Matteo row speaks to demanding high-performance culture.

by .

Arsenal is BACK with a BANG.

I posted a pretty innocuous tweet about Matteo G being a problem child 1) because I know he is, as I’ve stated on here before 2) Arteta basically called out his attitude issues as the reason he didn’t make the squad.

My word, the uproar. The young Frenchman has a fan club like Mesut Ozil. They won’t even read the facts, which were further corroborated by The Telegraph who noted that he had a huge bust-up with Mikel and the staff over body language and attitude.

… if you can’t beat out Mesut for body language, what the hell is going on? This is what Arteta said after the game.

“The reason is that players who, in my opinion, are training better, behaving better and are more applied to deliver on the pitch what we want, are the players that are selected.”

Broader point here, if you cross the manager there are consequences. I have no idea why people thought Arteta would struggle on that front coming from Manchester City, but here we are. One of the best young talents in the bad books after 7 weeks under the new regime.

I know that Freddie also had issues with him during his short stint. It was a lack of respect thing. The player no doubt has the world at his feet, but at the highest level, you have to play the game and always work in the best interests of the club. Hopefully, he learns from his mistakes, bucks up his ideas and continues his path to the top.

I think one of the worst parts of the Emery regime was the lack of consistency from him. He didn’t hold people to account, which made him a walkover. Mesut Ozil knew he’d be back in the squad regardless of what happened because the manager was a wet lettuce. I don’t think we’ll have those issues with Mikel, regardless of who you are.

There was a lot of positivity around the game yesterday. I know it’s only Newcastle, but we’re at their level at the moment. We’re not sitting midtable because of bad luck, it’s because we’ve been absolute shit.

I liked this stat from Matt Scott.

It’s only a small thing, but the strategy was built around nullifying their strength and it involved pressing… and the players did it. That says the players are behind the ideas, they understand them, and are willing to work hard to execute.

I also thought Matt’s point about Auba-left-wing-rage was pertinent. He’s great out on the left, he scores a lot of goals from that position, and if we’re honest, he’s not ideal through the middle because he doesn’t hold the ball up as well as Lacazette or Eddie. Still can’t believe how much work he does for the team, he made a vital interception in our box early on. Very sharp.

Hopefully, that result was a turning point. First time in over a year we’ve scored 4 in a game. We’re now unbeaten in 6 games in the league, that’s a real positive, it could extend further, our fixture list is fairly kind over the next 2 months.

People seem very keen to tell you that they don’t believe in the players that are now playing better, like there’s some chance that Mikel is going to keep them all this summer. It’s such a weird insecurity, maybe it’s because he played under Arsene and his squad turnover numbers were really low? It’s unfounded, regardless.

The plan, from where I’m watching, is to pump the value of decent players that have been cut adrift by the last 2 managers. You couldn’t move on certain names last year because their form was so bad, now, we’re seeing a turn out of most of them. Finish the year strong and they’ll all be getting better offers this summer. This May is hopefully going to be fast and furious.

The biggest story in European football is that finally, UEFA caught up with the cheating that Manchester City has been overseeing. They’ve just landed a 2 year ban from the Champions League. A beastly punishment and one you sense likely to end that squad. The manager says he’ll stay, even if they’re demoted to League 2, I’m not sure a lot of the players will… though the Fraudiola muppets will get to see their man in a lower division.

I wholeheartedly agree with the ban. The financial doping in football has been crazy over the past decade and we could all see it wasn’t fair. My hope is that the authorities move hard on other clubs, namely PSG, for offences that look very, very similar. We’ll see though. Football is a billionaire plaything, and they have a tendency to get away with what they want.

In the meantime, one would assume the top 4 trophy is now the top 5. Absolute crazy times if that’s the case. Arsenal are 7 points from 4th and 6 from 5th. Very doable if we can muster some form… though I do believe that’d be a massive stretch to expect after the season we’ve had.

My focus would be on the Europa League. I think we can take any team over two legs. The major worry would Inter Milan and United. Still, hardly Atletico, right?

Ok, lots to ponder today, fingers crossed for a United vs Chelsea draw a little later on!

P.S. I found this video from Portugal very hard to watch. Outside the grim racism, the reaction of his teammates looked really poor. I’m sure they were saying ‘don’t let them win’, but when they could see his head was gone, they should have let him go. European football is a disgrace. This racist behaviour is a cancer on our great game. UEFA should act with the same vigour they went at City with. Make a statement that this will not be tolerated.

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Ace

1st

grooveydaddy

1st

Ace

2nd

grooveydaddy

Trashy

Ace

3rd

grooveydaddy

Oops – tr4phy

Trashy hahaha

Press Box Gooner

Tr5phy?

Guns of SF

Down with city

Chrispy

Bollox

Guns of SF

Sell guen
Honestly he offers not much aside energy
Falls over too much
Now Ill disciplined on and off the pitch

We can upgrade for sure

Spanishdave

Get rid he isn’t special.
Never a threat in the box ,or corners like he should be.

Highbury Upper East Block A

I’ve mentioned before Guen shouldn’t be anywhere near this team, his attitude, pace and technique aren’t all that, and this seems to have played out with the news from Dubai, those that think a team can be built around him are sorely mistaken, I’d sell him if a decent bid came in all day long. Buendia is the player I’d move heaven and earth to sign as well as Grealish as a replacement for Ozil, although that is probably dreaming as he will be in such high demand.

GunnerDNA

“I think one of the worst parts of the Emery regime was the lack of consistency from him”

You certainly have a point but Emery also highlights the poor attitude of these said players but it was said he’s shading the Club because he got the sack. He certainly tried to discipline Ozil and it was used to hound him out because most didn’t believe the squad was trash. Its early days, If the squad selection continues to be inconsistent there certainly will be more players voicing concerns.

Graham62

“Financial doping”

What exactly does this mean?

Anyone?

Manchester United are 500m in debt(and rising) and yet can still go out and spend vast amounts on players and pay them astronomical salaries, which only helps to increase the debt. How can this be?

Is this not against the rules of FFP? To be able to spend money you really don’t have. Why are UEFA not questioning the Glaziers?

Rules? What fudging rules?

As I said the other day, the MC case has opened a huge can of worms

Mr Serge

We all know Arteta is playing these players to get their value up they will be gone in the summer

We have a nice nucleus of a squad and some good additions will see us climb

As fans at the game we can all see the improvement in the last 8 weeks
How good was Klopp in season one ?

Mr Serge

This is going to take 4 to 5 seasons to get us challenging I am good with that

Sid

Dozie has ze mental strength, the longstuff unlike mustafinovs, xhakalson and ozil

Mr Serge

My concern is we loose sska he needs to sign a new contract asap

Nelson

Guen told reporter that he is the best player on the team. Maybe he thinks that he is untouchable.

Ahmeducrazy

Nelson

Don’t know whether that makes him confident or a complete asshole

Ahmeducrazy

https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/17/arsenal-bukayo-saka-contract-update-12256116/

Fingers crossed guys. I am fairly certain he will sign, but if he doesn’t, I will be extremely sad.

James wood

Guen sounding like Lord Bentdner.?

Henry Root

Three players didn’t make the squad for yesterday’s game- Guendouzi, Nelson and AMN. I believe all three failed to impress Arteta in Dubai. More may emerge later

Zacharse

I said it yesterday but regardless of whatvyou think about newcastle, 2 of their last 3 games included and away draw w everton and a home win over chelsea. You play to the team in fromt of you and we made them look like children, that was not an opportunistic emery win, that was an attacking statement.

Ahmeducrazy

According to transfermarkt:

Guen: £50M
Ronaldo:£68M
Messi: £126M

???

Redtruth

Picking Ozil shows the manager is a wet lettuce…

Chris

Zacharse

You are correct of course but obviously it wasn’t good enough because all the Pro FIFA players on here were whinging about the line up before the game and that we weren’t 4-0 after half an hour, not at the end of a 90 minute game.

Amazing how some are still not happy.

Chris

https://www.football365.com/news/mediawatch-arsenal-4-0-crap

The top story from this takes the piss out of these types perfectly.

Nelson

The first 25 minutes of the 1st half, they were the better team. They defended low and organized. Xhaka was like a lamp pole kept getting passed. St-Maximin was toying with Bellerin. Last 15 minutes, Ozil had two good plays, one to Auba and the other to Eddie. Although they both didn’t score, it lifted the team spirit and doubt started to creep in to Newcastle’s defense. In the 2nd half, Ceballos dominated the midfield. Pepe and Saka put in a 9/10 performance.

Marc

Can Sky really not find 2 pundits better than Roy Keane and Carragher?

Receding Hairline

Never thought Guendouzi has a bad attitude. He isn’t all that in terms of actual skill set and what he brings to the team but he was always positive, never stopped trying. I am not comfortable with some of Arteta’s antics, seems to hold certain players to certain standards, I personally don’t see the uniformity in his demands. Ozil has started all games under him and didn’t merit to. Ceballos and Guendouzi seem to be the new whipping boys who need to constantly fight for their places. Mustafi is now being rebranded as a trusted defender, a movie we have… Read more »

CG

“””Arsenal is BACK with a BANG.”””” With Liverpool taking 103 points out 105 , I would say that headline is a tad over the top…. Sure, it was an eye catching result. But let’s not beat around the bush. We are still pretty much garbage and the club is still rotten to the core. ( see the behaviour of the young upstart Genduzi) I hope this twerp is never seen in an Arsenal shirt again. We ain’t good enough to carry, village idiot pre – madonnas types in this team. He should be the first one out of the door.… Read more »

Receding Hairline

Willy starting the game for Chelsea tonight.. Lol

Lampard wants rid of the basket Kepa

Redtruth

Guendouzi won’t play ball with Arteta’s silly games so he gets sidelined.
He probably told Arteta he’s a shit coach and he’d be right…..

WengerEagle

80m, record GK signing and he’s arguably the worst keeper in the entire PL.

Redtruth

This Chelsea v Man Utd scrap is meaningless…..

Marc

Red

With your general view on anything you mention I’m surprised you don’t think life is meaningless.

Redtruth

Toothless Newcastle were a godsend to a rocky Arsenal…

MidwestGun

Red is definitely a Football nihilist. He doesn’t believe in Good football since the 70’s or world class players. Yet he thinks we should spend 300 mill on world class players he doesn’t believe in.. The irony. Although I think he is basically just mad at CG for taking away his troll limelight. So he is trying to step up his game.

Anyhow.. Ill be watching the Scum versus the Scum.. I’m hoping the Scum lose.

Guns of Hackney

If anyone wants Guedenzi, sell ASAP. Not a good player and certainly not a great. He’s gone backwards fast. Still young but a Pogba he ain’t. Feel sorry for city. I really do. I couldn’t give a fuck about financial doping or whatever dumb name it’s given, the bigger and richer clubs will always, and have always, outspent smaller clubs. Whatevs though. I’ve always thought the simplest way to combat racism in football is simple. If a player from a team is abused, his team should immediately walk off, show solidarity and see what happens. Can you imagine that? It… Read more »

WengerEagle

Not completely true, the mere mention of a certain David Ospina and his little beady eyes light up.

Marc

Guns

It would help on the racism issue if the PL / FA actually took a genuine stance rather than act high and mighty when a player is abused when playing for England – the Spud’s fans abuse a player and nothing happens. I didn’t see a peep from the PL after the Oxford dictionary declared they are going to include “Yid” as a supporter of Tottenham.

MidwestGun

Well Ospina falls into Reds… I think Gus Caesar was a great player category.

James wood

Guns
Try Charlie Smithers.
I used to go to the clubs to watch as often as I could
very funny man.

Redtruth

GoH

Says the man who voted for racist Johnson lol lol

Habesha Gooner

God so many people Bashing a 20 year old Guendouzi. Do you know how tough it is to play In CM and Generally perform reasonably in our team at that age? I still think he has a lot to offer. I am not willing to join in with the bashing when everyone now seems to have forgiven Xhaka and Mustafi when they have been poor for over three years. We paid a lot of money for those two too. If he has underperformed in training arteta was right to drop him but I still think he is going to end… Read more »

Redtruth

Marc

You are another twerp who voted for Johnson lol

Words on a Blog

MidWest,

It’s not that RT is a football nihilist, it’s just that he believes that football died when Stalin died, “lol, lol”.

Guns of Hackney

I’ve always though racism was a bit passé to be honest.

Anyway, teams need to make a stand. A walk off on live TV would be epic.

I mean, look how much attention that prick got for taking a knee for the anthem. Although being on ones knee is a sign of oppression (but don’t tell him that) it was powerful and got Nike to give him a few quid.

Walk off and honestly, I think it would clear up fairly quickly.

Northbanker

Redtruth

What a ridiculous comment
Pleased find another blog as your comments get more boring by the week

Redtruth

No team is going to walk off 3 nil up…..lol

Words on a Blog

Guns of H,

“That prick” was blackballed by the NFL and lost his main source of income once the Donald started one of his Twitter campaigns…..it’s not as if taking a knee helped his career.

Guns of Hackney

Red

Then no team really cares whether their black teammate is racially abused.

WOAB

He’s still a knee taking twat.

MidwestGun

Words –
True .. That was when football was football and men were men.. And also they never scored.

Trap

Habesha

Fabregas was captain at 21 and Guendouzi isn’t even better than fab @17

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Anyone got a link to u23 gam3 ..

Freddie Ljungberg

HG “God so many people Bashing a 20 year old Guendouzi. Do you know how tough it is to play In CM and Generally perform reasonably in our team at that age? I still think he has a lot to offer. I am not willing to join in with the bashing when everyone now seems to have forgiven Xhaka and Mustafi when they have been poor for over three years. We paid a lot of money for those two too. If he has underperformed in training arteta was right to drop him but I still think he is going to… Read more »

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Good to see kris kros at the Chelsea game…

Guns of Hackney

Trap gets it.

Yes he’s 20 etc etc but

Giggs
Cesc
Maradona
Pele
Mbappe

All younger than Gued when they made their mark.

If this sideshow bob jerk wants to be a big man, let him disappear into football obscurity after we sell him to PSG for £40m.

Habesha Gooner

Trap, Fabregas was a generational talent. In this day and age he would cost over 100 mil, when the likes of Kai Havertz are being linked for those amounts. Teenage or early 20’s superstar CM players are really rare. Guendouzi isn’t a superstar yet but in two years he is going to be better than all the CM players we have here. We don’t have Veratti here. If we find someone better It would be okay but I really think he is a Gem. Watch that Bournemouth game away at FA cup and tell me there isn’t a player in… Read more »

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Guns

PSG won’t buy him they lodged him out a few years back , maybe a German team

Will only get 20m tho.

Habesha Gooner

Freddie
It will be like Gnabry all over again. Both shown ability, Both inconsistent but when Gnabry fulfils his potential people cry. Guendouzi is going to become a great midfielder. We just need some patience.

Northbanker

The Guendouzi issue is typical of so many – everyone based their opinion on the last event

He was dropped for an altercation – it happens in all walks of life and in most cases people move on

Guen made a mistake and MA ha shown his authority

If it repeats then there is a real issue but otherwise life goes on and we have a promising footballer who made a mistake and shouldn’t be pilloried forever by those who can’t see beyond a week

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Holding off injured at half time in u23

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Maybe not injured him an Mari both off at half time.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Var is total bollocks.

Card there

Marc

How the fuck does VAR not see that as a straight red?

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Guen comes across as a gobby French yoot.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Marc

It’s very selective in what it gets involved in… all depends who the var ref is.

Marc

RSPC

VAR reviewed the decision and said no violent conduct.

Freddie Ljungberg

“Giggs
Cesc
Maradona
Pele
Mbappe”

You forgot Messi.

Clearly all players that are not world class at 20 are duds and should be made to walk the plank. Sound thinking again.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Is it conceivable that saka may up an leave?

I know he is a London lad , Hale end boy but if agent wants cash… he could be off.

CG

RSPCA

“”””Will only get 20m tho.”””

No chance.

For a player who doesn’t score goals, make goals or stop goals, is undisciplined, un- athletic and now has questionable attitude…….I cant see many takers.

Who can ever forget his lackadaisical tracking back against Rennes in the Loosers Cup.( Rambo gave him a start- and overtook him)

Why PSG keep get mentioning with him- I have no idea.

He will be out on loan next season to a Lille or a Lyon or even Rennes.

Danny S

Guen is raw. He has the right mentality to be a great player, but lacks a bit of brains.

I think given the chance he looks like a player that will mature into the role.

Guns of Hackney

Messi is a one trick pony. Big player is a small pond.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Cg

PSG rejected him once.

He is in last chance saloon.

His agent should have a word,
Knuckle down or your out.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Chelsea look shocking
Allegeri in next season.

Redtruth

Messi has no goals in knockout stages in 4 World Cups lol

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Why is the united crest badge so big on the shirt .?

Danny

Chelsea without Hazard, not quite the same……
I guess a draw here is the best result for us, after that a Man U win, so I guess we’re half way there.

Marc

RSPC

I think we’ll see another season of managerial musical chairs this summer / next season. You have Fat Frank and OGS who won’t be managing come the summer of 2021, I can’t see Pep staying on and of course the Mourinho melt down will happen at some point.

Freddie Ljungberg

Rspca

He left Psg when he was 15 ffs. Last chance saloon as a 20 year old, have a word

Redtruth

Marc

Let’s not forget the dud we hired moving on in the summer…

CG

RSPCA

“”””Cg PSG rejected him once.””””

So why on earth would they want to resign him, for all this money being bandied about?

I admit, he duped me.
I thought he could play.
(Must have been the hair)

He offers nothing in terms of goals or assists.

And my good golly- ain’t he slow…..?

G8

Pedro, re Guen you can twist it and say that MA is showing a sign of poor man-management!
But I know you won’t ..lol
Guen is a very talented young prospect and I think the club should find a balanced and effective way to manage him!
As you said before managing and dealing with todays footballers is not the same as it used to be.10 yrs ago.

CG

Genduzi has never scored a senior goal in his club career.

He should be the last person on earth giving Arteta a hard time with his attitude.

He should not wear the red and white shirt again .

Trust me – he wont be missed.

Redtruth

Guendouzi is not a yes man blowing smoke up Arteta’s ass like his creepy teammates…

G8

Pedro, i hope so, i like guen and i think he will be great for the club

Major_Jeneral

These are part of the issues with young players. A little performance here and there and they think they are the best of the whole universe. Unnecessary Youthful exuberance.
When Guardiola started at Mancity he ensured there was discipline, even Aguero and Yaya Toure had to conform with the new leadership.
Arteta must have learned one or two from that situation and hence the implementation now.

Guendouzi should sit up.

Danny

1 – 1
Good for us

Edu me a favour

Jesus Christ – does redtruth need to have a wank or what ?!

Have all of your socks been used or ?

Danny

Var screwed Chelsea there!

Dissenter

The English premier league has messed up the concept of VAR.
Fred pushed Azpilicueta there into the United player. Ebveryoe saw that but the cunty VAR official

Words on a Blog

Redtruth,

“…..creepy teammates”.

That one did make me chuckle.

I have to say that despite myself I do admire your commitment and dedication to trolling Pedro.