Sam Allardyce claims he can improve Arsenal’s defence in a day if he is given the job
Arsenal could be playing with a much better defence within a week if Sam Allardyce is made their next manager, according to the former Everton boss.
Arsenal has had several on-field issues this season but their defence has been the team’s major headache as they struggle to keep teams at bay.
Their recent 3-0 loss at home to Manchester City shows just how bad things have become at the former Premier League winners.
Arsenal is now 9th on the league table and are just as close to the relegation places as they are to a top-four spot.
Several managers have been linked with the Arsenal job but one fan called TalkSport to drum up support for the appointment of Sam Allardyce.
Responding to that, Allardyce admitted that he would take the job and he insists that he would transform the team’s leaky defence within a day.
He, however, conceded that he would most likely not be getting the job because he isn’t as fashionable as the club would want their manager to be.
“Arsenal have lost their way at the moment,” said the former England boss on Monday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
“They need to bond and connect as a squad, somebody needs to get in the dressing room.
“I could come and work on Arsenal’s defence and make them better tomorrow, not a problem whatsoever.
“I’ve done it everywhere I’ve been – Newcastle, Blackburn, Bolton, West Ham Crystal Palace, Everton, I’ve done it all there.
“But what you can’t do is get the front line performing that much better, you’ve got to hope you’ve got good quality players up there, and Arsenal have.”
And, asked if he would take the job if he was approached, Allardyce said: “Of course I would. I don’t know a man who wouldn’t!
“But I’m never going to be in the frame. I’m not fashionable enough for Arsenal.
“I know there’s is a reputation at the club on how you should play, but realistically when you’re struggling it’s about finding the capabilities of the players and getting them to play to those capabilities.
“I’ve always been pragmatic and have always picked a style to suit the players
“Nobody will be enjoying going in at Arsenal at the moment. It’s crisis management, you have to start making the players believe in themselves again. It’s not about what you are as a coach, it’s about what you are a man-manager, extracting the best out of the players again and breathing some confidence back into them.”
This may be controversial but Arsenal could do a lot worse than big Sam right now. Put it this way, I would much rather he gets the job than Mikel Arteta.
I would take big Sam tomorrow, that’s where our club is now. However arteta will be announced in the next couple of days.
Might as well take Alan Pardew or Mark Hughes
😀😀😀
Brucey is one point behind us. The future 😂
Told you
Sure, by using five defenders at the back
The opposition usually take over after Arsenal’s pass fails to reach our attackers. Gone are the days when we had a CF who can do hold-up play like Giroud and a no 10 who can shield the ball like Bergkamp
That’s why I like Martinelli as CF, because he can hold the ball well and he is always pressing. Our defense would keep suffering if our attackers let the two central midfielders press alone
Defense is priority number one for a struggling club. Then think about how to move the ball forward. Our midfielders don’t move the ball forward, that’s why we concede so many shots under Emery.
Unfortunately we can only replace Chambers and Sokratis with Luiz and Mustafi, because they’re the only senior CBs available in the squad
Right now I will take Sam Allardyce. In fact, we should hire him until the end of the season so we can have enough time to find a long term coach.
Just saw a tweet saying if Arteta accepts the job, we’ll have to pay 1m compensation.
New manager bounce against Everton?? Don’t hold your breath…
I really can’t believe we’re going for the human Ken doll 😖
Could be a deal breaker as Man City are owned by a family
who scrape by on a trillion pound income 🙂
🤔 hmm I thought he’d be a hit with the female arsenal supporters lol anyway if it is him I wish him all the best
If the powers that be decide he’s the one, then I’ll have to back him, although I wasn’t keen on him as a player. In all honesty, I think we could’ve done better 🤷♀️
Coming from the longest serving England Manager !!
😂😂👍
haha! I sometimes forget about that debacle, thanks for the laugh!
Mikel Arteta has been offered a deal until 2023. Verbal agreement and club waiting to find out if City demand compensation. He’s set to sign
Nice one Kev…………….Arteta is the future imo………….sorry Sue !
😆
😀
You think it’s bad now just wait until Arteta becomes manager
Hi Kev. Hope this is true? Also, we have to invest in the midfield and central defence. Thomas Partey and Lewis Dunk are a must in January. What is the issue with Mavropanus? Is he fit?
“Find the capabilities of the players and get them to play to those capabilities”.
“I’ve always been pragmatic and have always picked a style to suit the players.
That’s probably a fair general assessment of any coaches job though.
Emery thought the Arsenal defense was weak so played heavy D safe no mistake football.
Ljungberg believed the team was talented so played attack focused football.
Neither could get the required response this season.
Sam’s brief was to stay in front of 3 basement dwellers by getting 41 points.
Staying in front of Middlesbro, Cardiff or Hull is a lot different
from making top 4 by beating Spurs and Man U and getting 77 points.
Very soon we should be seeing what Arteta intends to do.
Of course that depends on the expectations placed upon him
and the resources made available to him.
BTW are we fans pragmatic in our expectations of players and results?
Just say Big Sam came in and steadied the ship. Got us up to 6th. We still wouldnt get in a top manager, because any of the ones available out there, or is going to want a rather sizable transfer kitty, plus his wages and those of his hand picked back room staff. Not to mention control over players brought in. The board and owners aren’t going to go for that.
I still feel Arteta is not experienced enough to steady this rocking ship called Arsenal. Only time will tell, but isn’t a deal till 2023 a bit too long?
I’m not really excited at the moment.
👍 Me neither
Deal would include performance related clauses which if not met
would mean he would like Emery be sacked and I am sure the board
would keep the compensation payment to a minimum.
If Sam would come in as no2 until the end of the season with Freddie and release Per back to his job, then i would take that over Arteta any day. At least we can actually say to Freddie sort your job out and Sam will sort the defence, at least that is a plan. This club has no plan at all. We need to start with something solid, not hopeful. Surprise surprise Everton have got their plan sorted, WHY?
Arteta has NO experience as a manager,but it seems arsenal FC don’t want a manager but a coach. And this is the problem as player power in the dressing room needs to be addressed. Certain players are causing the problem
This would be rock bottom
What Arsenal need is a mean, slightly angry maverick not a ‘cool’ Mr Nice guy. We need a real man who wont shy away from shouting at players when they eff up on the pitch Pep does it, Simeone, Klopp, Nagelsmann they all do it frequently.These men share one thing in common, if their teams lose, it wont be due to lack of effort but sheer bad luck.
I think Arsenal first of all should decide what kind of football, Arsenal as club wants to play.
Then we can decide the best manager available and the best suitable man for the job.
I prefer attacking football but with a strong defence. We are lacking good defenders, but we still don’t have the right wingers to make service for our good forwards. I’m a bit dissapointed with Pepe. I don’t understand why Arsenal haven’t sign players like Zaha and Fraser already. Look at Zaha tonight, what a fantastic player. He want’s Arsenal but Arsenal won’t spend the money on him.
Now we can instead all see him disappear to Chelsea in the January transfer window. Another reason for our present place in the table.
I would prefer Michal Laudrup as manager, who knows how to play attractive football. He knows good defenders in Spain and Italy. If he can win a cup with “little Swansea City”, I think he can make great wins with a big club like Arsenal.
For Goods sake don’t go for a defensive minded mangager.
Just my two cents.
For Gods sake don’t go for a defensive minded mangager 🙂
You still need good defenders to appoint a defensive minded coach. David Luiz has never been a good defender, heck PSG put him in midfield 90% of the time. Sokratis is just not good enough anymore, and his peak was at Dortmund, Chambers is just fine, very unrefined, Holding nobody even knows if he still exists at this point. And infamous Mustafi, people laugh at the sight of his name so there you go… West Ham, heck even West Brom have better defenders than us right now and Big Sam would have more to work with there.
Just look how far we have fallen…
If there were only two managers in the world, him and Arteta, I would give a fair chance to Freddie with some backroom staff and time to the end if the season. If it is him or Arteta, I would take him. That is how bad Arteta’s choice is.
I mean the guy never managed a team and we are giving him long contract. F the mgmt, I do not know what has hit them.
Arteta is a first rate coach. Just ask any City player. Or do you think they are propping him up so he would leave them? Ridiculous.
Even as a player he played better than his objective qualities would suggest by using his intelligence in defensive midfield (the anti-Xhaka). No wonder Wenger, Pep, and Poch all wanted him, the only time anything similar had happened in recent history to a just retired player.
“But he hasn’t been the guy who is the first in charge, blah blah blah.”
Remember, we’re not looking for a traditional type manager. We’re looking for a coach. And among people available and willing, he’s the best long-term bet. Poch and Allegri ain’t coming to Arsenal. And please don’t mention Simeone, Klopp, or Guardiola unless you want to be ridiculed.
It’s depressing to hear that people who claim to follow Arsenal would choose a useless has-been such as Allardyce over a future star of coaching who also happens to be our former captain. 🙁