Honestly, my tech life is in a SHAMBLES. I lost a laptop to a can of hard seltzer last week. Sunday, I lost my personal one to an update. Today, I was sent a replacement that was broken. I’m in pieces. Gone are the days when a simple reset was all you needed.
Currently, I’m typing on an old computer that has heavy keys. But hey, I’m doing this for you. Carpal tunnel syndrome is for the meek.
Bukayo Saka landed himself some minutes for England in their defeat to Belgium. We lost 2-0 but he aquited himself well, especially in a dominant second half. He was very unlucky not to have landed an assist when he played in Kane. The star of the show was Jack Grealish. What a player. Shame we didn’t put that Pepe 72m into him.
I do find these international breaks a fucking joke in general. We’re in the middle of round two of a pandemic and we’re sending players out into different operational setups that appear to have shite covid protocols. We’ve had scares from the Ireland game, we nearly lost Tierney to the Scotland squad, now we’ve lost Mo Elneny to the Egyptian lapse.
I don’t know what’s happened, but it seems every time players step out of their club bubbles, bad things happen. It’s so irresponsible. Players are treated like cattle. They’re being brutalised by the fixtures, whilst having their health risked on international breaks… for friendlies.
Arteta has dropped another interview with the .com. This time, he’s using numbers like an elite marketer.
“It’s part of a process. The results have to be immediate, and the challenge we have with the club we are representing is that we have to win as quickly as possible every game in every competition.
“So far we have played 14 games in all competitions this season, we won 10 and lost four and the four of them have been in the Premier League, so it is a little bit imbalanced.
His framing of the numbers makes for nice reading, but the fans won’t play those sort of games. We can’t be having #top4trophy moments this earlier into a tenure. I think what he’s trying to say is ‘let’s not lose our shit, we’re in a rough patch, but it’ll get better.’
He has to fix more than the win ratio. The savaging he’s taking isn’t really about the points total in the league. It’s the fact we’re not really playing. The performances are dropping and the football is drab. It’s hard to win over fans when those two aren’t working with the results.
Still, he’s a realist.
“We have to settle and everyone has to realise where we are now, but I see the future as really bright. I am a really positive person and I tend to learn much more when things don’t go well and we have a defeat like we had the other day that really hurt after the performance we had at Old Trafford.
“We have to understand why it happened, be really critical first of all with myself and try to understand the players better, and give them more solutions to win more football matches.”
He sees what we see. I think he was extremely shook by the Villa game. His bet on seniority has not paid off so far. His addiction to Lacazette is like MDMA without the party… it’s just pure Tuesday blues. The lack of creativity when you’ve made a point to bin the German social media manager looks bad to fans that only understand football through the lens of Youtube videos.
All these things add up… but as you all know, you can go from fraud to hero in a matter of moments.
What puts the ghouls back in the basement?
3 big results in a row. Maybe even two. Beat Leeds and Spurs and equilibrium will restored.
Great techique in any sport is what you fall back on when the chips are down. Keep doing the basics right and good things will happen. The basics here, from an amateur perspective, would be to put Auba through the middle to get his form back.
I’m not sure I believe Nicolas Pepe is the missing piece of the jigsaw. I think it’s Saka on the left and Willian playing himself into form.
The real key to the next few games is having a fit Thomas Partey. Without Mo supporting him, it looks like it might be Dani Ceballos… and… Xhaka? If the manager was brave, he might go with a Willock like figure. Put some energy in the side. Give our midfield a runner against two sides that we’ll probably sit deep against.
We’ll see though. These next few games are those that make managers. To make it in this league, you have to learn fast, and you have to take risks. You also have to put up with fans that have no patience.
Still, let’s be Perspective FC for a moment. The job this season is top 4. Currently, we’re 6 from 1st. We’ve had a tough run of games teams like Spurs haven’t had. We are also in poor form, that will change, if we keep on gathering points and we’re with 3-6 points of top 4 come February, it’s game on people. That’s the job to be done, we are still in the mix, let’s see how close we are at the end of the next phase of games.
The team needs a jolt, what do YOU think that jolt should be?
P.S. Listen to the quarter term report on Arsenal with Alex I recorded on Sunday. It’s with Alex, he was good.
1
2
3
Pedro’s carpal fingers.
Boom
Sal, you SOB
1st
Pfft
Lost the work laptop to a can of hard seltzer. Literally drinking on the job.
Willian can’t play himself into form as he’s bang average. 32 year old waste of space
His addiction to Lacazette is like MDMA without the party… it’s just pure Tuesday blues. The lack of creativity when you’ve made a point to bin the German social media manager looks bad to fans that only understand football through the lens of Youtube videos.
– Brilliant lol
Both Belgium and England play 3 4 3 formation. But Arteta turned this formation into a very defensive system. He asked Laca to drop back to help out the 2 CM’s. Auba and Willian were too far apart. A way England plays this 3 4 3 formation, the width was maintained by the two wing backs. The striker stays up top. The left and right inside attacker have the freedom to come back to help the midfield and also move up to assist the striker. There are quite a bit more passing between the midfielders and the inside attackers. I… Read more »
My county just went into the purple zone for Corona… life sucks man.
Gonna be a lock down here again I am sure
Lucky 13? At least I made the bench.
That’s more than a Willock gets
I must say,, Upstate, your really hogging the limelight nowadays. Remarkable run. Kudos.
The jolt? 4-4-2 with Saka and Willian out wide in midfield and Aubameyang and Gabriel (when fit) upfront. Try Laca or a Eddie with Aubameyang until then.
Option Two: 4-1-3-2 with Partey mopping up. Saka, Willock and Willian in midfield and the same paring up front.
Either may lose, but they should have more energy and be more fun to watch.
So is Chicago,
Don’t these fucking Dems know the elections are over so no need wrecking Trump’s economy anymore?
As fans, we have to be more patient than ever this season and back Mikel through the rough patches. This is a beginner manager who has already shown glimpses of the good things by beating Liverpool (3 times), City, Utd (away) and Chelsea. Still a lot lot work to be done in term of improving the quality of football and making sure we start winning by comfortable margins against the lesser sides, specially at home. But it ain’t gonna be a quick fix and with this crop of players we have currently, I don’t believe it would be a quick… Read more »
343 is not the problem, Conte at Chelsea won the league playing 343
Having said that i will add 352 would be better for us for now
‘Players are treated like cattle’
Welcome to the world, its been this way across the corporate world
anyone else remember an ainsley matland-niles MOTM performance at CM away at old trafford a few years back? The guy is an athlete and could be a very competent runner to put in our midfield. We see time and time again how important fitness and athleticism is in today’s game and I think we’re a better team when Ainsley is on the pitch.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1222795842102362112
For me its
Leno
Hector-Luiz-Gabriel-Tierney
AMN-Party-Dani
Willian-Auba-Saka
AMN/Willock could easily do what Widjnaldum does under the right coach
@Guns, SF or Santa Clara??
GeNeRaTiOnAl CoAcH. Why don’t we hear that anymore Pete???
Mate you were battering Emery during his whole tenure, take a look at the metrics and Arteta’s numbers are all worse. What is the process? There’s no process going on here mate. Tell me what clear direction we are going in Pete? What is our style of play? He’s been here for nearly a year and all you do is make excuses for him. Pattern up mate
Process! Process! Process!
I’m fed up with this terminology for something that is basically covering up the failures of a system.
All managers use it but it’s just a facade.
As I said last week, Leeds will be a massive game for Arteta at the weekend. Failure to change things and we don’t pick up maximum points and the pressure will be really on.
usual negative drivel being posted I see
Leeds are there for the taking , they will play into our hands as the only know one way of playing…attack They have conceded 8 in their last 2 games and Arteta has a good habit of getting a result when the chips are down. My positive head says this is the turning point in the season and we come away with a 3-0 victory, my negative head says it will be more of the same, drab sterile football with no creativity, hoping to snatch a 1-0 victory. 3-0 it is . As with most Arsenal games under Arteta this… Read more »
We are poor at attacking
If Leeds score 1st we are finished.
You heard it here 1st
Leeds have had time to rest during the break
Thats another disadvantage
Will it be Willian pressing up top? Looool
Talk talk talk
Arteta needs to put his money where his mouth is and get a result.
To me he is like Boris, way out of his depth and thinks rhetoric will get him out of the shit.
Grealish is the kind of player we need, we have not replaced Santi.
Our country is a mess so are we
“I’m fed up with this terminology for something that is basically covering up the failures of a system.”
Aptly put, Graham
I agree, Arteta is very good at talking. And seems to only get results when we’re the underdog and sit back, get a lucky goal, sit back even more.
Grealish has a contract until 2025, this means we will NEVER be able to sign him. He’ll go to Man United for 60M+, we all know it.
Arteta absolutely has to change something against Leeds for me to be on board and have any hope he’s the right man. Any more of this Auba up the left and Pepe glued to the right wing or Luiz being our creative linchpin or Leno looking like a tit trying to play fast out the back and it’ll be another loss and a shit, drab game. I suspect though he won’t go with the mainstream ‘square’ notion of Auba through the middle though, it’ll be some edgy hipster solution, like Partey in the number 10 role or inverted CB’s that… Read more »
““So far we have played 14 games in all competitions this season, we won 10 and lost four and the four of them have been in the Premier League, so it is a little bit imbalanced.” If Emery or Wenger had said something like that we would be raging. Arteta doesn’t deserve a free pass just because he’s a “wet behind the ears” newbie. Leicester sucker punched us but that should have been enough of a reason for us to try something different when we faced Villa at home. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the line up… We… Read more »
Danny + S
Agree.
Getting close to last chance saloon for Arteta.
Leedsgunner
Willian has the look of someone who realises he made a mistake.
I also agree with your take on things.
“We need to mix things up”.
Leeds is a must win sunday, we only get a draw and the pressure ramps up for the wolves game.
A valiant draw wont be good enough at wolves, going into the NLD needing a win either.
Six points before the spuds and the pressures off.
Anything less and we hit a run of games where the shit could hit the fan.
And arteta could find supporters turning on him quickly.
“I’m not sure I believe Nicolas Pepe is the missing piece of the jigsaw. I think it’s Saka on the left and Willian playing himself into form.” Sorry…. please explain how Willian gets to play himself into form?? please justify that. If Pepe is currently worse than Willian at this point, despite having better numbers (does Willian have either a goal or an assist to his name to date??) your going to need to explain that!! At this point, the playing of Willian is nothing but pure stubbornness on Arteta’s part (as is keeping Auba wide left and ineffective in… Read more »
“So far we have played 14 games in all competitions this season, we won 10 and lost four and the four of them have been in the Premier League, so it is a little bit imbalanced.”
The delusion of this statement is off the charts. Some late Wenger stuff right there. But Wenger actually made a massive history before he started talking like this. Can someone remind me again, in the grand scheme of Arsenal legends, who dafug is Mikel Arteta?!
A couple of seasons back a run of fixtures; similar to our next 6 , would be regarded as a at least a 15 point return . Leeds( 8 conceded last 2 games) wolves , ( average this season ) Tottenham ( could be a problem) Burnley ( rock bottom) Southampton ( could be a problem) Everton ( on the slide) A nice run of games. 10 points is the very minimum from this run of games and that won’t improve our league position.. 15 points will put us in contention (highly unlikely) .. Less than 10 points and no… Read more »
The Willian/Pepe argument is a clear one for me.
Arteta wants to show Pepe what he should be doing as far as work output and tactical awareness is concerned.
Problem is Willian is doing zilch.
Flip side is that Pepe feels lost and demotivated. By doing what he’s doing, Arteta is eroding Pepe’s confidence.
Willian is not doing it for me and the sooner Arteta sorts this out, the better for everyone.
As I said earlier, the game against Leeds will be pivotal as far as MA is concerned.
No pressure then.
Pierre
10/18 is what it boils down to then.
Anything more(12-15) and we’d be feeling sort of ok.
Anything less than 10 and “the writings on the ball”.
There is zero justification for playing Willian… ZERO:
Zero justification for his playing time.
Zero justification for his contract
Zero Goals
Zero Assists.
Just plain zero.
BUT what, for the life of me, I cannot understand is:
How did Arteta find space for FIVE GOALKEPPERS but couldn’t find space for Saliba in the Europa league squad???
That for me is one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen an Arsenal manager make… and the later end of Wenger was a cesspit by all accounts
All this talk about the process is only useful if the players actually believe in it, and from the look of things you’d be hard pressed to come to that conclusion. I don’t think Auba had a single touch of the ball in Villa’s penalty area last weekend.
Our link up play is atrocious, so against Leeds we might have to play like a lower league club against a superior side, and try to hit them with an over the top ball to Auba.
Imagine that.
Graham I said way back in lockdown that Saka will be a conundrum for Arteta due to the return of Tierney from injury . Before lockdown we were playing with a back 4 with Saka at left back and Aubameyang on the left in a 4-2-3-1 To shoe horn tierney , saka and Aubameyang into the side , Arteta decided on a wing back system with Tierney as a left sided centre back and Saka as wing back with Aubameyang staying on the left.. The easy alternative is to put Aubameyang up top , saka on the left and Tierney… Read more »
“How did Arteta find space for FIVE GOALKEPPERS but couldn’t find space for Saliba in the Europa league squad???”
More important why have we included that many keepers into this squad?
Complete and utterly incompetent are three words I would use in the way we are handling Saliba at the moment. He deserved the berth in the Europa League squad.
*more importantly…
Haha!
Arteta trying to pad out his win percentage with the results against the likes of Molde, Dundalk and Vienna. Why not chuck in the pre-season friendly victory against MK Dons?
Lool, im here for the violence, i dont believe in diet Pep
“3 big results in a row. Maybe even two. Beat Leeds and Spurs and equilibrium will restored.”
Why is Wolves at home being written off?
Left
It’s the same with the Charity Shield suddenly being a trophy. Fergie wanted to win it but never counted as a proper trophy, same with Wenger, Pep etc the only people who counts it are Mourinho who wouldn’t let his grand kids beat him at a board game and those trying to deflect.
“How did Arteta find space for FIVE GOALKEPPERS but couldn’t find space for Saliba in the Europa league squad???”
Christ have we included the under 12 keeper in the EL squad?
If Arsenals ambition was to win another FA, we should have kept Wenger
Atleast he won FA cups and still played better football, loool
Apart from Leno, Runarsson and Macy, who are the other two?
Ken and Doug from F&B?
The list of grievances against Arteta just grows and grows.
The FA Cup win is a distant memory.
Leeds
“More important why have we included that many keepers into this squad?”
I made exactly that point a couple of months back and received the usual abuse on here.
That’s why i have always called bullshit whenever Arteta spouts his nonsense…to not include Saliba or Ozil ( for footballing reasons) in the Europa squad and include so many keepers ( i thought it was 4 ) makes Arteta look incompetent.
“Where we are now”!!
Hold on, weren’t we in quite a good place after we beat Fulham.
What’s gone wrong Mikel?
Oh I know, you became far too clever for your own good by trying to change things.
Pierre
As I’ve already said regarding Ozil, Arsenal put all their hope in driving Ozil out the club by not including him in the squads. They were hoping he had an ounce of ambition to play football and would find himself a new club.
What they didn’t realise was how ‘loyal’ he is and he’d happily sit on his arse for a year so it backfired massively.
HighburyLegend
I can add to that conversation.
“That’s fine boss, if you think Bernd can command the box, distribute the ball better and actually be brave and catch the ball better than I can, then I totally understand”
Still, imo, a monumental mistake by Arteta.
The fall out from this has been massive.
The thing is , Saliba does have flaws in his game , again i received untold abuse on here for suggesting that Saliba has poor technique when heading the ball , gabriel always looked a more formidable player to me due to his superb heading amd the way he attacks the ball.. The Europa league would have been the perfect place for Saliba to work on his flaws , build up his confidence.and show Arteta that he he is a good footballer ( which he is) . All these excuses we keep hearing are just more bullshit from Arteta ..he… Read more »
Danny s
“What they didn’t realise was how ‘loyal’ he is and he’d happily sit on his arse for a year so it backfired massively.”
I know this may seem a novel idea , but Arteta could have swallowed his pride and played him as we are obviously a better football team with him in the side, and I’m sure players like Aubameyang, pepe , Partey and willian would love to see Ozil alongside them on the pitch….
More from the conversation with Martinez.
Arteta: ‘i have been watching Leno in training, he works very hard, harder than you. You caught Xhakalson in the balls…… with your boot’
Pierre
My guess is they were betting on the MLS or the Arab clubs luring Ozil. Their windows closed after ours in which we would have had to take a gamble.
Also, you are very much dreaming of the pre fortnite Ozil, the one who gave a tiny bit of a shit. Ozils output has been less then crap the past few years. So much so you had to resort to chirping about his ‘forward pass’ and ‘pass completed’ stats in the end.
I get the feeling that the tide of fan opinion is beginning to shift away from Arteta
Not so much as recent results, just the feeling that he’s in over his head with some of the squad decisions he’s made.
Losing very badly just before the international break has a way of poisoning the well. Losing has a way of disinhibiting fans from holding back their previously held reservations.
Hopefully we get back to wining ways again because I’m not sure Arteta has the skill set to reverse a rapid spiral.
Don’t think there is any ‘easy run of games’ anymore in the Prem
There was a linked article on Arseblog last week which showed it’s not so much the technical level of the players at issue but far more the formation they’re played in that’s missing the link to progressively move the ball into goal scoring opportunities…..
Hoping that MA’s looked into this kind of thing too, as clearly something’s not working (other than the jacket now making the players have second thoughts about how hip the manager is after all….!)
Thinking calmly feel Arteta is out of his depth, but a most obstinate arsehole who can eloquently bullshit with figures in 5 languages.
Bit of a pitbull left unchained by owners having no idea of how to run a football club, only motivation being the bottom line.
”Why is Wolves at home being written off?”
Marc
Wolves would let us have the ball and we will have no clue what to do with it.
70th min Traoure comes one.
80th min he’s put through on goal and he scores.
Arteta is happy after the match even though we lost because Wolves played like that because they fear/respect us.
Pedro writes a post the next day referencing this post and how he left out the match against Wolves because he knew what we happen and we should all trust and bow to King Arteta.
azed
Could well be but we haven’t lost at home to Wolves in the PL for some time – recently had a few draws, Arteta has a stronger squad than Emery and is a better manager I expect him to improve our form not be able to predict how shit we are.
Exposing players in meaningless matches is monstrous. But there you are, international football is run by a bunch of idiots.
For me, Saka was great in the game against Belgium. Evidently Southgate agrees – but I am not sold on Grealish. He is not another Gazza. Closer to Guendozy, I fear.
The key point in Arteta’s statement was not ‘numbers’, it was ‘it’s a process’. We should take note of that. The guy is making a plea for TIME. Sadly, something fans rarely give a manager.
“The key point in Arteta’s statement was not ‘numbers’, it was ‘it’s a process’.”
I would love for Diet Pulis to explain what is the ‘process” he’s always talking about.
englandsbest
I agree on Grealish. Ball hogs. Would be a better player if he released it earlier for the benefit of the team rather than do it all himself. For all of his possession and touches last night what did he actually achieve? Apart from throw himself to the floor. You liken him to Guendozzy, I think he’s more a Wilshere.
Englandsbest
Are you having a laugh?
Grealish “closer to Guendouzi”.
GunnerDNA
And to let us know when the ‘process’ is likely to be complete?
Controversial as I know a few one here rate Grealish’s calves.
5am
I think Arteta’s too strict with his formation and tactics, playing Auba wide left works if he’s allowed to move away from the wing into attacking positions – the same for Pepe but as the heat map someone put up the other day shows they’re playing too deep and too far from goal.
Christian Eriksen in possible shock return to North London with Arsenal as Gunners propose Granit Xhaka swap with Inter Milan.
Poch as the manager would be perfect!
“Christian Eriksen in possible shock return to North London with Arsenal as Gunners propose Granit Xhaka swap with Inter Milan.”
Yes please ..that could be a game changer.
Will be wildly unimpressed if Eriksen rocks up at the Emirates, have never rated him.
He’s a static set-piece merchant. If Inter want Xhaka then give us money and we can use that towards the likes of Aouar. Of all the swap possibilities out there that has to be one of the shittest.
Pierre
Are you saying Eriksen is good, getting rid of Xhaka for anyone is good or is it a double positive?
Marc
It’s a double positive without a doubt..
Much like the need for 5 Goalkeepers, there is ZERO justification for the omission of Saliba from that Europa League squad…. Other than:
Incompetence
Gross negligence
Stubbornness
Sheer and utter stupidity.
In fact I’d go as far to say that was an action worthy of dismissal.
Arteta: “I learn more when things don’t go to plan.”
My problem is, why there is no plan B provided to the players…
Great!
An overpaid, over rated Sp*rs reject to go with our overpaid, over rated Chav reject.
We need more Szoboszlai’s and less Willians.
More Aouar’s and less Eriksen’s.
GunnerDNA Left testicle Graham62 Wilshere was far more gifted than Grealish – and far less ‘give it to me’ Arteta has told us his AIM many times: return Arsenal to the elite, create a team that competes with the best, here and in Europe. The PROCESS is how he gets there. In other words, his METHOD. That is something he has not told us about except in general terms, such as as ‘hard work’, ‘commitment’, and so on. A clever manager never shares the DETAIL – and for obvious reasons. It would be self-destructive, like Napoleon telling Wellington his battle-plan.… Read more »
“How did Arteta find space for FIVE GOALKEPPERS but couldn’t find space for Saliba in the Europa league squad???” First, let me make clear that Saliba not being part of the EU squad is an utter incompetence of the highest order. Blatantly foolish and obvious lack of experience and a lack of brain to be honest. Second, the exorbitant amount of Goalkeepers in that squad was extremely odd when I read it but it’s not the reason Saliba wasn’t included in the squad. It’s where it gets tricky and needs careful reading. There is two lists of players that clubs… Read more »
This is the really odd part.
Why did we sign both Mari and Gabriel all while extending Luiz and trying to extend Mustafi’s contract when we KNEW we had a super talented CB joining our squad a full year ago?
Arteta doesn’t seem to rate Mavropanos.
raptora
Because Areta wants all the players (bar Guendozi and Ozil). Stop’s Xhaka leaving, rejects offers for AMN and Laca, stops Holding going on loan etc etc
You can discount beating pub teams Dundalk and Molde and we actually drew twice against Liverpool in regular time, winning only on penalties.
Arteta is good nut only thing which would get him sacked is his stubbornness.
Playing Laca every match, sticking to Xhaka and Willian, playing Auba at left when Saka can easily replace him there and Auba gets to play in middle, sticking to Leno even in Europa while playing a team I never heard about, etc.
*but (lolol)
My word misery loves company. Hope you’re all here with this much enthusiasm when we start winning again.
Was just thinking the same Pedro, cant wait for Sunday already!