Manchester United knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup 5-3 on penalties this evening after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
The Gunners began the match in dominant fashion, creating a number of chances, and appeared to have taken the lead through Gabriel Martinelli after 18 minutes. However, his goal was ruled out for offside.
Arsenal continued to pile the pressure on Manchester United, pinning the Red Devils back with wave after wave of attacks in search of the opener.
Disaster struck in the 40th minute when Gabriel Jesus was stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious injury. Despite this setback, Arsenal finished the first half firmly on top but was unable to convert their dominance into a goal.
Their inability to capitalise proved costly, as Manchester United took the lead shortly after halftime through Bruno Fernandes. The goal stunned the Gunners, who quickly looked to respond. Kai Havertz missed a golden opportunity to equalise, as both sides battled for control.
The match took another dramatic turn when United’s Diogo Dalot was sent off for a second yellow card. Arsenal made their numerical advantage count almost immediately, with Gabriel Magalhães scoring the equaliser.
The Gunners now had the upper hand and were awarded a penalty shortly after. However, Martin Odegaard’s spot kick was saved by Altay Bayındır, and moments later Declan Rice missed another clear-cut chance to put Arsenal ahead.
Kai Havertz had yet another opportunity to score, but the German fluffed his lines once more. Arsenal continued to create chances, with Rice missing another sitter as the match went into extra time.
In the extra period, Arsenal started brightly, and Rice came close twice to giving them the lead. But United weathered the storm, and at the other end, Joshua Zirkzee forced David Raya into a superb save.
Injuries continued to plague Arsenal as Jorginho was forced to leave the pitch. Despite their numerical disadvantage, United defended resiliently and ensured the game would be decided on penalties.
United demonstrated their composure in the shootout, converting all five of their penalties to secure a 5-3 victory and knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup.
Arteta OUT
Best is he resigns or is sacked before next window. It would be criminal to allow him sign other mediocrities like Havertzs for 65M and 280k p/w.
Oh Cmon. The headline should read ”10 man United”!
Embarrassing.
Couldn’t beat a 10 man team helped out buy the ref .
Worst Man Utd team in years .
But hey ,atleast we don’t need a striker .
At 70mins I thought we might win. By 80mins I knew we wouldn’t. We are utterly reliant on all our players, and any ones missing, esp Saka, we don’t cope. This just isn’t right.
Yup. Thank goodness we didn’t sign Isak or Gyokeres. They would have been sleeping in front of the goal while waiting for our wing backs to take a simple throw.
No point in talking about this crap, same result different day but I’m hopeful that some fans grow some balls and call for Arteta’s head rather than sitting on the fence and being a little bit of a coward just to curry favour with other like minded fools no offence meant
We couldn’t beat this united team and that too with 10 men.
What exactly do martinelli and havertz do in this team is questionable. Similarly merino.
Oh well i guess it will be a fight for the league top 3/4 now for us. We have no chance in the CL
Out of two cups in one week.
Cause I don’t see us scoring 3 goals in St. James Park.
A round of applause 👏 for Arteta.
Jesus added to the injury list. Please Arteta should still not sign any player. His top goal scorer, Havertz is capable and equal to the task.
@SJ
Maybe it’s for the better. That way we concentrate on the league and maybe CL.
You don’t believe that
have to hope it though, that is all we have left…
Yeah but most of the time in sport you have to be good enough
We are not good enough to be winning title this season and it’s arrogant to be discussing winning the CL
I know that Dan. I just have hope left. Rationally speaking we are toast.
@Dan
Those are the only options open to us. I believe this team is capable. Will they achieve it? That I cannot say yes or no to. But as a supporter/fan, I must have belief in my team. I don’t know if that sufficiently answers your question, but that’s all I got. Belief…
I keep hearing this concentrate on EPL and Champions League every season and nothing has come out of it.
This season is also looking like one of those ones in which all trophies disappears in one month.
Not in this Universe. Only in an alternate Universe that we can win either of the epl or the ucl.
Like last season NY? It happened just the same but we were clear in the league and the rest was history.
@Reggie
If I start down the negative/ugly rabbit hole Bro, I might not want to watch them anymore. Then what kind of supporter/fan am I?
which league? you are one very deluded guy. It’s the same old story, we try again next season.
Arteta out! I don’t care how just get him out of this club! If the ownership has any ambition they’ll be looking for a replacement
Utterly gutted to be frank, I thought this might be a chance to go deeper in the cup but it wasn’t meant to be. We dominated the entire game but finishing once again remains the bane of this team, I don’t understand how we were able to miss so many clear chances but we have to forget about tonight and move on to the next game. We definitely need more attacking players going forward because depth and quality is severely lacking or we get a better attacking coach cause I just don’t know at this point.
It is time for Arteta to leave
This reminds me of end of days for Wengerball, when Arsene was overly arrogant to buy what they needed.. the club needs a proper striker now, simple as that. Too many easy chances are being missed and getting punished. Just pay what’s needed if we have the money but If not please tell us to avoid growing frustration. We could also do with bringing another playmaker in to support the team minimum. Just basics..
Great! Cos what’s the point of winning today only to get smashed to pieces and utterly destroyed by resurgent city some weeks down the line?
Get that Fraudster Kai Hervatz out of this Arsenal Team. Been playing 10 men fir a year. We cannot win anything with Kai Harvertz upfront.
If we had a proper striker yoh with these last 3 games easily.
My grandmother could have scored ghat today.
it isn’t easy to put a ball over the bar from inside three yards – you have to acknowledge that!
It was the ball!!!
Agreed, the coaches need to be rewarded suitably for training this lad to achieve that feat.
For me, I’m disappointed but not devastated as
1. Fans will continue to back Mikel, no matter what.
2. Trophies are not important, being a part of club is (just read a post a few days back form a commentator on this forum – Ken if I may be correct)If this is the view of the fans, then the owners have no problems in pinching a little bit more from our wallets only to dish out some miserable performances.
3. Arteta is not a title winning coach, so I have lowered my expectations, I support the club, but am not too bothered.
4. All players have regressed. Raya is looking worse than Ramsdale. Waste of 30M+ on Ramsdale and 25M+ on Raya.
5. A 100M+ Rice cannot get us an EFL cup, but managed to give the Hammers a European Conference Cup. Food for thought.
6. And the usual – we don’t need a striker, because ManCity didn’t have one for some years. Fans fail to notice that Pep has won most of what can be won, so he knows how to navigate through.
7. Arteta has been exposed that his entire waste of 750M++ squad utter useless if they have to rely on an academy graduate trained during the Wenger/Emery era.
Have a good week gunners, be optimistic but lower your expectations as there are more important things in live than football.
Today again another game which showed Arsenal and Artetas deficiencies. It shows why Arteta is so poor in cup comps. First he has never bought a proper striker. Second, our slow robotic football doesn’t change. We needed to score against 10 men and he plays Partey RB. It is enough to make you cry and realise Arteta is struggling with the job. For a team to be so reliant on set pieces and hope to actually win something is pie in the sky. Under Arteta we will not win anything. He isn’t good enough and his football philosophy is flawed ans doesn’t work. Haverz is a good player but he and Jesus should never have been relied on to be our strikers. It shows a complete lack of knowledge by the manager.
The trouble with havertz is: if he’s not our striker, where does he play in this team? Imo he doesn’t get in – certainly not when everyone’s fit – which makes you wonder why we have paid and continue to pay so much money for him.
Look Davi, i agree. I said at the time, he was a waste of 65 mil. He isn’t a great midfielder and he isn’t a striker. He isn’t a bad player but he isn’t going to win Arsenal anything. I think he could play for us but not the way or the way we rigidly set up under Arteta. Arteta has built this team and it is flawed from back to front. The way we set up and the way we try to bore and tire the opposition but at the same time bore the fans also. Its rubbish football and we need a striker. Most of all, to win anything we need a manager. Arteta is at his ceiling and maybe over it. The money can not improve what he brings.
if he had been a $30M signing on reasonable wages it would have been pretty good. He does contribute by times but at that cost, way too much…now if he hit all of his chances or even half of them, we would not be having this discussion…
I think that is a fair price, we over paid. We didn’t need him, we needed a striker. The best of it all is Arteta wanted Mount, Mount wanted utd and they offered us Haverz. He wasn’t a planned signing. Chelsea wanted him gone and we took the bait. Hook line and sinker.
I largely agree – I do think arteta has brought some positive things (honestly, we were a bit of a joke before he signed and we’re not so much now, recent form aside), and has improved us overall, but you’re right about the rigidity, and I agree he’s reached his ceiling, at least with us.
That’s a great way to put it about havertz as well – could do well for us in the right circumstances.
Same old story, missed chances, apart from penalty miss Havertz had chances and Rice also had good chances to win this game comfortably . Knowing our team though if we did buy a prolific scorer he would probably start missing good chances….. also more injuries.
If you want to feel any better, just remember Havertz is our highest paid player and we paid almost the same fee for Chelsea they paid after he failed 3 seasons for them.
DaJuhi my thoughts exactly, the guy flopped at Chelsea and then Arsenal come along and sign him up for silly money, well done Arteta and co, another top signing 👏
That is the phishy part, exactly my thought back then when Kai was signed. He flopped at Chelsea. MA and Edu might want him, fine, but the high price tag could never be justified. Any good business would have meant signing him at a much more discounted price, we paid our arms and legs. His signing, to me, was the reason of no more forward signing, MA had to fit him in. Not Kai’s fault though. We then had the entire period of Kai in the mid field experiment that costed us dearly.
I didn’t know enough to say if MA has reached him ceiling, but Arsenal is in shambles. I feared of this as MA’s experiment forced by his biggest mistake signing could have led to our demise, it seems we are down the path.
Small coach, short temper.. All good coaches in the world are physically bigger than Arteta..
Lol
Are we really surprised? Our whole season is unraveling before our eyes. All the same problems and all the same failings – now what? I am completely exasperated by this one. The tide is turning against Arteta even with consideration to the injuries.
Football competition is all about result. No one cares about how dominant you are, or how good your team was in playmaking. It’s only trophy lifter that are celebrated. Arsenal are gradually regressing.. It won’t take long if this kind of results continues before the fans turns on the coach. Our playing style is too predictable. It would only take a wise tactical coach to find a way around our style. And we have a lot of good coaches in Epl right now
Too bad we are out of FA Cup and one leg out of Carabao at Newcastle because realistically, it’s an “almighty mountain to climb”
Oh my dear Arsenal, there is a need to get players from this current windows to see if fresh legs could improve the team.
Poor performance today
Arteta should not be out. Every one at Arsenal is injured. He needs a ST like Mbappe, Haaland etc. and a winger like Vini or Yamal category. I mean if u dont have that class of players how u want a team to play like Madrid or City. U cant win races against ferrari or Mclarens with KIA cars.
He’s had plenty of time and money to try to get players like that. We could have got isak before he went to Newcastle, for example, but instead we got havertz. I swear we’ve signed about 30 defenders since arteta joined and one player who’s primary position is striker (jesus)?
Says something when our biggest goal threat is a defender .
@lola
You mean KAI…I couldn’t help myself. 😁
Forget about their prices the question is can Arteta genuinely go for those qualities the answer is NO, he doesn’t have the balls, he prefers going to their club’s waste bin and pay fabulous fees for whoever their clubs have dumped there deceiving himself that he’s going to perform miracles that his superiors failed to perform. Stan Kronke and Arteta are playing possum with the club.
Kia Picanto 998cc.
@HH
😂
Nah that is not enough. He also needs to evolve his tactics. Wonder how many games he needs before he realizes it is not working. Putting a Haaland or Mbappe will only make those players lose their identity under his gameplan.
That last minute intro of Tierney is a clear sign that he has realized it is not working… or maybe a sign of desperation, loss of composure or out of ideas.
No improvement on tactics plus no addition of players will mean his time is up at Arsenal. Thanks for building a foundation… at least.
“That last minute intro of Tierney is a clear sign that he has realized it is not working… or maybe a sign of desperation, loss of composure or out of ideas.”
The cynic in me thinks that he introduced Tierney as an advert for selling him, with the upside that in the few minutes that he was on that he might help the left side to win the game.
A credit to the Arsenal fans who gave Tierney a cheer when he came on. He is a good defender and attacking full back and brings an alternative style of play. We all know he has fitness issues but gives us an option. Unfortunately that will be the last that we will see of him.
He is the one who is refusing himself to have a world class striker
Is there something wrong with you or are you just stupid or thick
Every manager is assembling their own version of Ferrari with players hand picked using their transfer money. MA had his time but this looks more like a Kia. Honestly, Kia works, what we have is more like a Chrysler.
Well, a Kia does not cost you the amount of a Ferrari! We paid close to a Ferrari price and now watching a Haas type performance every week. Well RedBulls outperform Ferraris, so did Man Utd with 10 men! Congratulations to them and their cup keeper, 4M+ outsmarted a 25M+. Well, nobody should be disappointed, trust the process, this is phase 5, phase 6 will be with a 100M striker, phase 7 will be …………….
Absolute rubbish, tappy tappy, swing into the box all night but no one capable of finishing !
All teams have now discovered how to play us.
So just for clarification
As we got a penalty and they a red card are we saying zero agenda or conspiracy this weekend ?
Dan, the ref couldn’t help us this week. We kicked hus help back in his face. I am sure there will be a few who have some new and old excuses to blurt out.
Arsenal need a striker
Arteta doesn’t think so.
Just go to any Man United forum and here what their fans are saying about the ref performance…….
It is a conspiracy. Them bloody refs handicapped a poor united team to show us up. They even added the cherry by wwarding a 50/50 penalty. Var should have cancelled it but Maguires shite so there was a element of doubt.
They handicapped united to show the footballing world how bad our tactics and ream were, its a bloody conspiracy!!!!!
If a team is not performing well due to absence of one player, it means they are not a good team.. Without Saka, Arsenal is nothing. Without Odegaard, we are nothing, without Saliba/Gabriel, we are soft team.. The squad depth is very much questionable..
NO! The manager and his decisions are very questionable.
Thought Tierney was our best player, just saying. Where has he been?
good one. I half-expected him to get the ball and take a shot at Raya the way he has been treated by Arteta. He is a good pro though!
Is it not high time the board of this club leased out Emirates to serious minded club? Do they consider the feeling of we fans at all? Why must we be humiliated at all times just because we are supporting a football club? Is this club jinxed? This is unacceptable. Same pattern, no urgency in attack, no clinical striker, no shooter, no dribler, no killer passer, no counter attack, this is not the Arsenal we used to support.
I’m highly embarrassed and humiliated with this performance. The season ended in January so early…
Lease out Emirates to another club, funniest comment so far😂.
Still second in the league.
Still in the Carabao cup, as only half time.
Still in Champions league.
Out of the FA cup.
So our season has ended has it 😂😂.
One will be forgiven to think there are paid influencers or most likley bots programmed to defend Arteta against any dissatisfaction.
A Couple showed up down below 👇 🙄HH
Just has one will wonder if some fans are paid to criticize the coach …. Just saying
Unless we can turn around second leg mate yeah
Title is done and we obviously are not winning CL
It will on Wednesday when spurs beat us.
It’s pathetic to watch.
A scared manager who must go.
Are you really that deluded or are you just a tit
The season ended since November 2024
but none of you could see what I’ve already seen as at then.
Thought I stepped into a time machine and was watching prime Arteta and Denilson.
Boy are we in bad shape.
One trick pony comes to mind.
That silly white shirt summed them up, like a walking white flag, who’s idea was it to start that silly campaign? Arsenal have been done every time they’ve worn it? 😀 Some proper comedy stuff from this club now, getting to the point where you just have to laugh otherwise you’ll just cry, millions splashed on absolute dross, please just go now Arteta, maybe an interim can salvage this season before it absolutely falls apart, enough of this mediocrity!
5 games, only one win.
What is the pattern of football style do we play? Play corner and be hopping…,this is shameful
The referee even tried to assist us with favorable calls yet the quality attacker and wingers could not score. 😂
Now unto Wednesday. We lose to Tottenham at the Emirates. That would be the icing on the cake 😂
Yes I even think the penalty awarded to us was quite soft, probably justice that Odegaard missed it!
All focus now on the NLD next. COYG!!!
Shame on you Vamos. No positive or rational comments allowed today.
Lol …. JA site is not lucky with rationally minded fans……. Sigh!!! …. Full of emotional ones
Arsenal colors are white and red, we start a campaign of of no more red – how? We are forced to wear white and start campaign on no more red, what a paradox.
The team looked like it had no ideas from the start. The level of performances from some of our players is simply unacceptable. Havertz back to being the Havertz we all know, Odegaard ghosting continues this season, Martinelli spamming crosses that go into random spots. I know many are Arteta out and I understand but I’m not ready to throw away all the work he’s done getting us competitive again. It’s a very rough patch in a season that was completely up for grabs, but if the right attacking signings are made I still think this season can live up to its potential next season. The problem is the recruitment though and Arteta’s lack of focus in buying the right players that can actually score goal. Enough of the “duels won” statistics garbage. We just need lethal finishers that know where to be in the box and are reliable in their finishing. There ARE such players, Arteta and the club just need to get serious and go after them and stop “almost” creating a great squad and finally just do it.
As for this particular season, it’s a wash already. Very minimal chance we win at St. James, and from there I dont see us achieving much. Not ready for later stages of UCL, and definitely can’t keep up with Liverpool and I’d even settle for 4th right now. Anyways, good time to take a bit of a break from the gunners and have some faith we can do better next season. Because season is done in January. 🙁
I am sorry, I don’t want Arteta after this season if we come away empty handed. He obviously has gone as far as he can. Bringing Partey on at RB today needing a goal with utd down to the bare bones and 10 men, STINKS!!!
Looking at the bench, there wasn’t much choice
I’m slightly giving him the benefit of the doubt this season. And he does have injuries as a somewhat legit “excuse”, but we’re still right to expect more and for Arteta to try to find solutions even with everything isn’t “optimal”. If he can only succeed when we have spent close to 1bill on the squad and everyone is fit, he’s not exactly impressing me. I still see the massive progress we’ve made in defense and midfield though and can’t deny that. The illogical trust he has in some forward players and his inability to admit Havertz should never have been bought and not investing right in the summer though… huge marks against him. He’s not going to go anywhere this summer thats just reality so I’ll get behind him for the next season but if he cant deliver yet again then we got to ask what he’s good for with so much spent.
“I know many are Arteta out and I understand but I’m not ready to throw away all the work he’s done getting us competitive again”
This is the point – I think we do need to change manager otherwise we *will* end up throwing it away, because I think he’s hit a wall and he doesn’t have the experience to get through it yet. We need another manager to take advantage of the good things he’s brought. Now is the time to line up a new manager for next season imo. I hope that’s happening in the background.
How was Odegaard ghosting?
Hahaha
Getting us competitive you said. Competitive and then what? Must you guys manufacturer or try to create an excuse for MA? We are out of two cups in a week, is that the competitive you’re talking about?
The board and Arteta have 2 weeks left to sign a Striker and winger to give this season any hope.
right now we need fullbacks, central defenders and a creative midfielder as well – that is where we stand at this point.
we have more than enough fullbacks. Arteta needs to find the solutions himself. We cant possibly be looking for ANOTHER LB for the 4th year in a row. Total failure in recruiting department. Same with CB’s. There’s enough there that Arteta needs to just figure it out. He’s spent basically all the money in those positions.
Disappointing result, yes. But we still have the league and CL to focus on. Let’s see the rest of the season out and take it from there. No need to get ugly, no matter what happens.
A pragmatic and non emotional comment that makes sense. That said, it is very difficult to see anything improving without change. The injuries play their part, but the fact that we are so reliant on Saka and Odegaard, means that we so very average when they don’t play or play well. We don’t have to be a coach to see that, and we don’t need to be a clairvoyant to know our season has already taken its course.
We have a lot of injuries and we do not have sufficient quality options in attack.
The squad clearly needs strengthening. Once again a lack of efficiency in attack has cost us.
👍NY_Gunner
Arteta’s way of playing is disgusting. The guy has no idea about attacking football. All he coaches his players is to play with fear of loosing the game. I noticed this when we play even a relagated team, when we lead by one nul, he can take out a midfielder or a striker and enter a defender. This shows lack of confidence to impose his attacking football. All players are instructed to use safe passes and end up having back or side passes to allow the opponent to regain the shape. Under him Arsenal will never win anything. Mark my words.
The day the team goes on relegation the board will wake up
blame rice i would have scored that headed chance with ease 110 million for a converted center back midfielder
Arteta might be a baby Coach for sure. Am tired of grumbling the game every day.
That was so disappointing. I was in the “we just need a striker camp” until the past couple of matches as it is obvious that the problems are much deeper than that.
Answer me this – If you were KSE would you give these guys $100 M to buy a striker based on the other investment (like our obsession with buying injured fullbacks) and how the season is going?
Would you have any faith that they would use the money well? A good striker would help but I no longer think it is the missing piece.
We probably need to spend the money on some serviceable roll players as we shipped all of our crop out the door. The weakness in our bench was really apparent in the last two cup games.
We have really gone backwards and the style of play is so frustrating – if they win it would be a lot less frustrating I grant you.
We constantly come to grief because we don’t have the squad to cover our schedule. It is more dire this year but we had same problem in last two years.
We get nothing by waiting for 20 minutes to throw in the ball other than ticking off the ref, in fact it just slows us down even more.
This desire for control doesn’t work, it takes away any skill we have and allows for pretty much anybody to control us in the final third. On the plus side we have fantastic possession and back pass numbers – always the most important stats.
The magic of set pieces seems to be off (Saka being gone is certainly part of it) so that big bonus seems to be gone.
Odegard has been mediocre at best since returning and we don’t have another attacking mid with Nawari out (and Arteta was very reluctant to use him like for like anyway).
I think the obsession with data was why Raya was jumping so early on every shot, but that may have just been poor goalkeeping – and that shouldn’t have mattered against 10 for a big chunk of the game.
Right now it looks like we will be fortunate to stay top four and get one knock-out win in CL.
Very frustrated and probably shouldn’t have written this post now…
obsession with data…! You’ve said it pal. I was wondering why Raya’s penalty session seems so scripted.
he played well otherwise so why else would he have been so bad on the penalties?
The obsession with data is what has driven some of the improvements that we have seen in the last few seasons. However, we do not have the kind of lethal strike force that would take advantage of the setup.
We also need squad rotational options. The likes of Reiss and Nketiah were useful in previous seasons.
The results we have had are understandably driving the narratives. It is worth looking beyond these however to assess whether Arsenal were as bad as being suggested except for clinical finishing.
They weren’t as bad as being painted
But the finishing was atrocious
Yes, the finishing was not good enough and this is something that needs addressing. It will be difficult to improve the situation in this window unless the club is willing to take certain risks and possibly pay over the odds for upgrades.
Come on. A header is never easy. At least Rice forced a save out of the goalkeeper. Now the Harvetz chance I could have scored.
Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh Dear,
Well the £65 million waste of money has come home to roost.
Two glorious chances missed, and the penalty saved. (Although that can happen to be fare).
But it all comes back to the club sanctioning buying Havertz. On what level did it ever make sense. Did Arteta and the club ever watch his performances for Chelsea.
We constantly hear about our need for a striker, and if questioned my guess is that Arteta will say that he’s got no choice but to play Havertz in the no:9 role.
My answer to that is we never needed Havertz in the first place. That £65 million could have been spent so much better.
Now for the rest of the team. Rice missed a great chance with the header, good save but should never have been given the opportunity to be fare. His second chance, well the goalkeeper deserves credit for that one, as Rice did the best he could from the angle that he was at.
I personally believe that justice was done regarding the penalty, it was a soft one to be honest.
I don’t know what you think, but is anyone else embarrassed by how long we take to take our set pieces, Its shameful really.
And now that it looks like Jesus could possibly be out yet again injured, will the club finally see fit to bring in a player or two.
The writing is on the wall for this season, and I for one can’t see Arteta turning the season around in any way shape or form.
They’ve got three more home games to come in a row. Tottenham and Villa on Wednesday and Saturday respectively. And Zagreb on the following Wednesday.
Could the results of these three games have any bearing on Arteta’s future in the job, we’ll see in the next 10 days.
You’ll notice as one of Arteta’s biggest critics, I’ve been very quite on my thoughts on him regarding todays game.
I’m waiting to hear what he’s got to say, and then no doubt I’ll have plenty to say.
Wenger did better with waaaaaay less budget and worse players
Thumbs up for the level headed analysis, Stewart.
Don’t get a striker .. replace Arteta tonight.
The truth is we have a squad that should be doing so much better.
@Reggie
Real Talk 👍🏾
I agree, replace the coach. Arteta out!!! Why wasting time.? They’re even saying Arteta shud be given more money, for what?? We are too comfortable with nothing st Arsenal. Way too comfortable. Others even say they played well but just didn’t score!!! Where?? Football is goals and and win., nothing else. Our coaches are always too comfortable coz they are not pushed . They have no pressure .
Arteta is SO scared to lose, that is why we lose. The football is so safe but it isn’t really that safe, is it?
What player/players in their right mind would come to The ARSENAL. Especially under a coach/manager who has a history of regressing players left right and centre. Can’t blame the referee for this debacle. Maybe it was the FA Cup match ball ⚽. Anyone who can defend this excuse of a manager, is just taking the p#ss out of those of us who do have knowledge of the game they call football. Arteta should do the right thing tonight and hand in his resignation
Although it should’ve never got to that, I don’t think Havertz and Odergaard should’ve been in the first five penalty takers. Odergaard was only half there and Havertz wasn’t there at all, he’s a confidence player, and he didn’t have any today. Breathed a sight of relief when Odergaard scored.
Are people’s eyes open now? Are your minds open?
Replace Arteta with whom? Plenty of managers can repeatedly get bounced out of cup rounds.
Losing to a poor utd side down to 10 men and we play worse with 11 men.
Arteta is out of ideas, and the club drops points while Arteta refuses to admit his crab style of football is a big factor of our poor play.
Board should use funds to buy a striker, winger, and B2B midfielder, I don’t see Arteta admitting defeat and changing his ways.
Board should also put Zinchenko, Jesus, Havertz in shop window in the Summer despite Arteta’s thoughts.
Think Arteta has taken us as far as he can, it’s like Jose’ minus the pedigree and trophies; arrogance mired in defensive football.
Our season is lmploding in front of us if the spuds get a result when they come then we are in trouble
Thanks for the memories Arteta but it’s time to go.
Have there been any memories ?
You beat me to it Dan. Maybe we can remember the consecutive 8ths.
Cmon guys, we won FA cup and Community Shield under Arteta.
Aubameyang won us that trophy before Arteta ruined him as he did many more after.
He has failed to clear the first round since.
Community shield !
It’s a friendly ,one off game .
Quantic Dream,
Are you for real, the FA Cup was five years ago.
And stop with this rubbish about winning the Community Shield it’s a curtain raiser to the new season, nothing more nothing less.
Are you that desperate to improve Arteta’s trophy haul, that you really include the Community Shield. (REALLY!).🙄🤷♂️🤦♂️
Sarcasm.
Or consecutive 2nds. Or maybe Both.
Yea finishing second lives long in the memory for me ,it was that memorable I’ve forgotten about it already .
I’ve been saying it for ages. Our football is on played one way. There’s never a plan B and without Saka we’re even worse. This brand of football has been found out and even the worst teams in the country know has to play against us. Arteta kokws no other way of playing. That is typical of an inexperienced manager. Is he right for AFC going forward?
Hello again fellow contributors.
I’ve just been to the Arsenal web page and read what Arteta had to say.
I don’t know why I really bother reading his after match comment’s because all that really needs to be done is to copy and paste them. It’s always the same rubbish.
Please my fellow Arsenal fans, if you haven’t already read his comments on the Arsenal web page, go and have a look.
Then can you please tell me if he’s deluded, or do I watch different games to him.🙄🤦♂️🤷♂️
Just done that Derek and the first section was absolutely true.
We should have put the game way beyond manure with the chances we had…. what do you find that you disagree with in that section?
The rest is him trying to get behind and protect his players and I wouldn’t expect anything less, would you?
I find the “love in” way over the top and, at the moment, I think it would be hard to find any fan who “loves” them for that performance.
Ken1945,
You say was absolutely true, and what is my problem with what he said. My problem is, he says the same thing game after game that we don’t win.
And as for the defending his team, well he shouldn’t. Time and time again they’re letting him and the fans down.
Some hard truths need to be aired, both from the manager to the players and even the players to the manager.
This season is going down hill fast, and when you listen to what the manager says after games, it doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence that he or the team can turn this around anytime soon.
The team is his team.
That’s because game after game we miss chances that these professional footballers should be scoring from.
MA was wrong not to buy an out and out striker, but no one, not even you, would expect such terrible missed opportunities.
Very rarely does any manager castigate his players in the media – if he had done, you’d been on him like a ton of bricks, saying he’s not taking responsibility.
You / me haven’t a clue what goes on in the dressing room, except when it’s on Netflix and Arteta got a hard time then for bawling out the players…. as he should do of course!!
But, surely, you predicted this would happen, so your confidence was low anyway, therefore nothings changed in that respect has it?
Reggie 100% it’s his team, his tactics, his style of play and I’m not disputing that.
He has, realistically, two trophies left to go for and I’m hoping he’ll win one, if not both, of them.
My concern is will he have the players and fans behind him for the rest of the season?
The NL derby is crucial for the rest of the season in my opinion.
I think you are right about the game on Wednesday night being more significant, Ken1945
I unexpectedly went to the game today, a nice surprise, but a gloomy ending. The crowd around me were well aware of the injury problems and I just think we all felt deflated rather than angry. Obviously, there was talk about the lack of a recognised striker, but that was about it.
A question : Has Mikel Arteta lost the players with his style of management?
I don’t mean in the way UE did, but in the way he has taken all the style, flair and individuality out of the players?
The likes of Rice, Martinelli, Jesus, Tierney, Trossard all seem to have taken backward steps this season.
Meanwhile, MA’s fa cup record continues to be the worst in the clubs managerial history, I do believe.
Before MA arrived, we had only been knocked out in the 3rd round once in the previous 25 years (Wenger to Forest) while Arteta has been knocked out twice in the last three seasons and in the fourth round once!!
Once again he experimented with his selection and failed yet again.
To bring Partey on at right back against ten men makes no sense to me, perhaps someone could enlighten me?
Of course the players have to take a lot of responsibility for the missed chances, especially Odegaard and the penalty miss – those misses can’t be pinned on MA, but the style of play is 100% down to him.
I cannot think of any other top flight manager, playing against ten men for 60 minutes, who would not have changed tactics (such as they were) and go all out.
Sorry Mikel, but it’s going from bad to worse and the NL derby must surely be one that you have to get right?
Ken – MA has micro managed this team to a point that it collapses whenever one piece is missing. His obsession with heavy possession and sideway passing, you can tell thag he prefers not to lose than winning. Alot is asked of our wingers because both of our fullback are inverted. They is no overlap and everything is played infront of opposition. My fear is that even he managed to get a top striker, he will micro manage him and make him completely toothless.
Like he did to Auba ,because let’s be honest his scoring record before Arteta showed up was brilliant .
But his discipline wasn’t and both MA and Aubemeyang have made it clear that was the issue.
Nothing to do with his goals, as MA had made him captain of course.
MA’s mistake was not replacing him before he let him go.
How was his discipline before Arteta rocked up ?
We all know if a player had or as a bigger ego than Arteta that is the end of them .
His discipline was a cause for concern with UE and his previous clubs as well.
Look it up DK and you’ll see.
Where I do agree with you, however, us his treatment of Ozil… but over time, I do believe that particular case was driven from above and MA went along with it…. which is just as bad in my opinion.
I agree with you about Ozil treatment, but he was no angel himself as much as I liked him. He was a troublemaker and perhaps the biggest of them all who pushed Emery out.
And we cannot credit Arteta for improving discipline because he did no such thing. That is a made-up thing. All he did was convince the owners to take a loss and remove those players.
To improve discipline is to make undisciplined players disciplined. Did Arteta do that?
Ken1945,
With the questions you’ve just asked, maybe the answer is that Arteta isn’t up to the job with the decisions he’s making.
And then the question is what should the club do, blindly go along with the way Arteta is putting out his team selections and their pragmatic tactics, or doe’s the owner have to make a big decision and decide enough is enough and make a change.
Which also begs the question, should he do it now, or at the end of the season.
Ibrahim, it’s looking that way isn’t it?
Derek, but you didn’t answer my question!!
Mr Kronkie acted on the performances he saw over the last two seasons and most of the footballing world expected a similar set of results this season.
Injuries, refereeing decisions, fixtures and, most of all, the managers decisions have seen the complete opposite.
After getting MA to agree a new contract deal, I can’t see Mr Kronkie doing anything but see this season out, especially as the two major trophies, PL and CL, still to play for.
Ken1945,
Premier League and Champions League, don’t even go there. 🙄🤦♂️
Why not Derek?
Ken1945,
You’ll see come the end of the season.
👍ken1945
Spot on Ken.
Ken the player are micro managed to the nth degree. There is no fluidity and freedom. I really can not find an excuse or excuse Arteta for bringing on Partey and putting him at RB. Anywhere, anyone, but RB? What was that all about? We are getting too predictable an the players also. They look robotic and look like they don’t want make a mistake. And guess what, they do. Where is the kitchen sink football that wins you games. Where is the match winner, you turn too (i dont mean saka) i mean the talisman striker. We are and have been stale for a few months now. I think we are getting to the point of season over in February, March.
Reggie, I agree with you and tgars why I asked the question is he losing the players?
But,,, and it is a really big but.. the players tonight let him down big time.
Rice, Odegaard, Havertz all missed golden opportunities to put this game to bed and yet it’s all about MA!!
If we are to be critical, then let’s do it in a mature and sensible way.
Ok ken, i will be mature. A proper striker is greedy and wants to score. Haverz and Jesus are never ever proper greedy strikers. And our football is too predictable. Alluding to your earlier comment, we are not in contention for the league and we need a large miracle for the CL. We are not good enough, even with a 100% full team.
My mature wording was not the best and I hope you didn’t take it the wrong way. I think you did 🤔 Probably should have just said in a sensible way?!
I agree about strikers being greedy.
Do you agree that MA was let down by his forward players tonight?
Not at all Ken, I am always mature.
Ken, the problem is we are defending even before the start of the game. Looking at our midfielder they are all of defending tactics. I don’t know what to say about yesterday. Everything was poor
Why is Arsenal not buying a striker????
Wheres all the conspiracy theories when decisions go our way
I said it for years , we won’t win title under this ownership
I also write last year signing Havertz will cost us everything
Shame on the arrogant Gooners who have fallen for the Koronke buisness model
Dan, there was no VAR for the referees to use against us mate.
The two yellows were straightforward, as was the penalty.
I find your refusal to answer the double standards of Mr Oliver in our city games, along with his
record when refereeing city as very telling.
As for the owner, how, exactly, was Kronkie responsible for what went on during the game?
Did he miss the penalty, or any of the chances?
Did he decide the tactics or style of play?
Why is it “arrogant” to support an owner who has given £700 million plus to improve the squad?
Was it Havertz who cost us everything? What about Rice and Odegaard…. or even the manager himself?
Yes the Kroenke business model and their apparent ambition is an issue. They will be content with the revenues as the ground is full every game with season ticket waiting list plus money from the CL from getting in top four of PL etc.
I don’t expect any change unless we finish outside top 4 and then that will trigger something as the revenues will begin to fall. The fans can protest all we like but the power is in the hands of the players. Lose games, lose the dressing room , lose more games and the manager is gone.
If anyone were to defend Arteta, please tell me why Havertz was allowed to continue playing as Timber was sent out, to be replaced by Partey, when the problem was in midfield and attack and not defence.
Why has it not dawned on this rookie manager, that Partey is good for Arsenal in the midfield and not right back? It is painful, for those who have supported this club, since the good old days of Wenger, to see a clueless manager, by the name of Arteta; one whose inferiority complex makes him fear managing good players.
Jagombe,
Well said. 👍
I suppose the answer to that is Partey replaced a RB. Looking at the bench, who would you have replaced Timber with? Jorginho went off injured as did Jesus. Surely Arteta would have had at least one eye on the match on Wednesday night and was trying to manage the minutes bearing in mind the schedule is manic
SueP, but if he’d played him in his best position in the first place, rather than leave him and Rice on the bench, perhaps the game would have been won by then.
There really is no excuse to play one of the best midfield players in the PL at RB against ten men.. in my opinion.
Ken1945
Are you suggesting that Arteta should have put his best available 11 out and then taken them off if the game was won, so to speak? I have always thought that was the best idea, as long as the best 11 can get the job done. Looking at the team this afternoon, I thought Arteta wanted to be as competitive as he could, but also allow breathing space for the Spurs match. The bench wasn’t exactly brimming by this time, so the options were limited. Wasn’t it Jorginho who went off injured? Tbh I can’t remember who Rice replaced – was it Merino?
Yes SueP, that’s what I would have done.
Our strongest eleven from the start, kill the game off and then rest those players MA believes are needed for the NL derby.
That begs the question Ken1945, do you think that the strongest available team could have dispatched Utd by scoring enough goals to have beaten them into submission thus ending a possible revival? I hate to use injuries as the proverbial excuse, but they are definitely racking up and I’m beginning to think that they will have a defining effect on the season.
I believe so, especially as the sending off would have put even more pressure on them.
The injuries are becoming unsustainable in my opinion and I have never known anything quite like this (at least not that I can remember at this moment in time!) and I’ll be amazed if we don’t sign at least two players and not necessarily i
a goalscorer either.
Sue why play a RB. Utd were down to 10 men and were there for the taking. In that situation did we need a midfielder at RB? My answer would be, no. They were playing with 1 striker, why did we need 4 defenders? Total lack of know how.
I think I was trying to point out that by the time Timber went off, there really wasn’t much choice from the bench. Please explain to me {nicely} what Arteta should have done differently under the circumstances. Both Jesus and Jorginho went off (injured)
To try and win the game?
And play Partey higher up the pitch.
In his best position.
I understand that thanks.
Who would you have replaced Timber with and what would you have done tactically to ensure that a breakaway could be contained?
Sue utd were down to ten men, we didn’t need 4 at the back. I had no problem with Partey coming on but put him in midfield play with 3 at the back. We should have been solid to defend with Rice, Joughino, Partey, Gabriel and Saliba. It wasn’t a case of worrying about a break away, it was a case of worrying and having the confidence and skill to win it. We needed to score, not worry about utd. They were putting on youngsters and anyone they could get their hands on.
Agree 3 at the back, One option- bring on Tierney (who has played in a 3 for Scotland) on LHS of 3 with GM and Saliba . Pushed MLS into midfield ( his natural position) in front of . LLS is more than capable of filling in behind Tierney if went on an overlap run. Then later have the option of bringing on Partey for Jorginho or MLS if struggling.
Of course playing 3 at the back would be a change to normal formation (injuries are preventing this being effective) and would involve Tierney who Arteta dismisses. The risk is that it would backfire and Arteta would get flak, so we are stuck with a coach who is very good at what he knows that works 99% of the time but plays safe and doesn’t have the x-faxtor to get us over the line- a bit like Gareth Southgate.
That was never a penalty,disgraceful dive by Havertz
The red card ,he touched the ball
Jesus going down when he was ment to have been elbowed,replays showed he didn’t even touch him .
The ref favoured us today ,that was obvious to see .
As for question to Dan about did he miss the chances ,no he didn’t but he signed the players who did .
That was ment as a reply to Ken .
So every time a player makes a mistake, it’s the manager who signed him at fault then DK?
Interesting thought 🤔
By the way, Saliba touched ball against Brighton and was sent off – you agreed with that decision, or have I got that one wrong?
And no sailboat did t touch the ball ,the Brighton player hit it against him ,completely different situations .
That’s not the point of the post ,we had the rub of the green toady and still couldn’t win regarding the ref .
Saliba *
I love sailboat 😂😂
The ball and Sailboat connected, so no penalty in my book… we agree to disagree.
I agree we still couldn’t best ten men, but how many clear cut chances and / or penalties did Arteta miss?
Ken1945,
A manager takes the credit when his player does something good. It works both ways.
But I haven’t seen you give the manager any credit at all, so it seems like a one way street to me.
Arteta signed Havertz and put him up front ,so who’s fault is that .
Who is The Arsenal top goalscorer this season?
MA signed him.
I could t tell you and Without looking I would say gabriel 😂
Havertz and who’s fault is that?
Well Ken, that probably because he is playing striker, so should score some. Its the fact he isn’t a striker and is way down in the Premier league list of this seasons goalscorers. If tonight didn’t rubber stamp the fact he is NOT a striker then, my name is Michael Caine.
Not a lot of people knew that Reggie – now you’ve blown your cover, can you answer my question… did the players let Arteta down in front of goal, including Havertz of course?
Havertz did let the team down as did a few others but he is not striker ,why don’t we have a natural goalscorer in the team ,we let a youngster go last year to Austria for 2 million and now he’s just got a big move to Monaco for 15 million being the top scorer in the league .
So I say again who’s fault is it we do not have a striker in the team because havertz is not and will never be one .
I think the front 3 and Odergaard let the team down.
Reggie,
Not a lot of people know that.🤣😂😉👍
So uhhh, was it the ball this time too Mikel?
It was a Man utd ball, so probably that was the reason it was so bouncy.
Maybe the white kits threw us off? The poles are out of alignment? The grass too long?
😂👌
Emcc,
I think that in the dressing room after the game, some of the players may just try to use that as an excuse.
They see the manager try it the other day, and they might think that they’ll give it a go. 😂🤣😉👍
I think, on today’s performance, most players need excuses for their performance, just as the manager does.
🤔🤔🤔👌👌👌
Maybe our spikes were too long? Or perhaps not long enough? Did the team chefs change out the cream cheese on our pre-match bagels?
But come to think of this, what do ‘Airpod’ Albert and the other assistants tell Arteta?
Are they sincere with him at all?
Or is his mind completely clouded by his arrogance and stubbornness that he doesn’t listen to advice?
Or maybe they’re all just a bunch of mediocres, barring the set piece coach. Just maybe.
I’m just wondering.
Good question Twinlights, what do you think?
Honestly, the true situation of things with those assistants is anybody’s guess, as outsiders.
My mind is tilting towards Arteta’s nature of being too rigid and self opinionated (stubborn/arrogance if you like).
But at the end of the day, they may not know better themselves.
I just feel this group of guys should be doing far better.
So do I and let’s remember they are all MA’s picks.
I remember how MA was congratulated for his strength when he was “purging” the club of those undesirable, self centres trouble makers he inherited.
It now seems his strength is being seen as arrogance and stubbornness (not having a go at you here).
It’s a funny old game! /
To spend 700m but not fill the most obvious gap was a gamble. The gamble has backfired (to no one’s surprise) which in most jobs would be fatal. They look over-coached, micro-managed, and increasingly scared to lose. The team is fast going backwards and they are losing the fans. Hard to imagine the owners, who have fully delivered by backing him with money, persevering into next year without a stunning turnaround.
👏
Sensible post .
If they are scared to lose it should have made them try harder to score more goals
Sue, what he is saying is, the whole philosophy is to not give the ball away, so if its safer to pass it sideways or backwards thats what we do. We slow it down to try and control it. Its safe football. But the problem is, its not safe anymore. We try to set traps but we are being trapped.
That ciresect summary begs the question, Reggie, why on earth did MA change the style and tactics?
Problem is Reggie we spend 3-4 minutes on taking free kicks and corners and don’t get me started on throw ins .
I honestly thought the 4th official was going to hold up the time added on at the end of the first half with about 2 hours extra time .
It’s honestly pathetic how much time we waste ,especially when it leads to nothing .
Reggie,
I understand your point and the free flowing football has disappeared in a puff of smoke this season. I think you can put part of it down to Arteta’s philosophy, part down to not being able to field a settled team at all, but at the proverbial end of the day, there were many clear chances that had us all with our heads in our hands. It would be a sorry tale if Arteta didn’t realise the shortcomings in front of goal. So yes, there is the patient build up (boring of course) but when the breakthrough comes it really needs finishing off and that hasn’t happened in the last few games.
Because Arteta doesn’t think we need a striker.
Well Reggie, On the basis of last season, we had a very healthy goal tally so there wasn’t the same pressure on getting a striker even though it was widely reported that Arteta was keen to line one up last season
Perhaps Arsenal supporters should stop the micro analysis after each game. It gets pored over in minute detail repeatedly. On yesterday’s showing, the forward line were pony and Utd defended better than we did which is about the only good thing I could say about them…. Apart from scoring penalties that is
There is no suggestion that Arteta thinks we do not need a striker.
Unfortunately, we are now back to blaming Arteta every time a player stubs a toe.
Arteta has said himself, he doesn’t think a striker would have made any difference. Stop making things up to suit David. Its embarrassing.
Well Reggie the sensible among us said we need a striker for plan B because the tactical approach we had two seasons before was bound to fail at some point when opponents figured us out.
The unfairly labelled anti Arteta are always proven right time after time 5 years on and still going and the opposite is true.
We are HH. I am pro Arsenal by the way🤣🤣🤣🤣
Whenever I saw the team selection today, I feared for the worst.A midfield four, which includes young MS,, completely lacking in pace was asking for trouble and so it proved.The emphasis and time being spent at set pieces is having an impact on the speed and fluency of our play and in my opinion this is affecting the confidence of our players .This stop start football is playing into the hands of our opponents who are able to regroup and regain their shape when the game is suspended for our laborious set piece preparations.It has got to change and there is only one man who can make it happen.Please change your tactics MA or the season will fall apart big time.
Grandad when i saw that line up, i thought it was poor but it wasn’t the line-up that was the problem. It was tactics, the lack of a striker and poor game management. We were not beaten because of the starters.
Reggie, this is where I disagree with you.
Some players were at fault.
Rice, Odegaard, Havertz all missed golden opportunities including penalties.
MA isn’t responsible for professional footballers of that calibre missing such chances, yet it all seems to be about MA.
But we didn’t get beat because the line up was poor.
We lost because we failed to score simple chances from at least three players who cost around the £200 million mark.
And that Ken.
I think the football being served up since the Rice sending off, is the most boring and soul destroying rubbish since the days of Billy Wright Grandad. I’m worried that, both the fans and players will turn against him, especially if the NL derby is lost.
Mikel Arteta has been given enough time. It’s true he has rebuilt the club to one of the top teams. But he’s not the right person to win tittles for the club. ARTETA OUT
Seems crazy to suggest that a striker should be protected from taking a pen but Havertz looked shot walking up to the spot. Hindsight is easy but he should never have been tasked with a pen.
Your thoughts on Odegaard then re the penalty miss?
Odegaard looks just as timid in front of goal as the rest of them at the moment. I guess someone had to take them!
Yup
I agree with that. He had a bad day.
Havertz does not take many penalties but his record up till now has been excellent.
David,
Unfortunately not when it mattered it wasn’t.
The team definitely is going backwards individually and collectively. Most players with the exception of the 2 CB and GK are not to last years standards.
What has contributed to that IMO is a shift in basic philosophy where we defend and posses more and therefore the freedom to play is inhibited. Arteta is outing a mental brake on the group and the fact he does not recognize that or chooses to ignore will escalate to a major issue.
players want freedom and joy and both are not evident in this group any longer.
We can individually isolate simple facts like Havertz whiffing on clear cut chances for the last 2 years or Martinelli not been able to dribble even past DeLight but maybe those are the symptoms and not the disease.
Absolutely spot on CF with your overall assessment.
It is by isolating individual errors tonight, however, that the blame for this defeat doesn’t just rest solely on MA.
Ken he has brought the club back to the levels we need to be and I was very skeptical about MA before but truthfully he is been either naive now or unfortunately does not have the capacity to go another level.. I never watch his interviews now because he sounds ridiculous first with the ball excuse and today he said we only loose 1 game per thousand when we play like this. I do like managers to stand by the group but this is almost insulting to the opponent and to the fans.
Did you see Barca today put 5 past Real?
What chance do we have in the only competition we are still in?
No, I didn’t see the Barca game, sounds like a spectacular one though.
At this moment in time, we can’t even beat a team with ten men for 60 minutes, so I take your point.
Here’s mine though – if we draw ANY club in the CL and we have a full squad to choose from (no injuries or suspensions) and MA let’s them play as they did last season, I see no reason why we cannot win any two legged tie.
MA is in danger of undoing all his hard work and success this season and, for the life of me, cannot understand what he is doing.
Where is the fluent, motivated football. I dream of strikers up to the level of Alexis Sanchez, Robin Van Persie. We don’t even have a real striker…and Arteta can’t see it, yet we’ve needed one forever.
Obviously the buck stops with the manager, but it’s such a cheap shot from his critics to pin this defeat on him.
We dominated the game, and for once, created so many chances to score. This one is on the players.
Some will argue, well a top striker or winger would have scored those chances (whom we should have signed in the summer), but that is an irrelevant point in the context of this game, because a Sunday league player should have scored the chances we had. How can missing an open goal be on the manager?
Of course we need a top striker and another winger, but do we honestly think Arteta DIDN’T also want that in the summer? It was more to do with our owners and PSR last summer.
Then we have to mention the injuries yet again. Cala out, Jesus stretched off, Jorginho had to also go off. It’s the worst injury crisis I have ever seen. It’s delusional to think we can keep winning games, with so many out, so many half fit, and barely a chance to rest anyone.
All that said, if Arsenal don’t do some serious business this month, then the wheels will well and truly fall off. We are beyond stretched at the moment with the injuries, and given Jesus’s record, that could be him done for the season, as is most probably the case also with Saka.
Yes Lucy78
Unfortunately your observations fall on deaf ears.
Absolutely Lucy78 – they are the points I’ve been trying to make all evening and I’m not even an “Arteta fanboy”.
Like you, I am not a fanboy, just trying to have an objective view of the current season.
Yes it was poor attacking planning back in the summer, and an issue tactically in some games this season, but I don’t understand how some refuse to also accept the problems that a huge injury crisis and suspensions have caused us.
If Salah missed half a season, do people think Liverpool would be doing so well? Can people not see that world player of year Rodri’s absence is causing huge problems for City?
It baffles me!
Trying to take an objective and balanced view is generally interpreted as being an “apologist” or Arteta fan something or other by some on this site.
Some of us have noted the limitations that we have in terms of creativity and striker options. This is likely to be due to several factors but certain fans are not happy unless we blame everything on Arteta.
But trying to defend a statement about the ball makes even the most ardent of those who see both sides think some people cannot admit Arteta has got things wrong.
David 👍 Many times I don’t even read the comments any longer for the reason you mentioned. The arrogant statements made by those purported Gooners with closed minds who never bother to fathom the possibility of the coin having two sides when it comes to anything Arsenal (obviously including MA) is very annoying. I find many of the opinion and news articles on JA to be very good and sometimes enlightening but that’s becoming more and more the only benefit I find in coming to this website.
It doesn’t baffle me in the slightest Lucy78 and here’s why:
It is very difficult, as human beings, to admit that we, sometimes, get our views and opinions wrong.
Yesterday was the ideal opportunity to hang everything on MA and, with a lot of justification, some went for it hammer and tongs!!
His tactics, style, team selection and substitutions were all up for scrutiny and he got all four wrong in my opinion.
.
But what those fans, who can only see one side of the coin, refuse to admit is that MA was missing so many first eleven players before and during the match – why would they, as it would weaken their argument!
We all know who was missing at the end of the game, yet they refuse to see what’s in front of their noses!!
Who knows what squad MA will have acai for the NL derby, but we can all be absolutely certain it won’t be the one he would like to have.
I continue to sit on the fence regarding MA, but refuse to put blinkers on one way or the other.
At the end of the season is the time I will climb off the wall, as six years and five phases is, surely, long enough to judge him…. But, of course, if our injuries still keep being an issue, shouldn’t we also take that into consideration?
Time to make him “just” the manager and not Jack of all trades and master of none might also help.
I find it VERY telling that not one of the “Arteta out brigade” has replied to your original post – it was perfectly put together and, in my opinion, one of the best I’ve read regarding Mikel Arteta.
I would have replied but she repeats the same nonsense every post ,carbon copy of what she wrote last time so no point in replying,hope that answers your question Ken ,for me anyway .
Because injuries don’t explain the tactics , the side way passing and how slow we are
We didn’t have a shot on a target till they were down to 10 men
Dan, iof course injuries have a lot to do with tactics and I’m amazed you think otherwise!!
So Saka being injured doesn’t change our tactic of using the right side as our main outlet of attack?
It’s the STYLE of play that affects the number of shots, sideways, backward, slow, time wasting, numb chilling robotic c**p that every player seems to have been drilled into them that is the problem at the moment.
But your question asked was why no anti Arteta fan had not replied to her post ,like I said she repeats the same thing everytime (not the only one ).
Ofc injuries have an impact but every teams have them ,not sure what’s so special about ours ,”oh I do it’s just another excuse “
DK, Liverpool had injuries (a lot) at the beginning ofcthe season but quickly put daylight between us. They managed their injuries. They were without their no 1 keeper, first choice CB, Central midfielder and striker. It made no difference because they adapted. We don’t. EVERY team has to deal with injuries, we use ours as an excuse all the time. DEAL WITH IT BETTER.
“Of course we need a top striker and another winger, but do we honestly think Arteta DIDN’T also want that in the summer? It was more to do with our owners and PSR last summer.”
We started the season with 2 options at CF, one is a makeshift striker really, and the other has really struggled with goals, form and injuries – rather than trying to address that, we signed a central midfielder (possibly prompted by his sub performances at the euros) and a left back – the former probably wasn’t needed based on last season’s form, the latter arguably was, though he’s already been halfway usurped by MLS.
You can’t use the money excuse when we spent decent money in other areas. Ok, we couldn’t get a bone fide world class striker (difficult to do that at the best of times), but we could have picked out someone who might have that level of potential, at least to provide an option. I’m sure he’d have been criticised if it didn’t work out perfectly, but at least it would have signalled he recognised where there might be a problem.
👍Lucy78
Lucy78…How nice to read a sensible balanced comment about the game and our problems this season.
Realistically, I just cannot see us winning the EPL, so that leaves the UCL which is problematic considering our terrible European form over the generations. I fear winning nothing for the past 3 seasons could have a negative effect on the players’ confidence. I’m not playing the blame game neither am I being an apologist for MA because, now, after over 5 years and high spending HIS team has been found wanting. His worst mistake has been Havertz and the colossal amount spent on a player who was never going to be a top player, his Chelsea record was there to see. This is not an after the event comment, I can remember posting a similar response on JA after bought him from Chelsea. He is definitely not and never will be a clinical finisher, neither is Jesus. I believe the end of this season will be a pivotal one for MA. Even then you have to ask the question, who is going to replace him? Haven’t seen many suggestions though!!!
The point about us making loads of chances – wasn’t this mostly after the sending off? Wasn’t the game quite even until then, with us trailing? Would we have equalised if it had stayed 11 Vs 11? Could utd have scored again?
You can say people are exaggerating that we failed to score a winner against 10 men because we did make plenty of chances, but that still doesn’t mean everything was fine apart from finishing. There’s still a problem here.
Davi,
I’d say that Utd were pretty poor apart from the build up and taking of their goal plus their ability to defend a dire return from the chances created for which Arsenal should have won comfortably. The slow build up is never pretty to watch repeatedly, but it wasn’t the defining factor. Missing gilt edged chances were
For all the flack Arsenal get for time wasting, Utd were masters of the art yesterday, committing plenty of petty fouls which disrupted play and rhythm as well.
I don’t think arsenal would be taking flack for time wasting and dark arts if we were only doing it in situations where we’re down to 10 men against stronger teams – we’ve been doing it against everyone.
I was only trying to get across that it’s not just Arsenal
In any case having been at the game an seeing an overall view of it all, Utd were only doing what every team tries to get away with and believe me, it was happening throughout and not just when they got the red card. I only mentioned it because they were at it all the time and we give our players a beating over it
Fair enough, but I think the criticism is more around us wanting to be champions and not acting like it.
The ball used in the match was too round and too bouncy…..that we were not used to it..
Now we can win all the European cup 😂
Some people are living in dreamland. They think just by waving a magic wand a top quality stricker will suddenly appear mid season. I can only think of one that is premier league proven, however he has been priced out of our market and we all know of the pifalls of purchasing strickers from other leagues especially in the January transfer window. Besides we have scored more goals then most othet clubs in the EPL this season. It maybe a blessing in disguise to be out of the cups. Concentrate on the EPL and UCL, get all players back fit and go for a stricker in the winter.
The injury crisis has plagued us all season. New signing, Merino, was out for a month following a training ground accident and this was swiftly followed by Odegaard. White, who I think is grossly undervalued, was a bit part player until the injury he suffered required surgery and the loss of Saka is pretty much the final straw. Of course there have been others on the treatment bench – Calafiori, Gabriel, Sterling, Timber and Jesus
Looking at who was available on the start sheet, it just showed the lack of depth there now is. We are apparently overcrowded with defensive options but over several games earlier in the season had to play with a makeshift arrangement and a fit defence didn’t do themselves proud against Newcastle
Being out of a competition is a miserable feeling but the way things are going even if we had beaten Utd, I don’t think we could have got much further. The loss to Newcastle hurts more than this one. So close to a Wembley final
It’s easy to overlook that despite these circumstances, we have maintained a decent position in the league
Injuries have been a significant issue since last season but have escalated dramatically.
People forget that we didn’t have Timber for almost the whole of last season and both Zinchenko and Tomiyasu were in and out partly due to injuries. Kiwior was used at times but is clearly not the best at LB. Most of our senior LB options have had injury problems over the last 2 seasons hence the need to strengthen in this area.
This season we have regularly been near the top of the injury league table and this is bound to have an effect on performances.
Liverpool had Kelerher, Konate, Diaz, Jota and Bradley out plus 1 more, in the first 2 months of the season. For a few weeks all 6. They managed. We didn’t. No excuses. Thats what top managers do.
After calming down, even as I’m one of those saying “Arteta out”, is there a good coach out there? Wouldn’t it be safer to give him a last chance? I sincerely don’t know. I’m confused
Edu and Arteta – They preferred Havertz to Isak.. This says it all..
We need a striker and a whole change of the system.
How can soo many players be this terrible in front of goal at the same time? Havertz we know he has good days and very bad days. This was a nightmare game fr him and he will get most of the blame but it’s not just him though. Odegaard missed a damn pen and other chances, Rice missed multiple sitters, we know about jesus finishing and Martinelli been misfiring for a year.
Gyokeres.
kvaratskhelia. Odegaard. J. Bakayoko.
Rice. Partey.
Skelly. Gabriel. Saliba. Timber.
Raya.
Apart from the mistake in defense to give untd their goal, I thought we played well but toothless. How many more time will we dominate teams only to fall short due to our lack of goal threat. Granted we created many, many chances but surely a recognised striker would have buried at least one of our guilt edge chances. Having Havertz as our no. 9 shows Arteta’s shortcomings and unfortunately , it will cost us dearly as it has for the past two years and now a third
no need to sign anyone now we have nothing to play for till next season and we can throw away any plans to extend stadium to as we will have plenty of empty seats watching from this on