FEAR IS NOT A STRATEGY

by .

The big debate before the game was whether the sacrifice we’ve been making on style could be countered with the gains we’ve made on points. Win 2-0 last night, we’re a point from the top and clear in the top 4. Sadly, the argument was momentarily settled at home to a weak Leicester because Arteta bottled our first-half dominance and lost to the most obvious of strategies > let Jamie Vardy win the game late on.

Fear is not a strategy. Mikel Arteta has moved mountains when it comes to our defensive output, structure, and fight. We can all salute that. His coaching moves were made during the worst moment we’d faced as a club in 38 years. However, let’s be honest, those players he’s working with are not the 8th worst group of players in the league, they are better than that. He was supposed to breathe life into them this season, so far, he hasn’t.

From where I’m watching, it looks like he doesn’t trust his squad. We’ve eeked out wins this season, but we’ve been unadventurous and boring… Leicester beating us feels like the warning shot. You cannot shithouse your way to 4th with these players. There needs to be a second act. We need to speed up the process. The coaching staff need to show some balls and do something interesting. Being guided by what bad things ‘could’ happen is negative energy. I’m all for clean sheets, but not at the expense of looking meek. Yesterday, we looked scared… just like we did midweek when we rolled the ball into the corner to protect a lead against Austrian minnows.

After the Villa game last season, I wrote that the biggest mistake Arteta could make would be to continue to trust players with weak mindsets and output. Well, he doubled down on them… and guess what, we’re not looking great. We’re 6 games into the season and now it’s time to be real… our averageness is not a style, it’s the xG warning we had with Unai Emery.

Alex Lacazette has been atrocious for a long time. He’s physically weak and completely incapable of being a central point when it comes to attack. On another day, with a better striker, we’re exiting the first half with 2 goals. Aouar was a big miss this summer, but let’s not pretend having an elite creator was moving the needle with Alex through the middle. If Eddie can’t do it, then try Balogun. Continuously giving game time to someone that looks less and less athletic is not the answer. Alex should have gone this summer, he didn’t, but that shouldn’t mean he’s starting important games.

Nicolas Pepe might have cost £72m, but he’s not delivering to that level. Why do we keep depending on him? He’s weak, he can’t hold his balance, and he looks scared. He was useless when he came on, I’d prefer to give Reiss a chance. I don’t know whether there’s a second act with him, but so far, he looks like a huge dud.

Granit Xhaka served a purpose last season, but it’s clear that in the big games, he doesn’t have the next level. How long are we going to fool ourselves into believing he’s going to take us to the promised land? I have the exact same feelings on Mustafi. I feel terrible to give him any blame after a long period of time out, but let’s be honest, the club desperately tried to move him out this summer, he’s not getting a new deal, so how much can we expect? I’d rather fail with young players than create false hope that we can resurrect players that we know can’t do it. They do it at Dortmund, why can’t we do it at Arsenal?

The biggest mistake Arteta can continue to make is 1) Believe that there’s no way he can get our players operating in an attacking structure 2) That bum players will give him one more year after he spent the summer trying to sell half of them.

We need to see some bold action. I watched Southampton boss Everton yesterday. They don’t have a squad anywhere near our level. They attacked with free-flowing football, they caused problems all over the park, and they were worth more than the two goals they scored. Why can’t we do that?

Villa were spanked at the weekend, but they will run at you, they create, and they are exciting with players that are a long way from world-class.

Bielsa has been at Leeds for two seasons. His free-flowing brand of attacking football will likely end in tears, but he has lesser players than us and he totally dominates teams and has never offered up shit football.

There’s a system out there where we can be solid with Leno, Partey, Gabriel, Bellerin and Tierney… but still attack with Saka and Auba.

I simply do not believe that players at the level we have need to be coached so hard they can’t think outside NFL style power plays everyone has sussed.

The handbrake is on.

The players fear unleashing the magic.

We’re really fucking boring.

One of the most important things you learn as you develop as a young manager in any industry is that people who are talented have a great propensity to surprise you… but only if you empower them. Sometimes, you have to throw them off a cliff and ask them to swim. Arteta doesn’t seem to trust his squad at the moment and that, for me, is why our ceiling is crushing us.

Arteta needs to address what we don’t have with confidence, not fear. There needs to be a shift in mindset. We can’t be celebrating 1-0 losses to Manchester City as progress. We can’t be saluting Premier League players for coming back from a goal down against a bang average Austrian team. We cannot live in a world where our team collapses because David Luiz stops creating.

Last night was boring, it was predictable, it lacked intensity, and it was totally avoidable. We need to find the next stage of whatever the grand vision is because a season of ‘stop being Emery’ will not be tolerated by fans that bought into the vision of a coach that promised us progressive football and results.

This can be fixed.

Over to you, Mikel… you are better than this.

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Leftside

If the players are pissed at Arteta then they ought to be pissed at Lacazette missing sitters every game, Mustafi and Xhaka trying their best to undo any strides this club wishes to make.

Tom

“We lost the game because a perfectly legitimate goal was disallowed“ The name of the play executed by Xhaka is literally “ blocking off the keeper” so I don’t understand how anyone can claim he wasn’t interfering with the keeper. When the corner is taken Xhaka sticks his butt cheeks into Schmeichel groin and at the very moment of Laca’s heading the ball there’s barely any separation between the two. Adding the fact Xhaka has to jump over the ball should end the debate. It’s one thing to be disappointed it was called back but to persist with the argument… Read more »

Marko

Has to be said as well from last night the intent from the start was much better than what we’d seen previously and it paid dividends cause our chances were up dramatically in fact. Sure there was still an imbalanced attack but it was something. But there was still something wrong within the side still the handbrake on. And the instructions given were still off. I mean at one point last night I saw Auba RW, Lacazette CF, TIERNEY LW, Saka LM and Xhaka operating at LCB/LB. They literally targeted that change and where Xhaka was being played. It was… Read more »

Sid

Ok Pierre, i know the answer you would like to hear is,- Ozil made the football decent

SpanishDave

Players aren’t robots they need to use flair if they have any to create chances.
If Arteta continues to straight jacket players it will backfire big time.
You need structure as a team but individuals have to flourish.

Up 4 grabs now

Away
Leeds, spuds, united.
With our away record, good luck.
Wouldn’t even be that confident with molde away.

At home dundalk, molde, wolves, villa, and Vienna.

Wolves will be up for it so will martinez when we play villa and probably will have the game of his life.

By the start of December we could have a serious problem on our hands.

Marko

Yeah Xhaka’s comments after the game were just brilliant. His thoughts on mistakes and brushing them off like it’s nothing just goes to show what kind of a player he is. Simply too stupid to learn from them.

Sid

Our xG is lower than xGA, thats foolish right there.

Thorough

@Marc and Highbury.
At this stage someone should put a tenner on Tierney playing number 9 before it gets to Auba.

Pierre

Tom
The Leicester keeper dived to the right and the ball went to his left , hence why the goal should have been allowed

Marc

Thorough

At this stage I’d put a tenner on me playing number 9 before it gets to Auba.

Nelson

I don’t know WTF they are doing on the training ground. Our midfielders have no chemistry among themselves. Laca and Auba never exchange passes with our midfielders. Who are Arteta’s assistant coaches.
What I would do is find out who trained Pepe in France and hire him as one of our assistant. It is obvious that Arteta’s coaching team doesn’t know how to coach Pepe.

Arteta out

Kroenke’s out

Marc

Marko

He’s not going to learn from them because there are no consequences to making mistakes.

When have you ever seen Arsenal fans boo off an individual player before?

prvhc

The most worrying aspect of Arteta’s tenure to date for me has been the complete lack of new and exciting ideas. The ‘exciting’ parts of his appointment were his youth and of course, his previous work with Gaurdiola. But nothing we’ve seen on the pitch has substantiated that. If he tried new ways of playing but failed, the excuse of not having the right players would hold water, but the assertion that we need a completely new set of players to even start implementing his ‘ideas’ doesn’t pass the smell test. His mantras of commitment and ‘non-negotiables’ sound pretty basic… Read more »

Marko

At this stage I’d put a tenner on me playing number 9 before it gets to Auba.

Can’t be any worse than Lacazette these past few games. Can you believe someone so ineffectual can have 83 and 90 min games his last two games despite being garbage. Meanwhile Auba can’t get a game CF, Pepe can’t get start consecutive games and Saliba can’t get a single minute with the first team. Lacazette must train like a motherfucker though

Leftside

Yep Marc, I said that earlier too. Why would Xhaka care about a mistake when the team is built around him so he can get games. The man can tell is to fuck off, do whatever knowing that he has his place assured.

Mustafi is an imbecile who will keep doing stupid things until he walks out of the door.

That really was a horrific summer bringing in those clowns.

Alex+James

Oh yes. John Jensen! Don’t get me started on Arsenal infamies. Would take up a whole page. Remember I go back to 1957.

Marc

Leftside

Bringing them in was bad – to continue with them is worse. To stop one leaving for a fee that all things considered was too good to be true is criminal.

Kaz

The attacking football was decent pre lockdown due to Ozil.

Don’t give me those stupid assist stats, his presence and way of play created continued movement and his ability was tying that movement to the correct pass.
Saka getting so many assists were due to beautiful Ozil set ups.
We now have midfielders who can do the running around for him that he never wanted to do but now we don’t play him at all.

The irony is nuts.

Ozil is our best midfielder even now.

Stupidly handled.

Tom

Pierre, I can name a half a dozen cases where goals have been called back with players actually not interfering with keepers and not in their line of sight but just standing in the offsite position. Most extreme , Tiote’s strike for New Castle versus City some years back, then there was last minute goal DCL had called back for Everton against United this calendar ( March I think)year where Sigurdson was on the ground totally not interfering with play, and even a few this season. It’s a silly argument when a coach sends a player to interfere with a… Read more »

Marko

He’s not going to learn from them because there are no consequences to making mistakes.

Very very true

Kaz

A better manager would have built the team around Ozil to succeed and swallowed their own ego.

The inferior manager builds the team up around Xhaka.

Partey with Ozil is a dream combo, with Auba up top is what most teams don’t want to play against.

Now other managers can actually laugh at us as we shift Auba wide using the same stale tactics and continue to build the team around an immobile, slow playing Xhaka.

salparadisenyc

Quality post Pete, last night felt like a turning point of sorts. Arteta is going to have to dive into the the attacking end of the pool and find his bravado. Clearly we need to deputise a player who can control the final third, be it Saka, Willian or another cause it isn’t Ceballos from what we’ve seen and this attempt at pulling a Liverpool from the flanks requires far more balance in the front three than we have. Shocking we didn’t move onto another option from Aouar for me, the need is that clear. Watching Gabriel and Luiz be… Read more »

Tom

Pierre , again it’s in the name of the play lol.

Jay

I have had enough of you mugs trolling me, if you are man enough get of social media and come do it to my face, I double dare you cowards.

englandsbest

marc I am not claiming Arteta is perfect – you’d have to go back to Herbert Chapman to find anyone even close to that. None of us knows the problems that face a manager/coach, they change on a match-to-match basis. Some he can deal with, some he can’t. Here are twelve problems where Arteta is pretty much powerless; there are probably many more. 1. Bad refereeing decision 2. Injury on the pitch 3. A player sent off 4. Unavailability of a key player 5. The frequency of games 6. Loss of form of a player 7.The weather 8. International breaks… Read more »

Marc

Oh no I’m scared Jay’s such a hardman

Marko

And apparently Mustafi has refused a new contract offer. This is exactly why the manager shouldn’t have a final say on transfers and contract extensions. He needs to be overruled. My god if end up giving Mustafi and Xhaka new contracts what a mistake we would have made in hiring Arteta

azed

I believe last night we missed a player like Guendozi. Someone that hated losing. He would have tried to force things yesterday.

Marko

Fuck off Jay you spotty pissed off virgin. Go join the proud boys and act pissed off on 4chan you dickhead

Marc

eb

1. Bad refereeing decision
2. Injury on the pitch
3. A player sent off
4. Unavailability of a key player
5. The frequency of games
6. Loss of form of a player
7.The weather
8. International breaks
9. Ozil
10. Absentee owner
11. Fake news
12.Unwarranted expectation

You’re bordering on trolling with that comment. There’s a difference between reasons and excuses and how many of those apply to last night?

Leftside

Jay sit this one out, that was Dariano levels of pitiful

Marko

Unwarranted expectation

???

Tom

Someone said, of course Xhaka interfered with the play, he usually does lol

Marc

” last night felt like a turning point of sorts.”

I don’t think Arteta is at risk of losing his job right now but the above could be true. A cold dose of reality that Arteta responds to properly could set our season up – there’s still plenty of points to play for.

If he responds negatively it’ll end up being death by a thousand cuts.

Jamie

“double dare”

Those are the words of a genuine tough guy.

Marko

Nah jaime you ain’t hard until you triple dare someone

Leftside

Good God we tried to offer him a new deal?!?! Good God what is wrong with these people.

Jamie

“Nah jaime you ain’t hard until you triple dare someone”

The next level is the next level.

Jay

I’m not going to sure my Great football knowledge with brain dead cowards.

TR7

Of course all the talk of sacking Arteta is way too premature but the chorous will grow if there’s no upturn in results. I am looking at our PL fixture and it is horrible. At least 7-8 tough games out of our next 10. If Arteta repeats the mistakes of Wenger and Emery in playing Xhaka and Mustafi, I am afraid the honeymoon will soon be over. I like the guy and want him to do well but unfortunatelg like Wenger he is too stubborn in his ways.

Leftside

Jay/Bob

You don’t even have the ability to spell simple words properly yet you think your tough guy act is anything to take serious

Marko

I’m not going to sure my Great football knowledge with brain dead cowards.

Yeah please stop sure-ing things with us

TR7

What ? We offered a new contract to Mustafi ? What on earth is wrong with people at Arsenal ?

ace

When the world gives you lemonade……

I can’t understand why Pedro, other blogs and journos keep trying to over analyse Arteta based on nothing. How can they possibly tell this isn’t vintage Arteta?

Arteta talks a good game. Let’s be real, even some pundits sound like excellent coaches on TV.. Talk is cheap though. Sadly, there is nothing to suggest he can do better with this group of players.

‘Over to you, Mikel… you are better than this’… No Pedro, you don’t that Arteta is better than this.

Marko

Again Mikel be brave stop being stupid go with the formation we saw for our best period of the season against Sheffield United. Go 4-2-3-1 and grow a pair

Tom

The pandemic and empty stadium are Arteta’s friends at this point

salparadisenyc

Time to move out CC, Marko and I in total agreement here.

Tom

Arteta talks a good game. Let’s be real, even some pundits sound like excellent coaches on TV..

Not to mention half the posters on this blog

Ernest Reed

“I feel Arteta has lost his way big time, he is replicating Emery’s time at the club in the way he’s trying to flex his muscles and show who’s boss after after a little success on the field..” Then does this not beggar an obvious question that if two managers, according to you, are trying to flex their muscles at the club, then the common denominator is clearly that the players are incapable of being coached or managed? There is a common denominator in what the last three managers have gone through, players that for whatever reason simply are not… Read more »

DivineSherlock

I think the anger at this stage is because it was pretty self inflicted and avoidable . Rodgers gameplan was pretty clear from the begininng , still Arteta decide not to do anything about it. Going forward I’d rather see Elneny Partey Ceballos midfield. Xhaka only offers us pass completion stats .

Marko

Sal you moving in? I make nice breakfast bagels and have subscriptions to Netflix and Amazon prime for “chilling” 😉

Ernest Reed

“It may be to do with the refusal of the pay cut, or that Ozil has had talent with questionable application and desire, and now the thing that he’s good at he doesn’t seem to do well no more. Ozil is not the answer, its just lazy thinking.” Totally agree Leftside, people are talking like somehow and magically if Ozil started playing again then everything would turn right. Without of course acknowledging the stark realization that Ozil would be playing if Ozil got on board with the program, like 24 others have. The nagging issue has always been that Ozil… Read more »

LZ75

Listen guys,

On another night, Lacazettes goal would have stood, and that would be 4 in 4 starts, I think,

Lacazette would have taken that header,

And Bellerins shot would have gone in.

I dont think things are quite as bad as we percieve maybe, and regarding team selection, doesnt he say he picks the team based on practice and thats someting none of us are privvy to,

Ernest Reed

“Arteta might be a green manager but he is not a foolish man.
He made mistakes yesterday so hopefully he will learn from them.”

Love the positivity Godfather, except i have yet to once heard Arteta step up and own a performance like yesterday’s. He was schooled yesterday in the most kindergarten of ways by Rodgers. Everyone but him knew what was coming in the second half – and i say this because it’s obvious he had zero answers for it, before or after the goal.

Ernest Reed

“I have had enough of you mugs trolling me, if you are man enough get of social media and come do it to my face, I double dare you cowards.”

That has to be the most moronic post in the history of this blog,!

Samesong

https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2020/10/26/shkodran-mustafi-gabriel-magalhaes-leicester-arsenal-news-jamie-vardy-13480304/amp/

And Mustafi rejected a new contract

Why we offering him a new one. And perfect game for Saliba.

Jay

Even the world cup winner mustafi wants out from the trash, know one wants to play under arteta.

Valentin

Mustafi is one of the player who by liking Özil Instagram message have publicly shown his support. So I am not surprised to learn that he is refusing to sign a new contract.

Between the advantage of a getting a larger signing-on fee when on a Bosman, he may also wants to wait to see how he will be treated by Arteta before committing.
Will he be in the dog house, publicly loved but never played a la AMN?.

Rich

I really hope Arteta sticks to his game plan, he seems stubborn enough to persevere. I think we’re on the right course, the journey was always going to take longer than the attention span of most people on this forum. Our squad is limited, but we do have more experience in the squad this season. Arteta has improved us defensively, whilst I think there’s certainly a limit to how effective we can become offensively with this set of players, I do expect incremental improvements as the season progresses. We’ll be involved in a lot of tight games, but as long… Read more »

TR7

‘Mustafi is one of the player who by liking Özil Instagram message have publicly shown his support. So I am not surprised to learn that he is refusing to sign a new contract.’

Good riddance

Calypso

Emery was sacked for losing 3 in 13 games, we’ve already lost 3 in 6 games.

Ernest Reed

I’m amazed that anyone on here even considers Mustafi a footballer? 10 seconds on the pitch should have blown the disaster alarms to the heavens. Let this contract run dry already.

Ernest Reed

“So I am not surprised to learn that he is refusing to sign a new contract.”

You make that sound like a bad thing, Valentin.

Pierre

Ernie “Then does this not beggar an obvious question that if two managers, according to you, are trying to flex their muscles at the club, then the common denominator is clearly that the players are incapable of being coached or managed” Not at all, i am just baffled that Arteta is choosing to take the same route as Emery. Arteta is choosing to go down this road, i think he is treading a dangerous line and as i said all along, results and performances on the pitch will determine whether Arteta’s decisions of the past 3 months are correct or… Read more »

Marc

I’d like to know who the fuck was behind offering Mustafi a new deal.

Marko

I imagine Mustafi didn’t like the terms. Arsenal probably made out like he’d be a backup on back up wages (less than what he’s on) while he wants assurances and more (or the same) wages. Either way it’s absolutely stupid to be offering any sort of contract to someone who should have been sold years ago

Valentin

TR7,

We can complain about Mustafi, but we bought a replacement and Arteta is simply refusing to even use him.
The problem is not their presence in the squad, it is the fact that despite having other options the manager stick with players who clearly are liabilities and/or limited: Mustafi, Luiz, Xhaka.
What is the point of AMN, Willock, Nelson, Saliba, ESR if the manager never intend to use them. They would be better off somewhere they would play regularly.

Billp79

The usual suspects….xachka and mustafi

Valentin

Ernest,

I am against giving a new deal to Mustafi, but if Arteta believe that Mustafi will sign another contract without some insurances and not just financial he is even more deluded than I thought.
Mustafi may have brain fart on the pitch, but I doubt that his agent has them in the boardroom.

Billp79

Probably a new deal wasn’t offered…this just allowed mustard to save face and hopefully generate a small fee is someone was interested

Billp79

Give sabila a break he’s only 19

Ernest Reed

“Not at all, i am just baffled that Arteta is choosing to take the same route as Emery” Maybe he sees the same lack of leadership on the pitch, Pierre? Maybe this collective group does in fact need constant reminding. Recall one of his first sessions, he schooled Laca over his “I’m going to do it my way” routines. This group, to me, are not capable of doing things their own way. May cost him his job in the end but know this much, in the end it will be crystal clear that this bunch are essentially uncoachable. I will… Read more »

Ernest Reed

We are of the same thoughts on Mustafi then Valentin.

Thorough

I think 4-3-3 may not suit us. The 3 midfielders yesterday were almost on a straight line, at a stage Ceballos even looked like he was playing right wing. 4-2-1-3 however may make more sense: Ceballos and Partey screening the defence and William in the hole, of if Arteta’s madness of shoehorning Xhaka continues then have Xhaka and Partey in front of the defence and Ceballos or Williams in the hole. We absolutely must tweak this. If we can see it I wonder how Tets can’t. And BTW what’s Edu’s job? Can’t he whisper some advise into Tets ears. If… Read more »

Thorough

*Tweak not twek

Ernest Reed

“The football is dire, results have been ok but if the football does not improve, results will suffer”

Agreed Pierre and as i have mentioned on a number of occasions, the status quo is not sustainable. Things must change and stubborn pride cannot win the day when you are at the bottom of the pile looking up.

Guns of SF

I said it last night, ill say it again, we need more than just one creator in the midfield. one person will not be able to get this team firing on all cylinders. This is on Arteta The right side is non existent in our attack. We are predictable. He needs to allow players to interchange more often… outside of having a true CAM or semi CAM, movement is a way to make things happen and create chances. Right now, players are stuck in their position. Its like teaching 9-10 year olds. Too rigid for a professional coach and team.… Read more »

Rich

The Ozil situation shows where this club lacks ruthless leadership at the very top.

After the interview Ozil’s agent gave against Arteta, and with Ozil’s social media activity.

This is where KSE need to step in, take Ozil out of first team training, get him training on his own like Guendouzi, and at different times to the rest of the first team

MidwestGun

The Axis of Evil is still here, Xhaka, Mustafi and Ozil. They have sunk or in the process of sinking going on their 4th manager now counting Freddie’s brief stint.. Until they are 100% gone and replaced, where they have no chance of ever playing for us again. I won’t be happy no matter who the manager is. I was beginning to feel a little better when I thought we replaced Xhaka with Partey.. but no… we play them together which makes no sense. I can’t think of any situation where we need to do that, ever. It certainly won’t… Read more »

Ernest Reed

“I think 4-3-3 may not suit us. The 3 midfielders yesterday were almost on a straight line, at a stage Ceballos even looked like he was playing right wing.” I think it can work for us Thorough, but it remains as perplexing as it is puzzling as to why Partey was essentially invisible yesterday? You don’t spend that kind of money for an invisible player who should be bossing play from the middle. That made and makes absolutely no sense, but then yesterday made little sense from a tactical approach – but I’m not the manager, so what do i… Read more »

Guns of SF

———Leno_________
AMN____Luiz__Gab___KT__
______Dani___Partey______
WIllian___Saka/ _______Pepe ( yes on the left)
_____Auba______________

This lineup allows for players to interchange more- Willian Saka and Pepe can all move across the pitch if needed

Pepe can cross with his left to Auba finally. Naturally.
When Gabby gets back swap out Pepe.

line up 2

———Leno_________
AMN____Luiz__Gab___KT__
______Dani___Partey______
WIllian___ESR_______Saka
_____Auba______________

Give ESR a run in the team… as cam

Ernest Reed

“The Ozil situation shows where this club lacks ruthless leadership at the very top.”

I believe the club have in fact, shown ruthless leadership in this Rich. You send a clear and decisive message when you are willing to swallow millions of pounds and exclude a player from further competition. The rest, Ozil and Company can spin whichever way they want. If Arsenal are swallowing a massive chunk of change and you are Personna-non-gratis – kind of leaves you exposed and looking rich but incredibly poor in the end.

You give Ozil far too much credit.

Sid

Arteta and Steve round are birds of a feather

Nelson

“I am looking at our PL fixture and it is horrible. At least 7-8 tough games out of our next 10.”

Looking at the way our team performs., every PL fixture is a tough game except again Fulham.

Thorough

Ernest Reed.
I hope Arteta gets some help because he obviously needs it. Edu and whoever is closest to him must step in and give him all the help he needs. Someone said Bergkamp for the attack, just like Keown did with the defence during our UCL run.

Maybe Ozil and Arteta fell out over just how saucy Arteta is. I mean if Ozil can’t see that Arteta is the man to take us to the promised land. Quite frankly I think Arteta is a genius, his tactics of boring the opposition to sleep is almost working

Dissenter

Imagine calling on Mustafi to close out a game against one of the most prolific strikers in the league
Mustafi was unfit and will always be a misfit
Why does Arteta keep entrusting stuff in the hands of players who have one leg out of the club?
Think of how Saliba must be feeling at Arsenal
We are actively ruining the career of one of the best young French talents.

Pierre

Le Grove was so happy last week with the Ozil news, i tried to warn the obsessives that it will all end in tears and that their celebration was premature.

Personally, i would like to watch an Arsenal side with or without Ozil , playing anything other than the turgid football we are watching at the moment..

As it stands ,the football without Ozil is lacking creativity, style and excitement , so i can’t quite understand why that is a reason to celebrate his omission from the team..

James wood.

Quite worrying when you see Bellerin as our quickest player. Auba and Laca just don’t go forward with the ball Quick enough. Neither of them can hold the ball up And Laca ‘s getting that Emery face on again when things are not going well a player who really needs a move.? Pepe getting that AZ out every game on where he should be He needs a move. Tierny will never have so much room again First half made very little of it a few loopy crosses and one really decent cross is not enough and then it was back… Read more »

Dissenter

I will never understand these mass cheering for Ozil
It’s like we are suspending immediate memories. Ozil has a brilliant future as a politician because he knows how to hoodwink people.

GunnerDNA

10 months in the job and the manager still doesn’t know his best 11. The team lacks identity. His team selection and tactics change every match day, yesterday was the turning point. The midfield set was atrocious. Partey was on a island by himself unsure of what he’s supposed to do. DC and Xhaka moving to winback positions and the two average wingbacks trying to create chances was hilarious. High balls in the box for players who are below average at heading the ball. If we’re honest this is the same vibe we was getting from Emery. Liverpool, Leicester and… Read more »

Sid

The only way Arteta stops playing Xhakalson is if he is made to walk down the clock end butt naked, CG ringing a bell and the fans chanting

Shame shame shame

Danny+S

Mustafi turned down a new contract this summer.

Arteta actually offered him a new deal……

Dissenter

There were many times thata cross came into the box and there were no Arsenal shirts to contest for it.
Laca is as slow as molasses these days, thinks very slowly too but is full of needless aggression.

Cabellos is shit as well. If he was any good no way would Real Madrid have let him go out on loan again especially considering his age.

Sid

On second thought supreme leader might stain his briefs

Guns of SF

Laca is like an NFL Linebacker

Just always fouling, getting fouled and not very good at getting into space . he gets the ball and it stops with him – link play is somewhat non existent

But he does foul the opposition quite a bit. so hmmm, there is something