ARTETA 2 YEARS IN: WAS THE PROCESS WORTH TRUSTING?

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There’s a table doing the rounds for a WhoScored.com tweet that shows where our goals/production has been coming from.

Now, I’m not sure I totally get this because I’m pretty sure I saw Lacazette score a decent goal the other day, but I think the gist is to show that we have a group of players with an average age of about 21 doing a lot of good work for us.

Weird thing is, I saw people criticising it? Errr… isn’t what is happening above exactly what people feared wouldn’t happen at Arsenal this year? You remember… Smith Rowe is too young for the #10 (more output than Grealish), Arteta doesn’t fancy Martinelli (better output than Lukaku now he’s ready), Martin Odegaard is a bum (Willock should have stayed lololol), and Saka doesn’t contribute.

Arsenal spreading the load between these players is absolutely fantastic news. If the four of them can break into double figures this season, it really does begin to fill in the colours of a bright future.

It’s also easy for people to look at those numbers and imagine that’s all there is to our season. For me, you can’t ignore the brilliant job Lacazette has done for setting the tempo, bringing the above players into the game, and being a bit of a monster for this system. I’m not sure anyone is ignoring the clean sheets of Ramsdale, or the big improvements our defenders have offered the entire system.

Also… remember this: We did it all with Auba playing so badly, it felt like we were down to 10 men.

Arsenal are where they are because a lot of things have come together slowly but surely.

Since Boxing Day last year, we’ve accumulated 79 points, that’s joint second in the league. I only spread the points load to that date because that’s when you could start to say that Arteta had a proper side. That was when Smith Rowe came into contention and we really started to roll hard with the idea of a new Project Youth. It also shows that we’ve been incredibly consistent over a long period of time. Some fans fall back on ‘ARTETA OUT’ after every bad result, but if a new manager had come in and delivered these levels of consistency, would anyone dare? Of course not. Only City has performed better than us in the league, you can’t breeze over that fact now.

It feels like this whole thing has been going on for three years, not two. But here we are, 2 years on, no longer having to look at half-season tables. We’re a top 4 contending side. Not only that, we’re the youngest side in the league and we’re competing. No one is mocking the process now, because it’s working. No one is saying the use of the word ‘project’ is in poor taste. We’re moving away from being a naive idea to one that is interestingly now creating demands from fans who have gone from crying that we’ll finish 8th because we wasted £150m on kids, to now demanding we have to finish 4th, because we spent £150m on great players. I’ll take the shift, because being a fan is about having high hopes, and we haven’t felt that in years.

I’d still temper expectations, there will be up and downs without a doubt, but I do think we can take this season to the wire. Imagine if we’d been given the same pass for Brentford every other club has had now it’s a realised truth that COVID rocks preparation for teams?

There are still lots of things for Arteta to improve on. In-game management isn’t always the sharpest, he hangs on too long to make subs, and often they aren’t really the game-changing sort you’d hope for. Arsenal’s lows are still very low, and we need to do better there. That’s consistency of performance that comes as a squad gets better, but also whatever he puts in the smoothies before the game. Everton was really, really bad… how do we have less of those games? How do we get closer to winning the games we’re bad in? The biggest thing he has to work on if we’re to taste the real promised land is how we deal with the biggest clubs. Most Arsenal fans have given up on the City game in January… how does Arteta change that? Why do we show so much respect to the top two clubs in the country? We are terrible against Liverpool and City and we shouldn’t be.

Overall though, I’m fairly happy where we are right now. We’ve clunked our way to a squad overhaul, during a pandemic, with no fans in the stadium. The average age of our starting 11 is about 23 years old. We’ve tied every single player down to a long-term deal (something Wenger and Emery failed at). The production line of kids coming through looks exciting. Our scouting operation delivered 6 perfect signings this summer. We’ve nearly cut all the ties to the past with execs and players that don’t want to be here. The Emirates is absolutely rocking like I’ve never heard it, everyone is buzzing, sitting in the cold at Arsenal if finally a bit of fun. Everyone loves the players, their character and their talents.

There is a big ambition. A clear vision of how to get there. We are executing against it. It might not be perfect, but it has been a very long time since we had all of those pieces in place.

You might not like the manager, but it’s hard not to credit him with a lot of good that’s gone on since the dark days of Unai Emery and bad Wenger.

One thing we can’t forget is where the improvements came from.

The fundamental understanding that the power of this project will come from younger players that are hungry to make a name for themselves.

Which is a perfect segue into the game this evening.

Arsenal plays Sunderland in the QF of the League Cup. There’s been no Europe this season, so our younger players haven’t had the chance to get game time. This might be a chance for a few of them to shine.

I suspect the club will want to win a trophy this season, so I’m not sure how many risks he will take with the starting 11. However, it’s being widely reported that Patino, Salah, Rekik, and Balogun will likely be in the squad. We’d all like to see them rolling out in the starting 11, but I reckon they’ll be mostly on the bench. It’ll be Eddie, Maitland Niles, and the players that sit behind the first team getting their chance.

That will piss some people off, it always does, but you have to think about the reality of the moment: Our second-stringers have no game time in their legs and they might be needed for first-team action soon. You have to give them minutes and keep them motivated. Eddie is likely to start, and that does bug me a little, if he has no intention of signing a new deal, why don’t we just write him off and give the game to Balogun? Seems odd that Arteta hyped him so hard after Everton, just to leave him benched.

Whatever happens with the line-up, I think we all just want to see a bit of continuity of the football we’ve been seeing lately. Our game should be forcefully imposed on Sunderland, we need to create variety in our attacking play, and we need to see everyone play like they want to be on the boxing day teamsheet.

Finally, before I go. Pep Guardiola binned Jack Grealish and Phil Foden and let the public know why he did it. I know a lot of people were horrified when Arteta went public on Auba, but there is the greatest manager in world football doing it to arguably one of the best youth prospects in world football, and his £100m man. Still a rookie mistake? Give me a break.

Right… check out our podcast below.

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tonga

I hope Arteta is trying to build on the understanding and coherence by sticking with the same line up as much as possible. Makes sense for now and the team can’t afford to have mavericks like Pepe who play to their own tune, out of sync with the rest. The rest of the team is not strong enough to accommodate that. PlusPepe’s main plus is end product, which his replacements (Saka, ESR, Martinelli) are providing in addition to build up play and following the tactical plan. We do need to integrate him though, with more minutes than he is getting… Read more »

China1

I’m not accusing Sunderland of being racist because I don’t know their reasons for not taking the knee But seeing them stand for it and then 4 goals getting scored by black arsenal players including a hat trick from Eddie with that third one is supremely satisfying lol Great result once again. Well done arsenal. That momentum is now allowing games to take care of themselves. That was a very different lineup from our recent ones but when the team is good and momentum is that good, players will just slot right in and games are easy. I am disappointed… Read more »

China1

Izzo but Eddie has looked like a completely different play compared with last season – you can’t compare

Last season and before he was like Bambi

Now he’s like a young man. From the start of preseason up until now he’s been way way better and more influential. He’s more powerful too

Tony

Just watched the highlights and happy for the win against a league 1 that we couldn’t keep a clean sheet against with White giving a penalty in the last match and responsible for Sunderland’s goal. Laughing at Charlie/Pete digging himself out against his’ Pepe is wank’ views and failing abysmally; keep digging Charkei/Pete you’re catching up to ES. Eddie looks like he can take Auba’s tap in role, but didn’t see enough to see what Patino was like other than his goal. Have high hopes for the lad from what people say. Why no Azzes instead of Xhaka? Al in… Read more »

Zacharse

Sal the kid at LB that pepe was matched up with after their striker got subbed- not prem quality. Pepe had trouble w losing possession today, not exactly breaking back into the first xi any time soon
Unlike charlie patinooooooooooo

Champagne Charlie

Tony

Pepe is wank… running out against a league one side doesn’t alter any of the last 2.5 years football he’s delivered in the PL. Hope that clears things up for you. This is oddly reminiscent of the sort of energy seen following EL games against Dundalk and the like.

The penny will drop with you eventually, just like it did with Aubameyang who you were all for us extending (calling him a bargain and waxing lyrical about his leadership) only to pivot so hard this past week you’ve expelled your former views from memory. Talk about laughable.

Tony

Pepe is Pepe, nowhere near £72m and never will be, but the maverick in him will always get his team goals and assists. Whether he’s in Arteta’s plans for this season only time will tell. We are finely balanced at 4th with other with game(s) in hand. Winning and accruing points is the name of the game to keep 4th. United, Spuds and Hammer’s game’s are all 6 pointers for our chase to a 4th finish. We are amassing a decent array of talent but lacking midfield depth. The striking dept doesn’t need a striker from the TW – only… Read more »

Tony

‘The penny will drop with you eventually, just like it did with Aubameyang who you were all for us extending (calling him a bargain and waxing lyrical about his leadership) only to pivot so hard this past week you’ve expelled your former views from memory. Talk about laughable.’

Now you have to imagine Walter Mitty style I wrote such nonsense. Charlie/Pete. Take your meds and have a nice sleep, it’s when you make your most sense.

Champagne Charlie

That’s it Tony, talk shit because you can’t keep track of your own thoughts. That’s what happens when you make comments drunk on hindsight and desperate to come across as sagacious. Embarrassing

TR7

I think Eddie should sign a new contract. With Auba sidelined and Laca likely to leave in the summer he has an opportunity to force his way in to our starting 11. A strike force of Martinelli, Eddie and hopefully a new striker will be the way to go. Martinelli’s ability to play on the left will give ample opportunity to both Eddie and the new striker.

Dark Hei

China1

I am not a big fan of the knee thing.

It just adds to the virtue signalling culture in the west. Both the left and the right are now able to look only through their cultural lenses precisely because of such tribal signals.

It is like the AKB vs WO era. You are either an AKB or a WO and both camps only consider one as an Arsenal supporter if you fall into their own category.

TR7

Eddie has elite movement and instincts something severely lacking in Laca’s game whereas Eddie doesn’t have in him what Laca has that is the ability to get involved in build up play. Eddie can still be effective for us playing alongside another striker. Laca couldn’t score the goals he scored yesterday, so Eddie has something different to offer to us.

Tony

‘That’s it Tony, talk shit because you can’t keep track of your own thoughts. That’s what happens when you make comments drunk on hindsight and desperate to come across as sagacious. Embarrassing’

Charlie-Pete going to have to do much better. Been teetotal for 3 years so go digging see what you can find in that Artetarised state.

The only embarrassing is yourself. Did try to help by suggesting sleep (even though it won’t work for you

Keep digging.

Aaron

Yeah, we can’t afford to have a player like Aguero because he can’t play defense..

Sheeesh, can’t people see you need goals to get top 4, even with top defense in league with average goals scored will not get you the desired place in the table.

On a serious note, hope you are feeling okay Pedro, and your family remains healthy.

Most people have some symptoms, many have minor ones, you just do not want to be on the tail end of the curve on this crap.

All the best in your recovery mate!

Steveyg87

“ A strike force of Martinelli, Eddie and hopefully a new striker will be the way to go.”

We need a Giroud type “bully” striker. Holds up play and can actually head a ball in from a corner, fuck I miss that guy. The amount of corners and crosses that goes straight to the opponents is frustrating. Giroud would be sitting on 20 goals already for the season with this team

Steveyg87

He never got the love he deserved cause he replaced RVP

gnarleygeorge9

Yes

gnarleygeorge9

……now for the Marquee signing of Haaland 🙂

The Bard

Izzo I agree about Eddie. Scoring 3 against league 1 teams isn’t that big a deal. I hope he signs but it’s no great loss if he leaves. He’s not at the level we need for top 4.

DivineSherlock

Steveyg87

I think you are overestimating Giroud’s capabilities . The Giroud I remember was the one that made that grimace after missing a gilt edged chance. Safe to say if we had a better striker in 2015 we’d have won that title. Ozil would have broken the assist records.

Samir

You guys calling for Eddie to stay are crazy. We were playing SUNDERLAND. We’ve seen what Eddie has to offer against PL defenders – not much at all.

I for one hope he doesn’t sign a new contract, get rid of him, he’s not good enough.
Loan out Balogun, get rid of Auba. Let Lacazette leave in the summer.

Buy Vlahovic for whatever price they want and we’re set for 10 years up top.

Graham62

I know it was only Sunderland but Eddie has to stay.

Hope you’re feeling better Pedro.

Samir

Graham62
So you’d want Eddie to start week in week out? He’s a championship quality player at present. (Who knows, he my improve in the future but we don’t have time to waste).

Vlahovic is younger than Eddie and 100X the player. If he continues with his development he’ll be the best ST in the world alongside Haaland, in a few years.

Left Testicle

Well done to Sunderland for not virtue signalling and not taking the knee just for the sake of it.

The Bard

Samir I don’t think Graham gets it. Eddie is a poacher and they don’t have place in the modern game. Strikers need either pace or power or both Eddie has neither. If Arteta thought he was the real deal he would have made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. I also think Eddie knows he isnt good enough for Arsenal which I his why he wants to leave. Currently I havent read that any of the big Prem teams are lining up to sign him.

Raulishuss

Funny how the only controller we have in the squad(xhaka) is one of the first name the fans want out of team. Xhaka’s importance to the team is huge as he is the only that does what he does in our team. With eddie delivering on his potential, i’d like our prioty signing to be an excellent technical cm(fabian ruiz,neves?,frankie de jong etc).

The Bard

Samir I don’t think Graham gets it. Eddie is a poacher and they don’t have place in the modern game. Strikers need either pace or power or both Eddie has neither. If Arteta thought he was the real deal he would have made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. I also think Eddie knows he isnt good enough for Arsenal. Currently I havent read that any of the big Prem teams are lining up to sign him.

Raulishuss

It’s dishonest to call eddie a championship player. He has a elite player mentality and he’s getting better everytime. Right now eddie absolutely plays the cf role better than marti and he’ll have alot of chances to prove his worth with laca. I’m confident he can do the job

kjelli

Lets not overhype Charlie Patino, he is only 18 remember has a fragile frame, give him some
minutes in the fa cup if we get a favourable draw.. Pepe was entertaining tonight!! We really
need to replace Elneny in jan. he’s very static and offers little in attack as opposed to Ödegaard

Raulishuss

Eddie has fantastic movement(pace) over short distance like aguero,sanchez,etc and is getting stronger. He still has alot to improve but it’s obvious he is.

Habesha Gooner

I wouldn’t mind Eddie staying. But he has to be the backup. He is getting better but we need better than him. It would be great if we had him on the bench like an Ole type of striker. Right now though even Lacazette is better than him. And we are aiming higher than Laca. There are few forwards that have the overall game of Laca. His weakness are being deadly, Being an aerial threat and offering pace in behind. Eddie doesn’t have these qualities either. I would be thrilled if we could get rid of Auba, Laca and Pepe.… Read more »

TR7

How can anyone say poachers don’t have a place in modern game ? Sure they probably can’t play solo but if a team plays with 2 strikers a poacher can be the perfect foil for your modern complete striker (Benzema/Lewa etc.)

Sid

Eddie has the Eduardo talent, worth keeping, will be better than Laca in 2 seasons.

Sid

Laca was a downgrade on Giroud

Pierre

The last time Eddie played he missed a sitter away to Everton . Last night Eddie was under immense pressure to perform, and he came through with flying colours and it was a credit to his strong mentality. If he messed up last night he would have been slaughtered by the media and fans …he didn’t mess up. If Lacazette had been playing up front would he have scored the 2nd and 3rd goals , no chance as he would have been too busy grappling with defenders., they were the goals of a striker who knows where the back of… Read more »

gnarleygeorge9

Martinelli chopped by a knuckle dragger in the 75th minute I see.

Eddie is trade bait!

Samesong

I would be happy with a Caraboa cup and top 4 finish.

Raulishuss

Pierre the ode obsessive.

Ben D

Cedric is a really poor footballer and nowhere near the level required for Arsenal, not even as a backup right back.

Good win yesterday though….

Markymark

Pierre
Some players take longer to hit the higher levels
Berkhamp and Henry spring to mind . Not sure what the point is regarding Odegard? Particularly as he is performing well. If he goes onto have a stellar career it’s but a footnote in history

Habesha Gooner

Pierre
If Eddie played against better opposition, he wouldn’t even be in the game. His link up ability will let him down. That is why Lacazette is better. Being a fox in the box is Eddie’s quality. What are his other qualities? He is good when we pin opponents but if we had to play through them then he isn’t adequate. Not yet anyway.

Pierre

What an excellent player Odegaard is proving to be now that he is doing more than just closing down players and playing no risk football. He is learning from the likes of smith rowe in that one and 2 touch pass and move football is the way to go and he is showing that he can play at a quicker tempo and make things happen in and around the opponents penalty box which is a credit to him for adapting his style of play . Also good to see that he is not wasting so much energy chasing down defenders… Read more »

Le Professor

China1

“But seeing them stand for it and then 4 goals getting scored by black arsenal players including a hat trick from Eddie with that third one is supremely satisfying lol”

It’s only satisfying if you think they’re racist. However, as you say you don’t know their reasons so not sure point of the comment was

Le Professor

Dark Hei

“It just adds to the virtue signalling culture in the west. Both the left and the right are now able to look only through their cultural lenses precisely because of such tribal signals.”

Totally agree.

I can’t stand the knee gesture as it’s tokenism run riot

Sid

Tomiyasu playing in the EPL from another league, without being rested, got him in the red zone.

Br0wnie

EFL Cup semis
Arsenal vs Liverpool
Chelsea vs Tot

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