You can’t coach character. Huge wake-up call for Arteta and the technical team

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My hope is that a desperately poor performance like yesterday’s works out better for Arsenal in the long-term. Two shocking games without mitigating circumstances might save us a season of misery.

How so?

The worrying narrative that Arteta had been spinning prior to the last two games was that the players were focused, fighting, and turning a corner. ‘They might not be the best, but they always give 100%’ has been the gist. For a moment, I was convinced. When we’ve suffered bad results of late, there’s usually been a valid excuse. Red cards, injuries, bad luck… just a shit day at the office.

Brighton felt like the exception. We made inroads away from home, we beat teams above us in the league, we took two major scalps inside 4 days, we made a cup final. Then this week happened. We had to put on a show against two teams in the relegation zone and it was miserable.

The squad showed their true colours. Like Emery post-22 games, when the focus drops, it really drops. There’s no real reason for it, it’s not a talent issue, it’s a character problem. You cannot coach that out of this squad, Mikel should know, he played with some of the offending characters.

We had an Arsene Wenger performance at Aston Villa. The players took their foot off the gas. We held onto possession and did nothing with it. Managed to lose to an average press. We were the only team this season not to register a shot on target against them. We are MILES better than Villa, but we fucked it.

Then we had an Unai Emery performance against Watford. We lost our shape, we were outbattled, we let a shit team absolutely batter us. We lucked out with a win. Where was the adherence to the game plan? Where was the desire? How can you let Danny Welbeck look world-class?

This isn’t all on Arteta, but he has to take a share of this week. He doesn’t seem to realize that these players will always let him down. They don’t care. They don’t have the ability to retain focus. If the game isn’t interesting, they won’t turn up. He knows Kola is mentally weak, yet he keeps appearing. He’s seen the stats with Luiz, yet he’s telling us he’s elite and the only way to get him out of the mistakes is to… play him some more? We also gave him a new deal, that’s not good. Rob Holding, I want him to be great, but it’s clear that isn’t happening. Lacazette for a new deal, really? There is a group of players that have the ability but lack the focus to be dangerous for any sort of stretch and that won’t change.

We’ll see the mentality shift for the cup final. I bet we show up. The players will look totally different. They will execute the game plan. They will battle like demons. We will be very competitive. Why? Because it’s an important game they care about.

The Watford game was a disgrace. I don’t care that we won. The points were irrelevant. We needed a performance and we didn’t get one. Our xG was pitiful.

Look over at City. Comfortably 2nd. Fuck all to play for and they smash Watford with a stylish display, then they hammer Norwich today. No mercy. They haven’t had a good season, but they still showed the gulf in mentality between us and them.

Arteta needs to learn fast that this sort of performance always waits in the wings. David Luiz conceding 5 penalties, a record, is exactly what he’s about. 1 worldie, 3 average games, 2 howlers. You can’t rely on him. He should be taking on a Lichtsteiner role next year. It doesn’t look that way and that’s a worry. If he’s central to our plans, we’re in trouble, because everyone in football knows how that story ends.

As for the rest of the squad, it’s clear who needs to go. If we make minor tweaks this summer, you can bet your bottom dollar we won’t move forward at the pace required. You cannot coach character. You do not progress with players that can tactically boss City, then throw in the towel against Villa and Watford.

Yesterday was a wake-up call.

Yes, Arteta has moved us forward. Yes, he is the right man to take us into the future. But he needs to get woke to these players and their weaknesses. The most novice and arrogant thing he could do this summer is buy into the idea that he has changed the fundamental character flaws that are deeply ingrained in these players. You do not create a high-performance culture with these players. The kids do not develop training with bums. It is as simple as that.

I love the theory that Steve Round and Mikel speak to, it sounds smart, it reads very progressive, but it has to go beyond words. Their actions have to show they have the courage to deliver the bad news and make horrible choices. The non-negotiables have to go beyond training ground etiquette. This summer, his non-negotiables have to focus on talent. If you don’t have the focus, get out the club. If you are good with the kids but can’t cut it on the pitch, you are no good to anyone. If you lack talent, then see you later. The way some of the contract talks have been shaped over the past few weeks, I am deeply worried about that he’s not going to deliver the aggressive stance we need. A half-baked job this summer would be a disaster.

Our main problem though is one of character, not just talent. I desperately hope that Arsenal losing out on 5th because of Villa, Spurs and Brighton has drive home that point to Mikel. No more chances for players that don’t have it. No more bringing in characters that are finished. Don’t roll the dice on players from other clubs that are 26 years old with clear mentality issues. It is not worth it. We have seen it too many times at Arsenal. The story needs to change.

This upcoming transfer window needs to be profound. We have no money, but we do have players that can be traded for better ones. But there has to be intent from Arteta to move on names he seems to think are cutting it. If we blow it, based on the naïveté of the clubs coaching and technical staff, next season will be rough and the fans will not be so forgiving.

8th place for Arsenal is relevant because Klopp finished there in his first season. He learnt his lessons and he attacked the fundamentals aggressively. Arteta must do the same if we truly want to follow the same path.

We’ll spend today complaining, then it’s cup final vibes all the way. A huge chance for Arteta to start his career with a trophy, also a chance for the players to redeem themselves after a shocking end to the season.

Onwards!

 

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Marko

Dissenter wanting Saka to get paid whatever he wants and had argued about giving Guendouzi a new deal is the most dissenter thing you’ll hear today.

Champagne Charlie

Which is the “better” front 3:

Auba – Laca – Pepe
or
Willian – Auba – Pepe

Marc

Dissenter

No they were the numbers being talked about which when you consider what some of the other players are already on is not out of line. There were people pushing the line of £150k plus – something I dismissed as crazy. Your line of “whatever it takes and then a bit more” was stupid.

Champagne Charlie

Saka is the best ever player to come from the academy, thought that was widely accepted as fact?

No? Must’ve just been Dissenter

The backpass

Cc

Obviously, the second one.

Marko

As said before there has been a reason why Auba has been played left side so often by both Emery and Arteta and it’s not just because of absolute zero options coming forward from the left side nor as was falsely stated making a place available in the first XI for Lacazette every week. No it’s because he’s a proper left winger apparently. All those goals and seasons at Dortmund and Etienne were him being played out of position. You’re right bud. Can I just point out wouldn’t hold up play and being able to link up with players (you… Read more »

Habesha Gooner

new post guys

Champagne Charlie

Backpass

Why obviously? Our ills have been more a result of midfield imo, so ima asking in isolation how the two front three’s compare.

Consider both with an upgraded midfield.

Marko

Obviously second but I’d prefer Depay or Szoboszlai or Sarr or Everton maybe even a Ferran Torres instead of Willian

Ishola70

If we brought in a real bona fide no.9 who can score his share of goals plus be good at hold up play and bringing others into play in place of Lacazette this team could improve very much. The bonafide no9 would be beneficial to the team in both contributing some goals and overall team play and we would still have Auba doing his thing coming in from the left. And this would in turn see the team being less reliant on one player to score the goals. Unfortunately I think Lacazette is quite happy at Arsenal and will not… Read more »

Dissenter

Marc
Be honest with yourself
People here including you were throwing numbers around, the consensus was to go as high as 80-100k, some people even suggested 150k wekly.
You tried to get me to quote a number to which I refused and said ‘I would go as high as necessary and then more”

I was circumspect while many were crazily throwing out numbers.

I do think Saka is good enough to be a rotational starter.

Dissenter

Marko
I see you’ve put on your dunce cap again.
I have never suggested we renew Guendouzi’s contract. I was aghast we were even increasing his wages so early and had arguments with gambon over that.
Keep up with the spite.

Sid

Henry wasnt good at hold up play,
play Auba at CF with a technical player behind him and Saka or another technical player(Nasri,Rosiky type) at LW

Sid

Laca is playing centrally but more as a #10 than a CF Ar(sene)teta

Akinzy Gunner

Le-just keep speaking my heart about Arsenal…strictly for real gunner fans. Aubameyang and lacazette, we must do everything to keep them..we already lost Giroud and thot we couldnt get another Hold-and-Linkup type player, and Laca is doing it beautifully. We dont need wingers any more we just need 2 more very creative guys whose passion is to spot runs and pass urgently., and a DM, torreira cant do it all. Artera is still young and bound to make mistake is already taking effect with Luiz and Kola. How i wish he could be a bit smarter and play Luiz as… Read more »

Gio

I think you have really exaggerated these performances and seemed to have forgot how many games we have played in such short succession. Remember watford didn’t have to play mid week. And the game before Aston villa didn’t have to play at the weekend. The watford game ment Jack shit and we won. Yes a lot of the players do need to go but 2 you mentioned I disagree with, laca should stay and if u can’t see his quality, do u rlly know football? However saying that if we do get an offer over 50 mill then we shld… Read more »

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