We should hold everyone accountable by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people, I think it’s fair to say that at Arsenal a lot of people have had it easy. Too often one person had taken all the blame, while the truth is, we are where we are for many reasons.
We made a few critical mistakes this summer once again. Firstly we sold our better keeper, who was at the foundation of our solidity. For a team that doesn’t score a lot of goals this was suicidal.
Then we signed Willian at 32 and gave him a 200k/week contract for 3 seasons. We gave David Luiz another year, then we went and gave Auba 350k/week. We could’ve cashed in on Laca, and tried to improve our attack, instead we gave deals to Mari and Cedric who we don’t play, and we are stuck with Xhaka for some reason.
These deals don’t make sense and they showed the lack of preparation for the scenario which panned out. I think Edu has a few questions to ask here. We moved on Raul, because of his close relationships to agents using the club to feed their clients better deals, but Edu hasn’t shone himself in glory, by helping his fellow countrymen to good deals. Remember that we initially wanted Overmars to take his job, but we were turned down. I think Marc realised that the way things are at Arsenal, you are set up to fail.
Vinai shouldn’t get away with it either because he practically signed off those deals. It’s because we don’t have a proper footballing CEO that understands the industry, not just numbers.
And this was highlighted when we gave Arteta too much power, which he took and failed to manage properly. He left Ozil out of the side, which was a strategical mistake. It was a bold decision, but it put pressure on Arteta, and questions immediately arose when results started to plummet.
We lacked a plan for how we will play. We should’ve either set up a formation that works best with what we have, or recruit the players we need to play the system we want. We did neither and, in that case, at least we should’ve given ourselves all the options, and we didn’t.
Unfortunately winning the FA cup masked again the underlying problems. Players eventually got confused by the constant rotations and tactile micromanagement, so they downed tools like they’ve done before. A lot of those players managed to throw Arsene Wenger under the bus, so Mikel Arteta will be an easy bite for them.
Just think of how many players have been here for a more than two years and in the last months have gotten progressively worse. Xhaka, Bellerin, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Ozil, Lacazette, to name just a few, some of which have become unplayable. Then there are others who we signed recently to improve our squad, but instead they slumped to our level, like Pepe for example, who was one of the most exciting wingers in Europe. I fear for Partey because this faith could soon catch up to him.
Combined with the issue that in order to get players to stay we give them huge money deals, who they’re ready to stink out if they have to, we’re in a situation that won’t change overnight. We’re ‘backing’ Arteta for now, but even if we sign two players in January will they instantly make us better? I have my doubts.
We are either really believing in Mikel or we again have no clue how to get out of this mess, so we just pray it goes away, like it did in the Wenger days. I’m worried who will make the right decisions, so that one year later, we’re actually in a better place.
Despite the complete lack of confidence in the people who should take the tough decisions at the club, and the fact that not all is Arteta’s fault, I still think we should 100% change the manager as soon as possible.
It will give us a boost we desperately require, because relegation is a real thing, and it can happen to you no matter who you are. There’s just no measurable statistic that points in favour of Arteta, and our style of play is not only poor, but also depressing to watch.
I am certain that if we don’t cheap out on the manager, we can get a decent option and I think Rafa Benitez is a great candidate. He has the experience in the league, he’s won things and he’s managed in both ends of the table. At least on paper a proper candidate for the mess we are in.
Then there are others like Nagelsman and Allegri. Very different in style, but both names that would lift the spirits around. And I am sure with enough money, we can convince Pochettino. He’s waiting for the United job, but who knows how long that will take and if he can inject young blood to our squad like he did at ‘them lot’ and we back him, he’d love to take a dig at Levy for sacking him.
In the end there are options, and if there is one thing that’s actually positive right now, that is that something is definitely happening in January. Either player wise or with the manager, we’ll see in the very near future.
Konstantin
The problem of Arsenal lies definitely with tactics. We are very slow in attack. We hold the ball too much. By that time all the opposition players get well organised . Dont blame these players. They were performing very well elsewhere. That is why we brought them here. If they fade off at Arsenal its definitely the problem of manager and his brainless tactics. The prime duty of attackers is scoring goals and not defending his goal post. If someone expects Ozil or Auba to be better in defence the outcome will be poor. Its similar to Luiz or Gabriel being asked to play in attacking position. This is what I observe with Arsenal. Sack MA and bring an attack minded manager to save Arsenal. Earlier the better…..
Nonsense. They hold the ball to much because these aren’t one touch players. They arent technical nor can they pass accurately.. Managers cannot teach that.. His fault would be not playing to their strengths..
Leeds learned to do it. It’s not the quality of the players so much as it is their lack of confidence and lack of movement. It’s why ESR is so effective, he’s always moving into dangerous positions. Pepe is about as talented a footballer as anyone, but he’s sticking to a wide position making him easy to mark/nullify.
Davi What can you see that other people can’t Pepe is crap £72 million wasted on him that’s the trouble when you buy from abroad you have to let them settle in then you see they are not EPL players like Pepe that;s the boards fault Emery did not want Pepe but the board said yes
I would have never hired Artera for the simple reason that he learned under Guardiola.
Guardiola never took a difficult job and often had an open check book to sign the best players around.
MA looks lost because the little he learned from Pepe is not working at Arsenal .
So why does anybody think he has what it takes to succeed while coaching the current players?
We’re all lost, Icw, this isn’t our beloved team!! Will the real Arsenal please stand up?!! 😄
I had a chuckle last night though, messaged my daughter, banter time – who’s a City fan – and said you can have Arteta back… her reply – I don’t want him 😂😂
Sue you probably can’t meet a better person than Artera but he was put in a difficult situation.
Tell your daughter we will even throw in Mustafi, Xhaka and Socratis if they take MA back.😉
You are right I really miss our Arsenal. Here we see the games early on the weekends but now the weekends are long and dull.
Mustafi, Xhaka and Sokratis?! Oh that’ll definitely do it 😂 Although there are rumours of Mustafi and Barcelona… again… and it’s not even April 1 😄 Mental!!
Yes, long and dull and plenty of time to ponder over where it’s all going wrong!!
Sue these players you talk of say they won’t move they will see their contracts out that is the new form now see out your contract and get the signing on from the new club GREED pure GREED
He sold the better goalkeeper….and should have been playing Saliba instead he registered injured players …..who are still injured…..where is Macey? …..Ozil is another factor. He is not good and should have been bought out. I am losing faith in Arteta.
I agree with RSH… it’s been a year with Arteta now… and unbelievably really it feels like the same dire, toxic mess it was during Emery’s last few months… maybe worse.
Yes, we need to shift and sort out some old headaches, Mustafi, Xhaka, Ozil’s wage etc. And get 4-5 quality ones in.. but it can’t be said we don’t have good players:
Auba, Saka, Leno, Tierney, Gabriel.. Partey
(His injury is a massive blow – we’re 3 times better with him in the team)
Also Martinelli but I think it shows that the tactics are the problem and seems like man management and experience too. Because Martinelli and Partey aren’t going to be change of the general fact.
Then we have players like AMN and Pepe and Laca who a different manager might get more out of..
ESR, Balogun need to be on the subs bench at least, very promising.
But having said that I don’t know if Pepe isn’t going to cut it. He looked a monster at Lille but I would sell him Willian and Bellerin. We need a way better right side to balance our left.
Xhaka and Cellabos need to go at the end of the season.
I backed Arteta and he was amazing for a few months but his main talent was raising positivity and unity in the club… that’s sunk now and I don’t think he’s got enough for us. Our attack can’t be this useless with some of the quality we have.
I hope we can get Rodgers this time around.
Ok, time now I think for everyone here to start putting the solutions in which they think can make us into contender again in two-three year. No more blame game and let’s be logical….if we can get somewhere among fans then I bet that means that the board should get somewhere. Solutions should be logical and achievable, not a demand like club going out there in pandemic spending £500 million to break the FFP. Also not like getting rid of all the players n just start from player one. Something that is achievable interms of finance and real. We can included probably the Acdemy structure and recruiting structure what players can come in which we can afford either from outside or from B team. who would you like to see it keep in top jobs at club from CEO, football director, head of recruitment and manger etc It will be good to read what all of us think. We don’t have to choose sides and probably serve as a diversion.
All I can see is that we still need to clear out the squad. It’s going to mean selling whoever we can (if Barca will take Mustafi and/or Bellerin, please let them go) and waiting for contracts to run down.
In the mean time we need to get the best from what we have, and to me that means a lot more chances to the younger players. For transfers, we need smart, realistic signings for players who have something to prove and aren’t just chasing the big contract (if they’re asking for a lot of money, just say no thanks!). Not blowing everything on one or two risky transfers.
Basically we need to start doing things properly – the sooner the better, it’s the only way to get us back on track.
It’s not going to turn us into a great side overnight, but it’s the only way I can see to a better future currently.
It’s why we need a commited manager. I think MA needs a bit more time to turn it around, but if not, it needs to be someone who not only has the ability to manage well, but one who will be willing to put up with the problems and see it through.
I completely agree about Fraudiola. His rise to fame is on the back of Messi and chequebooks. He is not someone like Jose, Jurgen, SAF or AW, people who could do it anywhere and with any kind of team. Explains why he didn’t win the UCL after Barcelona.
The problem of experimenting things in a real world.
Everyone knows Mikel Arteta is not yet ready to coach a team of Arsenal status, why giving him a job? Team ambition zero.
Wait until the Brighton game, because I’m sure the board wouldn’t hesitate to replace Arteta if we lose that game
They insist they’re happy with him though, gai… I personally think he’s been skating on thin ice for weeks.. do you think he can turn it around? I’m very doubtful….
I do, Sue. I believe most of our players are still supporting him
We shall see, gai…..I hope something sooner rather than later puts a smile on our faces… and no, I don’t mean one of our rivals – Newcastle, West Brom etc dropping points!
Sue Emery was not this bad and they sacked him is Arteta a yes man or what
Runarsson copped it for last night, yet all of our experienced players continue to underwhelm week in, week out.. we really should be called ‘The Uncoachables’
I honestly don’t hold out much faith that things will happen next month.. unless of course there are a load of past it players looking for a new venture! Oh happy days….
I just hope people leave the kid alone.
He didn’t do worse than the much older and experienced Mustafi gifting the first goal to City.
Nice one, Icw… yes the usual impersonating a Madam Tussauds waxwork!!
Uncoachables😂😂😂
I expected to a degree not to be great this year. Afterall we have a lot of deadwood, we didnt get all the signings we needed in the summer. If Mikel was 7th-8th right now, we’d be disappointed, but still have belief he could turn it around with the right squad. But this…. is a relegation battle! How can someone say he can get it right if we get the right players when he is doing this poorly. Arsenal is not the place where you learn to become a manager on teh spot. It’s fine if Mikel struggled this season, but this is hitting a new level that we didn’t expect. There’s no signs of improvement AT ALL. He needs to give us WAY more than this if he wants fans to be patient with him. WAY more.
Me too, RSH, but I expected us to be in the top half of the table at least!!
Granted, it was always going to be difficult, but even if results weren’t going our way, we could at least play well, but even that isn’t happening…
Bang on about no improvements, we’re worse now than ever, still the butt of everyone’s jokes and I’m fed up…. and watching our matches does nothing for me – even when I see Kolasinac 😆
😂😂You just broke kolasinac’s heart Sue
🤣 they’ve broken mine 🤣
Yes I agree.
Same players and higher place than last year (top 6) = good manager.
Same players and same place as last year (8th) = ok manager.
Same players but lower place than last year (15th) = poor manager.
👍 simple and accurate!
But i would like to add one more scenario:
upgraded team ( + TP & GM) but lower place than last year (15th) = ??? manager
Please help me to find the correct adjective.
= disastrous manager.
👍👏!
That’s wrongfully assuming the
likes of Villa, West Ham, Newcastle
Southampton, Leeds, etc havent
improved as clubs. Gabriel is
inevitably hitting that first EPL
season wall, Partey thru injury has
been a non factor and Willian an
unmitigated disaster.
SOS in North London but the EPL
is more competitive than ever.
OT, I think if.MA is given his
walking papers before the new
year than Ralp H from SHampton
should be on the shortlist. The
turnaround @ the South coast
club under his stewardship has
been nothing short of remarkable.
RSH, it bothers me that 4,5,6,7 defeats he still can’t find what is wrong when millions of fans see one or two wrongs. First he needs to fix the way we tackle and mark. Giving a yard or two to opponent is not a good way to mark. Second, we are as slow as snail in the way we attack. No urgency at all. If Arteta can’t figure these little things out he doesn’t deserve to be given a penny.
To suggest that Arteta only knows what he knows because Pep has only ever worked at a top club is tenuous. Arteta has played at various clubs and taken all his coaching badges so will no doubt have picked up on things that have worked- or failed along the way. You might just as well blame Arteta for being useless at his job
Well SueP like they say the proof is in the pudding. I am in no position to brand him useless but we are what our record says we are.
If MA knows more of what he is showing than he is either clueless or dishonest. I don’t think he is either.
Besides what he learned under Wenger is out the door because he doesn’t follow any of his tactics. What he learned previous to that does not apply because Football has changed.
My question to you is how and what do you expect to change barring an influx of 5 to 6 new good players?
Why did you ask me that if your view is that Arteta is useless because he was second to Pep who is only as good as he is because of financial support?
Is it a coincidence that Emery Freddie and Arteta are struggling to get the senior players on side?
And don’t say I said he is useless as you have been banging on about Arteta for weeks
Still I never said he useless. Also I have not been banging on about Arteta for weeks or days. I simply said he is not the man for the job. Nothing personal but it is what it is.
And over time you have been saying he is not the man for the job, which equates to not being much use.
Seasons Greetings by the way
I really wanted MA to succeed and hope he still can.
Any how Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well.
Why are people afraid of saying Arteta is useless? Instead we are blaming hapless players who don’t understand the manager’s confused instructions. Is this squad worse than Leicester or south? You might now get it- it s all about coaching and recruitment. But when u recruit Willian, Cedric ,Mari and Runnarson it shows that u should be at least a thousand miles from London. Bring Wenger immediately to stabilise while we entice Rogers or Hussenthal to join in the summer.
Hi admin Pat
Firstly again …a merry Christmas
Secondly. I dont want be the grinch but this is the biggest load of tosh you have posted.
The rot has been in place for years not just the last 12 months
A quick fix of let’s get a new manager in will solve the problem is pie in the sky and the merry go round and blame will just starts up again
Players not moving on is down to mismanagement before MA came in. IG was the ultimate culprit fir that and why should they leave when they are on comfortable contract plus club dont want to pay the price for over rated players on inflated prices
The goalkeeper situation… he was far the better goalkeeper in my eyes but £17m for a player whos contract was about to come to an end is great business and was probably only worth 4m tops before hos run in the side.
The question should have been asked. Why didn’t we tie him down before Leno got injured?
No one was saying that before. Not even you
It becoming very boring reading articles about dismantling our club brick by brick because you think the managers is to blame.
The question should be and me and lot of people have said it before. The foundations were never layed and the place has become more and more unstable as the years have gone by
Hind sight is a great thing but we are where we are and for now. He is the manager of our great club and we should stand by him and stop the blame culture
Have a great Christmas Pat and onwards and upwards my friend
Agree with all this. I won’t defend everything Arteta has done, I disagree with a lot of it (very much including the treatment of Martinez), but I do believe he was always fighting an uphill battle. The severe mismanagement started over a decade before Arteta took over l, and it was always going to catch up with us eventually.
They tried to sell players over the summer, but no one was biting – doesn’t that tell you something is very wrong? Most sides don’t have so much trouble turning a profit or at least getting most of their money back on their transfers but too many of our players are so overpaid and have been so inconsistent that we can’t shift them when we need to.
People that want a new manager now don’t seem to realise that the best that would do is create another false dawn, like the FA Cup last season, and we’ll be right back here in a year or so. Problems are too deep to be solved that easily.
I do worry that the *actual* best we can do is wait for a few contracts to run out while we train up the quality younger players. It won’t be pretty, though, whoever the manager is.
Davi It starts with the board they need to clear the decks and bring in a proper C E O
Arsenal is in crisis now! Relegation threat is there! What can be done? Sack Arteta? Clear the dead woods?.Or Sack the board?. Solution must come fast or else RELEGATION! God forbid!
Spot on Alan . Agree with every word! Only older fans can possibly know the troubles started way befoe some of the know nothing kids kids on here wereeven out of short pants.
SOME OF THE PROPER YOUNG UNS KNOW NOTHING OF OUR EVEN QUITE RECENT PAST AND SO PUT IT ALL DOWN TO MA OR EMERY.
The club sold its heart and soul one day in 2007 when Dein was forced out by traitorous other directors and snake Kroenke was invited in and is biting us to death to fill his personal coffers. He cares nothing for Arsenal , for football or us fans. Only for his pocket!
He needs to be forced out and until he is, nothing will make us challenge for the tite ever again. That is realism, not falsely blaming whichever underfunded manager is in charge under that snake Kroenkes ownership.
WE NEED DANGOTE AND WE NEED HIM NOW!
TRUE
IF IT TAKES ARSENAL TO BE RELEGATED FOR THE TWAT KRONKE TO SELL THE CLUB TO SOMEONE WHO TRULY CARES THEN SO BE IT
Hi AlanBall08,
Thanks for the Xmas wishes, but I would just like to point out that this article was written by Konstantin…
I hope eveyone has the best Xmas possible in these troubling times
Admin Pat
Hi pat
Many appolgises
Your article’s are a far better read 😄
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Much of these comments are so naive. Bring Wenger back, get Rogers or Allegri, get rid of half the team etc. Nonsense. Why would Rogers come to Arsenal when he is manager of a much better team and squad? Why would Allegri risk his reputation at Arsenal?
I have supported Arsenal for 50 years and this is probably the worst team during that time, but the solutions suggested are risible.
Sadly there is no easy solution and no short term one. Have a look at how Klopp turned Liverpool round. He started from a more favorable position than Arteta and he has the money from the sale of Coutinho. He brought standards and passion but it took him a long time to really have an effect. During the transfer windows they were very sensible, bringing in top class players one or two at a time, working for the long term not looking for a quick and urgent fix.
It isn’t all disastrous at Arsenal, despite the shocking current performance. We have a very exciting set of very young players, probably the best potential of any club in the PL. handled right they could transform our fortunes…in time.
Everyone seems to be looking for a new Brian Clough who can come in and turn bums into world beaters (Kenny burns!). There are no managers like this…it takes time. Remember, Alex Ferguson was nearly fired at Man U.
I hate the Current Arsenal team like everyone else. There are many players who have failed to perform for years. Xhaka and Mustafi are not PL standard; Bellerin has been poor for several years; Kolasinac has no business playing for Arsenal; Ozil (despite the romantics who have rose tinted glasses) played very few good games for us apart from his first year;.
Arteta has to manage these people out whilst trying to get a performance from what is left. It was probably unhelpful that Arteta won the FA cup because fans got carried away, with some idiots talking about challenging for the title. Expectations were too high and we have now hugely undershot expectations.
Arteta has to be given time to work. No half decent manager is going to come to Arsenal unless we pay ridiculous money, and even the , the really good ones won’t risk their reputation.
We are entitled to criticize Arteta and point out his mistakes but we have to give him time. It would be shameful if we fire him and then go on to see him achieve great success somewhere else.
There are no magic wands and some of the suggestions here are facile and ignorant.
Anyone watching Arsenal can see that Arteta as manager is not working. Our eyes, statistics and common sense can see it’s not working. It will take time to become a solid side again, but it won’t be on Arteta’s watch. He need’s to leave yesterday.
Our recruitment reeks of QPR 2012-13. After they survived last season, they bought so much crap. Started the season with a 5-0 defeat & from there it was all downhill, even a managerial change did not save them.
I fear that that’s what will become of us
At this point in time, even if we had Messi, Neymar and the best midfielder, best defenders in the world in the Arsenal team, we would still lose. Can’t get a diamond out of a turd. That is what we have in MA. There is no potential in MA. A rudderless ship in a raging storm..no direction, no plan…and drifting aimlessly in open water….until it drowns. You are delusional if you think, we will get better. Cut your losses and bail.
There is indeed a good case for replacing the entire management team. My main concern is timing.
Isn’t there a new restriction on UK travel?
If changes are made now will we expect the new team to manage via Zoom?
Will the new team of managers have enough time to successfully navigate the next transfer period?
Will the new travel ban and isolation protocols impact our ability clear out non-performer and sign new players?
Right now what is required is a short term solution. After that look at long term solutions.
Objective: Avoid Relegation this year and try to finish in the top 12.
Is it unreasonable to insist that a rookie manager should not be given that target and demand that we should get at least 5 points from their next 3 games: i.e. Chelsea, Brighton & West Brom considering we could really get into a relegation battle?
If that is not possible, we need a firefighter.
We do not even have to sack Arteta. We can just give him a 6 month gardening leave and appoint Rafa Benitez to solve the short term solution.
Then let the Arsenal board do their job of trimming the squad with the consent of Arteta. This at least gives Arteta a chance of leading us in the future if they truly believe in him.
It is just the same as sending a player out on loan. We are just doing it with our manager.
Wish everyone a merry Xmas. But hope that selected under-performing senior (not junior) players choke on their turkey and fall just sufficiently ill so that miss the games in the Xmas fixture list.
@Indian Gunner.
Congratulations for your excellent proposition in view of the difficulties to bring a new team in Pandemic times.
I think Rafa Benitez would love to work with these players and get a tune out of them as well. A proper coach and gets on with the job in a quiet slick way. Class act.
This is one of the most incisive articles I’ve come across on the present state of things! In fact, it is difficult to disagree with much here at all.
However, I’m responding to the end of the article and the suggestion of Rafa Benitez: my own first choice from the very start.
Surely the breadth of his experience alone is compelling: managed at the very highest levels on the one hand and Newcastle (sorry!) on the other; perhaps the most impressive was ably stepping into The most toxic arena in his temporary chelsea stint.
Both Emery and Arteta – chalk and cheese – found themslves out of their depths far too quickly. Whereas, from all accounts, Benitez is his own man, basically just so much more heavy weight!
I of course agree with the main tenets of this article and the questions that must be asked at executive level. It was clear Gazidis could see the turmoil unfolding (perhaps it already was); Mislintat’s take on things makes pretty uncomfortable reading too. Overall, I certainly agree that Edu seems to embrace the worst of all qualities and should go!
Can you imagine we are in need of Big Sam?
Everyone at Arsenal is guilty of this mess but unfortunately as much as I thought MA was a good appointment he has completely changed my opinion. For example I just read a statement he made with statistics involved and this sounded like the Greek oracle. He is lost and short term there is no way he survives this. Only by luck . I do not see how we win any game let alone vs Chelsea. Stranger things happen but his good fortune of winning FA Cup can inly carry him so far. This club is a total mess top to bottom and only:
1. Stay up no matter what
2.Hire a world class manager with winning pedigree (Simeone no matter the cost)
3. Clear out this group and invest heavily the next 2 transfer windows to build a side to get back into top 4
4. Build to challenge for a title in 3-4 years time
Alan, having just read your contribution may I just endorse every point you made . I am amused by the calls for Arteta to be replaced by the Southampton manager who a year ago was under severe pressure.The fact that the hierarchy at Southampton decided to give time to repair the damage was an astute decision, and yet the anti Arteta camp are not prepared to exercise patience.Speak about double standards!
We need Ragnick! He’s the only man I would trust to come in and change things from top to bottom. What he did to the red bull franchise is needed here.
It’s actually perfect for what we are trying to achieve.
Get rid of Edu and bring in Ragnick.
Read this and tell me this is not what we need
https://www.coachesvoice.com/ralf-rangnick-red-bull-salzburg-jurgen-klopp-rb-leipzig/