ARSENAL WILL WIN THE LEAGUE… IN FOUR YEARS by VM
The title does feel like a bit of a stretch, but I feel that Arsenal can do it within four years. With the business that the club has done so far, we need to praise them for what they have done. Arteta and Edu have done some shrewd business with the likes of Sambi Lokonga, Martin Odegaard and Nuno Tavares. Arsenal did overpay for Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale but that is English tax.
The window is not closed and the team still need improvement, therefore, the club needs to improve where they can, and offload the players that are not a part of Arsenal’s plans moving forward. What Arsenal need to focus on is playing with a style of play that can bring the best out of the players that are on the pitch, be more consistent and build that winning mentality.
One thing we have noticed about Arsenal is that there is not a starting 11. Some positions, the players have solidified their place but for the other spots, it’s a question mark on who starts. Those positions are right back and striker. No player at right back seems to be capable of playing that position well, that is why most teams attack on that side. All the players that we could consider for right back are good squad players but not starters.
Hector Bellerin has been a great servant to the club but, he is a shell of his former self and needs to enjoy football elsewhere. Cedric Soares is experienced in the Premier League but I do not believe he is a starter. Calum Chambers is a solid option but is more of a utility player if there an injury crisis. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is the most suitable but seems to be the most reluctant to play in this position. If the club do look for a right back, it needs to be a player that is as hard working and defensively astute as Kieran Tierney. There are a plethora of players that Arsenal could recruit but preferably it will be a player that will hit the ground running.
The issue with the striker position is that both the experienced strikers are struggling to find form. Lacazette is more suited to the system but Aubameyang is a more prolific goal scorer. Either of them start but the one that performs is the one I would prefer.
When it comes to certain positions we can improve on such as goal keeper, holding midfielder and left wing, it is a different story.
Leno is solid but Andre Onana is a huge improvement, to get him is now is difficult, because of him not being able to play due to his ban. If he could join in the winter transfer window or next summer, I am all for it. Granit Xhaka had a good Euros but his time at the club has been strenuous. Arsenal offering him a new contract is a serious error and instead let him leave when there are better offers around. Having to look at a Xhaka-Elneny partnership again would not fill me with hope. The left wing is a position which Saka has secured but for him to play every minute of every game will take a toll on him. There needs to be rotation. The club should consider a player that is more experienced than him and can advise Saka into improving his finishing, my option would be Raheem Sterling.
The club, under Arteta, has no real style of play. They play out from the back but when in the opposition’s half there is no real threat. It is passing the ball around and hoping that an individual will put the ball in the box for the striker or shoot from outside the box. The players look lethargic and confused. The players need to be more proactive and direct when they attack. For that they need the right formation.
Arteta seems to be set on his 4-2-3-1 formation but when the personnel are not able to play in this position you have to adjust. With the new signings, hopefully they can play in this formation, but when it is not working we need to go to a formation that is defensively sound and allows us to attack, 3-4-3.
The next two issues go hand in hand and, that is consistency and winning mentality. Arsenal have improved against top 6 sides but our performances against clubs below us are sub-par. The need to be able to beat lower sides on a consistent basis to improve our standings. The club need to feel like winners and that is down to everyone. Management need to put out the best 11 every game and the players need to play for the badge. Some of the senior players do not care too much about winning and we can see that.
Football should not be everything but Arsenal does not deserve to be in the horrid state it is in. We are a top 4 team and the players should strive for that. The players should push for the title every season and if they do not believe so, move on. The senior players need to have that mentality so that the younger players know that is what Arsenal is, that is what they should strive for when they play for Arsenal.
At times it does feel like a reach but I know that we have the players to win the league in coming years. Everyone needs to believe that, from the board to the youth players.
The club deserves to win more trophies but they need to believe it wholeheartedly for it to become true. COME ON ARSENAL!!!!
Vuyo Mataka
I’m not saying this to offer support to Arteta, but the last time I remember us having up to 5 players out of the first XI, we lost 8 – 2 to Man U, Mark you, we suffered another 6 – 0 defeat to Chelsea for somewhat similar reasons……. as regard yesterday’s game, Arteta should have taken note of the gap Tierney and Saka were leaving behind sooner, they created up to 4 chances using that space, and both their goals came from there. As for the attack…. well, they just seem hopeless given the constant hit and hope crosses, most teams know what to expect when Arsenal is attacking nowadays, and that’s entirely on Arteta, we’re not playing to our attackers’ strengths at all in my opinion. I think the return of Partey would massively improve the midfield (if paired with Sambi)….. I still think we need a few more signings before the window closes (a solid DM would be nice at least)….. as regard the article, here’s to hoping 🤞🏾… COYG
I’ll say Rb is a must, we can manage with DM
Getting a Right Back would be good, it might ease that urge to channel all our attack down the left, but in my opinion, we don’t have any true DM in our ranks, and it’s what disbalances our play, we can’t attack with freedom when our AMs have to drop so deep everytime we lose the ball…. it slows down the build up, and opposing defenders get back in position faster than we progress the ball.
DM is essential Yve Bissouma or Bruno Guimaraes.
I have to disagree with you. What is with the RB obsession. We have no issue at RB unless we sell Bellerin. He was one of our most consistent players before Arteta came.
I say we should get 1 more AM. Aouar would be great. Then play him alongside Ode or ESR and let Xhaka/Partey hold the midfield. Get Bellerin to run around on the right flank like the old times. Have auba/pepe/saka/willian play on either wings, laca on CF.
We might undo all the defence work arteta has done but guarantee u a more exciting Arsenal
That space you mentioned left behind by Saka and Tierney,i remember there was a time i used to praise Xhaka for covering it well whenever Saka was playing Left Full back.Maybe it was Lokonga’s responsibility this time?
Good point…. Perhaps that’s true
It’s good to be optimistic but this is total delusion. Having good players alone doesn’t win you league, characters, mentality and grit, those are stuff that arsenal players in the last 15years doesn’t have.
In 4years we could turn to selling club if we don’t win 🏆. This has happened before with the like of Fab.
In 2 yrs players like Saka, Martinelli would love to win 🏆 and city and all this big teams would be hovering around this players. So we could lose them except we sign big players and finish in a very good position this season.
OT: Sagan talking about DNA, leadership, identity is ridiculous. What was the Identity when he was playing for us, how many games did we win against Chelsea during his tim here.
Despite Wenger putting trust in them though they were average players, how did they repay the trust.
Talk is cheap
Have to agree Ada. A lot of interesting stuff in there, but it’a a fine line between optimistic and unrealistic, and Vuyo’s headline is very much the latter.
Vuyo
The main reason is your choice of manager to take us there. A man with a plan that is totally rigid, incapable of any but the slightest variation, saps individuality or initiative from players, and requires 100% accraracy and participation to succeed at all. One weak link and the whole chain breaks.
I am struggling to find any either tangible or permanent improvements he has made ON the pitch so far, whereas we fans have criticised team selections, substitutions, favouritism, tactical naiviity, repetition of plans that obviously dont work, lack of energy, enthusiasm or motivation. Ignoring individual errors, these are all the domain of the coach/manager. Is there one onfield advance that excludes bringing in new players to demonstrate progress?
If we for a moment assume all of the buys are good. 1) How good are they now? We don’t know yet. 2) How good can they become trained by Arteta? Even giving Arteta coaching credits from MC days, we don’t know yet. 3) If they turn into the real deal, will they stay? For 4 years, I doubt any of the top players will hang around without success well before then.
Will Arteta’s tactical plan work in 4 years? To an extent only. Clubs find ways to combat all systems, and in 2-3 years there will be numerous ways to counter it as Man City play basically the same way. 4 years on a system that will be out of date before it works?
And toss in Kroenke will not give us £140m every season to spend at the sweet shop.
I could go on, but thats enough pitfalls for one day.
They haven’t finished Eighth.
That’s true
Interesting first article(unless I am mistaken in saying “your first”) Vuyo.
Much to likeand and to agree and I take your largely realistic view on how players ought to react. Some may think it too optimistic to win the Prem in four years and I DO think it is, too.
With Kroenke as owner, we face a CONSTANT handicap when compared with our main rivals and I cannot forget that. Nor should anyone who is a realist.
But, in essence this was a welcome piece with much thought and a welcome change from the constant deluge of gloom from such residual pessimists and gloom mongers as Konstantin and his ghastly ilk!
Yes a good piece but come on, the league in 4 years. Maybe top 4 in 4 years. I am worried that relegation looms this year. How long before they get rid of Arteta and bring in Roger’s, Conte or Potter. Moyes would be good but unattainable.
If Arsenal still insist on open play football and collecting creative technical players, I doubt we can win EPL in the next four years. Look at the player types we’ve been signing in the last ten years and compare them to Chelsea’s flat-track bullies
The aerial won stats of yesterday’s match have obviously shown why we kept losing the ball in the first half. We only won 33% of aerial duels, which is staggering for a rich team like us
I haven’t even checked the amount of successful hold-up plays Chelsea used against us, but the fans who paid attention to the match surely know that Chelsea’s CF and CBs held off our players too many times
Agreed GAI in the PL the importance of physicality is imperative… You could also argue height it’s one of the reasons I wasn’t in favour of the Ben White signing, small CB’s don’t fill me with confidence whether your a ball player or not.. at Brighton White played alongside Dunk and Webster if I’m not mistaken and both defenders are over 6ft3 and with the manager going for a back 4 then aerially we could be found out more often than not! Wenger himself abandoned the more taller physical players for smaller more technical footballers and look how that worked out.. you may get away with that in a foreign league but in the PL you will struggle.
You made a very good point concerning White at Brighton ,some fans underestimate the key role played by his some of his teammates (defenders/DM),he was well covered sadly it’s going to be a different story at Arsenal.
@Siamois fully agree mate and with a 50 million price tag on his head could well feel the pressure and I have to add that Graham Potter knows his team and system unlike our manager who likes to chop and change so it could be a very uncomfortable transition.
Yes. White thrived in three-CB formations, because he had two towering CBs as his partners
Some people think height isn’t important, because of Ivan Cordoba, Carles Puyol and Javier Mascherano. They must’ve forgotten that those legends played with a towering CB and a tall DM
Defending and attacking set-pieces are very important in EPL, so we shouldn’t be so weak aerially
Spot on!i could be mistaken but I’m pretty sure that in both games their CB’s have scored headers from corners.
GAI You certainly hit the nail on the head there 👍👍
Gai
You are right. And this takes me back to what I have always said of which Matin Keon echoed same last week. We need “steel” in the midfield which comes with stature and physicality. I also said signing a Lokonga is a “want” but surely not a “need” for the team. We can splash 130m on exciting players but are they what we really need to get results and be in good position in EPL? Our best signings so far in my Opinion in terms of what we needed is
full back Tarveres (backup for Thieney), Ramsdale a backup keeper and Thomas Pathey unfortunately he is injury prone, full
I hope Edu is able to sell Nkethia to Crystal Palace I read they want him according to Metro repprts. And then we can look for a tall CF.
Since Tierney is injured, Tavares will get his chance in the cup match. I think he’s more confident to use his weaker foot and stronger than Tierney at the moment
Alright folks, let’s move from “artificial intelligence” to “virtual machine”.
“We are a top 4 team” – Surely, after two successive 8th place finish in the league.
Let’s concentrate on how to improve the RB when both the goals we conceded yesterday came from the left side.
Why wait four years to win the “League”??? I believed we’re gonna win the Champions “League” next season.
😂
Won’t be possible next season if we get relegated this season.
Just saying…….. oh and sorry but my mood today is bad for a few reasons.
Well, we can always twist this into “League” cup!!! 🤣🤣🤣
Monday Blues doesn’t affect Garfield alone, mate!!! Welcome to the club!!! 🤝
Vac. maybe sarcasm but the more serious problems are Right side.
Defence constantly dragged right to cover Cedric leaving big holes. Add Xhaki stranded between defence (to bail out Mari) and MF and ending up in no mans land. Throw in Mari being crap and Tierney always forward …
Hoping Gabriel/ White will improve that and maybe Tavares.
our right side is a serious issue – for me the worst as Pepe just passes backwards. Can’t be bothered to wait 45 minutes between him trying to attack. He needs an overlap or to be ditched for Saka.
Please, do take my earlier comment in a light-hearted way, guy.
You were spot-on with your analysis. It’s true we have serious deficits in our playing squad. Just like more than a dozen teams in the league. But, the most pressing issue right now is our failure to “Learn and Adapt”.
We were exposed by our opponents, just because the players were doing exactly what they were instructed to do. We knew for certain before the match day, that only Pulisic wouldn’t play and there was a good probability that Lukaku would start. And we knew for certain that we wouldn’t be able to count upon a handful of senior starters, too.
Did we try to learn anything and adapt from what we learned? Or, did we just went with our 4-2-3-1 game plan like nothing happened?
There’s no shame in parking the bus against the European champions when more than half the expected starting XI is unavailable for selection. Most fans wouldn’t have moaned, if we had nicked a point by adapting the park the bus tactics yesterday, because most fans would have understood how depleted our squad was and the quality of our opponents.
Had Saka not fluffed with his control at the crucial moment and scored or assisted someone else, we’d be hailing Pepe now for finding Saka with that exquisite pass. Had Holding put the ball into the back of the net from that corner, we’d be hailing Pepe and Mari now for Pepe’s corner kick and the header by Mari to find Holding.
Even if we had a perfect starting XI with no flaws, I bet Tuchel would have adapted his game plan to nick the three points in the end.
Arsenal fans would obviously have accepted a point however the team played.
The fallacy in your analysis is based on the assumption of Arsenal nicking a point by playing very negatively. There was no guarantee of this and if Arsenal had still lost fans would have been up in arms about how Arsenal simply rolled over.
I also disagree with the last point. This is clearly made to fit a certain narrative. Lest anyone forget, Arsenal beat Chelsea home and away last season.
Agree with your post, David. Everything is based on just assumptions. Even not getting a point by parking the bus is also the same. I prefer the “Learn and adapt” method, while some choose to bask in the past glories.
VasC WHAT are you smoking ? I personally do not think we will win the EPL never mind the Champion’s League with this manager
Just plain old tobaccy, dear Sir, with the right amount of clove flavor.
I believe that Willain was handed a three year deal with the serious intention of winning the Champions League trophy before his deal runs out. Am I getting punked now??? 😭😭😭
VasC@ Tieney abandoned his job for attacking role
Well, let’s hope he develops into the next Gareth Bale. Good for the team in the long run.
While I agree with some of this article but we the supporters need to be more patient about what we want to achieve but the only worrying thing is our identity our way of playing our style before if you watch arsenal playing you will see total football but now no idea .
is it not better we concentrate on winning games or good results instead of philosophy, how we play or beautiful football. no one cares about our beautiful, result on the table is most important thing
I say forget about the trophies and let the team play freely
I’m not sure if your article’s title was sarcasm or a hopeful intent on arsenal’s future success.
However, once you’ve gotten past the title stage, everything else written is what we already know. The gloom and doom of arsenal and it’s failures on an individual, team collective and club level.
I’d like to believe that we will win the league in the next four years however, based on our recent past and taking into account the bad start we’ve had already experienced. I’m not so inclined to predict such a rosy future!
It does seem like Arsenal are a work in progress and it might require more personnel changes ie players, managers, boardroom staff etc before we elevate ourselves to our former glories but it might be a bit of a wait between now and then. In the meantime, we have to hunker down and ride out the storm we could be heading into.
I think as fans, through thick and thin, we should always support our club. I know we’ll receive truck loads of ridicule, vitriol, vilification from rivals, the world of football punditry and anyone else who wants to get their two penneth worth. But what we have to remember as fans we shouldn’t start turning on our own club just because outsiders do!
We are not a “top 4 side”, nowhere near it! The club have let the fans down with lack of investment and lack of interest from KSE. If they think spending a £130 million at this stage makes up for it they are sadly mistaken. I’m not a MA fan but I’m starting to feel sorry for him, it’s mission impossible.
Agree Granty, Impossible and whilst I admire him for trying, he’s been his own worst enemy by rigidly sticking to his own success formula even when its obviously failed. As a noob he should have listened more to others rather than just keep running at brick walls. We still wouldn’t be back in the promised land but we would be more advanced than we are.
These comments lack any kind of contextual considerations.
It is by no means clear that his approach has “failed” based on 2 games of the season which have been played in particular and peculiar circumstances as far as Arsenal are concerned.
Honestly I dont think the team is as bad as it looks.
That’d mean having to score a goal; and right now we look far from doing that!!
With 20+ attempted shots on target and 30+ crosses from our wide players each match, we can rely on deflected goals and own goals to win us the League, Sue.
From start of your Article it seems you want Arteta and Edu to remain at club for another 4 years??
Nice article, Things can change such is life… Chelsea were never favorites to win UCL before tuchel came in…
Winning the EPL is possible even this season…
As soon as the pundit smooth talking manager is sacked like lampard…
we will all be surprised at the crop of quality young lads in our ranks and buzz from their exceptional performances weekly (look at mount and co)
ESR ,SAKA, LOKONGA, ODEGAARD, MARTINELLI, BALOGUN, TIERNEY, TAVARES, GABRIEL, SALIBA, maybe RAMSDALE (a complete team of young talented players)
Now a top manager would know that:
1. Tavares can play RB to balance the team as our attacks are one sided..
2. Saliba and Gabriel would make a great CB pair.
3. Lokonga would be great with
partey and Guendouzi is a talented backup
4. ESR and Odegaard need to train long through balls
5. Saka is a better player on the RW and Pepe on the LW..
6. Martinelli is not a CF, more like a cR7 kind of player, needs to work on his shooting just like Ferguson did with cr7
7. Balogun needs to bulk up and become a beast just like lukaku or we sign Kean or lewin from Everton
8. Tierney needs to stay back more often and be more unpredictable with crosses….when xhaka played LB last season, we went on a 5 match winning streak cuz he was more defence focused allowing the wingers play
These dark times will pass soon, yes we can win the EPL
I often criticise your posts instroo but that one’s pretty darned good IMO.
Missed the boat for now with Saliba and Guendouzi, and Id consider taking Pepe out altogether, but otherwise I’m with your other ideas (;-))
Now a top manager would know that:………….Arsenal can win EPL with a top manager………I supported Arteta cos of love of the team……but for the love of the team I want a top manager……….😀
Jakes Mradu We are not asking for the Moon or the Earth all we are asking for is a TOP manager
The core of the team is injured or ineligible. Both starting central defenders in Gabriel and White (I presume he’s a starter), central defensive and attacking miss (Partey and Odeegard), and Aubameyang and Lacazette.
That is the spine of the team that is out. I’ll withhold judgment until everyone is healthy again (if that ever happens).
The Brentford game was a brain fart. Chelsea are a great team with the best striker in the PL. And Man City are, well, Man City. Give the team 10 games.
The game against CSKA London is proof of Arteta’s unrelenting and destructive stubbornness. The players can’t change that and it will hurt the club time and time again. He should have been fired after Villareal.
any club, in the premier league, could claim that they are also going to win the league within the next four years,in my opinion.i regard this as a non article ,therefore.it comes across as a bit of a school ground arguement in fact.well written thrash, unfortunately.
Basically the writer of the article is assuming our rivals will not improve in the next four years but even so its like running a Marathon and the people you’re competing with are 20km a head of you and you think you will be head of them after 40km because may be you’re running on new running shoes yet the competitors have good if not better shoes. In a nutshell first think of closing the gap before even thinking of winning the league in 4 years time.
Any manager that gives a new 4 year contract to Xhaka will win nothing. ‘Sideways Sadie’, Xhaka, is Arteta’s lynchpin. Until Arteta is relieved of his suffering and replaced, Arsenal are going to win absolutely zilch. If Arteta managed Liverpool they would struggle. He just hasn’t got it.
The time to challenge for the title is now as I do not not any timeline for winning the league.I use the word challenge not win.Get a proper manager and you will realise its not about spending,we have spent more than enough clubs get good and bad managers what is important is not to slumber when change is inevitable. Only about 10% of the Arsenal fans have faith in the manager, this site I think they are about 5 in number .
By October Arteta Will be buried more than
6 feet,fans have the final say on his job they are the employer.#fanspower
There’s a man here called Jon who keep defending Arteta,all I can say is man stop trying too much no one cares about your ‘insight’ you do not carry anyone brains. Continue defending this novice manager but we are not here to learn from you.Arteta has to go and majority of the fans will have their way and minority will have their say its about time you will start hearing boos now that the fans are back,no more hiding for that purported manager.
Arsenal fans pay through the nose for a sh£t product..fans are treated as consumers by Stan and Co and consumers will have they say as they are always right.
Blindly following a ethereal process because you are told there is one and not looking at the play or results whilst echoing the managers excuses is just plain crazy.
It’s Covid, it’s injuries, grass was too long, others spent more money, ref was against us is all BS excuse finding that first started to seep into this club like a disease under Wengers later years and still that exists to this day.
Man, over the years of programming even the fans have been made to accept mediocrity all the while paying through the nose to watch a shambles. If Kroenke was in the game to win MA would have been loooooong gone of that you can be sure.
ArseOverTit If Arteta had been at any other EPL club apart from Arsenal he would have been sacked loooong ago
Winning the Premiership in 4 years.No chance.It will take us 4 years to get close to top 4.We are in a terrible state .This season we’ll finish top 10 at best.
The article says we will win the league , but dosnt say which one , so I think we can with the Championship next season. Happy Days NOT
The only league we will be winning in 4 years is the Championship.
Optimism for the sake of being optimistic, I guess. The best possible scenario assumes that all the other teams will stand still and stop strengthening and developing their talent, while our youngsters continue to reach their full potential and Arteta and Edu make wise unbiased decisions with only the best interests of the team in mind. Nice one.
In dog years 😆
Was this article written by a “Psychic” or a “Psychotic”
The only thing missing is who the manager will be!!!
The players to make arsenal great are already seasoned campaigners in this league but sadly we failed to spot the technical difference they would make at Arsenal’s incipid lethargic transitional play. They are adama traore, maddisson and Micha Antonio. Saw how Antonio destroyed Newcastle and now demolish liester city with nonchalant aplomb. West Ham will be handful for teams. Gunners beware.
We should have signed Ndidi instead of glass-legs Partey. He would have made a world of difference in our pathetic midfield.
👍 I agree. West Ham have picked up where they left off from last season; playing some excellent football! And Antonio – what a beast!!
We will be lucky to be a midtable team with Xhaka and Arteta around for the next 4 years.
Arsenal have the softest most unrealistic and over hyping fan base. I have said it before say it again one of the biggest problem with Arsenal is the fans.
Jon We are the customers and the customers are always right. Get it. We have every right to moan if we are not satisfied. OK
Two attributes which have to be returned to Arsenal in a hurry, but are difficult to recover once lost:
PHYSICALITY, and
MENTAL STRENGTH.
Without these the Club has no chance of moving up the table, let alone winning the League title.
That’s some Ty-level optimism. In four years, the best we can hope for are the UCL places. Our scouting isn’t what it once was and without it, a club like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Leicester has 0 chance of winning the Prem.
On top of it all, there must be a GREAT manager at the helm, not a Brat-teta, the vain one.
I believe it was yogi berra (or yogi bear who was also a frustrated Arsenal fan) who quipped that Arsenal’s future was not what it used to be … how true!!!
YES VERY TRUE, If…
Conte comes in charge,
Abramovich leaves Chelsea,
Sheikh Mansur goes bankrupt,
Leicester / West Ham stops improving.
Just 4 little gigantic things.
No we won’t. Shameful manager. Incapable. He should resign.
In four years Aston villa or West Ham have a better chance of winning the league. The arrogance of arse fans never ceases to amaze me…
Who’s being arrogant? It’s only someone’s point of view, which many on here disagree with, but that surely doesn’t take away the right to express it.