Same old Arsenal back on display by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people, in the last game against Wolves I was angry. Because I thought we played well and weren’t done justice by the refs. The truth is we are not good enough. We’re a mid-table team and it’s true.
At Molineuix we’re 1:0 up, and instead of slowing play down, our keeper kicks the ball into the field, they get a chance and David Luiz brings a player down for penalty and a red. Then Leno comes out and handles the ball out of the box.
And in the first minute against Villa we have Cedric giving the ball away and it falls in our net. These mistakes are in our team. There are too many players that have them. Luiz and Xhaka are famous for them, but it’s not like the rest are much better.
We are majorly lacking quality up front. When Saka and Smith Rowe don’t do it, where are the rest? Pepe was trying, but no end product. And I must say, we really need a new striker.
Lacazette was dreadful again. We are crossing balls and there is nobody in the box. Where is our striker? Why are we crossing it in the first place? Giroud left long ago. The refereeing was shocking again, but it doesn’t excuse our inability to make something.
Arteta has to take some fault here. The subs were again late and poor. I don’t remember Aubameyang being on the pitch apart from kicking Martinez. Absolutely nothing from him.
Odegaard was the only one who made a difference, by being active, looking for space and trying to create something. Unfortunately he squandered the only good chance we had.
Then there’s Willian. Why on earth are we bringing him on? We had Martinelli who has energy and ability to take a player on. Arteta and this Willian thing has cost us a lot. His introduction killed our play practically.
We could’ve subbed Smith Rowe, who was poor without Odegaard, but moving Saka to left back to play Willian just doesn’t cut it for me.
We never looked like scoring even if 10 extra minutes were given instead of 5. We had good players on today, practically everyone but Tierney, so what’s the excuse?
We’ve moved out a lot of the so called “deadwood”, but I must say a lot still remain. We’ve blown this season long before the latest 2 defeats, but that’s the 10th game we’ve lost this season.
If we get dumped out of the Europa league, where do you rate Arteta’s season? It’s a difficult job at Arsenal, I get it, but if we succumb to accepting such standards and stick with him, I’ll be honestly shocked.
I feel honestly stupid for thinking we might come out fighting. Shout out to Mat Ryan for keeping the score down, because it was Villa with all the chances. That said I’m depressed again.
Thanks Arsenal.
Konstantin
i completely agree we need a new striker. we cant always get oppositions that allow us space, we need strikers that are good both in the air and with his feet.
we were crossing to the box because chances created were not enough to get us goals, we cant rely only on scoring from open play, in cagey games like c’palace and such as today, we need extra. defenders too are supposed to be score from set pieces? how many aerial balls did Holding squandered this this last 5 games, maybe 10 and none on target, thats too poor, reason we are loosing the fight, i hope our players are using this season to get things build up, so we can get a good run next season, i see improvement in our play , thats why i dont want Arteta sacked> the attitude are getting better and this is what we build our team on
we have 5 strikers Auba, Laczette, Nketiah, Martinelli and Balogun and many more in the reserves
lets sign some more and deny Martinelli and Balogun their chances or we can play them out of positions
And not one of them can score a header, unless it’s in our own goal… yet we had games when we crossed 40+ times in the box?
I agree with all of that. Everyone keeps talking about Arteta,s plan but what *** is his plan? Martinelli is fit but sits on the bench while Willian comes on and does nothing. I can just in visage a big club signing him and he goes on to be a world class striker. Am I missing something here? For the last few seasons I have been scratching my head wondering about the team selections and it’s still happening!! How come the fans can see it and the managers can’t?!
As an Aussie I was really proud and looking forward to seeing Ryan make his debut for his boyhood club, and 75 seconds in a brain fade by Cedric puts us behind.
I have supported this club for fifty years through thick and thin and will continue to do so but patience is wearing thin to put it mildly. I think Arteta has the potential to be a good manager but his team selections leave me bewildered.
Nikolaj Moller should be on the bench; tall CF who is an excellent header of a ball.
Lacazette should have been awarded a penalty and constant fouling from Aston Villa went unpunished. The standard of officiating is not only abyssal, but totally inconsistent. Mike Riley refuses to utilise VAR in the same way as Europe. When the referees come out and state that VAR is not there to ensure the correct decision, there is a big problem.
The good pressing against Southampton was non-existent. Build up for attack was far too slow.
Agree with you about the REFEREES, VAR and Riley OG, did you see Mike Dean and VAR deciding to send off the WHU player?
No common sense whatsoever and yet his band of merry men cannot be questioned.
I find it interesting that MOTM was awarded to a Villa defender however, as I felt we were the better side and agreed with MA’s summing up of the overall performance from the team – opinions make the world go round 🤔👍😂
Ken, that is a major problem, that officials are beyond reproach. Should a manager or club complain and raise issues they face sanctions
By the way, at the same time of his tenure Arsenal under Emery had scored 14 points more than Arsenal under Arteta. Emery was sacked after 3 losses in 18 games, yet Arteta (with a better squad) has lost 10 out of 23.
Arteta better get a rocket up these players to turn it around quickly.
Arteta plays favoritism again and we ate heading nowhere. No thanks for beheading players out.
Beheading players seems a bit extreme Joe. Surely dropping them from the squad would be sufficient to encourage personal improvement.
You’re not alone Konstantin. We’re all depressed! The fact is, sometimes you make your own luck. MA is doing us no favours in his team selections or substitutions. It’s obvious now that he out of his depth. The players are trying but are not responding in the right way. Some times they actually look too scared or timid. Like they are controlled and conditioned to play in a way that almost chokes any footballing talent they have. Playing with a hand brake on. The passing and crossing in the final third is some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Laughable!. MA has to go but I doubt the club have the money or the gumption to do it now! Onwards and downwards it is then!
When Watkins scored, there was time and acres of space. The gunner attack is slow and predictable.
They will face the great wall of football. Tell me how to score?
I disagree. Yes, it was a poor performance, but it was unlike our earlier games under Arteta where we would barely do anything in the final third.
We absolutely battered Wolves in that first half, until the game got flipped on it’s head. No fault of Arteta. Then against Villa we very poor first half, but far better after break.
Again, no fault of Arteta. It was Cedric that messed up for the goal. Arteta got into them at half time, and they responded. Tactically we created lots opportunities in the final third, it was just the final ball, or final action that cost us. That is the players fault, not Arteta’s. I would however question Arteta on the amount of crosses when we don’t have a target man.
Our players are burned out
the seasons is super pack
Yeah I thought the starting lineup looked strong, but I guess most of them had played much of the previous game with 10 or 9 men (especially Saka and ESR who’ve played almost all the matches recently). Might have been a good time to start with Odegaard and (dare I say it) Willian so that the (surely tired) players could come on later.
So TMJW- who is accountable then ?
As for that being an acceptable performance, too many set their bar far too low. Arteta is proving to be the very inexperienced novice that he is.
We will have no European football next season. How do we attract better players without this?
Where do I start? The boys have simply become too comfortable with losing. They no longer feel the pain or anger of collecting Ls. Any result is just okay. A losing mentality is slowly being cultivated at this club and I can see even the fans are beginning to get infected with some willing to settle for a draw with Aston Villa even before the first kick of the ball.
The losing mentality had already been cultivated under Wenger. At least under Arteta there has been accountability when it comes to the players.
Changing a culture is something that will take years. It is already better than it was, even if it’s not being reflected in the results at the moment.
What a true Gunners fan. All of this are Wenger’s and Ozil’s fault forever.
sigh
excuses excuses excuses.
Please accept the fact, out strategy is wrong. MA and UE is wrong choice. We should have gone with CA. a winner.
successful clubs make quick decisions, look at chelsea the ship is turning , we will watch Arteta plunder for years , we have a tendency of accepting mediocrity.
Am sick of hearing you blame wenger at every giving opportunity&he has been gone for over 3 years now.i don’t realy have the right choice of word for you&your likes hence i will be reprimanded for abusing a fellow fan
He’s an irredeemable fellow and should be ignored.
@Iykmatt absolutely right. This debacle has nothing to do with Wenger. This is the here and now and MA is making too many mistakes of his own to blame the past regime. Hopefully he can turn it around. Time will tell.
Take Years? Really? It didn’t take years to shake off a losing mentality at Villa did it? Escaped relegation by the skin on their teeth last season and now fighting for a European place. Took months not years.
All down to the management PAL
Perfect reply Phil, evidence is plain to see as are the results.
Problem is it doesn’t fit the narrative at Arsenal. It isn’t Arteta’s fault. All the talk of his plan and process.
Great talker, poor do-er
Agree Durand- so now to something taking place over with you today. I just cannot see past the Chiefs this evening. Your thoughts ?
Watching pepe dribbling n holding the ball making me tired. It’s like i have to prepare running back along the pitch cause he gonna make something wrong. How many “unforced error” he made last night. But the most disappointing this season is auba.
The gunners excessive passing slows down the attack. Then the great wall of defence will stifle the attack. Then with the gunners merrily passing all over the pitch, a sucker punch will cause Arsenal to go a goal down..
Why not shoot.?
Our strikers are easily neutralized. Arteta has to reappraise his strategies
And the same question again, where is Balogun and why Willian and not Martinelli when you are lacking creativity?
Regarding Cedric, mistakes can happen and that’s part of football but what comes after? nothing has changed. Actually, they were trying to score more!
The whole mentality of MA should be changed, stop giving chances for Willian over our youngsters who proved to deserve the chances, stop it now! we are paying a lot!!
It was an average performance but Please lets be honest & fair.
Villa deserve credit for an excellent defensive display they are no mugs.
Laca should have got a pen and odergaard should have scored so we could have won. Martinez also pulled off a worldie save imho from Xhaka early on.
Yes they had a few chances but most of our keepers saves while decent were expected from a premier league keeper. Also dont forget their goal was from a mistake & iy wasnt a great strike, If it hadnt taken a deflection Im sure Mat Ryan would have saved it.
We deserved a draw at least imho,
👍 But didn’t get it. It is hard to explain this period of bad karma in the Club’s history; however as my late father used to say “the harder he worked the luckier he got”.
These players have the talent; the concern however is the apparent listlessness and lack of pride in the individual and team performances.
What was most frustrating in my opinion was all the bad passing seen throughout the match. Looked the played with eachother for the first time.
We sure could have used MO, good luck in Turkey. Agree with the sentiment that VAR is only being used to protect the referees. Mo on Arsenal Fan TV made a useful comment suggesting that every team should be given three opportunities each to review a referring decision. Three would be too many as it would slow the game down excessively, however in Australian rugby league each team is given one opportunity to challenge a refereeing decision, which is called “a captain’s call”. One chance only so it has to be used wisely. It would definitely work in football and help defuse the current mistrust that Arsenal fans now have regarding the whistle blowers.
Agree Joe. S, the “captain’s call” works well in Australian Rugby League and has overturned some “howlers” or when used poorly, supported the referee’s decision.
Hi guys – I don’t understand. We already have VAR that is supposed to police ref decisions, although they use “clear and obvious error” to avoid doing so. If captains can appeal are they appealing ref, VAR or both decisions? And who deals with THAT appeal impartially? A third FA “impartial” official? Sorry makes no sense.
By the way Oz – your late fathers words were originally spoken by golfer Gary Player, when accused of being lucky on a round: “the more I practice, the luckier I get”.
Guy, I am aware of that. My father was an excellent all round sportsman, cricket, tennis and golf. He died at 93, one of that great generation who survived the depression and fought in WW2, and was still playing golf to his age at 87.
He used to tell the story of Gary Player as a schoolboy practising golf at his local course before school. A local business man observed him as he drove by each day, noted his commitment and then became his first sponsor to promote his golf career.
Mikel is lacking quality strikers.Let hm sell Auba and laca,doing nothing respectivly.It’s shame 4 a big club with alot of silly errors e.g soares blnd pass,that’s n’t our class!!! willian adding nothing surely!!!
Until the refs are held accountable, Arsenal will continue to lose games they are winning.
Soon it will be the match officials who will decide outcome of games.
We’ve moved out a lot of the so called “deadwood”, except Arteta. Can you imagine the financial loss he has caused for moving them in free tranfer? Why didn’t he sell them last summer if he didnt have a plan for them? Arsenal would have saved some money atleast as their wages. How many defenders did he buy? What difference did all these make? What improvement do we see after spending millions this year? Sold a solid goal keeper and he is now laughing at us. Look at Everton and Leicester. Do they have a better squad than us? Its all manager’s magic. When Wenger was struggling after 20 years masterclass everyone cried for his head. . He never slipped to 10th position. Count the millions spent after Wenger. Spending millions alone cant bring success. Look at Chelsea.. A manager who efficiently utilise his squad is the real tactician.. Look at West ham and Southampton . …So no changes except Arteta is going to improve Arsenal…Believe or not….
Arteta is the golden boy despite being a rube. He has killed and buried the beautiful football we used to play.
Now thoroughbreds are tasked to be carthorses, every pass or movement seem scripted. That’s why we do nothing against the low block but cross.
Arteta drove out the creativity of individuals, so sideways and constant backpasses are the result.
Arteta seems honestly surprised his squad of pre-programmed robots aren’t getting results.
So he blames refs, blames players with strong personalities, and thinks more more for more robots is the answer.
10 losses says he’s dead wrong. Puppet masters won’t win in this league; ask big Sam or Tony Pullis. Arteta is closer to Tony Pullis than Wenger or Pep.
Conceding soft early goals again, Soares doesn’t look totally OK on the left, injuries still a big problem, and how does Willian still get on the pitch?
Some positives lately though, despite the 2 bad results. Pepe is a menace on the left, Ryan looks very good, Xhaka massively improved, Odegaard looks promising, and our best team on which to build on is starting to become clear….
Leno
Soares – Holding – Gabriel – Tierney
Partey – ESR – Xhaka
Saka – Laca/Auba – Pepe
With options too (EG. Martinelli / Odegaard in attack) I think this team just needs to get past the injuries / suspensions / shocks of late and settle into some steady building of organization & form.
Back to the nowhere to be seen in the first half, then eventually turn up in the 2nd half when it’s too late – not acceptable!!!
But it’s ok, it’s the FA cup this week.. oh wait……
Sue, where is the application, commitment, skill level (can’t even make simple passes in attack or defense) and professional pride expected from highly paid professional footballers playing for the Arsenal?
People should compare Arsenal’s player wage structure to Leicester City, Everton, West Ham, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa. Edu and Arteta need to answer why Arsenal is paying so much for this level of performances from players?
It really angers me, Ozzie!! 10 losses already….
So, now it’s Europa or bust… yeah right like that’s going to happen!!
No European football next season, this is turning out to be our worst season ever!!!
Last manager to have 10 losses was Terry Neil and he was sacked.
Well, until some of these things and changes are done, Arsenal will still remain stagnant;
Get a complete striker that is good both on feet and aerially
Get players that can hold the ball well and move it well too especially in tight spaces
Get a very good and experience Coach that will not put sentiment when selecting players
Get creative and mobile mid-fielders.
We should note that other teams also have issues with injuries and referees decision, so we should not always use that as an excuse.
So Generally, this Arsenal team is not complete and until it is complete, we will be getting this types of inconsistent performances and results.
With wenger managing our current crop of players,we will comfortably be in the top 6 at this stage of the season&eventually finish in the top 4 come the end of the season.i can’t remember arsenal losing 10 games after 23 or 24 games in a season.am also depressed right now
Admin,i wonder why my comments are not showing because i can’t remember using abusive words
Cedric was good up until yesterday but that disastrous mistake, aided and abetted by Gabriel, both at fault in my eyes, showed we cannot play a predominantly right footed player at left back and hopefully Tierney will return soon.
The change when Arteta took off Cedric, brought on Ødegaard and moved Saka to left back completely changed the dynamic of the game and all of a sudden we were producing down the left flank with Saka and Pepé causing Villa problems. I was genuinely thinking we would get at least a goal. But then, the biggest mistake of the match, Arteta brings on Willian instead of Martinelli, what a disaster of a move. When will Arteta realise that youth and players on 40 grand a week, with passion and energy are the way way to go not lazy players on 200 grand who don’t give a flying fcuk.?
Simply because Arteta doesn’t rate Matinelli’. Bet me.
All whatever Matinelli’ does and do, seem like a fluke to Arteta trust me on this.
Xhaka is deep shit!
Not to take away from your point, but I think Martinelli is actually on 90k pw, which is crazy to me but hey ho; no one works harder than him, that’s clear.
I’m not sure exactly what is going on with Martinelli at the moment. He didn’t look great in his lost recent games and always looks likely to injure himself -perhaps Arteta is protecting him from himself? No doubt he was the best option to throw on yesterday though.
Because Arteta prefers robots who carry out pre-programmed instructions, not individuals who bring creativity to the team.
Since Arteta took away the freedom of movement we have seen performances drop.
Martinelli looks average since returning, Auba isn’t scoring, Pepe still struggling, Willian still trash, Partey’s performances have dropped.
What’s most likely; everyone’s form all dropping at once, or Arteta micromanaging everything on the pitch still?
I agree with Declan as soon as Chaka got moved to left-back things started to click and we looked a lot more threatening not getting a cover for left back in this transfer window huge failure ma the egomaniac bringing on his boy William instead of Martinelli mistakes keep happening over and over having a hard time keeping faith this current regime oh well best of luck to everybody involved with Arsenal FC
I’m honestly not *so* disappointed in the performance – it’s just brought us back to reality, a bit. They kept going at it and on another day would have secured a draw. It was a game we’ve seen many times prior to Arteta where the other team get’s an early goal and then sits back, which makes it difficult – even when we made chances, they were always in difficult positions or under defensive pressure.
This is a very good Villa team but one without the arrogance of a top side, so there was no taking chances from them at the back, and they were always dangerous on the break (reminds me a bit of the Leicester side that won the title actually, only a bit less consistent). The fact that we did make some chances is good (completely different from earlier in the season), that we couldn’t convert any of them has obviously cost us badly.
I think we’ve been seeing recently that without an in-form Auba, we don’t have enough finishing power in the side. Maybe Pepe will turn another corner and start adding better finishes to his much improved general play, but really everyone needs to step up on that front.
On Soares, it was a bad mistake which looked like a lazy pass – perhaps he’s a bit drained – but let’s not forget how good he’s been recently. Bit of a reality check, perhaps, but he is a capable fullback.
What is Arteta playing at with Martinelli he either keeps taking him off when he starts or fails to bring him on when hes most need keeps going to William who is a complete waste of space but if he keeps treating Martinelli like this then we will loose this huge talent and Arteta with his clueless management would be 100% to blame hopefully hes gone first!!
I still support the Manager. But I must admit that I am confused with his obsession with Willian.
Your analysis is %100 spot on. Everything about Arsenal Football Club is very depressing to say the least, My prayer is that time will bring back the good old Gunners someday. Not these time, We have an arrogant coach who thinks he knows better than all by playing disgusting Willian ahead of children who want to play. Hopefully we are done loosing this season.
It is simple. The manager needs to motivate, direct and create a dominant, football force. Arteta cannot do that. He is a learner, an apprentice, a rookie. He is making poor player decisions, he keeps bringing on Willian and pays him 200,000 a year to do nothing. He leaves Martinelli on the bench. By justifying his horrendous decisions and risking bad results it means he is not able to be Arsenal manager. C’mon denial can only last so long. When the evidence is in front of your eyes, when the truth shows it’s face we must accept it, or we become part of the problem. Arteta must leave, it’s over.
I feel so so sorry for Konstantin, as he is upset about what he himself says is the fact that we are just a mid table side. I can never fathom why some are so cross at the truth, even when they themselves both know it and say it, as he does in his realistic article.
What helps me personally is that I have never fooled myself we are better than we are – as so many do all the time – and so I am not as cut up as some are when we show we are simply a midtable side.
I have known right from his start as manager that MA, through no fault of his own, inherited a mammoth task to turn the sinking ship around . I knew he had a mountain of deadwood and stupidly awarded contracts to overcome and that this would take considerable time. I also knew that in Kroenke he would get no adequate investment to strengthen the team.
I also knew he would make mistakes, which he has, but I see no point dwelling on what was inevitable and factored in by us realists.
I realise I annoy some by constantly describing myself as a realist but we all have the free choice to be a realist, IF WE CHOOSE. The sad fact is that the majority of fans of ALL clubs never choose to be one. They prefer self foolery. Sigh!
Put all this together and I always knew we would need huge patience before seeing sustainable improvement . This has proved to be so and, as a realist, is exactly what I expected all along.
Hence, and even though we all HOPE to win every game, I was, from the start, determined to give our manager a proper and fair chance (unlike so many juveniles on JA). I will continue in my patience to support our manager, in whom I see great qualities.
I must say I completely agree with your mindset here. Yes, we are a mid-table side right now, and I never got so excited after the Chelsea win and little run of form to think we were going to climb right up the table. It showed we have shoots of a potentially good side for the coming seasons but we still have some serious issues to overcome. The culture is changing but it’s not where it needs to be yet – that doesn’t happen overnight and so lapses and inconsistencies are inevitable right now.
Through I fault of his own? Are you sure? So whose fault is it then. Instead of hero worshipping Arteta as you do, you should be seriously questioning some of these decisions that an amateur would not do. We should never be in this position, and the reason we are is solely down to Arteta. Tell me this PAL- we all know Aubamayang is totally ineffective through the middle. He has failed repeatedly when asked to play as a single CF. Yet Martinelli, who can play there, is yet again left on the bench when we were desperate for someone to offer pace and options. Yet Arteta, yet again, brings on not only Auba at the expense of Martinelli, but then makes it worst by choosing Willian as his third substitute. That PAL is the action of a clueless incompetent manager who seems to be clearly out of his depth. Emery was sacked because his team were seen as having no leadership. How much longer will Arteta get for overseeing a team that is performing at an even lower level?
He should be gone Monday morning.We are beginning to act like a club who has no idea of what they are doing, starting with the owner, down through the board and management, and ending with a group of players who clearly are not producing the level of consistency and results that should be DEMANDED at this Club
Too much longer and we are in danger of being embarrassed even more than we are now
Phil, do you think Arsenal were premature in sacking Emery, when he wasn’t provided the players he wanted? Emery was sacked after losing 3 games in 8, yet Arteta has lost 10 games in 23 and the last manager to “achieve” that was Terry Neill, who was subsequently sacked. Emery after the same number of games as Arteta, had Arsenal fourteen points better off.
So much for equity and consistency.
Ancellotti (my choice to replace Wenger) would have Arsenal, with this squad in a much improved position and I believe, so would Emery.
Well, after our season so far, some inconsistencies have crept up in the gameplan. We ideally should start every game like the first half at Wolves. We seem to not have bang average or dross players at that time? Why does the team always need a halftime spanking from the manager before playing relatively well? I thought after all this time MA might have developed a new tactic for surpassing a low block, because he experiwnced it multiple times with similar results. But it seems the variation of a similar tactic, whose end result is a cross to the opposing defence. That’s not good enough and needs to change. Also when we play out from the back we seem to be inside a prison, but opposing players quite easily glide through our supposed front press. These are some inconsistencies that MA should work on. Having a drifting CAM is fine, but players movement ia paramount for the tactic to work. ESR was not able to effectively combine with Pepe but was good with Saka. Pepe conversely picked up balls from Cedric well and always just seemed to miss one or two final touches. The general play has improved, but I think the tactics have not changed which is hurting us. If we do have the crosses plan, then trying to integrate Moller would be a good step I guess.
MA has had positives but I think he could do more to reduce his deficits and not constantly paint a fake picture of dominating a game when we cant get past a disciplined defence.
Expectations are so low at Arsenal that mid table is a comfortable place to be. Yet with Wenger in charge and not much in the transfer kitty those were glory days.