Good morning my darlings. I’ve been to hell this week. Arsenal has been shit. Advertising has been worse (we won that Ad of the Year award though, so thanks). I’m on my 4th accommodation in 2 weeks after dealing with rodents. The only joy has been finding out that lizards are quite social and like to hang out when you work. Weirdos.
It’s time to get back to business though. I can’t have Arsenal being shit forever. Mikel Arteta’s fall from grace needs a swift turnaround. He’s going nowhere and he needs to fix the problems.
Southampton are not exactly shit these days. Ralph Hassenhutl overcame a similarly shocking run last season, now he’s fighting for the league. They’ve been so good even Theo is looking like a player.
Still, at some point, something is going to click. I know everyone is crying that we’re going to get relegated… it’s not going to happen. Here’s how bad the season has been: if we’d beaten Burnley and Southampton tonight, we’d be 3 points off Chelsea.
What does that tell you? If we put a run in, we could climb the table pretty fast. Now, we have good players. Some are downing tools. Some are out of form. If we can work out who is who, then we could find some sparkle.
Auba looks shattered confidence-wise, but we were finding him the other night and he didn’t stop working. It’ll click for him. I simply refuse to believe he’s an Ozil-like issue.
Granit Xhaka can’t be used tonight. He’s been fined and now he can’t play. That means there will be a change in midfield. A lot of fans were critiquing Arteta for not savaging him a week after savaging Arteta for going off a Nic Pepe. I think he learnt his lesson, his post red reaction was virtually the same. Everyone fucks up, let’s move on.
Hector Bellerin, bless him, is finally being dropped because he’s suspended. What will Mikel do? I really hope he plays Cedric Soares and puts Ainsley in midfield. If he doesn’t, we’ll know that the Kia deal for the Southampton player last Jan was probably some sort of final straw for Raul.
I think we should go back to being Shithouse FC. Play 5 at the back until we have the players to roll with a back 4. Our midfield base should be Mo and AMN. Let’s have Auba left, Eddie centre, and Pepe on the right. then maybe Joe Willock or ESR in the creative position.
We need a win. The players he’s forced to pick have to come with the goods. This has to be a stepping stone to a better starting 11.
My fear is we see another round of Willian, Lacazette, and Ceballos.
The reality is we’ll probably fall somewhere in between.
I keep on calling every game a turning point. It never happens. But if you were honest about the last game… we were pretty decent. We played some good football before Granit saw red and we ended the game with an xG win (lolololol I am soooo desperate). I know it means nothing right now, but at least we saw less aimless crosses, some structure in our attack, and a bit of variety.
Arteta was asked if the players are behind him. He laughed and said, ‘my feeling is yes.’ Honestly, I don’t think we are in ‘downed tools’ territory. The results are worse than Emery, but the situation is very different I think. That said, you need to see some wins at some point. Today would be a nice moment.
There was a lot of talk about bad situations and what you learn in the presser. Mikel has never had his squad do to him what they did to Emery. He needs to remember this moment. How it feels. What people said about him. How close he came to getting the boot. Those are the things that need to be written in a diary so when May next year comes round, he’s ruthless. I don’t want to see Mustafi given another chance. I don’t want to see Luiz here next year. If we get an offer for Xhaka in Jan, let’s push him out. Arteta will escape this dip because industry people think he’s the next big thing. The execs will ride out the calls for his head this time… but he won’t get a second chance. This moment needs to be like the first time you licked a plug socket. Let me tell you friends, you only try that once.
Those conversations can happen later, today, is about the win. I liked it when Mikel was asked why we’re so shit.
‘This is football.’
Very true. Our team is more than capable of getting back on track. The talent in the squad is way above where we are in the league. Mikel is a great coach. Let’s see what the counter punch at our shitty form looks like.
P.S. Now listen to The Arsenal Opinion. I bring together Janan and Matt for the first one. It’s a good one. Therapeutic listening.
Ceballos and AMN are playing well. Pepe too.
Generational scenes at the emirates…
Their passing is so superior
Eddie bounces off a defender again. .
Nkiteah again so poor…what does Arteta see in him?
What is this cross from Pepe???? Does he, or anyone for that matter, look up where everyone else is???
We’re doing ok now. I feel we need to get an extra player in and around the box.
Pepe had a comfy 5 yard advantage and ended up dilly dallying
Pepe has had more shots in this half then William all season.
Pepe has done more in this half than Willian has done since opening day
First time shot by Pepe but his cross prior to that was very wild
Arteta just keeps on changing the set up and shape.
The players are sick and tired of it. They aren’t allowed to deviate from their masters plan.
Arteta will have a place in our history.
Dickhead
Not surprising Edu is shaking his head. It seems we have been lobotomised as a team and can no longer play through the thirds.
Guys its looking bad but the game isn’t over yet.I’m all for calling out arteta and the teams failings but let’s see how they perform over the entire match.We could come back to win this
LeftTesticle
To give Arteta his P45??
The players are still fighting they haven’t thrown in the towel
Cebaillos needs hooking he’s heading for a red..
We’re panicky in possession. It’s horrible see.
That was such a Wally shot there.
Such a cheap yellow card. You don’t see it with other teams.
Our front with Auba. Eddie, Pepe and Sara don’t seem to know what to do when approaching the Soton box.
Look lost and waiting for Google to tell them what’s next
How they pass around us. Taking the piss.
yellow for Dani before half time. well done
They are humiliating us with their first touch passing..men vs school boys
Wooly with a pass back to Leno
Arteta’s sacking is going to be very satisfying.
They pass like barcelona now
Hair Dryer time at halftime. I’m guessing. Edu might volunteer to do some of the “motivational” speech.
Now we’re passing for Ings to score and no one gave a fuck
Southampton passing it around their back line like vintage Barca
Southampton
Really play some nice football they know how to pass those triangles about
Get Auba central!, get him in the centre!. Thats all we used to hear as the cure. What has he done except score OG. Sign the thing, sign the thing. Looks like we could get relegated with our £12m a year central striker. Auba is no Henry , he isnt even RVP. Complete set of tossers front to back.
Fisrt solution is to get rid of the joke manager. Southampton have a proffer gaffer, thats the difference so far. They could be topping the league before the Spuds-Pool game
Boooooo, you shower of shite!
He knows he’s gone.
Pepe is so shit.. however made that decision to sign him should be shot
We can all see that we need 3 MIDFIELDERS why can’t Arteta the sauce can’t?
Playing wingbacks and average young short striker in the middle can only be a generational shit!
He would probably sub Nketiah and Pepe for Laca and willian and hope for the same !
That after Ings or Redmond or both put us out of our misery
That’s all what Arteta is capable of!
I missed the first 24 minutes of the match. For what I’ve seen this might be our best performance this season.
Trying to give them a second before half time
To get stuck into the players AND give Arteta his P45. While his there he could put a kit on and replace Elneny.
WTF amn
Usually 1 up is nothing but our attack looks so disjointed and out of ideas you’d wonder where the equalizer would come from.
Poor 1H even with a more apparent attack mindset. Just not very good that’s all.
LeftTesticle is he the fluffer?
Sacked in the morning
Artetas sacked in the morning …
Good
He promised change but reverted to type..
Biggest job he will have in football
The Spanish John Gregory
Fuck him
I missed the first 24 minutes of the match. For what I’ve seen this might be our best performance this season.
________
Nope. Unless your a Theo Walcott fan.
Midfield 3 is needed. Set up Willian or Cebellos ahead of the double pivot and get those passing triangles again.
Eddie off, he’s lightweight as hell.
This game isn’t that beyond us, Southampton haven’t left first gear ffs.
Arsenal have got so many bad habits. Corners, Bad discipline, panicking with the ball, holding onto the ball too long, not playing simple obvious passes to over complicate it.
This team can definitely compete they just need to start doing things right more often and form good habits.
Everything coming over the wings with rubbish crosses. Ozil coming back in January for through the middle stuff YEAH.
Did hasnehuttl put out cones for pep? He plays the pep way
Asking for a friend
Just logged in, its hard when the game is smack in the middle of work.
how is AMN doing?
This has to be Arteta’s last 45 minutes in charge.
Not a fluffer, but he needs to pull somebody off.
Southampton 100% do not have better players than us, but what they 100% do have is a better coach.
3-4-3 against a 4-3-3 means that our defense is nearly always in 1v1 situation unless the wingbacks drop deep to help out. We need to switch to a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3.
Arteta is being taught a lesson in tactics and how to remotivate older player. Walcott is looking like he enjoys his football.
I find it insane how so many of us can see what is needed so clearly to improve match day performances, but Arteta and his fans can’t.
Are they all so limited in vision?
We have to switch the attack more often. They are defending with 4 guys against 2 from the left. If we switch the attack more often, then they can concentrate only on the left side.
Nketiah is a fighter but he hasnt got much quality.
Surely he won’t have the nerve to say we played well again?
Guns-
AMN is doing nothing. I can remember.
We’re just a poor team. A genuine bottom 1/4 team. Can’t keep the ball in opposition half. No cutting edge. Dominated in midfield. Can’t generate any turn-overs in their half. Always open to the opposition getting in on goal, even with 3 CBs.
42% possession at home, while trying to play a possession brand of football.
Left Testicle
At this rate, i suggest we get Cesc, DB10, Viera, Henry and Wrighty back as players as well. I am sure they would do far better than that shower of shite that we have now.
Well it should be a case that Arteta has 45 minutes to save his job but it seems some posters are happy to soldier on and want “stability” under Arteta.
Laughable.
Said during the 1st half it can’t be good for the side that Tierney bombs out and plays as a conventional LB when Arsenal have the ball but then goes into the back three when we don’t have the ball. Must be unsettling for the defence.
No-one can begrudge Southampton the first half lead which is the sad thing about this.
Agai this team ain’t good enough so far.
Come on you gunners!!! Help arteta getting sack and edu hopefully,…
Saints jogging around passing like its a training game.
Judging by the effort I’d say the dressing room is lost.
Anyway…
Xmas is coming. Fuck AFC shirt, hello rollerblades.
lol Feo with the goal. Arsenal flying circus
Am I the only one that noticed that Walcott didn’t stop himself from celebrating that goal?
LT
If we come out with as many shots on target as Southampton Arteta will definitely see it as a success.
Everton Ancelotti 5th
Arsenal Arteta. 15th
Elite vs the Rookie
No goals from open play since Pepe on 4th Oct against Sheffield Utd, must be an all time fucking record for any fucking team!
Just like the wolves game for emery, this is the game for arteta. Don’t think he comes back from this.
Marco
Mourinho 1st
Arteta 15th.
Dinosaur vs generational.
Dissenter
Why shouldn’t he celebrate?
Arsenal will get relegated if this continues
It all feels a bit Monty Python taking a comedic twist we were so shocking in that 45, second best everywhere and when we get into a situation to cause harm its often overthought and pounced upon.
Nothing reactive about anything we do.
Said if many times last year without Auba’s goals we’d literally be in the relegation and here we are.
im.sorry but this is absolutely garbage
Arteta looks like he will take us down
Put him out of his misery
Pull the trigger
Too much to soon for the beach bum
It’s obvious there’s nothing else Arteta can do
The joke is on Arsenal FC
This team. Is not too good to go down. We look bereft of life
Edu stop shaking your head and do your job
We have a left back playing as a CB.
We have an attack minded player playing as a LWB.
We have a midfielder playing as a RWB.
We have a striker playing on the wing.
Square pegs, round holes.
No goals from open play since Pepe on 4th Oct against Sheffield Utd, must be an all time fucking record for any fucking team!
what about our goal vs wolves
Yes Danny ..didn’t want to bring up Mourinho s name,,but you are absolutely correct
Let him Celebrate
He owes us nothing…
Not like he was a club legend
We are so poor in midfield. Just can’t progress the ball forward.
Maitland-Niles showing why he’s never been 1st choice with any manager.
AMN is solid defensively. Saka not so much. He didn’t react when Walcott ran past him.
This is where you need a player of Balogun physicality. Is he injured?
Auba is given the ball away from the box out wide, they know’s he’s harmless.
They also know Arteta refuses to put him central and set play up so he’s racing in off the shoulder.
Other managers must be laughing their asses off for playing us.
I can’t believe that another manager wouldn’t get a better result with these players. Changes have to come.
Dissenter
“It’s obvious there’s nothing else Arteta can do”
How fucking dare you. He could put some cones out and get a coffee order in.
The culture at The club been killed by art
Not watching is he still telling players where n when to pass. ?
Sal
When you got a manager who has no clue how to get Auba in.a position to be able to score. He is always in the left flank.
Pedro keeps saying how a good coach he is… But all I see is a coach who has no clue how to coach an attack at all.
It’s that bad I’m reminiscing about the Emery era.
Mid
We strung a few passes and created a chance for Pepe to shoot straight into the goalie’s hands. We also worked Ceballos into a position to ‘earn’ a penalty.
Can’t remember us doing that much in a 20 minute spell in any other Premier League match recently.
2 halftime changes: Laca for Eddie, Cedric for Ceballos, put AMN next to elneners.
Keep Arteta and we are going down!
MD
If the Poch came in tomorrow morning we’d get 6 points out of Everton and Chelsea.
Its all there for your numpties to see. What did I tell you about Nketiah? If Kroenke wants to sell he better do it now or sack this Lego haired cunt and employ anyone who can save the rest of the season. The trio of Arteta, Edu and Vinay need to lose their jobs right now!!!
Just looking at the players, it’s as if the training sessions are one big party, no short crisp passing, no one picking the ball and driving at the Southampton defence, it also seems teams have worked out saka, he has to mix up his game. Look at the Southampton players , the look fitter and stronger , we look skinny , I don’t know how artetas going to turn this round.
the fact that Σdu doesnt look impressed says it all we lose and Arteta will get the sack .
Hell i’d sack him
Dani
Or we could go for one halftime change and sack the manager.
RSPCA
Not noticeable on the monitor I’m watching on but he went a deathly white when Southampton took the lead.
Samesong
Balogun is not injured…. he is just not being played at all in the EPL by that so called generational coach that stinks up our club.