The year is 2021. The future is bleak, face masks and Purrell are the currency of the land. West Ham United are genuinely an excellent side.
Imagine these visions in 2018?
West Ham had a good run out against City, beating them for xG, but losing the game. It’s kind of brutal that TV isn’t aligned better between European football and the league. How can you have City playing the first game of the day after a Champions League run out? Truly brutal.
Arsenal and Leicester are in similar boats this Sunday. I mean, bar the fact Arsenal had to do two away legs in the Europa, with our home leg being further away. Again, why does it have to be the first game of the day? Every little helps. The competitions need better alignment.
The big watchword amongst Arsenal fans atm is ‘THE RED ZONE.’ This terminology was big on Le Grove in the early days. People didn’t think it existed when we were calling for Arsenal to get a S&C coach to fix the injuries (remember Wenger getting a witch doctor in to solve the issue?). Well, now people are very much accepting of sports science. The basic premise… when you are fatigued, you have a higher chance of soft tissue injury. The fancy GPS kit they use helps staff understand where a player is in terms of their limit. When you hit the RedZone, there’s a higher chance you could ping something.
The corollary that many of us are worried about is the breakthrough of Jack Wilshere, when Wenger played him 54 times and the player never recovered… and the breakthrough season of Bukayo Saka, with Arteta being unable to drop the teenager. This is Wilshere.
‘I remember having conversations with the physios in my first year in the Arsenal team. They were like: ‘Look, you’re playing a lot…’ I told them: ‘I want to play”
“I was living the dream. I was 19, playing for Arsenal. We were challenging for the league, in the Champions League. No one was going to tell me I needed a rest. That’s one of my biggest regrets – I wish I’d listened to physios a little more, learned more about my body”
It’s very worrying. Arteta is under pressure and playing for the short term. Keeping players fit and healthy during their development is a longterm thing. ‘The player said he wanted to play’ shouldn’t factor. If I child wants to eat a bonfire, you don’t let them, unless you are a weak leader.
This Sunday feels like one of those plotlines in a film.
‘Come on Bukayo, just one more time. Do it for the boys.’
The Leicester game is another Cup Final, not because we’re going to do anything in the league, but because this project needs a major scalp after a rough run of games. Killing Brendan Rodgers title run after he shithoused us earlier in the season would be totally dreamy. He needs Saka if he has a single hope of it.
The manager knows he’s tired, his response is that fatigue is part of the game. Wenger, Ferguson, Pep, and pretty much every manager out there would say the same… but there needs to be a balance. Unai Emery fucked his top 4 hopes when he overplayed Aaron Ramsey after he returned. That sort of marginal error can kill you.
The only temptation on offer is that after today, it’s a 5-day rest until we play Burnley, a game you’d hope we could rest him.
Then it’s straight back into the Europa mixer for a doubleheader against Olympiacos, which is conveniently wedged between Spurs and West Ham United. This next batch of games is where the money is made. 6 wins and the season is saved. If we have a horrendous run, pick up some injuries, and drop out of the Europa, it’ll be a bloodbath with the fans.
This is football. Glory or death. No in-between.
Loan watch is going well. William Saliba has managed 10 games in a row, he’s certainly answering fitness questions and his fanbase is growing. Also worth noting that Dino Mavrapanos is doing well. Lots of admiring glances for one of Sven’s bets. It’d be great if one of them slipped into the squad next season. Both young, both have high ceilings, both have resale value.
Short one today. Before I go. A couple of things.
This internet is a shithole. There are literally thousands of basement dwellers whose only power in life is being mean on the internet. These cowards sometimes pop up in my comments section. I’ve had people send me e-mails this year complaining about it. I am always happy to be alerted to bad actors. If I get the mail, I sort it, every time.
What I have to reiterate, over and over and over again, is this: I am just a part-time writer. I work a fulltime job dropping New York 70 hour weeks. Advertising is where I make my money, not this website. I make ZERO money from tweets, podcasts or blogs. I am also a left-leaning snowflake. If there is someone saying mean things in the comments, trust me, it’s not because I am down with those comments.
So when you email me. Please consider this is just a big hobby on a site that looks sleek, modern, and clean… built for a 2.0 world.
Finally, some exciting news. I’m going to be a contributor for The Gooner. Layth has kindly given me a little bit of space to drop thoughts. I’ve always loved the fanzine. The jokes, elite banter, gossip, and the sketch on the back of mag was always a treat when I’d go to the games with my dad and football fam back in the day. Fanzines were and are a massive part of the footballing experience, I’m glad it’s continuing, but it could always do with your support. Sign up here, it’s money well spent.
On that note, see you in the comments. I’ll be here with an On The Whistle Podcast tomorrow.
Can we give martinelli game time please
Pepe great play again. Horrible touch from Cedric lol.
Oh my soares wot a chance
Leicester are all over the place.
Pepe 2 chances in 2 minutes
Is Martinelli even on the bench?
Sideways slows us really down .
There are more goals if we get at them
As Arteta likes to say
Theres a lot of free space for players to run into now
Will we see Gabi then?
Why didn’t soares feeding pepe who was making a great run
Chaka has been one of our Vetter players. Everyone has played well today. Definitely been a positive week after that defeat to city.
Get laca off and let martinelli have a few minutes on the pitch. Bringing auba on now will be kind of clueless.
Auba is coming in for Laca. Safe strategy by Arteta to avoid sending in Martinelli.
Actually Pepe needs a fast thinker who moves into position. Otherwise he overdribles and loses the ball
Cap Tierney… this space is reserved for his pets like wilkuan
Mid
Yes he is.
This is why it’s a total mystery as to why he can’t get any minutes at all.
If MA wants to make sure he can rotate with fresh and fit players, he must ensure that all players have a chance to play a bit.
If Willian finishes the season on 10 assists, I’ll eat at his restaurant this summer.
Hard to find an argument for Bellerin as our starting right-back. Cedric is just a ball of positive energy.
Good try Tierney. Greta confidence didn’t miss by much
Winning the ball back quickly in midfield. And playing with a decent mobile number 10 is Also making a positive difference today.
But Leicester appear very leggy.
Close from Tierney
Why back passing during promising runs
Ok Legendary.. thanks.. I haven’t seen even a camera shot of him .. wasn’t sure.
Martinelli should leave honestly.
Good technique by Tierney. Had beat goalkeepers but bit off
Winning comfortably
Chance to give Martinelli some minutes to get him into form
Arteta – Lets risk Aubameyang
Can anyone understand the reason for not bringing martineli on?
Captain Tierney-baffling sub. Agreed.
WHY BRING ON AUBA when Martinelli is available and auba is being rested today? The game is over what is the logic of this
Honestly some of the decisions arteta makes are so obviously ridiculous you wonder if he’s trolling
MARTINELLI IS A LIZARD PERSON
Someone explain this substitute to me?
Leicester going out Europe definitely been a bonus for us. They look sloppy and demotivated.
If martinelli leaves, nobody can blame him really. No minutes in the last 10 games in all comp.
Problem is lacca contract is up next season we need to sell him as well as auba
Williams getting back into comfort zone of no risk back passes which Rancid Sauce loves cos possession.
Credit to Willian. Hardly put a foot wrong all game.
Areta never fancied martinelle temeber he benched him for eddie
Areta never fancied martinelle temeber he benched him for eddie
From here very likely to lose. Need to control the game
If esr wasn’t injured, you can bet bellerin or saka would have been bought on.
One thing about Xhaka .. he is indestructible.
Bellerin has been our weakest link since the beginning of the season.
We have never seen anything good from him.
Bellerin strength was his speed. This is what saved him and made him a “good” defender. The moment he lost his speed due to his ACL, it has shown him up to be a poor defender.
I can only agree that Cedric is head and shoulders the better player.
Close by Auba
Almost 1-4.
Matt
Can anyone understand the reason for not bringing martineli on?
I am sure Martinelli’s time will come. Just as Pepe was not being played earlier and looks better now, same will happen with Martinelli
Missed by a foot literally
Mid yeah the guy is made of iron for sure
Clattered hus knee into Pepe
Sub pepe no point risk muscle injury
If Auba even aims that a foot to the left it still goes in. Doesn’t need to put it on the post.
Laca has been good today but honestly, he’s still a very limited player, hardly ever scores from open play. We need to sell him and auba and get a complete player, someone in the mould of halaand.
Useroz, 3 subs completed
We have 1 sub available.
Doubt Arteta subs Pepe off.
Nah lets have him finish the game with a sore leg.
Whenever Partey comes on as a sub, it feels like Arnold coming in on that Harley Fat Boy in Terminator 2.to save that kid from T2 driving that semi truck
Leicester have been horrific. They really seem to miss Maddison. It shouldn’t take away from our high-energy, positive performance though
Excellent performances all round.
ESR, Neny and Laca subbed
Arteta doesn’t know how to manage a squad propery
Maybe that will come in his third season
Good result today but at 3-1, why not give Gabe a run in?
Has to be frustrating for back-ups in the squad.
Oh great Pepe is having a great game… don’t get a serious injury now.. ok he looks … ok.
Sorry 3 subs completed.
Odegaard is a precise passer, but does not make the runs in behind that Smith Rowe does. Probably means Pépé/Aubameyang on the left will be on the menu for the next month.
Pepe was motm. But Willian has done well
Arteta’s personal vendettas with multiple, multiple players in just 14-15 months is a gigantic WARNING sign.
When Martinelli decides to leave I hope no one blames him
Willian MOM who would have bet on that?
Will Martinelli go ?
Didn’t seem like contact with tierneys head
7mins extra wtf
Sheesh lets just get out of this match with no more injuries and 3pts, please.
“What you saying? Our black players all look the same?”
Only a degenerate would think like you.
Martinelli, balogun, saliba, guendouzi.
It maybe safe to say, arteta does more harm than good to the club. All this is done because he’s looking to save his skin in the short run and isn’t interested in the long term vision for the club…
Have to confess to being a fan of our raspberry ripple away kit.
Bellerin will walk back into the first team and Martinelli is finished at arsenal. You can make arguments for whether Martinelli should be first choice, second choice, third choice, whatever – but there is no serious argument for how he is such a low priority player so as to be a complete irrelevance. What’s happened is nothing to do with football and everything to do with arteta Whether it’s a personal vendetta or what I’ve no idea but literally from the time Klopp and ronaldinho started talking up Martinelli arteta stepped in and sunk him like a stone It’s shocking… Read more »
Stupid play from Auba..just take the ball to the fuxking corner
Blimey, 3-1 up away at Leicester and there are still people moaning.
Misery loves company.
Wot? Yellow for that??
Keown giving Willian MOTM. he’s had a decent game but Pepe and Xhaka have been better.
Partey not yet aware of competence of various PL keepers like Smeihichel
If you’re resting players and decide not to start them
What’s the point of subbing them in when the game is all but won… you did ‘t need them
Let them rest
Give other players those opportunities to keep your squad happy.
Excellent performances by the starters, especially Willian by the way./
Outside the opening few minutes, we’ve dominated most of the play.
Credit where it’s due, Arteta got just about everything right. Pity Marti can’t buy some minutes when we’re 3-1 up, but we’ve won a game few thought we would a couple hours ago.
Pretty thrilled, tbh. Great result.
Leave it to Arteta to winning a game after going down and still leave the fans angry.
What does Martinelli need to do
China
” Whether it’s a personal vendetta or what I’ve no idea but literally from the time Klopp and ronaldinho started talking up Martinelli arteta stepped in and sunk him like a stoneIt’s shocking mismanagement of this player. If this was about footballing reasons he’d have loaned him out in Jan. A tone of clubs would’ve loved to take him. Instead he wants him wasting away with no football for his own personal satisfaction to show him who is boss or some other BS ”
Second that. Man is a perverse
Agreed China, Arteta doing his best to ruin Martinelli. quite disgusting and petty really.
Pepe MOTM
Forget their goal – apart from that, practically nothing negative happened. We played beautifully and thoroughly deserved to win. Willian rekindled that essence of what made him a hero at Chelsea. A fantastic team performance in the circumstances.
End of.
Great win. We played really well despite our trademark early conceded goal.
Good rest game for Saka and an important three points.
All this criticism of Arteta on a day he rotated 6 players who have come in and done well, rested Saka and beaten the third placed team away.
Fucking whiners! All you can say is ‘what about Martinelli? ‘Unbelievable.
That’s a good win. Regardless of circumstances with fatigue and injuries. It’s never easy at Leicester. We were far more at it than Leicester.
I don’t think there’s anyone in modern day football I like to get one over on that that gyppo, Vardy.
Really really good comeback win… We deserved it.. Love that blank look on Brenda’s face.
Heady heights of 9th
BobN16
You have a point.
I actually think this auba substitution is not because arteta wanted to bring him on but literally just to send a message to Martinelli that he’s nothing to him On what logical basis would you bring on auba when he must be knackered, the game is already won, we risk injuring him etc? If you wanted to not bring on Martinelli for practical reasons at least you bring on a defensive player to close the game out like chambers. At least there’s an actual basis on which to make that decision But bringing on auba in the 80th minute today… Read more »
Martinelli?
What about balogun, saliba, and guendouzi??
Arteta more interested in saving his arse than developing for the long term benefit of the club. When a manager never wears the colours of the club, you really have to question their commitment to the club or are they in just for the money?
Raheem-
Top top top … middle .. of the table. 😀
Great result. COYG
If Martinelli is offered on loan, the response would answer some.
Guess that will not come about
Good away win, decent performance
And no Vardy Steptoe customary goal
Shame with Martinelle freezing!
Arteta out!
Come on Burnley!
So why are we not getting performances like today’s on the regular? Thought our squad is shit. We bossed a Leicester at their stadium. How and why are they 12 pts ahead of us? How and why are West Ham 8 pts ahead of us?
Very good today. But far too inconsistent. We have the required quality of players to finish in top 6 and play in Europe next year. Rest is on Arteta.
Brendan’s bubble has burst! (Is it me, or have Leicester become a sly mean bunch since his arrival?)
And for those on here who ought to know better: quit wailing and start believing.
Bob no I’m very happy with the overall performance and win. Lots of big positives today which I’ll take all day. But that doesn’t excuse the BS that comes with it
Well that made getting up at 5am worth it… so I’m happy as hell.
Martinelli’s situation puts a dark spot on today’s game. Arteta is a dipshit and who wants to have a bad person as the manager of their favourite team…
Damn…. Burnley.. let Bale score. Get it together.
4am game time for me, Midwest, so I just stayed up!.