EXCITING PROGRESS HAPPENING AT ARSENAL

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Well, well, well… Klopp was the fraud all along. Arsenal win tomorrow, we’ll be 3 points off the Champions in the most nuts season on record.

It is quite incredible how a side can go from looking like the greatest footballing machine ever created, to total bums after one bad signing, a couple of injuries, and a global pandemic.

It’s a bit of a shame we’re playing Manchester City this weekend. They are one of the best teams in the world right now. Pep has managed the transition to a new vision with the same sort of deft innovation he always does.

The best manager in the world was pumping Arteta like he always does.

“All I can say is the last months show me that all managers need time and he is not an exception. What I see in the last two months every game Arsenal played is better than the opponent.

“Tomorrow we will have an incredible performance. They have an exceptional build-up, they have quality and they have energy. They have [Bukayo] Saka, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and all the players with the quality in the middle.

You might think this is patronising stuff. He’ll probably beat us tomorrow. But he’s not far from the truth if you are watching The Arsenal develop through the correct lens.

There are still mistakes in the system, we’re not perfect, but Pep is not wrong… we’ve been the better in all our games since the Chelsea game.

The key thing for me… we’re unpredictable now. Pep will recognise that looking at our games. We can press, we can sit back, we can go long, we can build from the back, and we can execute a well-crafted plan of shit-housery. Look at how we’re developing, versus the mess Jose is overseeing now his one-trick pony strategem is injured.

I’ve been saying for a while now, something is brewing at Arsenal, and it’s hard to deny it. We might lose tomorrow and we might lose on Thursday, but don’t take your eye off the ball. All the reports I’m hearing are that the coaching is phenomenal behind the scenes and things are building nicely. More importantly, you can see it on the pitch.

I thought a big show of our improving style was the game Auba had the other night. Sure, he missed some big chances, but did you pay attention to his game? Look at those runs he was making. That was a man that could smell the potential of a killer pass. Auba was running the channels. He was taking risks. He wasn’t doing that before Christmas. Arsenal has gone from a side that could barely progress the ball from the back, to a side that has options all over the park. Auba’s game sums us up… you don’t take chances on runs if you know the pass won’t come.

ESR, Odegaard, Partey, and Saka can all pass round corners. They can deliver from deep. They can beat an aggressive press. They dribble past players. When that clicks in this Arteta system, it’s really, really tough to play against.

Compare that to pre-Christmas when we had 2 power plays, that one on the left being the main one, well, it’s night and day. The passing is starting to look cognitive. Players are recognising the patterns, they know where to move, they know the triggers, they might not be the most aggressive pressers, but they are very intelligent at it now. There’s thought in every tactical setup these days.

We totally controlled Benfica. Whine about the result, but don’t snipe at the performance from a team that had just had to deal with Leeds before a plane journey. We controlled possession, we drew them out, made late runs in behind, and we delivered 8 quality chances that unfortunately didn’t have the finish.

We’re doing that regularly now. The xG might not always show it. But the positions we’re taking up in attack are good. The chance quality is way, way better, and the football is getting close to sexy.

The interesting thing is you can see the phases. Last year, we stopped being whipping boys. No more walking through the middle. This season, we started well defensively, we mopped up setpiece defending… then it went to hell for a bit. But part of that was down to not having the right players. Part of that was losing your best midfielder (he’s still out). If Liverpool can lose VVD and crash, why would anyone think Arsenal could lose their best midfielder and not suffer?

Now we’ve found some of the missing links. Big players are coming back into form (Auba/Laca/Gabriel). Troubled players are more settled because part of their usefulness was only going work playing with certain profiles of talent (Xhaka/Pepe/Hector/Cedric). Young players are shining (Saka/ESR). We also found an Odegaard who added more quality and confidence to the starting 11.

You should be excited as a fan. I’ve never felt more confident the path we chose was correct. We’re starting to see the fruits of the time we afforded the manager. We have to navigate this season with progress in mind, then Edu, Vinai and Arteta have to NOT make the same fuck ups as last summer.

We shouldn’t be signing David Luiz to a new deal. We should be ageing down in player profile. We need a top centre midfielder. Saliba should be integrated. We should sign Balogun down as our 3rd choice striker. We should sell the names that aren’t working or loan them for the year to shop window them.

Interestingly, I did hear that Willian is a top guy and an excellent trainer. No joke. What Arteta says about him is true, it’s not PR. He’s very well-liked behind the scenes. It’s not working out for him because he’s just not the player everyone thought he’d be. I get the sense the deal was rushed (can’t imagine why). It’s simple, never take a chance on the roulette of age. This was a mistake, Arteta has to accept that and never do it again.

I also don’t think you should read too much into the Gabriel M stuff. He’s not playing at the moment because the side is buzzing. It’s hard to change something that’s working, especially for a player that is raw power. He’ll get his chance though. There are also a number of kids coming through that everyone is very excited about as well, so expect the youth theme to continue into the Arteta tenure, there’s still a lot to come.

I don’t really have a lot to say about today. My hope is it’s a great afternoon of football. Key for us is to not concede early and see if we can grow into the game. It is going to be absolutely essential to take our chances. CIty’s defence has been immense this season, Auba won’t get 5 good chances tomorrow, he’ll be lucky to have two… so let’s see what we can do. Should be fun.

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BlackStock

Haven’t beaten Man City in the league for over 5 years and it’ll be another 5 years before we beat them again judging by this performance.

Batistuta

Team could have used a bit of rotation because the Thursday game is much more important and half those guys need to be fresh and ready for that game and not exhausted from running around chasing the ball against City.

Mikel Arteta is too much of a rookie and the Arsenal job is beyond him

vickingz

Arteta can’t just instruct elhneny to play forward passes? Just psych him up for it at least

Winthorpe

andy1886February 21, 2021 17:21:31
Winthorpe, there was an offside so Auba’s ‘block’ was irrelevent, it wouldn’t have counted anyway. Bottom line is he’s there to put the ball in the back of the net, not play total football.

Andy
Yes. It was auba who was off you doughnut. Offside and blocked the shot. Yet here you are claiming that the team are preventing him from scoring
You’re a bit special today aren’t you

Anonymous Commentator

Pep never goes all out against arteta. He makes sure to beat him lightly every single time.
Worst the score will get is 3 goals to city.
If it’s anyone else but his beau thing in the dugout he sends the team out with instructions to destroy us.

Havyn

Am surprised Odegaad has a poor first touch. He also always bring the ball backwards

The so called Norway Messi
Bring back ESR

BlackStock

Le Sauce
“We actually restricted city to a few shots on target given their flying start and even gained the ascendancy as the game went on.”

City were taking a breather, don’t get carried away

Dissenter

If the plan is to play Auba on Thursday then surely Lacazette should be starting.
Ska should have been rested and Martinelli start in his place

The bigger game is on Thursday.

Havyn

We can beat them

Winthorpe

BlackStockFebruary 21, 2021 17:25:01
Haven’t beaten Man City in the league for over 5 years and it’ll be another 5 years before we beat them again judging by this performance.

Yeah
But at least wenger and Arteta actually beat them either side of emery who had a 100% loss rate against them

Rich

The best thing I can say about that is:

“Thank f*ck we’re only 0-1 down”

Batistuta

Poster above wants his striker to assist himself and also score the goal. Wonder where it is we can get such type of players.

He’s been here more than 2 years and has been out best goal scorer in said time, we’ve always known what his game is about so why the sudden faux outrage? How about questioning the rookie manager who couldn’t plan the game around his strengths or better still not offer him a new contract or bench him.

You are allowed to criticize the manager

Winthorpe

This anonymous customer needs a therapist. Who let this mental patient near the internet?

prvhc

Yeah, it looked like City deliberately took their foot off the gas as the half progressed.
Expect them to blitz the second half early and get another goal to kill if the game.

Jamie

Auba is going to have to work much harder in the 2nd half to make up for Holding’s blunder that put City 1 up.

BlackStock

Winthorpe

Emery only faced Man City twice and both times were in tragus matches.. you doughnut.

MidwestGun

The 3 players warming up before the halftime whistle were Willian, Luiz and Laca.. I sincerely hope that isn’t the plan.. but wouldn’t be surprised either.

You can see how much having both ESR And Ode in the lineup makes a huge difference. But I get that we can’t play ESR every match either. I’m ok with waiting for Europa to play him.

Winthorpe

He’s been here more than 2 years and has been out best goal scorer in said time, we’ve always known what his game is about so why the sudden faux outrage?

Nothing “faux@ about it son. People are just waking up to how awful he is. Take is goals away and this is what’s left. A husk

BlackStock

WinthorpeE

Emery only faced Man City twice and both times were in league games .. you doughnut.

salparadisenyc

Cmmon Mikel, flip Pepe and Saka, put Ceballos on for Elneny to start.
Get Martinelli ready and ESR for Ode when needed.

Anonymous Commentator

Winthrop you’re telling me you have never noticed in all the matches that arteta has managed us against city that pep has never gone all out against him?
You must think we’re actually keeping them quiet this game instead of them taking it easy.
Unreal.
Watch the games.

G8

Switching saka to the right could improve our right flank, Bellend might remember he is a footballer!
Arteta probably thinking differently!
willian sub is inevitable!

The Godfather

Who’s the twat shelling El Neny?
He’s been our best player on the field.
Anchoring the play out from the back and playing
as a one man midfield next to that horrible Swiss wheelbarrow.

Winthorpe

BlackStockFebruary 21, 2021 17:32:04
WinthorpeEmery only faced Man City twice and both times were in tragus matches.. you doughnut.

100% failure. Arteta done them boy.

Winthorpe

Ac

Yeah. He threw the semi final coz Arteta is his mate. Go and sit in the corner.

Batistuta

Lol he said “Take away his goals”… A whole striker and we should taken away his goals

BlackStock

Winthorpe

This we be the third straight loss against Man City under the new coach, hardly what you would call progress.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Where is the midfield ?

Winthorpe

JamieFebruary 21, 2021 17:31:58
Auba is going to have to work much harder in the 2nd half to make up for Holding’s blunder that put City 1 up.

Jamie
Maybe he should just get out of the way when one of our young bloods is shooting next. Out the way auba. The footballers are trying to win a game

azed

Arteta sometimes makes baffling decisions.

Saka has played his best on the right.
Pepe’s best spell has been on the left.

Why the change for this match?

MidwestGun

Shweeeew well at least KDB isn’t in form.

Anonymous Commentator

Winthrop

He probably did throw that semi, fa cup is not important to city.
Plus he knew he could convince folks like you that arteta is generational, and so here we are.

Guns of SF

Azed yes I thought Pepe would be left too

Winthorpe

BlackStockFebruary 21, 2021 17:35:59
Winthorpe This we be the third straight loss against Man City under the new coach, hardly what you would call progress.

No it won’t
Learn to count

Oh look
Auba gives it away AGAIN
Great tackle holding

Gazzap

I can take City showing more quality than us but I can’t stand it when they look like they want the ball more than us. Auba doesn’t look like he wants the ball.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

We are hopeless noone creative spark.

BlackStock

Winthorpe

Played 3 lost 3 against Man City in the league

100%:failure

Winthorpe

Anonymous CommentatorFebruary 21, 2021 17:36:45
WinthropHe probably did throw that semi, fa cup is not important to city.
Plus he knew he could convince folks like you that arteta is generational, and so here we are

Hahahaha
Oh dear AC. I think you’ve been locked down too long. Open a window

Guns of SF

ODE is showing he is not able to use his right foot – was worried about this Pepe like trait when I saw his youtube…
That close to the box, you need to use both feet

Vickingz

Holding is a funny player, just playing aerial ball to who exactly? Auba?

BlackStock

Winthorpe

3 straight league defeats is on the cards…my boy.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

When will the BB understand that xhara n elnenny don’t work.

Moray

Such a liability, Xhaka.

Winthorpe

BlackStockFebruary 21, 2021 17:39:00
Winthorpe Played 3 lost 3 against Man City in the league100%:failure

Played them in the cup
Beat them
33% win rate
This game isn’t over
Sit down clown

Danny

Very unimpressed wth Ødegaard so far.

MidwestGun

Classic Xhaka yellow card tackle.

Anonymous Commentator

Convince me that city upper management didn’t tell pep to forfeit the cup and hamstring us with arteta, the generational fraud.

Dissenter

You know you’re good when city start to resort to cynical fouling.

Zacharse

Cedric for bell and gabi for auba and at least we stand a chance

Jamie

Elneny shouldn’t even attempt forward passes. “Vastly improved.” Elite take.

Winthorpe

Bellerin again

Look. It’s like this. We need auba and bellerin out of this team sharpish
They are two awful excuses for footballers, they are athletes and that’s all. Two limp dicked, lightweight, fair weather athletes
Everything wrong with the club in the last 10 years

vegas gooner

in the first Half I counted 9 back passes to Leno. 3 in less than two minutes.

he’s gotten more passes than Aubameyang.

as outmatched we are, we might escape with a draw. if Willian comes on before we score, I predict a 3-0 win for city.

Ben D

Suggesting that Man City are deliberately not interested in scoring any more goals is completely stupid. Why would they not?

Winthorpe

Another fine piece of defending from holding
And another.

Guns of SF

Use your right foot Martin!

JOEL

What is the point of playing Elneny…What exactly does he bring to the team?

Winthorpe

Ben D

This is the lunacy of the millennial gooner

MidwestGun

4th great tackle/ block by Holding…in a row .. Bellerin keeps him busy.

S Asoa

De Bruine missing shots he would have buried

underrated Coq

“What is the point of playing Elneny…What exactly does he bring to the team?”

Diversity?

Mr Serge

Holding is our best cb Gabriel will be once he gets some experience

Mr Serge

“What is the point of playing Elneny…What exactly does he bring to the team?”Diversity?

Lol hillarious that’s about it

Guns of SF

we need shots Christ
Get ESR and Martin on

Gazzap

Elneny brings defensive stability.
If we had ceballos on the pitch we’d be 3 goals down by now.

prvhc

Ødegaard having a mare….which means he’s going to finish the match.

Guns of SF

Subs needed like now!

Batistuta

So it’s the players still and not one word about the manager who couldn’t deem it fit to rotate a bit

S Asoa

20 minutes more for substitution, unless Williams comes earlier

TheBayingMob

It’s almost Will I An time!!!

Winthorpe

Great play holding
Who says he can’t play out?

Buzzy

Tierneys been utter moist shitr today..get him.out

prvhc

Willian for Pepe ?

Guns of SF

we are creating zilch
need subs

Crabregas

Auba has a league 2 touch

Jim+furnell

Auba is dire, Martinelli please

Gazzap

Why doesn’t Saka just slip Auba in there? Instead he puts it far too much into the corner and tierney has no chance.

Dissenter

Tierney looks drained out
If he’s being groomed for Thursday , then TAKE HIM OFF

andy1886

Winthorpe reacting to Auba like a scorned lover. Get a room or get over it.

Anonymous Commentator

Man city training session on television.
They aren’t even attacking how they attack the rest of the league.
He’s blatantly taking it easy on arteta and we still can’t score.

Buzzy

I repeat..what had changed under Arteta?

Radio Raheem

Tierney and Dr Bruyne first start since being injured. It shows.

vickingz

Mart or laca for auba and we are back in

Winthorpe

Make that change Mikel
Take off Aubameyang
You know it makes sense

MidwestGun

Kdb was their worst player…today.. was kind of hoping he would stay on.

Guns of SF

this is what pisses me off about Mike,
its more of the same. We are doing jack shit.
HE just sits and watches… like what the fuck is going to happen now Mike?

In game management grade is an F

Gazzap

Tierney got him booked there. Nowhere near his head.

Winthorpe

andy1886February 21, 2021 17:50:23
Winthorpe reacting to Auba like a scorned lover. Get a room or get over it.

Andy
So you’re happy with his performance today? Or are you making excuses for a personal favourite

Graham

Hoping for an equaliser -as the last manager to stop City winning was sacked afterwards (Bilic).

Dissenter

Saka needs a rest
Save him for the games that do matter

Winthorpe

Auba not even jumping for the ball. Not challenging
Not trying

Total gash

Gazzap

Is Pepe actually playing?!?!

Nelson

Auba is pushed away be Stone.

andy1886

Clear dissent by Sterling, should be a yellow.

Ben D

How does Sterling not get a yellow card for that reaction?

underrated Coq

Arteta will happily take the one goal loss.

He’ll sit on this with the same team.

Anonymous Commentator

Ederson kicking the ball long for the target man sterling.
Pep is definitely taking this one seriously.

Dissenter

John Moss is ashot referee
Sterling just openly defied him and got no yellow card

vegas gooner

I’ve always wondered why we wait until the game is two thirds over before taking players off when it was obvious at half time they weren’t delivering.

we need to start games with two strikers instead of one.

and did city choose their spurs kit to get into the arsenal players heads?

G8

Why odgaard still on the pitch?

Moray

Time for subs. Let’s see what Tets has in his bag.

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