BACK TO BASICS – SOME POWERFUL THOUGHTS

by .

Well good afternoon my darlings. How have you spent this weekend? I slayed a dragon in Elden Ring, leveled up my character, beat Godrick the Great. Life is good in my fantasy world.

… but on the round table of Arsenal, it’s not great.

Our season isn’t really in the gutter, it just feels like it. We have 8 games left of the season, we’re 3 points off 4th having played one game left than Spurs, we’re not just technically competing… we are competing.

Do I think we’re going to make top 4? No.

Do I think we’re going to make Europe? Yes.

How many points do we need? I reckon we need 9.

We’re in the business end of the season now, this is where the pound notes are made, time to deliver.

Arteta has absolutely messed his pants 5 minutes before a food court stop on the M1, we’re struggling with major injuries, form has dipped, confidence has dropped… but there’s IS a way forward with the team we have. Arteta is going to have to hope he hasn’t bruised too many egos to get what he needs.

At a base level:

Play your players in their best positions. 

Wild concept, right?

Arteta should take Nuno to Sega World in the London Trocadero (young people like arcades, right?), pay for his popcorn and arcade tokens, tell him he’s really good over and over. Then inform him he’ll be getting the rest of the season as left back.

Speak to Granit. Apologise to him for putting him at left back and tell him he needs to take Sambi Lokonga under his wing and let him thrive for the rest of the season under the guidance of the Swiss midfielder.

Pull Sambi to one side, tell him we need him flying at his best with ambitious passing, clever dribbles, and aggression.

Up front, we need to be a little more creative. Lacazette should not be starting against Southampton, he’s done for the moment, the big questions is who replaces him.

Eddie needs a next club, he hasn’t done much this season to show that he’s capable, so if he’s giving minutes, he will probably show up. If he’s in the right headspace, give him the rest of the season to shine.

If he can’t shine… then maybe we need to go galaxy brain. Gut always says Martinelli through the middle because we saw what he did when he was 18 years old there. However, this might be a good chance to see what Smith Rowe can do in the Lacazette position. He can connect play, he’s faster and more powerful, he has height, and he has what we need: GOALS.

All of this seems very simplistic, maybe even a little naive… but one thing is for sure, you can’t keep rolling with the team over and over and expect something different.

The fans need to see that there are consequences for being shite. The players need a different idea because they aren’t doing well with the current one. The season needs to finish in a respectable manner so we can put the #ArtetaOut weirdos back in their box for another 6 months.

Short post today, WATCH THE DAMN POD, see you lovelies tomorrow x

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Steg

Pierre – cant agree on your Wenger stance. Endless 4th places is just pointless. we actually want to win something, ideally the league. Its people’s absolutism that does my nut. Mediocrity requires context and the context for late years Wenger was that he made some dud purchases, never replaced Paddy and refused to fix the problems that we all could see. My issue is that since we have been a top 4 to mid-table team since the mid 00s and since Arteta took over it now seems that if we don’t win the league immediately that we are mediocre (i’m… Read more »

Nelson

I know why Nuno Tavares deteriorates so much. The way Arteta manages his bit part players. If you make mistake, you will not get any more game time for awhile. It applies to Lokonga also. They play with fear.

Nelson

“far bigger priorities” than getting top4???????

englandsbest

Nelson

How about ‘clearing the decks’??????????

Marko

So lemme get this straight we’ve gone from wanting to get rid of Emery after one season and missing out on top 4 by one point to labelling people weirdos who want to get rid of arteta after two 8th place finishes and a top 4 collapse this season. That makes no sense. Christ we could talk about this and that all day but it’s an undeniable fact at this stage he’s a bum appointment and the recent collapse is just more evidence added to an almighty pile of evidence that shows how bad he is.

The Bard

There is a misunderstanding on here. I realise Arsenal aren’t going to win stuff but what I want to see from the club is giving it everything every match and showing some real fight. That culture comes from the top and we haven’t had it since GG and Wengers first 5 years or so. Remember Ivan’s boast that we would soon be on the coat tails of Bayern. More like West Ham these days.

Pierre

Of course , the Southampton game is a must win game that will at the very least start to rebuild the confidence in the side that appears to be in the basement.. All i hear on tv , media and le grove is how Tavares had a stinker v palace . All i can say is watch the first half of that game again and he was probably a 6…Gabriel was the culprit for all 3 goals I said it at the time and I’ll say it again , the decision to not play Tavares v Brighton led to the… Read more »

CG

Steg ”””Conte was / is not the answer at Arsenal. He has Harry Kane and Son doing the business for him. End of. Without those two, Spuds are absolute turd.””””’ Well Nuno/Mason had them too – and they were not scoring, ( Conte has Spurs scoring 25 goals from x 8 games since his Burnley tantrums.) He has quickly devised a system , that suits the players at his disposal, which is exactly what you are supposed to do and the complete opposite to what Arteta believes in. Exactly like he did at Chelsea- when he played Luiz in a… Read more »

CG

7 games, not 8

Marko

Like I said yesterday Conte is just another name in a long list of managers we missed out on while continuing with this failed experiment. Our incompetence and stubbornness cost us Conte, Rose, Galtier and Tuchel as potential arsenal appointments. Even know we’re missing out on Ten Hag and I’m not even that big of a Ten Hag fan but he’s better than the current bozo in charge.

Mulerise14

Well from a guy you don’t know from Adam….am glad you are back China1 (had me worried for a long while honestly). I have been off-grid for a coupla days…. enforced by our sudden change of Fortune in the race for tr4phy. When the moment we wanted the most Is but a thin layer of frost Of course our blue sky has turned grey. But…..this side has given us more highs than lows this season. Arteta has shown his immaturity, but is a risk we took when we hired him,so let’s get on with it. I don’t agree with Pedro’s… Read more »

Marko

Also worth noting not just arteta who needs rid of this summer Edu’s gotta go now too

Matt B

I need me some Nigel — Nige post something positive, its a tad depressing in here at the mo

HerbsArmy

Steg As I posted earlier, you have your own narrative on Arsenal, if that makes you happy, you’re all good. If you Google Arsenal managers post war, it is like a journey through time, and reveals much about Arsenal’s character and behaviour, right up to modern day. Look at their Bio’s, what they did before and after Arsenal is extremely revealing too. One such example would be Billy Wright, no Arsenal connections, played his whole career at Wolves, but for some reason was Arsenal manager for four years. That’s what you call mediocre. Terry Neill too, when Liverpool were in… Read more »

Spanishdave

Arteta is not learning that’s the problem.
He destroys young players confidence and then expects them to provide world class displays at the touch of a button.
He has weakened the squad at the business end of the year, and it’s not his first season.
He has enough time and spent enough money and has got nowhere.
Time to move on.

The Bard

What Conte brings among other things is ambition, either provide me with the tools to win or I leave. He will demand players at the end of the season and if Levy doesn’t provide them he will leave. He has form on this. Its possible that his success at the Spuds might be the end for Arteta if he doesn’t up his game. Mediocrity and a successful Spuds isn’t a good look for an Arsenal manager

Graham62

It is clearly obvious that Arteta is not up to the mark.
He makes the same mistakes over and over and yet he gets away with it. No other club with a semblance of ambition would tolerate his methods.

InsideRight

“We disappointed you again. I am sorry in the name of the team. We will fight until the end of the season. Our goal is clear: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. It’s not gonna be easy, i know, all my teammates knows this, but we will not give up. We need your support Gunners. COYG”

That was Gabriel on Facebook two days ago. Someone needs to tell him, according to the plan, the goal this season was Top 6. Apparently.

Tom

“One player that fascinates me is Deiogo Jota, how many of us thought he will be a star when he was at wolves.”

I can think of at least one or two posters here who said that at the time.

curse

this, is what is beyond crazy for me: Pepe makes a big contribution last season. Costs the club a lot of money. Auba continues to stink the place out. He brings in Laca from the cold cos he’s got no choice. Laca does well but shows why he was left out. Meanwhile Pepe is rotting on the bench behind Saka, who is playing way too many mins. Pepe goes AFCON, does well and he talks him up when he gets back. He let’s Auba go, Laca’ is doing reasonably well but signs are clear he needs a rest. Decides there… Read more »

China1

I really can’t agree that coming 4th would be a brilliant achievement. It would be good. I don’t think it would be more. We have the 5th best squad in the league (Man U 4th). Meanwhile Man U have been a car crash all season and Spurs don’t only have a worse squad but they had to sack their manager mid season because they were tanking too. Leicester have been awful. No one else was a contender going into the season. 4th is exactly what we should’ve seen as an attainable if challenging target before the season started. It would… Read more »

curse

there is no way Pepe is that bad of a human being or that bad in training that justifies cutting of your own nose to spite your face.

He’s made his bed…

Graham62

curse

Yes yes but according to some on here, treating Pepe this way is all part of the process.

Graham62

I would have sacked Arteta long ago for his gross mismanagement of players.

China1

I would be fine with seeing Pepe sold. He hasn’t done enough for me

*that being said* he’s a goal and assist threat in a squad that doesn’t score or create and he can’t get anywhere near the first team even when some of the players ahead of him are off form or need a rest. Even knowing that Pepe is not gonna be a long term solution surely he still has some value to bring before we do sell him, and if he does play ok then it could pump his value. Win win all round

China1

What odds on Pepe being loaned out next season then offloaded for free the season after?

That would be a quintessentially arsenal way to manage him

China1

Whilst taking bets, who thinks our boy Granit will still be here and in and around the first team next season?

I most definitely do.

China1

There’s going to be noise of him wanting out. A boring saga of negotiations and will he won’t be. But after an early flurry of purported interest in him from Jose mourinho and once again a reasonable offer which arsenal don’t appreciate actually represents fair market value (he’s simply not worth much) we’ll then see Mo, torreira, guen and AMN sold, and considering his vast experience in pointing when the opposition have the ball and because he’s in his late 20s, that will make him de facto essential to keep and lo and behold this fairy tale will never end

benkind

Stat of the day:

Arsenal are 10th in the league for open play goals, with 25 out of their 45 goals coming from open play (only 55%)

That’s less open play goals than Leeds, Leicester, West Ham and Crystal Palace

@MrHaq15 on twitter


Our attacking game cannot compete for the league. We are so far from Liverpool and City it is scary.

Tom

Pepe, Auba and Laca were all in double digits for PL goals last season.
Willian had 9 for Chelsea the season before Arteta convinced him to join.

That’s four attacking players , two of which Arteta lobbied to buy or extend saying they would be extremely important to the club, that saw their goal tally absolutely plummet in his system.

HerbsArmy

The caveat with Arteta that offers a smidgen of hope for us, is that it took Fergie seven years to win the title at United, having to rid the club of most of Ron Atkinson’s expensive flops. It took him four or five years to turn them into title contenders, in arguably an easier time-line.
So all is not lost, the instant internet access and 24 hour non-stop rolling news has made us all a lot more impatient.

raptora

Either sold for chump change like Guen and Mavro, paid to leave like Auba, Ozil, Willian or out on a free would be my guess re Pepe.

Tom

No matter what Pedro says, the fact Auba is scoring now almost at the rate of the entire Arsenal squad should be embarrassing to at least one person in the Arsenal organization.

David.D

Curse 14:26 Spot on!!!! Scandalous the way he has treated Pepe. I don’t care what anyone says. He is a very good player. If he was playing under Klopp we would see his true worth. He has never been given a proper run by Arteta or had any faith shown in him. Fair play Saka has been great but manage the fucking squad man , he cant play every game!! You have a 72 million investment. FFS. Help him , support him. He would definitely be worth a try up front, He is skillful , pacy and clinical and scores… Read more »

InsideRight

According to Mirror football… “Mikel Arteta calls up 5 Arsenal wonderkids to solve growing injury crisis” – https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-arteta-academy-injuries-patino-26690483 “Mikel Arteta has added Mazeed Ogungbo, Charlie Patino, Miguel Azeez, Lino Sousa and Marcelo Flores to Arsenal’s squad ahead of Saturday’s away game against Southampton “Mazeed Ogungbo, Charlie Patino, Miguel Azeez, Lino Sousa and Marcelo Flores have all been invited to train with the first team ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League fixture against Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon, reports Football London.” I don’t know why this is being positioned as something new. Azeez was on the bench for the Albion… Read more »

David.D

*understanding

David.D

Inside right
i mentioned this the other day.
He has all these youngsters on the bench but he doesnt bring any onto the pitch even for a few minutes and a taste and little cameo.
Hutchinson is supposed to be even better than Saka according to some but nothing. on the bench but not even a peep of action.
its all for fucking show.
Losing faith in him by the minute.

Graham62

Martinez and Pepe scenarios.

Sell Martinez to Villa for £20m, bring back Leno, buy Runarsson £2m , buy Ramsdale £30m = net loss of £12m.
Treat £72m asset as garbage, even though he was scoring. Valuation of player keeps plummeting. Appalling man management. Apparently willing to offload for £25m. Net loss of £47m.

These two decisions alone have cost Arsenal £59m!

Yep, trust in the process.

into the red

I don’t believe for a second that Pepe, whatever his supposed faults, would not have been a useful option this season, and could have scored some goals. I also remember when we were told Nuno was the answer to having a backup on the left which would mean Xhaka would never again have to play there. It doesn’t seem that long ago when ESR was hailed as one of our brightest young stars, yet now looks burnt out. That’s just three examples. Other managers show some flexibility in rotating players and tweaking their systems. Arteta seems stuck in a rigid… Read more »

Graham62

It is now becoming increasingly more difficult to spin your own well scripted posts to suit your own personal agenda.

What personal agenda I hear you ask?

Well, the ‘ Put Arteta first agenda’ of course.

Graham62

This became the ‘Arteta first’ blog long before Emery took the reins.

HerbsArmy

I wonder if he phones or texts Pep for advice.

Killroy-TM

Regarding Pepe posted this earlier: Arsenal are said to be ready to sell Nicolas Pepe this summer for as little as £25m, according to a report from Calciomercato today suggesting the Gunners want just a third of what they paid for Pepe in the first place, with Mikel Arteta ready to cut the club’s losses on the former Lille star. The amount of players we need in the summer TW keeps growing. Last season we said we are 2 to 3 players away fro Top 4th, this is no longer the case because of the players being kicked out and… Read more »

Killroy-TM

For the AFBs that want something positive here are two positive notes.

Man Utd is of worst then us, they need a rebuild, manager and don’t know what to do with the players that rake in millions per year.

2nd looks like Arsenal has hit rock bottom so it can only go up from here. Once that happens we will have the AFBs posting again and most likely they will disavow to ever having supported Tets.

Words on a blog

Killroy T-M,

Regardless of what the target is for any given season, Arsenal is always 2-3 players away from achieving the said target.

Sadly, in recent years that’s been The Arsenal Way.

HerbsArmy

Whatever our personal feelings about Arteta are and whether or not he is suitable for such a big job, as fans, we always have to put the club first.
In that respect, no matter how difficult it is, we are forced out of duty to support Arteta because the Kroenke’s have forced him on us.
Equally, he needs to justify our support and grow a pair.

Ishola70

If Arteta had real charisma maybe he would get more on board in regards real belief.

I think quite a few on here just don’t like how he comes across.

Who knows he may surprise us with his character behind the scenes in this documentary.

It’s happened before. Someone who doesn’t lighten up the folks in the forefront can surprise behind the scenes.

The Real Vieira Lynn

I think it’s important not to forget that the issues we’re currently facing are all down to the fact that our novice manager deviated from his original mandate as soon as he got a sniff of success,…every single problematic and/or woeful decision that has been made is irrevocably tied to this entirely self-serving and ego-driven decision…from the myriad of asset mismanagement decisions to the counter-intuitive selection process rigidity, considering the supposed “rebuild” narrative, to the overwhelmingly timid and naïve tactical stratagem on offer, all can be traced back to the abject short-sightedness displayed by the powers than be in the… Read more »