Mikel Arteta and Edu are going to have to deal with their political dilemma with honesty at some point. Willian, quite simply, is not good enough for Arsenal. It’s the end of January, he’s scored 0 goals and managed 2 shots on target in 20 games. This isn’t a case of having problems adapting to a new system, it’s not a London issue, it’s not bad luck… it’s desire. He’s on gardening leave of his career in football. It’s infuriating.
The problem our two fearless leaders have is that this deal was naive and incredibly negligent on all the levels we’ve gone over many times before. Arteta was hired as a coach, his job originally was about what happened on the pitch, when he became manager, it was about taste levels. When your major move of the summer is to convince your overlords Willian is going to win you the Champions League at 35, you’d best hope you are at least close to being right. Arteta keeps playing him because it makes his taste look abysmal… trouble is, that infectious zero fucks vibe Willian gives off has contributed to Arsenal losing a back door entry into next years Europa League. Our new Ozil is now costing us future options.
Willian isn’t the only problem. Nicolas Pepe is a £72m flop of the grandest magnitude. Yesterday wasn’t a disaster by the very low standards we have set for him. Statistically, you can point to the 5 chances he created. However, the eye test gives you the true grade. He’s not very influential, he struggles to impose himself on games, and his decision making is consistently weak. Who in the league would give him a starting position in their line-up? West Ham? Villa? Southampton? How low would you have to go in the table to find a home for him? He’s great for youtube clips, isolated moments that edit out the bad, and that’s the problem… he’s the kid at Uni who would destroy everyone in 5 a-side, but look utterly anonymous in a game of 22 on a full-size pitch.
Eddie is very young. He’s clearly going to be a goalscorer, but it’s becoming harder and harder to see his path at Arsenal. He lacks height and his all-round game is missing completeness to contribute to our system. He doesn’t link well, he’s not dominant physically, and he plays on the periphery looking to sniff out the scraps. We need more action, more character, and we need him to be doing better when he does find a way in. I appreciate fans always have the answer, some we win (ESR), some we lose (Willock), but the argument against minutes for Flo Balogun look weaker by the day.
The front three weren’t helped by the axis of bland with Xhaka and Mo Elneny. Cautious passing and sluggishness moving the ball forward made for painful viewing. The Arteta system can allow for one of them, not two. The summer needs to see both of them gone. Mobility and pace is an absolute must.
James Maddison of Leicester had a really nice interview in the week. He was asked about the dirty work he offered. He said that everyone has to do that in a Brendan Rodgers side. Games like yesterday, well, you see how far we have to go with the squad. We didn’t have 11 players doing the dirty work. We didn’t have enough players taking responsibility when we needed it. There weren’t enough difference makers.
The silver lining we can take from the miserable cup exit is that every game like this reinforces the truth to Edu and Arteta. ESR has gone from a nobody to one of the most important metronomes of the team. Saka, Martinelli, and Lacazette are essential to our attack. Thomas Partey sets the tone for recruitment talent levels. Moving forward, every single penny needs to be spent with the future in mind. No more retirement funds. No more £72m buys from Ligue 1. No more contacts scouting.
I do think Arteta needs to sharpen his PR game as well. I appreciate that the two keepers thing might have been related to Auba having to deal with personal issues last minute, but was there really no way we could have had Balogun in that squad? Is it going to take an injury crisis to prove to Arteta that AMN is a far better option in the middle of the park to Mo Elneny?
Still, I am quite confident that we’ll have more than enough to give Southampton a very good game on Tuesday. Partey, Tierney, ESR, and maybe Auba will bring a whole different vibe to the game. Win that and do some damage against United and all will be forgiven. Fingers crossed we’ll have a few new names to select from for that game.
I dropped a quick podcast. It’s solo. Enjoy.
Mark I’m 50/50 on Arteta, will give him credit where it’s due as will be critical of his many poor decisions . The roofcould cave in the few weeks or he may come out smelling of roses.. For me, yesterday’s game was either a game to keep the good run going , which meant playing your first 11. Or use it as an opportunity to test players like Balogun, azeez , willock eddie , nelson Martinelli in the same side. Instead Arteta did neither, he picked what looked like an unbalanced side wirh no tactical vision of how to beat… Read more »
Jamei3
So easy to get you to bight …or is it bite….
The people that still believe Arteta is a good coach or that the jury is still out I want to sincerely ask what to see to reinforce their beliefs. I have totally and completely given up on the man and if he continues, basically because of his man management style, we won’t make top 6. Neither will we win the EL. I have never seen a manager so out of his depth, it’s crazy. I just watch Arsenal matches these days cos of the young boys playing. Arteta adds absolutely nothing to this team. 1 year in and yet no… Read more »
Pierre, I’m of the opinion you play your best team, trying to be too clever is usually a recipie for disaster. Of course if a player is deemed to be in the infamous ‘red zone’ you have to give them a break but if you have too many players in that position you probably haven’t been managing the squad too well. Arguments about it being a cup game are immaterial, it’s just agenda driven, either the cup was important if you’re of the view that it was a validation of Arteta’s appointment or it isn’t if you you’re of the… Read more »
Fabrizio : Martin Ødegaard to Arsenal, here we go! The agreement has been reached after last contacts today between #AFC and Real Madrid. 🇳🇴
Loan until the end of the season, salary paid by Arsenal. Arteta’s call key to convince the player. Medicals pending – then deal will be announced.
Pierre “For me, yesterday’s game was either a game to keep the good run going , which meant playing your first 11. Or use it as an opportunity to test players like Balogun, azeez , willock eddie , nelson Martinelli in the same side.” Exactly this! Which is what drives the frustration . Posters say we needed to rotate so what else could he do… Rotate s lot smarter is what I’d expect. You’ve just quoted how most of us would have attempted it. Had Arteta done something similar, I’m sure he wouldn’t be getting any criticism now. But unfortunately… Read more »
“Pierre, I’m of the opinion you play your best team, trying to be too clever is usually a recipie for disaster. ” Agreed, yesterday’s selection made little sense unless, of course, Arteta truly believed they were capable of beating Southampton with that selection? On that he ought to know better by now (and if he doesn’t then that’s entirely on him), but to me the FA Cup meant a closer ticket back to Europe than the Europa itself. To Kronkephobe’s point, i too have nagging doubts about Tuesdays rematch. These guys are really not very good and yesterday’s selection asks… Read more »
It’s shocking that var is not used in all the FA games…
Should be all or nothing ..
Ernest Reed Le Grove’s resident wet blanket Nobody wants to win more than Arteta. His job, his future, his reputation depend on it. All you have at stake is your status as a wailer. It’s easy to be wise in hindsight. But what if a tired Saka or ESR got injured? You’d be saying how stupid of Arteta to play them. Arteta believes Willian and Pepe will come good. He ought to know, he is down there with them practically every day of the week. Just for the hell of it and to teach you to be more tolerant I… Read more »
Saliba ain’t coming back will be sold in summer for 15m
Guaranteed fact.
I hope Arteta sticks by them too, it’ll only hasten his exit. 🙏🙏
RSPC
Don’t say that. I can understand your logic , but we won’t take less than £35m, however it would still be too cheap.
I just hope he feels he’s gonna come back and show Arteta’s judgement of him up in the Prem. Cos people will say well it’s still only the French league….
“What exactly does Arteta expect to achieve this season as an overall? Right now, it appears abject mediocrity and he’s nailed it down near perfect.” Pedro’s blog post after 10 games in asked us to throw away the seaosn and support ‘Arteta’s rebuild’. This after he had ⅔ of the last seaosn to identify what to do with the squad. He did nothing and then added more dross. Those decisions still affect us till now. Almost everything he has done from appointment till now shows what a mistake it was to hire him. Even after round 20 in a new… Read more »
“Arteta believes Willian and Pepe will come good.” Blind faith can sometimes be a good thing EB. Your so-called optimism remains clouded by your rose coloured goggles. Both Pepe and Willian have shown what they have, which is not much. One, after 18 months still is both mentally and physically weak (never seen someone get knocked off the ball as easily as Pepe) and the other has more than one eye towards his future life after football. Arteta is stuck playing those two stiffs because his boss has absolutely reminded him of the financial outlay on both and demands they… Read more »
Mark
Writings on the wall I’m afraid.
If we were going to loan him out for future use it would have been prem to acclimatise .. I know he’s had family grief but sending him back to France will just make him not want to come back ..
He will go to psg in summer for 15/20 m
RSPC
Saliba, Guendouzi, Torreira all out on loan and seemingly gone. All young, gifted and probably better than the people that replaced them in the starting 11 or squad places.
Pepe doesn’t even get knocked off the ball he sometimes fall on his own, I’m struggling to understand why that hasn’t occurred to him nor the coaching crew,he is just too lightweight
His football knowledge is so limited,I was so happy when we got him howbeit on an exorbitant fee but he has disappointed me on all sides
“Le Grove’s resident wet blanket”
Id rather it that than to be LeGrove’s own resident Floptimist, EB
Mystic
A MF three of Guendouzi, Torreira and ESR or Partey, Ødegaard and ESR know which one i’d rather have.
Saliba needed the loan although they certainly fucked the process up doesn’t change fact club had Mari, Gabriel, Luiz, Holding, Sokratis, Chambers and Mustafi all on the books. This summer have to think we’ll settle on Mari, Gabriel, Holding and Saliba thats a solid core.
“Saliba, Guendouzi, Torreira all out on loan and seemingly gone. All young, gifted and probably better than the people that replaced them in the starting 11 or squad places.”
I have been saying this for months, we’ve got better players out on loan then in the first team. It’s actually mind Boggling.
Is there a return to the club for Saliba, Sal?
More likely,
Partey, Guendouzi / Torreira, Ødegaard / ESR
Ernest, ‘
Can’t read the tea leaves but have to think yes.
In second thought, if we had fielded the team that was unbeaten in the Europa Cup group stage, we might still lose. At least that team played like a team. Yesterday the offense was a collection of players put together. Each attacker did his own thing.
Leaves
When you put like that very bad reading …
Personally I think arteta is out of his depth ..
We are going to lose some quality due to having a poor manager..
You can add balogun to that list …
Barcelona beach bum needs to go.
Sal..
I think the young frenchie has seen enough of the shite shower that’s arsenal and don’t want to come back.
Melania by the way? Prospects looking good?
As soon as the mad man is sent to the jailhouse everything else falls into place.
Theres NO way Diet Pep is playing Partey, ESR, odegaard as a midfield 3
Thats what u get with noobie manager who is poor judge of players and learning on the job.
Why wont he train Pepe and Saliba? All bullshit.
Guen, Torr> Elneny, Xhakalson
So Odegaard is flying in today – the oracle has spoken
RSPC
A 19 year old in at £28m put him on 5 year deal pretty solid indication he’s being developed.
Still no excuse for clubs mare in not working loan for first half of season, but I think we see him come back this summer.
The worst part about going out of the cup is i immediately lose interest in the competition.
Benitez is free again 😁😁😁
Sid
“Theres NO way Diet Pep is playing Partey, ESR, odegaard as a midfield 3”
I can’t see it..he likes 2 holding midfielders.
It would be too wengerish to have only one holding mid.
I think it will pan out that Odegaard will come on as sub for smith Rowe on about 65 mins for the first half a dozen games.
Pepe just hasn’t worked out and shows no signs of improving. It was 30 minutes into the game before he got a mention. He doesn’t do the simple things well, tries to do fancy things and either misses or loses possession.
Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. On g to his measure Arteta is well and truly certifiable In persisting with him. Put it down to experience, move him on and start again.
Can see scenario we go with two attacking mids, Ødegaard on the flank or alternating with ESR.
Alan Smith pulling no punches regarding Pepe, key line “his football intelligence looks short”.
‘Wet Blanket’
‘Wailer’
Looks like someone can’t fashion a coherent argument without resorting to childish insults. As to your point EB about ‘hindsight’ 90% of people could have told you that the side MA put out was poorly constructed. If a player needs a rest you rest them completely, not put them on the bench a la Saka and Partey. See also my point about sensible rotation, if you rotate properly you don’t have to replace multiple players for any one match.
Courage Ernest
Sleep will come when you are tired . So for the time being stop getting troubled by it. This attitude itself might get you back to normal.
We pray for you Ernest . Appreciate your enlightened posts. Get well
Andy, Rotation is not that difficult to master, Arteta is just making a hash of things. You either have a completely different team with a system adapted to those players. For example 4-2-3-1 for Team A and 4-3-3 for team B. Wenger used to have a a premier league team and a Europa League team. Or you rotates a small group of players and try to integrate the fringes and academy players. You put them on the bench and try to give them 10~20 minutes at the game of games, so that when called upon they are ready. Arteta does… Read more »
TeflonTeta, one of the worst managers in Arsenal’s history, should have been sacked before Christmas. Poor transfer record, hopeless team selections, tactical ineptitude, nonsensical substitutions and negligent in the treatment of our younger players ( Saliba and Balogun being prime examples ). Just how much damage will he be allowed to inflict upon our club before he is booted out? As for qualifying for Europe, that ship has sailed.
“Rotation is not that difficult to master, Arteta is just making a hash of things.”
Lol. Guy, don’t you think you will do well as coach? Try it out man. You could become the next pep or Mourinho
*as a Coach*
This is such a hopelessly managed club. I’m pretty sure Chelsea will sack Frank if they fail to qualify for CL while we will persist with this dunderhead even if we end up mid table behind Everton Villa and the Hammers.
Tee,
You don’t need to train as a chef to determine that McDonald food is not the best food available.
Watching Rennes-Lille, I can’t help thinking of what Christophe Galtier and Campos would do if they were in charge at Arsenal.
Knowing that both may be available this summer, we can only hope that Josh and Vinay wake up and do the right thing for Arsenal
Some people just want to wave pompoms here and pretend that eery time the club farts, it’s elite Eau De toilette.
Stop taking every criticism of the club personal.
The worst Arteta apologists are those who claim that Pepe is not merely ineffective, he’s downright without TALENT.
Because if they accepted that he has talent (like the entire football world thinks), they know the question will be asked – why is Arteta not improving him by even 5%?
Saw this week’s interview with Leroy Sane. He praises Pep for improving him so much. Does not mention Arteta even once. 😉
Eddie should be watching Greenwood tonight… Greenwood has shown him how you make it difficult for your boss.
Ernest
Here is a suggestion for you. You sit in an armchair in front of your computer and run a replay of yesterday’s game. I bet you’ll pass out before half time.
Irrespective of arteta winning any trophies this season ..I still want him gone
He’s an ego for himself.
No way balogun and saliba should have been cast aside like that..
Yet musrafi is still stinking up the place .
He has pressed gang xhara into the team
Eddie is playing to arteta orders ..
Arteta don’t like anyone using their own noodle has to be arteta way or your out.
“Eddie is playing to arteta orders ..”
Order or no order, Eddie’s football intelligence as dim as his only fan, the late 60s with a teenager star struck behaviour.
Gutted we lost yesterday.
Dont blame Arteta rotating. Has to rest players. Eveyone rotating in FA Cup. Would rather us push up the league and try go deeper in EL.
Our squad isnt good enough yet. This will take a long time to fix. Questionable decisions have been made over a number of years undoubtedly. I still back Arteta though.
Have Liverpool won any of the matches the ‘great’ Thiago has played in? Just curious.
Time up
Where’s the problem fella…
Time up..
I’m guessing your a late 20s age still living at home … Taking every opportunity your folks are out to have a little j Arthur …
Pick a fight fella I will slaughter you and leave your remains outside for the foxes… Understand.
Time up
Have to be careful not to bash a young player too much.
Eddie can score goals. Don’t forget he came off the bench to secure 3 points for us at hime against Westham.
He may have a role coming off the bench but shouldn’t be starting games with tough opposition.
There is a greedy attitude to Liverpool players that can’t be healthy
Eddie is not a Premier League player at the moment. He needs to go on loan to learn his trade… Balogun should be given his place now.
I guess we all agree that the league is important but I’d like to understand some people’s thinking on the cups. Last season there were some on here lauding the FA Cup win and praising the manager, this season the same people are dismissing the FA Cup and claiming we should be concentrating on the Europa League. The same Europa league that they weren’t interested in when we crashed out to Olympiacos in the first knock out round last season. So which is it? Is the FA Cup more important or the Europa League? Or whichever one works for your… Read more »
Val, certainly agree on the formation. Bad coaches try to fit unsuited players into a system, good managers pick a system to bring out the best in the team they select. Inflexibility is a poor trait in any walk of life.
Bruno Fernades…United won the lottery with this lad
Lol, Thiago does a Xhaka and ducks under a Fernandes free kick to give ManU a 3-2 lead.
Shaqiri and origi on to chase a game?
Time up..
“I’m guessing your a late 20s age still living at home … Taking every opportunity your folks are out to have a little j Arthur … Pick a fight fella I will slaughter you and leave your remains outside for the foxes… Understand.“
LOL.
Another late 60s trying to pick a fight with me lol. I meant Pierre but probably you both mental lol.
Chasing a game by putting Origi on is the very definition if desperate.
“Eddie is not a Premier League player at the moment. “
He would never be a PL. You know he’s rubbish when Pierre start seeing thing in a player he’s the only one can see.
The bottom line, the boy is NOT PL standard, full stop.
For the first time in decades, I’m almost sympathetic to the bin dippers. That was never a free kick. There’s a direct correlation in football history between manure periods of success and biased officiating at the theatre of jizz. Still hoping for pens with red cards galore along the way.
United’s dart board approach to transfers definitely payed dividends with Fernandez after so many debacles, on occasion even Woodward get hit the bulls eye.
Time up..
Nonce
Plastic fan knows jack all …
Twat.. go play on the roof.
Dari@no! is a banned word?
Cheney
“Eddie should be watching Greenwood tonight… Greenwood has shown him how you make it difficult for your boss”
Strangely enough , the one who has scored the most goals and has played the fewest games for their clubs this season is the one you don’t rate…
“I’d like to thank Edu Gaspar for helping bring about a professional and dignified solution in the past few days, and I wish everyone at the club the best in their attempt to continue to bring Arsenal back to the top, where we belong.”
Last words from Ozil, no mention or thanks for Arteta!!!!.
I personally had no real problem with the team selection yesterday (despite my disdain for Wilian) although i was surprised AMN didn’t get a start and Balogun didn’t make the squad. My real issue was how wasteful we were with the ball. Poor passes, crosses and even throws ffs! What it also revealed was Arteta is still shooting for a top 6 finish. Big ask looking at our next 7 games and the near death experience the team suffered pre Christmas. Seven points off 4th with half a season to go is nothing to give up on. But when you… Read more »
Greenwood about 3 level above the clown Eddie. STOP IT.
Wish they both loose but then that would give Spurs and easier run its been so tough to now with Marine and Wycombe.. FA almost willing them a trophy.
Anyone who thinks Arteta is going to give kids any chance at all has not been watching. Even the ones he plays such as Nketiah or Martinelli or even Saka he sets up to fail. Saka has been played in like five different positions and in one game I think he changed his position three times. It’s to Saka’s credit that he acquitted himself well in nearly all of them. Nketiah is a very good striker but isn’t ready yet to play as a lone striker in the premier league as the defenders are just too strong for him. Play… Read more »
salparadisenyc
Similar then to the 2016/17 season when Arsenal drew Sutton and Lincoln.
It’s an indictment on Arteta that Southampton were better prepared than ours.
diss
You warming up to Eddie? ?
He is not what we need. Too small, too weak, no link up play
Arghh yesterday’s game was so brutal. We need to cut a lot of players. We can’t even have some of these players as squad players. Elneny needs to go. He is a nice guy but he is not even a mid table player. Everything has been said about Xhaka before so I am not getting in to that. Pepe was very disappointing. I think we might need to cut our losses this summer. He has flashes of brilliance but that is not enough in the premier league. Sell him to Italy and he will look like world class again like… Read more »
Guns
No I’m not warming up to Eddie but I’m not going to be part of the Eddie-is-shit crowd either.
Eddie doesn’t select himself for games. He shouldn’t be starting games, not at this moment. That doesn’t mean he can’t come on to get a few minutes here and there.
Yesterday, the entire team was flat in the first half, even Martinelli was poor so why pick on only Eddie.
Arteta isn’t even giving the lad a proper chance to do well. He was living off scraps yesterday but no one wants to discuss that either.
On second thought, we should loan out pepe and watch is value increase again. Then we should sell.
Give me Mari over Gabi any time. Gabi is rash and needs to calm down, he also needs to practice with his right food and his first touch.
Gabi back and suddenly Holding back to his worst. I think it was the wrong game to start Gabi with the second team as the first game after his red card. You want to put the clowns up front? Put strong defence to cover for their shortage, that’s what Fergie use to do.
I mean why bring on Saka when you’re chasing a game only to make him left back?
“Give me Mari over Gabi any time. Gabi is rash and needs to calm down, he also needs to practice with his right food and his first touch.”
Wasn’t Gabi player of the month three times in a. row.
He was out for a while and is match rusty- looked poor the first half and improved into the game.
You’re right Habesha.
Pepe’s value right now is around 20M, but in the right setup could easily rise to 40M.
Not in the way this team is set up, though.
Yes, a 72M player should be more flexible, but we overpaid massively, which is not his fault.
A player who creates 5 chances in a game where he’s total crap can easily be worth much more than 20M in a team set up to his strength.
A loan back to France would be best. Otherwise Germany or Spain (not sure Italy would suit him).
Graham you’r supposed to whisper that.
Wasn’t all rosy had Southampton in 4th round, City in the semi and that glorious win over Chelsea in final after they took down Spurs in semi bless them. Well earned for me… but yes the back to back Sutton and Lincoln was morale boosting in the business end.
Dissenter,
You’re only involved in celebrating any other team signing, their good run of from or their manager doing well.
Part from that, all good 👍.
Agreed, Generational system doesn’t work for Pepe, a loan move would increase his value. Germany is the best place for him. As if he did well, we can swap him with a good player from the German league.
Shame Emery doesn’t like him or it would be good to send him to Spain.
“Wasn’t Gabi player of the month three times in a. row.
He was out for a while and is match rusty- looked poor the first half and improved into the game.“
I said that was the wrong game to start him. Even when he was winning player of the months, I was still thinking he has some faults in his game, but great on one v one.
Mind you 22 is young for CD.
Time up
Whatever 🤷♂️
Time up
“Greenwood about 3 level above the clown Eddie”
Of course he is …he’s scored 4 goals in 24 games , playing for a team that has the creative talent of fernandes and pogba supplying his chances , which is not quite as many goals as Eddie playing for a team that has the creative talent of Xhaka, Ceballos and Elneny supplying his chances.
Work it out for yourself why Greenwood has scored fewer goals than Eddie.
Ozil has earned approximately £15 million since he last kicked a competitive ball for Arsenal. Fenerbahce knows another league title will see them reach 20, enabling them to adorn their club crest with a fourth star, and match their rivals Galatasaray. It has been revealed that Ozil could land £670,000 in bonuses alone this season. He will be handed an extra £445,000 if he helps Fenerbahce to a first league title since 2014 plus a return to the Champions League would see him pocket another £222,000 bonus.
What a sweet bonus and not stuck with no European football next season.
Pierre
Not interested much in taking down Eddie or building up Greenwood, but do you think they both have the same ceiling?
How about speed?
“Work it out for yourself why Greenwood has scored fewer goals than Eddie.“
Pierre,
Please, stop your madness, this is getting embarrassing. I thought your Ozil obsession was a phase of madness and it will pass. Now, your moving the obsession to a scary level, to talentless 22 year old footballer and showing your limited knowledge of football.
At least Ozil has a talent, but this boy????.
I read this page daily but rarely comment. I assume we all want Arsenal to do well. I understand that to us that means footballing success, but we have to remember that for the Kroenkes, this is a money making business. The club has invested a lot of money in Willian and Pepe. It’s no surprise they have been given chance after chance. The club want to justify the money or enhance any resale income. At what point can Arteta convince the “management” that he should be allowed to make pure footballing decisions? For the record, I thought the Willian… Read more »
Tom “Pierre Not interested much in taking down Eddie or building up Greenwood, but do you think they both have the same ceiling? How about speed?”” Greenwood has a higher ceiling , i like him . But Eddie will score more goals . You won’t find any comment by me that builds Eddie up to be this world class striker …not one.. I just defend Arsenal players who through fans ignorance are infairly criticised. I said he was poor yesterday and lacked composure in front of goal and snatched at his chances. I think it’s also fair to say that… Read more »