Arsenal is four years behind Manchester City reckons Express Sports’ reporter, Matthew Dunn.
City beat the Gunners 1-0 when both sides met yesterday in the Premier League as Pep Guardiola stood in the opposing dugout against his former assistant, Mikel Arteta.
That game was the second consecutive loss Arsenal has suffered at the hands of City at home this season.
The Gunners beat the same team en route to winning the FA Cup last season and they will have hoped to earn something from the match.
But City is arguably the most in-form team in the world right now and they showed why in the game.
Dunn says Arsenal is expecting too much from their team if they expected a win against Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut and insists they are behind by four years.
He writes in his column: “It was touching to hear the respect being poured out towards Arsenal by Pep Guardiola on Sunday, a team his side could have thrashed out of sight.
“It is now more than a year since Mikel Arteta made his bow from under the shadows of his mentor at City to take over at Arsenal and it was amusing to see the pair on the edge of their respective technical areas.
“Guardiola barking the occasional authoritative instruction to his players; Arteta yapping away excitedly at his own players, telling them what to do with every ball.
“As I mentioned in my newspaper article, it was like watching Scooby against Scrappy Doo.
“But while it is heart-warming to see Arteta build so clearly in the manner preached by the older dog, on Sunday it was clear the young pup is already four years behind in the development process.
“And yet the Arsenal board expect the club to compete for top-four places with a team that also invests so much more money it might just as well be in doggy-dollars.”
The Gunners will now turn their attention towards the Europa League, where they will face Benfica next in the return leg of their round of 32 game.
4 years and 500 million
😂👍
Was about to write the exact same thing
Liverpool spent far less to become successful and their balance book is pretty even. Sugardaddy owners make things easier but planning and getting the right personnel is equally as important. There have been failed “money clubs” like QPR so it’s not as easy as it is made out to be. City only accept winning. Arsenal accepts complacency and it is now in the DNA of the club. Listen to our former players like Theo and Cech who basically admit they weren’t bothered to do better than 4th and the club was happy to finish there. If you keep lowering standards, low is where you will end up.
“Guardiola barking the occasional authoritative instruction to his players; Arteta yapping away excitedly at his own players, telling them what to do with every ball.”
Perfect summary of our issue, an over controlling extremely rigid manager. Takes the fun and creativity out of the game.
100% correct, trying to dictate every movement, pass, like the players have no idea what to do. Either he doesn’t trust the players to make decisions based on his strategy, or he believes he is literally smarter than everyone on the pitch.
Imagine telling Auba when, where, and how to move, shoot, and score. 200 goals in the top European leagues, tied for golden boot his first year, missed the award by 1 goal the 2nd year, and Arteta trying to control his every movement.
At some point he has to trust his players and their talent. Remind them of their responsibilities and playing on both sides of the ball, but take off the leash already.
“Guardiola barking the occasional authoritative instruction to his players; Arteta yapping away excitedly at his own players, telling them what to do with every ball.”
If he wasn’t, then we may have left that game with a 0 – 7 scoreline…. Players that lack discipline and do not know what to do at critical moments must be yapped at consistently… The glaring truth, which we fail to realize, is that most of these players are average and not good enough… I simply must wish any other coach who takes over all the best…..
These players are unable to give simple accurate passes, cannot trap, and cannot control simple passes with their first touch. Xhaka, Elneny, Auba, Pepe, all require two touches or more to control simple passes, Xhaka is naturally too slow, Bellerin doesn’t know which feet to use…. There is little any coach can do until he is given time to bring in better quality…
Now imagine how Emery got better results with a worse squad than Arteta. Also imagine how Wenger never finished worse than 6th with worse players.
Arteta is out of his depth, the table and results don’t lie. Perhaps in 3 or 4 years he will be a good coach, but he needed to cut his teeth elsewhere, and we needed a manager with a record of success to build us back up.
Indeed, Congrats in being among the clear MINORITY on here, in which I am too, who can clearly see that no coach on earth can make silk purses from so many sows ears!
The many spoilt juveniles on JA who refuse to see this truth are too unfair and too one eyed to see what we in that MINORITY can see so clearly.
We need massive investment and that means a new owner! But carry on you hasty and unfair kids and blame the wrong person , in MA, once again! You lot make me sick ,as I DETEST unfairness and stupidity!
@durand, Liverpool could be 8th by next week, does that mean Klopp is out of his depth. The truth is there is nothing a coach can do if the natural abilities of your players are way below the expectation. Klopp lost Vandijk and his other defenders are not good enough and so they now struggling, same with Mourinho, and even Nuno, Bielsa… Arteta isnt perfect, but if we do not see how limited our players are, then we will continue to have false expectations and keep on complaining after every poor performance…. He has brought in Partey, Gabriel, Odegaard, and this shows he knows quality.. Let’s give him time.
I think hes being kind, i think we are 40 years behind, we are a team to challenge anymore, the owner, the manager and the ambition.
Aren’t a team to challenge.
Very well said Indeed.
Does this mean we will win the EPL in four years time? Really??? It’s not just a question of money, it’s how you use it. We wasted £72m on Pepe, (Man City got Mahrez for £62m) and not learning from the Ozil debacle we gave a new, reported, £350k per week 3 yr. contract to a 31 year old(Auba) and then splashed out £200k pw for 3 years on a 32 year old (Willian). It’s just cr*p management, I could go on but I won’t, it’s too depressing.
You will soon be hearing that nobody wants Aubameyang to buy. What a dross and lazy player. Dwl 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 auba we love you.
According to Arteta and a few paid trolls Aubameyang,lacazette,Willian,Ozil,pepe all proven players are simply not good enough.