Mikel Arteta looks a dead man walking and we’re one game into the season. His embarrassing carry-on before the game in his press conference wasn’t an off day at the office, it was a window into the mindset of a ‘manager’ that has lost control of whatever he had bottled when he first joined the club. The team performed at 60%, there was no evolution of the football, and we were bodied by a Brentford side with literally zero Premier League games worth of experience.
It was shocking, but I think most people half expected that it was going to happen. There was a slight narrative working against us and we let it consume us. If Chelsea went there, they’d have come away with 3 points, and probably spanked them. They wouldn’t let the ‘plucky upstarts in their new stadium’ get the better of them. We allowed it, and what was most painful is Arteta set the expectation for that result through his behaviour pregame.
I don’t want to keep banging on about this, but as ‘manager’ you set the tone for the club. When you are the defacto leader on the football side, you cannot allow yourself to make things about you and your feelings… unless you’re Jose Mourinho at his peak. Arteta was visibly sulking before the game because he didn’t have the players he wanted. He decided not to set out a lofty ambition for the season. He didn’t pump his players, instead, he chose to flame grill Willian, and he pontificated over whether Auba could get back to his best form. He basically communicated he didn’t have belief in the players he had, and worse, told fans to temper our expectations.
He should have come out and set a lofty ambition, not tell the fans that consistency is what he was looking for. He should have rallied the players, ‘we have the most talented group of young players in the world, they’re going to shock you, and the doubters will see… top 4 is what we’re going to achieve’… what did we get? A spoilt brat sulk and a non-answer about the season.
This was such a miss. If you set big ambitions that are a little crazy, it can do magical things. The talent on the pitch have a north star, so they know what the expectations are. Management has a target and you make them accountable, and you can make sure every decision is filtered through the lens of ‘are we moving towards this mad goal.’ Fans get pumped because someone at the club has standards. If you beat the drum about the vision, people tend to rally and overperform… and even if you miss the target, you’ll be a damn sight closer to it than you would if you set the target as ‘consistency.’ There was no aspirational target set and the players dropped a performance like they’d been told they were shite.
He also couldn’t give us a straight answer on Auba and Lacazette. Why couldn’t he just be straight and tell us what was wrong with the players? Giving an ambiguous answer now has half the fan base wondering if something more nefarious is at play.
The football was pretty much exactly the same as last year. Loads of passing that lacked purpose, lots of aimless crossing to forwards that weren’t present in the box, and no real bang-bang to our game. The players look weighted down by too much information. Nothing really flowed. There’s still no intelligence in our final third play.
Now, what is clear… losing Auba and Lacazette was a big miss for us. Balogun looked like an 18-year-old upfront, it’s his first game, you can forgive that, but he’s clearly a long way off where he needs to be. Martinelli was absolutely anonymous all game, and Pepe was back to his infuriating worse. But here’s what I can’t deal with… how can those names offer so little energy? Why couldn’t Arteta get them to press? How can you have three players like that and not really cause a problem in attack? That’s not a talent issue… that’s a system problem. It’s also a management issue, because they weren’t giving their best. Hardwork can be just as useful as talent, we didn’t seem to have either yesterday.
Arteta has had 6 weeks to address the lack of creation in the system and he hasn’t solved it. Give it to Tierney is not a strategy. Lobbing balls into an empty box is how Steve Round and David Moyes got their P45s at Manchester United. We had 22 attempts at their goal and only hit the target 4 times. They had 3 shots on target and scored two.
Look at the mess in the team as well. Granit Xhaka wanted out at Arsenal a few weeks ago, now he’s the captain. Cal Chambers is a centre back who is now playing right back, he played like that yesterday, dropping two errors in the build-up to their first goal. Bernd Leno is consistently playing like a keeper that wants a new challenge, you can call a foul on their second goal, and yes, I agree… but it is an affront that a professional keeper lets that happen to him. Where is the fight?
So many of the problems we have in the squad are of Arteta’s doing. He was responsible for Pablo Mari, who looks way out of his depth. He was the guy pushing Willian who is now persona non grata. He told us Cedric Soares had special qualities. All of the players on show yesterday have had long enough under-Arteta to understand the system and they should all be well versed in the expectations of what should be delivered on the pitch.
I think the bigger worry about all of this is it seems like the biggest miss in Arteta’s Arsenal is how he treats players. The Willian issue is a prime example. One minute, he’s a fave, the next, he’s in the bin. Same thing happened to Gabriel last season after a poor 60 minutes saw him benched for 10 games. He’s not looked the same since. The social EQ looks to be weak with Arteta. You can have the best coaching ideas, but if people don’t like you, you can’t survive at the highest level. There are quite a lot of Arsenal fans that just don’t like Arteta because of how he behaves and that’s not a good omen. Just look at Thomas Frank, rallying his fans, talking glowingly about the club, the history, and the plan for the season. That should have been Mikel.
Instead of dropping Brentford with a fizzing performance, we limped out like it was the Villareal game. Now we head into the Chelsea game without key senior players and a painful lack of confidence. It’s quite likely we could finish the first three games of the season bottom of the table with 0 points. The nightmare start of last season looks like it could return for round two… and we only have ourselves to blame. We didn’t get our business done fast enough, we didn’t move the football on with what we have, and the players performed like they’d listened to a manager that lacks focus and fire.
The manager spent all his fan capital during that horrible run. There’s no forgiveness in the system for him because we’ve not seen enough good stuff to care. I don’t know what peak-Arteta football looks like, so it’s hard to get excited about what 3 extra players could do for the football. That’s a problem that can only be solved by winning big games. Chelsea is now a cup final and so is the City game. Will the players go to bat for him? Or will they taste blood in the water like they did with Emery?
We’ll see.
We did a video and a podcast to verbalise the pain.
Tets has seen the one area of our game from last season that was improving (defence) and he’s tinkered with it. So we’ve started this season with a poor defence as well as non existent midfield and blunt attack. It’s the Pep tendency to try to be clever and over think. What we desperately needed was some pace, craft and strength in midfield. Instead we got a miniature CB who has Hleb’s feet for 50m. The management are watching these cunts train day in, day out, so the fact we’re doing the same things and have the same frailties should… Read more »
Just stop and think about it If we buy Ode for 35m it means we’ll have spent over 100m and the only change to our starting 11 since last season is white – who is replacing a player who was not even our best CB last season. If we buy Ramsdale for 25m we’re literally talking 130m in order to have: Upgrade on our third best CB from last season Upgrade on our 3rd best CM Upgrade on our second choice LB Upgrade on our second choice keeper Get the same AM Now I’m all for squad depth progress, but… Read more »
We could’ve done Aouar, dumphries, lokonga, Saliba, Onana, Tavares for about 65m…
That leaves you with enough left over for Madison type signing without even spending net more than we will have this window
Sack Edu
Edu is corrupt working with Kia to milk Arsenal. Is the reason he’s destroyed our scouting network
Lets assume we get a target man, who will get the second ball?
Is it Xhakalson making Ramseyesque runs or Partey shooting to row Z?
The wing forward? Who are under instructions Not to vacate their squares on the flanks?
Y’all havent realised how shambolic things are.
Edu is interested in buying Kia players because Kia is also his agent. Accountants call it Conflict of Interest
Kia and Edu link really is shady man
How is a TD having an agent?
Weird…..
These fellas are independent… why do they need an agent like a player?
‘I hate to say this but if Arteta fails his replacement is likely to be the return of Arsene Wenger. As coach/manager with no say on financial matters like players wages and contracts. With maybe Arteta as his assistant manager.. I imagine conversations have been going on with the Kroenkes.’
Your imaginations are a riot, England.
Arsene wouldn’t return to take half his former role, and to think Arteta would agree to be an assistant coach in same club he has failed as a coach?
Ben White needs to put on about 10 mores lbs of muscle
Dude looks like a winger. skinny as F
Arteta has nothing good to offer to Arsenal. I said it back then that if Arsenal wants to move forward as a club then Arteta has to be sacked. Taking a step forward and two steps backwards will not take us anywhere. The earlier the needful is done the better. Arteta should be sacked.
I saw all this coming before Le Tet’s appointment and warned you guys, but you were laughing.
Now you can laugh some more!
‘Ben White needs to put on about 10 mores lbs of muscle
Dude looks like a winger. skinny as F’
Only the three musketeers could ever think a defender like that was the right fit for the premier league.
what we are saying now, many of us, including myself said almost immediately after he was hired and took over.
now the chickens have come home to roost.
This was a bad appointment…. there is no other way around this.
Right now, I am getting the feeling the players are kinda fed up
Pedro bigging up Arteta saying all the kids are re signing, they love him blah blah
Money talks… not Arteta. Arsenal pay them, not Arteta.
They know what to say in the media. They are not dumb!
Does not mean they really fancy Arteta… especially when you sign a new contract, you kinda say what you have to
I wonder what Xhaka will say when he gets a new contract ext.
Apparently Runnarson was also ill.
Clearly the team is trying to move these players. Just wish they had better excuses than “ill”
how about explosive diarrrhea?
something more believeable
Watched Pool, Manure & the Chavs no a snowball’s chance in hell that Arsenal’s nonperforming squad will get into the top 4. Said it at the beginning the only way to play CL is by winning the UEL, and that went out of the door with the infamous performance against Villarreal. Can’t see any better finish in the table then what happened last year. Wouldn’t mind relegation if that means getting rid of KSE. In addition the more financial pressure is put on Stan the man the more likely he will sell. So the topic of getting refunds for ST… Read more »
They’re probably depressed, Guns, who wouldn’t be playing under Arteta, Round and co, and watching this TW unfold.
Watching Arsenal can be a side show this season in favor of Dortmund or Serie A teams since I can’t get excited about any other EPL team. Just want to see decent flowing football with conviction by the team squad and something to play for.
For this season what has Arsenal to play for with this squad?
Forza MOB.
Everything has been a shit show. Every big team smashing their opponents while we struggled against a promoted team highlights where we are. And I don’t believe we have that much crappy players to play at this level. May be in midfield. But our forwards have been underperform since Arteta has been appointed. We are creating less chances but we are also conceding less. This pragmatic approach has been our main problem. And I don’t see Arteta fixing it. On transfers, I am quite happy Tammy Abraham is going to Roma. I would have been massively disappointed to sign a… Read more »
Its not Covid, if it was the entire team would have to quarantine
They are being shopped with 2 weeks left in the window
I bet both go to italy
I don’t like the fact that we are now criticizing white. I am going to criticize Arteta because he payed 50 mil for a player who has a weakness in the air. But he was not the main reason we lost to brentford. He will be a good signing. It is just very annoying to pay that much when we have a ton of other priorities.
If White is going to be a CB he is woefully short and thin
I mean at this point, why not try him at RB?
He has done time there, as well as DM
Perhaps his real strength is there?
MD Gunner
Calm down buddy all is not lost: Arteta and Edu will soon find out their fates as the club realises they’ve been hoodwinked by a pair or over ambitious clueless rookies.
What I find funniest is that there is a film crew capturing the BS on video. What would be even funnier is that the way we get spanked on our contracts and negotiating, we’re probably paying for the filming with no content control.
I jest but not the latter point.
Things have to change because the suits’ moves are being recorded.
Le Grove
@LeGrove
·
7h
He’s in deep trouble.
Inter sold Lukaku
Will they go for Auba or laca?
Ben White is Not an RB in any form, imagine him out in the flanks against a winger( refer to video of him vs Rashford)
The problem at RB is made worse than it is because of a mediocre midfield that has all its focus on the left side of the field.
With a proper midfield the RB only needs to run in a straight line up and down the flank.
Diet Pep wants the RB to invert as a 3rd midfielder which creates chaos and confusion.
Lack of back room staff experience and expertise destroys us again. Arteta thinks he knows it all so that’s why he makes the weird subs he does and no one challenges him. He desperately needs a wise old head who actually knows what it is to be a manager guiding him but look at his back room staff… the majority are as young if not younger than him. Result? A gaggle of yes men and a glorified echo chamber. No one to challenge the manager to change course. Arteta has deluded himself to thinking to he is as good as… Read more »
Overmars said Arsenal haven’t even spoken to Ajax about Onana so far
Genius. Absolutely genius
guns here’s to hoping
they can have either…. or both… lol
The red flags were there when we were talking to him about replacing Wenger and he wanted assurances of money to spend
imagine that in your first ever managerial role, at a club as big as arsenal, replacing a legendary manager, and you think you should be able to call the shots of spending. It looked likely already at that time that he was either a supremely confident up and coming pep/zidane sort or a silly amateur with a grossly inflated ego.
Safe to say we now know which
The only thing Arteta learned from Pep is to spend money buying players and to be honest he can’t even do that right.
He has alienated our best youngsters because he can’t handle challenge.
Ask yourself, yesterday could Guendouzi and Saliba made a difference yesterday?
Yes.
That tells you all you need to know about Arteta’s priorities. It’s more important to him that he isn’t challenged than for him to do what is right for the good for the club.
No man is bigger than the club, it is often said.
The problem is… Arteta thinks he is.
Tony 2 more games to go against the Chavs and City then 3 days before the TW closes which means that by Saturday 28th Arsenal could very well have 0 points, 0 goals and 9 against them. That is the disaster recipe for panic buying if there is even money available. In addition which player in their right mind would want to come to Arsenal in this present shape and form they are in? It is obvious that players who Arsenal wanted preferred not to play for Arteta which is another hurdle. Bottom line the situation is desperate and can’t… Read more »
If the board and Edu really did entertain Arteta’s call to sign Abraham then we are being run by Muppets. In the striking department, this Arsenal should absolutely not buy a striker or a forward. What do we have? 1. Aubameyang – A striker that’s been prolific all his life. Came in and was top 3 in the EPl for the succeeding two years. Almost singlehandedly won us the fa cup. 2. Lacazette – Despite all the derision one of my favorite Arsenal players. Not very prolific but makes up for that with his play making abilities. Delivers on a… Read more »
Last summer Arteta hinted that there were players in Arsenal squad who didn’t want to be at Arsenal and that for good team spirit it was imperative that Arsenal offloaded them. He was referring to Ozil, Mustafi, Kola etc. Arsenal got rid of all the players Arteta didn’t want at the club then. At the end of TW, Arteta seemed happy and relieved that he was now left with the players who were in his plan and who were committed to the club. Fast forward 12 months and Arteta again seems to be having problems with a few “bad apples”… Read more »
I’d say support my local team Tianjin TEDA but it’s only fun in the same sense that supporting a league 1 team is lol. Completely bereft of anything resembling quality. But I do enjoy going to a few games per year for the ambience
MD-Gunnes
So you will miss our most entertaining season of the last 10 years???
I mean, we will be fighting for not be relegated, how can you miss so much fun?
Diet pep is a party pooper
He pooped on Partey Thomas
Arsenal are recruiting or promoting a lot of young players into the first team squad under direction of Arteta and Edu. The problem on the evidence of Friday’s performance is that many of the older and more mature players in the current team are mediocre eg Leno, Chambers, Mari and Xhaka. The combination of mediocrity and youth is potentially toxic. The real danger is that Arsenal could be overwhelmed by better or more experienced teams. The lack of leadership on the pitch was also a major concern. Who were supposed to be the leaders particularly when organising the defence at… Read more »
Diet pep likes to swing his Aubergine
He swang his Aubergine at Auba
One has to wonder what Stans take is on our current state of affairs.. This isn’t benefiting him in any way. Surely he has advisors telling him what his next move should be?
Diet peps suit is meh
He is Mesut
The game was that bad that the whole conversation in here has shifted from who’s coming in before the Tw closes to when are they pulling the trigger on this fraud. Worrying times ahead
Guns of SFAugust 15, 2021 06:38:03
Inter sold Lukaku
Will they go for Auba or laca
At this point, surely is a buy one get one free deal……
This is the best we could do for a starting line up if we acquire Odegaard and a back up GK. Leno Chambers White Gabriel Tierney Partey Lokonga Saka Odegaard ESR Lacazette With bench options New Gk, Mari, Holding, Cedric, Tavarez, Xhaka, Elneny, Martinelli, Pepe, Auba, Balogun I am not thinking about all the doom and gloom and relegation talks. I am realistic either way. We won’t finish below 10th. But we won’t finish above 5th either. That is why after two years and and a lot of money, arteta is under pressure. Even after all that time, he looks… Read more »
I don’t think that Arteta is a fraud, but I do think that there is growing evidence that his revolution and focus on younger players is having a negative impact on the more senior
players at club.
Sid
August 15, 2021 07:16:53
Diet pep is a party pooper
Sid
August 15, 2021 07:18:00
He pooped on Partey Thomas
😂😂😂 This had me. Partey pooper lol.
HG
If we put out a team and play like on Friday we could finish below 10th.
Arteta has a short window of opportunity to put his house in order before he loses his job.
The starting point must be to recruit an “experienced” goalkeeper, because Leno is becoming
a high risk performer.
Good morning gunners. I ve just checked Giroud highlights playing for Milan in an exhibition games. He scored twice, it is really remarkable how sharp and clinical he looks!
I really don’t get why we had to give xhaka a new deal bring him back because he was not sold for decent money ok not that I was happy about that
Just bring him back on the same 2 years left. What value are you protecting ? 13m just sell and bring in a proper player
That shit baffles me
another player i reckon we have missed dearly, in order to keep Laca. Strong presence in the penalty area and clinical finishes even at this age.
“We can keep bringing in new players but if the manager can’t get along with players or command their respect, things won’t change.”
Spot on. Arteta needs to go asap.
ES
I think it’s Arteta’s methods that are having a negative impact on the senior players, the younger players and all the fans.
He just has to go.
not to mentio he worn the captain’s armband. comical stuff. Give it to Tierney already!
Saka, Tierney, ESR and Balogun are our gems.
Arteta’s methods will be a detriment to their progress.
He shouldn’t be putting the weight of the world on their shoulders.
The funny thing is with the amount of crosses we are firing into the box we need an aerial threat like Giroud badly.
MD Gunner
I understand your feelings especially the frustrations supporting The Arsenal.
I don’t blame you watching g better football it’s not that hard to find even in the Championship league.
The film director will be loving the events of the last few weeks. Perfect material for the masses with plenty more in store.
This season isn’t going to be uneventful, and when Stan calls time on this regime, we should see a bounce with the new incumbents.
Once the Arsenal train is back on its tracks we can jump back on it with gusto.
Hey Graham nice to see you back I agree we don’t want to kill these kids confidence they should be playing alongside experience
A proper manager will have xhaka Mari Cedric elneny out in the next window
Apart from KT who should be captain I would add martinelli to that group too
What player would want to come to us with a failing manager, struggling team of misfits, and an owner who is mostly absent?
We are not a very attractive proposition, so we overpay to get them to come.
Does a new manager want to clear up this mess?
The next manager has to be experienced and won’t come cheap
Sorry Serge, I forgot Martinelli.
I have no issue in recruiting Odegaard. I think that he offers a “calming” influence on the team and he is a decent footballer. He is captain of Norway and perhaps may be a decent captain of Arsenal. However, the priority before the transfer window closes must be to recruit a decent first or second string goalkeeper. Leno’s performance on Friday raises serious concerns. The first goal should have been saved, because Leno was in correct position. Whilst I accept that Leno was fouled for second goal the fact is that he should be far more imposing in his area… Read more »
Spanish,
Haven’t you heard?
We are in “London” and we got the history and prestige. This is enough to entice anyone, so I’m told.
ES
We had a decent GK at the start of last season.
The rest is history.
To be honest, I was disappointed with Martinelli on Friday, he appears to have regressed. He did nothing of note in the game and surprisingly his movement was poor in the box. Although I have always thought he is hugely overrated on here, I believe he is way better than what he has shown since Arteta took over.. I believe it is down to confidence and too much information from Arteta that is stifling his natural game.. Arteta dented Martinelli’s confidence with a couple of uncalled for comments past season and now a lot of fire has gone out of… Read more »
ES We had no Gabriel, Partey and Lacazette and also I would add Saka to that list considering he didn’tplay more than 25 minutes. I have wanted Arteta out since last season. But the Brentford team isn’t the starting line up. The worst we could do is 10th. What was concerning for me is the fact that we couldn’t press properly. I though it was the lack of energy in old legs when Auba and Lacazette played that made pressing difficult. But it was the same with young players like Martinelli and Balogun. Arteta didn’t give them instructions on how… Read more »
Matt Ryan was also far better keeper than Leno.
Real Sociedad’s gain.
Shocking. I am not happy that my club is associated with this tyrant who governs a poor country and sponsors a wealthy PL club.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58162403
ES It is all very well recruiting young talent, but the real danger comes when they are losing, there is low morale and heads are dropping. There are several comments from you basically along the same theme. I disagree with you on many things but the introduction of the youngsters and the risks now being faced buy Arsenal I fully agree with you. I said some weeks ago it would be madness to depend on youngsters and ok it’s only one game but the potential damage to players confidence and their potential by expecting too much of them is madness.… Read more »
HG
I appreciated that Arsenal put out a weakened team on Friday, but it should have been still
strong enough to beat or at least draw with Brentford.
Apart from one shot by Pepe we looked completely toothless and by the end of game with only one potential goalscorer on pitch. Both Balogun and Martinelli were taken off. So who apart from Pepe was supposed to score the goals?
No one should be writing off Balogun and Martinelli after one game.
They were put in a very difficult position on Friday as they have never played together at this level.
That is why it is inexcusable that Arteta didn’t give game time to the likes of balogun, Eddie, Martinelli and azeez at the end of last season to give them first team experience in the Premier league.
Habesha
“The worst we could do is 10th”
I am suggesting for one second relegation is on the horizon but 10th or above is going to be a challenge.
ES I am not in favour of naming players to score your goals. If your players aren’t in a position to have chances to score goals then the problem is the whole system. I think if Balogun and Martinelli had chances they would score them. So would Saka. That is my opinion anyway. You can debate about whether those players have enough quality in taking their chances or creating their own. But if we look that toothless upfront everytime we play, no matter who plays then the problem is the coach or system. Wenger used to play with with Chamack,… Read more »
Teraloon
Leicester, Tottenham, and may be Villa might be better than us. Everton, Brentfored and leeds and the like will have their days in the sun and then go back to their positions. That is what always happens. The fact that we are even having this conversation though is a reason not to give any more time to Arteta if he sucks.
Eddie and willock.are mentally, physically and technically ready to start for Arsenal, Lakonga , who is basically the same age as Eddie and willock, sailed thrashed game with ease, Smith Rowe was head and shoulders our best player and Saka showed his undoubted quality when he came in. So I’m not having it that our young players are not ready , they are . Balogun and Martinelli are novices compared to the others and should be eased i to the first team, not throw them in together and expect them to flourish. They were set up to fail and now… Read more »
I wasn’t surprised by the Brentford defeat when it appears our only tactical plan, is to get Tierney to send loads of crosses into the box with no one attempting to get on the end of any…no wonder teams suss us out so easy ffs
“Diet peps suit is meh
He is Mesut”
👏👏👏
Sid is brilliant 😂😂😂
We have to admit it, we are missing our Arsenal badly. I remember our first game of the season in…was it 2016?, against Leicester on a Friday night, 4:3 to us. I was tossing and turning with delight that night in bed, the footage of the beautiful football we played rolling over and over in my head all through the night. Arsenal was always my weekend fix. From Monday, I always looked forward to the game, and since I don’t drink, it was always my dope of high ray! And the summer break was always difficult to endure. Now, what… Read more »
Pierre
No-one is suggesting that we should not play young players, but if you do so then the team
needs also quality senior players as well as leaders on the pitch.
As I pointed out the so called experience players were Leno, Chambers, Mari and Xhaka. None
of them showed much performance or leadership.
If you want another clue that Arsenal have no idea what they’re doing, they sent Saliba and Guendouzi out on loan to the same team. Stupid, stupid management decision. Both have reasons to spite the club, now they’re gonna spend a season talking to each other every night about how big a cunt Arteta is. If you value the development of Saliba, the last thing to do you fuck him off on loan to the same team as another French U19 who you’ve decided is a cancer already. There’s no way Saliba has a future at Arsenal after all this.… Read more »
I’m just glad the rest of the footballing world have woken up to just how shit Arteta is. Only took them 18 months to realise, even though we knew after 9 months just how shit Arteta is. Honestly I’d have fat Sam over Arteta. Clueless Spanish beach bum
“So why the deja vu? Perhaps the last 18 months of Arsenal failing to meet expectation has blurred into one. “.
The above quote was from a piece written about hits and misses this weekend by sky sports
Nothing will change at Arsenal until we get a change of ownership. It all starts from the top. I’m no fan of Abramovich but his ruthlessness permeates the club. You either perform or youre sacked. Same culture at City. Untd are in the same boat as us. They won’t win anything either.
“Mikel Arteta, who barely left the edge of his technical area, looked miffed from minute one to 90, and with Chelsea and Man City up next, he could have done without this.
They have pulled the rabbit out of the hat before, but fans need evidence of structural and sustained progression rather than the odd back-to-the-walls victory.”
More from the sky sports article
Habesha “ That is what always happens” Sorry but that is a lazy take on how things are. If the powers that be, Arteta or indeed the players think that then sorry they are in for a torrid time. This shouldn’t be about finishing in or around the same position as last season it should be about progress. You would think that the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool are going to be very much in or around the top 4. Leicester and Spurs will be in the top 8. Villa in the top 10. Wolves I am far from… Read more »
This Arsenal team is brimming with talent,missing attacking midfielders for sure but we aren’t as shabby as Arteta is making us look. I watched this team take on Chelsea and Man City in FA Cup semi and finals two seasons ago. Even people that have been ostracized like AMN had a good game, Pepe had moments of magic, even scored a screamer that was dissalowed. We resembled a proper team with Martinez in between the sticks. Now almost all of those players look a shadow of themselves. Arteta sucked the soul out of that team by spending circa 250 million… Read more »
I agree with terraloon
It will be a dog fight to make top 10
This team has the talent to punch higher but you can’t underestimate the arteta impact
Poor coaching
Poor man management
Looks like he’s single handedly creating a toxic culture in the club and dressing room also
Players are becoming shells of their former selves
Sorry but that is a lazy take on how things are. Teraloon It’s not because of some arrogance that I think we will be in the top 10 minimum. It is because we have a lot of quality players that will get us there. I don’t think we will do better than 5th or 6th though. A team containing Saka, ESR, Partey, Gabriel, Tierney and lacazette won’t finish below 10th. All of them would start at teams around mid table. White and Lokonga might surprise too. Odegaard is possibly happening. As crappy as we look right now, we have enough… Read more »
I think Pedro is starting to realise Arteta was a colossal mistake.
Looks like Barca could be a destination for either Auba/Laca.
TR7,i ve watched Giroud scoring two ‘pure’ nr9 goals in an exhibition game for milan the other day. He looks clinical and full of confidence even at this age. Can’t believe we gave him away to keep Laca.
We look so weak when crossing to the box nowadays.
The worse thing about not being decisive one way or the other is that the board will let Arteta finish the window and spunk all the money up the wall. If he goes which seems more a matter of when not if with all the leaks and the terrible style etc then we are again in a situation where the next manager comes in with players he doesn’t want and no money. I’ve said it a couple of times but the upper management needs to be in place for a more fluid setup. You can’t have the DOF and manager… Read more »
So far this season 3 preseason defeats, one preseason draw and one defeat regular season. One goal scored in last three games, conceded in every single game.
What on earth are they waiting for?? To reach Christmas when we will be at relegation zone?
Fire Arteta-Edu and bring someone in to galvanize the players now!
Gunnernet
Giroud scored very important goals for Chelsea too. I think we would have been better off keeping him as he has the ability to link up play and hold the ball up. An aerial threat too unlike Auba/Laca. We would have had more variety to our attack with him in there.
It is exactly same attitude/behavior pattern players had under Emery’s at his final months with the club. Clueless and out of ideas, completely devoid of any confidence!
We NEVER learn!
TR7,
in addition i would add we miss his leadership and motivation. Can tell someone tell me who on earth would leave CL winners after scoring at the same final and having the team exercized the option of his renewal in order to keep playing constantly to keep his place at the national team??
unbelievable strength and motivation there! Hats oof to the guy.
and now we offer xhaka new deal to reward him for telling the fams to fck off. How times have changed..
“Martinelli is definitely one who will benefit from a change of manager as he is a player who needs a manager who understands his game instead of a manager who is trying to turn him into something he’s not.” Good observation. You could actually say this about a fair few players in our squad as well. Xhaka (into something resembling a Premier league footballer) Laca (being a hold up player and defacto no10?) , Auba (being asked to chase shadows out on the wing instead of enabling him to run in behind) , Pepe (restricted by tactical straight jacket I… Read more »
Habesha “A team containing Saka, ESR, Partey, Gabriel, Tierney and lacazette won’t finish below 10th. All of them would start at teams around mid table. White and Lokonga might surprise too. “ Sorry but I genuinely believe that is a lazy take on things Cast your mind back to 2015/16 . A Chelsea team which had one the league the season before which included names Cesc, Costa, Terry, Cahill, Willian, Courtois, Hazard etc etc . Players without doubt would start not just in mid table teams but probably all teams certainly at Leicester who won the league that season yet… Read more »