Arsenal seem to be incapable of attacking or playing as a team

Arsenal struggling with same old problems again. by Konstantin Mitov

Well lovely Arsenal people. here we are again. It’s a global pandemic, yet Arsenal still manage to be up there with the most depressing things you can imagine. We are playing Wolverhampton at home and we are beaten again, but what really hurts is again our style of play.

After our Villa defeat, Arteta said we didn’t play as a team and today that was evident again. And it wasn’t just sloppy passes and lack of concentration. Our players have the ball and they look around and there’s nobody to pass it to. It doesn’t look like we’ve trained in ways to attack and how to break the opposition up.

We’re heavily relying on individual brilliance to give us something, but the players lack confidence and it’s evident. Our midfield is a huge problem. Xhaka and Ceballos were non-existent again. There isn’t much to say here, those players are as good as a relegation midfield. We should’ve sold Xhaka when he flipped the fans, and we went for Ceballos on the cheap and you can see it.

It was too easy to move the ball through us. In the first half we were defending with 11 men in our own half. Even that didn’t help us, as we were stretched on the wings and the goals we conceded were shocking. Leno for me should be dropped. His positioning was extremely poor on the first goal, and he never managed to recover, but the second was truly pathetic. He should’ve saved, then we should’ve cleared it, but instead we let them score, because they wanted it more.

I don’t think the players we have play for the shirt or the manager, no matter what they say. Arteta doesn’t seem to trust them either, with constant rotations and change of rotations which seem to confuse the players more than help them. They shouldn’t be spared the criticism though.

Even if we aren’t playing well I expect to see a fight from them. Where is Aubameyang when you need a captain? Give a rallying cry, show some energy, be a leader. I didn’t see one player who gave me confidence he can make something happen.

This is the first time ever in the 15+ years I’ve followed Arsenal, where we are just incapable of attacking. If we count our goal as one from a set piece, we’ve not scored from open play in probably close to 10 hours now. Last season we had 16 points after 10 games with a goal difference of +1. Now we have 13 and a negative goal difference of -2.

The way I see it, either the club is willing to heavily back Arteta in January, or he’ll be gone soon. There have been times where I felt we needed just those one or two players to make us a really good team, but now I can’t see how one player will suddenly change the atmosphere around the club.

Football is an unforgiving industry where mistakes are heavily paid for, and we should think very carefully how much we’re willing to invest into the Edu-Arteta pair and then if we chose to opt for a new manager, not just cheap out, but bring someone in who is up to the task at hand – and it’s a steep mountain to climb.

Konstantin

Tags arsenal v wolves

108 Comments

  1. I hope all those who slated Emery now realise the errors of their ways (I’m talking to you Dan kit).

    I wrote just after the loss to villa that Arsenal’s problem is systemic in nature and as much as I wouldn’t want to go back talking about the wenger era, I strongly believe he left a little too late and the general culture and mentality at Arsenal from the top(kroenke) to bottom is piss poor which screams negligence. Players are paid heavy wages for shitty performances and they absolutely do not care. All they do in training is joke around. Lose a match and they’re back in the bus joking and laughing.
    We need a complete turnaround in mentality. In the words of Troy deeney, the entirety of Arsenal football club lack cojones. He wasn’t wrong. We have overplayed and overpampered primadonnas from top to bottom. That’s the culture guendouzi met and why he can tell the Brighton players he earns more money than they do.

    1. Let me also ask if there’s a golden rule that says Aubameyang can’t be subbed or dropped? I’m one of his biggest fans but he’s disappointed me since signing his contract. Also he’s not captain material, give that to a more vocal person who can motivate the team on the pitch. Who else saw how the wolves’ captain gathered his team mates in a circle and was talking to them before the match? Have u ever seen that from Auba? No wonder we lost. Can’t have a captain who is flopping and is not vocal too.

        1. And yet most folks didn’t appreciate Guendouzi’s “hotheadedness”.

          There was too much focus on judging a single incident by a teenager and backing the manager, rather than recognize how that hotheaded attitude can be channeled positively for the team’s benefit. We all love smiley, weak players.

          1. Spot on, Maxis.. and that was one of the things I loved about him, at least he cared and the disappointment was always etched on his face after a defeat…

        2. Spot on Sue, we lack fighters and the players play with absolutely no motivation. We need something to change at Arsenal. Maybe we should not be too concerned about big name signings anymore. Just players who are willing to prove a point and fight for the badge in every way possible.

      1. i AGREE WITH YOU. RIGHT NOW I WOULD MAKE GABRIEL THE CAPTAIN.

        BUT THEN AGAIN, WHAT SYSTEM IS ARTETA PLAYING EXACTLY? IM CONFUSED

      2. I agree Auba should not be captain. A captain should be vocal and telling players when they are not performing. Let him concentrate on his job of scoring goals. Could you imagine McLintock or Adams putting up with recent performances without trying to gee the players up.

      3. could not agree more Sue, give the captain to David Louise, replace Leno, and do the same to Xhaka as Ozil, get rid of him or bench him

    2. I fully agree with your comments, the only question is where the solution is going to come from. Is this what we will always be subjected to as Arsenal fans?

    3. Why do you need to bring my name up again ?
      I have no problem remembering what I’ve said ,I don’t need some little school boy with a chip on his shoulder reminding me of it .

      1. Well, you can eat an humble pie and admit when you’re wrong. I mentioned you personally because I’ve never seen anyone slate Emery on here as much as you do. Reality Dawns on you now and YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

        1. I wouldn’t bother Kstix. According to the likes of Dan kit, and Ken1945, Wenger left us in a great position, and is not responsible for any of our problems, even though they’re well over a decade in the making!

    4. @Kstix.
      Very much in agreement with you.
      A cultural and mental problem above all, and it does have it’s roots in the last few Wenger years.
      If there is no clear direction and demand for results and no one is held accountable, it means nobody takes responsibility. No manager, no CEO’s and no players do it.

    5. Arsene Wenger left over 2 yrs ago, KSE took full control about 3yrs ago.

      our problems have worsened since AW left and KSE had full control but somehow it is AW fault that he left the club too late?

      AW KSE decided to hire and sack Raul, over pay for Pepe, Dennis Saurez, Willian 3 yr deal, sacking all our scouts, 55 employees sacked, leaks to the press, club heading in know clear direction?
      Think people need to rethink the source pf the problems here.

      1. Since AW left, we have had a completely new backroom set up, from scouting to medical, to players, to boardroom, to manager /coach and even our mascot!!!

        Yet the easy way out is to keep blaming Arsene and not address the CURRENT problem.

        The only so called “deadwood” left is Mustafi, as MA persuaded Xhaka to stay and the player he bought to replace Bellerin, hasn’t!!!

        How much longer are fans going to hide behind the “it’s all down to Wenger” claim?

        Please try and come up with something more original that can actually pass scrutiny – this current situation has happened on MA’s watch as he himself has stated!!!

        1. Sir, who hired Ozil and hiked his wages, signed Lacazette, Kolasinac, Chambers (forever injured), then we have Mustafi, Xhaka, Elneny, these are seven Champuonship players at best.
          Mikel is responsible for Luiz , Willian and Cabellos loan deal.

          1. Yeah cause Edus and Rauls signings have seen do what??

            name a player that is not a AW signing that has done well?

            What are the best performing players that have been bought after AW?

            Leno maybe?? Gabrielle has had handfull of games.

            2 yrs 4 transfer windows, over 200 million not spent by AW but yet its his fault and not KSE that sanactioned all this. Make it make sense.

            Who ever spent the 200 or so mill that we have spent since AW left has a lot to answer for.

          2. Loose Cannon, who was responsible for the tactics a nd team selections yesterday?

            On to your players and other questions.
            AW signed Ozil and his contract extension was agreed under the reign of gazidis, who took over the contract and salary negotiations from AW in January 2018.
            MA has decided to sideline his services, while the club are, reportedly, saving money, as part of the contract included number of games played.

            Bellerin – if he is a championship player, what has happened to the player MA signed to take his place,. Soares?
            Bellerin’s market value today is £28,000,000 cost £1,000,000 including add ons. Signed July 2011

            Lacs – still scored the most goals for the club this season and he is certainly not earning £300,000 a week…that reported sum was negotiated for Aubameyang by MA and Edu.
            market value £37,800,000 cost £46,500,000. Signed July2017

            Kolasinac – Tierney brought in before MA took over to replace him. Kolse has twice won player of the month in August and November 2017.
            market value today £9,000,000 Cost Free Transfer. Signed June 2017.

            Chambers – Received his first England International after joining the club and was named as part of the “Team of the Tournament ” when England Under 21’s were victorious in the 2016 Toulon competition – injuries have hampered his career…are you suggesting that AW, UE and MA should have known that would happen?
            market value £13,100,000 cost £18,210,000. Signed July 2014.

            Xhaka – agreed a move to Hertha Berlin for a reported £35,000,000 and said goodbye to his Arsenal team mates…only for MA to persuade him to stay , as he saw him as a vital part of his team.
            Market value £25,200,000 cost around £30,000,000 Signed May 2016.

            Elneny – came back from his loan spell and was immediately part of MA’s midfield, performing a great partnership with Partey until HIS injury –
            Market value £6,300,000 cost £5,000,000. Signed January 2016.

            Mustafi – The one player who, it seems has not impressed MA and is believed to be leaving in the summer.
            Market value £10,800,000 cost £36,900,000. Signed August 2016.

            Luiz – cost the club a reported £24,000,000 current value £5,400,00

            Willian – cost the club a signing on fee of £10,000,000 to be included in his three year “250,000 a week salary current value £17,100,000

            Ceballos – second season on loan, despite stating on many occasions that his dream club is RM and he intends to go back there.
            Our club paid £15,000,000 for his first loan deal and agreed to pay his full 6,500,000 euro full salary for thus season.

            Saliba – a name you forgot to mention, but who MA, for whatever reason, does not seem to reckon good enough to replace Luiz, Mustafi or Holding cost the club £27,000,000 and is valued at £20,200,000.

            Now, I won’t go into such players as Lichsteiner, Sokratis and Suarez, all signed since AW left, but I will leave you to work out what the players you describe as championship players versus the ones I would describe as chelsea pensioners signed by MA compare and what length of service we have had or expect to haver from them and the layout made by the club.

            Of course, it is of total irrelevance to the non descript garbage we witnessed on Sunday and that is why I question the importance of harping back to AW.

          3. What will you say about the worst midfielder xhaka who in most of his passes his backward, cannot dribble or launch a counter attack

            1. I would listen to what MA said about him, question why he talkedd him out of leaving the club and then put the onus on MA and Xhaka to prove they were right – why do YOU think MA wanted to keep him?

      2. Don’t bother, they’re too dumb to understand.

        Wenger will be a scapegoat for morons for years to come. And no facts, statistics etc are going to change their minds.

      3. KSE HAD EFFECTIVE FULL CONTROL THE DAY THEY BOUGHT IN BACK IN 2007.SO DON;T KID YOUSELF THEIR POWER ONLY BEGAN THREE YEARS AGO. THAT WAS SHEER FINANCIAL COMPLETIONOF SOMETHING THEY ALREADY WERE IN FULL CHARGE OF.
        Our decline began that very day back in 2007, in reality, thanks to Kroenke. He is the villain and reason we cannot compete financially.

    6. Kstix, please tell me what part of the AW structure still exists at the club and what influence you still think he has?
      As for UE, poor old MA had to use his first three months clearing up the toxicity he caused, including the talk of possible relegation issues for the first time in over two decades.

      1. Sorry ken1945, but look at the reality. This is how we have been doing in the PL the last 5 seasons:
        2015/16 (AW) no. 2
        2016/17 (AW) no. 5
        2017/18 (AW) no. 6
        2018/19 (UE) no. 5
        2019/20 (UE/FL/MA) no. 8
        It is pretty obvious, that our decline started under Wenger. Neither UE nor MA have been able to turn things around, despite quite a lot of investment in the team/players. But the fact is, they both inherited an unbalanced “ship” in rough seas, if you like.
        This is of course not AW’s fault alone, but it makes no sense not recognizing the when we got into a mess.

        1. 2013 – 4th
          2014 – 4th
          2015 – 3rd
          2016 – 2nd
          2017 – 5th
          2018 – 6th

          This is not decline – we got 75 points when we were 5th, which would be 3rd or 4th any other season in history.
          So 1 (!) bad season and you call it decline? jaysus.

          Now consider our squad is better now than 3 years ago.

          Arteta will not last long unless he changes his management of players and finds the right tactics.

          1. Don’t agree.
            I am not trying to take anything away from the fact, that Wenger did great a large part of his tenure.
            But the fact remains, we were declining in the end.

        2. AndersS, where have I said I do not recognize AW made mistakes in ANY of my posts?

          How many times have said he should have resigned after the FA cup final win against chelsea in 2017?

          How many times have I said he made some terrible transfer decisions?

          What we didn’t contemplate at ANY time during his years at the club was relegation, losing three home games in a row, seeing players walking off the pitch while throwing down the captains arm band and confronting the fans, ever being backed to the tune of over £200,000,000 in the transfer market in just two seasons, playing such dire, defensive football and having a player say we were “scared of Watford!!!”

          None of this occurred under AW, yet here we are today, trying to blame him for the situation we are currently in.
          A completely new club has evolved since he left, both in the back room, in the boardroom and, unfortunately, on the pitch as well – that has happened twice by the way, with both UE and MA bringing in their own teams.

          Who is left from AW’s days, apart from Steve Bould, yet another mystery to me I should add?

          What I saw yesterday has nothing to do with AW, unless one wants to talk about “deadwood players” and I covered that in my reply to Loose Cannon.
          For goodness sake, MA has IMPROVED some of AW’s players, so I’m not denying anything, just seeing the situation as it is.

          By the way, from your final position table, it seems you are agreeing with me, in that it was his last year (possibly two if you take away the cup) that was the problem.

          Once more and for the record, Arsene Wenger made numerous and costly mistakes, he was not infallible – now let’s talk about and judge MA in the same way.

          It seems AW has moved on, but his detractors cannot.

          1. @Ken.
            I may have misunderstood your comments in this thread. They appeared to me, as if you were trying to absolve Wenger for any responsibility for, where we are at the moment.
            I think are problems are deeply rooted.
            Wenger and the rest of management left a team:

            Unbalanced in positions

            With no understanding of modern press football

            Devoid of winning mentality and with very little mental ability to tackle adversity

            With players generally having declined in ability

            With players of little value on the market
            because of bad management of contracts etc., and thus no room for new management to sell and invest in weak areas.

            UE was asigned the task to improve things. Couldn’t do it.

            MA now has the job. If he can’t do it, he must be sacked as well. However, are we at the point, where we can conclude, he can’t do it?

            1. AndersS, I have never said AW was a saint my friend, nor has he by the way!!

              Your points one by one:

              Unbalanced? Indeed we were – now how many centre backs have we got – how many midfield players – how many round players in square holes? It has got worse in my opinion.

              Modern football? Yes, AW was old school in his thoughts, but MA isn’t – tell me this, are we a pressing side now? I haven’t seen us pressing since the start of the season have you?

              Winning mentality and mental ability? One doesn’t finish in the top four of the most competitive league in the world without a winning mentality – AW lost it in his last season, but missed out by one point in his penultimate season – at the moment, we have no sign of a winning mentality, as we seem to go out in every game, defending rather than attacking.
              Remeber the season e were humiliated at PT by 8-2?
              We neded the season in fourth place and with a goal difference of +25!! That couldn’t happen if we had a losing mentality – I would have expected a raction like that form the 3-0 drubbing by Aston Villa…but we havent
              ‘t have we? Two further losses and a lucky draw under MA.

              Declined in ability? I give MA full marks for the way he has ressurected the careers of players like Elneny and AMN – something AW and UE couldn’t do – but how do we explain the current form of Aubameyang, Lacs, isn’t that down to MA?

              Market value? Have a look at my reply to Loose Cannon regarding this and tell me if we have gone backwards, let alone improved?

              1. @Ken
                I am in no way comparing Arteta to Wenger s you do.
                My point is simply, that the mess we find ourselves in, is not Artetas fault as such.
                Our problems started years ago. Wenger was “let go” because of the mess. Too late IMO. Emery was brought in to better things, but couldn’t do it, so he was sacked. Now it is Artetas job. Can he do it? I think it is fair to say, the jury is still out on this, but we will see sooner or later.

  2. Last night was a very disappointing result and once again I went to bed listening to my ManUtd-supporting Missus chuckling at Arsenal’s woes. However I still agree with Ian Wright’s recent comments – Arteta has a lot to fix, and I still think we should back the manager because it will take time.

    After Arteta’s bright start we’re now suffering from injuries and loss of form (Particularly from our forwards) which is tough, but hopefully the team can lift themselves from this slump and get it together.

    The urgent playing style needs to start from the opening whistle, not just when we go down a goal or in the 2nd half. Partey need to be playing in the middle instead of Xhaka, and they need to learn to play in rainy/windy conditions against physical teams, because after all it’s England and that will happen a lot.

  3. We were let down by a sloppy midfield with Xhaka playing as if he had nothing to lose. The midfield should provide cover for the back and provide balls for our hitmen but they did very little. Playing almost with don’t attitude is something Arteta seemed to have worked when he became our manager but it is all gone. Aub is our best striker but does not provide leadership in the as a captain. Leno had a bad day, the goals were stoppable.

  4. Loss of form just 10 games in!! Doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season…
    Still no reaction from the players..
    I honestly don’t know where we go from here…. oh wait… the Tottenham Hotspur stadium..
    .

    1. I am dreading this game for the first time in years. If Son and Kane are on song, this could be a drubbing! The derby will be a factor. Still remember we beat them 4-2 after sacking Terry Neil back in 83.

      1. I am too, ahmad. Everything is pointing towards a drubbing. We can only hope they finally turn up, this is the week to do it – can’t handle seeing that smug look on Maureen’s face 😡

  5. The only silver lining is that three weeks ago we were all on a high after the win at Old Trafford. A week is a long time in politics and football and I still have faith in Arteta. Something clearly isn’t clicking right now but it will.

    1. We keep on about a win at United, we did not play well there either, they were so bad remember we won on a penalty that is all

  6. (Un)fortunately, I’ve become numb to the team’s performances and results. Nothing excites or infuriates me anymore.

    At this rate, I would consider it a good season if we manage to finish in the top half of the table. That’s how low my realistic expectations are.

  7. At the moment Arteta seems to be at lost. Nothing is working for him. Only positive from yesterday’s match is we showed some urgency in the second half (eventhough final product was awful).

    The team and manager has reached the tipping point. I am just waiting for Partey and Martinelli to start playing. That should give us some balance from back to front.

    Will bringing in another manager solve the problem? It depends on who we brings in. Arsenal being Arsenal we could see Eddie Howe sitting in the dugout.

    “And that I will never have to do it again is a hope that I am against hope hopen” – Ogden Nash

    1. Typically Arsenal isn’t it. We are waiting for two injured crocks to come back and save us, this would be like having two new signings. Memories of Diabi, Van Persie, Ramsey and Wilshire and the months on end they spent in the treatment room.

  8. My feel is that the trouble started when Arteta drop Ozil from the official squad. If I was an Arsenal player I’d be thinking…why should i work so hard when Ozil makes 350k a week without even having to train! I know I would go on strike if i know a mate at work is getting paid much more than me to to nothing.
    The club should have paid out his contract and let him go…
    The FA cup will only buy Arteta a bit more time than Emery last season.
    If Spurs gives us a pasting next week, the fans will turn.
    #Arteta out! will be the calling.

    1. Putting on my conspiracy theorist’s hat, signing of Partey and him being projected as the Messiah to resurrect Arsenal might have taken some toll on some egos. (No proof just my speculation).

  9. Drop Auba to bench. He has no passion as a captain, no leader on the pitch. Willock is not ready for this stage. Ceballos need to return to Madrid in January.

    1. Auba is fine. He just has no service. There is no striker in the world who can score a goal with the pathetic football we are playing.

  10. Arteta is too petty to manage a club like Arsenal.
    Why he wont play Ozil is mind boggling. He let Guendouzi go on loan. Wont play a solid defender like Saliba. Insists on using Willock and Nketiah.
    He should be sacked before he gets us relegated.

    1. The early days of Emery with a midfield of Gandouzi, Ozil and Torriera setting up some wonderful goals seems like a golden age now. What happened? Emery deservd his fate but that midfield played like world beaters in comparison to the four who played yesterday.

  11. Bring back Guendouzi,mesut and toreira….stop this old people’s home (for Chelsea players) ….this whole pep guardiola mentality of snubbing best players(toure,ronaldinho) has to be done when you know your replacement is kdb or Messi not Joe willock and ceballos

    Arteta is clueless
    Very disappointed

  12. We are rebuilding. Arteta or any coach will need time….at least three years….to rebuild this Arsenal team…..I expected a loss yesterday and was still upset with our performance. The team seemed to be overwhelmed and had a lack of belief ……we can get a Jose type coach and improve but we will come back to this situation again…,..that will be rebuilding …….I hope they get rid of Ozil as a distraction……his presence on or off the field is not beneficial……he is a past best use item for Arsenal and EPL……be upset but have patience and let the coach and team grow into the Arsenal we know and love.

    1. I totally agree. Get rid of all the negativity in the team and rebuild from fresh. Arteta also has to take the blame for selecting that midfield. However we need to get rid of player power in our teams. Players need to understand the badge they are playing for and no player is bigger than the team.

    2. Is this the Arteta whom we thought changed the attitude of the team when he arrived, what has gone gone, didn’t he not get the players he wanted apart from Aoaur and loaned out the ones he did not want? Arteta is lacking ideas.

  13. We needed a clear out and fresh start in summer instead we got tinkering … Bellerin xhaka Luiz kolasinac lacazette mustafi could all have been offloaded albeit at a discount … nketiah Nelson willock could have been loaned or sold … gabriel a good buy but then keeping deadwood and bringing in a player who couldn’t cut it in a young Chelsea side should have been a warning … failing to add creativity and dropping ozil was a decision of absurd proportions … the aubemayang or bust saga now just looks like amateur management if u can’t motivate the man … basically the worst start in at least 3 decades … never let a crisis go to waste … and this is a crisis

  14. The problem is that Arteta has gone too far down the “tactic” rabbit hole. He’s making things overcomplicated and the more things go wrong he’s addressing it by more tactics, which translates to confused players.
    People forget that Arteta has learned his trade under Guardiola. Now Guardiola is a great manger, but we forget that he has always had great teams, great players. Bringing that mindset of detailed tactics to Arsenal sounds like a nice idea, but if you don’t have that team/players it can start falling apart very quickly.
    Look at the team last season, compared to now. Clearly the more effort he’s putting into the team has caused our play to be so slow. This is clearto see in Zaka. Last season, he was attacking players bagging goals/assists. Now we only see glimpses of that player.
    Clearly what Arteta is doing now is not working. Either he needs to change his approach or he needs to move on. With our owner, it’s not like he’s gonna throw money at this problem any time soon….
    sigh… starting to used to this!

    1. I couldn’t agree more , yesterdays game reminded me united playing under Moyes,
      clueless midfield, countlessly crossing the ball to our out of form lone forward.
      El Neny on the bench, Ceballos running around like a headless chicken, Willian in the starting IX and playing behind Auba
      is just criminal.

  15. It is not only becoming increasingly worrisome, but also scary. We just do not seem to play and have lost the ability to pass the ball. We are becoming the joke of the town and if this continues we will soon be in relegation zone. I dont think 1-2 players will make a difference, there seems to be something systemically wrong with the team and slowly everything seems to be slipping away. It will take a magnaminous effort from a magnaminous personality to get us back to where we belong.

  16. We should get rid of Willian in the next window he does not bring anything to the team. Along with all the deadwood. Elneny £5m, Xhaka £15m, Mustafi £10m, Sokratis £3m, Laca £20m, Auba £25m, Ceballos return, Kolasinac £10m, Ozil(send him out on loan till end of season for free) , Soares £10m, That could give you about £88m

    1. I bet any club in the PL would be delighted to get ten players better than most of those you mentioned at around 8 k each. When you talk about getting rid of players you should also remember the club needs to have a squad of at least 25. Yes it could well be some of those players will move on but certainly not all at once and doubtfully at the sums you quoted. We are in the age of austerity.

  17. I agree with being patient but three years is a generous amount of time to give a manager in order to prove himself. Look at how much damage Arsene Wenger did in his final three years. Also having to watch this style of play for three years would be the most extreme form of torture. What Have I Done To Deserve This as the song goes.

  18. I watched this game 3 times since last night and i am trying understand, why our form has dropped to this level, so this is my take on this whole situation, when Arteta arrived there was a huge wave of enthusiasm, from the players, fans and staff and the results on the field proved just that. However, when you look at the way we play now its clear, that the players are just unconcerned or uninterested, meaning they not playing for the coach or the badge or both, it looks like a silent protest to me, and this only happens when the team as a collective are unhappy with certain decisions/actions made, by the club, the coach or us fans, As an example we all criticise Ozil, but what we don’t realise is he is a well respected professional among his fellow team mates both past and present, young and old. Or it could be that the players are over trained and over coached meaning they just don’t enjoy playing under such rigid instructions, Arteta is constantly barking instructions from the touchline, my word, talk about a nagging spouse. I might be totally wrong but all i know is, whatever is happening needs to be rectified asap, either by Arteta or a new coach. The Premier league don’t take any prisoners, it a jungle out there, eat or be eaten.

    1. 👍 Nice one, Mike. This is beginning to look just like the last few months or so under UE, which was horrible..

      Brave of you sitting through it 3 times!! Once was more than enough for me!

  19. I think the main issue that, Arteta has changed the system to attacking one too early
    When the team had  been playing 343‪, we were very disciplined and tight at the flanks to be penetrated.All of asudden Arteta has changed the system, responding to the pressure that we weren’t attacking team.When played 343‪, the flanks were very tight due to the availablity of 3players consisted of the sided center back, wing back and attacking winger. Through the center there were 3 center backs, with a lepro that would cover any fault emerged. I believe this system anabled the team to beat city, liverpool twice and chelsea,winning two trophies. Our team attributes do n’t anable us to play such attacking system unless we have another center back to pair Gabriel. avery creative No 10 and figher stricker that can exploit the have chances,with Alneny and Partey play the roles of defensive midfielder and box 2 box respectively. I perefer to play 343‪ which suit our players attributes, defending tightly and exploit the rare chances we create till we book the missing pieces

    1. Agree 100%. The attempt to transition to the new desired formation looks too early. Unless the manager feels they can do it, but must just dive in and take a few hits before it clicks into place properly.

  20. Mikel Arteta’s Style of play:
    playing like a relegation team and park the bus and still concede and lose? Giving chance to every team from 1.-20. place to win at the emirates? not having a single clue what his best team is after a year at the club?
    I never feared of relegation not even at the worst of Emery and with Arteta I still dont think we will relegate because this team is luckily for arteta too good to be worse than 17. but i do think he would be relegated with a team like brighton or something (not to be harsh on them.. we are equal to brighton right now and i wouldn’t bet on us to surely win against them)

      1. Very basic sarcasm Pat. It IS true what you say but at least make it interesting if you are going to use sarcasm. Rather wasted on him anyway as he is hardly brain of Britain, is he!! He probably takes your post as true!

  21. I blame all the home fans, booing and shouting at the manager and player, the same ones that got on xhaka and wengers back, oh wait!

  22. Your correct about Xhaka and Ceballos but the criticism of Leno for the second goal is harsh to say the least.The ball was reflected by Bellerin and our centre backs failed to react as quickly as the Wolves attacker.

  23. Hi everyone!
    I think you need to give Arteta time to sort Arsenal out. Winston Churchill said: when you’re going through hell, keep going.

  24. Some people are criticizing the players which I think is wrong. we started by blaming Ozil, then it was Laca, Mustafi. Guenfouzi,… now it’s all the way down to Auba. I think the problem is Arteta’s man management. 7-8 of our players are mistreated by Arteta. so I think they have every right not to believe in Arteta anymore.

  25. Among this tsunami of doom and gloom, like a shining beacon of hope and light, I reitterate my 100% faith in MA being the man to save our club from the drift that began a decade ago.
    That our squad is so full of holes is not HIS fault and in stark contrast to my pal KEN, I do NOT accept that AW is innocent of blame for damage done that still affects us now, as many of his buys remain. Unlike KEN, I do not accept the presence of BELLERIN and XHAKA, both hopeless IMO, as being anyone else other than AW’s fault.

    KROENKE MEANNNESS CONSTANTLY HINDERS OUR PROGRESS AND HAS DONE SO EVER SINCE 2007, WHICH SO MANY NON THINKERS PREFER TO IGNORE

    The dismal fact that our Scrooge owner will not bankroll proper replacements is not the fault of MA, meaning that there are no better alternatives at the club than them, even though neither are good enough(though I would always prefer AMN in front of either).

    MA INHERITED A BADLY DRIFTING SHIP AND IT TAKES TIME AND MONEY TO CHANGE A CULTURE, A DEFENCE THAT WAS RUBBISH FOR A FULL DECADE AND TO FIND A FLOWING STYLE AGAIN . This needs REAL money and REAL time. REAL fans will gladly give MA thatnecessary time!

    1. Jon, please explain this one simple question :
      Why did MA talk Xhaka out of a reported £35,000,000 move to Hertha Berlin?

      By the way, I’m not saying AW is “innocent” of anything, what I AM saying is that MA cannot be given a green light and take no responsibility for what we have seen in the last three home games.
      Your usual tirade about “real fans” is so reminiscent of your backing of UE and I love the way you haven’t mentioned Willian, Ceballos or Luiz in your condemnation above… is that because they are MA, s buys?

      1. Simple answer to a pointless question Ken . There ewas no one better at that time at the clubin Xhakas position, thanks to Kroenke, despite him being a poor player, bought by WENGER. Nor was there any financial prospect of buying real quality,so MA is a pragmatist, as I have many times told you.

        I did say that , though only in general terms in my post. It sems so often KEN THAT YOU SIMPLY WILL NOT ACCEPT THE ANSWERS I CONSTANTLY GIVE AND KEEP REPEATING THE SAME QUESTION!

        Very frustrating and rather insulting to my intelligence actually. I have often condemned Luiz, describing him among the three clowns(with Sokratis and Mustafi) so I reject that comment as nonsense.

        As to Willian and Ceballos, it is still early days and I do not condemn players until they havehad a real chance to show their wares. So far neither has had enough chance to show it, so I have not commmented. Nothing to do with who bought them but since you ask, who bought GABRIEL and PARTEY, OUR TWO MOST EFFECTIVE PLAYERS? MA did, as youknow very well.

        1. No Jon, you don’t get away with BS***ing me my friend.
          There were plenty more options for MA if he saw Xhaka as you do, but he obviously doesn’t.
          You describe Xhaka as lazy, slow, no footballing brain etc etc and Hertha Berlin wanted to sign him on a permanent basis.

          IF HE HAD LET HIM GO TO THEM, HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE MONEY TO INVEST IN AOUR, so it’s down to MA that we didn’t get him isn’t it?

          We had AMN, Willock, ESR, Elneny, Torreira, Nelson, Ozil, Guendouzi, Martinelli all fit and available when MA talked him into staying – yet you now say we had nobody better?!?!
          We were also planning for Partey to arrive, so what your saying as an explanation is total codswallop and you are insulting MY intelligence by saying he had no choice.

          One minute your saying we have no chance of buying real quality, then you mention Partey and Gabriel who most certainly are, sell Xhaka and get Aour. who had already agreed personal terms it is said.

          As for keep mentioning players, how many times have you mentioned those AW players you call “dross”, yet feel it monotonous to keep mentioning those players that have been bought by MA.

          Ceballos is ripping us off and tells everyone who asks him that his future is at Real Madrid, so why are we nurse maiding him for them?
          He has been here for the same length of time as Pepe – you are ready to write him off, but not Cebs? WHY?

          You might feel comfortable watching the last three PL games, but I am starting to see cracks appear, mainly from the players themselves.
          I sincerely hope I am wrong, but burying my head in the sand isn’t the answer and MA should be judged on what he is doing, not what AW, UE, gazidis or kronkie have/are done/doing.

    2. @jon Fox
      The myth about Kroenke’s unwillingness to spend, simly doesn’t hold up. If you look at the latest 5-6 years, our nett spend on new players has been much, much bigger than the likes of Liverpool and Spurs, and only Man U and City have spent more. We are also one the highest spending clubs on salaries.

      1. AndersS
        You clearly have more regard for the little money Kroenke has spent than I do. We badly needed Aoure and it was widely known that MA wanted him but did Kroenke stump up? You know he did not! Ourplayer sales have beenfor paltry money for many yearspast thanks mostly to AW and esp. GAZIDIS overpaying to buy them and giving far too much wages to very moderate players.

        This was bad financial management and in the real world a business owner is responsible for leaving incompetant people in charge without due diligence on them, so Kroenke is the MAIN one to blame, as all owners are when businesses flounder.

        That is how business life works, as I believe you know every bit as much as I do Anders!

        1. Jon Fox
          I agree, in the end you could say even the “passive” owner is the one, who needs to take responsibility and set targets etc, follow up draw the consequences.
          But the fact is, we have spent so much more than most teams, including Liverpool and Spurs, for many years, so Kroenke can not be blamed for not spending. It is a myth, that some have a very hard time admitting to be false. Why? I don’t know. But maybe because, it is an easy explanation.
          If Kroenke is to be blamed, it should be for not acting in time, when all the mismanagement started years ago.

  26. I have hinted and stated explicitly that Arsenal’s business philosophy worked only because of Wenger’s economic and craft genius. I predicted it would get very bad. I have said a police force that is considered bad actually represent a bad government. I have illustrated in various ways that the OWNERSHIP and BOARD of Arsenal have been the problem for years – and we remained in the top 4 only because of Wenger – not in spite of him.

    Now let me see if I have your ears and eyes as I try to explain:

    A. The Owners like to put in little and get a lot. This is why they were in love with Wenger. It has always been about money. He was the miracle fertilizer that grew Arsenal into a massive club. The plan has always been to search for free agents, add them to the crop from the academy, and (since 2012) add one good player that cost. With Wenger there, this will work considerably – but will keep us in top 4 and win second-tier trophies. But we all got bored on the mediocrity. We all felt that Arsenal was better than that. The problem is that we attacked the miracle-maker, rather than the root of the problem – Owners.
    B. If Wenger goes (the miracle fertilizer) and the owners do not invest in real plant food, how will the Club grow? Why are you expecting better results without real changes. Look, the formula remains – only without Wenger. I would therefore expect worse results – and look – we have worse results!
    C. To get back to where Wenger was before the misguided sabotage we have to at least have significantly greater investment to fill the gap of his genius. This must be within the context of the inflated price of players, and the investment of other clubs. Roughly it means that Arsenal would need to invest 200 million in a single year. I guarantee you that it will not happen.
    D. I am 100% certain that MA is just learning his trade. He is better than Good Ebing due to language superiority but not experience – and they are both substantially inferior to Wenger.
    E. MA has a personality issue that complicates the crisis. I have been watching this forensically for a while. He believes in playing persons on merit. This egalitarian frame is utopian and beautiful – but sadly unrealistic. My undergraduate research students did a study in 2019 that made me laugh. They went to a strip club to do their project; and found that the ‘non-symetric’ looking dancers worked harder than the gifted and symetric. Nonetheless, despite their compensation, the not so good looking still made only 40% of the money that the arrogant, lazy beauties did. MA needs some life lessons. His selections are weird. He has to focus on putting his best team forward and then find ways to punish them for being lazy or whatever. And he cannot repeat his treatment of Pepe. He did not defend the boy. I cannot believe that I miss the lies of Wenger. “I never saw it. I will look at it and speak to the player.” MA must know that he cannot speak out against players like ‘Special Ones’. He has to protect them. You cannot only like the players who have the best attitude, you have to focus on making your gifted players become better – and sometimes it means being nice to them. I remember when Yaya never got his birthday cake and ManCity suffered. MA needs to become more flexible and take a few human skills.

    In closing: which direction should we expect to go if:

    1. The managers that follow Wenger are less qualified
    2. The economic philosophy of penny wise, pound hell foolish continues
    3. There are no fans in the stadium to boo MA when he adds to all this crisis his own personal deficiencies?

    Patience is needed or action for change!

    Bless

    1. herbs of the earth – really enjoyed your post, as it is full of really pertinent thoughts and solutions – your last sentence is the one that is rapidly approaching for those upstairs and I wonder what way they will go and how the fans will react?

      Interesting times ahead!!!

      1. Ken I am astounded that even YOU believe that MA is under pressure from above. I reject this misplaced theory as wishful thinking on your part. IF I gave it ANY credence, which I do not, I would be worried but I have no doubt our powerbrokers are not as hasty and panicky as many of our fans ,including sadly and almost incredibly even you are, it seems.

        Imagine if thelikes of Mugunna Top Gunner and ICW were incharge – we would have more managers a season than players and go broke in no time. Amateurs! I haveno time for them(except in theatre)!!

        1. For goodness sake Jon, who is saying that ANY fan should be in charge?!?!

          Do you really believe that those above MA are quite happy ans contented with the position we find ourselves in?

          We are no nearer the top four and CL than we have been since 2017 and that was what MA was brought here to do.

          If you think that he is under no pressure, then you are very naive for a person of your age – the man has even admitted it himself!!!

          As for saying it’s “wishful thinking on my part” Jon, that is just so ridiculous, I’m lost for words – no person is bigger than the club, not even MA.

  27. KEN I do believe that we have spent around 280 million over the last 3 /4 years. The fact is it was spent badly. Surely the players that come into the club are those desired by the manager so they (Wenger, Emery and Arteta) must take some responsibility for the perceived success or failure of any signing. It is also true that, in privately owned club, any spending must be cleared by the owner. I have said before, Kroenke has delegated the financial running of the club to the board. If this is, as I believe it be, then it’s up to the board to release the cash to make your desired improvements. As for time, and although I agree that Arteta should be given more time ” time waits for no man”

    1. patH, I don’t believe you and I have much to disagree with, as everything you say makes sense.
      The argument that managers have “favourites” is so ridiculous, it has to be challenged.
      Whatever player any manager brings in, he has to see it as a move to improve the squad and therefore will select him on a regular basis – the trick is to then admit it, if you have made a wrong decision.
      I try very hard not to condemn current players, but signings like Kilstrom, Suarez, Sayogo etc etc were so far removed from our level, one scratches ones head in wonder.

      As for kronkie not being hands on, you rightly say, he delegates to people he invests in to run his club for him.

      Do these fans who condemn him for being absent, think someone like Branson spends every day checking his managers and his investments first hand?

      Of course, he should show more interest, but the plain truth is, he isn’t interested in football – plus he has other investments in the USA.

      Not an ideal situation for us as Gooners, but, unless we have someone with enough money to buy him out, that is the situation…always enjoy your posts by the way.

  28. ARTETA is a LIAR I will give everyone a clean slate except Guendouzi and Ozil who will not play for me again Full Stop

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