A different kind of disappointment?

by .

Arsenal failing to take their chances and losing a lead late in the game? That feels a little more Arsenal. That feels like a weird kind of progress.

Last night’s game against Brendan Rodgers excellent Leicester team marked a step forward in attacking football under Arteta. We dominated the first half, utterly. We were given far more space than we were against Wolves and we fully exploited it bar the finish. This wasn’t purposeless possession.

Auba opened the scoring after Saka killed a career with a one-two shuffle and a pinpoint cross.

Leicester had a goal disallowed after Kola was down in an attacking scrum with Iheanacho. A good call in my opinion.

Our second half wasn’t that pretty, Leicester came to play and we didn’t react particularly well.

The msot contentious issue was our sending off. Eddie was subbed on and made a very clumsy challenge and to my mind, was rightly sent home for an early shower. What didn’t quite compute was Jamie Vardy kicked Mustafi in the head in what looked like a professional ‘accident’, and he didn’t even land a card. One was sly, one was dim.

Our confidence and game collapsed around that decision, then Jamie V broke our line and sneaked a goal at the back post. It looked offside on the VAR, it took the customary 8 minutes to decide, and it stood.

We was robbed.

We fluffed our lines in the first half, witnessed a worldy from Kaspar, and conceded late on.

Very Arsenal.

The point was a disappointment. I’ll take it regardless. After the Wolves game, the ghouls were writing us off against a ‘proper’ team, and really, we should have taken the game. That first half, under normal circumstances, would have seen us 3 goals up.

I’d bitch about the reffing, but you have to cost it in. Leicester made 14 fouls and didn’t get a booking, we had a booking and sending off on 10.

The night wasn’t to be.

Champions League football is no longer a prize.

Though a scalp in the NLD certainly is.

You can say whatever you want about the red card (Arteta’s 4th), you can pretend Matteo was making a difference, you can bitch that taking Auba off was a bad move… the reality is we are now competing with good teams.

The football was almost sexy in the first half. The defending for the most part was solid. We do not look like uncoachables these days.

There is still a lot of work to do, but coming away from a game against a top 3 game feeling robbed is part of the journey.

I don’t want to feel like that on Sunday. Mikel’s first NLD in the dugout will hopefully be special. Let’s see what we have there.

I will take a better kind of disappointment.

Before you go, listen to our match reaction podcast.

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Freddie Ljungberg

Pedro

“A football club has about 100 people at a training ground at any given time.There is no way to keep the details of a player secret from the media.“

That is quite the 180 from when Emery was blamed for all the leaks happening under his regime. Of course that was ridiculous, just as it would be to blame Arteta for them now.

Sid

Sid
Is it? Seems to work quite well for city, Barcelona and any Italian side you care to mention.

Barca being barca are protected by the refs, man city have the talent to pull it off,
Meanwhile at arsenal its red cards, send offs, bloody faces and maupeyed
Its not working to our advantage

The Backpass

“Backpass, last time I checked, catching an STI is not an attitude issue.Interesting that your main concern is that Matteo can train with everyone. Very kind of you to care about his wellbeing.”

Am saying club can and do cover up things if they don’t want it public. And I dont know why you are being sarcastic, anyway its your blog.

Olumide

The Backpass To think Guendozi os the only football in top flight football in the Top 6 leagues with this so called “bad attitude” is very funny. The only thing is that most of them keep whatever is going on internally and when opportunity arises, sell them without drama. —– When a player has really bad attitude, you can’t keep it away from the media. Whether the club wants it to get out or not. Guendouzi is a player with a reputation of bad attitude before he came to Arsenal. This is not something new. Allowing Guendouzi to do whatever… Read more »

Jamie

Leaks under Emery = no bueno, mucho weak.

Leaks under Arteta = impossible to control the narrative when 100 folk work for AFC.

Emery was a dud, but damn did he get a rough ride here for being such a footnote.

Olumide

Frost
Literally the only thing the boy has in abundance is his energy. He’s not a great tackler, passer of the ball, doesn’t really have great vision & yet he’s rated by some over Guen?
——
I’m not saying Willock is better than Guendozi, but for the record, what does Guendouzi do well?

The Backpass

“A football club has about 100 people at a training ground at any given time.”

No shit, maybe that is why you let him train with the squad, so the 100 people at the training ground would see he is training and when not being used, will be thought as the managers discretion.

Case in point Ozil.

TR7

How would other players be looking at the Guendouzi saga ? Would they not be wary and distrusting of Arteta given how Guen’s image is being tarnished in the media bit by bit and day by day ? I like both Arteta and Guendouzi, so I have no prejudice against any of the two warring factions but to my mind Arteta has mishandled the matter of Guen. For a 20 plus old player it is easy to apologize to someone who is a veteran and much elder say Fergie, Wenger, Ancellotti etc. but making him apologize to someone like Arteta… Read more »

China1

I don’t mind Guen being dropped, told off or even sold, but this whole way it’s being shared with the press feels like amateur hour

He’s not mbappe. We don’t need to be trying so hard to make a point to the outside world when dealing with him internally and just dropping/selling him would suffice. Why make it so dramatic? There was less drama when xhaka told the fans to fuck off LOL

Literally stop and think about that

Jamie

The easy way out of this is to agree that leaks about players misbehaving look bad in general.

To his credit, Wenger was pretty good at keeping a lid on things and dealing with issues in-house.

Champagne Charlie

Pedro It’s maddening to read. The 180 being done from numerous is honestly perplexing. Years we’ve said Arsenal is a crèche and the players are mailing it in, everything nice, no high standards Now a guy comes in, raises the bar, and holds players accountable to the Nth degree and we’re seeing the victims of that enforcement lamented for. Bizarre. Also very worrying that some believe a players talent should somehow supersede the fundamental rules that are expected to be a footballer at Arsenal. How does that one work exactly? You have to do behave according to X…..unless you’re really… Read more »

Olumide

The Backpass
Guendouzi training with his team mates will disrupt team spirit.

The Backpass

“Backpass, you know that Arthur had an STI. How has that been well covered up?”

Maybe because the news broke from Brazil but Barcelona took it has a nothing rumor, and fed the info to all their journalist that it was a rumor and said it was just a Groin injury thereby killing the narattive he had STI.

The Backpass

“The easy way out of this is to agree that leaks about players misbehaving look bad in general”

Exactly.

Guns of SF

Just sell his ass and be done

Sheesh

Emiratesstroller

Pedro If a player is “toxic” or no longer “pulling his weight” in team then it is time for the club to cut its losses and let the player(s) go. That is I suspect the point reached with both Guendouzi and Ozil. Both players for different reasons are failing to meet expectations of the club. Guendouzi is a young guy who continues to misbehave and shows a lack of respect both to management and his teammates. Having someone like that in a club is going to be problematic. My guess also is that one reason that the club are now… Read more »

The Backpass

Olumide

“When a player has really bad attitude, you can’t keep it away from the media. Whether the club wants it to get out or not.
Guendouzi is a player with a reputation of bad attitude before he came to Arsenal. This is not something new.
Allowing Guendouzi to do whatever he wants will set a bad precedent”

Is Arsenal the only team with a player with bad attitude?

Olumide

TR7 For a 20 plus old player it is easy to apologize to someone who is a veteran and much elder say Fergie, Wenger, Ancellotti etc. but making him apologize to someone like Arteta who is himself a newbie is not easy and especially for misbehaving with an opponent. —- If Guendouzi isn’t stupid, he’d know that he should apologize to his boss considering he did something wrong. Please mention 3 superstar footballers today who behaved like Guendouzi at 20. People say other teams are looking to buy Guendouzi. Do you think their managers won’t look at his arrogant behaviour… Read more »

Olumide

The Backpass
Is Arsenal the only team with a player with bad attitude?
—-
Is Guendouzi the only footballer you know with a bad attitude?

GunnerDNA

Pedro,

“Frost, I think he has bigger characters in the squad to worry about than a 20-year old that has done nothing in the game”

With the exception of KT and to some degree GM who are the other bigger characters you’re referring to. Drop some name other than making stuff up

The Backpass

“I don’t mind Guen being dropped, told off or even sold, but this whole way it’s being shared with the press feels like amateur hour”

Pretty much, heck all my post regarding Guendozi has always been he should be a backup or sold with torreira to get a competent midfield.

Same thing happened with Koscienly, The management wants the fans to turn on said players making it easier to leave.

Just sell him and be done with it.

Champagne Charlie

“For a 20 plus old player it is easy to apologize to someone who is a veteran and much elder say Fergie, Wenger, Ancellotti etc. but making him apologize to someone like Arteta who is himself a newbie is not easy“ This is a horrible take. If you can’t recognise the authority is in the role and not in the age or time spent of a man doing it then that’s YOUR issue. Doubly so when you sit down with that Manager AND executive of the club and fail to appreciate the tone. He never played with Arteta, there’s no… Read more »

TR7

Pedro

MG a ‘poison’ now ? Not more than a few weeks ago, you were singing praises of Guen. When Wenger was here, you used to say we were too nice and how we needed a few nasty players in the mold of Douglas Costa.

Ishola70

azed

“Oh and he’s done very well in hist first full season in the first team.”

This isn’t true at all.

Moderate to questionable really.

Too many games he has been invisible and a few too many games he has been hauled off.

Guns of SF

Sell him Pedro!

Champagne Charlie

“Can you imagine this board if no one knew why MG wasn’t in the squad?“ That’s exactly what I’ve said on the matter, handling it internally is wonderfully naive. The fact he’s not in the match day squad for a month would lead to speculative chaos if not addressed to some end. The club have been very clear officially, if you want on the boat they’re very, very welcoming. But we have non-negotiables everyone is expected to uphold. If someone has a problem with that framework I’m very sorry but you’re lost, that’s how it should be. It’s what we’ve… Read more »

China1

I think the reason why all this leaks look so dumb is that very few people even care that much about Guen.

How many here will be shedding a tear if he stays or goes? Some think he’s better than others. Not sure anyone thinks he’s a beast.

By having this whole public drama thing it makes the club look like they’re struggling with dealing with a player who is in fact basically a footballing irrelevance.

He’s not a super star. No one cares if we drop or sell him. Just punish him and move on already, it’s embarrassing

The Backpass

Because it was after a qualifier in brazil late November last year and the Brazilian press claimed he had it in Brazil, which was refuted by barca and after a week the rumour stopped.

Im not turning this into a Arthur and STI argument.

Guns of SF

Get da money and run…

China1

‘I’m not turning this into an Arthur and STI argument’ is a sentence I never expected to read on this blog.

Thanks for making me laugh

Guns of SF

For all we know guen might have asked for a transfer

Said he doesn’t want to be here

So there

TR7

‘If you can’t recognise the authority is in the role and not in the age or time spent of a man doing it then that’s YOUR issue. Doubly so when you sit down with that Manager AND executive of the club and fail to appreciate the tone.’

Charlie, not remotely true. If it were true then no football manager would lose the dressing room. No president of a political party would ever face dissidence/revolt from his party members. Respect does not merely come from the position one holds, respect is earned over a period of time by success/leadership/courage etc.

The Backpass

“Backpass, no. Spurs have a player with an attitude problem, their most expensive signing ever. Please go tell me how Poch and Jose dealt with it.”

He is training with the squad same with Ozil training with the squad, not training alone because he has attitude problems.

Jamie

It’s also strange why so many are up in arms about Guendouzi’s treatment.

He’s essentially been mince for 18 months at has attitude problems. Sell him after 2 years for a profit and move on.

Jamie

and* has

Champagne Charlie

TR7

Absolutely not, respect is lost over time. But there’s very much an issue with someone who can’t respect a person in a role from the off in whatever sector you offer.

Football managers losing a dressing room is a different kettle of fish to one player failing to respect authority too. That occurs over time, and with numerous influences as to why. Is that the case here? Clearly not.

Guendouzi is 20 years old and you think the issue is it’s “difficult” to apologise to his football manager because it’s his first managerial role?

That’s a wild assessment.

Batistuta

Frost, Back pass I’m not even keen on the young lad, wouldn’t bat an eye if he was sold today and i think that’s the point most folks are making but surely the club which includes the manager should have handled this better, the leaks and even Pedro calling him “Poison” is quite over the top. He’s young and we’ve known he has a history with his character but surely there’s a better way to deal with this than the constant “leaks”. Diego Costa and Conte barely got along but no one knew till the tail end and the whole… Read more »

The Godfather

W.O.B:

“ The Godfather,Gnabry wasn’t just linked with Stoke, he went to Stoke, under Lord Pulis no less.Now look at him.Willock is developing nicely, even if he isn’t quite (yet?) football’s second coming.”

Hey now, if you’re gonna come out steaming at least try and get your arrows in order homie.

Gnabry didn’t play at Stoke … Just an FYI!

GunnerDNA

“Respect does not merely come from the position one holds, respect is earned over a period of time by success/leadership/courage etc.”

Facts!

The Godfather

Pedro: “ Godfather, if Joe Willock was behaving the same way, he’d get the same treatment.What you can get away with at Arsenal isn’t based on who you are linked with.” Again Pedro you’re missing the point and shooting first and aiming later. The point was about someone comparing the talents of the two and that’s why I said that there levels are incomparable …. Willock at this moment nowhere near Guendo in technical development and that’s why no top team would take a second glance …. if Willock was French he wouldn’t get an invite anywhere near the national… Read more »

azed

Pedro

Can you please write a new post about anytime so we can move on from this Guendozi stuff?

Sid

advantageSid
Ah. When in doubt, shift those goal posts or back track.
So kumbaya boys is ok for the elite sides?
I’d also like to point out that the highest places team in the fair play league are the best team in Liverpool
Spin your way out of that one, FOR FREE

Nowhere did i say its okay, told you reasons it works for others,
We are trying to copy paste Pep last manager who went down that road didnt succeed

Im telling you for free!

Dissenter

I’m just musing loudly but if Guendouzi had been the one that committed a reed card offence within a minute of coming on, would Arteta have been so unforgiving?

I read that the club is filing an appeal to rescind the red card.

Dissenter

*would Arteta have been so unforgiving?

The Backpass

“I’m just musing loudly but if Guendouzi had been the one that committed a reed card offence within a minute of coming on, would Arteta have been so unforgiving”

🤷

@Godfather
Agree on Willock. I’ll be surprised if he’s still an Arsenal player in 2 years time as I really can’t see what his attributes are. But as for MG, in all honesty bar a couple of games don’t rate him either, to slow for this league ,Sorry. Take what we can for him.

Thorough

Pedro. Backpass, if a player is disruptive to your training session, maybe you do what’s best for the greater good of the squad? That’s leadership. No he is not. First of this latest incident stemmed from his handling of the Maupay Saga. His previous misdemeanor was an argument with Sokratis in which Arteta took sides with Sokratis. In addition, Bernard Casoni said on the Laurens piece that he’s never had such problems. Don’t take my words for it: “on’t want to sell’ Matteo Guendouzi despite ‘big issue’ with Mikel Arteta (Image: GETTY) He told journalist Freddie Paxton: “Guendouzi’s problem is… Read more »

Guns of SF

Guendou$$$i

We need that $

Sell his arse

Champagne Charlie

New Post

The Godfather

“ Matteo was a problem under Emery, Freddie and his coaches in France. Reckon there’s a pattern there.”

So you are now using the opinion of a failed coach in France, who actually touted his abilities, and also saying he was a problem under Unai Emery and Ljunberg? Really?

Sorry Pedro you are desperately “reaching” here!

Stop the character assassination … it ain’t cool to do this to a kid who wears his heart on a sleeve for the club

Versus

PedroJuly 9, 2020 15:14:53 Divine, Barca has been a career ender for Song, Hleb, Overmars, and Petit (McGuane) / And Vermaelen. Arsenal fans are notorious for overrating their players. ‘He’s wearing our shirt so he must be good’. Matteo is below average. He has no outstanding quality or talent. It’s like some of us have forgotten how good Cesc was, or Anelka, or Wilshere. These players had an outstanding quality that was easily visible. They just needed coaching, guidence, advise and experience. Matteo like most of our players is as good as he’ll ever be. You either have it or… Read more »

The Godfather

👍👍👍👍👍

“ I’m just musing loudly but if Guendouzi had been the one that committed a reed card offence within a minute of coming on, would Arteta have been so unforgiving?”

Say it again Sir!!

This place would have erupted if Guendo had been so stupid

Words on a Blog

Godfather,

My bad!
Gnabry played at West Brom (a much sexier club than Stoke, briefly managed by Pulis)

Champagne Charlie

Pedro

What’s this I’m reading about KSE acquiring the clubs debt to free spending? COVID moves? Or a whiff of ambition?

Radio Raheem

We need to talk about Ings.

We can’t buy top dollar strikers, not that there are (m)any of those around.

Surely surely Ings is an improvement on Laca and Eddie?

Valentin

When Troy Deeney went on TV and talked about Arsenal lacking cojones. I don’t remember him being fined and forced to apologise to his teammates. If Leno gives an interview in which he basically accuses Neal Maupay of being an mediocre player who injured him and caused him to miss Euro 21. Would Arsenal forces him to apologise to his teammates for his poor behaviour? And now if Leno refuses to apologise, what does Arsenal do? Should they escalate the incident up, force him to train with the kids and ending up selling him for less than he is worth?… Read more »

Valentin

CC,

Debt consolidation does not necessarily means debt cancellation. So If KSE acquires Arsenal debt and cancel it or rearrange it with a lower the interest rate, then fine otherwise the move is irrelevant.

shaun

don’t think anyone knows what actually happened between Arteta and Guen except those two , so making silly assumptions about what has happened and why Guen is being punished are futile

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