You know what I thought was very amusing? The story in The Sun leaked by senior players in the team who feel like they’re taking the fall for being shite. They dropped a similar thing in the same paper before the Chelsea game on boxing day. One of their big swipes was about the role Thomas Partey plays… then he goes and drops a 9/10 MOTM performance.
Senior players at Arsenal need to understand this: No one gives a fuck what you think. No one. The star boys are all under 25.
Bigger picture, Arteta needs to stop propping these schemers. Willian has ‘great potential’, Pierre ‘late for NLD team meetings’ Auba is committed… he always goes to bat for his big names, and they rarely repay the faith.
Telling a journalist Arteta blames them feels so far from reality. He never throws players under the bus. He takes the blame so often, it’s almost problematic. The worst flaying he’s dished out was Pepe when he headbutted someone at Leeds. Dropping big names for shit performances all the fans watch with fury is not throwing players under the bus. It is a very, very weird bubble these guys live in.
That’s not to say there aren’t senior players who are putting in a shift this season. Granit Xhaka, love him or hate him, has been one of our most consistent performers. Alex Lacazette has developed a new role where is everything and nothing at the same time. Thomas Partey has been a mixed bag, but you never doubt his commitment on the pitch.
Fuck the leakers. Auba deserved to be dropped. Willian has deserved the same. The shame of it all is that these whiners can’t be moved on with much ease.
Arteta gets more out of the younger players he seems so risk-averse in playing. They also never mail it in. I do understand why there’s an aversion to playing too many of them, it’s not normal to play so many teenagers, but the counter-point can’t be to play uncommitted seniors who have us sitting in 9th at the moment.
There’s a big dilemma to be faced this Thursday. Does Arteta revert to his seniors knowing there’s one or a few leaking to the press? Does he revert to names that let him down at Christmas? That couldn’t do the job against Liverpool?
Or does he pick the team best suited to doing the job? The team. The team. The team. Imo.
Martinelli said he was fit for Thursday. Play him. Let him terrorise a Slavia’s shoddy defence.
Bukayo Saka was immense against Sheff U, rumours are that he just had a dead leg, let him roam as a #10 again.
Give Nico another go, he’s been crucial to two goals on the bounce, he looks hungry, warm up the clunky first touch and reward him.
We cannot afford to play badly on Thursday. I need my match against Unai Emery in the cauldron of hell. Our awful season could be made a little sweeter if we make the final downing him in his comfort blanket.
Arsenal needs to score goals. Willian’s ‘control’ wasn’t helpful in the first leg, nor will it be in the second. Auba is either a #9 or he’s on the bench. If Lacazette is playing give him players that can form part of that 3-1-6 formation we had going at the weekend.
What I loved about the Sheffield United game is Arteta created an innovative solution in a game we were missing big players. There were clever ideas all over the pitch. My issue is that he does that when his back is against the wall… but when he gets bad options back in the system, he falls back on them.
We need to be protaganists on Thursday. I want Arsenal to humiliate them and crush their confidence in the first 20 minutes. We have to be decisive and head there demanding more than a late goal… we need to score 3 again.
I say this every week, but we need to get a run going, it hasn’t happened all season, let’s make it happen now.
Right, short one today, listen to the podcast below and we’ll talk turkey in the comments below. x
1st – and I read the post
Hi
3rd
4th?
Do we have any news on Odegaard and ESR’s availability?
All the years reading this blog and my first actual attempt to win the tro4hy succeeds, all because I was going through my emails and the new post notification came through. All just a little bit of fun! I agree, play Martinelli, Saka and Pepe, and stick with Lacazette up top. Go with what’s hot right now in terms of the selection and not reputation. That represents our best chance of going through in my opinion. Slavia should not be underestimated, not sure we did that last week, we simply didn’t play very well, but I think we can possibly… Read more »
Cut out the individual errors and we got Slagia Prague number.
We are most vulnerable after scoring. So we need to tighten up defensively as a unit.
I think in the long run, Martinelli should be shifted to try the striker’s role
I think he has the qualities.
Just a thought but what if we can’t get Odegaard away from Madrid next season, how about a loan swap deal with Juventus? Aubameyang for Ramsey.
Ronaldo is scoring a goal a game for Juve and even Morata has had a better season than Auba.
I honestly am concerned that nobody who can afford Auba will want him.
32, coming off a shit season and possible terminal decline, limited CF even at his best.
I started to read your article but I stopped because of the language you use, I find it very offensive. You should be more careful about the language you use as it just puts people off from reading what you have to say.
Thank you for reading this post and if others feel as i do will you also respond with your similar comments.
Martinelli, Saka and Pepe yep I am up for that pace in abundance I don’t actually think we will have a problem this time 2 for Laca again and a 3-1 win taking us through. If Arteta starts Willian he fully deserves to be sacked as it will be plain for all to see the reasoning behind the selection
gooner4life
Le Grove is always colorful as you’d expect from a football crowd at the pub or inside the stadium to on the pitch.
Thankfully, all the moderation posts are full.
Generic swearing is very offensive now?
Lol. What isn’t offensive to some people in 2021?
Arteta should go with youth but you know all too well that he will revert to form and go with those who seemingly always let him down. He just cant help himself.
Define offensive language, Gooner4life?
A novel approach would be the most simple one – if you don’t like the language being used then don’t read it and move on.
One of the big themes on here is that one of Arteta’s big flaws is that he doesn’t trust the youth.
Lots of people including me have made that point.
Interestingly though, Arsenal have used the 3rd most young players (Under 21) of all clubs in the EPL -behind Sheffield U and Wolves.
Let’s hope Odegaard is fit with Saka, ESR and Martinelli and Partey continues his form although not hard to look good against such a poor team. Slavia are no dummies and seem impregnable at home having not lost a home game for a lot longer than us. Dead legs don’t heal that much in a week. Brushing and nerve/tissue will be very sensitive. You often see players have to go off after a couple of knocks around the damaged region. Not sure how influential Saka is going to be in the mix of it all. Ankle issues are worse than… Read more »
gooner4life
This is a football forum, I don’t use the language but I can certainly expect everyone else to do so.
WEagle
I read the other day that the army brass are considering banning the word “lads”
I’m completely at a loss with the new woke and cancel culture.
Fans are putting too much pressure on gabi IMO he still has a lot tactically and technically to iron out in his game i understand why the coaching staffs are been conscious about him
Tony
The original meaning behind woke has now morphed into something really ugly and stupid.
Can’t stand it myself either.
PEA, Willian, Luis , “It’s time to go”!
The story has Diet Pep fingerprints, he dropped it before the Sheffield game to discredit genuine concerns, if it was from the players the would it would come before an EL game.
You heard it here 1st!
Can Gooner4life be banned immediately.
What a fucking snowflake!
The CIES observatory report that list that Arsenal has used a lot of U21 is skewed by the fact that Saka is a starter for us. Leeds number are similarly skewed by the fact that Meslier is the established goalkeeper. What would have been more relevant is the number of minutes for U21 players not considered as first team players at the beginning of the season. Also it would have been more relevant to rank by the number of U21 players who have been given a number of minutes within 1 standard deviation of the club average number of minutes… Read more »
Dark Hei
Nor does my 12 year old son and 23 year old daughter who refers to her woked up doctor friend as ‘snowflake’ in jovial way rather than maliciously.
Thai culture is one built on showing respect, but it’s slowly being eroded by each generation.
The same way as it has over the last 50 years in the UK.
Tony, The removal of the word lads in the army has nothing to do with woke culture, it is just because the army has more women. And quite often it was used as a subtle way to exclude them. The friend of one my sister is in the French army and was annoyed by the constant use of the French equivalent “les gars”. Now a captain in the army and she makes the point of not allowing that word by soldats under her command. I don’t understand why people who are not in the army are so offended by that… Read more »
Brother gooner4life, what you need is a good time with sister Tabitha from the choir, her juicy posterior will help you relax.
Im telling you for free!
If you have been in a gunfight that involved female officers, you would know the danger of recruiting more female in the armed forces
Spot on, Pedro. Arteta’s biggest problem has been showing too much respect for the senior players It’s normal for younger people to show courtesy to the elderly. To respect them if you like. But to expect them to return in kind, to be helpful, committed to your well-being, is unreasonable unless you happen to be related. I don’t see a problem in moving Auba on. Plenty of clubs will want a proven goalscorer. Nor selling Bellerin for a decent fee. Luiz I can live with. Laca is worth keeping. Hardest to shift will be Willian, but with the others gone,… Read more »
Gooner4life.
What exactly was offensive to you in Pedro’s post. I want to assume you are a first time reader.
We look forward to your response.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Management team lead for Legrove.
You have to go out and batter teams like Slavia Prague from the first minute otherwise they grow in confidence as happened last week. same happened against Burnley who were on a poor run.
If we have pepe and Martinelli running at them from the go, yellow and maybe red cards will follow as well as hopefully gaols.
You can’t have too many half fit quality players start on Thursday.
Odegaard is crocked, let him rest out the game
Saka is crocked, let his start on the bench. Play him only if necessary. A dead leg doesn’t fully recover in 4 days. The kid is only 19 years old FFS
Martinelli can start just to do intensity to the pressing off the ball.
Give me 10 fit outfield players with a good well drilled game plan any day over trying to fit in too many rusty or crocked players to a starting 11.
“Sid
Brother gooner4life, what you need is a good time with sister Tabitha from the choir, her juicy posterior will help you relax.Im telling you for free!”
Sid at it again. What is your prediction for Thursday.
‘ Spot on, Pedro. Arteta’s biggest problem has been showing too much respect for the senior players’ Arteta’s biggest problem is his lack of experience. It’s hard to do sub 10-second 100m sprints when you’re supposed to still be crawling. Trying to blame the senior players, many of whom are there because Arteta extended their stay or blocked their exit is silly. Just another excuse from the AKBs. Why didn’t Arteta make substitutions earlier last Thursday? According to him, he was waiting to react to what the manager of Slavia would do. That’s the pathetic rookie we have as manager.… Read more »
Diss
Thanks for supplementing my 10:38 post.
Seems we think alike.
As it has been all season it’s up to arteta
If he wants to go for it and be brave he’ll likely be rewarded with a performance and a win
If he wants to indulge our ageing dross because ‘reasons’ then no one will be surprised if it backfires
I’m expecting us to go through in either case this time. This would be a truly low ebb for the club to get knocked out by Olympiacos then Slavia in the EL in successive seasons.
SURELY we can’t be that shit
If our no.10’s are unfit on Thursday , it may be worth going with a 4-3-3.
A front 3 of Pepe, Aubamayang and Martinelli has pace to burn.
It also allows Martinelli and Pepe to do what they do best, that is play in the final third of the pitch in the knowledge that they have protection from the midfield 3 and takes away their defensive responsibilities..
As a matter of principle I say we should not be respecting Slavia
We’re a club with pretentions of getting back into the CL and competing for titles in the next few years. Slavia over two legs should not even be visible as anything more than an obstacle to either crush through or tidily sidestep
If we may then look like a great team I’ll not be impressed
The boxer Conor Benn is so hilariously polite. It’s great lol
Bugging up a potential match of him vs Amir khan and he’s like ‘I look up to him a lot. I want to knock him out and lead him into retirement in the nicest and most respectful way possible’ hahahah
So refreshing from the usual trash talking
Le grove’s opinion of Lacazette changes on a weekly basis.
Last Thursday he was slaughtered for his performance against Slavia.
Sunday , he scores 2 and becomes irreplaceable.
For me, Aubamayang should start on Thursday.
If I was a slavia defender I would be more than happy to see Aubamayang on the bench..
They will be praying that Arsenal start Willian and Lacazette in attack .
We need a to be unpredictable offensively on Thursday night and not to make it an easy night for the slavia defence.
I don’t know how anyone at this point can prefer Aubamayang to Lacazette. Neither are good enough, but at least with Lacazette you know you are going to get the effort and commitment. Aubamayang strolls round the pitch like he’s banged in 25 goals this season and everyone else should be grateful to be in his presence.
If we start with either Aubamayang or Willian, our chances of getting a result are immediately reduced.
da flippity flippity flop!
Pierre
Couldn’t agree more with Pepe – Auba – Martinelli front three, that might even bring back Auba in form.
Unless he is a dud which everyone is guessing.
Lacazette is playing for what Auba was playing last season. A fat contract extension…
He is been average at best, if we want to keep fighting for FA cup and nothing more, extend his contract.
—
On a side note – what do you think about Aeteta bringing Elneny when we were winning comfortably? Those 8 mins could have been for Azeez.
I’d start Lacazette on Thursday, the brace on Sunday will have done his confidence the world of good
If our striker bags a brace, and produces a top class performance to go with it, we shouldn’t then drop him 4 days later
We should play our in form players, Martinelli was a menace on Sunday, he deserves to start again Thursday
We should start Ceballos and Mari for the same reason
If we give our players an opportunity to impress, and they take that opportunity, then we shouldn’t drop them 4 days later
Valentin
Saka’s regular starts does skew the stars a bit.
Nonetheless, it’s clear that Arteta is by no means unique in failing to give the kids a chance.
*skew the stars = skew the stats!
Stop with the endless Arteta praise. Hes had over a year. We are worse than we were. He was boring as a player and now he has made the team boring.
I think both Pepe, Lafayette and Aubameyang will all start. We need two goals to go thru. Have to back yourself and go for it. They will then need to score three
They will play safe and keep men behind the ball. Counters and set pieces their go.to’s
*Lacazette
Think its unfair on Auba to say he performances last season were down to trying for a big new contract and now he’s got it he’s downed tools. He’s not a great overall footballer, never has been, but has been incredibly consistent over his career in scoring goals. Unless there is something personal going on we don’t know about I think the main factor this season is that Arteta either doesn’t know how to get the best out of him or would rather setup his team in a way which is against his strengths. Begs the question why we gave… Read more »
I suspect Auba asked Ozil for advise and he received the Ozil flu. It would be a big gamble to play Auba. The team is more balance with Laca and Saka supporting the build up and Martinelli and Pepe spearing the attack. Auba would be the sup_sub if needed. The worst combination is Laca with Willian.
Dream10
One goal might be enough if we keep a clean sheet.
Get an early goal though and I’d actually favour going for a second again, as that should clinch the tie for us.
We simply cannot afford to be as passive as we were in the first leg.
Anyone got any examples of us progressing in a 2 leg Euro tie after drawing the home leg 1-1? I can only think of Auxerre in 95 off the top of my head. Think Wright got an early ish goal out there too for us.
Arteta needs to learn how to take advantage of the 5 subs rule, so far in this competition he hasn’t. In the first leg he made his first sub in the 73rd minute which was just ridiculous.
China
Playing for a couple sheet makes the margins really tight. Better to go out and create lots of chances. Easier to create eight or nine chances rather than blaming one Lacazette or Aubameyang miss later on. Increase the margin for error.
gooner4life
English? What language would you prefer?
Pedro
Lmao, arteta had ideas against SHUtd. They are a crap team and we just did the basics right to drift past them.
Still don’t see the identity of arteta and what he wants to do. It’s all very slow and full of handbrakes. The poor lad needs 50m players in each position and yes he has been throwing players under the bus by claiming they are not good enough and insisting he needs 5-6 players to play his system.
Can anyone advise if Pedro still starts his podcasts with the mirror man song? I’d listen to one every now and then but I can’t possibly go back and listen to it if that song is going to r@p3 my shell likes …
“Lacazette is playing for what Auba was playing last season. A fat contract extension…”
The club definitely need to be more ruthless with these contract extension, even entering into conversations needs to be performance based on the whole time with the club not the last 1/2 season. We always make this mistake, it’s been constant. Even if an offer is made it has to be very heavily performance based / loaded on lots of different layers.
TheBayingMob
Ever thought of turning the sound on mute for the intro?
Nah, too much effort for the reward …
If Odegaard or Esr starts it should be deeper in the Ceballos role on Saturday
I think we should go with the same front 4 as Saturday and same back line
If Tierney starts then xakha goes back into midfield to cover for his runs up the wing
Baying mob
He does! I like that song.
Better than that annoying Arseblog into, although I do like the goodley morning bit
If Tierney starts
———–
At the start of next season if we’re lucky……..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fBGhaURNrCk
I wait with the popcorn ready to witness an Aubameyang open mic on Arsenal YouTube. Editors might have to get super creative to make him look like a leader.
I’m glad Pedro has rowed back on xakha
He’s had a rough time on here quite unfairly and I’ve always maintained he’s better value than Pogba at £90m for me.
Making him look like an interested footballer is a tough enough ask.
A leader? I think that’s a step too far.
Wiflag
“ I’ve always maintained he’s better value than Pogba at £90m for me.”
Hands down the funniest thing you’ve said in here.
Did you see Pogba’s performance against the spuds?
Xhaka better than Pogba I can’t type for laughing.
That’s Banford class
Take a bow son
good to see you are back on board project miki pete. i think it’s very harsh to give him such a hard time for giving senior players every chance to prove their worth. this is a squad in transition and you can’t piss all the senior pros off at once. he has also had to try to balance building a new team with qualifying for europe – something that is likely beyond him this season but i think there are plenty of mitigating circumstances. if there is anything the future players are learning, as well as the non-negotiables, it’s that… Read more »
Goal involvements for Arsenal last two seasons all competitions
48 Aubameyang
33 Lacazette
31 Pepe
28 Saka
15 Martinelli
The ‘shit’ Pepe lol
Expressing each 90 as a game:
Martinelli: 21 games – 11 g 5 a. 0.76 g/a per game
Pepe: 55 GP – 17 g 14 a. 0.56 g/a
Saka: 62 GP – 10 g 18 a. 0.45 g/a
Laca: 54 GP – 27 g 10 a. 0.68 g/a
Auba: 70 GP – 43 g 5 a. 0.68 g/a
I see people on legrove who want a clear out involving Pepe and auba and then what?Where will our goals come from?Lacazette?
Have a look at Xhaka’s recent game heat Maps on Arseblog. They show He hardly leaves the back left quarter of the pitch in fact an area within that quarter.
Tony
“ Dead legs don’t heal that much in a week. Brushing and nerve/tissue will be very sensitive. You often see players have to go off after a couple of knocks around the damaged region.Not sure how influential Saka is going to be in the mix of it all.Ankle issues are worse than dead legs considering the ligaments side. Does Arteta play players not 100% in the Partey mode? “
Arteta is a nihilist and will damage players , even those we cannot do without, to save his bacon. Guess is party time for him
“I started to read your article but I stopped because of the language you use, I find it very offensive. You should be more careful about the language you use as it just puts people off from reading what you have to say.“
Goner4life, and what language would you use if someone you love more than the life itself was the subject of leaks and being “conspired” against by some evil and reprehensible characters also known as senior players?
“I see people on legrove who want a clear out involving Pepe and auba and then what?Where will our goals come from?Lacazette?“
Their replacements would be the obvious one.
That, and the improved team dynamic that comes from an attack which complements one another.
If Willian starts we are basically trying to win the game with ten men. Please, please Mikel give this some consideration!
I see certain newsfeeds are linking us with Edouard
of Celtic.?
I’m not really convinced although if he has a higher
work rate than Auba he must be considered.?
The issue with Xhaka at left back, is we know he’s ok with the game is played in front of him
But when he’s forced to play on the back foot, he’ll struggle
And that won’t be his fault, because he’s not a left back, and he’s not designed to play against quick, agile, and tricky wingers
Their replacements would be the obvious one.That, and the improved team dynamic that comes from an attack which complements one another.
What obvious ones?We lose laca,auba and Pepe and we will need to replace those goals….arteta doesn’t trust martinelli obviously and I don’t trust arteta/edu to replace them adequately enough
The issue with Xhaka at left back, is we know he’s ok with the game is played in front of himBut when he’s forced to play on the back foot, he’ll struggleAnd that won’t be his fault, because he’s not a left back, and he’s not designed to play against quick, agile, and tricky wingers Rich I think xhaka at left back is a topic that has been done with in legrove it’s not even worth a lookin.Didn’t Emery use the same tactics and get bashed for it due to xhaka’s lack of athleticism?Yes he played well against Sheffield but… Read more »
We need to be protaganists on Thursday. I want Arsenal to humiliate them and crush their confidence in the first 20 minutes. We have to be decisive and head there demanding more than a late goal… we need to score 3 again.
Yup lets start the match at full throttle and then switch on the turbo. Lets run Salvia under the turf on Thursday as our superior fitness and deeper bench should leave them ass up by 75 mins. Forget the handbrake its no time for that. .
Altos So hold on, what’s you point here? You’re saying we should keep Pepe, Laca, and a Auba because we can’t replace their goals? Or you don’t think we have the people in charge to replace their goals? We’ve extended Auba and made our bed there which was dumb imo, Laca is in the final year and should be sold now we’ve extended Auba. That’s again a poor choice because he’s the better player. Pepe? Well, he simply isn’t good enough for the investment despite your scoffing based on really superficial numbers. I ran the numbers for the PL and… Read more »
I loved the way people came together and closed ranks on here to repell the poster who objected to the language. It shows a refreshing unity.
Truly fucking inspiring. Variety – and swearng – are the spices of life!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uTLQaM0csz8
On a related theme, here’s a heartwarming clip of Steve Williams giving Ossie Tottingham a barrage in an 80s NLD. I don’t think you have to be a qualified lip reader…
“The fucking fucker’s fucking well fucked himself”
Said by a female friend of mine from Belfast back in the day after she found out her man had been cheating on her.
He was duly binned!
Diss, it’s not really analysis to keep telling us that Arteta is young. Emery had 15 years of experience and his problem was also deference to senior players and you absolutely adored him.
Also, for the language police, this is football blog, you’ll have to deal with it. The worst people in football grounds are those that whine about bad language. This is football.
Gooner4life must be a troll, since posting that, has he responded? I don’t see anything wrong with the language used. This isn’t Sunday school.
“I’ve always maintained he’s better value than Pogba at £90m for me.”
Wow just wow. Thats not even a stretch statement, thats just plain ridiculous. Surely you are having a laugh, Wig.
Gooner4life is either a troll or religious
Dont care how well Laca has been playing, he’s supposed to on his salary. Still does not mean you go and pull an Ozil or Auba and extend him. If you have a contract policy where you don’t sign or renew older players then you don’t. The problem has always been that there appears to actually be no such policy in place, not likely ever, and that remains a very troubling thing. Would surprise me none that the so-called brain trusts in the club are thinking exactly that (they are so far beyond the Shame on You, Shame on Me… Read more »
“Gooner4life must be a troll, since posting that, has he responded?”
Maybe they just moved on, realizing you cant impose your will at will, as todays Cancelistas are want to do.
“The worst people in football grounds are those that whine about bad language. This is football.”
You bull brahman stud you, Pedro!
Pedro
What will you do when Mike puts Auba as LW and Laca as striker on Thursday? Odds are that is pretty high, given his MO this season
We can only hope that this does not happen….
Auba or Laca- not together ever again
Martinelli needs to start on the LW moving forward.
Everything is OK. The pubs are open…
The existential life of arsenal fan is stoic till Thursday.
Charlie can’t resist a nibble at anyone talking up Pepe’s contributions to the club.
Awful to witness him still reeling from the Zaha withdrawal he’s going through.
Someone get the methodone out.
Just a thought here but why not just keep offering Lacazette a one year extension a la Wenger? In fact why not do this across the board with all 30 year olds? Worked with Dennis and spires, worked with Adams Keown and Seaman. Legends Clearly offering 3 year deals to men not fit to lace their boots is not the way but just letting a player like laca go to me isn’t the best course of action right now. Pedro and team on the podcast mentioned Everton and Chelsea as a possible route out for auba. Why not? We need… Read more »