What sort of a week am I having? Well, I hadn’t eaten all day yesterday because I was under some extreme pressure at work. At about 8pm I thought, you know what, I’ll treat myself to something exciting. I ordered a really shameful local burger thing… I was excited. It was basically a FUCK YOU HEART burger monstrosity only America can nail. Jeff was delivering to me. I tracked him all the way. Walked out to greet him like a fat kid greets the Ice Cream van. I could not see Jeff. I called. The address was right. He was in Miami. The same exact address. Except he was in Oklahoma. There’s a Miami in Oklahoma? Are you fucking kidding me? A $100billion app can’t say ‘DON’T CLICK YES TO THIS IT IS WRONG.’ No good times for me last night. I ate a pot of ice cubes instead.
Arsenal feels a little like that at the moment. We clicked ‘YES PLEASE’ to the delivery of progressive football to The Arsenal, but the guy who welcomed us at the door didn’t come with the right ingredients, and it’s unclear if his home chef-ing transfers into the restaurant game
I’m being harsh there of course, but not really. Currently, Arsenal is living off the joy fumes of a trophy that outside the main prize (Champions League football), is a fucking waste of ‘sitting on my arse’ time. The Premier League has been grim all year. The games we’ve won, outside United, have been very drossy. When the drossy football looked like a strategy, I could accept it, but increasingly, it just looks like we’ve been getting lucky in football purgatory. Even the United game, which was our best performance, was won by a penalty… and the manager said we played better against Spurs when we were cleanly taught a Jose lesson.
Well, it’s time for Arteta to show something new. We can’t perform badly all year and tomorrow, a home game against a pretty bad Burnley side, is where he has to do some catching up. I keep on saying it, but, we need a performance.
How he gets there, I’m not sure. Even the Dundalk game was quite a way off ‘performance’ levels and they were a pub team. Arteta needs to work out what his basics are again, because we’ve gone on a bit of a wild ride as to what he’s looking for. It’s generally the sign of a young manager, that when a crisis hits, you try 10 things instead of focusing on one. Different tactics, players, in game strategies… it’s a mess.
The shift from 11 at the back, to something more interesting, has been a painful journey. The top-level overview is this squad can shithouse 1-0s when we are ultra-cautious and in form, but when the senior players dip, that’s not possible.
Also, it’s not possible to shift up to an attacking offering when the senior players are giving us 70%. We have no creative outlets and by going for something sexier, we open ourselves up like the bad old days.
So the mega challenge is this: How does Arteta give some attacking juice to a depressed team without completely botching the defensive principles?
Now, we’ve all seen the Vinnai V Interview with Henry Winter in The Times.
‘You’ve got a guy who is absolutely driven to succeed and be successful on the pitch, but doing it in a way that respects our history and traditions. So I think with him we have got a really, really powerful individual.’
Vinnai speaks like the Deloitte consultant he was, but it’s clear, they are backing him because they can’t not do that right now.
This interview, for me, gives cover for Mikel to reconsider how he tackles this season. If the fans are told the manager is going nowhere and the manager tells the fans he’s going to do something different that speaks to the betterment of Arsenal over the long-term, then you have yourself a platform to build, which gives you time.
Arteta obviously can’t put out 11 kids against a very rough and experienced Burnley side. But he can restart the process of rewarding good performances with games. He should start prioritising his future vision for Arsenal by giving players minutes who fit the system, even if that fit is far from perfect… because the alternative, which has been to put unsuitable senior players, who can’t be arsed, into a system they don’t like, has us 15th.
Jurgen Klopp said a good gegenpress is better than a good #10. The whole idea of pressing, which originated in basketball (I think) as a full court press, is the notion that aggression and relentless closing down of opposition can overpower technique and talent if you do it well enough. Well, what has our system lacked with the seniors at 70%? Pressing. What do young kids that want careers do? Run. Do what they are told. Never stop.
Despite Arteta claiming otherwise, there are certain players that are likely undroppable. Leno, Gabriel, Tierney, Saka, and Auba. You have to play Auba out of his funk because his form will return. The rest of the positions are up for grabs.
What do the stats say? Well, Mo Elneny is the most efficient midfielder in the league for line breaking passes. He’s also the player with the best ball retention under pressure in the league (players with over 450mins). I don’t care that he’s not perfection, in the system we need to play, he has legs, he does the basics right, we are better with him in the side.
AMN isn’t perfect, but he is young, he has a lot of talent, and he has the athletic profile we need in our midfield. Arteta needs to coach him. Give him a very specific role and tell him to activate against it with all his concentration. A base of midfield with those two gives you a strong platform to build from. You have energy, doggedness, and some pretty decent locomotion. There’s no room for Xhaka, I’m sorry, but regardless of his passing numbers, the eye test fails every single time. His balls into the final third mean very little because we create nothing. His passing is accurate because he is painfully slow at releasing. He is seen as a tactical weakness by other managers because he’s slow. We have to let him drop into right back to protect him from pressure. This madness cannot go on.
How we build ahead of the midfield base is debatable and we’ve got nowhere near an answer this season. For me, it’s Auba on the left. He refuses to press through the middle and he gets eaten alive when he’s asked to hold the ball up. If he plays left, Reiss takes up the right, and you go with Eddie through the middle to set the tempo, you might be in interesting shape. Then the big move… who do you put in that hole? Do you opt to give Saka a go in that position because of his pace and potential ability through the middle? Or do you give Lacazette a run there? I would be inclined to try Saka as a roaming 10 because he is good defensively, and he can stretch teams with his pace. Maybe it’s not a ten and he’s a left sided 8 with AMN taking on the right.
It’s clear I’m not a coach, but I think we really need to start moving in a direction that is about the future, not one that is focused on reengineering the past. Arteta was asked about whether youth was key to his plans. He said this:
“When I feel it is the right moment to do that, I have to bring the players that I have the feeling — or we have the feeling as a coaching staff — that have the best chance for us to win the game,” he said. “So [the answer] has to be a yes.”
That feels like the PC way of saying ‘my senior players aren’t it, right?’
Key point though:
“What I can tell you is that the team will be prepared to battle with a real desire, because we know how important that game [against Burnley] is going to be for us.”
The battle hasn’t been there over the last month. The biggest shift in attitude under Arteta was the fighting spirit. The football might have been pony, but the nasty streak we had, and leaving it all on the battlefield was a joyous spectacle. Mikel needs to get the team back to that. The shortcut to that is to play the guys you don’t need to rally. Play the people who have a future invested in being great at football now. Stop giving game time to the players more interested in planning retirement to Miami, Oklahoma.
So once again I’ll end a post with… over to you Mikel, good luck.
____________________________________________________________
LISTEN TO OUR LATEST PODCAST. Matt and I talk about the root cause of our issues. Leadership, hard work, and lack of strategy… still. We also talk some positives as well.
1st
And
The
Whoop Whoop
Tr4phy
2nd time in 3 days. Easy peasy!
Damn this ‘posting comments too quickly’ lark
Hahahaha to the burger story, unlucky with that one Pedro. I have had Just Eat cock ups aplenty but that takes the biscuit.
Was it a Beyond Burger? I thought you were vegan but that may just be the oat milk thing?
You said that Arteta should coach AMN on his short comings. That is the problem. Can Arteta coach? You can’t give what you don’t have. If he can coach players to overcome their short comings we wouldn’t be where we are now. The earlier we get a new coach the better
Well we still asking for something that is still not coming or way
A new coach won’t do us any good when we have so many duds in the team, we need a new team that’s more like it
CEO backing an under fire manager is a kiss of death in football.
I hope it’s true here.
The only way we’ll arrest this slump is by slinging him out and getting a proper manager in. NOT any of the former Arsenal lads. None of them.
A real manager who can coach a team and can judge playing ability accurately. Someone who can organise us to be defensive and to attack and dominate.
Until then though. It will be more of the same.
Pedro
That opening paragraph is hilarious,
Hope you’re not suffering from water intoxication
Pedro
You are right.
Geggenpress was used by an under-12 girls basket ball team playing in the Silicon Valley
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/05/11/how-david-beats-goliath
Cashmoe: “A new coach won’t do us any good when we have so many duds in the team, we need a new team that’s more like it” Thing is Arteta had the power and offers to sell several of the duds and bring some exciting players in their place. A manager that doesn’t decline offers for Xhaka, AMN, Lacazette and moves on Mustafi, Kolasinac, Sokratis and co at the first chance available, is a manager that shows ambition and winning attitude. Arteta kept them and now we’re crying poverty, bad apples, seniors letting him down. Well is it really big… Read more »
Dortmund – Stuttgart
1:5
Mavropanos again started for Stuttgart.
If both him and Guen do well this season, we can easily lose Sokratis, Mustafi, Xhaka next year.
Kris,
Assuming Arteta isn’t our manager, yes. Under him both players will not receive chances.
Hearing a cracking sound coming from your Arteta Armour, Pedro?
Harder and harder to keep the faith when you don’t see any real sign of progress these days.
The longer that Arteta persists with whatever it is he is trying, the more and more the pressure amps up, deservedly so.
How can Arteta be seen as a great coach if he perseveres with GX, Bellerin and Willian?
A ten year old would see how useless they all are and be able to sort things out.
I’m sorry but if they all play tomorrow, I’ll go frigging ballistic.
What do we think of Bissouma? * Rapid over short and long distances * Great engine * Balance + agility * Aggressive * Decentish passing range * 62% tackle success rate * 3.7 successful tackles p/g this season * 54% arial battles won * PL experience * 24, best days ahead of him, looks like a player who’s improving * Won’t cost us a fortune in wages Our other option could be Soumare at Lille, who I don’t know much about, other than he’s 6ft3, and physically looks tailor made for the PL. We desperately need some physicality, athleticism, and… Read more »
Raptora,
well if Arteta holds grudges, he won’t last anyway. Too much competition nowadays for that attitude to succeed. Holding grudges is a form of stubbornness, and based on his first year, Arteta will need to develop a lot of flexibility — if that possibility even exists within his character.
The pessimist in me sees a line up tomorrow featuring Bellerin, Xhaka and Willian.
Probably Laca in the hole with Auba central again.
Probably a 3 at the back seeing as we played that against Dundalk.
Kris,
Agreed.
We will play the same team which lost to spurs. The cue is in what Arteta mentioned – “the best we have played so far in the season”.
So Arteta believes that so far the best we have played is against Spurs and he will hope that we continue to play the same against Burley. We will use the tactics of crossing the ball 50+ times into the box like we have done over the last 2 PL games and we will have no one attacking them as well.
Not having great hopes.
“There’s no room for Xhaka, I’m sorry,”
I’m sorry Arteta stopped him leaving!
Pedro
A serious question – if you play Auba on the left where do you play Saka or do you drop him?
Danny
Maybe Nketiah gets a start – then Arteta can throw him under the bus when he has zero supply and say my top scorer let me down.
Graham
“A ten year old would see how useless they all are and be able to sort things out.”
It’s actually worse than you say because that ten year old started saying Xhaka isn’t good enough when he was six and a half.
https://www.football365.com/news/smith-arteta-should-play-arsenals-youngsters-vs-burnley
Smudger says play some of the kids.
Agree on not filling the whole team with youth, but some have earned their chances over some of the senior players who continue to disappoint.
Newspapers are now publicly reporting that according to internal sources Saliba has no future at Arsenal as long as Arteta is in charge. Arteta made clear that he wants to purchase another right footed CB. Unfortunately all his preferred options are either too expensive or so bad Edu is vetoing them. Remember when in September, people were actually posting that Arteta just did not fancy Saliba and were laughed at. The only one still laughing at now are fans of other clubs. Arteta is now actively trying to destroy the career of a young player, because he has had the… Read more »
Nailed on draw tomorrow. With Saka and KT pinging 73 crosses to Nketiah who will be inside Tarkowski’s pocket. You heard it here first.
Saka false 9. Auba running past him on the left. Willy/Reiss on the right? It’s amazing how much cash weve shelled out for right wingers that are absolute dross
Rashford goes down too easily and was offside – not a pen.
Arteta not holding grudge?
The guy is still actively trying to find the mole who reveal the fight between Ceballos and David Luiz. He is a spiteful control freak.
Instead of worrying about spygate, he should be worrying about tactics and personnel.
Valentin
Even worse you don’t keep it in the press.
You know things are bad when my buddy Champagne Charlie goes missing
Receding
There’s just no defence at the moment.
Valentin with another Saliba fantasy story. Some things never change.
Wasi,
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/arsenal-transfer-news-william-saliba-19446196
It is being reported by every English newspaper. Clearly one of his Arteta leaked the story off the record that Saliba was not ready for the premier league. Unfortunately it has the exact opposite effect intended. Journalists have seen his performance in U23 games and many have been impressed. Instead of reporting that Arteta does not consider him ready, journalists are now reporting that Arteta does not want him.
Marc,
The thing with Arteta is that he does not even realise that keeping in the limelight his search for the mole is just highlighting his control freakery. It also force people to ask themselves why is he still focus on that when there is so many other obvious problems at the club.
For a smart man he does make a lot of dumb decision.
Valentin
That’s the thing – if Arteta was nailing it top of the PL had fucked Mourinho so badly last week that he quit and was playing football that made peak Wengerball look like Stoke he can do what he wants. When you’re fucking up constantly, can’t buy a goal from open play and are getting drawn into a relegation fight it’s not unreasonable for people to ask you to concentrate on doing your job.
for all the shit Ole is getting, MU are actually looking decent
I’m sick to death with people who think they know how to fix the problem – mostly ‘fire the manager’ on here. But it includes all the pundits and the press and theTom, Dick and Harrys. The truth is, nobody knows for sure how to fix the problem. In cases like this, an emergency where you don’t know the answer, the rule of thumb is: back the man. All of us, pretty much, have been in situations like this. To keep the subject light I’m not gonna talk about doctors or cops or bank managers. Instead I’m gonna enlarge on… Read more »
Hopefully the move talks are more a loan than a transfer – let’s face it Arteta’s not going to be here long term in fact he’s lucky that it’s looking like London will go into tier 3 in the next week or 2 so no fans in the ground but if we sell Saliba I know we’ll look back in a couple of years and ask “what the fuck was Arteta doing?”
$h*ty miss Silva, manure ain’t playing all that well, should be 2-0 down but for 2 goal line clearances.
eb
Give it a rest Arteta is a shit manager and will be lucky to get another job in management anywhere near a top division club.
“There’s just no defence at the moment.”
Pedro is giving it a good go Marc
The delayed vision defense
“He should start prioritising his future vision for Arsenal by giving players minutes who fit the system, even if that fit is far from perfect… ”
The above from today’s post hints at Arteta being “forced” into not prioritising his vision, probably by ungrateful fans like you and I. Wonder when the penny will drop that the football on display is the football Arteta wants as he himself has owned up to.
I havent heard anything about the mole since that incident between Dani and Luiz happened. What are you all on about?? As for that Saliba article you posted Valentin, it read like clickbait created by some intern. No quotes. “Club sources believe” okay, right…
Dani
Arteta mentioned it in an interview again the other week.
Remember the “non-negotiable “? Bellerin has made 5 foul throwing, kore league this Eason, as many as the total Goa,s scored between Abua and Laca. You would elect a manager to just keep quiet in public and go off on the player who’s still making basic errors to turn the ball over. What did Arteta’S Arsenal do? “I think it [the foul throws] was really, really harsh,” ““We sent the images to the Premier League because there have been many, many incidents, much worse than that but they were never [given as foul throws]. “But we will keep working and… Read more »
“In cases like this, an emergency where you don’t know the answer”
Speak for yourself
The answer to a string of horrible results and performances is sack the manager, pretty straightforward. You keep going on and on like we have an established coach in charge with a record of league titles or building successful teams whereas what we have is an assistant coach from City, one of three assistants mind.
Provide a link for a brother?
*Bellerin has made 5 foul throws in the league this season, as many as the total goals scored between Auba and Laca.
Receding
I actually think privately Pedro would agree that Arteta is the worst manager we’ve had since Christ knows when and should be fired. He just can’t admit that on here yet because he’ll never live it down.
He’s just spinning out a narrative softening the blow until he can find an excuse “the Kroenke’s didn’t give him £500 million to spend in Jan” type thing and then he’ll turn it into Arteta’s too good for the PL and needs to go where he’ll be appreciated bollocks.
Dissenter
Sorry are you saying that Arteta has complained to the PL about Bellerin being punished for making foul throws?
Marc, Marc, I think that he has insecurities and he lashes out at anybody who challenge his authority. Guendouzi, Saliba, Özil, … Like you said, if he was successful he could behave like a control freak and nobody would care. But unfortunately that’s not the case. Under statement of the year as he has in charge of the worst start for 39 years, so he should expect people (journalist, pundits, fans, …) to challenge him. They will analyse every single one of his decisions. So avoiding to make stupid decisions or decisions that could be misconstrued should be his first… Read more »
Valentin
“I think that he has insecurities and he lashes out at anybody who challenge his authority. Guendouzi, Saliba, Özil, …”
You’ve let yourself down putting Ozil in there.
Considering that after Wenger Emery had no real time for him.
And Ljngberg could harly hide his disdain for Ozil in the short period he was caretaker.
So I wouldn’t hit Arteta with a stick regarding Ozil.
Marc
Yes, Arteta’s Arsenal complained to the FA about the foul throws, rather that just teach the player how to throw a ball properly, something most 11-12 year olds have mastered.
He has his favorites, Bellerin is like his baby brother.
Valentin
Worst case scenario Arteta get’s sacked October time next year after finishing mid table this season. As you say keep Saliba out on loan and then get him back and make good.
My only doubt is I can’t see Edu lasting either which is a worry when it comes to bringing in a new manager.
Marc,
Yes Arteta has complained to the FA about the fact that referees are now more severe about Bellerin’s foul throw.
I must admit he is not completely wrong as there has been numerous instances of unsanctioned throw much worse than Bellerin’s throw. However the issue is that Bellerin does it more consistently. So now referees and opposition’s knows and immediately signal to the referees any suspicious throw.
The only way for Bellerin to avoid it would be to work with the set pieces specialist on them.
Dissenter
I’m almost lost for words! Arteta has seriously lost the plot if he’s picking fights over things so embarrassing.
What he should be doing is telling the squad there’s a new “non negotiable” any one stupid enough to make a foul throw gets fined a weeks wages.
Receding Hairline
Gee whiz! You know how to fix things. Fire the manager.
Hey, haven’t we tried that before recently?
Ozil is a special case.
Arteta should have stayed away from the wage reduction negotiations last summer. He got himself entangled with all that mess and I assume the Ozil situations is somewhat linked to that issue.
Ozil also acted like a first rate dick in the pre-season with all those twitter digs at the club
Ozil doesn’t deserve to play another game for Arsenal after the way he conducted himself publicly on twitter.
Has he helped that gunnersaurus guy yet?.
Valentin’Over the course of 4-5 season, I reckon most players will have 1 foul throw over the course of 4-5 seasons.
Bellerin has had five in one season , so referees are wise to pay more attention to him
englandsbest,
Sure we did, just that we happened to hire a much worse one. I am not sure whether defending a rookie with no clue is the right hill to die on, but hey, knock yourself out.
…………….Leno
……Holding Gabriel
Bellerin………..Tierney
…..Ceballos Xhaka
Willian Laca Saka
…….Aubameyang
Not what I’d go with, but this is what I think we’ll see tomorrow.
Ishola70, You are projecting your opinion onto Freddie. Freddie has been at least twice on Monday Night Football on Sky. And twice he said nice thing about Özil. He also explained that he did not want Özil in games where he did not expected us to dominate the ball, but that the others when he was available he had used him. He explicitly stated that low block game were perfect games for Özil. As he is not part of Arsenal setup, he did not have to be diplomatic. Anyway the question is not about Özil the player, but about Arteta… Read more »
Manchester United. No pen. No win. It’s that simple. Long live Ole
May be Saliba is not as good as some of you think he is,. just saying.
TR7
If he’s not even given a chance in a EL squad that has six keeper’s in it we’ll never know will we?
TR7,
‘Maybe’ Arteta is not particularly good at judging players and selecting teams/squads.
“Hey, haven’t we tried that before recently?”
Yea and it didn’t work so the current coach gets a contract for life till he gets it right? I am trying to remain polite but you are really something
SUGA
“‘Maybe’ Arteta is not particularly good at judging players and selecting teams/squads.”
Maybe? You feeling OK?
Dissenter,
I am agreeing with you.
I am just adding the fact because he has has so many in such a short amount of time, throws that otherwise would have seemed legitimate are now judged more harshly. Some were borderline and some of the opposition’s were worse than the one Bellerin was punished for.
For example a throw should be reversed if the thrower has one foot on the pitch. Check the number of times where that rule is followed.
Rich
Yeah there or there abouts. I’m half convinced we’ll see Nketiah in for Laca but who knows with Arteta.
“Arteta had the power and offers to sell several of the duds and bring some exciting players in their place. A manager that doesn’t decline offers for Xhaka, AMN, Lacazette and moves on Mustafi, Kolasinac, Sokratis and co at the first chance available, is a manager that shows ambition and winning attitude. Arteta kept them and now we’re crying poverty, bad apples, seniors letting him down. Well is it really big of a surprise” Can’t be more true. If it’s just coaching abilities, tactical and game management, that could be learned with experience, as a novice manager. BUT, i feel… Read more »
Valentin
We all saw that Ljungberg did not like Ozil when he was caretaker.
What he says to the media on Sky at a later time matters not. That you take on board comments made to the media is silly.
We had the exact same thing with Emery. He was beaten with a stick by the end for everything under the sun and things that he shouldn’t have been beaten over.
Ozil falls into that category.
Marc,
Arteta is just playing with the media and hope to get them off his back.
However bar Xhaka and Willian, the issue is not about personnel, but about tactics. If Nkethia starts instead of Aubameyang but our tactic is to send floating crosses to our lone smallish striker in the middle of two giant CBs, the die is cast and we will lose against Burnley.
Marc, appreciate you always say it like it is.
“May be Saliba is not as good as some of you think he is,. just saying.” I will take the race reviews he got that made pundits congratulate us for getting him early, not cheaply too. I will take that over the judgement of the man who has us playing the way we are now. Its obvious what’s going on TR7 , his own signings and pet projects get priority. He went out and got 32 year old Willian to become a guaranteed starter to show he doesn’t rate Pepe (I know you back that). Then Mari in the EL… Read more »
Marc,
The word ‘maybe’ was in quotes. Of course he’s shit at it.
I would love our resident Arteta fanboys to tell me what exactly he is aby good at.
*rave reviews ffs
Sack the Spanish prick. Worst manager of Arsenal in my lifetime and worse manager in premier league
My disappointment with Arteta is that he loans out Guendouzi and Torreira and leaves us with Granit Xhaka. That is just poor.
I couldn’t care less about Ozil. He’s a piece of shit that has been trying to sabotage the club from his twitter account. He has shown he is all about himself and not the club.
Red Line
I don’t like having to say it. I’d love for Arteta to be tearing up the PL on course for a PL, FA Cup, League Cup and EL quadruple in his first full season – denying the Spud’s CL football in the process.
I wanted Arteta to be the first Arsenal manager to win back to back titles and bring us our first CL but it’s just clear the guy isn’t up to the job. Ultimately it’ll be in his own best interest to go sooner rather than later.
I know it won’t happen but rather see Balogun being tried upfront than Eddie if we are going with a kid.
Eddie has had more than his fair share of chances. Not saying he isn’t good but the club shouldn’t let Balogun walk out. Putting him on the pitch would be a win win.
TYAG
Mate you need to leave the ambiguity out of your comments – just tell us what you think?
“Gee whiz! You know how to fix things. Fire the manager. Hey, haven’t we tried that before recently?” Yeah, same thing Liverpool did before Klopp, spuds before Poch, City before Pep, Manure until they find someone good after Fergie. Almost always an elite manager will succeed in a job they take. If it’s taking a long time at Arsenal it’s because we’ve been signing the wrong people. Out of the obvious Pep and Klopp, who will be successful at every team they take, Poch will be the same, Allegri will be the same, Simeone, Conte. We need to stop taking… Read more »
@Suga3
That’s what annoys me, you ask people to give you a genuine reason why he’s the man for the job, and they can’t come up with anything. Defensively we’re not better , if some of the teams we played buried their chances they created you’d see defence is still as shit, even with the excellent Gabi.
SUGA
I was fucking about – no insult intended!
Guendouzi scored a screamer today.
Mavropanos great in a 5-1 win vs Dortmund.
And we have Xhaka and Mustafi playing for us? Arteta out.
This season was always going to be a massive slog.
9/9 or 7/9 from Burnley, Southampton, Everton, and things start to level out going into the Chelsea game Boxing Day, which is always a toss up that can go either way.
We need to start chalking some points, get within at least 3 points of the top 6 after the West Brom game.
Hopefully the club can clear out some deadwood, and add some sparkle.
“That’s what annoys me, you ask people to give you a genuine reason why he’s the man for the job, and they can’t come up with anything.”
He won two trophies
“He won two trophies”
For crying out loud the Charity Shield is not a major trophy.
“This season was always going to be a massive slog.”
Yes Rich, you saw us losing six league games before December. What’s the rumpus, this is normal.
“For crying out loud the Charity Shield is not a major trophy.”
Depends on who wins it
Martinez won the fa cup, guess what he’s shit as well and wouldn’t want him at Arsenal either. Harry Redknapp won the fa cup, he was never an elite manager either. Sorry in one off games a bit of luck anyone can win the fa cup.
We have lost same number of games as Burnley in the league but Rich will have you know this is normal cos he doesn’t rate the squad. Any other manager will be slinging in crosses and losing games you see
“9/9 or 7/9 from Burnley, Southampton, Everton, and things start to level out” Pedro been talking for a winning streak 6 games ago before our game vs Leicester. We were supposed to have won the games we should have, and lost the games we should have. The patterns were already obvious. Since then 4 losses, 1 draw, 1 win in 6 games. Still waiting for the winning streak. Might wait for a win or two, before you start believing in a streak of wins. Like how can people expect a streak when we have lost 3 home games in a… Read more »
It’s not just the number of matches we’ve lost it’s who to and the nature of the losses.