Mikel Arteta ran an interesting interview on Arsenal.com. It looks like the club is trying to rapidly move the news cycle to more positive musings and what better way to do that than have the manager tell you why he’s excited about the future.
The topline takeaways:
- He’s building a culture based on mutual respect
- The players better come back hungry
- He thinks the project is on track, not ahead of schedule
Good times.
It is really interesting listening to him and how he approaches the human side of football. It’s a theme with the really young managers these days. They understand that the game is different, managing people has changed, and they are servants to the players.
It’s very similar in business. The top-down hierarchy of old is dying, players expect contact, they want all the details, and they have different expectations of what work-life should be. I think that’s why managers like Jose struggle to connect with modern players, players don’t expect to be dragged in the media. I winced when I read the new Giants coach is making players do laps when they make mistakes… it’s not how players expect to be treated these days.
It’s also worth noting that the players are different. In my opinion, they are more informed and smarter than they’ve been in the past. This new generation grew up on FIFA and Championship manager, so they’re all FUT and data nerds. They’ve had access to ALL football content via their devices since birth. They understand complex systems and approaches to the game. They have a stack of data associated with their careers that helps them develop.
Our last coach really struggled because he lacked the deftness of language. If you can’t connect with players at the very base level of comms, building culture is going to be very tough. Thankfully, we’ve addressed that with our latest set of coaches. Next season, I hope we see a progression of the culture.
It’s kind of nuts that we’re a mere 11 days away from the Community Shield against Liverpool. I’m not sure how much we can expect to change in that period of time. We have one new signing to boast at the moment, hopefully, Willian changes how we function going forward, but it’s not looking like the shift in squad profile we’re dreaming of.
Not that I’m blaming the club here, not many have done big business yet… and straight after the Community shield, we go into an international break.
Rumours are really heating up now that Arsenal are going to be the chosen club of Gabriel. I’d imagine there’s been some weirdness that we have a different negotiation lead, but it all sounds fairly positive. There seem to be a lot of journos seeking to be the truth-tellers of the window. Reading between the nonsense, it looks like Napoli would love the player to replace City-bound Koubilally… but, if they can’t land him, they’ll make do with Sokratis.
I like that plan. Gabriel is where Arsenal should be aiming in terms of profile. He’s mobile, technically gifted, and 22 years old. He’ll become a better player at Arsenal, we really can’t lose with a fee as low as £22m. To be honest, I’m struggling to come to grips with why the number is so low? But whatever, I’ll take it, and pray that he and Saliba are the new Sol and Kolo.
Arsenal are reportedly telling Villareal they want £30m for Matteo G. I think that’s a fairly low sum for someone of his talent, but I guess this is the market for him. It’s very interesting how low the interest in him has been so far this window.
Outside that, we’re on a slow news day for sure!
Enjoy the semi-final tonight and I’ll see you in the comments.
Lille president on Pepe
“Arsenal did one hell of a deal,” Lopez told talkSPORT. “They got a player that other people wanted and they got a player who one club were offering more money for.
“It was Pepe’s management team that asked us to go to Arsenal and so we accepted slightly less money than we would have got somewhere else.”
Shoots a hole in the stupid theory that no one else was in for him or that we just chucked up a massive fee for no reason.
Been a week of revelations this.
Sal
We’re going to win the league.
Joelson apparently signing a new contract so that was just bs it seems to pressure the club.
Lyon not interested in Guen because they feel they have enough midfielders and wants to invest elsewhere. Maybe chuck Laca their way if they lose Dembele? They’re probably smarter than that though and get a younger player in on much lower wages. Like Eduoard.
Lille just love us at this stage lol we’re fattening up their pockets good and proper.
Charlie
Not like Lyon will start a bidding war or anything for Auoar eh?
Think Pep will be a gent and let Arteta have this one? I mean they only have De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Fernandinho as options in there bless them.
Partey, Gabriel and Ceballos is doable. I don’t know about Aouar though. We would have to sell a lot of players for that to become a reality. I am thinking Chambers, Holding, Sokratis, Guendouzi, Torriera and Lacazette to be able to get Aouar too. Not impossible but it would take a great summer for it to happen. I think it seems AMN is staying so he can play in midfield. He probably will backup Partey if he comes. I would be just as happy if we got Buendia instead of Aouar too.
WE
“Wouldn’t have been my first choice”
Yet another chapter for Wenger’s book”
Could have got Samba or Cahill( even both), we got Mertesacker.
Ok, agreed, he had two excellent games for Arsenal.
How much will Real Madrid want for Ceballos? Doubt it would be less than 25m and that’s money that could be spent better elsewhere.
The scouting reports I’ve read have Gabriel has a physical beast that will easily make the leap to the premier league. We have a potential world class defender coming in, one that we may struggle to keep in a couple of years.
It also seems he wants to come to Arsenal to play for Arteta.
Exciting times to be a gooner.
WE
Ceballos would be a great deal for 25m, if it is on a loan to buy deal as been reported, would still leave us with most of our budget intact.
Had asthmatic laughs reading the satire WEagle and Sal created last night. Absolutely top stuff. Well played gents!
Gabriel is Everton standard. No wonder the low price.
Weagle I mean I’m not certain we’ll snag Aouar, but I’m confident we’re adding two players in the Partey/Aouar mould. Have long felt our outgoings will determine who exactly comes in as advanced midfielder. Think Partey is as close as it gets and we’ve been trying to shave pennies off a full buyout clause to go at Aouar harder. Coutinho still in the wings, Koeman can blow hot air up him all he likes but decision rests with the player. I’m just buzzed because last summer we talked about needing more in midfield, 6 months ago I said Arteta would… Read more »
Wenger Eagle
If we are getting him permanently it will be a loan with an obligation to buy next summer. A lot of papers have said so. He also wants to come back. We have the upper hand if no one offers them cash this summer for him.
Read that the French journo who penned the story of Lyon rejecting Guendouzi as part of a swap has changed his tune. He’s now running the story that they’ve yet to respond.
Logically it makes little sense that Lyon would lose their best midfielder and not be looking at any midfield additions.
Ceballos was on Instagram wishing Willock a happy birthday with “see you soon” in there.
I’m no legal expert, but I think that’s as good as a contract signed and he’s back at the carpet.
Social media wins again.
The defender that loves to go to ground is not necessarily a slow defender, it may also be a defender who loves the physical part of the game.Some players loves tackles and contact.
The lads will need good coaching, good thing that he so young.
Today’s word of the day, thanks to Mr CG, is “nitpicking “
Definition: Every time a fellow poster on LG highlights one of Wenger’s many failings, it is seen as “nitpicking”, inconsequential or insignificant in CG’s eyes.
I, on the other hand, see it as being the key to all our woes.
You ignore one thing, you end up ignoring a few things. You end up ignoring a few things and basically you’re in the shite.
The Concise CG English Dictionary strikes again.
Ceballos for 25m would make Jorginho to Chelsea for 50m look pretty bad. Our boy is younger, stronger, hungrier, more dedicated, more fearless, his forward passes at the end of the season were very Cesk like. He isn’t a machine though. In a league where KdB, Fernandinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Pogba are the CMs you’re going to fight versus, Dani is not as fast, not as mobile, not as powerful. I like the player a lot. But is he top class yet? I don’t think so. Are we going to be a much better team with him than without him –… Read more »
CC
Just curious, how do you glean these social media tidbits.
Are you using some beta social media scanning software?
Dissenter
Yea it’s called twitter.
Gabriel would work well in the 343 formation that we used towards the end since he’ll always have a defender to cover him whenever he commits and misses..but since Arteta wants to play 433, it really requires CB who is agile, strong and good with the ball. Fingers crossed though!
Nobody has watched Gabriel much if at all and yet people are excited about his potential signing 🙂
Guendouzi must be having some regret at this stage, went from being one of the clubs brightest young players to frozen out and put in shop window within a couple weeks.
Likely will end up at a club like Valencia, Rennes or Lyon instead of Barca or Juve that he was likely hoping for.
“DissenterYea it’s called twitter.”
Haha tears.
I full deserved that ribbing since I’m not on twitter, Instagram, facebook, etc.
I live at #1, Under-rock court and only venture out to post here.
Sal
If Guen was ever that good then he will find his way back.
Crikey, Dissenter showing his age there. Lol.
Wenger Eagle
Nothing to do with age, Trump is double my age and he tweets like a madman.
I’ had some horrible experiences on social media, deleted all my accounts and haven’t looked back.
Freddie
Wouldn’t be a terrible deal and look Ceballos is a good player.
Just don’t like him as a fit for us competing at the higher end of the PL [hopefully]. Too slow, easily dominated physically and pedestrian for me. He doesn’t have any real change in gear and that’s fine against sides that sit in front of you where you have time to pick your passes, different story against the Liverpool’s, City’s, United’s and Chelsea’s, etc.
“Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Gabriel Magalhaes this summer, but there have so far been issues in arranging for a medical to be completed.
Due to Coronavirus regulations, the Mirror claims that the Brazilian’s medical may well have to take place in France, in order to get the deal over the line, whilst alternative claims are that they are hoping to waive the two-week isolation rules in order to complete proceedings in an ordinary fashion.”
As long as he doesn’t dare doing it at his agents house it’s all good…
Charlie Yeah it’s promising, you at least get the impression that Arteta isn’t afraid to freeze the guys out that aren’t about to improve us or buy into what he’s trying to do. Xhaka and Luiz are the only two where you’d worry he has taken a real shine to although I’d argue that it’s just as much for their leadership/seniority rather than actual ability. In any case, both have done ok since he’s taken the reigns although I hope that we look to phase both out of starting XI with new signings and have them more as squad options,… Read more »
WE
If we blow our CM budget on someone like Partey I’d much rather bring in Ceballos on a loan than pair Partey with Xhaka. He might be slow etc but he looks like Usain Bolt next to him and he’s also better defensively, no contest who’s better going forward.
Not my ideal player either but he’s adapted to the team and league and if it’s on a loan to buy it’s good business.
Freddie
Ozil’s unveiling and medical took place in Germany because he was with he German national team at the time.
You are missing the point.
Dissenter
What’s the point exactly? Was there a global pandemic when Ozil had his medical? Or is he just a sign of the apocalypse?
Freddie
Is Gabriel going to do the unveiling in his agent’s French mansion?
You don’t seem to be able to differentiate these from citing COVID as a reason while the player was in London a few miles from Arsenal facilities.
Ozil was signed very close to transfer deadline, hence his medical was done by the German national team doctor, Muller-Wohlfahrt. His unveling was done by the German team press crew atArsenal’s request. .
NEW
POST
Evening,
There’s talk that arteta has talked AMN into staying.
If that’s the case does anyone think it’s because he might have been promised a shot at a midfield position?
As much as xhaka has had a few above average good games, he isn’t the player we need, arteta might be able to improve him, but he can’t make him faster and if he hasn’t learnt not to give away the ball so much in three years he isn’t going to learn now.
Midfield is still a mess, and needs major surgery to make it even vaguely passable.