The winter break is OVER and the football can begin.
The good news is the squad will all boast a light bronze tan coming out of the Dubai camp, good for confidence. They’ll also have had some time to mentally recalibrate and they’ll no doubt have a bit more juice in the legs (legal juice).
The injury story is finally starting to look a little less bleak. The Newcastle game this weekend will see the return of Reiss Nelson, Saed Kola, and Bukayo Saka. Three crucial players to the Arteta model. Power and pace. Something we miss too often in this squad.
Pablo Mari is being earmarked for the Europa League game against Olympiacos on Thursday. Cedric has some work to do to get over his problems. Cal and Kieran are still a way off.
Quite a lot of the pre-game chat was about squad rebuilding for this summer. Mikel had this to say on the planning process.
“Absolutely, we have to plan,”
“We need to know the direction we want to head and to do that we need bear in mind different scenarios.
“With that in mind I have to tell the club what we need, where we think we can improve and where we need to aim.
“If we all aim for the same things, we put a plan in place to execute it, and make the process as short as possible.”
I suspect the direction of this summer will be far more pointed than it has been. Mikel seems much more clear in what his plan for the squad is and hopefully that will be reflected in the types of player we bring in, but more importantly, the emergence of Edu should ensure that this summer, things move a lot quicker.
The Mirror reckon we’ll likely move on a lot of the players with one year left on their deals. They expect to see Auba, Lacazette and Leno receive big money offers… and I’d be fine with that, provided we don’t bring in a load of bums in to replace them. Youth, power, pace and elite levels of football intelligence.
There’s a story doing the rounds that Saka is nowhere near on his deal negotiations. I know he’s a top talent, so the interest from other clubs is likely real, but I think he’d be made to leave a club that’s giving him what he wants: trust, coaching, game time. He has a good thing here, the fans love him, and he’s living in London.
The Newcastle game is big. I think we need to see an uptick in output. Arteta has been working his process through the club, he’s spent some time with the players, had some good moments, some bad.. but the squad is united.
Now let’s see what it has to offer.
Mesut Ozil has been taking a pasting from everyone this week. His output has declined at a rapid rate, and he’s under pressure for more than his body language. He needs to turn up, convert the effort into assists, and he has to start influencing games like he used to.
Overall, the team needs to be more ambitious in the final third. We have a very exciting front three however you package them. Better finishing, more ambition, and faster movement.
The next 5 games are about finding the balance. We are harder to beat, no doubt, but we’re not protagonists at the moment. We’re a little bit Wenger of a few years ago. It’s almost a tactical ploy to give us the ball, because we’ve no idea how to use the advantage. I think Nuno said he doesn’t believe in ‘pointless possession’, that’s where we are, we need some edge… and for me, there is no doubt we have the players to move to the next level there at this moment.
We have a pretty fair run of fixtures over the next two months. We need to make it count, get some wins, improve the football, and build some belief going into the summer.
See you in the comments. x
Spanishdave, are you actually Soanish? We do have David in Spain. I’m full Spanish, Andaluz but I grew up in England
I think City will win their appeal if UEFA don’t quickly punish PSG.
PSG are run by a nation state too. They have violated FFP the same way city did it. There should have been an investigation when they dropped big money on Mbappé and Neymar. They don’t generate as much money as City from he domestic league so where did all that money come from.
City will win that appeal when it eventually gets to CIS. There’s always been a unique acrimony between the city fans/ organization and UEFA.
Fair market value is a subject entity to begin with.
There are shrewd business people who pay less and suckers who overpay first the same service.
The city owners can easily make a case that they attach more value, maybe on sentiments or otherwise.
Just discovered that we have 13 draws after 25 games
Passing has had do be readdressed and positioning… Lol You do come out with some truly stupid statements. We won 21 league games last season and were in eight place when Emery was sacked and he wasn’t sacked because we were regularly losing games, he was sacked because we were drawing games we should be winning, kind of like what’s happening now. Only difference is you approve of the current man in charge. Emery in his first season finished 13 points ahead of wolves but they are now such a powerful side that his 18 months here has set us… Read more »
Dissenter
I think on appeal they’ll get the ban reduced to a year. UEFA look like they’re doing something and City don’t get punished as they should.
Receding
2018-2019 never happened. You didn’t get that memo.
Pierre believes that Emery damaged the players so much it will take the new manager eons to repair.
I’m waiting to seen if all that BS adulatory talk that Laca, Mustafi, Ozil and Luiz have been making about Arteta will translate into on-field performance
Let’s see is Mustafi stops making unprovoked errors ?
Let’s see is Ozil starts to make assists again?
Will Laca start scoring again?
Dissenter
The biggest question mark over Arteta at the moment surrounds his use and “preference” for certain players like Xhaka, Ozil, Laca etc. Mustafi was forced on him due to injury but if he continues to use him then he’s another one.
If Arteta’s doing it to get through this season and outs them in the summer – no problem.
If he fights to keep them for next season he’s going to lose the crowd by November.
Marc
The whole thing looks dubious so long as PSG are getting off free.
The city management and fans have had a difficult relationship with UEFA for a while.
How are PSG able to drop 200 million on Neymar. They don’t generate that much money domestically from TV. They aren’t a global club. They don’t even progress that far in the CL to get top prize money.
There’s a lot is subjectivity in determining the value
RH yes Passing ….sad but true , it was something we never had any concerns about under wenger as we were one of the best in the business at passing and moving. Far be it from me to educate you on passing but it doesn’t just constitute passing from A to B. Our passing under Emery was too slow ( and still is) , our one and 2 touch passing had disappeared, we didn’t pass in triangles as our positioning was all wrong as the player on the ball was often isolated This is what Arteta is trying to address… Read more »
Dissenter.
City’s issues aren’t around fair market value indeed the value attached to their commercial deals aren’t a problem it’s quite simply that the named sponsor didn’t pay the sum attached to the package and emails that were hacked seem to say that most of the money came from sources that aren’t permitted.
City are creating a lot of clutter here but if the rumours are correct and bearing in mind City already have been sanctioned for FFP failings then they face a task to get CAS to reverse UEFASs sanctions
Dissenter its irritating because he knows exactly what he is doing with this 18 months nonsense. Emery was a home win against Palace or Brighton from finishing third in his first season here, third!!. If the ability to beat Palace or Brighton is what defines a coach then there is something wrong. Emery had a perfectly good season first time out, not great or excellent but quite good all things considered. He had a horrendous start to this season all things also considered and hence why he is unemployed. That this start to the season is the reason why professional… Read more »
One and two touch passing actually has something to do with the type of players you have in the team oh ye wise one.
One and two touch passing with Auba,Lacazette and Pepe up front.. Good luck with that. Those two misplace the easiest of passes while the third prefers ball hugging.
Let’s not even talk about the players in the midfield whose only safety net is passing it backwards. One and two touch passing indeed. I look forward to seeing that with this same playing personnel.
DYCHE still winning games of soccer.
Marc
I think Ateta has to be careful not to be overly loyal to certain players..
I hope he’s brutal when it comes to the summer. The players who are blowing smoke up his arse have to be on the chopping block because they are the ones stinking out the place.
Strange enough, Xhaka has been the consummate professional with his utterances. You won’t hear him slamming the past manager to ingratiate himself into Arteta’s favor.
I think City should be punished with the 50-50-50.
Deducted 50 points a season for 50 seasons and every season ticket holder should get 50 lashes at another PL clubs ground – it’d make for great pre match entertainment!
Fair, effective and highly amusing. Chelsea should get the same!
No to Isco …another inconsistent player just like the likes of James and ozil….The answer is Emi Buendia..through ball specialist and press resistant and can dribble in tight spaces….Feisty character too in a good way and lastly he is cheap
Dissenter
Your right on Xhaka and you have to give him some credit for keeping quiet. Although with his previous relationship with the Arsenal fan base he’s probably right not to attract attention.
I wonder if Arteta sold him a line of give me 6 months and I’ll help you get a better club than Hertha Berlin.
Daniel
My only comment on Isco is do we have the money to buy him when we will need other players as well?
Emery was done as soon as he handled that captainship issue wrongly.
In retrospect, he should have backed Xhaka 100% and used the incident to create a siege mentality.
Instead he tried to lay both sides. That made him lose the respect of the players.
He will get another job that he will execute very well. Arsenal was broken well before Emery. We didn’t have a central midfielder or wingers last season. We still don’t have central midfielders or attacking midfielders under Arteta.
We do have a money grubbing pretender in Mesut Ozil.
We won’t be doing any worse has we not bought David Luiz.
Have to say Valentin got that one right. He was the unpopular voice of opposition when we signed him.
Now he’s just a smoke making machine piped directly to the manager’s arse.
I would send Ozil way on loan even if it meant we pay 2/3rds if his wages.
We won’t miss the one assist a season performance.
Receding.
5-0
3-2
3-0
4-1
3-0
our last 5 home league games before Emery arrived .with Ozil, lacazette,Aubamayang Xhaka all in the side.
The last 5 home games before Arteta arrived
1-2
0-3
1-2
2-2
1-1.
Say no more…
Key board coaches all over the blog 😂
Say no more indeed
The manager who got those results you won’t keep quiet about was sacked and has not been employed in a coaching capacity since. That you score goals in a game doesn’t mean you played one touch football by the way.
The results for emery in his last five home games led to his sacking mind by the way.
Can’t wrap my head round your obsession with Wenger’s last five home games in a season we finished sixth and he was sacked. What exactly is that a benchmark for?
This season is a complete right off for me and am prepared to give Arteta next season…but some of the things said here are ridiculous…are we the first team to sack a manager mid season?We have to teach basics like passing?Are Arsenal Fc players so special that they have been so mentally damaged by a man here for only 18 months?Even more comedy gold that these same posters don’t think Wenger is to be blamed for how he left arsenal.
Pierre
(Wengers last five home fixtures)
5-0
3-2
3-0
4-1
3-0
18 goals for
3 goals against
Exhilarating soccer.
Every fortnight. Guaranteed entertainment.
(But Wenger left such a much, the Entitled Ones bang their feet and screech….)
Truth is ,We have been utter garbage the moment he left.And even worse than that- we have been so bloody dull.
Mindnumbling Dull post Wenger.
As things stand we need to win tomorrow to preserve 11th place.
For a team of football players who have forgotten how to pass a football, riding camels in Dubai should have been bottom of the list
Bournemouth 1–1 Arsenal
Arsenal 1–2 Chelsea
Arsenal 2–0 Manchester United
Crystal Palace 1–1 Arsenal
Arsenal 1–1 Sheffield United
Chelsea 2–2 Arsenal
Burnley 0–0 Arsenal
Results under new management……lol lol lol
Wengers last five home fixtures were against:
Watford
Stoke
Southampton
West ham
Burnley
All flat track bully results, bear in mind the game prior to Watford, we got hammered at home 3-0 by Man City…lol
PSG must also be punished.
MC’s lawyers will be chomping at the bit.
A can of worms has definitely been opened here, no matter what happens.
Wenger’s last season in charge against the Top 5:
Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal
Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal
Man City 3-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Spurs
Arsenal 1-3 Man Utd
Arsenal 3-3 Liverpool
Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea
Spurs 1-0 Arsenal
Arsenal 0-3 Man City
One Win!!!!!!!!!! Lol lol lol
Pierre still waking over Wengers last home games against teams what were already on vacation. Now he’s Aretas own personal propagandaminister. Embarrassing stuff.
It’s funny how CG conveniently forgets Wenger’s last 7 away matches.
Bournemouth 2 – 1
Swansea 3 -1 (who were relegated)
Tottenham 1 – 0
Brighton 2 – 1
Newcastle 2 – 1
ManU 2 – 1
Leicester 3 – 1
Every real Arsenal fan threw a fucking party when it was announced Wenger was leaving. He was lucky the club allowed him to resign instead of sacking him for gross misconduct.
Wenger’s last season in charge against the Top 5:
Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal
Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal
Man City 3-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Spurs
Arsenal 1-3 Man Utd
Arsenal 3-3 Liverpool
Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea
Spurs 1-0 Arsenal
Arsenal 0-3 Man City
Man Utd 2-1 Arsenal
One Win!!!!!!!!!! Lol lol lol
Lol! You’d think the players need an exorcist with the way people talk of 18 months of damage you’d be forgiven we’re the first club to sack a manager during the season. Let’s teach them passing and one touch football indeed
Xhakalson, mustafinovs and ozil should be indicted by football authorities for ” obtaining a salary under false pretences”
Im telling you this for free!
The way the players are hugging and singing kumbaya there will be lots of flowers and chocolates in the changing rooms this valentine.
Im telling you this for free!
The players were good enough when Emery was in charge – that was the whip they used to beat him every time.
Now that he’s sacked, the same players are so poor that they have to be taught basic lasting and one touch football.
We don’t win tomorrow and the debate will start. Why are we still languishing in mid table and why are the fans so accepting of draws?
Why are the players who Pedro loves to use to burnish Arteta [as if the manager asked for it] not putting words into action.
Daily shit mail; “Juventus ‘planning £125m package to sign Manchester United star Paul Pogba and are considering offering Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey as part of the deal’ as agent Mino Raiola ‘makes contact with Italian giants”
I honestly think this deal will happen with Ramsey involved.
Diss
Hope it does Ramsay is finished…
Filled his pockets with gold after club stood by him through all his injuries.
Let united take over the burden.
Graham 62.
Punish PSG for what? It’s all well and good thinking they have broken FFP rules but from everything I read they submitted all documents and fully engaged with UEFA when their accounts were audited.
City on the other hand
France Football saying that Chelsea are going all out for Sancho. They’ve already got the ball rolling. That’s an amazing signing
Teraloon
City were punished for violating FFP rules. You seem to think we’re punished for obstructing the investigation or something.
Why should PSG be punished?.
I can.t believe you actually wrote that. They do the same things City does. How else did they afford to spend €400 million on two players?
Still can’t believe you asked the question
Receding Hairline Didn’t you hear someone say: Arteta is HSTTKAF ahead of Emery. That’s right – Head, Shoulders, Torso, Thighs, Knees, Ankles and Feet! A manager who has won 3 career games is head, shoulders, torso, thighs, knees, ankles, and feet above a manager who has won 10 career trophies. I couldn’t even shake my head. Why not let Arteta win a trophy first? Hell, why not let him win football games first? Oh, I forgot. Winning trophies are irrelevant and so is winning games. So far you can teach them how to pass, you’re great. Some would label Arteta… Read more »
FPP is a load of bollocks anyway, someday someone is going to challenge its validity in the courts, in what other business are there rules which restrict your investment in your company,, You pay millions for a club then some corrupt pricks in UEFA say its yours pal, but you can only spend a few mill tarting it up. The City punishment the most stringent yet, far above PSG, and cannot possibly be upheld on appeal.. I understand the need for some control over income and expenditure on wages to ensure clubs going bust, but anything above that is just… Read more »
FFP has been in place for some time, City not only knew the rules but it looks like they tried to conceal that they broke them.
They’re guilty and should take the punishment.
Is there anyone else here who loves the championship like I do?Since our team went to shit I have found joy in watching serie A and the championship which is absolutely dramatic.Fulham just got walloped 3-0 at home by the dead last team in the table Barnsley… Absolutely bonkers that league
Leicester going after crock jock if they sell chillwell…
Would you sell or would keep…
RSPC
I’d keep Tierney unless there’s medical advice we’re not privy to. Leicester’s recruitment has been in general very good in recent years and if they were interested in him it confirms we have a good player there.
Keep Tierney for now.
Burnley is above us now.
Oh boy aren’t you glad we’re in the Emirates!!!
Leeds
If we’d stayed at Highbury you’d be slagging off the club for a lack of ambition and how the Spud’s have a 60,000 capacity stadium and we don’t.
I didn’t think you went to matches anyway so what does it matter to you.
Leeds
You keep iterating this “aren’t you glad we’re in the Emirates!!!”
There was nothing wrong with moving to the Emirates. It was s spectacularly smart business move; more money to spend on the team and more fans to cheer the team.
The ills that bedevil Arsenal have NOTHING to do with moving to the Emirates, absolutely nothing. We could have stayed in the smaller confines of Highbury and still be shite.
Daniel Altos
I love watching the Championship also. Earlier on was another blood and thunder match between West Brom and Forest (WBA probably denied a legit goal right at the end). QPR coming back from 2 down against Stoke also.
The overall quality obviously isn’t up to the standard of the Premier League but it isn’t that far off most teams other than the top ones.
It’s probably the most competitive division in football.
Dissenter
It’s funny how the ones who moan about the Emirates are always the ones who don’t go to fucking matches anyway.
We could be playing in Milton Keynes for all the difference it would make to some on here.
Marc
Seems we are on the same wave length.
Staying at Highbury would have been a syregtic mistake of epic proportions.
The Emirates move didn’t give us the anticipated boost because it coincided with the entry of stupid money from the Russian and oil states.
*strategic mistake
Dissenter
As you say it was an ambitious move and we were unlucky that Abramovich pitched up when he did.
Those that moan about the move are either A) Old Cunts or B) too stupid to understand what we did and how difficult it was.
Of course some will fall into both categories!
Another reason why the Emirates move didn’t give us the boost was that Wenger broke up the invisibles way too soon and then failed to replace Gilberto Silva for one decade.
Some will argue, maybe credibly that we had to break up the invisibles to pay for the stadium.
The club explored every option to stay at Highbury. Expanding to 55500 – 600000 there would have been the most ideal scenario obviously. I have often pictured how it would have looked with the corners etc filled in, perhaps the North Bank or Clock End could have been a huge single tier stand. Would love to see an artists impression of a bigger Highbury. Ultimately it wasn’t possible so we had to move. We were somewhat unlucky with the timing of the stadium in regards to the financial crisis, Abramovich coming out of nowhere etc. It will still prove to… Read more »
Dissenter
I think we had to sell off some players but I’m pretty sure we could have afforded to keep Silvia. Having a DM is obvious but also having an experienced CM to guide the younger players would’ve made a massive difference.
Chris
Highbury was / is a listed building so there was never an opportunity to expand it.
Chris
Arsenal have made many errors, moving out to the Emirates isn;’t sny to them. it was 100% the right move and one reason why Wenger ought to be lauded forever.
It was a decade ahead of its time. Everyone else had to play catch-up.
Marc
I was aware the East and West were/are listed, so realistically even if we had demolished both Clock and North and started again with them we probably only would have gone from 38000 to 50000 max. Just one of those things.
Where did you used to sit at Highbury? I was part of the TRS but tried getting in the Clock End whenever possible. It was always a joy to get stuck in the back of the West Lower. It may be just me but everyone in that let of the ground seemed to be a whingy old git!
Also Gael fukcing Clichy is another reason why the transition to the Emirates wasn’t as smooth
We were on course to win the league with a young team in 2007-2008 until Gael Clichy went to sleep for one second.
Feb 23rd 2008 – the day it all came apart.
Dissenter
Not going to argue that at all, it was absolutely the right move to make. I just hope to see us have the fortune to win a league title at the Emirates as we did many times at Highbury. That will help with the feel good factor of the place!
Chris
I only got my season ticket once we moved. I used to go to a few matches back when we had the terraces once it went all seater it was nigh on impossible to get tickets most of the time.
Leaving such a part of our history was a wrench but it had to be done.
Dissenter
I’ve always said that Wenger’s reign needs to be broken into 3 parts rather than the 2 that most seem to.
The successful part, getting us through the stadium move and then the last period where he lost the plot / got old.
Come on Norwich!
Marc
Yes the sound of the engaged tone on the phone was something you had to tolerate a lot the morning tickets went on sale on the TRS scheme. The redial button took a hammering.
Marc Agreed -I think Mourhino rattled Wenger and knocked him off his perch. -Then came that loss to Barca at the State de France in May 17 2006, the way we lost was just heart breaking. I swear to God I cried that day because I had a premonition that we wont be in that position for a long time to come. Having your goalie red-carded then going ahead only to lose because your keeper can’t keep his legs closed!!! -Then that game in Birmingham with the leg break, late equalizer and then captain meltdown doing a tantrum. I think… Read more »
Liverpool cunts
That was a push.
Who the fuck let’s Jamie Carragher commentate on a match featuring Liverpool?
Dissenter
I think Wenger had some sort of minor breakdown under the pressure of it all.
He should have gone after the first FA Cup in the new stadium.
The refs in the VAR booth never played the game obviously
The Birmingham league cup final was the first time I recall feeling a touch of irritation with Wenger, that was a final we should have been winning in a dominating fashion and possibly the start of a trophy laden era.
I generally still backed him up until the last couple of years of his time when it became clear as day a change had to be made. 15/16 was the season we should have siezed with both hands also.
Dissenter
I genuinely believe that there’s a conspiracy between the media, PL and ref’s to help Liverpool win the league this season.
The powers that be need a big club winning the PL on a regular basis. City are not a big club and with ManU and Arsenal both in turmoil Liverpool are the only team in a position to do it.
How does a goalie get beaten in his near post with the ball passing through his legs TWICE in one game
Manuel Almunia!!!
Keep your bloody legs closed, had he been a girl, he would have 20 sets of twins by the time he’s 35 y/o.
Handing documents over to UEFA and fully engaging with them. That’s a joke for a start. It’s like comparing having a sit down meeting with Al Capone.
Not exactly a trusting environment.
Dissenter
Eto’o goal was offside also.
But no point in torturing yourself mate. I have tried to mostly forget about it, as like you say, too painful.
Marc
Do you also believe the earth is flat?
Dissenter
Almunia was a poor keeper. It’s almost as if Wenger decided that he wasn’t going to spend money to prove to the world how it corrupted the world.
Graham
No but it’s not actually spherical either!
Currently:
10th – Burnley G.26 W.10 D.4 L.12 pts. 34
11th – Arsenal G.25 W.6 D.13 L.6 pts. 31
If we lose or draw tommorow. I don’t wanna hear shit. They’re taking the fans for a ride. Lip service and sound bites.
Chris
You dozy cunt, Wenger should of been sacked 12 years ago..
Graham
Have you ever seen the Matthew Syed interview that was on Sky Sport’s news some years ago?
Watch that and tell me the media don’t push an agenda.
Chris
That league Cup Final defeat to Birmingham was back in 2011.
You felt ” a touch of irritation with Wenger”.
I felt shame and embarrassment and wanted him gone.
Arsenal are taking the piss hiring a complete amateur…
If Norwich are as resolute against us as they’ve been against Liverpool tonight we’re going to have to be much better going forward otherwise we’ll be looking at a loss or another draw.
That was such an obvious push by Mane
Marc
There’s no conspiracy.
Liverpool are just a cut above the rest.
By the way, wasn’t Almunia on £70k a week back in 2011?
So much for that conspiracy theory.
Good on Liverpool for a victory well-earned!
It will be interesting to see by how much they eclipse the “invincibles” record.
“By the way, wasn’t Almunia on £70k a week back in 2011?
So much for that conspiracy theory.”
Not sure what that means?
RT
Correct, he should have been shown the door in 2008.
Don’t be too harsh with Marc, at least he “felt a touch of irritation” in 2011.
The ‘Invincibles’ didn’t perform well in Europe as was the case with all Arsensl teams under Wenger.
Marc
Your perceptions on why Wenger didn’t want to spend money.
Didn’t some folk on here today point out that Arsenal didn’t qualify for the CL because MC cheated.
Nothing to do with us having a substandard manager at the helm then.
Of course not.
Wenger should have gone in 2008? Wow, that’s an opinion that smells a lot like entitlement.
That was the year we lost out on the league by four points. And you would have made the change that summer?
Marc PGMO is just doing the league’s bidding to keep the PL product as attractive to consumers as physically possible. Just look at the last four seasons. Leicester overcoming 5000:1 odds, Man City shredding all records, Man City and Pool going to the wire in the highest ever one two finish, and finally this season, Pool with a chance at unbeaten and record points season. What are the odds that four years running things just work out in such a way that the whole footballing world is marveling at the on going drama taking place in the PL. There might… Read more »