Late-breaking post today because I feel… err… a bit warm… and I… have a… k… kind of…cough.
SHUT UP IT’S NOT THAT YOU DRAMA QUEEN.
Quick post regardless.
LT has broken his ankle. We’re really in a bit of a rut when it comes to injuries. Some unlucky, some fatigue looking, some that are just the aftermath of people feeling sad that we really gave Emery 18 months. Yes, it’s a fact that sort of shit can play HAVOC with the muscles. The manager had this to say.
We don’t know! I could not tell you with points. For sure since I joined, the amount of things that happened is enormous, but we just have to try to adapt. It’s part of football. It doesn’t only happen to us, unfortunately it also happens to many other teams. So we cannot be crying about that. It is what it is. Sometimes it’s bad luck, sometimes it’s part of the game we play and sometimes things that we can avoid and do better as well – the coaches or fitness coaches – but it is what it is.
The only silver lining with LT is that he seemed to be fairly out of favour. I think he’ll be shifted back to Italy in the summer if we can find a buyer. We need someone that’s more athletic and about 6 inches taller. Super basic, but I do think this team needs more power in midfield. I think a profile like Denis Zakaria (6’2) would fit really well for us, though I’m sure he’ll have sexier suitors than us this summer… maybe we go younger and a little more inexperienced.
Arteta wouldn’t be drawn on whether he thinks the top 4 is a possibility this season, probably a smart move, the team is very up and down and we’re a bit all over the place.
Beat West Ham on Saturday and we are closer. That’s all I am thinking because a few weeks ago it looked impossible and if we beat West Ham it will look more likely. So that’s the only aim. If game-by-game we go and start grabbing three points and three points and three points, and then we’ll have a chance in the last three or four games of the season.
He won’t say it, but I will. We should be making a very good go of the next 6 games. We need to, at the very least, be in with a shot of top 5 by the time we roll into our stick run of Wolves, Spurs and Leicester. By that time, it’s with the gods, but if our next 6 see 5 wins and a draw, I’ll be very pleased.
One thing is for sure, the remaining fixtures are going to be about the kids and blooding them.
I have to manage the resources that I have at the moment, and they are a big resource at the moment. It’s not just because they are young and they can be good because they are already very good. Some of them can be phenomenal. But they can only be phenomenal or very good if they play in a consistent way and we get them surrounded with good coaching, with good club culture and also with good players around them. We have to support them. I’m ready to support them and they responded.
If we don’t make the Champions League this season, it’s going to be all about the youth next season and we’re going to have to rebuild like Dortmund are. I’d be happy with that, expectations would lower, fans would get behind the team, and we’d probably like the team a lot more than we have during the expensive years.
… but, it would be nice to make the big trophy.
Right, that’s me done. BIG GAME, really need us to be delivering an aggressive win.
Whole team is just so slow, very predictable and easy to play against if we’re being honest
Bit concerning Mari in open play.
Corner set piece defending is still.. pretty bad. Got lucky.
Grand chance for West Ham after their corner. Almost another goal after a opposition set piece.
3 players unmarked in around the goalkeeper there. Typically Arsenal
WHU taking agaes on set pieces. surprise.
Good job West Ham are crap! That should have been a goal.
Marko
“Sounds like a typical Xhaka performance. Slow ponderous passing and lax movement but he hit that one worldie pass so all is forgotten. I see you”
That’s about it.
A very nice pass from him sprayed oyt to the flank but he has fucked up two siimple passes that have led to moments for West Ham.
Ceballos also guilty of giving the ball away as well with what should be a simple pass
What a miss from West Ham
Just bit more pace and up the tempo.
Maybe Arteta is trying to coach put the gun ho approach before were ready to play quicker passing 1-2s etc.
Work in progress I suppose.
We don’t stand a chance if this team shows up against City
West Ham player won that head far too easy in the Arsenal penalty area
Such a bad pass from Auba!
Keeper should be taking that. If they score I’ll be pissed off.
Not sure what that was from Luiz? Seems like Leno should have taken charge? Anyhow.. based on recent trends usually when we have an average to poor half we have a great second half so .. hoping for that.
Why are we consistently poor in the first half of games?
It’s going to take another Arteta half-time masterclass to pull this one round.
Really ugly simulation from Eddie from what I saw.
each players taking 3-4 touches. should be taking 1 or 2. That is slowing it all down. we are guilty of being too slow.
Silly dive
The defender didn’t move. Eddie bumped into him and fell down.
God, home crowd is so dead. You can hear the players shouting at each other so clearly. Almost like there aren’t more than 55k people in the stadium.
Pretty much 0-0s all round first half in the league.
Sheff utd are going to take some catching.
Xhaka has one Scholes pass every game but Every one can see he is pedestrian, No urgency, doesn’t contribute a lot offensively or defensively. He can’t tackle, he puts you under pressure because of his sloppy passes. No way are we moving to be a champions league team if he is playing for us next season. Arteta’s ruthlessness will be on show next season and if he still playing him I am afraid he is going to fail just like our past two managers.
Nketiah lucky he wasn’t booked. About his only contribution to a half of football.
We have Haller to thank for going in level.
Ball kept going from side to side, only comes alive when it goes to Saka.
Why are we consistently poor in the first half of games?
It’s usually the away team that would gather more confidence from not conceding. I can see West Ham giving it a real go second half now. Auba wasted out wide yet again.
It’s such pedestrian football. There seems to only way method of attack, get the ball to saka and hope he swings a good ball in.
It’s ridiculous how much arsenal are dependent on a 18 year old to make something positive happen.
This is so shit. Where’s that saucy football, pedro?
What’s worse is the first few games you could actually see a plan. The results weren’t perfect but the games were more interesting to watch. There was pressing and one touch football. Now its reverted back to the slow, no-risk, sideways and backwards passing shit we were getting under Emery.
Arteta really needs to get a fucking grip.
tbh Arteta has been unable to change the key aspects of the mindset at all.
What matters is the hunger and passion to win and go at the opponents, and score. Not apparent unfortunately.
Corners really suck. Stuff those short ones. They are embarrassing.
Eddie up against two large CBs need Auba central.
Just put your best striker in his best position. Let’s just hope we’re not pinning our hopes of the future on young Eddie Nketiah, good player but not sure he’s the type that’ll make you genuine contenders for anything serious
Well it’s another slog at home to an average EPL side. Not much difference than under Emery really.
Mari has looked a bit uncomfortable in open play with players running at him a few times. Hopefully he will just need time to adjust we will see.
Nketiah is not showing enough.
The midfield is average.
Generally under Arteta we have looked at least solid if not spectacular. This first half we were shaky in defense and ponderous in attack.
One more thing. Headers up the pitch are pointless. hardly ever directed. In the training clips never seen header practice
RockyRoe
“There seems to only way method of attack, get the ball to saka and hope he swings a good ball in.”
Or Pepe on the other flank.
Really need to improve that midfield in the summer so Arsenal can have more offensive threat from different areas
Really poor football from us in the first half. We’re better when we play in a rush. Too much dithering and not enough directness from us,
We have to raise our game in the 2nd half, otherwise we’ll lose.
Where is the sauce?
Don’t win this one and we are BBQ’d!!
C’mon.
Amn
Not even on bench…
Wow , him gone in summer
Let’s hope for a change in attitude second half. We have looked like we were expecting to walk the game. Nothing about West Ham’s last two games suggested an easy win
Was it a pen on Eddie at the end of half ?
West ham’s height and physical strength is a big issue for Arsenal. The ball into the box is causing no problem whatsoever whereas their dead balls are causing us problems. Eddie is struggling upfront and needs to drop off a bit more . Mari is a very good passer of the ball but we are definitely lacking physical strength and as we are not as technically superior as we were under Wenger then we have no obvious advantage. Arteta probably needs to switch it about a bit , the players look too regimented in their positions. This is where a… Read more »
Useroz
I think we are lacking some spice to liven things up.
Come on The Arsenal, pick yourselves up!!! We got make those chances count!
Rspc-
Nah… don’t think it was a penalty.. That said Atkinson needs to see blood or a broken bone before he calls a foul, in general.
I mean i have no time for AMN but surely he’d be decent enough at least going forward and adding a bit of pace, would make more sense
West Ham players making surging runs.
None of our players doing that and we’re at home !
Auba really can’t pass
Why can’t we play like this from the start ？
We lack aggression
Hopefully too next season we see less of Ozil, just don’t see the point anymore
55 min tops
Make subs if we aren’t leading then.
Just not working with Xhara, Ceballos and Ozil.
Auba has been sloppy in giving the ball away today as well
Ozil is a total passenger. He’s gone physically.
WTF is Pepe doing???
Saka is so good.
Saka really is something.
If PEPE really worth’s 72m
Saka would be at 50m
PEPE ffs pass to Sok
Our lack of playing through the centre is hurting us. Agreed Pierre.
How many shots we had? None.
Saka is the only player creating anything.
That right there is the hallmark of an elite winger from saka.
Saka is going to create a goal for us…yet.. Lets go! Pick it up.
So its 52minutes. Once again no shape no structure no direction. Just play until things get to panic mode. Push harder because time is running out. Hope for Auba to save us… Again.
It’s Fabianski in goal and we aren’t shooting.
‘Saka really is something. If PEPE really worth’s 72mSaka would be at 50m’
Saka >>>> Pepe
Super save!!!
Ozil may have ONE brilliant pass from time to time. But we don’t have time on our side. Need someone making key passes regularly esp one getting 300k pw
WTF!!
Leno saves the day.
Martinelli for Eddie
Not impressed with Mari so far, looks slow
That was a good save by Leno.. he does have quick reactions.
Auba has a bad bad game.
I’m disappointed in the first 57 minutes, there’s nothing saucy about our approach tbh.
Westham deserve to be ahead on the balance of play.
To think we are trying to make run at top-5!
Pepe’s decision making is absolutely awful
Eddie N is a tad bit slow… not sharp.. needs to read those balls coming in…a lot better
We are too loose not controlling the game.
I hate this playing from the back. Leno is not good enough for it.
Why Laca and not Martinelli?
Don’t understand Arteta’s subs
Laca on for what ffs.
Someone tells Arteta he couldn’t really shoot and score anymore.
Where’s Martinelli and Nelson??
why laca???? where is gabby
We are awful
Batistuta
It’s Mari’s first game though, I expect it will take time to match the pace of the league.
I’ve been saying for months possibly years, our weakness and lack of creativity down the centre is holding us back massively. Over reliance on an aging Ozil. Ceballos is up and down. Xhaka is sloppy. guendouzi is like a headless chicken,
Laca on so it’s a boring draw now
Is Luiz hurt by the brute?
Eddie didn’t do shit the whole game.
Sorry but this team may have improved slightly defensively but we are not scary in attack. Who fears us?
A game like this highlights are woeful mids
Auba ia also so shit this game.
Like to like from arteta. can’t see how that’s going to change anything tactically. Poor management.
Another Xhara Hollywood pass.
There’s a lack of energy, quick thinking and inventiveness
Ceballos’ football vision is as excellent as a mole. He missed so many many runs on the periphery of the field.
We are so lame
Laca on? WTF has Martinelli done to Arteta? Taken over 50 minutes to get a shot on goal and we are at home and it is West Ham!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Need more ….
WTF did he put on Laca????
Need better movement with the ball…. Nelson Gaby
The entire world knows Laca and Auba are not good on the pitch
WTF Arteta
As was said umpteen times – and no one wanted to hear – player poverty, not the evil Emery, was behind our shit football.
Lost of words really watching this unfolding
Especially when we have two guns sitting on their bums
Constant panic in the box, very poor Arteta
Has draw written all over it
Arteta so desperate not to play Auba up front. Wouldn’t even try Martinelli, Auba, Pepe not in a single game. Almost 4 months in his reign. Mind-blowing.
I heard arteta talking about looking after the ball. I think its a mistake to drum too much into footballers that the only thing they need to do it keep the ball safe. You need to take risks in the right areas of the pitch. The players look scared to give the ball away. it makes them look nervy and ponderous.
Paulinho
On le grove, player poverty is a myth.
Paulinho
I’m not convinced player poverty is the reason we are struggling at home against West ham
open center again… wtf
Mari wins another header.
He is going to be handy for the team in the air just question marks about him in open okay defensively
Paulinho.. you trying to say we have worse players then West Ham? Not buying that.. Emery was a big part of us sucking. Of course as said a million times we aren’t going far with Ozil and Xhaka in the midfield. But I don’t believe overall player poverty is the issue.