Arteta’s Arsenal is destroying all sterotypes associated with the club. A new paradigm shift? What lies ahead? by
Daulat
Winning the odd games, hanging onto slim leads, a strong focus on impenetrable defense and hardy yet flexible spine, pragmatic approach to rotations even venturing into untrodden paths, adaptable gameplans that switch seamlessly from one to another, factoring the changing demands during matches, efficient attacks over all out attacks that used to leave us open on counters, so on and so forth.
I would never have thought these statements would ever be associated with our beloved Arsenal.
I sense a strong paradigm shift from being called “Soft”, “flimsy”, “a bunch of boys”, “lacking spine”, “complacent”, “lacking ambition”, “pushovers” and all such sterotypes Arsenal has been associated with for well over a decade.
A new Arsenal is here now. One that defies all these stereotypes forcing people to go back to their dictionaries to find new words and phrases to define what they are seeing from Arsenal. And no wonder many die hard critics have taken a silent approach as their vocabulary betrays them at the moment. They can’t talk about Arteta’s Arsenal in length. I sense a fear of actually having to praise what they are seeing. All they can muster is to pounce on the decisions that are yet to come to fruition.
Questions such as ‘Why Raya?’, ‘Why drop Ramsdale?’, Why Havertz? Why not ESR? Etc. There is one thing common in all these questions and complains, these decisions are yet to bear fruit. And if they reach their conclusions, these critics will never turn back to these questions and praise the decisions made, but rather jump onto what’s the latest decision that they can pick apart.
It’s fun times for being a gooner tbh. All the silence in the media feels so satisfying. Even words betray the writers when they even choose to write something about Arsenal these days. I sense they have lost their writing mojo.
Yet, here we are. Arsenal are back and amidst the assumed silence by the haters, for they have taken an oath to never praise the club, Arsenal are themselves creating all the noise they can on the pitch, and it’s growing louder day by day to ignore or turn a deaf ear towards.
Arsenal are on the right track to become a team that managers like Sean Dyche would never make a mistake of taking for granted and hoping to win with ugly bullying football.
Arsenal’s win over Everton displayed a mature intent, an unwavering focus on the game plan, controlling the tempo to control the home support, and myriads other subtle qualities that I would have never hoped Arsenal to show.
I give the credits to Arteta who has instilled such qualities to the players and the club as a whole. Arsenal are no longer pushovers, and teams who think they can just run over us will be in for a real surprise this season.
I sense a purpose, not just to score goals and win the game. That was the case last season. This season it’s about managing the tempo, the support, crowd, momentum, and also conservation of energy by being efficient and not overly aggresive. It’s different, it might look slow if not for the intent behind the decisions.
Arsenal kept 74% of the ball against Everton. If Arsenal had been overly aggresive that stat would be somewhere around 50 as we would definitely lose more balls than we did yesterday. For a team like Everton, that rely on making the most out of set pieces and corners, keeping possesion for so long was a great strategy.
With possession, Everton would only look to barge ahead and look to win free kicks and corners only. Keeping them sealed in their half and not losing possession was a masterstroke imo. If Everton could maintain about just 45% possession yesterday, we would have lost surely or at best drawn. Their sheer physicality and height advantage would have been our doom during corners and set pieces. Arteta’s game plan was nothing short of a genius yesterday.
So far I am enjoying this new methodical, strategically fluid, and a hint of a wisdom in Arsenal’s way of playing. I will never want those deadbeat stereotypes to ever be associated with Arsenal ever again.
What do you say, Gooners?
By Daulat Neupane
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I like it.
It makes Arsenal a lot less predictable and more difficult to play against.
An emphasis on integrating set pieces more in our game is also very pleasing. We saw it with Rice’s goal against United and the short corners that allowed us to bypass a physical Everton defence.
In the past going to Goodison would have installed a certain dread knowing they would physically out muscle us and probably beat us. Not anymore – we just out-think them and they cannot respond.
Arteta’s tactics are excellent, because they made us win more away games than other EPL teams since last season and they usually force the opposition to play in their own half
The small playing area makes our players able to maximize their technical skills and manage their energy, as if they play futsal
Not hanging on?
Forest 2-1
Palace 1-0
Fulham 2-2
Manure 1-1
until the 96th min and a goal disallowed for them in the 86th minute.
Everton 1-0
only time not hanging on I would suggest.
It is good to see the different approach to the Everton game and I’m sure we’ll see more against the spuds.
Whilst the scorelines suggest close games, in reality they were not. We were the better team in all the games, and did more than enough to beat Fulham as well.
What is very encouraging is that we’re nowhere near our best because of the implementation of a new system, integration of new signings, injuries meaning we haven’t played our best starting XI yet (and won’t do for a while), yet despite all of those barriers – it’s now 4 wins from 5, undefeated, we’ve been the better team in all the fixtures, and we passed our first real test coming from behind to beat It’s. Throw in the Community Shield as well, that’s 5 wins from 6 and wins over both Manchester clubs.
Cannot wait to see what we can do once we’re fully up to speed with our best XI available.
Coming from behind to beat Utd
An interesting take on where you feel we are Daulat .Personally I think it’s a bit premature to suggest we are no longer a soft touch as one defeat will reignite those views in certain tabloids and give openly hostile pundits the opportunity to stick the knife in once again.However despite the fact that we have not been particularly convincing in our 5 league matches, we seem to be getting the job done and the acquisition of Rice has in my opinion, given us a “presence” which we have been lacking for some time.The absence of Partey and the impressive Timber is very unfortunate for with these two in the first eleven, the gap between us and Man City would be substantially narrowed in a head to head contest.As it is,the players and our Manager seem to be maturing together and hopefully Arteta will demonstrate this by trusting certain players who have been confined to the bench so far this season.With regard to the Everton match I thought Saliba had one of his best games for Arsenal.
There were signs already last season. In many occasions, Arsenal did all they could uncharacteristically to win matches when no body expected us to. The beginning of the new Arsenal already began there.
This season I am seeing Arsenal doing the same but more securely and with conviction. If Arsenal can secure wins when not at their best, or just playing average, that’s a great sign.
And I agree about your assessment of Rice. He was the missing link imo. We wouldn’t be able to play so calm of not for him. If only we had Timber with this season.
I didn’t say we WEREN’T the better team did I?
I’m querying part of the articles claim.
All teams have injuries, it’s part of football and we have more than enough talent to cover for anyone injured, as Trossard proved when Martinelli was injured.
What the scoreline should have been in all the games was by such a margin, that “a new Arsenal” boast, was clear to see and, of course, we had ALL our attacking players fit for the Everton game!!
OT, Did you bother to check the video concerning Sanchez and his contract Jen, as I haven’t seen a response from you?
No I haven’t. What was the video about or do you have a link to it?
Go to Google and ask for the Sanchez contract that was agreed on but never signed – that should give you the reason why his form dropped and why he left under a cloud .
Let me know your thoughts.
@Ken1945:here is an extract of an interview given by Dick Law which I remember reading concerning Sanchez.
-Law, who spent eight years at Arsenal and served as their transfer and contract negotiator, told Goal’s Charles Watts that Sanchez had agreed on a contract extension in 2016/17 before changing his mind:
“We had a deal. It was in December, and we had been talking to his agent [Fernando Felicevich] throughout all of 2016, the whole year. We got to December, I flew to Santiago and we did the deal.
“The player agreed to it on a phone call from Fernando’s office. Fernando and I shook hands and discussed how difficult the negotiation had been and we had the deal done.
“The contract team drafted the new contract and sent it over to the lawyers representing Sanchez and in that space of time, while the documents were being proofed, he changed his mind for whatever reason.
“We don’t know who got to the player, or why he changed his mind. But the bottom line was, he did.”
Law added that Sanchez could have left for Manchester City in 2017.
-However, the Sky Blues did not make an offer for him until the final day of the transfer window, and the Gunners were unable to get a deal over the line for then-Monaco winger Thomas Lemar, who would have replaced him.
Arsenal were left in a difficult situation by the Chilean’s U-turn, because he had been a sensational addition to the team since they signed him from Barcelona in 2014.
“This season it’s about managing the tempo, the support, crowd, momentum, and also conservation of energy by being efficient and not overly aggresive.”
Quite impressive. Every Arsenal supporter is very happy, but how can the team manage the referees including VARs
Well we can only hope VAR continues to be refined by making thedecision making more transparent. I would like the conversations between the Var and the onfield refs to be broadcasted live to the audience. That would be my first step.
Have the Refs and VAR officials subject to relegation like clubs would be my suggestion.
Until they have real consequences in place, I don’t expect much improvement.
Other sports have a more streamlined and accountable replay system, I don’t quite understand why the PL is so resistant to the changes required to improve the system and institute accountability.
Exactly. If you follow Cricket, most of the decisions are taken by the on field Referees but in case of very close decisions, teams are allowed to take decision to the reviewing process and the conversations between the on field referees and the reviewing referees are aired live to be heard by every audience watching the game. Every step is seen by the audience and there is literally no room for errors. That brings transparency to the people listening to the logic behind every reviewed decisions. It’s such a simple and elegant way imo.
I think in general the refs and VAR have both been kind to us so far, though I can’t quite get my head around the Martinelli disallowed goal.
Yea I dont get the whole “Refs are against us “
Argument.
I thought the ref was spot on yesterday
Eddie clattered into Pickford nothing was said and then saka had the same done to him and then the usual from some of our fans ,both times the ref was spot on IMO very similar incidents.
Regarding the offside goal ,Eddie was offside and came back and touched it ,the grey area was the flick off the Everton player .
Yes, I thought the offside rule does not apply if the last touch of the ball was from an opponent, as it was in Eddie’s case…….unless if I have misunderstood that rule.
That was Eddies fault tbh. VAR was spot on.
He was only just offside though think it was his heel .
Doesn’t matter anyway as we got the 3 points .
But when you look how VAR allowed ManC offside goal to stand against Fulham, I’m bemused as to how ours gets disallowed?
The writer is right, this time we did not fight fire with fire hence the leaving out of the more physical Havertz opting for the lighter Veiria though better passer of the ball.
Legend has it, there are several ways to skin a cat and while Sean Dyche a season campaigner was looking for a physical encounter on home turf again it was not to be.
Arsenal went to Merseyside with a passing game, patience and efficiency was the order of the day.
Everton a team that beat us when everyone was beating them, must now be wondering where the next point will be coming from, with Sean Dyche looking nervously over his shoulders as Graham Potter noises get louder.
Agreed. Dyche was hoping to drag Arsenal in a game where he had advantages but we didn’t play by his rules. And he had no answers to that as he wasn’t expecting us to play so calmly.
I would love to see more of what I saw yesterday.
I must admit, was stunned by Vieira starting in the middle at Goodison park, this is the same ground that Jorginho got his debut and will quickly like to forget.
This is the same ground Onana left Odegaard embarrassingly on his boxside and totally outmuscled while overrun our midfield.
To play like this deep in enemy territory shows the gaffer is learning and by extension the team is evolving.
I remember many moons back Stokes and Bolton would relishes the battles when Arsenal visit.
This just sets things up nicely for the North London derby, Can just imagine Rice baby and others can’t wait to settle this one.
Harry Kane slipped Xhaka his marker to score against Leverkusen over the weekend, the commentator claimed somethings just never change, is that really so ?
Yep, I was surprised at first when I saw Viera in the lineup. But my doubts were quickly cleared when I saw we were playing. We could never have won that match if we went toe to toe with Everton players. It was a pragmatic approach indeed.
And regarding Kane and Xhaka’s encounter, I guess people still can’t get over the habit of scapegoating Xhaka whenever they can. Something just never change indeed haha.
I remember when we were regarded as soft touch by the likes of stoke city and when Troy Deeney of Watford used to mock us as not having any physical strength as a team. I also remember when we used to play with a lot of fear and respect once we hear that name, Manchester United. Am so happy that all that have changed now as we can match any team, strength for strength, physicality for physicality. That fear mentality have disappeared. I also want to see a change in mentality from the way we face Mac City. That’s the only team remaining now. Artetais really cooking something special and I hope he doesn’t destroy this food with the acquisition of Havartz.
I think Havertz will come good soon. He just need a little self belief. His cameo against Everton was already different if you noticed. He was very aggressive in presses and won the ball quite a few times in that short period. He is not short of industry but self belief.
All things change, given enough time. Of course we are massively different now from the soft touch team we were. so frequently under Wengers last years And even MA’s firstlearning curve eighteen months .
We have made massive changes in personnel, starting with a proper and TRULY ruthless manager, who consistently does what all great managers do; which is to ALWAYS put the sucess of the team above any individuals personal wishes.
We have a proper defence for the first time in a great many years, where we have NO passengers such as Sokratis, Mustafi and other dross, attempting but failing to provide a tight defence.
We have , in short, a man in charge who knows what he is doing and will stop at nothing legal, to get it.
I SAY HURRAY!
Hold your horses jonny boy ,GREAT ,TOP Managers our 2 of your comments today regarding Arteta ,4 years in and he as won 1 fA cup with the dross you harp on about .
I did t realise that managers today were regarded as GREAT and TOP without actually achieving something .
Unless OFC your on about being ruthless given players away for nothing or even paying them off and spending more money than we have ever seen at Arsenal makes Arteta a GREAT manager .
Funny how some fans see things differently over the years .
You are right Dan kit.A manager who was willing to bench G.Maghaeles ,play Partey and White out of position until the noise became unbearable for him to restore the core of the team can’t be described as A GREAT TOP MANAGER. We have a great group of players and the ball is in Artetas court to show the world he is a manager indeed,there should be no excuses this season.
@Cliff ,obviously fans now have a different view on what makes a great manager .
I’m my time as a an Arsenal fan it was managers like fergie ,Arsene ,Jose , later on Pep ,Klopp .
Now it seems great mangers are those who are now ruthless without actually winning much .
Strange old world
What noise? Not sure why fans keep delighting themselves lol.
Lols
You dont do yourself any favours,middle aged Dan kit, by constantly deliberately referring to me, a 72 year old( as you are welL aware) , as “jonny boy”!
As you have not even the maturity,even in you forties, to use my proper name, I just have you down as an oaf and an uneducated one at that, , as youvery obvoius lack of language skill has long shown.
I ALSO NOTICE THAT THOUGH YOU RARELY EVER MISS A DAY ON JA AS A POSTER, and always in some way critical , you have NEVER, not once, in all those years had the guts or nous to write an article of your own. Afraid are you? Seems so!
Or perhaps you have not the ability, which is also true! Go on DK try it , you never know. Better than cowardly always criticising others, without EVER having the guts to have a try yourself.
I have actually written-on here jonny ,so your whole comment was a waste of puff .
Not sure what that as to do with anything anyway ,sidestepping what was put to you per usual .
No need to get all personal anyway ,you might hurt my feelings 😂😂
I have actually written-on here jonny ,so your whole comment was a waste of puff .
Not sure what that as to do with anything anyway ,sidestepping what was put to you per usual .
No need to get all personal anyway ,you might hurt my feelings 😂😂
Well penned Daulat.
We moved the ball far too slowly. and predictably for the most part. That said, I think we set up the right way to beat a team that is dire to watch but well orchestrated to frustrate the opposition. For me it showed that MA has made some progress in his tactical nous. Three good points on the road … and a clean sheet!
Arteta didn’t play Everton’s game or any of Arsenal fans’ demand. That’s why he is the manager and we are not. Never expected Viera to play and he performed admirably. Zinchenko and Rice were absolutely untouchables. They controlled that middle of the park occupied by physical monsters. Saliba and Gabriel were immovable. Odegaard and Viera both enjoyed playing together and they cut the Everton lines at will. Losing Martinelli was sad but Trossard came through. Now, for the next challenge.
Few days ago before the Everton game,I said that we needed Rice on top form/very physical too.i also said that games like this one were(partly) the reasons why we bought him.last season we got bullied by Everton and their plan was the same except that this time we had Rice.he fought hard for the ball,did let know Everton they weren’t going to bully us this time around.you could see,the effect it had on his teammates,the man lead by example and hus teammates followed/copied him.having said all that, I’d be doing Rice a disservice by only speaking of his off the ball impact/intelligence but I’ll let someone else do it.lastly, based on this performance Rice is /has been that monster of player,cool,calmed,collected with a nasty streak in his armoury if and when it’s needed.
Few days ago before the Everton game,I said that we needed Rice on top form/very physical too.i also said that games like this one were(partly) the reasons why we bought him.last season we got bullied by Everton and their plan was the same except that this time we had Rice.he fought hard for the ball,did let know Everton they weren’t going to bully us this time around.you could see,the effect it had on his teammates,the man lead by example and hus teammates followed/copied him.having said all that, I’d be doing Rice a disservice by only speaking of his off the ball impact/intelligence but I’ll let someone else do it.lastly, based on this performance Rice is /has been that monster of player,cool,calmed,collected with a nasty streak in his armoury if and when it’s needed.