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.
Our problems in attack is linked to the so called solid defense.
Attacking requires flair and unpredictability in movement, Arteta literally tells his players where to stand on the pitch to close down certain spaces, there is no invention, no unpredictable moves.
Not surprising that once we had to chase the game against Villa the defense crumbled
Thanks pedro. Been reaading legrove for a long time. Your the best pedro. Arsenal are the best no matter what. The Arsenal are big here in ethiopia.
Rich, no conspiracy theories about how democracy works today.
Forgot Arizona, that may still go Republican?
But either way, it looks like another recount
Pedro
It’s not a conspiracy theory,
Try looking with your eyes
My comment on the election wasn’t about anyone winning, the media getting to decide anything but the utter madness that seems to be pervading the Trump administration in not accepting what’s happened.
Pedro
You told me it would be a whitewash for Biden
I said it would be close, Biden would get the popular vote, but it would come down to key states
You told me I was wrong, and I couldn’t possibly know what I was on about, because I’m currently in Wales….
You were wrong then, and you’re wrong now.
Biden might win? But this isn’t over.
Rich, he’s lost the election. He should concede. None of his lawsuits have landed because none of them has merit. Move on.
Whitewash or not. Trump lost by bigger margins than he won in 2016.
Are Arsenal supporters part of the Trump
Administration only there seems to be some bad losers on here consistently
even when we play well(Sometimes)🙄
James
You’ll have to remind me of the last time we played well – it’s been a while.
Arteta can land another FA Cup and be crowned as the better manager that finishes second in the EPL 20 + points ahead of him this season.
There it’s not all bad is it.
@Marc
We play well in training. Apparently nketiah, laca look like messi and ronaldo in training
I find some guys here very funny,changing their opinions based on who they like/hate. For example,last year: Emery was a bad man for the way he treated ozil Guen was a really good talent. Saliba was great business and the mbappe of cbs. Torreira was being wasted as an attacking midfielder. Xg stats are worrying because they always catch up with you and depending on elite finishing alone wont sustain us. Fast forward this year and : Guen is a petulant child who needs to go. Saliba is not ready and we should shut up because ‘we are not on… Read more »
Marc 19.28
I said Sometimes🥴
Pedro If you were right? That the associate press get to call this election? Then Al Gore would have become president in 2000, and not George Bush Look at the numbers in Arizona, still 99%, and within recount territory, regardless of who wins Georgia recount territory Pennsylvania is 98%, and a load of votes just went to Trump, and it’s currently in the courts Wisconsin 99% counted, 100% recount happening Nevada is in the courts. Alaska is going Trump North Carolina currently going Trump, but likely a recount. Nothing I’ve put is inaccurate. Cuddle your teddy bear and tell yourself… Read more »
Rich,
It’s over, that’s why it’s been called. Trump can only win in right-wing fantasies. Trump is trying to overturn the election on election fraud across multiple states, without evidence… or he’s trying to cancel legally submitted votes. It won’t happen. The courts aren’t having any of his cases, law firms are backing away from this, even Fox News thinks this is embarrassing.
That’s the reality.
If this goes against Biden then all hell will break loose.
And trump will need even more security.?
James, it won’t go against Biden. Only reason the Rs are doing this is to keep the base going for the run-off in Georgia.
Didn’t the guy who would’ve run the investigation approved by William Barr resign?
Marc, yes, the election fraud guy resigned because of the memo
RH “Not surprising that once we had to chase the game against Villa the defense crumbled” That’s exactly why the players were told not to chase the game v city in the 2nd half ….fear of conceding. That’s why we didn’t go all out for the equaliser against Leicester…fear of conceding. And that’s why in the up and coming league games , Arteta will ne happy if the game is 0-0 in the hope that we can nick a late goal , as in the United game.. Arteta has basically programed the players into a way of playing that works… Read more »
“Biden might win?”
No putting the genie back in the bottle Rich, Trump is as fucked today as he was yesterday.
Penn, Nevada and Georgia out of reach, AZ touching end game. When Florida recounted in 2000 210 votes shifted in Bush’s favour adding to his lead. We’re into the tens of thousands in each state, Penn will be nearer 100k when that count concludes.
Daniel Autos
“Ozil is a cunt and Arteta is right to bin him.”
I’m looking for a ford capri mk2 , 1971 model …
Pierre, did you have a Ford Capri at any stage in your life?
Am I wrong but haven’t the press called every single US election since whenever?
Sore losers on the right. Hate to see it.
Pierre, what are you on about? The mk2 Capri didn’t appear until 1974. If you’re 65 you’d know that surely?
Andy, you are not wrong.
“Pierre, what are you on about? The mk2 Capri didn’t appear until 1974. If you’re 65 you’d know that surely?”
Shhh, he’s a 65 year old level-par golfing music producer. Definitely not a Walter Mitty fantasist.
I liked trump, he was a beast of a man. Suprised joe biden won. We are in civil war here in Etbiopia it started seven days ago. I amnot joking. Etbiopia is a country with over 110 million population from 80diffrent ethnic groups. Its chaos in here. If trump was our leader we would have been in serious trouble even our current Nobel prize winner leader abiy ahmed, is struggling to bring peace amony ethnic groups. I love trump, his a funny lovely winner. Any way the top job in the world is in north london and arteta got it.… Read more »
Pedro
No..a friend of mine did …yellow with black roof ..his pride and joy , and he had his own personalised number plate which was unheard of back then ..
Andy ,I think it was mk2 , I’m sure he had it around the time we did the double or thereabouts.
Stay safe Robel, that sounds horrible!
Andy No, the press don’t get to call the winner based on projections, the definition of projection is estimate. The press don’t get to announce the president of the United States based on an estimate. This will drag into January. Only the electoral college gets to declare the winner, and that’s once every legal vote has been counted, and every illegal vote discarded. There will be at least 3-5 recounts, each state will be audited, and there’s already at least 3 legal cases going on, those cases will likely end up in the Supreme Court. The idea this is over… Read more »
Oops Ethiopia…..again sorry for the spelling errors. Ethiopia where i live and rasied. I wish i live in north london with you lovely gooners. I love arsenal. Been Arsenal fan for 20 years. The best club in the world.
Andy
It was a mk2..Yeah , you’re right was 1974
i will try to stay safe pedro. Thanks.
You took the bait again jamie …so easy.
I post a comment , count to 20( yes i can count that high) and wait for jamie the snide to reply.
Rich what is an illegal vote?
Pierre is definitely a master baiter. There’s no doubting that.
https://twitter.com/reverse_sweeper/status/1325491317066117125?s=24
this is great
Pierre, yellow with black vinyl roof is definitely a mk2. Mark 1’s have the little pair of air vents just in from of the back wheel arch, very distinctive. The mk2 certainly wasn’t around for the ’71 double season.
My mate’s dad used to take us to Highbury in his Mk2, a pale beige colour. Was a sales rep and drove like a maniac, back end stepping out exiting roundabouts etc.
Pierre, I’d love to have driven one.
CC taking it all Captain Pugwash..
Jamie
“Shhh, he’s a 65 year old level-par golfing music producer. Definitely not a Walter Mitty fantasist.”
I think it’s you that is the Walter Mitty fantasist…
You seem to take a strong interest in anything i post,and over exaggerate my life , 8 handicap actually not a scratch golfer.. I will look forward to laying the bait for you next time …..
You can tell that Pedro is in no way from Essex.
Roy Hodgson has the greatest facials in football. Man is a treasure, memetastic.
Charlie
“Pierre is definitely a master baiter. There’s no doubting that.”
That’s very kind of you to say so….you should have a word with your mate jamie about his unhealthy obsession to anything i post., i know he will listen to you as he hangs on your every word…
Pierre trying to take credit for a reply to andy. Sees my name and gets excited.
Andy
Did you go to the Arsenal in the late 60’s early 70’s, , fairs cup final, winning the league at the lane on the monday, followed by Charlie george at wembly on the saturday ..great times supporting the club
Rich
You seem to be a Trumpet.
Putting aside your assumptions that the voting process was rigged, how the #### can you endorse such a despicable human being?
Just asking.
Cant fool me Pierre, that’s more of that top tier bait you’re laying.
Jamie hangs on my every word the same way your Ozil chat is just trolling. Not my fault his aversion to bs invariably has him calling your bluff on matters.
That said, what’s the dial code for Lagos and I’ll give Jamie a quick ring…
Page 56, paragraph 3.
Thanks almanac.
First visit was winter of 70/71 Pierre, don’t recall too much about it being five but I do recall the noise, the smell, being buffeted by the adults (no family enclosures) and getting chips on the way home. So a great season to start my relationship with the club even if it did go downhill a bit for a few seasons after that. As I’ve mentioned before I got lucky being taken to the Arsenal. We’d just moved to Essex from Norwich where our next door neighbour was the mother of footballer Mel Blyth who was playing for Crystal Palace… Read more »
*ring ring*
Hello? Yes, I’m really a prince.
Guns of SF Illegal votes include Dead people People who no longer live in that state Votes that arrived after the election Postal votes that weren’t dated People who voted in more than 1 state Sold votes (someone in Texas is currently being prosecuted) Harvested votes Possibly glitches in the electoral software (those claims so far unfounded) Claims of votes being backdated, something hundreds of people are already willing to swear under oath that happened, and their testimony will likely be decided in the Supreme Court 21,000 dead just in Pennsylvania still on electoral role, which is a violation of… Read more »
Jamie
“Hello? Yes, I’m really a prince.”
Yes Jamie, we know you really are a prick….
Andy
Yeah , i got lucky, the fairs cup night was the best atmosphere I’ve known at highbury
I first used to go with my dad and grandad when i was about 8 or 9 , he lived in mckenzie road just off liverpool road, and then by the time i was 12 went with my mates in the schoolboys at first and then onto the north .bank …cost 2 bob to get in the schoolboys ..had some great away days in the fa cup especially.
William Saliba, Calum Chambers and ESR played for the U21 team today, hopefully they did ok.
Rich,
Everyone knows how it works… bar the extremists who think 20,000 dead in PA is going to overturn 100k winning margin.
Fraud in elections is minor. Vote counts changing results is very rare. There are simply too many states being won by too high a margin for this to change.
He’ll be out. There is no chance, outside an unlikely coup, of anything changing reality.
Andy
Late 70’s early 80’s must have been a good age for you to support the club as we had a quality side and reached thè 4 finals , only winning one..
I saw us lose to ipswich , west ham and valencia in brussels and missed our only cup victory v united.
Pierre 20.53
Without doubt the greatest night for me
as an Arsenal supporter was that night
at Highbury.
For Atmosphere and noise it was untouched.
Trumpettes are sore losers.
They are trying anything – seeing what sticks.
The amount of tax payer money they are wasting should be noted with frivalous lawsuits- all are being kicked back.
They do not need to accept the loss. I could give a shit.
However, to basically tell folks that there vote did not count, is undermining the system of voting that has worked in this election.
Attack the very system that helped Trump get into power. No complaints then. Dems did not complain either.
Get over yourselves already
In the 2nd halves of games this season Arsenal have had the least amount of shots out of the 92 football league teams, unbelievable.
“… you guys start paying me money and I’ll sort the rampant inconsistencies.”
Pedro – ive long wondered why you dont accept donations /subscriptions? Im sure you have fans around world that would help at least with cost of website. Le Grove is labour of love for you.
JWL, because I am sloppy. No one should pay for this muck
Like I said, sees my name and gets excited.
Pedro You might be right. But nice to see you admit Biden hasn’t won…..yet. Which was my point, The same people who over the past 4 years refused to accept Trump won legitimately, are now telling us voter fraud is impossible. When we’ve seen in the uk in recent years, and elsewhere over the world, Mail voting fraud is open to all types of corruption If you’ve got nothing to worry about? Then you won’t mind waiting for a full audit, states that are eligible for a recount, being recounted, and all claims of electoral fraud being heard? You don’t… Read more »
Rich,
Who was lucky to get your vote?
Rich you seem to be speaking a different language about another election, recounts or litigation don’t change these kinds of margins. Really in terms of taking an incumbent President down history will look at this as a mauling, living it has just been way drawn out from the covid related mail in votes. Had this been a ‘normal’ election night it would of called by midnight eastern once the blue wall performed. Likely end result for this: 306- 229 with Biden ending on a roughly 6m margin in popular once fully counted in CA, NY and Chicago area. Senate up… Read more »
Calypso
“In the 2nd halves of games this season Arsenal have had the least amount of shots out of the 92 football league teams, unbelievable.”
That can’t be right.
How about Scunthorpe United?
I want concrete proof that Arsenal have taken less shots in the second half than Scunthorpe United.
Are Scunthorpe United lacking a creator in their side as well?
“One of the best young coaches in the world “Could you please tell us on what is your statement based on??
” There is no chance, outside an unlikely coup, ”
But we haven’t had a good coup in years.
I really don’t know what’s wrong with people – no sense of fun.
Rich
I swear you have a Breitbart chipped planted into your cerebral cortex. You just spew every easily refutable lie on the internet as facts
Our elections are over. Trump is just going through the dial phase of bereavement.
Do you realize that Trump was publicly telling his supporters to vote twice?
““One of the best young coaches in the world “Could you please tell us on what is your statement based on??”
Pedro’s seen the industrial sized bottle of ketchup Arteta’s got in his garage.
Rich
Recounts don’t change elections. It will be a dozen votes nullified, either way.
Marc
You’ve got to respect Pedro though
He’s manning up to every hype he’s made about Arteta. He’s not backing down and it should be interesting to see the acrobatics that Pedro will pull in the coming months.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bill Maher right and Trump once he realises it’s over throw a tantrum and walk away.
Dissenter
I think he’s auditioning to be on Trump’s campaign in 2024!
Eric Trump told supporters to keep voting in Minn.
Like WTF
Eric Trump can’t even get his pre – tweets set up for right day, sorry fella that was LAST Tuesday…. election day.
Adderall flowing heavy.
I actually think Trump is doing himself a disservice.
He has done more in 4 years [for better or worse] than most two-term presidents do in 8 years.
He’s going to leave either way. His party are just trying to lead him carefully out like an elephant in a china shop.
He’s become the laughing stock of the planet The Chinese state media are literally issuing mocking tweets everyday. He’s certainly no strong man.
WTF is this Trumpist shit in this blog? Please stop this, I have suffered enough for the past 4 years having to listen to lying, white supremacists, selfish., egotistical poisonous bullshit coming from those that pretend to run the USA. Please refrain from turning this blog into a political rant and argumentative comment section.
Now where were we, oh yes Ozil needs to be back into the squad in January, chew on that for awhile 😀
There was an advert during the Arsenal v Aston Villa match.
It’s now gone from say no to racism to say no to fascism.
I had no idea that the UK had a fascism problem.
Why do you wet wipes keep over exaggerating matters?
Is it because you want to feel that you are living in really meaningful and turbulent times? Really turbulent times that we have seen in the past?
MD-Gunner
Yea…right after you did your own nice rant.
I do agree that this should be Arsenal but try telling that to “Rich”
Ishola
Can’t tell if you’re kidding or not?
Marc
No, he seriously is daft as a brush.
What is your specialised subject?
Cross dressing in 18th century France.
Oh how interesting and valuable.
Fucking academia.
Ishola
That’s funny
John Rahm ….probably the greatest hole in one ever.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D3lzuoTarQjs&ved=2ahUKEwjv77yghPnsAhXSRhUIHWLiAywQwqsBMBd6BAgJEAM&usg=AOvVaw2tcl1z7xvRi6bXyzwGMpsL
Barnes Wallace could’ve done that easy.
Haha …What’s his handicap ?
Rich do you also apply the ‘if you’ve got nothing to hide…’ line when talking about why Trump never released his tax returns?
The chronic mismanagement of Ozil by the club is beyond a joke. In any other business or organisation if a member of staff is not contributing anything positive, is being disruptive and running down a contract he/she would be paid out and marched off the premises under guard never to return. If Ozil stays he will get paid anyway, not contribute a thing, be a diversive influence to all and possibly cause untold damage to morale. Boot Ozil out now so that he can count his money, play Fortnite all day/night and complain about a bad back! It is called… Read more »
Aussie yeah I’m curious to is there any difference financially for us to pay ozil off now or wait until January or his contract ends? We’re paying his salary anyway and won’t let him on the pitch.
If there’s no difference or if the difference is negligible, why is he still here? Anyone know how this works financially speaking?
Aussie trump DIDNT lose
You obviously didn’t see the guy in the sleeveless BBQ Beer and Freedom shirt shouting that the election was stolen.
What odds on BBQ Beer and Freedom dude being called on by the trump campaign for testimony in court? In between bites of his hotdog and swigs of beer, I don’t doubt he will share valuable insight on the FRAUD at hand!!
Btw Rich I’m curious – when the courts either throw out the cases for being based on very little, or they do a recount and nothing changes, will you then accept the election result – or will you just think the courts were corrupt too?
China1 and AussieGooner
I suspect we are saving on some of his wages by not playing him, there has to be an “appearance” component in some of his wages.
Just a haunch, it’s probably not that much but every bit counts when the wages are £350k weekly.
When is arteta gonna do what is needed and put saka on the left and auba up top? We have one of the top 3 crossers in the league in Saka. His crossing is fire and we have a fox in the box CF on the wing instead At Dortmund Auba had Dembele rinsing teams on the wing and firing in crosses for Auba to tap in. Let’s give saka a good run of 5 games on the left wing with Auba central and you will suddenly see our chance creation and goals scored make a visible improvement. We’ll also… Read more »