Mikel Arteta led his Arsenal team to another victory in the Premier League today and he has earned praise for his selections.
The former midfielder has seen his team struggle for form in recent games and they were winless in four before the match against the Blades.
Their inconsistent season means that Arteta has had to give chances to several players while he works out his best team.
He made some bold selection decisions in the game and they paid off.
He has now been lauded by Star Sports journalist Josh O’Brien for those players he took a chance on.
Writing about three things he got right in the game, O’Brien praised Arteta for fielding Gabriel Martinelli, Calum Chambers and Dani Ceballos who all gave a good account of themselves.
Martinelli scored his first goal for the club in about a year and he was in fine form as the Gunners constantly attacked their opponents.
Chambers has been selected ahead of Hector Bellerin and Cedric Soares in recent games and he repaid the faith with a solid all-round performance in this game as well.
Ceballos’ second season at Arsenal hasn’t been his best, but he was in fantastic form against the Blades and set the tone by assisting the first goal.
No I’m sorry you can’t have it both ways!
When we lose it’s ALWAYS down to individual errors and never the manager. I think it’s extremely hypocritical if he can get praise when we win don’t you?
If it’s 100% on the players when we lose then they should get 100% of the praise. We can’t have double standards.
Lol PJ – I see other articles that are the exact opposite: When the team plays well its purely the players because Arteta tried to sabotage the win by bringing on Willian in the 90th minute. When they play badly its the managers fault because he didnt coach those individuals enough to prevent mistakes.
Swings and roundabouts my friend.
Sorry to disagree with you, but, what can you expect from Cedric a S’ton cast off? Now donning the wrong red/white colors? Saka is through and through Arsenal. Martenelli – fresh young player and all rate him above the big mouthed Willian who is here to collect his wage and justify his non performance. No errors today from Leno, Xhaka because we played the relegated bound team which never threatened us, the same will not be same on this Thursday. Bin Leno for Matt if we have to progress. Retain Shaka as LB. Start Marts. Laca and Pepe. Bench Gabriel.Fortunately Luiz is out.
Yet another solid game from Calum Chambers. Our best RB on current form by far
Yup. More consistenly effective in attack and defence than Cedric, and of course more…well everything than Bellerin.
Chambers played very well please start with him on thur, leave ur favourites,who can’t pin point a cross
I put it down to our players and the strength of the opposition.
Against Praha what ever the result I will again put it down to our players and the strength of the opposition.
I don’t get this unnecessary praise on Arteta, he is the one pulling this team backward and it’s there for every sensible person to see. How can he set his team to play like that against liverpool that almost every team has been beating left and Wright. And the worst thing is his bad feeling against some players
If there was one night to be at least a little bit cheerful how about after a win. Even if it was against SheffU
Bah humbug Sue, as Gooners we are only really cheerful when we are miserable (;-))
😂
I remember Chambers was bought from Southampton as a right back. He can play a bit. Martinelli is a no brainer. Like Saka and ESR he is one of the Young Turks (an expression), the fresh enthusiastic and classy youngsters. You have to play them. Ceballos needs mobile players around him, otherwise he hasn’t got it. Around our young guys he could do well but around our pensioners he will be shite. Today was a good win against a very poor team indeed. I’m over the moon that Martinelli scored. He is our get out of jai card. Hopefully Folarin Balogun can be our next Andy Cole.
Good point about Ceballos Sean. I would add play him as an A/CM NOT a D/CM as his tricks are a liability around his own area.
todays game was remarkable so lets keep going
Obviously it’s hard to argue with 3 points, especially considering that we provided some moments of direct intent when attacking and even displayed a few one-touch link-up passing plays
that said, if you noticed, when we came out of the break, Arteta had us sitting deeper again, inviting pressure and allowing them to enjoy some much easier possession farther up the pitch…in many ways, we won in spite of this negative adjustment…thank goodness there were several players who were still keen to make some runs and pursue some up-field options
another observation, which I’m sure others likewise noticed, the only player other teams don’t press hard, unless in the final third of course, is Xhaka…this is obviously because teams never fear him in possession as he rarely plays direct balls and when he does they are hardly ever leading and usually so deliberate that one can recover defensively if need be…no one else was given this luxury of space, just saying
A win is a win but with such performances we are not going anywheer the manager it’s llike the manager has reached his limit and his attitude towards some players is really bad
I don’t expect Xhaka to play at LB on Thursday and if Odegaard is not fit I hope Ceballos is used as a AM .Chambers has shown to me what a very decent player he is when he is fully fit.Like Holding and Mari, he lacks pace but his versatility makes him a more important player than say Elneny, who with respect, I would move on .Chambers can fill three roles, RB, CB and DM , whereas Elneny to me is a CM only.
They all had a good performance,
A crazy formation indeed :),
Surprise in the back with Xhaka as LB but not for him to do basics, he can defend and a leader…Chambers played RB in past…
We have reliable CBs, Luiz being injured is sad on human’s end. but best news, can’t totally ruin our chance anymore.
Middle was crazy wirh Ceballos – Partey – Saka, but fine with such a weak team, or be in major trouble of course.
Attack was fine but wings looked crazy, reminding last game’s weak point.
Saka not able to shoot, drive, dive and run his flank, nor accurate cross; being on his wrong foot and side of town, RW
Martinelli was great but same way, often looked like he cold have shoot and score or cross better on right foot and wing.
Why not simply play him on right wing, Pepe is left footed, can be as dangerous and cross on LW, Auba LW is as playing Cavani, Suarez or Lewondovsky there; wonder why they not scoring and crossing as CF they all are!
We did win, supposed to; but it seems like players understood that it is on them all the way.
They must be free on pitch as we saw, switching, moving around pitch…
Looking above, next and behind us, they are about to break their own records finishing 8th, worst in millenium and over 2 decades spot
Only way to save such a new record failure, no cup to make it to Europe; they have 4 games
i3 games; we must and supposed demolished Prague and gun down Villareal.
And beat Man U who are playing their best football in a decade.
It is no Luiz, players must take over on pitch, move around, not blame it on Arteta lack of brain or experience…
That record will be theirs:
The Worst losers will be remembered forever, as The invicibles are!
Not Arteta nor or vs Wenger’!
Come on guys, you can do this!
Chambers is much more direct than the football-brain-dead Bellerin. I agree we can do better in the RB position, but Chambers and Cedric are definitely better than Bellerin. Mari is way more calm and composed than Gabriel and Luiz. Its no coincidence that we kept our 1st clean sheet in 15 games with him back in the team as we’ve become accustomed to those clean sheets with him in the past.
Martinelli if fit, should play the remaining games. Matt Ryan should be given a chance. Hell even Runnarsson got more chances. Its at decisions like this that Arteta frustrates. When u make Leno feel undisputed, he comes up with brain farts. Look how Henderson has been given his chance at Man Utd.
Arteta should play same team on Thursday, except with Saka’s injury, i’d prefer Nelson in place of Willian.
Willian usually comes on, and even when opposition defenders are tired, he becomes anonymous. SMH