pair.
Guendouzi coming on to run around nd add nothing offensively or defensively, just making the rounds
How the heck do the commentators always know whose coming off before the board goes up? Ozil has been shit though.
DUIFG
Don’t disagree, he’s backing off of everything which is a concern long term because it looks like he knows his pace is gone and he’s panicking.
FINALLY!!
Arteta has realized he just isn’t and will never return to form.
Not one person said they want Mustafi back
Well…I mean
Arsenal’s “star” player subbed off again