Arsenal crumble under pressure yet again. by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people, it’s happened again. We’re throwing it away for the third season in a row. Yes, mathematically it’s not over but that second half performance told you everything you need to know about Arsenal.
When the going gets tough we crumble. It was in our hands. Beat 7 teams we’re better than on paper and we win it. Liverpool threw it away, it was all in our hands. The minute it was all on us we failed miserably.
Aston Villa were the only team that deserved to win this game. Good ebening! Don Unai schooling Arteta again. I haven’t forgotten that Villarreal game. This performance was similar. ‘Different players, “different” Arsenal’ some said. Same old manager though.
We sacked Unai for missing out on top 4 and losing the EL final and didn’t back him with the players he wanted. We should already be looking for a new manager as the season will end officially on Wednesday.
Villa played on Thursday, 48 hours later than us, had Douglas Luiz out and still looked the far better team. I can accept defeat, but the lack of passion, desire and fight is a death sentence. You can have all the ability in the world, but if you don’t want it, if you don’t work hard, you don’t get it.
It all started from the line up. Zinchenko. This player would never touch a ball with the first team again if it was up to me. He shouldn’t have started, we had 2 other options, but no, we opted to have a liability and voila, it paid off. For them of course.
The unfortunate reality is that City will win it again without even needing to work hard for it. Granit Xhaka lifted the Bundesliga title today. Think about Xabi Alonso in his first season ending Bayern’s domination. It’s about mentality, the desire to win. They are still unbeaten for god’s sake.
Mikel has been here 5 years. How many times does history have to repeat itself? We even had leads against Tottenham and City in the past 2 seasons. I tried to warn you, saying that bad results with us come in pairs, well here it is. Bayern and now this. Both competitions thrown in a week.
Even if we do beat Bayern, which we should do, but given our situation now will be a true miracle, what happens if we face City in the semis? They’d wipe the floor with us. Mikel Arteta has terribly mismanaged the squad.
Declan Rice is playing every game, even though he’s been poor and obviously tired, and our midfield has been overran 3 games in a row. The only difference at Brighton was that we took the lead and they lacked quality. If one pass eliminates our midfield, I’d be throwing the hairdryer on the players, unfortunately we had a statue on the bench.
And the squad is a reflection of the manager – clueless. I had to drive 4 hours back from a trip and I delayed it to watch this abomination of a performance. No wonder the fans were leaving early, they are not stupid, we could see we’re never winning this game and the title is gone.
Why is Smith Rowe coming on? Is Partey a ghost? Last season he was compared to Rodri, now he’s suddenly a nobody? Player favoritism and over-working the same players is why we don’t have enough steam now. Pep can bench De Bruyne and they’d still win. They can go to the Bernabeau and score 3. They have players who can decide a game on individual quality.
We have this “system”, but the moment it doesn’t work, we’re screwed. That was the first game we went behind in the league this year and we had no clue how to respond. Our subs were negative, Villa’s were positive and they won the game.
Football is sometimes simpler than people trying to work it out. Villa wanted it more. Let that sink in, we didn’t want to take a grip on the title. 20 years and it’ll easily take another 20 with a mindset like that. City have never been pegged back in a title race. It will not happen this season.
If I had to make a guess, I’d bet some money on Wolves beating us next weekend. City play in the FA cup, it’ll be another chance to go top of the table and we will bottle it again. The last thing I want to say is that this fanbase absolutely deserves this. Toxic positivity is the reason why we are here. If this is Real Madrid, explanations would be demanded. Here, everything is okay.
The state of this football was summarised when Odegaard was taken off, the one player who had the ability to keep the ball, and the only one with desire, he gave the armband to Jesus who was subbed at the same time and didn’t even had the time to put it on!
You could’ve played Benny hill over this scene and laugh, otherwise you have to cry. But this fanbase will find another excuse. We had it in our hands. There’s no-one else to blame.
Konstantin
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
I agree, I think that Arteta is out of his depth here. We need a manager that will bring out the players potential and not stifle the collective. The only player that had some vision was subbed and from that point on the rest of the team were clueless
Which manager? Since we won the league in 2004 five teams have been league champions. Two of these teams have won the league once during 20 years. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have won the others. After Ferguson retired in 2013 Manchester United hasn’t been able to win the league again and they have used a huge amount of money. At the moment there’s only one manager that could have made a huge different, but Josep Guardiola has a job already. I’m optimistic and believe we will win the league in a couple of years.
It’s like Groundhog Day the minute there is a setback DP
Yes Sue, and we are reacting like losers. Should the captain leave his ship when the weather gets challenging 😉
Didrik, on the wider, biggger, far more important long term picture- a picture btw that all mature and non reactionary fans keep in their heads at all times, I am totally with you and with Sue P( who is always CONSIDERED AND WISE).
Not only would it be madness to consider ditching MA but, IMPORTANTLY, our owner is far shrewder and more worldly wise than many of the childlike posters we suffer regularly onJA.
They will be no more than pointless and unheard voices in the wilderness, screaming their woes and frustrations against the wind, when set against the shrewder, far more worldly wise thoughts of sane heads, which CRUCIALLY includes our owner.
It is a temporary setback, unwelcome of course, but wise heads will always see the bigger picture, foolish minds will not!
That is typical of life among football fans.
Thank you Jon, I always appreciate your opinions.
I understand that people get frustrated, but we have become relatively consistent on a very good level. Now we need to make the last step, which is the most difficult COYG
It’s like groundhog day when ever we get to this time of year lol
How many setbacks have there been in the 5 years Arteta has been a manager?
We have been on never-ending setbacks for the past 20 years. Aren’t some adamant that Arteta is the man who changed the tide?
How about trophies? How has he changed the tide by doing exactly what his predecessors did only spending 3 times as much?
When should he deliver the trophy? Until we have spent more than a billion? In 6, 7, 8 years?
What makes him special he is always touted about if he ends up buying the trophy after so many tries?
For the record, I think the club should neither sack him nor extend his contract iffailsfail to win this season. He should be given next season to deliver on his promise or pass the torch to someone else.
Do you believe that past and present is the same? We have been a mess and we don’t have any winner culture left. Which manager comes with a success guarantee? I know only one, and he’s not going to be our manager.
When should Arteta bring the two big trophies?
I believe he will do that during the next two or three years, if not this season. I don’t demand anything and didn’t do that during Merci Wenger’s tenure either. Football has become a dirty business and I doubt we have enough lawyers to compete against Manchester City 😉
HH
It’s not a bad suggestion you make but as ever, I’m always curious about who is the right person to take the club forward
Before Arteta got appointed there were the usual managers – Conte, ancelotti, Rodgers, Potter, Ten Hag. I suspect the obvious names at the end of next season will be whoever is the latest flavour of the month. Pep has proved to be an extraordinary manager and there are very few who can reach that level
I think Arteta should be given the chance to continue as a manager, but he needs to win a trophy to earn an extension. He was appointed without having earned it, and he needs to prove himself to the board, supporters, and earn their trust and patience. Winning the English Premier League or Champions League would be a good way to pay back all of that.
Personally, I think Alonso would be a great replacement for Arteta. He has the qualities that Arteta fans believe Arteta has. It’s much harder to go against a team like Bayern without major spending than it is to go against a team like Man City while spending closer to them.
There’s never a shortage of managers, and they are fired and hired all the time. It’s not necessary to hire a big name, just someone capable of reaching the finish line. Bringing back Emery and properly backing him is also not a bad idea.
Interesting to read your views HH
I wondered if you would mention Alonso who has certainly sent sparks through the German league. I’d want to see more if the same next season but he has had a faultless start
I don’t think I put it very well, but the majority of names I listed have done precious little since and yet they were bandied about all the time. This is where the problem lies, as finding a good replacement – and one who doesn’t need to settle in – is fraught with difficulties – not least because there will always be another club higher up the pecking order who needs a top man. De Zerbi was ticking all the boxes but has tailed off. It’s a really tough job to fill correctly so that is why I’m in favour of not throwing the baby out with the bath water when there is a hiccup.
I get your point SueP. I am in the view that for as long as there is no trophy, we cannot say there is a temporary setback or hiccup.
To what end?
great post and I agree on everything, Man City are a machine and have been for the last five years with the potential to win a second treble. We have improved from the last two seasons, and I do believe there are further twists to come. We can’t be expected to win every game, we are two points behind City, not over yet and if we do finished second or third, so be it. This a young time with a young manager who are getting better and better. We need a striker that’s for sure
So going toe-to-toe 2 seasons running, against the best team in Europe, given the state the club was in when Arteta took over, and he’s out of his depth!
Wow!!
Recency bias will have fans screaming about how well we have played this year. And we will go on great runs with Arteta again.
But, the simple fact is that we are a club that has choked 3 years in a row when it gets down to the business end. And we will continue to do so every year until we bring in a manager that knows how to win trophies. How to tap into the team of individuals and convince them they can go the distance. Arteta never won anything as a player and won a single cup as a manager in the first few months. Again, he can go on the odd good run so that was the cup, a lot of luck in there too. But he is not equipped to build a league winning team and the author is right, we need a change.
It’s worrying that there years in a row we choke when the pressure is on
As usual, no context.
If Spurs got hit by big injuries in the run-in like we did, they wouldn’t have gotten fourth over us.
Last year was a massive over achievement, especially with the injuries and who we were up against, and it’s no coincidence that our defence cost us the title when more key injuries hit. Saliba, who was our most consistent performer last season, and arguably the best CB in the league, and Tomi missing the run-in proved decisive.
We’ve been on an insane run-in since the new year, and have only had one single bad result, and season isn’t even finished again, but apparently we’ve choked already. Ok then!
It would have been worse not being in this position. It’s a learning process and there’s Josep Guardiola 🥲
Precisely!! Wow INDEED!
Many of our non thinking fans are unable to see the wider, far more realistic future. But their heedless woes shouted against the wind of truth will be drowned out by saner, miore worldly wise Gooners.
And in particular,by that of our owner who knows and backs a good manager when he sees one. And he has done too. Correctly!
Its a temporary setback and no more than that. But to listen to some of the reactionary fools on here, one might conclude that civilisation had ended for good.
Such narrow minds. Sigh!
Spot on Jen trouble is there is no patience and everyone wants results asap, I can remember following Arsenal in the 70s, a lot Arsenal fans would have had heart attacks some of the players we had
This is 2024 not 70s
You have to update your calendar
I believe Kroenke won’t sack Arteta so Arteta needs to figure out how to manage his players well at the end part of a season so they don’t always get tired.
It’s obvious that most of the players are tired. Rice and White’s pace has reduced, they can’t win duels in midfield again. I’m sure they can’t wait for the season to end and that’s how we crumble.
We have lost one league match in 2024 and we are two points behind Manchester City. We have difficult fixtures ahead of us and should stay positive and support our players and manager. We can make a difference and need to stay focused 🔴⚪️
Mate, this is the toxic positivity I’m talking about. There should be an inquest as to why we didn’t win that game and consequences.
Mate, we have lost one league match in 2024, and we are two points behind the best team in the World. Our players need our support more than ever, let’s help them.
Toxic positivity???
Could it simply be, that Arteta has brought us back to such a high level, that some loose their heads because of 1 loss?
Anders, You ask could it be! Of course it IS exactly that!!
@Didrik @Anders
It’s important to note that the season doesn’t commence on January 1st, so using this date to refer to the season can be misleading. I must inform you that Arsenal has already lost five games this season.
I must inform you that we are two points behind the best club in the World. In addition, I must remind you that the season isn’t finished. COYG
I agree, but taking half-season results is cherry-picking data to mislead the facts. You didn’t address that unsurprisingly.
The main thing is that we are a title contender in the best football league in the World.
Inquest?, we lost because Villa were better on the day, that is football, if you can’t handle the ups and downs of following Arsenal, maybe you should consider something else that doesn’t require an inquest….inquest man that is so funny. So now positivity is toxic, there was me thinking a glass half full was better than half empty.
Arteta got his selection very wrong. Havertz in midfield and Zinchenko at left back is a disaster.
He should have left Havertz up front and brought in either of Trossard or Jesus from the bench.
The excuse of Arteta being a young coach will begin to fade from next season.
I think he should be sacked if he does not win a major trophy next season.
Hindsight is not science and I didn’t watch them train last week. It’s easy to be a supporter and judge everything based on facts. We should have made a few goals in the first half, instead we gave Aston Villa a taste of possible success.
We win 10 and draw one from 11, conceding just 4 goals, playing the best football in Europe, maybe bar Leverkusen, we lose one game where we performed very well at least in the first half, and now the usual nonsense!
Arteta out, he’s useless, he’s spent lots of money therefore we should be winning the treble. It’s been a nightmare season!
Villa won the game in the second half, after getting lucky we couldn’t finish our numerous chances in the first half. So let’s get some perspective, and be rational. That’s only one really bad 45 mins in domestic football in 12 games. Our first bad half in 2024 in English football.
So if course, que the over reaction.
I guess my question is, should we be winning all our games since the turn of the year? It’s unacceptable to drop any points in our final 18 league games since the turn of the year?
Nice saying Jen.
When putting things into perspective some of us are able to understand the totality 😉
Perhaps it’s time for Big Sam or Mourinho, life is wonderful 😂
It’s clear to me there’s a huge bias from some on here with Arteta. They cannot wait to over react at any slip, regardless how small, whilst simultaneously ignoring the fact we’ve only improved since his arrival in every department, and he’s even proved that last season’s title charge wasn’t a one off, as some claimed it would be.
I don’t mind criticism, but it’s so over the top every time.
Yes, they have been after him since day one, but I don’t forget them 😂 I have very much respect for Merci Wenger, but how many times did we become top two between 2005 and 2018? We aren’t perfect but we are moving in the right direction.
Funny how the goal posts changes though
For weeks many readers scoffed at the idea we would mentally not be able to handle pressure of run in
Then scoffed at idea that we would have to improve to get to CL Final
One those people are proven wrong we are told to be happy with 2nd
Which is fine but you can’t say Arteta is an amazing manager but it’s okay every year to choke?
Didrik, Perspective? Yes of course, perspective!
But “perspective” is only given to serious thinking minds.
Lesser minds never get past reactionary OTT criticism, as that is ALL their minds are capable of reaching.
Didn’t read the article because you just know Konstantmoan only posts after defeat and would be on preaching doom and gloom but I did see his last Benny Hill comment and 1) Ødegaard was subbed because he was injured and 2) How was he to know that Jesus was about to be subbed off too? Talk about twist the facts to suit your own narrative!
Sorry Jen, that wasn’t an answer to you but to the article writer.
I agree with you, the author of this article can only ever see negatives.
To be fair there were zero positives yesterday
I don’t agree with you, the first half lacked one thing, Arsenal goals 🙂 In the second half psychology and negative thinking drained us, and Aston Villa got the taste of potential success.
You didn’t read the article, yet you have a valid opinion. Hypocrisy and Toxic positivity again. 3 years in a row we’re bottling it. Enough is enough. Do we want to win a league title? Do you support Arsenal or Arteta?
Jen, our full-strength side may have had numerous first-half chances, but only two were on target, and none in the second, while Villa took their two whole game on-target chances with ease. No luck involved at all, and with a seriously depleted squad.
They were lucky, because we dominated the first, and created so much, even if only two were on target. How many times did we flash the ball across the 6 yard box!
Like I said, Villa were lucky in that first half because we beat ourselves, and it wasn’t because Villa defended well, as we got in behind them so many times.
@Jen
“There is no such thing as luck in football” Villa beat us fair and square, by out playing us in the second half. Jus sayin
Was Brighton’s goal lucky against Burnley?
NY_G , IF you are being serious that there is “no luck” in football- and I much hope you are not, for obvious reasons – then I PITY YOUR INTELLECT!
Does one pity all the peasants and their inferior intellect?
You are littered through this thread spouting how one is of upper intelligence and what not. You are aware what you sound like?
Just because mummy and daddy sent their little man off to private school does not make you in any way intelligent.
It’s great that you are fine with repeating the same failure over and over, captain mediocrity knows nothing else. But just because others would like to see us take a breath and make the change to get past the seasonal choke (20 years of it btw), does not mean these loyal supporters’ views are in any way less than your stuck up rhetoric.
The luck that happened yesterday was Villa hitting the crossbar twice.
Miracles do happen sometimes though, so it’s still a possibility for us to win the Champions League or Premier league.
Spot on! We need to stay positive and help our players. If they are tired we must give them energy. COYG!
I can only think that it’s down to tiredness, caused by lack of rotation. I also think Jesus as striker and Zinchenko as full back just doesn’t work. Jesus finds it difficult to hit the target, although a skilled player otherwise, and Zinny just can’t defend. I’m sure both have had intensive training in both skills, but it just doesn’t seem to work. It was a carbon copy of the West Ham game at home, top of the league, everything to play for, but lose at home to a team we should’ve beaten, 2-0. Maybe it’s just being top of the league?
It’s very much psychology and consequence thinking. Manchester City has done it several times and the players know how to handle the pressure. They do also know that they have this experience compared to their opponents, and they are using it.
I believe we would have had a better result if he had made these changes by 65 minutes.
Jesus – Martinelli
Zinchenko – Tomiyasu
Havertz – Partey
What went wrong? Arteta is what went wrong.
Why change a winning formula? Why bench kiwior for zinchenko? Why start trossard when u know he is at his best went he comes in the second half? Why also bench jorginho and not use partey?
Whatever happen yesterday was wholely arteta doing and he should be held accountable for it.
He should have learnt from last season but no he keeps making awful decisions that comes back to bite him.
When I saw the line up, I told a couple of people where I watch the match that we might draw or lost this match and that his selection will self destruct and it happen as I predicted.
Thank you..
It’s even a crime to criticise arteta, 3 years in a role we look to be choking at the final hurdle, yes the bottle job banter loading and looming fast, when a player like john mcginn is bossing us in midfield then there is problem
One of my first thoughts on hearing yesterday evening that we’d lost 2-0 was wondering how quickly a rant from Konstantin would hit the site
I managed to get through two thirds of it before giving up because it’s just a repeat of the previous one and the one before that
I’m as disappointed as the next person that we didn’t win but it’s being wholly dismissive of Aston Villa which is likely to improve from the Conference League to a top4 spot next season.
I’m not trying to deflect the loss away from Arteta or the players but a really tough fixture against Bayern isn’t quite the same as Villa playing Lille. Whether or not the Munich match was underestimated but getting the draw ultimately was a tougher ask and would most definitely have taken a lot out of the team. It also has to be factored in that we have the away fixture on Wednesday.
I watched it on catch up and we dominated the first half – with my criticism being unable to finish when decent opportunities arose. We should have been able to win the game.
I didn’t think of it as a mentality thing but that’s just my opinion but they did look washed out. Villa were excellent in defence
Man City have been favourites for the league from day one – no matter how well we played. They have a stronger squad which has been melded together by the strongest manager in recent times having had the benefit of astronomical investment. When Pep packs it in, I wonder how City will cope then?
I hope that there is enough in the tank for Wednesday night
Hope, you guys can remain positive after our next game in Munich. It’s been a good run but there is a limit to what this coach and his chosen players can achieve.
I’m afraid this article is a rant which provides no sensible insights.
The author has made no attempt to provide a tactical analysis of the game. There is no assessment of the squad depth which is the reason certain players being overplayed.
Instead, all we have are brickbats directed at the manager and other fans. A lot of cliched angry comments have just been thrown together to create this “article”. To state that Villa just “wanted it more” or talk of “positive toxicity” is just silly.
The author has gone on to compare Arsenal to Real Madrid which, at this time in our respective histories, is just a joke.
Yeah but, tactical analysis and squad debth assessment is really not needed here,
What you need is a dose of realism and not blind false positivity to understand this situation.
We’re in this mess because of a number of mediocre overpriced transfers one after another.
Yes we’ve had success with Trossard, Kiwior and Rice, but that’s about it.
Edu and Arteta have got it wrong more often than not. And we’re left with a massive debt and PSR issues and a bunch of mid players we can’t sell.
The poor standard of premiere league teams this past couple of seasons had made us falsely look good and is hiding a larger problem imo.
pep sold us 2 pups in Zinny & Jesus but raya is down to Arteta he wouldnt start for Weston- super-mare,we still had chances to be 3 up in 1st half
I think I would prefer to just chuck the Bayern game, put on the kids, rest our top squad for the run in. We only do well with 1 game a week and a 2 week break every 3 months. The only thing about CL is that it brings in money. There has been many articles on Pep and his rotation skills, and it is where he has a definite edge over MA at the moment.
The Problem is that we have some fans who think we should be grateful for just competing, when in reality we aren’t even competing because the moment it’s time to compete we just don’t have the mentality to do it. it’s telling how right from the first day of the season all rival fans could tell you how exactly Arsenal’s season would end. Out of the FA and Carabao already and some of you came on here to explain to us how that was good news, such toxic positivity. at any other serious club arteta should be getting the sack if we end this season without a trophy but no it’s arsenal and we adore mediocrity, a lot of you lots deserve this. Right now I really wish I could stop supporting this club but sadly i can’t and it hurts that I know they’d do this again next season.
stop supporting Arsenal it’s that simple, tell yourself as a club Arsenal do not need supporters like you, concentrate on other things that will make you happy
I don’t think there’s a need for tactical analysis here,
Like I’ve said time and time again, it’s huge money spent on mediocre players and games like these are the consequence.
As soon as we come up against a half decent team you see the shortcomings.
$200 million spent on Jesus Zinchenco Havertz and Raya and yet there’s no tangible improvement to the squad.
I think the song should change to “$30 million down the drain, Raya concedes again” 🤣
I’ve never thought of Rice, Odegaard, Saliba, Gabby, Partey as mediocre. Nor White or Trossard. There are others. To my mind there are a handful who are mostly on the bench , who are not quite at the level you have referred to
It’s worth remembering that Pep is an experienced manager who didn’t taste success at City immediately. The reality is that for a number of years it was the investment by Abramovitch and Abu Dhabi which created a two horse race, only broken by Leicester and Liverpool- once each.
This year it has been a 3 horse race, with 2 very successful managers leading and with Arteta yet to finish his 5th year as a manager, still keeping us up there.
You mentioned a handful that worked out.
There are a lot more that haven’t.
Poor overpriced transfers have consequences.
Speaking of Leicester, look where they are now after their wreckless spending.
Now I’m not saying that’s where we’re headed, our revenue is too high for that to happen. But we’re in a position now where we can’t spend and improve the squad further. Finishing out of top 6 can happen again, like it did last time, and like what’s happening now to Newcastle because of their poor transfer window.
Oops sorry
Forgot to mention Man United, the poster child for consequence of mediocre overpriced transfers.
People always mock the “United Tax” and how other clubs have fleeced them.
Our transfers don’t look that different TBH.
I sure do hope we’re not heading that way 🙃
Hang on a minute.
Martinelli and Saka were already with us as was Saliba who I shouldn’t have listed as he wasn’t an Arteta signing.
It’s easy to slag off but not so easy to get players in who fit the bill.
I’d class Tavares, Vieira and Sambi as not yet proven to be good enough and we are yet to see if Timber is the real deal. If the majority of Arteta’s signings were mediocre then we’d be mediocre- around 8th to 12th – but we’re not
@RootKit
Are you serious? Did we not meet “half-decent teams” when we played Liverpool and Man City?
Sorry, but this is an ignorant comment. How many times did we become a title contender between 2005 and 2019? Manchester City and Liverpool have played lots of CL finals in the last 6 years. We have definitely done a lot right and that is easy to forget when losing perspective.
Uhm, the answer to the first question is, quite a few times.
And there in lies the problem.
Arteta’s and his team are not that different to Wenger’s, always stumbling at the last hurdle.
Only one actually. In 2008, thyear Gallas as captain had his sit down sulk at Birmingham and we were five points clear from Man United in early MARCH.
The only other times since then that we were in serious contention for the title were last season and this season, BOTH under Arteta.
You clearly do not KNOW the FACTS about our history in the last 16(at least) years.
In 2016 we finished second with 71 points , ten behind winners Leicester and we were never in contention for that years title.
Omg!!!
The point was that we fell short often.
Because of injuries or lack of squad debth or poor signings etc,
And that this team and manger give off Wenger vibes.
The fact that the budget gap between top 6 and the rest is wider and lower table teams are worse in recent history means we can get more points and stay in the race for longer.
It doesn’t necessarily prove that this iteration of Arsenal is better and will win any major trophies.
The Wenger vibes are still there, we haven’t shook it off yet.
The answer to the first question is: 2005 and 2016, not particularly often. In 2006 we got fourth and in 2017 we got fifth, which tells me that we were inconsistent. We have been struggling to deliver two good seasons in a row for almost two decades.
I have not forgot Merci Wenger’s great achievements to keep us in top four. In retrospective, check the players he had available
Didrik we were never in serious contention in 2016, finishing second, a full ten points behind Leicester and we had only 71 points, a total we have already, with six games still to play.
Last season we achieved 84 points, which would have won the PREM IN THE MAJORITY OF SEASONS SINCE IT BEGAN OVER THIRTY YEARS AGO.
All of which shows the vital importance of PERSPECTIVE.
AND of knowing our history and writing facts, not wrong ones either.
Yes, some of the details might be too complicated so I tried to make it simple, perhaps too simple 😉
We beat Liverpool and City this season, more than half decent teams, in second place at the moment, scored more goals than any other team, conceded less than any other team, season not over yet
Trouble started with the lineup and setup in my opinion. A disaster of ineffectiveness and waste.
Havertz is a below par midfielder as an 8, known that for months.
Zinchenko is the worst LB out of all the choices. Always has a mistake in him and can’t defend at all.
Jesus is a “striker” in name only. Pathetic in front of goal, injured again, should be sold along with Zinchenko.
Don’t think Raya is the answer either, probably looking to get a 5th goalie to start in a year or 2.
Our players and manager still can’t handle the pressure; golden opportunity that can’t capitalize on yet again.
Unfortunately there will be no consequences. No one gets dropped or benched, no tactical changes, just rinse and repeat.
Arsenal need our support, after the season we can paint the picture grey or black. COYG
Arteta is still the man for this job, he has really improved Arsenal FC. We don’t realize how Pep Guardiola is one of a kind, he is jist phenomenal! He has always dominated any league he finds himself, Arteta has done a great job in going toe to toe with him. Man City has always been the team to beat and we are 2 points behind them with 6 games to go. I’m not giving up yet, we just need to pick ourselves up and get back to winning ways.
Man City’s dominance in the EPL has got to end, and we are in a good position to do it.
Top man, Topman!
The writer along with some on here are moving mad already, i see. I won’t indulge in trying to convince anyone to think otherwise, rather i’d sit back and watch them embarass themselves!! “Arteta out” eh!
Vamos, to serious minded thinkers and total realists , a great number of regular moaners constantly embarrass themselves in the minds of we thinking realists.
Most of them arer too stupid to even realise they do so, as they have not the vision nor mentality to think in any way but negatively.
THAT is the REALITY and, thankfully, YOU are firmly among the thinking realists.
These days, when I see exagerated comments/articles from fans such as this, all i think to myself is: “thats all they are, fans”. Fans aren’t expected to see the bigger picture, unfortunately. So I understand the frustration. But I need you to ask yourself, does this 1 game diminish the efforts this team has put in over the last couple of games? Also, can anyone confidently say city will not drop points over the next 6 games? Yes, city are supreme. But reality is, anything can happen. The game was frustrating and didnt look like we wanted it, agreed. But it is wrong to associate this teams season with this one game, ruling out the other brilliant games they’ve had.
Secondly, this comment irks me: “Even if we do beat Bayern, which we should do, but given our situation now will be a true miracle, what happens if we face City in the semis? They’d wipe the floor with us”. How can you say this when in 3 meetings this season we have defeated city twice and drawn once? This season, we are only below city by 2 points and above them on goal difference(and there’s still 6 games to go!!!!). A part of me understand its PTSD making us react this way, but my God can we at least settle down and put things in perspective?? Its so sad how this author of this post has completely written us off after 1 defeat all year. City are an incredible team and are very capable of going on a perfect run in the remaining games, but as at the time of this post, it is yet to happen. Its the PL. Anything can happen. As much as some “fans” will hate to hear it, we are STILL in the tittle race and in the champions league. Its not delusion, it is just fact.
Lastly, the author of this post seems to despise Arteta. Not sure where this is coming from. The difference between Arteta and Xabi alonso is Guradiola. Can you honestly say Xabi Alonso can win the Bundesliga if Guardiola were in charge of Bayern? Or if he were in a 3 horse race with Guardiola and Klopp? We are talking about the greatest manager of all time. Only Klopp has been able to get a tittle out of him since his arrival to the PL. While it shouldn’t give Arteta a full pass, you have to consider context. It matters. There is no doubt that we are in a much better place now than we were 3-10 years ago.
Its easy to react. But the right thing to do is to put things in perspective. Things might not look so bad when we do.
Thank you, we need more of this.
INDEED, WE DO NEED MORE LIKE THIS REALISTIC POSTER!!
What a fantastic post. Well done OB 👏👏
Correct in everything you post, trouble is we are awash with impatient tick tock brain supporters who want everything now, and that doesn’t exist except in Barbie land
Funny thing is, I really don’t blame the supporters. We haven’t won a league tittle in 20 years. I just wish people will be more level headed, even though reality says otherwise.
Your post gets my vote
I think Arsenal need to address the plan B. We lost to Villa simply because Bayern exposed our weakness. And it so happened that the person who was taking notes was Unai Emery who is yearning to beat the gunners all his time for sacking him. Arsenal needs to adopt the city style. When passing to score fails, they start shooting balls from all corners until they score, or they let you have the ball and then play you long balls on s counter. Arsenal is locked in one playing style of possessing and waiting for a goal. This tires players and gets them out of their positions and makes them vulnerable on a counter. If we played Aston Villa before Bayern, we would have won that game. Also Arteta should avoid player favouritism. Harvertz is well off form and lazy,check how he missed clear chances without even bothering Martinez with a shot but he starts every game. Him together with Saka, they don’t earn their starts. And yet they don’t help when the team is pressing to get the ball back.
I think we can still win the league. Man city have let in 32 goals in 32 games, their worst at this stage since 2016/17 season when they finished third. Their last 6 games are 4 wins and 2 draws.
This is the Premier league, it’s unpredictable. It’s not over yet, so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Choo choo… next stop Premier League title and with a bit of luck, maybe even the Champions league.