There are two ways we can behave over the next 6 months.
1.Entrenched in our views on where the football club is going and MISERABLE.
2.Positive about some of the basics that are in place and trust the plan for the summer is more January than last summer.
Too many Arsenal fans are taking direction one and it was embarrassing reading yesterday.
‘We’re gonna get spanked by 6’
If you spent the entire pre-game chat talking about how we were going to get spanked by miracle-man-Tuchel, you have absolutely no right to be bitching post-game about the performance and WIN.
Chelsea is the form team in Europe right now. That is proved out with form, that is proved out by big big results, that is proved out by the fact they are in the FA Cup final and the Champions League final. They even beat Manchester City at the weekend.
For large swathes of this season, we’ve been bad. But one real positive is we’re usually pretty decent at the planning part for games against top teams.
Yesterday, Arteta delivered a tactical masterclass and beat Chelsea the only way this squad is capable of doing so… pure shit-housery.
Was it pretty? No.
Was it effective? Absolutely.
We scored a goal because we pressured Chelsea at the back. It was a fluke, but you can’t deny goals from errors we forced aren’t part of the deal.
Then we clung on for dear life and defended like our lives depended on it despite there being nothing on the game for us that anyone cares about (get fucked with the Europa Conference).
It was a long way from protagonist football, but we have to be honest with ourselves, we are where we are in the table, and that’s because we lack the quality to go away to Chelsea for a game of tika-taka.
Arsenal hasn’t won at Stamford Bridge for a decade. That’s a big result. You take whatever you can get.
What you can’t do is sit there and whine about beating big teams in big games. It’s truly embarrassing stuff to see. Who do these fans think they are?
This season hasn’t been great, but thinking yourself above big wins isn’t on I’m afraid.
Let’s also rev up some red meat for the WE HAVEN’T IMPROVED crew.
That’s the table since Christmas day. Important if you are looking for signs that we can finish higher than 8th next season. 22 games of form indicate that we are tracking in the right direction, even if there have been some grim moments.
Third best defence in the league all season. Defensively, we’re much better. We’d be even better if we cut out the massive dumb errors. That will come as we upgrade players.
Attacking wise, we’ve been absolutely awful all season. What can we bank on here? Well, this summer, there will be upgrades all over the place. We won’t have a central midfield this bad next season. We’ll likely add someone who can deliver NOW numbers in attack. The young players are already chalking up more decisive moments and they will get better and better. Auba won’t give us a 10 goal season next year (hopefully). We’ll bin players that have been badly broken by the Arsenal machine over the last decade, mental baggage is a thing and there’s a group of seniors that need to go.
Also look at where we can make up the 9 points for the top 4 next season, because yes, there are only 9 points in it. Zero points against Wolves. Zero points against Aston Villa. Zero points against Everton. One point against Burnley. One point against Palace. Get a better midfield, start the season with creators, and move the fine margins our way and we start taking deep block teams down.
Our job next season is top 4. Since Christmas, we’ve only been outclassed by Liverpool and City. I’m not sure we’re a million miles away from anyone in the chasing pack.
Arteta needs to pick things up. He’s extremely sensitive in the media at the moment and he’s struggling with the pressure. He needs to step up and address the issues he’s helping to make worse. Did you see the Athletic ran with my keeper coach issues and Bernd Leno looking to leave? Move on that issue. The keepers have been dreadful this season. Everyone at the club knows the reasons and it makes Arteta look like a jobs for the boys manager. There needs to more self-reflection from Arteta. He’s not a rockstar, he can’t do it all by himself, and he really needs to build more know-how around him this summer. Vinai cannot allow Arteta to entrench power, he needs to clip his wings and get him back to basics.
Arsenal also needs to think about what the fuck they are doing with football leadership. Edu’s contacts game looks like it’s getting a seeing to. The scouts are being found via a headhunter service, which is excellent news, and stops him stocking the club with his mates. His disaster physio, Brazilian Bruno Mazziotti, looks like he might see the exit door despite Edu being a protector of him. The Athletic reckons Willian, Xhaka, and Bellerin will be exited. I told you months ago that was why Hector has been benched. This is all good news, the Willian stories are almost too good to be true. Again, a mate of Edu, a super agent deal from hell, one of many that should be sounding a huge fucking siren heading into another summer of big investment.
There’s clearly a deep affection between Arteta and the kids, roll with that. Old players being unhappy is telling and obvious. They don’t want to be part of a long-term rebuild at a late stage of their careers. That isn’t a jab at Arteta, it’s a BIG FAT TRUTH about Arsenal. We need to build back smart. Young kids like being coached with future proof methods. They’re getting big chances at a big club. Build on that. Grow a squad for the Champions League… and make sure that when that top 4 position lands, we have a team of 25-year-olds ready to explode. Don’t keep on accepting your captain trudging off like a brat, it’s not good for anyone.
This is a post that is glass half full, and I honestly do not care what anyone thinks about that because I cannot live in football misery for the next 6 months. If we put together a full season of how we’ve played since Christmas, we’ll be in the mix for top 4 come the end of the season. That’s what the plan is, that’s what the club is working towards, I am confident there cannot possibly be a start to the season as bad as the last.
What do YOU think?
See you in the comments.
1st
And
The
Happy with half full pedro
Tr4phy
Bollox
And even came 4th in a silly game that Grooveydaddy is playing by himself!
Made the first 11.
If seniors are really being exited then great. I’m concerned about whether Arteta can grow into the job and at any other club he would be sacked. But who knows – maybe this longer term build plan is better for us. It’s his judgement that worries me and his constant meddling with formations and where to play players
One thing i am sure of – Edu has to go or be moved into a South American scouting / mgmt role. We need a hard arse DoF to steer a strategy and keep MA in check with Willian like impulses
The games in hand for Spuds (1) and Everton (2) mean it is still unlikely we will scrape the last Euro place, which I assume will now be for 7th place?
So tell me Groovydaddy – do you spend all afternoon refreshing your screen in order to spot as soon as Pedro has posted? I bet you don’t even read the post lol
1st since May 13, 2021 16:33:46
One thing I did notice about last night was how compact we were, you could literally throw a blanket over the whole team (very Man City like), we more or less let them have the flanks. We also moved forward and backwards as a team, something we rarely see, usually we are strung out like washing.
Pedro, Great result yesterday, even if the tension killed me over a game where we had little riding on the outcome. I’m happy to go with half-full – within feasible limits. For example, who on earth is going to take Willian off our hands, especially if (as you’ve always told us) he insists that he wants to stay in London? An expensive trip to China isn’t an option at the moment, and he is far too expensive for the MLS. So, if you are right about his desire to stay in London, are we stuck paying his salary for the… Read more »
A reasonably optimistic & positive post peds .Has to be really.Cant continue to wallow in the miserable bastards that frequent this blog on an all too regular basis with barely any positivity or constructive opinion save sack the manager & next one in.Repeat ad infinitum perhaps in the eventuality that law of averages says it will work eventually.Hopefully reasons to be cheerful next season.With either a positive transfer window or better still the Krankies f** k off.
Pedro
I’d say the low hanging fruit in terms of points next season will be the home form. We have been historically shite. If, with the fans back in the stadium, we can revert to even Emery, let alone late Wenger home PPG, then there’s another 12 points there.
To achieve that we’ll have to get back to scoring more goals, though, which at the moment you can’t immediately see is on the horizon.
Fair post Pedro. “Yesterday, Arteta delivered a tactical masterclass and beat Chelsea the only way this squad is capable of doing so… pure shit-housery.” Simply put, thats not a sustainable way of playing, short term or long term. There is a serious “Do Better” in this for Arteta, his coaching staff, the players, and management. I dont know what the summer looks like for AFC, nor do i know what the first half of next season looks like. What i do know is that they cannot go into next season conducting themselves in the same manner, on and off the… Read more »
I wouldn’t call it a master class Pedro but yes we had a plan to put the wing backs and central midfield under pressure and it worked. You could say we forced the error but I’m sorry backs-to-the-wall defending for 75 mins a.k.a parking the bus is not a tactical master class. It’s an effective tactic inferior teams use to get results, a result I’m happy with as I love a win over Chelski. You are correct however in that we have to be optimistic and hope the plan and the finances are there this summer to turn this mess… Read more »
Good post Pedro, realistic, optimistic, and critical in equal measure. As it should be. There’s lots to groan about this season given the macro-view, but there’s definitely cause for optimism in the micro. I said it earlier, but I genuinely believe that dismissing the manager now would undermine his entire appointment. We went young and inexperienced, we either weather the storm, support, and give ample slack along the way, or you don’t bother to begin with. Offering him a single season to shit or bust seems incredibly knee-jerk. Him and Edu have the summer to move the needle, they should… Read more »
In the best of case, we get 7th and get into so called Europe viz the new Conference and it’d be likely playing early rounds of the FA Cup where we play the equivalence of league 1 , championship teams . Arsenal in Europe, my arse. The likely scenario…. no Europe next season courtesy of Arteta & co. It’s not as if we have a choice as fans and supporters, again, because of Arteta missing a non negotiable. Not in Europe is one thing however it’s not to say Arteta is the right person to turn around the unacceptable performance… Read more »
Tracking in the right direction? 13 league defeats on par with wengers last season and we’ll have no european football for the first time in 25 years. I’m amazed at how some “fans” are viewing this season I really am. Entrenched and enamored by the good looking manager is what it is. Also worth noting that the eh form table from the second half of the season never saved Arsene Wenger from criticism over the years on here so I dunno why it all of a sudden. But at this stage all the discussions and arguments about Mikel Arteta don’t… Read more »
Nice post Pedro. “Third best defence in the league all season. Defensively, we’re much better. We’d be even better if we cut out the massive dumb errors. That will come as we upgrade players” Yes, massive improvement without the ball. I don’t have to hide behind the sofas at set-pieces either. There has been improvement but with the players we have there will be bumps in the road, like the individual errors. We need to invest sensibly in the summer and if we do that, we will have a great chance of doing something. The kids will be a bit… Read more »
Offering him a single season to shit or bust seems incredibly knee-jerk.
18 months and a preseason. I swear some people make it sound like he just got appointed at Christmas time
Charlie
“Him and Edu have the summer to move the needle, they should be backed, and the pressure is on for next season”.
This.
Great positivity and it’s nice to see sensible comments and not the usual repetitive Groundhog Day bile. I will reserve my judgement until after the transfer activities, I will base my expectation on that.
Marko
“when he gets sacked and all his fanboys….”
How old are you?
AFC Forever
You can’t come on here and moan/have a go at about half the posters on a daily basis and then get precious about a relatively innocuous comment like that, come on.
I rate you as a poster, nice manner about you unlike that weirdo that posts here on a hundred new monikers and can’t actually debate like an adult without spazzing out and throwing insults at everyone he disagrees with even though football-wise you both share similar views.
Apologies if it came off as inflammatory. Happy to actually have a debate with you.
Pedro
There is a third way – it’s the reality and it’s what’s going to happen.
Arteta will be sacked during the season next season – my guess is somewhere around Christmas might be a touch later might be sooner if he really tanks things.
Out of interest what will your position be when Arteta gives Xhaka a 3 year contract extension (that’s 5 more years of him) on circa £200k per week?
Chelsea getting 16 PL goals for their $250m spent on the “super talented “ Pulisic, Werner, Havertz, and Ziyech in 6600 minutes of play.
Arsenal getting 29 Pl goals in 5500 minutes of play from a flop( Pepe), a slow, bearded midget
( Laca), and a useless tap in merchant ( Auba) during the worst season in living memory
puts in proper perspective the quality of Chelsea squad the” Arteta couldn’t possibly compete “ crowd keeps harping about.
If arsenal want to score more goals they should be playing a largely consistent offensive lineup of saka esr Pepe and auba with Martinelli rotating with Pepe, saka and auba accordingly
A partner for Partey, a right back who can defend and attack and a GK and that will be a very useful summer
If that was a masterclass, I wonder what a real masterclass looks like.
I’ve seen Master classes by Pep, Klopp, et al.
But that a masterclass???
You must be having a laugh.
The future is bright the future is Arsenal.
I like the half full positivity, Pedro. My advice to anyone at the moment is to avoid reading most of the comments section, otherwise the mood hoovers, of which there are many on here, will drag you down to their level.
It was a Well drilled defensive Master Class If you cant see that ,fuck off.
My question is where was this masterclass against Villarreal. Literally a fluke goal and 11 men behind the ball away from the final we were. Was Mikel picking and choosing his battles? Hmmm
Can’t live in misery for six whole months, So gotta be positive. Straight out the marketing hand guide, Pedro?
Why this never applied during late Wenger years of misery…..
Charlie
Honestly, what are your expectations for Arteta next season? And if the season goes off the boil in the first few months, does he gets the sack like Emery or do you give him the entire season?
How much more rope does being a ‘novice’ give him over Emery?
pretty solid take on staying optimistic pete. really hope arteta can turn a corner for the club’s sake. edu will be on his last legs if his buds are being moved on. look forward to hearing more on the keeper issue, feels like a LOTR length narrative at the moment. Maybe we could loan KEPA next season 😂
Calm down Danish.
“How much more rope does being a ‘novice’ give him over Emery?”
None, you don’t get to use the novice excuse at a club the size of Arsenal. If you want time to be able to make mistakes you manage Charlton or Ipswich. At a club the size of Arsenal you perform or you’re out.
You lost it man. Or is it WC trolling?
Yesterday was total embarrassment.
Weagle
It’s a moving target, there’s 20 different ways a season can go right or wrong. But following this past summer and season I think results need a dramatic uptick, I’d consider failing to challenge for top 4 “failure”.
Arsenal will offer a one-year extension to Alexandre Lacazette. Reports,
@ChrisWheatley_
Generational manager continues to make smart decisions
Chelsea made seven changes from their win against City in order to stay fresh for the FA Cup final. Our goal was from a back pass. We created nothing and held on for dear life while they hit the woodwork time and again. The win is nice, but the idea that it means anything at all in the wider scheme of things is utterly fatuous.
I never liked managers who publicly blame the players because it underlines two main problems: a deep insecurity and no sense of accountability. For a manager who frequently spoke about personal accountability as one of the non-negotiables, to be so blind to his own frailties and put so much blame on others is very dangerous. I don’t question the truth in Mikel Arteta’s assessment because we all know that these players could and should have done better but a press conference is not the right place to clear this out. It damages the club on so many levels, from its… Read more »
Hmmm, very dubious.
I may be getting this very wrong but I’ve seen enough that this guy has mental issues.
This is Emery shit, defending point and wins when the underlying stinks to high hell. Parking the bus is not good defending
If we keep laca we are mad, if we do need to sell quango . Can’t keep having 2 diametrically opposed strikers. Fine if one is a target man which neither are , and both think they should be number 1…
Nothings going to change unfortunately.
KSE needs to step up and pull their heads out of their asses. I agree with China, this is a pivotal moment for the club. There can be little room for error We need a BIG spend this summer. I know some folks on here look at that and feel that might not fix the issues. Sure, but it will sure help in making us have a better team. No excuses for Mike if we get some top players in. Unfortnately the way to hire them is to offer them $$$ contracts. Edu fucks this up and he should get… Read more »
People who mocked calendar year 🏆 are celebrating post🎄 trophy.
DUIFG Agree Arteta has serious personality traits that don’t lend themselves to being a top manager. You can put the Guendozi episode down to having a bad egg but telling the press he’s going to have an inquest into finding out who leaked the training ground bust up between Luiz and Ceballos, then repeating it a week later, telling Sky prior to kickoff that Auba was dropped for disciplinary reasons (no problem with the actions you just don’t tell the world about it) for the Spud match, repeating you lose more than you win – saying once was stupid but… Read more »
Good post Pedro. Agree we all have to move on form the bitter disappointment of last Thursday, which may have emotionally clouded many of our long term point of views regarding Arteta. Many of us discussed the 21-22 season being his sink or swim season when he was appointed. Rhat view may be skewed with the overall poor league performances, but as you highlight, there are some positives to work from and hope that we also see a revolving door of comings and going’s this summer. For now I feel that the old phrase ‘forgiven but not forgotten’ applies to… Read more »
Also late with this but good to see you posting again Marc.
People losing it over Laca getting a year extension is almost funny – wait till Xhaka gets a 3 years extension and doubles his money.
5 more years of that cunt on similar money to Kane.
Cheers Chris
How are ST SALES GOING..
Promote more youth, sell the dross. Have Stan open the check book. We need 3-4 difference makers in this team. at least….
The bigger question, is how does Mike learn to make us an attacking team again without the shit show and excuses he always does
I know 4 long term ticket holders who are not renewing.?
But Jim, Arteta was a novice. Maybe he should have been on a learning curve at Ipswich or Charlton, but he was appointed by AF as a novice.. You can argue that an experienced manager should have been chosen but if you can’t argue he wasn’t new to the job and be allowed a bit more time to learn on the job. The board gambled on his potential and it would have been foolish not to give him enough time- November? Marko, you refer to a pre-season but that’s verging on the specious, a six weeks gap between the end… Read more »
James
I got an email on Tuesday basically saying renewals will happen in the final week of May. I guess they’re still hoping by some miracle will get EL.
They did mention that prices will be frozen – good luck with a price increase!
James
There will be some who have gotten used to not going after a year off, some who might have lost jobs etc add that to being really shit to watch and it’s not just those who don’t renew but how many on the waiting list will decide it’s not worth it.
Arteta has come at the worst possible time.
For me I have to divorce the players and the Club from the manager to be positive.. Sure there are a lot of things to be positive about.. Young exciting players.. like Saka, Marti and ESR. and their loyalty to the Club and ability to fight with nothing to play for. Also the players have handled many different ideas and formations so clearly are pretty smart. And, the Club has put themselves in a position they almost have to spend… to win back fan capital which is completely lost after ESL debacle. But Arteta gives me very little to be… Read more »
***CREDIT where credit is due for for Arteta in achieving his 3rd successive win against Chelsea. Not many managers will achieve that. (Crikey, if they win the Champions League in a few weeks- Arteta’s fan club will be proclaiming ITS HIM that is the real European Champion Coach out there.) As for the actual performance -dire and dismal in its ambition especially as there was nothing actually riding on it. It was a performance that was out of the Everton playbook from the David Moyes era. ‘Shitting on a stick’ soccer at its best.Nowt wrong with that- except we are… Read more »
You know things are bad when you read a comment by CG and think – no way things are going that well!
Q: What’s the difference between a half full glass and a half empty glass?
A: Marketing.
As the season started later and only 14 games were played up until Christmas, the table after Christmas becomes null and void.
I hope no Isco’s or Coutinho’s as a last resort. Over paid, overweight players who are looking for a home in London, and fat pay check. Edu- check Willian.
Spend the money on 22-25 year olds who can make immediate impact.
Buendia and Bissouma etc
Northbanker I happened to be on Twitter when Pedro tweeted this post, I have read it, and as it turns out, im inclined to agree with Pedro.. We’ve gone from relegation form (14/14) to near top-4 form (41/22). Even with our uptick in form.post Christmas, we could see that taking out 1 or 2 out of the starting 11, resulted in us reverting back to shite again. ( FA cup loss) This squad is definitely a work in progress, and at this point, it can’t absorb the loss of the likes of Tierney, Saka, ESR, Auba, Laca, Partey, for any… Read more »
We were sole Diet Pep but got Diet Mourinho. I’ll concede he’s done a decent job since Xmas but its because he’s reverted to Mourinho tactics and if the original wasn’t good enough for the club why should we accept a second rate knock off? Jamie Carragher rated Martinez in his team of the season which shows how messed up the call was to let him go. Add to that the alienation of youngsters everyone was hailing like Guendouzi and Saliba and you wonder why a lot of the fanbase can’t hack another year of Arteta. I want to see… Read more »
Thanks Marc.
No European football is going to have a huge affect on those sales and corporate.
Mancs gathering in big numbers again tonight outside OT. Should be fun.
In his 78 matches, compared to Arteta’s 79, Emery’s side won more games, lost less and scored more goals.
James
It’s a real mess – even if you bypass the number they sell and effect on corporate a ST is made up of 26 tickets – 19 PL matches and 7 cup credits – FA Cup and European matches. With no Europe how many cup credits can the club attach to a ST – 3? That’s a straight drop of 15% in ticket sales just to ST holders.
Midwest,
I agree, my concern is Arteta who put us in this mess this season. I dont even want to get into all the fine details as they have been discussed ad nauseum
How he manages players is appalling… we can get world beaters this summer and he will clip their wings asap.
This fool better get a clue on how to coach and manage players fast. Diet Pep needs to add some calories to his coaching game
Eagle
You’re a better man than me getting into debates with anyone remotely spinning this season as anything other than a disaster really. All the its and buts and get no one person has come out to say this is the Arsenal identity under Mikel Arteta well except maybe last night was it and if that’s the case it’s only going to end one way and one way only
I was expecting this kind of blog, namely polishing a turd type version. Defensive masterclass what were people seeing here, Chelsea did beat themselves, AFC is not able to play out from the back anxiety attacks every time the defense tries to play the ball, Leno can’t handle the ball with his feet, 2 shots on goal, misplaced passes out of the back, did I watch the same game where people lauded this display of shit football as a masterclass? After 38 games we can reevaluate the Arteta performance. Why is it that only the fanboys here see top 4… Read more »
And Mike had better get Auba scoring again- if he stays and doesn’t leave. Imagine what this would say if he asked to be sold, Laca get sold, Luiz leaves and Leno and Xhaka. The writing is on the wall. These guys dont want to waste their best years with this “project” It would be a damning indictment on Mike. Anyhow, if Auba stays, he needs to get him scoring again.. no more LW… how did Auba score so much with Wenger and Emery? Then this season, nothing. I understand the Malaria and mom thing but still! IF he feels… Read more »
Even though I want Arteta out after that disaster second leg against Villareal, I know its not going to happen. So I and 90 percent of the fans are left with a decision to make. Back the club i.e back Arteta, keep bitching and moaning and hope we are below 12th in the league table after 3 months of league football next season. So it really is a no brainer, back the manager. I’ll tell you why- 1- We are going to have funds this summer 2- More deadwood will leave the club 3- Since Christmas we have been the… Read more »
I’m not surprised that Arsenal under Artea/Edu are offering Laca an extension. They’ll offer one year and settle on two years.
Laca isn’t good value for his 180k weekly wages but the clueless people at the club are to scared to do anything different.
Arsenal ruthlessness on full display.
Captain Tierney
You must rally the troops and protest for change .
Exactly, Pedro.
Honestly, I feel sorry for those on here who aren’t getting excited about next season.
CT have to agree with that assessment. I have backed Arteta all season but after Villarreal, I moved camp. However, now I will back him, as he is here to stay and I love Arsenal for better or worse!
Just on the keeper, Leno’s distribution is pretty average… think a ball playing keeper really would help us… showed last night as we struggled to break the press.
Chelsea have picked up 35 points since Tuchel’s arrival compared to Arsenal’s 28 points over the same period.
”This is also roughly the same amount of time the mastermind Tuchel has been in charge of Chelsea. Yet he is below us in the 22 game table.” No idea why this is being repeated, it is literally a fake statistic. Tuchel took charge of Chelsea on January 26th when Lampard was sacked for results going south the previous six weeks. Since the exact day he arrived, Chelsea have picked up 35 points from 17 games in the league whereas we have picked up 28 points from 17 games [if you include the win we had on the literal day… Read more »
englandsbest
Exactly, Pedro.Honestly, I feel sorry for those on here who aren’t getting excited about next season.
—-
You sound like a spurs fan.
LOL – scenes at OT!
United fans blockaded the Liverpool team bus, but apparently it was a decoy!😂
Dissenter Its hard to argue against a one year extension for Laca on same wages. Dela I would be in that camp if I thought there is even a slightest chance of Arteta getting the sack. I would rather back and give him 1-2 months into the new season instead of constant bitching for the next 6 months and hoping Arsenal drop points so Arteta can get the sack. Cheyney Thats why I mentioned a keeper with a better distribution in the incoming. But if we do move on from Leno there will be a trade off. We’ll score more… Read more »
Bati Looks like we’re stuck with him for another start to a season at a minimum. At least there will be nowhere to hide and the novice/breaking in period/trust the process arguments will completely evaporate if things don’t markedly improve in the first few months of next season. He will have had 2 years and two full summer transfer markets by then to make his mark. Just fear that if he tanks ala Emery then the new season will be another lost cause and we’ll need somebody else to come in and pick up the pieces once again. No EL… Read more »
The Ol’ decoy bus trick. Think that was perfected by the Rolling Stones circa 1972.
Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe has admitted to Sky Sports that he is absolutely shattered after last night’s game against Chelsea.
I’m not surprised after chasing shadows the whole game.
Our season could be over in a few months if we dont get our shit together.
BY winter we were done… we cannot have that happen again.
A strong start and consistency is what we need …. yes we will lose the odd game here and there but we need a consistent way of playing, and our attacks needs a shot up the arse big time. Just call old Weng, if Mike needs help with getting the team to play attacking football…
Funny thing is, he played for Wenger but seems to have forgotten everything from that time period
Not sure about that CT, one year extension means he has two years left at £180k pw. How often have we seen a brief improvement in form that evaporates once a new contract is signed? If he goes back to being distinctly average that’s the best part of £20m down the drain.
Nicely balanced post Pedro. There needs to more self-reflection from Arteta. He’s not a rockstar, he can’t do it all by himself, and he really needs to build more know-how around him this summer. Vinai cannot allow Arteta to entrench power, he needs to clip his wings and get him back to basics. This is pretty much may main metric for Arteta this summer. He really needs to speak to people/ ex managers who have seen it all and that can impart advice. And more importantly make him challenge himself. It’s the only way for him to learn. If he… Read more »
If that game was at Anfield that decoy bus would be on bricks now.
Guns
I get your point but if arsenal sold aubameyang, lacazette, xhaka, leno and luiz(released) I’d be delighted. Imagine getting fees for them and replacing with younger players on more reasonable wages. The only one who we’d struggle to upgrade on is aubameyang, (but not on this season’s form.)It wouldn’t take much in terms of scouting to find younger players who are better than those players named.
””””””What is it about the Physio that you have heard? From what I had read he is apparently one of the best in the business.”””””””””””””””
Well unless he is the next Brazilian Bertie Mee – he is just a physio Captain.
From League tables at Christmas to winning Transfer Window Trophies -Arsenal fans now getting enthused about a bloody Physio.
The ONLY thing that counts ( and will always count ) is getting in the top 4 after 38 games (hopefully playing a style of soccer that befits the the clubs reputation) at a minimum.
The rest is all fluff.
CG
Are you suggesting that points have more substance than sauce?
Captain Tierney, that post got positive very quick.
CG – soccer??
“I get your point but if arsenal sold aubameyang, lacazette, xhaka, leno and luiz(released) I’d be delighted”
Luiz will go on a free and Leno looks like he’ll be sold my guess for low to mid £20 millions. Laca and Xhaka will both have shiny new contracts.
I’m wondering how many matches into the new season it’ll be before Willock persuaded to stay by Arteta suddenly disappears only to be sent out on loan in Jan.
Everyone in top 6 bar city and Man U are having a gash season.
If we want to rely on our pretty shit post Xmas performances to get us to top 4 next season we have to rely on those teams having another gash season. Or we need to make a massive improvement. Because relying on the current form to carry us to top 4 next year will not end well.