Well hello angry people. How are you today? I am still a bit bummed about the result at the weekend. It was really bad. Still, we can’t cave. We have to move forward and imagine ways this could be made better.
I think there are two issues we have going on at the moment that need addressing ASAP.
- The system doesn’t produce enough high-quality chances
- The system relies on elite finishing to finish the few chances that are created
- Our elite finishers are out of form, big time
Now, there’s a lot of debate going on about which is the bigger problem there. Are our big names struggling in a restrictive system? Perhaps. But there’s been a little too much good noise coming out of the club to assume that the players are playing badly because they are sad.
The system wasn’t the problem 6 months ago, it was the solution. But maybe too many things have to go right for that system to work. Living off low xG can only exist if you have someone like Auba absolutely on fire. He’s not on fire at the moment, he’s the opposite, and no one else has stepped up.
We’re not going to get back to form by fine margins-ing our way out. I think we need to try something different. We have learnt that fine margins is not good enough for top four. We have learnt that it’s quite miserable to watch. We clearly don’t have the players to be Atleti at the moment.
We do have good players though. We also have a good manager and lots of smart young coaches and analysts. I don’t think we can live in a world where we let Arteta off the hook because he doesn’t have the perfect squad. He needs to move on a new idea. Arsenal simply has to find the right balance.
Fans have ideas as well. I think most of them revolve around taking an L on Lacazette and Willian for a little bit, but there are more, so keep reading.
TOP THINKING:
PEPE: Could the Ivorian be deployed more centrally. We touched on this the other day. It’s a wild idea, but it ‘might’ be wild enough to make sense.
The player is a bit of an enigma. He’s been dross out on the wing. Awful. But what has added to that? Well, he’s generally smashed off the ball, and if he’s not, he has to work his way through a lot of players out wide. Could playing through the middle be better for him? Would it win us more penalties? Would playing off the last defender be better for his style of game?
Could he work well as a two with Auba? Let’s look at what he’s good at. He is a handful, defenders do not like what he represents, imaginative, tricky, with a rocket shot. He’s fast with the ball at his feet, a lot faster than Lacazette, and he smashes low shots like Anelka in his prime. He’s also good with his head, standing at 6ft tall, it’s much better to lob balls at him than Lacazette. His quick passing in tight spaces might work well with Auba.
It’s a stretch, but weirder things have worked… like, Thierry as a striker when he arrived as a winger.
AUBA: No one complained about Auba on the left when he was scoring goals out there. Well, now he’s not. He’s barely touching the ball. Lacazette touched it about 5 times, which Mike McDonald who blogs here called correctly: that means the manager has said don’t pass to him or the players simply don’t trust him. Both bad for him. Lacazette through the middle needs retiring. Auba is at his best, when he’s sniffing out chances in the 6-yard area. He’s a fox in the box and we’ve put him out wide where he’s next to useless at the moment. Let’s put him where he’s going to be most effective.
REISS: Look, he’s a bit all over the place, but he can be a player on his day, and he knows he’s in the last chance saloon. He’s fast, he’s very direct, and he looked good when Arteta started him way back when. Can it be any worse than Pepe or Willian? That’d be very tough. Not impossible though.
WILLOCK: Joe has been given two chances in the Europa League and delivered both times. He has never really done it in the Premier League, but now would be a good time to try something. With Partey in the side, could his quick passing, smart runs, and love for a shot be what we need? Maybe. Sometimes you have to take a player that’s not quite there to give you more balance. All our best pieces on the pitch don’t work at the moment. Could Joe give us something more interesting?
BIG LESSONS: I wrote back in July that you can’t coach character. I still stand by that. Players that consistently let you down will always let you down. Mikel seems to have gotten a little high off of some of the things he saw last season and he doubled down on people he should have moved on.
Now we are where we are and this is the way.
He chose to spend £250k a week on a 32-year-old looking for a retirement deal.
He chose to tie Auba down to a longterm deal in his thirties instead of cashing in.
He and his backroom team did not add a creative loan to the team and they chose to omit Mesut Ozil.
He won’t hide from those decisions, because he can’t, but that means he has to make them work, which is why I am very confident he’ll get it right. Arteta cannot afford to fail in his first job.
As fans, we can either cry like children every time we lose… or we can trust in one of the best young coaches in the world. He is the right choice of candidate. We are the poorest club in the top 8, our squad is still a mess, and we cannot afford one of those fancy managers everyone assumes would come here with limited funds.
This is a tough job. Really tough. This is his first major test of faith. We’ve been drossy all season, we’ve had little to smile about, now it’s time to get smart and take some risks in a better version of Arsenal. It can and will be done. Just keep the faith
Over to you, Mikel.
This really is going to be the longest interlull.
Hey there fuckers!
“Lets start by binning the 3-4-3 against weaker opposition.”
Agree
Y’all thought I got a life ban!
I’m back…so deal with it…until I’m thrown out again
It makes even less sense when you bear in mind we had a spate of CB injuries and outside of Gabriel don’t have anyone performing that well. Truuu. Seems ridiculous that one of the most highly rated young CB’s in Europe can’t get any mins whatsoever when Rob Holding is considered first choice at Arsenal. Joke used to be certain players having something incriminating on Wenger that he kept picking them no matter what now I’m starting to think that there’s a WhatsApp group with the likes of Rob Holding, Lacazette and Nketiah in it that has Mikel I dunno… Read more »
@Herbs Army
Well put
Now that the PPV scheme has been cancelled, does it mean that the folks in London won’t be able to watch Arsenal in real time if the game is not selected by Sky Sports, BT Sport or Amazon Prime?. It is going to be the longest X’mas and New Year period for Marc then. I could provide live update on Le Grove to ease your pain.
Talking about Walcott did anyone see him play last weekend?
Looked good.
Guess what, he wasn’t playing out wide.
Never mind Arsene.
Marko, Rob Holding has won two FA Cup medals… Saliba has a good Youtube video of his 17 games in Ligue 1 and he’s 19.
Speaking of Saliba, lining up alongside Chambers in the U21s happening now.
Keep football simple. If a player plays well in your league and his team is relegated sign him! Why on earth do we spend such vast sums on Pepe, Mustafi and Xhaka. I bet had we signed Barkley, Hojberg or even Shelvey we would be far better off. Why not bring in Benitez he would for sure do a much better job than the imposter in charge. Even Moyes has an idea what being solid means.
I prayed for Gentlebris to be out the bin and guess what?
Sal, ESR in there as well… let’s see if he can last longer than 3 games before his next injury
Bris’ bible bashing worked for him!
I would expect someone with the huge audience you have Pedro, to have questioned the whole running of the club more pertinently, and hold their feet to the fire.
There is far too much acceptance of Arsenal’s mediocrity.
I expect Saliba to go on loan in January (likely to be at ASSE to avoid the adaptation delay) and have an great second half of season while we concede left right and centre and struggle with injuries to our CBs.
Even as a rookie manager, Arteta should know by now that sometimes there is no perfect time to throw a new player in.
Praise the Lord, I hear the sound of a gentle breeze.
Pedro
And BalOGun, send me code people im no longer rocking my membership.
‘Praise the Lord, I hear the sound of a gentle breeze.’
Amen, my brother. Amen!
Marko, Rob Holding has won two FA Cup medals… Saliba has a good Youtube video of his 17 games in Ligue 1 and he’s 19. Rob Holding has been at best average at Arsenal for years now and nearly got a loan to Newcastle last summer. The Saliba has just a good youtube montage is pretty weak considering that he would have been scouted extensively and is/was being tracked by some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Seems a really weak argument for Mikel just not knowing what to do with a good player. He’s struggling with quite a few… Read more »
“Now that the PPV scheme has been cancelled, does it mean that the folks in London won’t be able to watch Arsenal in real time if the game is not selected by Sky Sports, BT Sport or Amazon Prime?. It is going to be the longest X’mas and New Year period for Marc then. I could provide live update on Le Grove to ease your pain.”
Nah they’ve decided to do it out of kindness – it’s like a mercy kill.
Sid, now you know prayers work. Do it more often and pay less attention to Pedrolism.
“Still smiling over the “one of the best young coaches in the world” bit. I remember Lampard bringing on Jorginho at the Emirates against Chelsea and we basically collapsed over that one single tweak“
I remember Frank Lampard giving it large to Klopp in his market stall Gilet, and remember Arteta leaving Wembley with the FA cup and Charity shield.
Memories work in wondrous ways.
Anyone who wants to tell me Saliba isn’t good enough to get some game time against an Irish pub team, a Norwegian loaf of bread or a team that couldn’t even get a song by Ultravox named after them needs slapping – repeatedly.
Goldinho, did Ralph lose a game by 9 goals last December?
Ultravox… showing the cards a bit there Marc.
sal
Why?
It is unacceptable to have your 20+ goals a season striker on the wing crossing the ball with his weaker foot to a player as shit as Nketiah. If we decided that this is the season we play cross heavy football, why didn’t we sign Mitrovic in the summer?
Bris, it takes two seconds to put you in the bin.
Just didn’t take you as an Ultravox man.
Re: Saliba. He was better than peak Holding two years ago when he was 17. And I have never seen a CB get much worse between the ages of 17 and 19. Honestly, I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it would be the first time in my life I’ve seen that in a defender (though you sometimes do see it in wingers if they lose their speed due to injury). Anyway, if we continue with 3 at the back, I hope it’s at least 3 – 5 – 2 with Pepe on the right and Auba on the left, and… Read more »
“If you look at the people in charge of running arsenal, you won’t find a single British person,”
Isn’t Vinai British?
“Bris, it takes two seconds to put you in the bin.”
Really that long?
The way forward is simple…send Pep his apprentice and hire a coach!
I warned and warned here that it was madness to think a guy who had never led a B team before was the right man to lead a football club as big as Arsenal out of the mud. It was neither creativity nor inspiration, it was a full blown SpaniBrazilian MADNESS.
sal
Eh not really that’s a classic for the period though.
George Graham on Mesut Ozil (contribution): “He’s got to be in a team that’s dominating games and he’s got to be on the ball as much as possible. “Without the ball… just no. He is definitely lacking, not even at the top level. Without the ball he’s not good enough. With the ball he can be good enough, but he has to be in a good team. “He was up and down like a yo-yo under Arsene Wenger. He obviously isn’t playing into the new manager’s style. “You play when you’ve got the ball but you also play when you… Read more »
GG knows.
“Marko,
Rob Holding has won two FA Cup medals… Saliba has a good Youtube video of his 17 games in Ligue 1 and he’s 19.”
Rob Holding winning the FA Cup have nothing to do with anything. Saliba is a better footballer than Holding. Shkodran Mustafi is a world cup winner, a achievement that Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo does not have on their resume.
“Just didn’t take you as an Ultravox man.”
Haven’t you seen his Midge Ure tribute moustache?
The worrying trend is that previously it was only top 4 (ManUtd , Chelsea, Liverpool , Arsenal) , now top 6( with inclusion of Spurs and City) . Since the past two seasons there is now top 8 teams arguably with the inclusion of Wolves and Leicester . If the trend continues we may even have Everton . Teams are catching up fast with Arsenal .
“Haven’t you seen his Midge Ure tribute moustache?”
Bollocks I’ve been rumbled.
Plus the whole age thing is weak sauce when you see Fofana at Leicester and the likes of Gio Reyna and Jude Bellingham at Dortmund. And the transition season stuff is just another pathetic excuse for a manager misusing players
GunnerDNA, so your elite football mind thinks that the same coaching staff that’s playing Gabriel week after week… is denying Saliba because…?
What’s wildly apparent is that there’s a sect of people in the fan base absolutely desperate to claim “fraud” on Arteta’s part. There’s literally no scope for any criticism with him, it’s straight to #Artetaout. Bit odd. Laugh at the Hassenhuttl stuff, and touting him as a replacement for Arteta because he’s got Saints doing well. Man literally was thrashed 9-0 and saw Saints play some atrocious stuff on the way to being battered and bested by literally everyone. He went away, chewed over the problems, and delivered solutions. Now he’s rightfully revered for his work. Just shines a light… Read more »
Yo Pedro!😂😂😂😂😂😂
I’m retiring for today…hope I’m allowed in tomorrow!
Ozil isn’t a solution.
If that’s not abundantly clear to an Arsenal fan in 2020 then you’re woefully out of touch with modern football, and I suggest you have a look about at the top sides in Europe for a clue.
The game doesn’t pander to half arse “professionals” with a martyr complex.
CC, agree.
Arteta deserves the stick he’s getting after that Villa performance… but I’ve no doubt he’s more than capable of digging himself out of this moment… and if he does, we’re not that far out of the mix.
Plenty to play for this season.
Would love it if there’s a solution with Pepe, Willock, or ESR.
Think he has to lay the law down to underperforming senior players.
“I could provide live update on Le Grove to ease your pain.”
Don’t tell them what you pay for DaZn in Canada Nelson, it’ll rile them up even more when they realize you get a months worth of matches from various leagues and competitions for a fraction of what they would pay for one match!
“Haven’t you seen his Midge Ure tribute moustache?”
Hahahah I’m dancing w/ TEARS in my eyes.
Pedro,
“GunnerDNA, so your elite football mind thinks that the same coaching staff that’s playing Gabriel week after week… is denying Saliba because…?”
All I’m trying to say is you have to do better than you just did defending the decision to make Saliba irrelevant while his friend is having MOM performance under BR. Your “elite football mind” is what you attempted earlier to defend Holding playing ahead of Saliba and I’m just pointing out that you’re wrong again.
so your elite football mind thinks that the same coaching staff that’s playing Gabriel week after week… is denying Saliba because…?
That’s the thing that makes people bringing up Saliba’s age and nonsense about a transition season look silly.
GunnerDNA, well, clearly I’m not wrong.
One starts at United, the other is starting for the U23s.
Perhaps, there’s more to football than youtube highlight reels.
Marko, Rob Holding has won two FA Cup medals… Saliba has a good Youtube video of his 17 games in Ligue 1 and he’s 19.
Pedro
Fofana is doing this business right now and he came from Ligue 1.
Marko, silly is highlighting one 19 year old centre back in the league as case in point that 19 years old centre backs are somehow the norm and we made a mistake.
Statistically, that is not correct. Go run the numbers on Premier League centre backs and tell me who is the ‘pathetic’… I can tell you, it’ll be your militant view on this.
Azed, last time I checked, the two players were different humans. Unless your view is that age is what defines where a footballer is in his career.
Marc
Yep
Can’t talk about Trump
Can’t talk about the virus
Arteta is pants
Laca is a dick
I hate international breaks
Pedro Had hopes for ESR but his body has been a massive let down and has me wondering if that’s going to be the story of the lad more often than not. Massive factor in talents producing/growing is being able to play, and play again. Dismissed Willock because his game was so rough, but he’s looked better this season even if it’s a bit of a mirage by virtue of the rest being shite. Nelson, him and Saliba are the youngsters I think we could see evolve most over the season. Saka and Martinelli obviously the cream. But man, Willian… Read more »
Pedro, “GunnerDNA, well, clearly I’m not wrong. One starts at United, the other is starting for the U23s. Perhaps, there’s more to football than youtube highlight reels.” Respectfully, you’re a wrong again! From the start of the season to date it might be a blessing in disguise Mr. Novice leaves Saliba out because Arsenal performances in the PL are beyond terrible and leaving him out might do more good than harm. Hopefully the post traumatic stress from Sunday titanic crash haven’t ruined Gabriel confidence. No surprise you single out Holding playing at United, because its probably best to think we… Read more »
GunnerDNA, again, the lack of understanding when it comes to football is painful to witness.
Gabriel needing therapy after a win?
The answer… Saliba?
My word…
Nice to see you out of your basement… must have been a rough few days for you after we beat United.
Southanptons xG was 7th in the league at the end of the 2019/20 season.
Unlike diet Pep
CC, I have to say, even though I didn’t want Willian, I was expecting the ‘this is what happens with old players’ conversation to land earliest December next season.
He’s just not at the races. His passing has been a mess. Really hoping he’s dropped, or Arteta can work out a better system.
Arsenal should stop giving deals to players in their 30s moving forward.
Hoping the Hungarian midfielder is where we move our attention moving forward.
So if Saliba’s not good enough, or not ready, or has issues – why did we buy him for top money and ignore Fofana?
‘ “If you look at the people in charge of running arsenal, you won’t find a single British person,”
Isn’t Vinai British?’
————-
I think he might be Chutiyan
Pedro
I have reservations about that Hungarian lad being the fit we need. Doesn’t look like a stylish link player in the mould of an Aouar as much as he does a bit of Ramsey 2.0.
Certainly the sort of talent we should be looking at, but I think we’re desperate for a genuine classy operator. Young Wilshere vs young Ramsey for me.
Szoblz and Hasenhuttel is a match made in heaven, both bred on liepzig 4222 system.
While diet Pep tries to raise from the dead tactics used in the 60’s
Statistically, that is not correct. Go run the numbers on Premier League centre backs and tell me who is the ‘pathetic’… I can tell you, it’ll be your militant view on this. First off the militant view on show here is you at even the slightest bit of criticism towards Arteta which is weird considering the job he’s doing right now. Mentioning Saliba’s age when there’s plenty of teenagers throughout Europe being trusted to play is a weak point. Also the nonsense about a transition season is weak when you see Leicester City starting Fofana. Leicester a club with the… Read more »
Pedro,
“GunnerDNA, again, the lack of understanding when it comes to football is painful to witness.”
This coming from a fan who’s trying to convince others that Mikel is one of the best young coach in the world.
“Gabriel needing therapy after a win?”
Aston Villa humiliate Mikel Arsenal on Sunday.
“The answer… Saliba?”
You’re the only one drawing this conclusion. The Saliba argument went right over your head.
Ernest
DAZN provide live coverage of “ ALL ” EPL matches, EFL Championship, UEFA Champions League, UEPA Europa League. Serie A and EFL League two. I could spend all day long watching football.
Nelson
“Now that the PPV scheme has been cancelled, does it mean that the folks in London won’t be able to watch Arsenal in real time if the game is not selected by Sky Sports, BT Sport or Amazon Prime?. It is going to be the longest X’mas and New Year period for Marc then. I could provide live update on Le Grove to ease your pain.”
I wouldnt worry about Marc , he has ways amd means of watching The Arsenal…
Southampton FC has the best xGA (Expected Goals Against) in the Premier League when playing at home
The diet Pep fanboys are clueless
Southampton has 4th best xG at home in the EPL
The simplest observation is that currently we’re about as far away from a high performance culture and elite in any way. We’re pretty much bottom for every metric and if you were to characterise our style you’d call it Spanish Big Sam. The point you make Pedro about Arteta not wanting to fail in his first role I really hope is true. But if this is his philosophy then it ends badly and he won’t get a second big bite elsewhere.
GunnerDNA, you are only on here because you love your opinion more than the club.
Spare me the expertise chat, you have none.
It is interesting that you never see Pedro give a prediction of upcoming matches – I don’t mean a pre match post I mean we’ve just been slapped silly by Villa and now have Wolves, Leeds and the Spud’s coming up.
Come on Pedro – how many points out of 9 for those?
Well looks like the Kroenke’s have taken action and brought in someone to oversee Arteta.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54895699
About fucking time
Marc, it’s not really interesting. Not sure I’ve ever been one to predict scores, not like it’s a skill as a writer.
H&L, you need to pick it up with the drivel. Like, make a point or something. Your comments read like a broken spambot.
Pedro
Maybe but it does give an idea of your expectations at the moment something you seem very careful to avoid getting drawn into at the moment.
Our squad is going to have to be culled in January, our squad is far too big, and motivating players who can’t get a sniff is going to be difficult for Arteta. Numerically we could lose Ozil, Sokratis, Chambers, Kolasinac permanently, and loan out Nelson + Saliba, without making any inward moves. Hopefully Hamburg like Guendouzi, he behaves himself, and they decide to put €30mill on the table in Jan, to avoid missing out in the summer. The last thing we need is him coming back to us, refusing to sign a new deal, and then getting into a game… Read more »
Rich
Whilst I don’t disagree with the sentiment of your comment how do you propose we get Ozil, Sok and Kolas to leave in Jan with out paying up their outstanding contracts?
As for getting 30 million anything for Guendozi – I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Marc, expectations are to have a good season this year and fight for the top 4.
Pedro, “GunnerDNA, you are only on here because you love your opinion more than the club. Spare me the expertise chat, you have none.” Where did I mentioned that I’m any expertise? You’re the one who’s throwing insults online because people don’t agree with your opinion and if they retaliate you ban them. I could make the same stupid remarks to say you love Mikel more than the Club but that is talking bs to look cool. You forget I use to tell you to give Emery and AW more respect and look at you now. You’re defending the manger… Read more »
Marc
Sod off you wet blanket
Let Rich luxuriate in his fantasies
Ozil and Kola are not going to leave any money on the table. PapSok, not so sure.
The record signing for Hertha Berlin [not Hamburg] is only about 23 million euros for Cunha. They wont pay 30 million for Guen
Pedro
You need to reconsider your stance about Saliba
He’s rated about the same as Fofana so how is that he can’t get a game at Arsenal when Fofana is lighting up the league forLiecester.
I mean Arteta registered Mari ahead of Saliba. That in itself is malpractice.
Dissenter
Not only can the 3 Rich mentioned Ozil, Sok and Kolas all sign pre contracts with another club in Jan with a tasty fat signing on fee so can Mustafi.
We might actually need Chambers if Arteta won’t consider Saliba.
Pedro – you have covid/lockdown brain. In one sentence you say Arteta has to fix two issues and next sentence is bullet point presentation that says we have three problems to fix.
Pedro
A good season – that could be translated into finishing 11th and winning the League Cup – as for fighting for top 4 not unless Arteta gets his shit together sharpish.
The only thing that could stop the season being a write off in the league by early December is Leicester have Liverpool coming up and the Spud’s have City and Chelsea.
I know you don’t like politics on the blog Pedro but what the fuck?
https://news.sky.com/story/pompeo-says-there-will-be-a-smooth-transition-to-our-second-trump-administration-despite-biden-win-12129476
Marc, the thing that usually stops you season going to shit is improving results.
You’ve been desperate to will our season down the shitter, it’s not there yet, and it’s not guaranteed
Jwl, you guys start paying me money and I’ll sort the rampant inconsistencies
Well, i am laughing reading true gooners comment’s….i love Arsenal because of fans like you guys. Legrove is the best. Arteta need to find the solutions with they players we have got. If isn’t finding it in the league. We could be in serious trouble. I never see arsenal sides that are so flat like gis team’s sometimes. Even emery sides create chances and play decent football at times. Arteta has shown us hus team can play attacking football but its been only on few occasions in the league. He need to sort his style. Wenger attacking style was great… Read more »
Love you gooners!!! Sorry for the spelling errors.
Pedro
Not at all – this is our best chance of getting top 4 with so many teams having a mixed season.
I’m pissed off and frustrated with us not building on the Cup win and not managing a good performance in the league all season.
I’ve told you before my opinion on us desperately needing Arteta to succeed – we can’t afford to go down the ManU route.
I never said we “would” sell them
I said we “could” lose them, without need for replacement
And in different words, I made the point that:
Managing such a big squad of players could become a problem for Arteta
And that the last thing we need is Guendouzi coming back in the summer, and getting into a game of chicken with us.
Why can’t people read?
Maybe we’d get £10mill combined for Chambers + Kolasinac?
But at this point we might have to accept loans, with us supplementing a percentage of their wages.
“You’ve been desperate to will our season down the shitter, it’s not there yet, and it’s not guaranteed”
Nah that’s just you projecting your behavior on others. You wanted us to fail under Emery so you will be proven right, now you see every criticism of Arteta as other’s doing the same.
Pedro taking an aggressive approach, if only the team would follow suit!
Marc, four or five points from the next three league games at a guess. Depending on if we can frustrate the Sp*ds.
Welcome Robel!
Marc, once you get over us not winning the league… you realise we’re still in the mix for top 4.
Arteta has to shape up though. Our chance creation problems are pretty desperate right now and he has to fix that.
But I’d prefer to be building from a generally solid defence, than having a great attack that leads to a porous midfield and defence.
He has to show he can innovate with what he has.
I think the solution is playing lacazette and aubameyang upfront….they can score more goals. They link well and they like each other. Lacca looks lost alone in the middle ; auba looks lost on the right wing. The need to play close to each other. Their goals has been vital for three years in turbulent and toxic times at the club.
andy
A win and 2 draws looks about as good as it gets right now.
A loss to the Spud’s would be even more painful than normal if they pick up a couple of points in the City and Chelsea matches coming up as well.