When Arsenal finished 4th, they celebrated in the dressing room, sharing photos with social media.
Piers Morgan mocked the celebrations as ‘part of the problem with this club, Man United would never commend such an achievement’.
Even our own player Szczesny admitted, ‘We celebrated like we won the Championship, which was a bit weird when you consider our ambitions at the start of the season.’
That was in 2013! 9 years ago!
When you consider how our players now react to beating Wolves, it’s fair to say that in a decade we went round a long roundabout and ended up back at the same destination.
Whatever the result on Wednesday It wasn’t going to dramatically alter our hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. Our destiny remains in our own hands and those below us who have played more games have shown nothing to suggest they can put any kind of consistent sequence of results together.
Yet to be a big club you have to think like one.
A big club shouldn’t tolerate how far we have fallen behind the likes of Liverpool.
Either Gooners are too young to remember when Arsene Wenger was mocked for ‘only’ finishing 4th or our fanbase have been worn down into accepting the bare minimum.
I read an article earlier in the week about how Arsenal are now a team who are unlucky to lose to Man City and Liverpool.
Which is …. a lie !
We lost 5-0 at the Etihad, 4-0 at Anfield.
In 4 encounters with Jurgen Klopp’s team this campaign, we still haven’t scored.
Yet we pat ourselves on the back for one time against the Champions when we led for a while.
Like some supporters will now hide behind the fact we held Liverpool till after half time.
It’s like fans who are meant to love Arsenal are patronising us inadvertently.
It’s okay to be in a moment of our history where we acknowledge the top two in the division are better than us. It’s never okay to accept it.
The Gunners used to be renowned for, if nothing else, being able to make chances. The moment we went behind against Liverpool, you never felt like an equalizer was realistic.
The fact that Arteta is bringing on Eddie Nketiah for Lacazette sums up our lack of fire power and again begs the question why we gave Aubameyang to Barcelona?
It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that two strikers out of contract in the summer are not prolific when the evidence was there to see in the first half of the campaign.
Wolverhampton, Brentford, Leicester, and Watford are fixtures we should be winning. The true test is getting over the line in the big games when the pressure is on.
Anfield, Old Trafford, Etihad, Chelsea at home, the 2nd leg of the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup third round, too many times this group of players don’t show up.
Which makes sense, we have the youngest squad in the topflight and it would be understandable if they lack the mentality to handle the big moments. We simply lack the leadership in key moments of matches.
Yet with a trip to the Lane and the Bridge still on the horizon and United coming to the Emirates, Arsenal might still have to handle squeaky bum time to fulfil their aspirations.
It’s not the manager or players fault about how low Arsenal’s expectations have fallen. Whatever happens there has been progress this season.
Yet Liverpool again reminded us that we are a long way away from challenging for the title.
For the third time this year they beat us comfortably. That should never be accepted at Arsenal.
In 2013 we used finishing 4th as a blanket to cover our eyes from reality. The reality being that we were no longer fighting for the major honours.
A decade later, let’s not make the same mistake.
Be Kind in The Comments
Dan
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Both the two goals were from Left side of the pitch.. Had Tomayasu been there, i think the result will be different.. Cedric did not give enough help to Saka and hence Saka could not penetrate Liverpool defence. Cedric didn’t even do enough in defence as well..
Well, if you look at Gabriel and White in the second goal, you might wonder what the hell were they thinking? They’re definitely not defending.
@DaJuhi
Exactly. But everyone wants to blame Saka for the second goal…
@NY_Gunner,
Yes, it was foolish of him in the first place but the defending on the attack was very sloppy. Gabriel lets his man run past him and White, I don’t know what he’s trying to block? If I know anything from football its that you always block the cross angle right where the goalkeeper can’t reach to intercept. If the cross is directed back, in the “2nd wave”, then its someone else’s responsibility.
@DaJuhi
Yes he is our best player at the moment but really cost us the game yesterday ,he was just passenger not attacking not defending and his body language was right
But my biggest worry is Gabriel seems to be struggling with the ball in his feet and his positioning is questionable,look at the second goal he was with Firmino but he was ball watching and he always does that.
Clear progress so far, so clear to see.
We could’ve won that game if we had a proper striker. With how balanced and amazing the boys are, they need one signig that will complete the puzzle. Our own Van Djik sort of signing, but has to be a striker.
It’s so mad how every player Arteta kept in the team all have improved massively and everyone’s contributing this season.
Cedric struggled but he’s been amazing deputising for Tomiyasu.
Ben White, can’t believe the absolute balls he has.
I’ve kept quiet about him but his performance yesterday was solid, and he has my stamp too.
Xhaka also had one of his best games yesterday, aside failing two or three passes, he won all duels and was hardly dispossessed yesterday.
I wanted to see grit and fight, and I saw it yesterday.
Let’s pick up and continue from where we left, starting with Aston Villa this weekend.
Beating lower teams on the log plus taking points by a win or draw from manure and spuds will give us top four,we’ll go from there next campaign.
I disagree that we are a long way off. We outplayed both Liverpool and Man City this season, despite not winning (and please don’t read this as an excuse). We are playing some beautiful football and look balanced in all areas of the pitch. If this summer Mikel and Edu can equal the excellent decision-making they made last summer, we will be competing with the best teams in the world again. Very big summer coming up.
Over the 4 games how did we outplay Liverpool when conceding 8 goals and scoring 0?
@Daniel
RealTalk…
Yeah and I wouldn’t outplaying City for 45 minutes that big of a deal since it was their 3rd game in 6 days. And we still ended up losing. So far this season against the big boys its:
City, 0 points out of 6, 1 goal scored
Pool, 0 points out of 6, 0 goals scored
Chelsea, 0 points out of 3, 0 goals scored
United, 0 points out of 3, 2 goals scored
Spurs, 3 points out of 3, 3 goals scored
Total points 3/21. 6 goals scored, 20 conceded.
That record is nothing to be optimistic about..
And we are where we are because we’ve been very good against the “smaller teams”. Thats very good but we need to win United at home and not lose to Spurs in a months time. Can we do that?
Because games are more than just their scoreline Dan. The difference in our performance yesterday compared to even earlier season – a performance we’ve come to see more and more of in the last 10 or so games – suggests that we are closer to the top teams than your words suggest. I’m not saying we deserved to win, or that we’re better than the Liverpools and Cities, but that we are very close.
Exactly!! We’re not “a long way from challenging” at all, but we are not really going to be in with much of a chance of winning the PL without some major team upgrades and top cover on the bench. I’d say that we are a worthy fourth place team right now.
Yes, but we’re slowly making progress.
As for Aubameyang, he was obviously not motivated enough to work his socks off for us and not fit into Arteta’s system. You don’t have to bring our ex-striker into your articles, because we shouldn’t cry over spilled milk
I know we should’ve at least loaned a CF in January, but we either couldn’t make the deal or chose not to do it. Let’s see whether Nketiah has become better or not at the Villa Park and let’s keep moving forward
Our major problem is inexperience, the players are young and lacking the experience to handle big games, we have lost home and away to Man city and Liverpool and we may lose to Man U and Chelsea at home to sure doubters that we are still not good enough.
Another problem is the coach, as much as every pundit want to make us believe that Arteta is a good coach, he is not a good manager, you can’t succeed as a coach if you can’t manage players.
Human management is always fundamental in any management be it football or business.
Maradona was not the most behaved player in the world, Eric cantona was not, Nicolas Anelca was not, even Thierry Henry was not, if you are not able to bring out the best in your players then you are not good enough.
I am not asking for Arteta to be sacked but he must change his relationship with players.
The same Aubumeyang he gave away has proved him wrong by scoring consistently.
W Io lliam Seliba is doing better than some of his defenders, Guidozi has proved him wrong, you can’t continue to give away talents and replace them with downgrades and except you succeed
@Dr Chris
Very well put Gooner.
We have a skeleton crew squad, due to the fact we let go fringe players who could have helped us till the end of the season.
We’ll buy new players in the summer, who will more than likely need time to gel with the rest of the team or acclimate to the league. No one knows for sure how long that will take. And if we make European football, along with the other cup competitions, we’ll need a squad ready on day one to take on the tasks…IJS
Good points.. What happens when Saka reacts to something he doesn’t like/comfortable with, does that spell the end of Saka at Arsenal too?. Reactions, attitudes etc are all baggages that come with being human with emotions, they can be managed. You don’t have to discard valuable players because of minor issues. If Arteta was tuchel, Lukaku would be gone in January, if he was klopp, salah would be gone etc. I believe Arteta still lacks experience in this department of human management. He disciplines players like he has achieved anything himself as a coach. But Baby steps, I hope he learns from his mistakes
I thought White should have done better at closing down Robertson before that cross to Firmino for the second goal. But, generally Arsenal gave a good fight against the best team in Europe. Just a few more quality players to strengthen squad and depth. Arsenal needs a quality striker, creative and defensive midfielders.
We are close to 4th spot yes but a long way off winning the league.
We’ve regressed so far that some progess seems like a lot…which is not to say we haven’t progessed because we have in recent times but you have to ask yourself….”what are considering as the base measurement”.
Are you measuring from 6 months ago, a year, 5 years, 15 years ago?
We could start with state of our club in November 2019.
After several years on a negative trend with a very toxic environment, Emery got sacked after the worst run of results in 27 years. I don’t blame Emery but for me this was rock bottom.
Probably the darkest moment for med since becoming an Arsenal fan in 1971 🔴⚪️
You probably have a selective memory on how last season went for us. Or you’re just not being sincere in admitting than Emery had better results than Arteta prior to this season.
He lost the dressing room, perhaps he was too successful?
There’s a reason why we haven’t won the league since 2004. We can expect whatever we want but but it’s not realistic and it hasn’t been realistic for many years.
We are competing against clubs with more resources than us which makes it very complicated. More or less all the big leagues in Europe are predictable some more than others. It’s more or less the same group of teams winning the league year after year.
Since we won the league in 2004, Chelsea has won the league 5 times, ManUnited 5 times, ManCity 5 times, Leicester 1 time, and Liverpool 1 time. This season Liverpool or ManCity will win the league, if ManCity manage to do it they will be the only team with 6 league titles since 2004.
Yes we are a big club behind a few others and to win the best league in the World we will have to exceed almost everything we have done before. FA’s multi billion media deals, and the new very rich club owners from the oil industry, have changed the competition completely 🔴⚪️
So we shouldn’t be happy if we finish 4th Dan?
Spot on!
Some of us have unrealistic expectations. All of us want Arsenal to be successful but the Premier League is the best league in the World and the competition is tremendous
Arsenal has been a regular top team two times in the history, during the 30s and during Wenger’s tenure. Nothing is good enough for our pathetic so-called fan base🔴⚪️
Yeah of course in terms of well done to manager and players
But we should ask how we have got to 2022 and fans are proud after losses to Liverpool and Man City
What would you say if a man U or spurs fans wrote we outplayed Liverpool and City this season when we scored once in 6 fixtures conceding 13!
I would take a deep breath and try to analyse our situation and our directions.
We came from deep sh*t a few years ago and we are starting to compete again. I’m not satisfied, but I’m more optimistic about our future. We have the youngest team in the league with huge potential to get better and I’m sure that we are moving in the right direction.
My expectations this season is top six and I expect us to get better next season.
I’m sorry I’m not sure what you are saying there Dan?
As a fan I am happy when Arsenal score, when we win, when we do well and obviously when we win trophies, were you not happy when we won the FA Cup a couple of years ago, or were you unhappy because we didn’t win the League that year?
In 2004 we lost an important Champions League tie against Chelsea (the start of their dominance over us) but went on to win the League unbeaten were you not proud then because the Champions League is considered bigger than the English League?
Of course I want us to challenge for top trophies and I don’t believe we are as far away as you seem to think but I’m still going to enjoy any success we get, however relative
Spot on FF 👍👍
@ Dan, you are talking about football as if it was maths, this season, Manu has lost home and away to city and probably to liv( soon) even with all the money they have spent after sir Ferguson, it took klopp 4-5 seasons to start winning trophies for liv, with all the resources Tuchel have, he has never won anything in england ( was very fortunate about European league), we still have some players that are needed to leave and buy some quality players. This is just Arteta 2nd full seasons and he is still sorting out to loan or sell some players like(Dhaka, lacca, Nnketia, Cedric, Leno, etc ) and replace them with an upgrade……
And we lost home and away to city and Liverpool as well ?
👍👍
That fabian ruiz guy arteta is eyeing is the real deal,he has the quality to make defence splitting passes which xhaka lacks but i pray he buys into our project cos i think he’s looking for a move to madrid or paris.
I like him too FK. One of the best players in serie a at the moment.
The fact is, we are many points behind Liverpool and City, but we are not so far behind Chelsea, and we are ahead of Spurs and Man U.
We have more points in the league than we have had for about 10 years, so we are obviously progressing.
Spot on Anders!
Besides, we have a very young team with huge potential to get better. I believe in this process building a quality team with young talented players, that can grow together and build strong relations.
@AndersS
We’re also only playing 1 match a week. When was the last time that happened…?
We have also lacking squad depth which we will address in the next window. We are in a rebuilding process which is not finished.
If squad depth is an issue then that was self induced. We have players loaned out who are playing football in the CL, the Europa league and top foreign leagues. Our squad is in only one competition, it should cope, thats no excuse.
That’s the reality like it or not, one or two key players out and we have problems. From my point of view it’s a calculated risk because we only have one competion left. How many of the players loaned out are good enough for a top four team in the PL? One or two perhaps?
@Reggie
RealTalk…
@Didrik Plehn
The “lacking squad depth” excuse doesn’t fly, when you’re only playing one match a week.
Please compare our bench yesterday with Liverpool’s bench. Liverpool had a world class team on the pitch and one on the bench, it’s a huge difference in squad quality.
@NY G.if we take the last 11 games where we went on a very good run,I haven’t checked it yet but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that our starting XI against Pool played more minutes than theirs.one example,our CB’s pairing of White/Gabriel Vs VVD/Matip/Konaté then Laca/Saka/Martinelli,MØ Vs Salah/Mané/Diaz/Jota/Firmino/ Japanese player or Allison Vs Ramsdale….I could go on! also as some have pointed out, inexperience and inconsistencies ,mental fatigue/exhaustion.that come with youth.
@NY_Gunner
We have had only 1 competition for only a few rounds of the EPL. Not the entire season.
Not playing in Europe is of course an advantage as far as fatigue an injuries concerned, but it also means less match sharpness and even less experience for a very young squad. Not all is an advantage.
A massive advantage!!!!!!!
Our game schedule is a massive disadvantage. 16/4 – Southampton away 16:00. 20/4 – Chelsea away 20:45. 23/4 – ManUnited home 13:30.
The same and worse for others, we cancelled games, again, whatever we say, it was self induced but a few extra fixtures is “just football” nowadays. Its not every week like Liverpool, City and Chelsea have to put up with. Its no good whinging a trying to look for possible excuses, if we fail. Just get on with it and show how good you are!!!!!!
I respect your opinion, but I don’t agree with your bombastic conclusions.
ManCity, Liverpool and Chelsea have much better squad than us, and they are not in a rebuilding process. From my point of view at least four or five clubs have better squad than us.
Therefore do I believe that top six is more likely than top four. I believe that building a stronger squad is the next step in Arteta’s rebuilding process.
“We have more points in the league than we have had for about 10 years, so we are obviously progressing.”
In 2013-14 Arsenal had 79 points. So, in order to achieve more points than that, Arsenal cannot drop more than four points in their next 11 games.
You missed “for about” 😉
Against City we lost but we were ahead and played some great football, 1st leg of the cup 0-0 at Anfield and played really well, last night we played super and if Øde scores that chance it’s a different outcome.
I do acknowledge the away 4 & 5 -0 defeats in the league were not great but these are established title challengers for the last 4years between them and get stronger each window where as we have a new, very young squad, who are starting to perform at a level we can build on.
This summer we will be spending money that is for sure and a new goal scorer and a dominate midfielder will be brought in. We are not guaranteed Top4 and tbh the fact that we are in 4th at this stage of the season shows the improvements. We all can even see the style of play Mikel is trying to implement
Liverpool have a great SQUAD not just a starting 11 being built over years, where as we are building from the start of the last summer window. Give us a couple more windows and we will have a squad capable of competing.
If we manage to get in 4 or 5 top young players in the summer we will be alot closer come next May.
Well said.
Liverpool has a team of players at the peak of their carreers. We have a team of players possibly still a couple of years from their peak.
It looks promising.
@Sean
Beautiful reading Sean, you made me a bit sentimental now 😉
What we are going through now is something similar to what is called time compression diseconomy, where no matter the amount of money spent we will fail to catch up to established teams within a season. I think it is gonna take two seasons maybe to become a proper competing force, mainly because footballers arent timeless. They grow old, teams have to restructure, coaches leave or get sacked. Right now Dan Arsenal is far from competing for top honors and that we can also see from the matches. But we can see a gradual upward curve of improvement.
Truth is we may be miles away from challenging for the title but everything is there for top 4. First things first, see if Arteta can get us CL football. If he cant, questions need answering. If he can then that is the first bit of progress for many years. Get us it and we have physically made progress, not get it and it is all smoke and mirrors. 4th is our goal, the rest we have to improve a lot more for. Our football at times is very naive and that has nothing to do with the players but the way we play. Our football is functional not dynamic or ground breaking and we dont always do the basics right either. Lets see if we get 4th and then we can judge the progress.
we’ve certainly had our differences in the past, but I feel for you in light of your present predicament Dan, as there’s very little room for rational and meaningful discourse in this cult-like echo chamber
I have been in worse predicaments lol
You mean your negative cult-like echo chamber? If you really want a rational and meaningful discourse, than you have to welcome different opinions and stop insulting people.
Rationality??
Try cognitive dissonance.
Case in point TRVL4 seeing the 2 comments on your post after Dan’s. It’s kind of like “our way or the high way”. It’s suppressively depressing and I know how Dan must feel
Cheers Kstyx, unfortunately AdPat supports this suppressive narrative…just look at what post was removed and what posts weren’t…my response last night simply said that just because posters like DP hid their intent behind disingenuous complimentary tones and cutesy language doesn’t mean it’s not just as insulting and this post was subsequently erased but DP’s remains…talk about your site-supported agendas
@TRVL4E
Have I ever insulted you, or do you believe that I have such intentions? If admin want to tell me something I will always listen. My intention is to support Arsenal FC
just wanted to prove a point, thankfully both you and DP helped me to achieve that ends(lol)
Actually we are only two seasons away from challenging for major honours..to get to city and pools level
hopefully we have a very good transfer window…Arsenal will be very selective with the players they acquire
With Arteta progress comes slowly
How are we only 2 seasons away jakes ?
I’m intrigued,we have no idea how this season ends and even if we get top 4 what makes you believe you’re own comment comes to fruition ?
With 4 more marquee signings and the first 11 playing regularly for another season will get us there….it would also be Arteta’s 5th season….remember we almost drew with man city so we are progressing and next year we can do better against pool we should have a more prolific striker
DAN ASKS WHY WE GOT RID OF AUBA.
I ask why does any fan with a normal brain ever wish to keep a player who lazed around for almost all of every game for a season and a half, who was ill disciplined and cared far more about himself than the team and who was costing a huge and outrageous salary,STUPIDLY awarded . He scored hardly any and made very few.
He was also the very opposite of all MAwas trying (and has succeeded) in creating in team spirit, will to win and an all for one, one for all mentality.
Why would any true fan who had even a normal amount of sense wish to keep such a damaging player?
NOT ME, FOR JUST ONE. I was thrilled to see the back of this self centred individual who was taking us for a fool and now can no longer do so.
WELL DONE ARTETA, BUT NOT SO DAN FOR ASKING SUCH A DIM WITTED QUESTION!!
Maybe the question should be why not bring in a better replacement .
Can I ask Jon is Eddie Nketiah a better option then Aubameyang ?
Valid question Dan
Auba with another goal tonight
Maybe question’s need to be asked how Arteta couldn’t get what xavi is getting out of him .
Obviously he didn’t suit our managers play style seeing our top scorers this season are attcking midfielders.
So TBF you cannot really argue that Auba was at fault .
His numbers with us show how much of a danger man he was up until the last 12 months of his contract which coincides with Artetas change of tactics .
There was obviously a problem there and we are now a top goalscorer short. Klopp rated Auba, Tuchel rated Auba and Xavis judgement has obviously proved to be spot on, Barcelona have turned their season round and are scoring for fun, with Auba blasting them in.
It’s Artetas set up Reggie he likes to play the false nine route he as copied off pep which made Auba obsolete ,we all know that Auba likes to play off the last defender but obviously that changed and he got made the scape goat .
You only have to see that our 2 main scorers have been ESR and Odegaard (recently)
All this talk of him being lazy and losing his pace was just bollocks as we are now seeing with him banging then in for Barca .
TBF Arteta as gone down his own route which he feels is best for the team so it’s on him if it doesn’t come to fruition,but the slagging off of Auba from fans need to understand that sometimes players can not change their style to suit a new managers tactics .
When you look at his numbers they are top draw apart from the last 12-18 months at Arsenal and coincides with the change of tact from the club .
Fastest player in Arsenals history to hit 50 goals ahead of our best player ever says a lot .
Wish him well ,shame that some fans feel the need to slag him off without looking at reasons why he went off the boil .
Xavi called Auba a “gift from heaven”
I suppose TVRL us paying them or him to take him off ours hands and in the process putting a 87 mil clause in his contract you can see where he is coming from .
I actually watched 30 mins of the game earlier ,he looked sharp and Besides the goal hit the woodwork with a looping header just before half time .
Since he signed they have gone in the league alone 5 wins 1 draw .
Says a lot mate
Yes agree guys and obvious really, Auba was a victim of circumstance and it may just turn out win win. Well we hope it does.
Do you compare La Liga with Premier League. La Liga has dropped in quality in recent years
Their #2 team Sevilla lost against West Ham in Europe League. Their former #3 Real Betis lost against Eintracht Frankfurt also in Europe League. Barca played against Galatasaray in Europe League and won after playing 0-0 in Barcelona.
Auba is making goals again which was expected, I’m happy for him, but no reason to miss him. Sunday evening Barca is playing against Real Madrid, I do expect Real Madrid to win the game, and I don’t expect Auba to score against a composed Madrid team.
Auba made 10 league goals in 20/21 and 4 league this season. Auba is 32 years old and responsible for his own situation, and there was conflicts when he left Dortmund as well.
You conveniently missed out our old coach with Villarreal beating juve there Didrik . While I agree that la liga is probably a step down on the PL at this moment in time it is impossible to gauge unless both leagues played weekly against each other .
Saying that real just handed A star studded PSG a lesson only last week .
But Barca are not the team of old but they have a coach who at this moment in time with Auba leading the line are starting to pick back up .
I agree with you, have much respect for Barca starting with Johan Cruijff. With Xavi in the chair they got money to start their rebuild.
Yes, Emery got a strong result against Juve I didn’t saw that coming. Emery keeps on making remarkable results in Europe. This season Villarreal has been struggling in La Liga they are # 7 at the moment.
The fact, that Auba is now scoring in Spain, when he wasn’t in England can be for a multiple of reasons. Let me suggest:
1) His contract at Arsenal made him complacent
2) He plainly needed new inspiration
3) He couldn’t score here, when he was required to work so much off the ball
4)He performs better in the first period at a new club, untill he gets restless and want a new one
5) All is rosy as long as Barca doesn’t interfere with his own decisions on when to meet for training and matches
6) His teammates and the management haven’t yet grown tired of his lack of respect for team rules
@Anders
Well, probably many reasons, now he’s playing in a less competitive league, not meeting world class defenders every week. Sunday Barca is playing Real Madrid and I expect Auba to struggle against a composed Ancelotti team. I’m happy for Auba but I don’t miss him, looks like a perfect divorce 😉
Yeah Salah came from a non world class defenders league to tear up the league with World class defenders. Hazard did the same. Lol even Auba did the same before Arteta happened. So your excuse makes no sense at all.
10 goals in 20/21 and 4 four goals this season. He is 32 years old 33 in June and isn’t getting better. What Salah has done has nothing to do with Auba, they are different individuals. Should we blame Arteta, Putin or Greta Thunberg? Sunday you can watch him against a composed Ancelotti team 👍
Didrik, Auba tore it up in the prem for two years. Now it has been proven it wasn’t because he was “over the hill” start accepting we let a top goalscorer go who our manager couldn’t get the best out. In all his career, it was only the last 18 months he struggled. It has nothing at all to do with him playing in a lesser league as you put it. That statement is so throw away and not the reason at all. He is producing at a high level again and he wasn’t. Are you trying to say teams like Watford, Southampton, Crystal palace and all the lower teams in our league are of a greater standard than he is facing now? Of course they aren’t!!!!!!!
Nonsense, not possible to compare La Liga with Premier League. How many Spanish teams are left in CL and Europe League compared PL teams? We have even a Norwegian team left in the Europe League 😉 I have watched more or less all his games in La Liga and I haven’t seen anything that makes me miss him. On Sunday you can watch him against Real Madrid and he will struggle to have any influence.
🤣🤣🤣 A brace and an assist in a 4-0 mauling
@Kstyx
By the way, How is Hazard doing in Real Madrid. Has he been a success after moving to Spain?
But its an easier league? Why has Hazard struggled ? You still haven’t answered the question Auba was burning the prem up before Arteta came and is again now, that has nothing to do with your hypothetical standard drop.
thank you Reggie…if I had said likewise it would have undoubtedly been deleted
Jeez, what did Reggie say that was insulting?. Would you have said them same thing without attacking the writer?
There’s several reasons, injuries, mentality, pressure, positioning. He looks lazy and finished just like some Arsenal players we have waved goodbye.
Hazard arrived with expectations and was RM’s most expensive transfer of all time. Auba’s arrival to Barca has very few similarities, and he has a total different situation.
RM paid £140 million for Hazard / 65 league games / 6 goals.
Auba is soon 33 years old and he’s not getting better. Auba is an adult man responsible for his own decision making. Blaming Arteta or Arsenal for Auba being disloyal sounds immature to me.
@Reggie – “Hypothetical standard drop.” 10 league goals in 20/21 and 4 league goals this season. Have you seen him play recently? I have been watching more or less all Arsenal’s league games since he arrived in 2018, and I’m still watching him playing for Barca. It’s not hypocritical that strikers drops in quality when getting older, it’s a normal progression.
Talking about Aubameyang
Every notable Arsenal fan wished him good luck @Barcá either he scores or don’t won’t change the fact he had a good spell @Arsenal but faded off.
Regarding his form right now, that is expected of Auba, same thing happened when we signed him after he had conflicts with the Dortmund hierarchy where he was the most sanctioned player in Dortmund before he was transferred to Arsenal in January.
He had 15 total appearances for Arsenal from February till May and scored 10 goals, so scoring goals for Auba wasn’t a difficult thing and nothing new.
I read on this platform this his new role of playing a false 9 dropped his form, that’s a lie, because even in the 2019/2020 season were he had majority of his appearances on the left wing he still scored goals, whether left wing right wing pure 9 or false 9 won’t stop him from scoring goals, have we all forgotten he started this season on 4 goals in five appearances still @ the top 9 position he played in Arsenal, what changed for Auba I think was more personal and needed a new environment that’s what I feel.
He dipped form and was still played as the captain and top9 but his onfield emotions wasn’t helping the team, also with the thought of him occupying a space in the starting lineup which would have been beneficial for Martinelli and Odegaard, so I feel we should praise Arteta too for letting him have some good games back @Barcá he would have just been on the Arsenal books without game time and his career would have gone downhill.
Sorry for the much write up
@Easyguy
I agree with you, interesting points.
Auba is history and we should focus on our club and players.
I have to say that the ones who expect us to be challenging the likes of Pool, Chelsea,City have unrealistic expectations or are living in the past.yes we are Arsenal but we are years behind the top teams in our development/project/journey…whatever you want to call it.as the saying goes”you need to learn how to walk before you can run”we are now regularly beaten the so called inferior “teams”,games like City and Pool last night have shown that we made progress.the next step,several quality quality additions to close the gap on the top 3 teams even more.
All we need to challenge for top honours next season, is buy Serge Gnabry, Fabian Ruiz and Alexander Isak. Back up right winger, striker and central midfielder. Sell Xhaka, Pepe and Holding.