LOW INTENSITY AFFAIR. WAS IT A CHOICE?

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The Europa League last 32 kicked off to a fairly muted start.

Arteta rolled with the same line-up he used against Leeds United at the weekend. On reflection, that might have been a mistake. I felt like the game was leggy at times and we certainly lacked the zip we saw in our last 3 league games.

That said, the approach to the game could have been tactical. Arteta doesn’t have a one-size fits all and he’ll adapt to the moments. My assumption is that the lack of intensity might have been a choice. We totally controlled the game from start to finish. Arsenal didn’t need to fly at them and I suspect coming out of the first leg unscathed might have been on the minds of the coaching staff.

There was a lot of whining after the game, which I found odd. Not only did we control the game, we also had a lot of very big chances we fluffed. Odegaard had his most impressive game so far. He was very influential and he opened up Auba’s game with quick thinking and quality final balls. On a normal day, we don’t miss those chances… it happens. I’m not sure blaming Arteta for Auba missing those chances is sharp analysis.

I also found it horrifying to read people taking jabs at ESR after the game. The currency on the internet is to be the first for everyone so you can say, ‘I called ESR a fraud’, and it’s fucking embarrassing. Even though it was a quiet game, his running and off the ball movement was essential to all the good bits that happened yesterday. He can’t have a 9/10 every game, but just having him that 11 is so, so important. Perhaps some of the noise was shaped by the handball, which felt pretty harsh to me, but there we are.

We responded quickly, which was what was needed. A quick pass from Odegaard that found Cedric in space on the left, his accurate cross found Saka who finished with a fairly simple tap in.

Subs were questionable again, not because they were the wrong bodies, but because they came so late in the day. But, if you thread the decisions through the idea of total control, you can see why he maybe erred… because Gabi and Pepe aren’t exactly controllers in big moments.

I’d have started with them, particularly Gabi who deserves some minutes. There was still time to see a bit of Willian and Mo, but this time, they were only given 3 minutes. Safe bet. Subs are an art, it’ll take time to master them, but at least they didn’t cost us anything this time.

1-1 in an away leg on a European night isn’t a terrible start. I don’t think Benfica are very good and if we replicate that performance in the next game, we’ll cleanly win the game. We will need to be at our best though.

My thought are on Sunday. That was basically our first team out there. What is Arteta going to do against Manchester City? Surely he can’t go with that starting 11 again? Who comes in? Control is absolutely essential against the most dominant team in the league… but hey, if there’s any team he’s going to have a clue against, it’s City, so let’s see what happens.

Right, short one today, if you haven’t already, take a listen to the podcast I did with Touchy Gooners below.

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Guns of Brixton

Weeee

Guns of Brixton

1st woooow

Guns of Brixton

3rd

Goonerkitt

Total control
No major injuries
No complaints

Guns of Brixton

And the last CL place for good measure

Mark S

So close…yet so far.

Guns of Brixton

It was picked up on in the post but who is Arteta going to play vs City this Sunday?.

I mean I had Auba ESR and Saka and dead starters.

David Boyle

1 win in 5 hardly moving forward

into the red

Good summary, thought it was odd to see a double sub in the 90th minute. What was that about apart from wasting some time? Did Arteta fear losing a last minute goal, instead of going for a winner? As far as Sunday goes, was he assuming it’s a busted flush, so didn’t save the kids, or does he think they can play every few days? Saka is our Sterling, but it would be foolish to rely on such a young player every game. Will be interesting to see the line up, my money’s on the old stagers coming back and… Read more »

Kroenkephobe

I fully agree with the para about ESR, and the hypercriticism of players in general on LG. I think some kind of rule or etiquette is needed on here that precludes personal attacks on players’ performances until they have greatly underachieved in say 5 consecutive games. Or 10? But its all just a bit sad when this or that player is slated after a game or two. It just smacks of fickleness and feeds into that narrative that other supporters think we’re entitled. The manager, on the other hand deserves much more scrutiny because he is a constant and he… Read more »

James wood.

ESR has helped the drive of the team
his enthusiasm and determination have to be admired.
Saying that he is far from top class but in a wanting side
he has done wonders.

Anonymous Commentator

Who took jabs at ESR?
People just noted that he wasn’t having a good game and should have been subbed.
Unless someone left a quotable while most folks were asleep.

Anonymous Commentator

This idea that we had firm control of the game is… optimistic.
If we were in firm control or dominated then the eye test needs to look like city running rings around the opposition and playing keepsies with the ball.

I don’t get it, is this “dominating total control” thing just some arteta felatio or does Pedro and crew actually believe that was domination or total control?

Matt

AC

Stop talking so much sense. You have to see past the numbers don’t you know…

Looking past the numbers, Leeds was a dominant display, even though we conceded 2 goals. We looked dangerous and our play was dynamic for the most part.

Yesterday on the other hand was slow, laboured and uninspiring for the most part. Not adjectives I would associate with a dominant display.

Emiratesstroller

Pedro Arsenal should have refreshed the team for this game. I agree that the team looked “leggy” and also perhaps the pitch looked “slow”. However, I thought that Arsenal should have won this game comfortably and the fact that we failed to do so is a reflection that we allowed them to play at their pace and level. Arsenal’s goalkeeper and defence resorted once again to square and back passing and our movement in midfield was far too slow. It beggars belief that Aubameyang missed an open goal with his first attempt and from that point onwards he looked bang… Read more »

BlackStock

It was an away left for both teams as will the return leg..

BlackStock

Leg

Tom

“I don’t get it, is this “dominating total control” thing just some arteta felatio or does Pedro and crew actually believe that was domination or total control?“

If I’m being charitable different posters have a different idea of domination and control, but otherwise it’s probably a way of controlling the narrative.

Leeds were one dodgy penalty call for the Soares tackle on Babford from pulling one back and making the last 10/15 minutes a super nervy affair , but for some we were always in control and the result was never in question so there.

BlackStock

The game was played by two evenly matched teams with Benfica edging the shots on target by 4 to 2..

Tom

“The game was played by two evenly matched teams with Benfica edging the shots on target by 4 to 2..“

or …………Arsenal should’ve won 5 nil because all Auba’s attempts were tap-ins he normally puts away plus one easy left foot gimme, and Benficas pen was a case of referee on a take.

Rich

Football’s a game of fine margins, you can play well and lose, and play badly and win

The more quality you have, the more chance you have of consistently pushing the margins in your favour

Last nights game was like watching paint dry, it was really painful to watch

In key moments where we had the chance to win it, we weren’t efficient enough

At least in tight games like this, against well organised opposition, we’re now creating good chances

Are Lacazette + Holding on the naughty step?

AFC Forever

Blackstock Mate behave, they were not two evenly matched teams. As for the shots, are you being serious? They never threatened us at all, you could have had an 11-year-old in goal and they wouldn’t have scored from open play. Their tactic was to protect the away goal and put bodies behind the ball, which is sensible. They were disciplined in that respect, they are no mugs. Unlike Benfica, we created 4 or 5 clear opportunities during the game including an absolute sitter that isn’t in your shots on target figure because Aubamayang somehow missed the target. That goes in… Read more »

The Bard

Pedro I agree with most of your post. Its all about scoring and usually Auba is a reliable finisher. It didn’t happen no big deal. I can understand why he went with the 1st team. The league is gone and City are way better than us. We could get into the CL via the Europa Cup. It makes sense. I dont read other teams blogs so I don’t know if it’s just us but it seems we are full of hysterical fans. ERS has a less than stellar game and the knives are out, pathetic.

BlackStock

The away leg rule should not apply when both teams are playing at neutral venues.

Emiratesstroller

Arsenal should not have won the game 5-0, but it should have been won comfortably.

I am not going to blame Smith-Rowe for penalty. That could have happened to anyone, but
the lack of intelligence and decision making, which led to the preceding corner is symptomatic of Arsenal’s weakness.

We make too many critical and costly mistakes and that has been a problem for a very long
time. For a start conceding 5 red cards in a season is as we have done has probably cost us
10 points this season in 4 games for starters.

AFC Forever

Pedro

“There was a lot of whining after the game, which I found odd.”

You must have had your tongue stuck firmly inside your cheek when you typed that.

Captain Tierney

Afc Re:last post How will Pepe find consistency if he is getting benched even after putting in 4-5 good performances one after the other. Pedro We did control the game but really didn’t create many big chances. We only created 3 clear cut chances, one was a goal and the other two were fluffed by Auba. The xG score was around 1.6-1.1 in favour of Arsenal. Even Xhaka looked tired after 75-80 minutes which is new. Him, Saka, ESR, Bellerin and Cedric have played a lot of minutes. Need to be rested. On a positive note, Cedric has been deputising… Read more »

Cmansf

Unfortunately, the internet has allowed everyone to be a critic – they often create the most noise and have the least valuable things to say. If they can judge a player by one game (even though the performance was quite good) they can hardly be trusted to analyse anything over a longer period of time.

Sadly, if this same mob watched Henry over 5 matches some could probably find reason to say get is a ‘fraud’ for having a 7/10 performance.

Tom

“Arsenal should not have won the game 5-0, but it should have been won comfortably.“

Of course, but my post was an attempt to illustrate how two different posters can watch the same game and walk away with two diametrically opposed impressions of it.

The 5 nil bit was me paraphrasing someone’s opinion from last night.

Anonymous Commentator

To be honest, I’m losing what little patience i had with arteta that he had restored. Any time he takes 2 goalkeepers on the bench he is giving one of the young players in the squad the middle finger and he knows it too. If I were Balogun I would jump ship on this guy and take my chances at Leipzig. Same with reiss, he’ll be our zaha minus the managers daughter fiasco. I would even suggest that omari Hutchinson extricate himself from the club while arteta is manager cause I can’t see him ever getting minutes or being developed… Read more »

SpanishDave

Last nights game showed us how urgent it is to get a young powerful centre forward.
Martinelli just isn’t being used by our glorious manager why we don’t know.
Auba is going to be a fading star and he isn’t focused any more.
Laca is not good enough now so we need more options

Chris

“ I dont read other teams blogs so I don’t know if it’s just us but it seems we are full of hysterical fans”

No ‘seem’ about it, some of the comments on here after the game last nights were ludicrous as well as some personal attacks on one particular player. Laughable.

Muppetman

I think ESR was wasted out on the wings.

Chris

Pedro

Already clear to see Saka, ESR and Odegaard have vast potential to be a bedrock of our attack for years to come potentially, obviously hope we can extend the loan of Odegaard or buy him outright. He has that slide rule defence splitting pass we have lacked overall for a long time.

englandsbest

You get the impression that Arteta was saving his bullets for Man C.

DigitalBob

Thanks Pedro, good post!

As discussed with a few others in your last post Odegaard is the real deal and a real asset. I expect at the very least his loan to be extended for next season with maybe an obligation to buy included or we’ll try and buy outright considering how long he has left on his deal at Madrid.

Tom

Europa league is all about results, or it should be. Style and excitement is secondary especially with no fans in attendance.

Mourinho won it with United playing some of the most boring football around and nobody cared.

Winthorpe

Notice how often Auba was running yesterday? He can smell killer balls now. Changed his game massively. Really exciting.

Auba must have a great sense of smell

Winthorpe

Glad I can’t smell killer balls though.

Winthorpe

What do killer balls smell like? How would I know if I’d caught a whiff?

GuNZ

I remember as a kid over on the Hackney Marshes getting beat by some team or other because ‘the ‘pitch was slow’. Funnily enough they also moaned about not beating us by more ‘
because ‘the pitch was slow’. Weird innit?

Tom

Pedro, would you take an unlucky loss in the semis after a scintillating performance over a drab win and then another one in the final?

The Bard

We aren’t competing for trophies and I get the frustration but there is much good stuff brewing. We have a terrific group of young players performing at the top level. Odegaard is beginning to settle and looks the real deal. Unless you’re a moron you can see a side developing. Whether Arteta can deliver is of course the unknown. But our parallel is Untd post Ferguson. They still haven’t recovered from his departure. Reshaping a club that revolved round one big character takes time. We also have the handicap of owners who don’t really give a fuck. We need a… Read more »

Anonymous Commentator

Listening to a city fan criticising auba’s work rate.
He’s on target.

Pierre

AC
Aubameyang will still score 20+ goals this season…

Pointless turning yourself into an Auba obsessive, he is what he has always been …a goal machine who saves his energy for what he does best , and that’s the way i prefer my striker to be.

Fans worrying about his work rate and putting his foot in and being physical are wasting their energy, he’s a striker who will score goals …end of.

Graham62

The Bard

Good post.

Kroenkephobe

Winthorpe

They’re made from a compound of camphor, naptha and sulphur. If one doesn’t kill you the other two will.

Killer balls reminds me of that awful programme called goldenballs. Hosted by the chronically unfunny Jasper Carrott where people tried to fuck each other over to win a couple of hundred quid.

JJ

I loved that ESR looked like he had just run over the family cat when he came off. Luis, Pepe, Xhaka don’t show that kind emotion after they get sent off for their irresponsible behavior.

JJ

Pierre – that argument is fine if he was scoring goals. He is fluffing too many opportunities and not appearing to put in the effort (until recently) and as such, criticism should be expected.

I hate Green Bay

Friday night, bottle of whiskey, Led Zeppelin 3, LG banter……

Thorough

Arteta really does have a lot of nutters supporting him. This guy isn’t paid to control matches, he’s paid to win them. This is a results business ffs.

G8

Last night game,
was good first half with wasted chances
Substandard 2nd half with terrible game management from Arteta
Xhaka was good defending, but slowed our attacking play and resorted to sideways and backward passes most of the game
I don’t know if it was Arteta instructions, but we didn’t push hard enough for the win after we equalized
Hope it doesn’t come back to haunt us 2nd leg
Wonder what excuses the Arteta crowd would come up with if the Olympiacos scenario happens again!

Nelson

JJ
“not appearing to put in the effort (until recently) ”

That’s because not until recently, Arteta didn’t know how to build an offense to support him. Unlike Laca, who involves in the build up, Auba’s game relies on service. If you try and try and the ball never comes, you’ll give up.Now he can see that the service is coming, he starts to run the channel. Last game, the timing is slightly off resulting in a lot of offside.

Pierre

JJ
“Pierre – that argument is fine if he was scoring goals. He is fluffing too many opportunities and not appearing to put in the effort (until recently) and as such, criticism should be expected.”

6 goals in his last 5 starts tells a different story..

It tells me that that chances are being created and Aubameyang is getting in the right areas to finish them off..

BlackStock

It took Aubameyang 3 years to get his first league hattrick for Arsenal, that’s not goal machine standard.

BlackStock

Pierre

Two of Aubameyan’s goals against Leeds were down to a rookie Keeper’s errors.

Anonymous Commentator

Where is auba gonna get 20 goals? Based on his form this season he’s gonna hit 15 as a high estimation, I’m being very kind with him there. 13 most likely. Still being kind. We are halfway through Feb already guys, this isn’t December anymore. Like, you know, I would love to be steel manning these arguments you guys are presenting me but there’s so many holes in them, the stats and math aren’t going to back the arguments, the eye test isn’t going to back the arguments, the coach is suspect in every manner. Where are these goals going… Read more »

Graham62

Auba has to make up for last night and the Olympiacos game.

Hopefully there’ll be fire in his belly next week.

Winthorpe

Ac

The are 14 league games left and 6 Europa if we make the final 20 games
He’s only got to score 12/20 to reach 20 goals for the season. He also score most of his goals when the weather is warmer
This is when he comes to life:
I’m not his biggest fan but I know he’s more than capable of reaching 20 goals this season

Anonymous Commentator

I can’t even bank on us beating Burnley cause we lost the last match against them.
If they do the double on us and people still insist on arteta being the man, it will be absolute scenes here.

Radio Raheem

Traore broke his back and yo momma’s arse with shot!

Nelson

Wolves just scores an lucky goal. The ball bounded off the crossbar, came down, hit the GK and rolled in.

Pierre

Not including the charity shield, he’s scored ten this season.

Anonymous Commentator

This auba situation is about to become an example of dwindling standards.
He’s been averaging 20 in the league, he will finish will short of that this season.
Is it his fault or arteta’s?

JJ

Auber’s 6 goals in 5 games is completely skewed by the hat trick. He has been shocking for most of the season. Don’t buy into the story of not making runs because he’s not getting the ball. He would get the ball and pass it back immediately (often giving away possession) instead of turning and running at the defense. He also missed a boat load of sitters. He stopped making his front post runs which gave him loads of goals last season and took the lazy back post run option.

Radio Raheem

Walker-Peters’ (Southampton) is a decent right back we should be looking at.

We can get rid of Bellerin and Cedric be the cover at both fullback positions, not like we’re stuck with him the next 4 years.

Pierre

JJ “He also missed a boat load of sitters.” He didn’t. Creativity was zero without a CAM, and yes it was Arteta’s fault for thinking that the team could function without our most creative player ( who had created the most chances under Arteta) .. His skin was saved with the introduction of Smith Rowe (a cam) and changing back to the previously successful 4-2-3-1 at the end of December. And yes , it was successful before the march lockdown, Arsenal being the only unbeaten team domestically in europe in 2020 is confirmation that the 4-2-3-1 with a CAM was… Read more »

Nelson

Auba has played only two games with the support of ESR and Ødegaard. Already ESR has an assist and Ødegaard should have an assist last game if Auba didn’t miss the net. I trust that they will develop the chemistry between them after a few more games. The quality is there.

Anonymous Commentator

Really curious to see what our league position is by the time we pay Liverpool.

Bertie Mee

Gone was the ‘ new’ Xhaka of the last few weeks, playing vertically , passing quickly and imaginatively . All he did was sit in front of the back four and pass square or backwards and of course( it’s Xhaka) almost give a goal away . Ceballos had to do the work of two men because we had no drive on the left . I’m afraid the twitterati who have abused Willian today and apparently slagged ESR don’t deserve a voice because they don’t use it to say anything constructive. It’s a constant part of football nowadays and it sucks… Read more »

Socrates

“That said, the approach to the game could have been tactical”

OKAY, yep!

Note to self never read another word from the sauce salesman

China1

Sigh I’m getting so tired of woke people talking about cultural appropriation People freaking out that kendall Jenner has started a tequila brand despite not being Mexican and it’s named after a place in America. It’s probably shit tequila but why the fuck must doing that only be ok for Mexicans and why wasn’t there the same outrage where the rock just launched his tequila brand recently? Carlsberg has the nerve to produce some of the worst beer on the planet and describe it as the best, despite the fact barley beer was started in the Middle East. Shall we… Read more »

China1

Another thing that keeps getting my goat recently is seeing people promote outright fatness as body positivity I personally don’t give a shit if someone is fat. My parents were growing up. But unless you have particular medical conditions which is rare, it’s not healthy – it’s really that simple. I saw Adele got lambasted for losing loads of weight by fat losers saying she had let down the +size community by losing the weight. And it was offensive that she’s done so for ‘health reasons’ which made it very triggering If you are huge and offended that someone else… Read more »

Anonymous Commentator

Everyone having a hard think about the state of the club. Or perhaps it’s just Friday. We are moving backwards. That Leeds coolaid does not hold up for long. Again I ask, where are we going to be in the table when it comes time to play Liverpool? There is fuckery waiting in the wings. You know what’s funny? Observing the dropping of standards over time as it relates to this beautiful club. If rvp missed those chances from auba, fanbase says it’s disgraceful. Even giroud lol, everyone would be up in arms. But auba missed? “Don’t worry it’ll be… Read more »

Tony

Anonymous Customer (17:52)
My thoughts exactly.

My post yesterday asked the question why Arteta subbed Auba for Martinelli then Arteta promptly took off ESR and MO – basically the main suppliers to Martinelli.

Why make the substitution if you’re going to leave the sub hanging and wanting for balls put through?

Rangnick looks to be perfectly suited to our current youth model, which has been made necessary by our poor financials.

Tony

Been a fan of Martin Ødegaard since the media started writing about him prior to his RM move because there are a couple of Norwegians in my MC club who waxed lyrical about him when he was at Strømsgodset. I felt it was a mistake for MO to go to RM when he should have spent time at Ajax before moving to a bigger/elite club. The ball MO threaded through to Cedric’s for his assist was sublime and right out of Bergkamp’s locker. Fact is I’ve always seen MO as a modern Bergkamp potential. Transfrmaket lists MO at 40 million… Read more »

China1

Yeah much love Ernest

Kenyangunner

Benfica will go through.
Prepare for disappointment

JJ

Pierre – agree with much of your response but still think Auber could have done better. Let’s see how we progress with a better midfield feeding him now. I want him to catch on fire again as much as anyone!

Aussie+Gooner

Tony “Why make the substitution if you’re going to leave the sub hanging and wanting for balls put through?” Easy answer:- Arteta is trying to “white ant” players like Martinelli, players who have broken his secret code of non-negotiables. Make them look bad when they do get an opportunity to play and it justifies his decision to leave them permanently on the periphery. Then he can explain to the media “..see I told you @#$@!% (fill in a name) is not ready for the EPL, best that I start Willian next time instead”. There can be no other explanation for… Read more »

Tony

Aussi Gooner
The flaw Arteta is missing- there’s always at least one- is that if we lose to City and go out of the EL cup with Martinelli sitting behind 4 keepers on the bench, Martinelli will be hailed as the missing component left out with many fans asking “what if”.

Winthorpe

Tony

This summer Odegaard will have just 12 months on his contract. Real are over a barrel.
I’d love it if Bergkamp came back to coach this lot
What a dream
You’re right though, Arteta wouldn’t allow that.

Graham62

The Martinelli situation bothers me immensely.

Here we have one of our most gifted players being treated like a rag doll. What Arteta does behind the scenes may be totally different to what we see but, from where I sit, it seems that he is playing with the kids head.

Talent is visible to most of us and this kid has it in bucketloads. It is concerning that Arteta seems to be treating him this way and yet continues to have faith in those other players that are struggling and are clearly not at the races.

Very worrying indeed.

Tony

Good morning Graham
Agreed.with adding MO to the fray we have a nucleus of youth who could evolve into something special for the next decade.

Only stumbling block here is Arteta.

Samir

Surely Martinelli will just leave if Arteta continues to treat him like the next coming of Saliba.

Samir

Martinelli is also the guy that saved Artetas job. He was the one that led us to that win against Chelsea.

Tony

Winthorpe
Arteta seems to miss the glaringly obvious right in front of him.

He over thinks things too often, takes the edge out of his tactics.

Smart and successful managers make maximum use of the people around them always hiring the best who’ll ultimately test them to become better themselves.

Hiring Bergkamp is a perfect example of this.

Gonsterous

I get giving Martinelli a rest, but what about Saka and ESR, you can’t argue giving rest to one youngster whIle running two other youngsters into the ground.

I agree arteta has done some good since he came, but he’s miles of being the best possible solution to our problems. Though if he wins the EL, that would change my mind. Top 4 or EL, the team is good enough to get one of these.

China1

Pedro I said martinelli is not a priority for arteta and you said ‘let’s see the benfica lineup’

No further evidence of him being a priority

Gonsterous

Guen, Saliba and Martinelli, the trio would have gotten us a hefty profit but what Mikel is doing is, letting them rot and selling for cheap while holding on to liabilities like willian.

I hope his MRs is in charge of the money in their relationship or else he’s going to be spending it very unwisely.

China1

What we can clearly see is that Arteta dislikes it when young players are treated as first team regulars and it’s only cases where his hands have been tied through consistently game changing performances at times when we’ve needed them that he’s felt obliged to indulge them (namely Saka and ESR). For Odegaard he may soon have forced his hand to keep picking him as well. But rest assured if any of these guys play the same way Willian has for 2-3 consecutive games they will be dropped to the bench quicker than a stone in a river so the… Read more »

Gonsterous

Tony

I kinda like Edu, he’s handled the last 2 window wonderfully. Yes he got the willian and luiz deal wrong but, gabriel, and ordegarrd while getting the likes of kola and mustaffi out is a proper plan.

If it wasn’t for arteta, edu may have cashed in on auba and gotten a younger profilic striker. Whether that would have been right or wrong, we won’t know but it would be bold unlike anything the generational coach does.

China1

My only guess with arteta is he didn’t join a major club until he was 27 or so and he’s at pains to see 19 year olds getting lavished with praise at this level when he didn’t get that much admiration even when he was the team captain.

I’m honestly not sure what else it could be that seems to bother him

China1

Gonsterous you forgot turning down 20m for AMN then setting his career into reverse for no apparent reason

Tony

Gons
If Arteta wins the EL cup, he deserves to have a crack at next season.

Arteta is a survivor if nothing else, so who knows where we’ll be after the fat lady sings at the end of the season?

Tony

Gons
True what you say about Edu, but I can’t see Rangnick working under Edu as manager.

If Rangnick were happy to do that with Edu being equal, as he is with Arteta, then that would work with both Arteta and Edu benefiting greatly from Rangnick’s experience.

Take away egos and agendas and that team could be interesting.

Socrates

Imagine for a minute if anyone here wrote that it was by choice or was a tactical decision to play turgid sideways passing whilst struggling to move the ball forward. You’d be laughed out of the blog, Yet somehow the owner of the site gets aways with it. For me, it’s straight out propaganda. Imagine someone wrote that as a defence of Emery, there’d be a riot. I used to love this site, it was required reading with a coffee in the morning. Now it’s become something I bearly read and if I do, normally just skip the owners blog… Read more »

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