There’s literally nothing worse than losing under this current regime.
I’m wondering if it’s unique to Arsenal, the moment, or just football now… but every club has it. United fans talk about #OGSOUT after a draw. Pep was a fraud last season. Klopp amazingly has detractors.
I saw someone bemoaning ‘trust the process’ and ‘back the manager’ yesterday. Like, I get it, when something is clearly dead, you’ve got to move it on fast… we’re not there yet. Worth noting that West Ham fans were very much Moyes out at the end of last season (and the start of this one), look at them now, chasing down top 4.
Arsenal fans are kind of like West Ham fans these days, beaten down by a very long stretch of mediocrity, now everyone is a nihilist. My favourites of those types are the people that backed Wenger to the hilt when it was clear he’d reached his ceiling. If he’d been moved on in 2013, I’m not sure we’d be where we are right now. Summer 2015 would never have happened. We might not have needed a Don Raul. Ivan might have actioned a Sven like plan early. Could have been very different.
Now we’re in the worst of all situations… the ‘no quick fix’ one.
We tried the quick fix in Wenger’s last season. It didn’t work.
We tried another round of quick fix in Emery’s first summer. It didn’t work.
We then went for strike 3 trying to save Emery and that also didn’t work.
Mikel Arteta is David Cameron with Liam Byrne’s ‘I’m afraid there’s no money’ note after Gordon B lost the election. I remember writing about this a decade ago… the longer you leave a problem in football, the more expensive it is to fix. Well, here we are. 18 months into a 5 year plan and it’s difficult because we’re reengineering everything at the same time. We’re doing that because we’re trying to build sustainable football and a sustainable transfer model… not something that is fleeting.
That doesn’t mean there’s no hope, far from it… it just means if you’re a fan and you think there’s a silver bullet manager, you’re living in a deluded world. High profile managers won’t touch us because we’re a resume spoiler. Hot shit young managers, like Nagelsmann, are not in our league. So you either bum it around with names like Nuno (Emery) or you take a chance on an upstart coach like we’ve done.
There are two challenges we have at the moment.
- We don’t have the players needed to play the way Arteta wants to play in enough volume
- It is super questionable whether Edu is the Technical Director who can lead us out of this shithole moment
I think if Arteta was just coaching, I’d be more confident about the next 6 months. The fact he is anywhere near the decision-making process for players is deeply concerning.
Outside player recruitment, which we can talk about another day, there are things Arteta needs to get right super quick.
ACT ON THE INSIGHTS
In business, I find there are two types of operators at a certain level. Those that can recognize problems and do the job. Those that can recognize problems, do the job, and fix the problems. The first is Matty Flamini on the football pitch, pointing everywhere, but not doing much about it. What you really want is the Matty Flamini post-career, looking at climate change, and coming armed with a solution that WILL save the world.
Arteta, at the moment, looks like he’s midfielder Flamini.
He points to the problem really well. The issue? He doesn’t do enough about that said problem. In fact, sometimes he points at a problem and goes to great lengths to praise the offenders. He has a saving grace here, the pandemic fucked world football. Money didn’t move, no one was taking chances, we were left with a bloated squad.
This summer, we’ll truly see what sort of a leader is.
If you are pointing your finger at individual errors, you need to fix them. We can’t see a new deal for David Luiz, he’s made more errors than most this past season. We have to minimize Xhaka next season because he’s another one who has mistakes costed in. Dani Ceballos should not be renewed. Big Mo needs to be passed on. You might ask questions about our keeper.
If you are pointing your finger about our lack of edge in the attacking phase of our game, you’ve got to stop giving deals to old players that can’t do the job. Auba is a great striker, but he’s not really what Arteta needs from a 9 and he’s a million miles from what we need on the wing. Willian can’t move, it’s embarrassing that Arteta thought he’d be the move. Lacazette, he’s been good, but against the backdrop of the other two being dreadful. Pepe, not cut out for it.
… it’s a mess… but we can’t keep pointing at it. It needs to be fixed. We need to move forward.
We can’t go into this summer knowing the problems and not fixing them. Worse, we can’t know what the problems are… then make more mistakes to exacerbate them.
DODGE THE THINGS THAT MAKE ARSENAL FAIL
This is a subcategory of the first issue.
It’s easy to work in a winning environment. Everyone is confident. Pressure is lower. Things feel sexy. You don’t learn an awful lot. It’s like driving on the open road.
The losing environment is the most important place to identify the true character of the people that make up your team. Who showed up every day? Who gave 100% in the dressing room? Who turned up early and left late? Who was curious? Who didn’t hide? You find out who can drive on the Champs-Élysée round about.
Arteta looked like he based his summer on the cup win. He should have based it on our league form. True character, in this side, isn’t BIG games, it’s the little games that don’t matter. 10 months later, we’re dealing with the same issues. The Liverpool game was about character, not ability… but how can you be surprised? When the games don’t matter, these players NEVER show up. The lessons of the Liverpool game need to be carried into the summer. You cannot coach character.
DOUBLE DOWN ON THE THINGS MAKE YOU BETTER
Arteta has two masters, the fans, and the results. You have to be doing a good job with both to stay in the job.
What makes the fans happy? Young players.
What makes the team better? Young players.
Who has consistently let us down this season? Senior players.
You could say that is overly simplistic, but I’m not sure I’d agree. Young players give you fight, hunger, and sellable assets. There’s no argument that, in our situation, signing 32-year-old wingers from Chelsea is the better move.
The frustration I have with Arteta is that he keeps on forgetting what kept him in a job. It was not Auba. It was not Willian. It was not Lacazette. It was players like Saka, Martinelli, ESR, and Tierney. Hungry players.
I don’t want to see Arsenal trying to sign Griezmann in the summer. I don’t want to see us in for 27 year olds. Our finances don’t give us the baller money needed to get the best of players at those ages. We need to go young. Martin Odegaard, that’s the profile we want. Martinelli, starting every week, that’ll make us smile. William Saliba needs to come back and be coached to the greatness we know is there.
No more bumming around trying to justify horrendous summer decisions on senior players. Move them on if we can and replace with names that are hungry to impress.
Fans will forgive young players, they will not forgive underperforming coasters on big money.
BETTER NARRATIVES
What’s the fucking story at Arsenal?
You always knew what it was with Wenger.
We’re going to go invincible.
We’re going to have the best kids in the world grow together.
We’re going to build out a new project with Brits.
The plans didn’t always work, but you took a ride with Wenger.
Jose Mourinho always had a great narrative you could follow along with.
Jurgen Klopp keeps you bubbling along.
What is the vision with Arteta? I know he wants to play nice football, but because he doesn’t have a narrative, it makes it hard to know what’s going on.
If the Liverpool game was in the bin, give us a hint of what’s going on, and staff accordingly.
The management-speak makes it hard to follow what we’re doing. I can see things unfolding on the pitch I like, but I’d like to know how this gets better. Where is the momentum coming from? What are we planning to fix this summer? What is a summer going to do to arrest 12 defeats 30 games into a season?
We lack a good narrative. You know, even if the narrative is painful, I’d take it. My worry now is that there’s a lack of clarity in the system and it’s further clouded because the person writing it is the person who is trying to learn the ropes of coaching on his first job.
Hopefully, all of the above is being taken care of. Whether you like it or not, the City and Liverpool games have not been par the course since December. That performance at the weekend was a kink in the system, but one the fans widely understand is there. Arteta and Edu need to action it. Move us forward. Get the fans back on track with this rebuild. We can’t keep on pointing at it. If we are this time next season, it’ll be time for a new manager, because the project will have failed.
Have a great day, see you in the comments. x
CC, offloading those 4 is going to be tough.
We’ll get nothing for Laca. Pepe is worth about 30m. Auba earns more than Mesut. Willian ain’t going nowhere.
Those are 4 very, very pricey misfits.
Though Auba isn’t a misfit if you build buzzy players around him. Which we might have to do.
Pedro
Think doing the latter is the only face saver tbh. Should’ve been the hard push following the extension, but we went into the season with Ozil as the senior creator and enough said about that.
I’d bin Pepe in a heartbeat for that cash, Laca has to be swap material back to France.
Lacazette might also be good swap fodder for Italy.
Pepe might be a player we can rotate for someone at Lille.
Edu has to be sharp this window
Good post Pedro except the pandemic blaming!
If fans had been in the stadium he might not have even lasted in the job until Christmas. Arsenal fans are not hugely tolerant of relegation form!
China, more the lack of preseason, the mental strain on players, the truncated fixture list… the issue that has the Arsenal in their worst ever season and only 10 points off top 4. Not just Arsenal suffering.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-arteta-luiz-saliba-latest-23862235
And so it goes on with Arteta/Saliba saga.
The sooner Arteta goes the better.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arteta-arsenal-demands-ceballos-pepe-23861281
Some Gooners cast their thoughts
Getting riled up by a red top click
“Ernest Reed, won an FA Cup in his first 6 months. If he wins Europa, which is very do-able, then we’ll be tracking nicely.”
Pedro clearly thinking it’s joke Friday.
Hilarious!
Pedro I recognise that Arteta could be at risk of losing his job this season, but I am not going to blame him for the majority of poor recruitment decisions, which have been made over the past 15 years at the club or the current culture that seems to exist. The reality is that the club has recruited a pile of problems, which may well take two or three years to clear out of the club whoever manages the team. Let me start off with TORREIRA. We spent £25 million on this player. He and his family want him to… Read more »
‘Getting riled up by a red top click” No smoke without fire and Arteta likes to burn the kids either by overplaying them or just leaving them to rot no matter how good they are in training. At there moment Pedro the press media is far better than your obsessive Arteta love in regardless of what colour the tops (Red) are or how broad the sheets Telegraph etc. Your first love/crush – Gazidis broke your heart and now Arteta your 2nd love is going to do the same or worse. So what happens after Arteta doesn’t win the doable EL… Read more »
ES A top elite manager overcomes all such issues and earns such respect from his squad that they will give all on the pitch as per the manager’s instructions. Now it seems the players have had enough of Arteta’s BS because none of it makes sense to them. So we should sell our best players because Arteta can’t make a decent team out of a far better squad than Emery had and produce Emery results of just missing out for 3rd/4th place by a missed penalty by Auba and other moments. Not wanting to insult you but, I’m glad you’re… Read more »
Tony, don’t get angry with me because you’ve been duped by an article in the mirror.
‘No smoke without fire’
The Mirror, ffs… honestly.
Giving out about ES on the board after citing The Mirror and William Sailba as a point of contention.
His thoughts read far brighter than yours.
Emirates, agree. Bag of mess to deal with.
There’s 100m to be had this summer.
Hale Enders will bring in cash. Matteo and Hector will have buyers. There needs to be some Jan energy into the exits.
Hoping the recruitment looks like Odegaard and Gabriel. That’s where it needs to go.
Get the summer right and we are cooking next season.
Gons Off topic for a moment. There are very few places I still want to travel to. Nepal is one and the south islands of NZ is another I’d like to do when it’s safe to travel again. Already decided we’ll to go back to Japan to do a train tour round the country. At 65 elevation is an issue for me with my coronary artery disease and only having 2 unblocked arteries feeding my heart (there are 3). So, I won’t be running up mountains, but looking for some cool treks with my wife on lower ground. Do you… Read more »
Reading the post, why do i have a feeling this is the start of the arteta out movement by pedro. Until this point, there was an air of arteta can do no wrong and he is progressing the club which has now changed to pointing out mikeals mistakes and flaws.
EL or bust for arteta now.
Tony Let’s get real for once and stop the perpetual blame game of the Manager. On Saturday we played without Luiz, Xhaka, Saka and Smith-Rowe who were out injured or ill. Tierney got injured in first half. So the million dollar question is who would you select to play against Liverpool with the resources available? The only player who was available and maybe should have played was Bellerin. Are you seriously blaming Arteta for the performances of Ceballos, Aubameyang, Lacazette and Pepe? These are experienced professional footballers. Arsenal have lost 4 fixtures in EPL since Christmas. Two defeats were against… Read more »
Pedro Are any of the papers honest? They all sell stories to sell papers regardless of how factual the stories are as long as there is some relevance in the print – you know that. In the 90s my work involved the press having met and knowing many journos. 20+ years ago, but from what I hear from friends in the media now and retired, nothing much has changed. Save that of ‘woke’ having to be taken into account. Let’s see what happens for the remaining games. As I mentioned before I have trepidatious hope, but reality keeps me from… Read more »
Pedro
As I have posted many times the best solution last season was for Arsenal not to have qualified for Europe.
This will be probably the outcome this season, because I doubt that we will win the Europa League.
This will allow us to focus on our EPL performance and focus on planning properly for the
future with a leaner squad, which is more energetic and fit for purpose.
Tony
Do me a favour. I am just as much a critic as most sensible people who support the club.
The difference is that I am a realist and try to be constructive.
You sit in your ivory tower in Thailand drinking your pink coladas and have not got really a
clue what is happening in England or for that matter at Arsenal.
ES I’ll bite! “Let’s get real for once and stop the perpetual blame game of the Manager.” Let’s not. Lets fire a manager who has systematically broken our “Worst” records for 50+ years and showing signs of breaking more rather than improving. “On Saturday we played without Luiz, Xhaka, Saka and Smith-Rowe who were out injured or ill. Tierney got injured in first half.” Saka and ESR only got played because of injuries and have saved Arteta from being fired. Xhaka and Luiz? Xhaka if reports are true wants to leave in the summer thankfully and Luiz with his red… Read more »
Mertesacker will produce bucket loads of technical players from the youth team
Tony
I think the question of Arteta is moot.
It is Covid-19, changing a manager won’t guarantee results so Stan K isn’t going to budge.
Also we don’t have the $$ for any new manager to buy their own toys.
Like it or not, unless Xhaka throws arm bands at fans once more while Aretata suddenly pulls something from Jose M book of man-management, it isn’t going to happen.
And even if it does, likely it will be Per M on the hot seat until the end of the season.
ES Now now I was being respectful. “Do me a favour. I am just as much a critic as most sensible people who support the club.The difference is that I am a realist and try to be constructive.” I think you have a way to go to be able to join the ‘sensible’ fans thinking. Realist and constructive? Never flip flopping as you have done so many times before with Wenger, Ozil, Xhaka and others? Where, I on the other hand, nail my colours to the mast and stick to them until proven wrong by the players or managers actions.… Read more »
Dark Hei Sadly you are right, but I’d be happy with Per in charge in the interim post Arteta. I don’t feel a manager has to buy his pets right away. He has a squad he can get firing again with the right game plans and man management. The current squad less Xhaka and Luiz should get EL cup qualification at worst and CL football at a big push best. As a poster said yesterday we should be in the mix for top 4 with 4/5 other teams. with the players we have. We can afford Nagelsmann, as I believe… Read more »
Lol @ Tony’s house value, location and choice of alcohol rendering his opinion on arsenal incorrect
Tony
I think we are under performing as well.
But will wait out the end of the season before pulling the trigger.
I am not sure Nagelsmann is realistic given that he works for Red Bull. They probably provide him with plenty of lines of revenue.
Irrespective of any criticism this season I don’t see arteta getting sacked Even if we fail to win the EL and come mid table as is very possible, I think he’ll hang on. Arsenal as a club doesn’t have any great appetite for change. We’ve seen this time and again over the years. They didn’t even want to sack emery until his position was deemed completely untenable. This season is even worse so far and there’s not much noise But I think next season will be the real test for arteta because with fans in the stadium the atmosphere will… Read more »
If arteta stops fannying around in the league and experiments with our best youth a bit more I’ll have a lot more tolerance for mixed results and performances. Martinelli, Balogun, azeez are all players I’d like to see get regular game time. Might not be 90 mins every match but they should be getting proper chances with at least semi frequency Do that and perhaps we’ll learn a bit more about what these kids can or can’t do for us next season. I’ve absolutely no interest in watching all the usual suspects like auba laca Bellerin xhaka, Willian or Luiz.… Read more »
I don’t get this Nanglesmann won’t come theory. His best players are being sold by the bucket loads. Werner, Upamecano and now may be Konate. He would come if we offered him the job. As far as I know we haven’t been forced to sell our best players over the past few years. And top young managers want a team together to build something. This Arteta is the only savior cult mentality is very poor. He either gets us European football or he gets sacked. Anything else is based on either cult mentality or a lot of sentiment. A very… Read more »
China it would seem so.
Made me laugh 😂 when I read it.
Yeah Leipzig are a tiny fraction of the size of arsenal
They’re doing well which is great but if arsenal can’t compete with them for players or managers then something very odd is going on
Can you imagine living in Leipzig and turning down London unless you are one of those country folk who hates the big city?
Why do I have a feeling that this pink colladas and ivory tower comment is going to become a running joke for you tony lol
Very good post from Pedro this one. Very honest. As well as singling out players he knows need moving on or need to be demoted in playing time he is also honest in admitting that although this five year plan is always talked about if we don’t see significant improvement from Arsenal under Arteta next season any plan under the Spaniard is finished. Kaput. Arteta needs to move on significantly next season in a five year plan. He can’t bum around in midtable next season and a five year plan is still talked about. It will be over for him.… Read more »
@Tony suffering Refeeding syndrome
China “Martinelli, Balogun, azeez are all players I’d like to see get regular game time. Might not be 90 mins every match but they should be getting proper chances with at least semi frequency” Totally agree. Whatever the EL cup situation Arteta can use the rest of the PL season to blood those players and find an identity that is a good fit for the players we have. Leno should be benched now he’s infected with Artetaitis mutated strain from Wengerizing that has many affected from the elder ranks. I’ve never had such attachments to managers others have. For me… Read more »
China
I give as good as I get so I have no problem with banter and piss taking.
To be honest this blog has brought me a lot of funny laugh out load enjoyment, so as long as it stays that way I’m happy being here.
Most here are very cool people regardless of age or time served as a fan.
Even Pierre is an institutional character here and very much part of the blog fabric Mr Marmite CC being another. Some truly great characters have frequented the blog.
So pinacolada Tony? Who really gives a toss? Not me.
Sid
@Tony suffering Refeeding syndrome
I asked my chef what that meant and he said I have nothing to worry about.
🙏
Tony ‘s boring us again with his insistence on sharing what super woofers he has in his house or palace or whatever it is China – I totally agree. Pedro’s post is similar – if we saw the project emerging we’d all have more patience. Our only future as a club that can compete is developing and buying smart the best young talent that we can. Ditch the old men – rip their contracts up as they are in breach and shift them off. Laca looks great for a couple of matches and then fades away. Auba has been appalling… Read more »
An interesting analysis via pressures…
https://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2021/04/05/two-steps-forward-three-steps-back/
Northbanker
You can always skip my posts that are in another conversation.
Blog of peace and love right?
China
Arteta will die on the senior player hill before he gives chances to youngsters. He has been forced once to use his young players because he was about to be sacked. Don’t expect any of Azeez, Martinelli or Balogun to have game time. Willian, Elneny and Lacazette are the future of this club according to Arteta. He never learns Man.
“Franco/Brazillian clan of experienced players on our books namely LUIZ, WILLIAN, LACAZETTE and AUBAMEYANG.”
You forgot to include Pepe to this clan. I was wondering why Laca and Pepe didn’t give a shit last game. They had a better attitude before. I suspect Auba is the clan leader. He is poisoning the other players. By the way, someone called them MAFIA.
I am sad to see this development inside the dressing room. It is not easy to manage a “BIG” club.
He resurfaces after telling everyone he will only be back after the next win, clown
Excellent Post Pedro. I understand the frustration but there are signs that he is getting a team together. We can’t keep going back to square 1 and hoping for a miracle. It would help if the off field decision making improved. Who thought signing Willian and giving Auba a bumper deal were good ideas ?
Lets see how we go next season and then decide whether Arteta stays.
Pepe is Ivorian, Auba is from Gabon calling what the hell is Franco
Sid
Have you lived in the States before. There are people from all over the world making a living in the States. Particular those coming from small countries. They all called themselves American.
Sid- if that was aimed at me then fortunately we live in a democracy where we all have the right to post as we choose
But yes after a defeat the last thing I want to do is read all the negative stuff on here and certainly not your own bizarre posts.
Unless you’re born raised or naturalized in France, you’re not French!
Actually it’s kinda interesting because a lot of Americans who have never even left the country and couldn’t find the place on a map always talk about how they’re Irish or Italian etc haha
Always found it a little odd that they don’t just say American rather than ‘Italian American’ or whatever
Tony You don’t really understand what is going on in England at the moment. We are living in lockdown with most people isolated from their family and friends and family life impacted by death, serious illness and mental health issues. Do you seriously think that footballers are immune from what is going on? Last week Torreira lost his mother to Covid. Earlier in season Aubameyang was granted compassionate leave to see his ailing mother and Thierry Henry and Arteta amongst many others have been subject to internet abuse. So you expect footballers and management to perform like automatons and perform… Read more »
ET many teams in the EPL are having quite respectable seasons We can excuse individual cases (like the loss of loved ones) etc but the overall plight of the team has been driven primarily by self induced mistakes that most fans were able to call at the time with relative consistency. So I sympathize greatly with individual cases of players struggling in special circumstances but I don’t sympathize with arsenal FC having a shit season. The pandemic is an excuse because it is not applying equally to all teams. If our players were struggling with long covid or lots of… Read more »
Somebody forgot to tell west ham, Aston Villa, Leeds, Leicester, utd and city that there’s a pandemic. Spurs are also give or take where I’d expect and Chelsea’s pandemic issues magically disappeared when Tuchel arrived
Arsenal are not special we’re just doing badly and it’s our own fault. By blaming ourselves and taking responsibility the club can seek to improve and do better next season. If one of the main lessons learnt at the end of this season is ‘but pandemic!!’ Then I can say with great confidence next season will end up with disappointment as well.
Pedro…you say there is no quick fix and site two main challenges.. One Arteta doesn’t have the players he needs…? Second is edu up to the job..? personally I think it’s the other way around edu acquires the players the manager wants..? Like …Willian..Mari..soares…Gabriel..ceballos,.party..the dodgy keeper…. I’m sure edu didn’t sign these on his own judgment..? ? Is arteta not accountable for any of this mess..? Is arteta the coach ..?..responsible for playing style..? Players focus..? Fitness..? Mental attitude..?…the players game day preparations..?… All of which he has completely and in some instances spectacularly failed in he is a complete… Read more »
Pedro…you say there are two main challenges.. One Arteta doesn’t have the players he needs…? Second is edu up to the job..? personally I think it’s the other way around edu acquires the players the manager wants..? Like …Willian..Mari..soares…Gabriel..ceballos,.party..the dodgy keeper…. I’m sure edu didn’t sign these on his own judgment..? ? Is arteta not accountable for any of this mess..? Is arteta the coach ..?..responsible for playing style..? Players focus..? Fitness..? Mental attitude..?…the players game day preparations..?… All of which he has completely and in some instances spectacularly failed in he is a complete novice and so far out… Read more »
Not sure what people expect from our attack when Arteta insists on playing Auba and Laca together, it barely worked in the 7-0-3 formation and then only because Auba scored nearly every chance he got. He’s not a winger and never will be, especially not if we have any plans on keeping possession. Play one of them at a time, it really is that simple. Despite all the abuse Pepe gets here he’s probably been our second best attacker after Saka, but is yanked for 3 games every time he scores or assists. Willian is leading the assist charts but… Read more »
Blog of peace and love right Tony/Northbanker Err and a blog of hi and fi by the sound of it. Turned all the way up to 11! Tony – what do the neighbours and the local fuzz think (or are they all in your pay) ? I know fuck all about stuff like that but it sounds like you’re getting ready for an all out propaganda onslaught and you’re using the site for practice. I’ve got this indellible image of you in my mind’s eye as the Walter C Kurtz/Marlon Brando character in Apocalypse Now. If I were you, I’d… Read more »
China 1 I gave examples of situations which have happened to our Manager, players and ex players. This is a very small sample of what is going on at moment. Most of society is struggling at the moment whether you accept it or not and morale is impacted by events. Last Saturday we discovered that a large number of our starting X1 was injured for the game against Liverpool. When we saw the team sheet I was not surprised by outcome. I suspect that the players went into that game in similar frame of mind. No-one discussed that Chelsea lost… Read more »
Pepe, Aubameyang are both born and raised in France. They are French citizen, but chose to represent the country of their parents.
When they speak French, they both have French accent rather than their respective African selection accent.
Tony
Don’t know how you do it, but once I know the score of a game, I can’t get myself to watch the whole thing. Rather watch the highlights. Can’t be arsed to re watch the game the next day.
Emiratesstroller
Spoken like a true AKB’s.
Its hunky dory living in a democracy, its another standing by what you say, not flip floping, where im from your word is your bond
Kroenkephobe I can assure you KP at 65 I have near killed myself running myself into the ground. I had the cinema built adjacent to our gym so linking it to the house. The gym has a 5000 watt PA system that I have to keep down to a mutually agreed decibel level. The cinema omits less than -20dB which equates to a quiet room: https://www.mobileappdaily.com/app-review/db-meter Being an ex sound engineer from the late 70s and 80s I had the cinema built with a control room, so the cinema can be used as a record room with perfect studio level… Read more »
The fact that they represent their parents countries tells you what the think of Assimilation policy
As I get from middle aged grumpy git to OAP grumpy git I find that I am shaking my head in disbelief. See some say it’s obvious that things are improving just look at league results since Christmas. Phew some say yep all’s good. Ok so let’s look at 2021. In the league played 13won 6 drawn 3 and lost 4. Oh! Not so happy about that let’s look at January. Great won 3 , drew 2 and yep proof didn’t lose any. February. Yep things are improving. Ah maybe not. Won 2 lost 3 The weathers getting better, COVID… Read more »
Gons
I get up at 6am and either watch the match recording or use the apps Freddie L gave me: OurMatch.
It’s a trade off from watching at 2 or 3am and I’m an early riser usually up between 5 and 6am.
This project is not going to work under Arteta. Simply because he is a micro-manager. Who wants to work under a micro-manager? Look at how he’s always screaming all over the touchline telling the players where to move, where to pass. Imagine your coach doing that all game??? It must be so annoying for the players because I’d be losing my mind. If that’s him on matchday in front of the world and all the cameras, imagine what he’s like behind the scenes?? As we know he’s a not a pleasant guy behind the scenes. The best coaches don’t micro-manage… Read more »
Loved your post Freddie, agreed with every word. It’s not looking that great for Arteta. Much will depend on the TW this summer which will be guided by whether we qualify for Europe. If we don’t, we’re even more in a ‘project situation’- I would love to see a continued clear out of players who are clearly not going to be part of our return to the top 4.. My worry is how quickly Edu and Arteta are learning how to achieve success. Tony, keep well and the volume turned up. Without wishing to come across as patronising, I admire… Read more »
A big hug from me Robert
Tony Respect. You’ve certainly had some ups and downs. I travelled persistently in my job for 30 years and it lost its glamour by the time I left in 2013. But once the little uns leave our family bosom in a few year’s time, Ms Kphobe and I are going to visit our old haunts in the Americas (US, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil). We’re also applying for Spanish (and therefore EU) residency and seeking an eventual haven in Catalunya or Italy. Covid is making us more inpatient for change as it is everyone else. I’ll be in touch… Read more »
Ah, the hardships of modern day footballers…
don’t know how they even manage…..
Unlike those fortunate frontline workers restocking grocery shelves at 15 bucks an hour.
Not a worry in the world.
Pedro
“Matt, answerred your own question there… if we can offer young players a platform, they’ll come. Finding them more the problem.”
But there in lies the problem. Arteta is adverse to giving young players a go! We don’t have to look far for young talent – they are already at the club but you wouldn’t know that!
Hitman 49
Willian,Gabriel and Soares were recruited by Raul before his departure. He had close links with agent.
Runarsson was recommended by Arsenal’s Goalkeeping Coach. I doubt that Arteta knew who he was.
Partey was by all accounts Edu’s preference. Arteta had asked for Aouar.
I think that Arteta can take direct responsibility for decisions to recruit Ceballos and Mari.
Ceballos was a mistake but a loan option. Mari on the other hand had played well in South
America and was probably known to Arteta at Man City.
Big respect Tony. You have done well in life.
BobN16 Thanks I appreciate all you said. Good to hear your story and we’re pretty close in our club thinking. Our daughter is my wife’s niece who we adopted when we married. She’d lived with my wife from 6 months. KPhobe Kindred spirits come to mind. I chose SE Asia but wasn’t sure where I’d end up. In the end Thailand was an emerging hospital tourist country so it made sense to pitch my tent there. More than happy to offer my thoughts on tech. I’m a serious tech nerd so always researching something. Not quite at the level to… Read more »
Samesong
Thanks appreciate your words.
I thought that Raul was already gone when Willian was signed on. It was deal initiated by Edu and Arteta went beyond the necessary to convince him to join: Winning the European Champions League within 3 years anyone? Converting Cedric loan into a purchase was done at Arteta behest, so he is fully responsible for bringing him on a permanent basis. The Only goalkeeper coach who was against bringing Runnarsson left a few weeks ago. He was told that his contract was not going to be renewed this summer and is now manager of Bromley FC in the conference. Instead… Read more »
Emiratesstroller… Thank you for the explanation of how the players arrived. But the manager definitely had a say in them being acquired and in the instances of a couple of them he actively wanted them, I’m sorry to have to stand by my own opinion but he has to take the blame full and square on I’m afraid. His judgment is very poor you only have to look at his man management skills and the way he has treated a few of the younger players to see that it’s a flaw in his personality. Not good enough for the club… Read more »
VALENTIN
Willian and Soares were both clients of Joorabachian and were signed before Raul left the club.
The agent and Raul were close friends.
No-one disputes that Arteta would have been consulted about all the summer signings, but
all deals were handled by Raul, Edu, MD [who handled finances] and the lawyer.
ET why are all those other teams having up and down seasons mostly in the positions you’d expect them to be in? Why is our morale worse impacted than most other teams? Why does bad morale from covid force the manager to make poor mistake after poor mistake in terms of man management, selection, formations, rotation and so on? If you cut out even half of the outright poor mistakes the manager has made this season we’d probably be 8 points better off right now. The pandemic is awful but stop moving the goal posts for arsenal My boss is… Read more »
If arteta came out and said he’s been suffering from long covid and has constant brain fog this excuse will make sense. Until then it’s just an excuse
Like isn’t this the whole point of good management, that you manage the difficult situations? It is the difficult times when you see what someone is really about. Same for the players
I’m not interested in players or a manager who does well when things are comfortable. It’s times like now more than ever you show what you’re made of. Or not
It’s not just the TW this summer that will seal Arteta’s fate, it’s also the return of the fans. If you thought it was toxic for Wenger, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!! Wenger had 10 great years to support him, Arteta has about 10 great minutes……
China 1 I am not making excuses for Arsenal’s poor form this season and in particular what has happened in last two games against West Ham and Liverpool where we have conceded 6 goals through some abject defending However, you need to ask some serious questions about what is going on with a number of players at club most notably Aubameyang. I don’t believe that the problems are down to Arteta alone. There is no evidence that there is a fallout between players and manager. The body language of some of the players suggests to me that some are struggling… Read more »
Bob N16 Thanks, it’s hard to stay positive when the same mistakes get repeated weekly. At least the season is over soon and we have a chance to improve. The old argument under Emery that all we needed was some elite coaching didn’t age very well did it? Not buying into this rewriting of history that we’re 18 months into a rebuild after Emery destroyed the squad or whatever, it started 3 years ago, with almost every single player in the squad then needing purging and by this summer we are almost there I would think. Should the rebuild have… Read more »
Diet Pep was brought in by Raul, he is Raul’s henchman
Emiratestroller Aubameyang is a mood player, when he’s smiling, he’s great When he’s got the hump, we don’t want him anywhere near the team or squad Martinelli might be raw, but throwing him in after Aubameyang’s recent performances, and his body language, is the right move We should have stripped Aubameyang of the captaincy, and if he becomes a problem, then send him to train on his own, and away from the group It’s not like we’d miss him, he’s been awful since the ink dried on his new contract Saka Odegaard Smith-Rowe ………..Martinelli At least what we lack in… Read more »
Haaland is a massively sized player.
He’s built for the premier league and will bully defenders with his physicality.
His dad needs to share some of the nutritional secrets they used to nurture him with.
Rich – yes the front 4 named are the ones for probably most of us. Even with off games i think we would accept more readily. They would show energy at least and not have to deal with 1 or 2 senior sulky pros who can be really problematic to play with. Look at the development of players like Cesc immediately when Henry left in 2007 (he was moody although was still performing unlike the current crop)
Rich “Saka Odegaard Smith-Rowe ………..Martinelli” I’d be interested to see, in the league, an offensive 4 of saka on the right , Smith Rowe CAM, Martinelli left , with Eddie or Balogun up top. The reason being is , if Odegaard isn’t staying then we need to look to next season and use him for the Europa. There will never be a better chance to give Martinelli, Nelson, Balogun , Smith Rowe, Eddie and Saka the chance to prove that they are the future. 9 league games left …..no point in starting willian , Aubameyang , pepe , Odegaard or… Read more »
There’s pandemic in the world, other teams except Liverpool are either around where they ended the league last season or better but Arsenal have not been 8th for as long as I can remember and then I’m made to believe pandemic is affecting us How some believed Pedro’s generational coach mantra beats me, everything have seen about Arteta doesn’t support that mantra,the interesting part is that if and that’s a very big if Arteta finally becomes a generational coach it will be to the detriment of the club because Arsenal have made themselves a learning board for a rookie coach… Read more »
Odegaard should replace Laca as the CF
Yeah dissenter Haaland is so overpowered it’s not even funny
Most of the time he just looks like an 18 year old playing amongst 16 year olds. There are plenty of big or very big players in world football but there aren’t many who just look miles beyond most of their opponents like he usually does.
I read a really funny description that when he’s sprinting he looks like a bear chasing honey 😂😂
Check it out next time it’s really funny.
Saka ESR pepe/martinelli
Auba/Odegaard
Pepe and Auba should not be in the field at the same time.
Sid
Apparently Arteta is interested a target man from the bundesliga. Wout Weghorst
Odegaard as a a striker , would be about as useful as Dennis Bergkamp was in the 2005 fa cup final v united…
Could Odegaard be another RVP in and around the box, I can’t see it , though Odegaard does have some of his traits in his game..
We have 3 young strikers (Martinelli, Eddie, Balogun)who can score goals for fun, so why not play them.
Pierre, I mention yesterday that I would love Arsenal try to play in a 4-1-3-1-1 with slightly different approach. ……….Partey Willock Guendouzi Saka …………ESR ……..Nkethia Last season against Burnley, Willock and Guendouzi excelled in midfield behind Ceballos. I think that with the added security of Partey behind them, they should be able to handle most lower tier teams. This season is a write off but could have been a jump start to give experience to youngsters and rebuild the squad. If Arteta had kept Torreira, I think a lozange of Torreira deepest with Willock and Partey ahead with Saka at… Read more »
I’m not sure about that midfield valentine!
“The body language of some of the players suggests to me that some are struggling with life
under Covid”
Those senior players in our team are making on the average over £100k per week . They have the responsibility to do their job. Especially under Covid, a lot of average Joe will look forwards to see their beloved Arsenal team for comfort. Some even get up at 3 am to watch the game. What the team did just brought more misery to us.
It is official we lost Tierney for the rest of the season, maybe if weanage to reach EL final then maybe he can play that game.
4 to 6 weeks knee ligament damage.