William Saliba saga by dgr8xt
Hello all. I want to address what I believe to be a debatable narrative which has been repeated by Arsenal fans world over about the handling of Saliba by our coach.
It seems likely that we would not be playing in the Champions League next season, barring a cataclysmic miracle of biblical proportions. Although I’m predicting that both Tottenham and The Arsenal will lose on the final day. It’s just my personal prediction.
To the main point of this writeup, I’m still not convinced on how a manager gets credit for developing a player he never signed or gave a debut? Let’s consider the following:
- After just 19 senior appearances for Saint Etienne, Emery won the race for Saliba against many other interested clubs and was willing to bend to Saint Etienne’s demands of an immediate loan back, cos he knew that in a year’s time, the player will be beyond our reach, while signing an emergency David Luiz to hold the fort until his arrival
- Saliba arrives to an Emery-less Arsenal and is sent to the U23s for 6 months by our coach without being registered to make even a league cup appearance.
- In January, Saliba goes on loan to Nice and becomes their best player for the remainder of the season, winning the club’s player of the month in his first 6 matches.
- Saliba returns to Arsenal and is sent away (again) to Marseille cos he was deemed not ready to play in the Premier League, while a certain big money defender arrived the Emirates.
- While in France, Saliba gets a national team call up, selected in Ligue 1 team of the season and wins the best Young player in the league, all while making the 8th most appearance in Ligue 1, most appearances for an U21 defender in all of Europe and more appearances than any of our players has managed this season.
Back at The Arsenal, the coach who refused him a debut gets all the credit for all his showing (with other managers) in another league.
I do recognize the loss of his mother, but his loan to Marseille cannot be excused. Also, it seems the family bereavement didn’t stop him from earning rave reviews in France, but apparently would have greatly hindered him at The Arsenal (weird I would say). Our coach has been credited by some for choosing the “right club” for him whereas, the reporting outlets at the time stated that he chose by himself to return to France with Marseille. The big money signing of the ‘certain defender’ apparently showed how the coach never trusted Saliba, but somehow, he gets the credit for the player’s showing and “…carving a career path for him”, according to the words of some of our very dear fans (I respect their opinions).
My question is that if Saliba wasn’t ready to learn while playing in the EPL, how come Lokonga and Tavares were allowed the same baptism of fire, if that’s what it is?
And if the coach gets all the credit, how come he’s also not getting the stick for the unproductive loans of players, an example of which is Ainsley Maitland Niles?
I believe in giving credit to whom it’s due, but I see the same trend and wonder why our coach gets all the credit for winning two trophies in his first six months while the very same players who won those very same trophies are called undisciplined, toxic, dross and underperforming.
Saliba in my opinion is better than the ‘certain defender’ and obviously has a higher ceiling. Had he performed badly, our coach would have been justified for sending him away as some were doing whenever Marseille lost a match, and he would have been praised for clearing out the useless, undisciplined, underperforming, dross players.
Again, I respect their opinions, but I believe that such line of thinking is not exactly correct. Now that Saliba performed well, it has been billed as our manager’s masterclass. Yeah. Right. It’s really an Arteta masterclass.
dgr8xt
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Maybe in your opinion.
Arteta failed Arsenal as we could have used him. Instead we playes with White who is mediocre to say the least and Gabriel that has conceded 6 or 7 goals through incompetence this season.
I dont see any masterclass there, just an arrogant manager failing the club.
The article makes the same point
Sorry I commented based on headline which caught a nerve.
Truth about this article?? everything the writer has stated in his article about Saliba are facts.Saliba himself confirmed that he was the one who chose OM after “one” chat with their manager,who expressed how much he wanted him and which role he would be playing in his team.
It’s not just about Saliba, you need to look at the “opportunity cost” of signing White. This was a MASSIVE error.
We could’ve bought a 50mil striker or DM with the money that went to White instead and bring Saliba back and keep Chambers…..then look at a CB this window if needed.
Whites not a bad player but the guy relies on his pace to recover from his multiple mistakes in every game. Let’s be honest, Brighton has been better without him and that should tell you all you need to know.
If anyone is unsure what is means: Opportunity costs represent the potential benefits that an individual, investor, or business misses out on when choosing one alternative over another.
Arteta is not to get any credit for Saliba’s development. Saliba had a good mindset and want to personaly play at the highest level. He was not allowed to prove his potential in any way I kind of feel the coach doesn’t believe in him enough. May be Arteta would be humble and agree he was wrong and give Saliba chance.to prove himself next season.
Some of our fans see arteta as their god and support him More than club and thefore see nothing wrong with what he does. Our manager dislikes players he did not signed and will do everything possible to drive them away. Example pepe for me I put the blame on door step of the fan who think 5th is progress but for unai emery is lack of progress, judging managers differently.
Think arrogant people like you mambo who posting toxicity, why can people like you not consider the bigger picture? If you remember he wasn’t built for the premier league and was not anywhere near first team standards when he joined. With COVID etc he was messed around and was sent back out on loan at first opportunity. Now we have a defender who is attractive to many big teams and has cost us very little we could sell tomorrow for 40m I’m sure we bring him back and we have options with how we set up. Suddenly a highly adaptive/fluid defence 5-3-2/ attack 2-3-5 becomes a reality which is something I think Arteta may very well consider next season. With Ben white pushing into DM position in attacking phase the Wb pushing into wide forwards and odegaard pushing right into the box with 2 central forwards we would be lethal and would have the players capable of pulling it off, suddenly Tavares looks an interesting player although I would love to see him start up front, I think he would shock many with his powerful shot tenaciousness and constant movement.
Where is your evidence to suggest he was not ready, he was not given a chance.
By that idiotic logic he is still not ready.
Please explain the bigger picture, I dont see it we are no better than when Emery was manager and he dis not spens 250mil.
Saliba explained that when he met up with Arsenal first team ,he was not ready fitness wise due to the fact that la Ligue 1 had been stopped several months before and that MA judged him after 2 training sessions without giving him the chance to catch up with the rest of the team.it doesn’t sound like he was given a fair chance.
Odd how Arteta gets the credit, but Jorge at Marseille gets little if any at all?
What about the player? Does Saliba get any credit for improving himself?
Goalposts get moved with Arteta so much it is hard to keep up.
A few folks have said Arteta should get the credit. The vast majority, from what I’ve read, say he’s badly mishandled one of our blue chip assets. The truth is probably somewhere in between and won’t truly be written for a couple of years (although I fear it will lean more towards the later)
This truth about this article can be written now though – it’s a text book example of a strawman article. If that was the intention, well done to the writer.
Before calling it strawman, please point out any truth in it that has been intentionally misrepresented. I await your response sir
Happy to oblige.
“If the coach gets all the credit for his development…”
Pray tell, who is giving Arteta ALL the credit for Saliba’s development?
I’ll wait.
You obviously have not been following arsenal fans closely. Check this blog and refer to other arsenal fan blogs. You’ll see exactly what I’m talking about
Ken if you were to listen to some on JA,you could be forgiven for thinking that Saliba was a very average player before leaving on loan!!
The thing with arteta is if he does not like someone then no matter how good that player is he is out of the club or benched for long. His supporters then label them as toxic and calk it a great decision.
This article is primarily a long straw man argument. There will probably be more given the general anti-Arteta leaning of several contributors.
I was thinking the same.
Sorry for repeating your line above David. I was too fired up to read through the comments.! Agree with you 100%.
I think I’ll write an article on why “all the people saying Arteta is jealous of Guendouzi’s flowing locks” are misguided.
It’s absolutely fine to share!
Will look forward to your piece.
Arteta also gets credit for “nurturing” young talent , especially those from our academy. When I reality he had no other choice but to play said youngsters due to injury. Saka and ESR took their chances when given them and excelled. The same with Martinelli.
Who ever wrote this Article shall continue to know peace throughout his or her life.
I believed saliba wasn’t the only one who was sent on loan, so how come Arteta never get credit for any of those players but get credit for saliba that he didn’t give a debut in two seasons??
The fans didn’t even bother to credit the Marseille coach for giving him the chance.
I am not saying going on loan was a bad thing or good thing, but I don’t understand how Arteta should get credit for the season the lad has had.
If so be it, let credit him for all the players we have loaned out.
Jos got criticized for Salah, debruyne and co.
Pep was criticized for Sancho. But Arteta get credit for Saliba.
I believed if the loans was unsuccessful, many would have said Arteta was right after all.
They said Arteta was right about Niles since he joined Roma for not making any difference there, geunzo while at Berlin with the manager their, and with ozil recent omission.
He’s better than all our Defenders at the club at this point. We wasted £50m in White who hasn’t really done much at the club and I see him as an expensive utility player that can do both Niles & Chambers jobs.
Matteo was forced out and he has did the same as Saliba & shined in France, but Mikels ego & not liking the player costs us a star who showed the grit and determination at 19yrs old we all missed at Arsenal for years & we had ot in this youngster.
You add Saliba & Matteo to this group now instantly improves it. Mikel has lost my trust, I don’t see it changing until next May if he is still here and does something special as I have not saw anything special from the man himself but the youngsters making him look better at times than what he is.
Matteo > Elneny & Xhaka
Saliba > Holding & White
We should’ve used Whites transfer money to add to the centre of the park where we have Lokonga who showed great signs that could be good, along with Taveres and they know as instructed by Mikel have the handbrake on overthrowing every decision because of Mikel. His way or no way and his way ain’t working too well.
good point Sean, been saying this for some time.
The only thing masterstroke about this is that by sending Saliba away from his toxicity and his bad coaching, he actually did him a favour..now Saliba got to develop in peace.
The guy is such a terrible manager – look at the talent he wasted! Auba, Ozil, Guendouzi, Pepe, Laca, now Tavares. How unfortunate for promising lads like ESR, Martinelli & Saka that at this crucial stages of their careers they fell into Arteta’s hands.
Ever since he took over, no player has improved for us, even the likes of Ramsdale, who was superb before the Arteta effect, is now mediocre.
I can guarantee, Arsenal will never improve as long as Arteta is in the picture, it doesn’t matter how many world class players we get, they will all be mediocre under Arteta. I bet you if you can give him the current Liverpool team, he will find a way to screw them up and make them mediocre!
You must be a cricket fan.
He has obviously made a lot of people into mediocre Arsenal fans too!
Had Saliba stayed, he wouldn’t have got much chance. Because Arteta would’ve likely trusted the senior CBs over him
Wenger also said he preferred senior CBs over the youngsters, despite having hot prospects at that time. He also said he had to give the talented young CBs a few games to gain some experience, which he could afford since he was managing Arsenal for more than a decade
On the other hand, Arteta was more sackable, since he wasn’t an influential figure like Wenger at Arsenal. He must prioritize the club progress over the youth development, so he played safe by selecting senior CBs over Saliba
And we’re now reaping the fruits of his playing safe. He’s bought lots of defenders and we still concede many goals and lose terribly
I agree we should’ve used the money to strengthen another department, but at least Saliba will return as a highly experienced CB
Goonster – want to comment on the Wenger comment???
Who praised arteta for saliba’s devt? cos i can’t remember any.
Thank you FK.
Wherever the writer got that info from, only God and him/her knows.
Credit for Saliba’s development? When?
And why should he take sticks for an uproductie loan if you feel he shouldn’t take one small one for a productive loan?
You people forget many factors influence an outcome. You’re assessment Is all to narrow and is targeted at supporting an outcome you have chosen.
I would say sending him on loan was a good decision. Look how much game time Salina has had which aided his development?
Would you all rather have him here so that this fan toxicity ruins his progress?
I remember fans sang the praises of Gabriel and white earlier in the season when the clean sheets were rolling in. What changed? How are they average now?
The entire team is suffering for various reasons and fans will always need a scape goat…
Imagine Saliba in this team at this moment of it’s weakness? You all will kill him with your emotional tantrums.
When the entire team was winning games with clean sheets and putting up good performances we didn’t hear much of Saliba.
Besides, who said Arteta didn’t like Saliba? You must be in his mind.
Would have sold him if he didn’t rate him or at least consider him for the future.
My honest take, majority of this scape goating is all emotional reactions and cos results have not gone our way.
When you spend money for the wrong reasons and for the wrong positions, results won’t go your way. And if you’re wondering who is praising Arteta for Saliba’s showing, read your post and the one above it again criticallt. There, you have your answer
Loose Cannon, if my memory serves me right.
You’ve obviously been oblivious to the dozens of times it’s been mentioned in articles and comments.
This is just propaganda, nobody on this site has ever praised Arteta for his development.
It would have been better if you say you haven’t come across than generalizing.
There are many articles being published here daily and I am not sure you go through all of them and their comments each.
Now back to your claim, I have come across many and I was even challenged by one claiming managers do get credit for players they didn’t develope which he ended up not naming a single one after I asked him to provide me thier names.
Still no answer mr. accomplice.
Been mentioned many many times. You lack of observation doesn’t make it untrue.
The comments about spending the money on white were spot on and as the season went on it became more apparent. These are huge error by our manager and should not be overlooked! We had mavropanos who has also gone on to do very well in Germany. Last year Bissouma was pushing to come to the club with the arsenal shirt around his belongings and don’t tell me he would not of improved us as a team, it was a NO BRAINER to sign him! We should of got top 4 this season, it should have been cemented already considering how inconsistent the other teams around us have been barring the top 3. Unfortunately I also do not see us improving under arteta, he appears too panicked, he’s got no chilll! I do want my manager to be animated and shout, giving instructions from the sideline but the whole game? Eventually it will put players off. Think about your boss screaming at you telling you how to do your job continually. Its over the top for me watching him on the sideline must be embarrassing for fans and the players. Bringing in his (own) players this year I don’t think will make a difference it’s all about the manager and how he deals with the players, sets them up, strategy, ability to think on your feet and change things when necessary and it’s been lacking with him. What can we hope for next season top 6? I’m not an advocate the chopping and changing managers and I’ve always said for me it’s top 4 or he won’t cut it but he’s made too many major Gaffes in my opinion and I’d like to see him replaced, if we don’t make top 4 (in my dreams)
And given a new contract at the wrong time when we had accomplished nothing, it distracted the lads from the run in because since that announcement we couldn’t of been worse this whole season as we have been v Spurs, New, Bri, Sou & Pal. We should of won at least 3 of them in the run in to top4, lost all 5 when we had it in our hands.
I think we over thinking it. If MA did not think he was ready he wouldn’t play him anyway, therefore without the loan we would have very unhappy player. If we want to praise coaches for loaning players, then the Chelsea coach deserves a knighthood for the Connor Gallagher loan to CP.
The Arsenal Board cannot under the present circumstances that involves the club’s manager contract appointment. Which had been extended for Arteta.
But can’t now recommend his sacking to Stan Kroenke for his approval at the end of the season if Arsenal failed to make the Top4.
But stick with him for next season’s campaign.
For, to recommend his sacking to Kroenke at season’s end if Arsenal don’t make the Top4 at end the season will look foolish to Kroenke. As he could ask the Board, why didn’t they wait till end of season to see how things will pan out before recommending his contract be extended?
I think we are over thinking it. If MA did not think he was ready he wouldn’t play him anyway, therefore without the loan we would have very unhappy player. If we want to praise coaches for loaning players, then the Chelsea coach deserves a knighthood for the Connor Gallagher loan to CP.
I’m sure you are’nt blind and daft not to know things were better earlier this season when they played under little or no pressure until now which i know they will improve on as they are still young and got a lot of potential,like it or not white and gabriel are ideal signings.we need depht all over the pitch so claiming white’s signing is not much needed is absurd,what’s wrong with it if we have three or four quality cb?.just one bad game you already condemn a player claiming saliba(your new god) would have done better if he had a chance.and i’m still waiting for an answer to my question cos i can’t make head or tail from the tosh you posted as a reply.
Tosh!??
How many goals have this defence let in this season?
Ideal partnership?
Ken
Not taking away from what we have conceding which is grim 😔
When the whole back 5 played together b4 injuries we had the 3rd best defence in the league since then we have gone to pot
KT and Tommy missing has shown how exposed we are without them down the flanks and the cover we have had in place of them are not good enough plus I would say party also missing shows our weakness.
Up until then I was confident of us playing out from the back .
Now we look shambolic and nervous.
AB, the strange thing is, we do actually look better playing out from the back now, but we just can’t defend.
Of course KT is a great miss and, because MA had no experienced cover for left back, it upset the defence. But pool were without vandyke for nearly a complete season and had the foresight to have a strong squad.
I guess that’s the difference between an experienced manager and a novice learning his trade on the job.
I totally agree with you but if everyone remembers that pool we’re out the top 4 for a long while last season.
A lot of pool supporters were calling for his head
As for the squad. It’s only really this season that pool bench looks really strong which is down to great recruitment and paying the right price for good players but it is always easier to recruit good players when you are playing CL and one of two outstanding teams in the league
As for klopp v arteta
Klopp wins hands down on all fronts but we said it before
MA seems to be a decent coach learning his trade at being a manager
Klopp is just a great coach and I dont say that lightly
If given the chance I would swap klopp in a heart beat
We had our chance to get him but we didn’t have the for front to act upon it and the rest is history
We still have so far to go
So draining being an arsenal fan
I really feel for you, AB; the most upbeat on here and for you to mention the word draining as well as hurting (after Monday), it must be bad.
Keep your chin up 🙂
Thank you for your kind words sue.
It has been draining and frustrating not just for me but can imagine everyone else on here the past week.
We all express our emotions in different ways and by some of the comments on here some have already thrown in the towel.
All I can say is to the ones who have given up hope for what ever reason. The hatred of the manager, the club owners, some players
DONT
we support “the arsenal”, the club, the crest, Not the above and through thick or thin and hell we have had a lot of thin 😉 this past week.
One to go
Hanging on in there for dear life and see what the final 90 minutes brings us.
If 5th then it is what it is
If 4th then yiiiipppiii
The table never lies at the end of 38 games regardless of what people might say and you finish where you deserve
So here’s to the last one of the season on Sunday and as sue said to me and thank you sue for that
CHIN UP
@ken1945
And that’s with mostly playing one match a week. Imagine if we had been in other competitions as the other top 5/6 teams were…IJS
What is wrong with White’s signing is you can’t have 3/4 quality CB(2 positions) and have only one quality midfielder that on it’s self is rediculous and exposes your CB’s full-time that’s why with so many defensive signings our defensive record is worse than previous seasons
Exactly
Yeah they’ve conceded a lot but have scored and won more which matter most.still waiting for my answer mr. ally.
They have lost a lot too I think the same as last season so what is your point?
But have won more and will end up 5th no matter what.
A club the size of arsenal is happy with 5th position without earopean football
Really?
it’s not even that any other team have been red hot in the division apart from Liverpool and city.. 13 losses without earopean competition is embarrassing
Lossing 4th spot with 4 points advantage having only 3 games left with teams all below is in the table is insulting
We have got European football and qualified a while ago, keep up!
Sir I was referring to how great it is to you that we achieved 5th position without any earopean football all season. Use our brains even if my English was poor
@Fk
While playing one match a week for a good chunk of the season. Leicester City won the league that way, with basically a championship team. But we’re supposed to be jubilant for squeaking in at 5th?
Quite surprising considering the fact that Man City and Chelsea were already buying league titles as at that time. So I don’t always get the logic when people suggest that top four is more difficult now just because we’ve got two oil monies buying the league. We were playing only one match per week for goodness sake
This idea of buying leagues..
You still have to assemble, manage and get the best consistent performance form them.
If spending money on your club is buying it I wish Stan would follow suit. But he won’t as he has zero real ambition for AFC (Kroenke football franchise)
We would have done better if not for injuries but as you lot will say ‘it’s just an excuse’ forgetting the fact that it played a role in our downfall especially with lack of squad depht,hopefully the board sorts it out this summer then we see how it gets.
And who’s fault is it that we’ve got no squad depth? I cannot create a problem for myself and expect you to sympathize with me when the repercussions start
We all know Players cleared out can’t do any better,don’t act dumb my friend.
So the board should have signed 20 quality players in one transfer window because the ones we have are not quality
Last year we got 61 points and ended 8th. If we got 61 points this season we would’ve finished in 5th place which proves our competitors were way worse this season,not that we are much improved.
Lost the same amount of games and conceded more goals already than last season. All of that with no European football and out the FA Cup immediately.
Check mate!
@NY_Gunner 👍 I made a similar point in a previous post.
If we lose to Eveton we will have set a new club history record for most games LOST in a single season in the league, there’s a good stat for Mikel
I think Arsenal went a little bit panic signed Ben White last summer for their missing out on Buendia’s signing from Norwich FC. Which they did so as to appease the Arsenal fan base I would think.
But the truth to the matter is, you don’t do a signing, a big signing for that matter like that of Ben White that cost Arsenal tens of million of pounds just for the sake of impressing the fan base to appease them.
But for the world class quality the new signing can bring to your team. This is a lesson which I think that Arsenal have learnt when they missed out on the purported world class Ivan Vlahovic’s signing last January window. But resisted to panic sign Isak.
But neverthelessm I think Ben White signing by Arsenal isn’t a bad signing but a good one. For, the defender though not yet the accomplished kind has tried well for Arsenal this season doing good defensive job in the heart of the Arsenal defense before he got fatigued and injured due to his overplaying.
An unpleasant situation which I think can be remedied by Arsenal next season if Arteta absub Saliba into his senior team squad for next season’s campaign. So as to have adequate 4 top quality CB options: White, Saliba, Holding & Gabriel to provide cover in the team defense at all times.
Look dgrxt.
With due respect to you. But I want to defer from your opinion comment when you said, both Tottenham and Arsenal will lose their matches on Sunday.
But if it happened the way you’ve predicted. It will benefit Spurs to a CL finish. But leave us The Arsenal to ELC finish.
But I personally is nursing a hope it won’t happen as you’ve predicted. But divine miracle will happen to the favour of Arsenal when the 2 matches are being played that will see the Gunners beat the Toffees resoundingly well and quality for the CL. But the Spuds will lose to the Cannaries in acrimonious manner and miss out on the CL.
LoL. It’s just my personal prediction. It’s unlikely anyway, but it might just happen
Sign bassey from rangers
you raised some incredibly astute points dgr8xt, as per usual, but I think I’ll stick a pin in in this particular debate until we see how things actually unfold…that said, Arteta and the term “masterclass” have no place in the same sentence, let alone the same article, based on what we’ve witnessed thus far, as you’ve duly noted…Cheers
So if Saliba was not sent on loan, Arsenal would have won the league? I don’t think he’s better than Gabriel or White at the moment. The way Arteta wants to play is very important to have a ball playing center back, that’s why he signed Luiz and white, and Ramsdale. Some of you know nothing about football. If Saliba was allowed to stay, his development would have been hindered. Its these same fans that will crucify him if he starts making mistakes.
Arteta did not sign Luiz ,so the “know nothing about football” is something I would not have directed at someone else there mate .
He might have extended his stay for a further 12 months but he was already a mainstay in the team and IMO his ball playing skills are way above anything that white could dream of as of now .
Also how many times have we seen white and ramsdale make defence splitting passes this seasons ?
Why would his development have been hindered?
Gabriel and White have missed games through injury and we have struggled to find CB’s.
Saliba would at least been able to prove his worth.
By the way, this article…. in my opinion… makes no sense whatsoever.
Criticise MA when it’s correct to do so, but this is OTT.
I think he should have kept Saliba and actually coached him, but as far as taking credit for him, I’ve never read or heard the man say anything like that.
No Ken but a few fans have said it which I think is what the author is trying to get at .
That’s a valid point DK, but with regards to fans, it’s an opinion – if MA said it, then it’s a fact.
dgr8xt, I do follow other blogs, but have never seen Arteta claim responsibility – have you?
At no point in the article did I mention that Arteta claimed responsibility for Saliba’s good showing. He never did. I’m only referring to fans who assign it to him as I’ve seen for quite some time
Thank you for clarification my friend.
If you do not know, it’s no shame to ask questions. Maybe JA is the only Arsenal fan blog you know. You obviously have not been following arsenal fans closely. Check this blog and refer to other arsenal fan blogs. You’ll see exactly what I’m talking about
Over the last 5-8 years I’ve been on countless blogs and nothing comes close to JA IMO
Think I’ve been posting on here for probably 5 years now and I wouldn’t go anywhere else unless I get sin binned (which I have )but I’ve calmed it down recently as there is no point in stressing over a game of football .
We had a poster Gary Neville saying it’s better over at PainintheArsenal ,you go over there and there’s about 5 posters ,this is where it’s at .
Not contesting the quality of JA as a blog. Only trying to show someone who might not know that there are other fans on some other places (and some on JA) who give Arteta credit for Saliba’s showing.
Yea I get that mate
I was just bigging up JA as I’ve been through a few and nothing compares
How many has Arteta coached successfully? U can’t give what u dont have, if he could he would have, plus Saliba isnt his signing so why shuld he let him…Artets wants a “my team” setup..even martinelli he is reluctantly using “on the wings”
pin in this
I think Saliba should be credited for MAs achievements myself!;)
Damn him!
I have not read any of the above comments. Sorry. Many teams are a reflection of their managers. Liverpool are high intensity, as is Klopp. Spurs are well organised as is Conte. Arteta was a backwards and sideways player, as are Arsenal. Please discuss!!
Iv read them all & commented a few times and this was the best comment yet in a funny way! Klopp wasn’t a great footballer either, Mikel had some sort of flare & discpline to him but nothing special and Conte to be fair eas a super player, his teams def reflects his passion for the game… fights for every blade of grass on the pitch, Spurs do have a great coach!!
Sean
Conte is a far better manager
Pep is a far better manager
Klopp is a far better manager
Tuchel is a far better manager
Then MA
So everyone on here saying how bad we have done how awful it has been what a bad manager MA is, then compared to the 4 above he is
I said earlier that he is a decent coach learning or some might say pretending to be a manager.
Before we usher Arteta to the Guillotine, it must be considered, that he is barely 3years into managerial career compared to the aforementioned managers, he is just tooo hard headed and stiff-necked for a young manager, and its difficult to see Common Sense when it strolls pass them with those attributes
MA was mr side ways pass.
Dependable and a battler but hardly indicative of the best of the bunch AFC have ever been blessed with.
Guess we are spoilt but remember when he came how peeved I was at the sideways/backwards passing compared to others that had preceded him.
It was a cunning plan, as Baldrick would say on the part of Arteta and Edu to get the best out of Saliba by isolating him to the boondocks. Now that other managers have given him the experience and opportunity to grow it’s natural for Arteta to take the credit.
Arteta does not know what he is doing. He is just allowed his ego to affect his decisions. He wants a team that can play his way but he thought he can only do that by signing a whole new set of players. That shows that he doesn’t have the mettle for the job. Conte signed only 2 players and has already transformed the way Spurs play. They now play the Conte way. He has almost eliminated all Emery’s signings looking for for one flimsy excuse or the other to get rid of them. See Matteo, Lucas, those two would have played well with Partey but he did not even give them the chance.
Arteta made a good call….,..the kid lost both his parents and got signed for a fairly high transfer for his age…….there would have been a lot of expectation in a tough EPL league……..taking the transfer fee expectation out and lowering it……sending him back to a familiar environment to grieve properly saved the kid…..,..Saliba would have self destruct and he started that before joining arsenal…….he still has a long road to deal with a tremendous loss and his career……but the coach showed his humanity and should surround the kid with the right people to deal with bad days……..
A 50m defender who cannot head balls, and doesnt even watch football. Hmmm….football is really deteriorating…if Arteta had Sense..he would have paired white with Elneny all those times partey was injured. At least with Gabriel and Holding Arsenal were the 3rd best team in goals conceded last season. Now, we are hoping on another team to lose just to secure top 4. I guess common sense isnt common afterall.
This Article is a master class….
Arteta has burned through so many players… i tend to think Saliba would have been more useful in our team this season
Am a gooner who supports Arteta.
Arteta has made a massive mistake on Saliba, maybe Guendouzi in his ears didn’t help, too much egos throwing about.
Ben white is a marquee defender, a very good buy in my opinion.
Dear dgr8xt
thank you for this very insightful -and sobering-piece. Set in the context of our miserable performance in transfers, player sales and player loans, it speaks volumes.
You have simply confirmed my view that teflon-Mikel is a master propagandist, he REALLY knows how to play the media. An average coach but boy does he talk the talk!
ps I do not mean to be rude when I say “teflon-Mikel” but in a Premiership that gives no quarter to under-performing coaches somehow, miraculously, as if bubble-wrapped in gold, our Mikel doesn’t just keep his job but gets given a new, more lucrative, contract!
@Fed
So should the 15 managers of teams below Arsenal also be sacked?
Surely they have all underperformed as well?