History keeps repeating itself. Another pressure game, another collapse. We may be first on January 25th and sitting top of the Champions League group, but trophies are not handed out in January. They are won in May. We have seen this story before. Olympiacos. Sporting. Liverpool. The same themes keep returning. A lack of ideas, silly mistakes, and a team that tightens up when it matters most. Once again, the pressure got to us last night in that loss to Man United.
The same failures under pressure
It is impossible not to look at the manager. Zubimendi has been an awful signing, something many do not want to admit because honesty at Arsenal is often branded as negativity. His mistakes directly cost us two goals. The default sideways pass, played under pressure, turned into an assist for the opposition and completely drained our composure. From that moment on, we never truly recovered.
We failed to seize the momentum. I did not see players who looked like they wanted to win a league title. I did not see it against Forest in the recent draw, and I did not see it against Liverpool. I have seen this pattern before under this manager. Sporting. Olympiacos. PSG last year. When plan A fails, there is no plan B. We become predictable, safe, and ultimately ineffective. We are a one-trick pony.
No plan B, no match winners
Captain Odegaard was subbed at 60 minutes. Would Vieira have been subbed? Henry? This squad lacks genuine match winners. We have spent around 300 million and, so far, the only signing who has consistently delivered is Mosquera. This team needed a wake-up call.
Our football lacks creativity and speed. On throw-ins we waste nearly a minute just to get the ball back into play. Players stand still. There is no movement and no one showing for the ball. Substitutions are like for like, offering no tactical change. We went with Jesus up front, but was he better than Gyokeres?
There is a colossal mentality issue within this squad, and it starts at the top. We are not winning anything with super Mik.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments Gooners.
Mitov
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I have always made my point clear, I like Arteta as a person, but if he gets us a major trophy that will be a miracle, why? The guy is not good enough for big moments, when it realy matters he fails, he panics and so does the players. We will need a coach like Tuchel to get something out of this Good squad
I agree with you
If England don’t win the WC and if Arteta fails to with Either PL or CL then board will have good opportunity to sack Arteta and appoint Tuchel as Manager because Tuchel will be sacked if he fails to win WC with England
I agree with you on few points and it’s all down to Arteta and few of his decisions
For example when you bought Hinacapie and you already had Calafiori then in some matches you can easily try Lewis Skelly in Midfield
We have seen he is good in possession
Keeps the ball well
Draws some fouls
He can run forward with ball, we have already seen this against Athletico Madrid in CL
Try something different
You let Zinchenko go without even trying him in Midfield
Everyone knows his passing range and passing ability is like a midfielder
Everyone knows he plays CM for his national team
Picking up wrong team
Not giving Eze the chances
Spending 52 million on Madueke when Kudus was available for 55 millions
Too much reliance on right side and lot sorting out the LW yet
Trossard and Martinelli are good squad players you need LW like Rafael Leão, Nico Williams, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia,
If you don’t want to go that far then you had Semenyo, you had Mitoma, perhaps Anthony Gordon
And coming to CF then God Gyökeres is almost flop but issue is with system and not with players
Just look at Brentford, how they are able produce decent good strikers one after the another?
Ivon Toney, Wissa, Igor Thiago
Last has already scored 16 goals in PL is 23 games
It’s not about individual players but it’s a system fault
It’s mentality fault
Arsenal had 2 good chances before today to stretch the lead possibly to 11 points
The way Arteta made his substitutions yesterday, in same why he didn’t deploy all out attacking philosophy against Forest and Liverpool
Yesterday 1st time this season I felt that we are gonna bottle the league in the April
Only a lost Martian would make the Zubi comment… I am sure my comments will not be published if I say what the Mitov alien is..
Yes Maduake turned out to be a great signing actually.
I don’t think Madueke is great singing
His end product is dismal
Not a goal or assist in the league yep he’s been a revelation
Sorry but paying 50 million just for dribbles is bad business.
Until he starts chipping in with goals and assists that land, then we can talk.
This was his problem at Chelsea too so I don’t know what different MA expected.
He’ll probably be all in for Gittens come the summer DaJuhi 😂
Great ?
Do you not think the issue is we make out our players are better then they are ?
I agree with you 100%. He is always afraid to play attacking football against big clubs. 8 believe strongly that it will be a miracle for us to win any major trophy with Arteta. Let him prove me wrong.
Some of us have been calling for minutes on every player. Why would you buy a player you know yo won’t be playing? What’s actually wrong with Christian Norgaard? Why Zubimendi even when he’s committing a lot of blunders? Why sticking so much on side ways and back pass negative tactics? Is it true that Arteta sanctions any player that shoots from a distance? So many questions begging for an answer. I just hope he realizes that 4 points is nothing when Man City is right behind you.
After the long read, I realized that I should be very happy because
1. We are top of the EPL & UCL tables
2. We are one goal up in the semis of the league cup
3. We are in the FA cup
We may win all or some or nothing, but as on today I feel I’m on the top of the world.
Why is so much doom & gloom? Did we not beat the Serie A leaders 3-1 on their turf? We just got beaten by a 4th place team who have traditionally beaten us . Did not the “great” Pep lose to Carrick by 0-2? Take courage mate we went down fighting. Trust the process!
Thanks for the reality check TSRS,
As of now, we are in a good position.
We have “Gooners” saying we won’t win anything this season, which is beyond me.
Can we not just back the boys until the end, then you are welcome to all the negativity for 2 solid months!
We won’t mate
We will be told at least we competed and officials are to blame
Dan
Arsenal will win a major trophy this season. If you don’t believe it, then why not support another team? 🙄🙄
Kedar Damle
My goodness. Relax. It’s only one loss. Those players you are mentioning are not ours. We signed the best, and that’s why we are leading in both the EPL and Champions and are one game away from a Carabao final
If Man City loses against Spurs or Liverpool, then we have another opportunity to increase our lead. An am sure some of you will disappear and come back when we lose
Just as expected from Konstantin. He probably has a selection of “let’s slag arsenal/Arteta’ blueprints ready to quote for our worst performances.
What’s strange Jax is that I don’t recall Konstantin writing in to complain about the woeful performance against Wolves. That was the obvious time
SueP, how many league titles can we lose, before Mik the almighty can be critiqued? We’ve been pathetic in the last 7-8 games, apart from the Villa win.
I wouldn’t be so negative had the players and the manager showed ambition. Saka was the only player angry when we conceded at 3:2. I look at their eyes and they look clueless like the manager. We barely beat Wolves, we were horrible. We gave away the same goal vs Bournemouth.
What do you want? That I pretend all is great when I see the dross we’re playing? We’re only top cause City have slipped up too much for their standars, but mark my words, if they get in front we are finished. MA hasn’t won anything. It’s January. If I have to bet if we’d win anything, although i never gamble or bet, I’d bet on NO, based on historical evidence, not belief. I’ve seen us top in January, even March, we fumbled every time.
Last season we beat PSG in the group 2:0. I’d happily swap this win for a semi-final one as they won the trophy, but I guess we should always be happy, because there’s absolutely nothing a 1 billion squad can do to win a game of football ecxept pray on Mikel!
Yet the same fans mate will tell you in a minute ……winning trophies is not everything and at least we competed
We have the same conversation each month
Have I said trophies don’t have a place or aren’t important? Going to Wembley twice and watching Arsenal lift the FACup first as a teenager against Liverpool and secondly against Villa a few years ago made incredible memories. One of the fundamental things I do consider is the “whole” and that means not just a trophy but the overall health of the club. Under Arteta that has improved out of all recognition from the position he found himself in when he arrived.
Spot on SueP 👍
Sue P. I totally agree with you about the importance of ,” the total health of the club”, which at the moment makes me nervous. Too many Merino, sheep like players contributing nothing. A control freak of a manager and his like minded assistants. A failure of a transfer system overloading us with lumbering types. Let’s face it the block of wood that is Gyorkes makes Giroud really look like a scorpion. The Mandouke “steal”, was daylight robbery on Chelsea’s part. Who were we seriously looking at, if not at a player who was all speed with no end product? Why hasn’t Arteta been able to incorporate Nwaneri into his plans, clinging to Odegaard and Merino instead. The kid will thrive elsewhere. What is particularly galling is that United came out with a positive frame of mind full energy, of self belief and willingness to prove a point. On the other hand we came out to play Artetaball. You mentioned earlier that before Zubamendi’s blunder we were actually playing better. But wouldn’t you call it a bottle job by a group of overly tense players being restricted from their natural creative impulses, a slip up,every bit as bad as Kieran Gibbs’ slip in the Champion League semi finals a decade back which handed United the contest. Management has to take responsibility as to why certain players are underperforming and in which direction the club is heading. Pride of second or perennial chumps? Great to have you back Konstantine. Don’t let them get you down.
We can take that as a trophy I guess
🙄
Wasn’t just aiming that at you but yes you did say similar
Something similar isn’t quite the same thing. I’ve always maintained looking at the wider picture is extremely important. In that context, I would put the club’s stability financial and football health above a trophy at a given moment in time if the winning of a trophy is then followed by poor planning which turns into a disaster. For a club like Arsenal- I’d go for maintaining stability which SHOULD then bring the trophies that we all want which of course depends on the right person being in the dugout.
Well no but you have said In the past trophies are not everything and that for example 2nd last season should be been as a positive
So yeah think that applies
So what is your view? Is it that trophies are everything? What do you think last season’s second place should be seen as?
Just okay , not success
But yes for Arsenal in 2026, the measurement of success is triophies
Agreed! He was so active with his negative articles during Arsène Wenger’s final years at Arsenal. (He may have even started using the name ‘Mitov’ instead of ‘Konstantin Mitov’ just so people wouldn’t recognize him.) I was foolish enough to fall for his articles back then; he really took advantage of my frustration with Wenger. Now, he rarely writes unless the results are poor.
It’s sad that we Arsenal supporters, alongside outside haters, are often the ones creating negative narratives and putting unnecessary pressure on the players and the manager.
It’s true that he rarely writes. But there’s been times he’s actually been too positive, that I remember. Under Unai Emery I believe. He CAN be positive if he only writes some more. But we really haven’t given much to cheer about, especially when you recall that we have lost it all from similar positions
I beg to differ here, it is not Arsenal’s struggles against the big wigs that is so defining, it is against the smaller ones.
Check the game against Wolves, Sunderland, Forest?
If they won all the lesser matches and drew against contenders, they will win quite easily.
zubimendi being an awful signing is the stupidest commen tof the season by any pundit, blogger or indeed just anyone, and loses you any possible credit
you cease to be relevant
honestly stupid, you against the world. dear me.
goodbye
Hes terrible, our high possession play hides most of his weaknesses
Most goals we have conceded is on counter attacks, exactly what a top DM would be cleaning up and stopping. Rice can only cover for him so much.
His biggest strength is a 5m pass sideways or backwards. Cant handle pressure like a high press, terrible tackling, almost never reads intercepts and slow as hell. Watch how far behind he is everytime someone counter attacks us.
You don’t want to see it,that’s why you dont!
His forward passing 87%… With a pass accuracy mostly between 89% and 94%… So not understanding the side and backward passing comment (I am talking over the season, I do know he’s been a bit off the last few games).
For me, the issue is he needs a rest, at the moment it looks like he’s a bit mentally fatigued, which is why he is making mistakes.
I don’t want to see him (and many others for that matter!) anywhere near the team lineup for Kairat!
Time for me to grab my 🍿 ….
Im obliged to agree, Arsenal lacks someone with the guts to drive forward with the ball to force defenders to retreat or commit fouls. Someone like Thiery Henry. Only freshmen, Nwaneri and Bowman have displayed that trait.
In defense of our defenders, we cannot honestly say only Musquera has shown consistency. I don’t know what was wrong with Timber yesterday but he was uncharacteristically off. Maghaeles and Saliba have always been consistent for us. What’s becoming obvious, since its happened before, is that Zubemendi, like Saliba, commits atrocious backpass mistakes.
I do agree with the article and comments so far on most of the points raised. Arteta has made a lot of errors most of which couls be avoided if he was level headed and did not favour certain players. He has sold and loaned out all players who could compete with Odegaard that is ESR, Vieira, and Nwaneri.
The team plays without a plan B but just replacing a player and continuing the same thing over and over again even if its failing. Our defence has been the best for the past 3 seasons yet we continue buying defenders. From last years defence we didn’t need to buy any defender at all we just needed to assure Kiwior of game time. Arteta and Berta should have shipped out Jesus, Havertz and replaced them with proven strikers.
Our midfield has been dominated this year and a game in mind is the one against Aston Villa were we only won because of the injury to Onana. Why is Norgaard sitting on the bench when Zubimendi has been dominated against physical teams. The way Arteta protects Zubimendi is the same way he has been protecting Odegaard.
Every season Arteta has persisted with a player or a strategy that has failed to bring results but he doesn’t change. Last season we lost a lot of points when Partey played right back, this season Timber at left back is not working, another season it was Zinchenko at left back when we could have utilised him in midfield.
I am not impressed by Zubimendi. I rate Elliot Anderson and Angelo Stiller higher than him. Anderson is the best ball recoverer the league has seen in ages and Stiller is very much like Alonso during his Liverpool days.
I am a bit surprised we went for Zubimendi as he is not very good getting the ball back and quite bad under pressure which then burderns Rice a lot more.
Anderson has double the tackles, double the long balls, double the key passes than Zubimendi. He also has 192 ball recoveries when the next outfield player is at 125!
The problem lies with Arteta. I don’t care how Jesus and Gyokores feel about the situation or how there feeling may get hurt but we need Merino back up front. If we have any money left or available then throw it all at Larsen at Wolves or Sorloth from AM. Havertz aint coming back anytime soon and we need the physical presence upfront. The next problem is playing Trossard Jesus/Gyk and Saka together. We need one of the front three to have some pace. How many times do we break but still manage to get caught or the defence get back into position. I don’t rate Martinelli or Madueke but they have the athletic ability to run past players which we are clearly lacking right now. We also need a plan b and back up plan if things aren’t going our way. Timber cant play left back. Why not go to a back three under the circumstances. We have enough cbs to fill two teams playing a back 3.
We do have a plan b mate, we have a throw in coach at the club 😂 the idea is to take as long as possible with throw ins that the opposition lose concentration and we get a goal scoring chance 👌
Last season Liverpool drew 9 and lost 4 matches. They won the title with 84 points. We are at 3 lost and 5 drawn. No season is the same but luckily our rivals have been more inconsistent than us.
We have 15 matches to go and we must win at least 10 of them. Can MA do that or will the team crumble like they have so many times in the past 10-15 years, especially in the last few seasons.
Its not only City but Villa in the mix. They played on Thursday and won comfortably away to Newcastle. Can’t count them out.
Unless MA has learned anything from the past few seasons, I am afraid that he is unable to change our way of play, and we will only start playing well when there is no pressure – in other words when the title race is over.
This style of football under that manager is not sustainable and was inevitably gonna be found out.. our attack is woeful and even the defending is becoming suspect as we saw against Bournemouth and again yesterday. This team looks good on a bright and sunny day with no pressure, when the pressure is on they fold like a house of cards, we’ve seen it time and time again, even Arteta looked psyched out before the game lol. And where do you start with Casper the friendly Ghostgaard? This is the guy who should be rallying the team on the pitch but nope it’s all hair flicks, sideways passing and eventually completely disappearing. I genuinely believe this Arsenal team lacks so many leaders and mentality they actually need to be 15 points clear to win the title and even then they’d make hard work of it. Arteta has done a good job getting Arsenal challenging again but he lacks that x factor, go and get Luis Enrique in the summer a man that knows how to win pass it up and we might just regret it just like when we had an opportunity to bring in Pep and Klopp but passed it up to keep wenger who was long past his best.
I am not here to judge the players or the coaching staff, but I want to be honest. Based on the last three seasons, we consistently lose momentum after Christmas and the New Year, allowing our opponents to pull ahead. This has happened every season, that is exactly what is happening and once again it’s obvious we are losing the Premier League title.
I don’t like the singling players for their mistakes, also hearing that some section of the crowd boooed the team yesterday. I think some fans are just going overboard with the reactions and criticism.
I did say before Arteta was too cautious in his approach in the EPL. I still think, City are not the same level like before, maybe Villa who have nothing to lose are the most dangerous in the race.
Can everyone calm down please, including Arteta himself.
We will not be playing this version of Man United weekly.
Last night was just one game. Let’s make amends and Push on. Every team in the epl will want to be were the arsenal is now. I still feel this is our year. No team in the league want to lead except us.
Come on you gunners .
All teams have bad spells. It’s better to have it now than later.
Let’s hope it ends with the United match
We are still 4 points ahead. Let’s try to build the lead again
Wow.
Way to create a negative energy here.
I’m going to back the boys, and not slag off our team that is top of the PL and CL half way through the season.
Yes we have gone through a bad patch, and I am sure we will turn that around.
I am sure we will bounce back against Wolves and Leeds, then the same Negative Nancy’s here will not be here bigging up the team, they will disappear under their rock again and wait for another opportunity to bring the morale down. Geez, I think Arsenal have the most fickle supporters out there.
WE WILL NEVER WIN EVERY GAME!
At the end of the season, if we haven’t won anything, then sure, have your say, but at least back the boys while we still in a great position to win something.
Where you getting wolves from? We don’t play wolves until March
Sorry don’t know where I go that from!
Leeds and Sunderland.
Thanks for correction.
On the positive side for Arsenal, they have everyone back from injury and they have a meaningless game midweek (UCL), a big chance to give some key players time off and maybe involve some academy players. But knowing Arteta he will go all out to win the game, for me that’s been one of his weaknesses as a coach, too rigid in his approach, Too much structured approach.
When I say time-off, I mean zero involvement, no bench for Saka, Zubi, Merino, Rice, Ode, Saliba, Big Gabby, Gyokeres, Raya, Timber and Trossard. Maybe half a game for White and Calafiori
I 100% agree here, there is no need to play them at all here. There is absolutely nothing riding on this game at all.
Definitely
For those of us who go back to the latter days of Arsene Wenger’s reign, we can all remember Konstantine doing exactly the same thing – talking down the club, the manager, the players and telling everyone what needed to be done.
I waited with baited breath to find out which PL club was going to employ him, as he knew all the answers, but it seems there is more to being a manager than just coming out of the woodwork when things go wrong.
So, suddenly, up he pops again, telling everyone what should be done, criticising everyone and everything and throwing all his toys (and his dummy!) out of his pram once again.
Let’s just take a step back and look at the broader picture, rather than reacting to a bad day at the office.
We have lost just three games – three games!! – while competing in the hardest league in the world and the most prestigious European Cup competition there is.
Who have we lost to? Liverpool the reigning champions at Anfield – Villa, who are currently third in the table, at their ground and Man united, who had just beaten Man City, who are second in the PL.
We should have beaten pool at home, we thrashed Villa at the Emirates and we beat United at Old Trafford.
Our style of football this season is not one that is a thrill a minute, but the results have made up for that.
We are still four points clear of city and Villa, while Liverpool and United are way below us.
On to the CL and another of Konstantine’s gripes regarding our previous results under Arsene.
Nothing like keep regurgitating the Bayern results, or the fact we haven’t won the trophy as proof that Wenger had to go.
Yet, here we are today, sitting top of the CL, not having lost a single game and, I’m sure Konstantine remembers this, playing Bayern Munich off the park 4-1.
Yet not a peep from him, as this great run saw us concede just two goals and ensure that we will finish top of the CL, unless Bayern can produce an incredible scoreline and we lose our last game.
Not a single word of praise, or even a note of caution – just complete and utter silence….. until we lose at home for the first time this season and the floodgates of negativity open up in a torrent of abuse against the manager and players.
Do we really need so called fans like this?
I respect posters like Dan, Reggie, DK, HH etc who have been consistent in their questioning of Mikel Arteta and his tactics, but they also recognise when performances deserve praise.
I’m looking forward to seeing how we react Wednesday evening and against Leeds at the weekend.
Not sure what Konstantine will be doing though, probably hoping we lose both games in order to tell us all what he would do, why we should envelope ourselves in a cloak of doom and gloom and pray he doesn’t have to disappear back into the woodwork once again.
COYG! /
@ken,
I would also look past the perennial moaners but our form in the PL is alarming at the moment. Its not only the results or that we still leading 4 points, its the pattern recognition as this has happened before. And I think most of us here remember that.
We are on a slippery slope having lost 7 points in the past 3 matches despite playing 2 matches home.
This is all looking like the usual spring crumbling MA’s team endures, as did Wenger’s teams every now and then throughout the decade of 2006-2016.
And I wouldn’t look too much into topping the CL table. PSG won the whole thing despite us beating them in the group stages. Doesn’t matter much if we top the table or finish 10th. The knockout stages is the stage where mental character is tested.
We are talking about the here and now DaJuhi and that’s what the article is based on isn’t it?
I have no idea if we will win any trophy this season, but we certainly won’t be helping matters if every fan thinks like the writer of this article.
I’m actually enjoying where we are in all competitions and if we weren’t in such a good position, no one could say we are “bottling” it could they?
Of course, dropping points is not good, but hasn’t every other club dropped points as well?
As for the CL and PSG, we had to play the first leg at home because of where we qualified and they took full advantage – if I’m not mistaken, that won’t happen in the knockout stages this season.
Let’s remember, we lost to the eventual winners in the semi final and there’s no disgrace in that… at least not for me.
Ken1945,
I’m devastated to have not made you’re poster list. 😂😉👍
My mistake Derek, please join me at the end of the season to discuss 👍
Ken1945,
I look forward to our conversation. 👍
End of season if we win title I do have a plan to celebrate
I’m sure you have a plan if we don’t win the title as well Dan? 🤔
No , just the same
We don’t win the title nothing to celebrate
If we win CL ? Maybe but that won’t happen
I am not saying Arsenal will fail to win anything this season but if they do fail then the manager’s contract (which is due for renewal) will not be signed and I believe he will walk. If he does fail to deliver anything then it will be six years and absolutely nothing – totally unacceptable…
Depends on what you see as “absolutely nothing” Leon.
If it’s only trophies that your measuring MA with, then your correct.
If, however, your measuring him by where he has taken us since those disastrous three seasons of finishing 8th 8th and 5th, then finishing 2nd three seasons in a row and becoming the most consistent club in the PL, then it’s a different story, along with our performances in the CL.
I have long argued that winning a trophy isn’t the be alk and end all – just look at where Leicester and Crystal Palace are at this moment in time.
I want The Arsenal to be run in a way that will ensure we continue to be the longest serving club playing top level football in England, having played by the rules, no skeletons in the cupboard and ensuring future Gooners enjoy the fruits of that way of running said club.
Tell me, Leon, would you rather be a Leicester or Palace fan than a Arsene fan at this moment in time?
No Ken it’s about winning trophies! If your comparing us with Leicester and Crystal Palace then we aren’t a big club. Big clubs win trophies, big clubs have standards and I’m guessing yours is just being competitive without winning anything. Do you honestly think no other manager in world football can do better than super duper mik ? Let’s not forget this man is on 15 million quid a season, the second or third highest paid manager in world football who has a singular fa cup won during covid with another managers squad, he’s won absolutely zilch with his own squad and his playing style is dreadful even some of his ardent fans would admit. You fans who back this manager have convinced yourself this club is doomed beyond Mikel Arteta. Higher standards are needed at this club if it considers itself a big club. Do you think Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, man utd or Liverpool would stick with a manager who’s gone 6 years without a trophy? He’d have been shown the door years ago! But at Arsenal we reward failure and some fans can’t enough of it. Lastly Ken I’m just sick of us being a laughing stock, rivals fans have been saying long before now we’ll bottle it again and guess what? We’re bottling it.. no matter what you think, we’ve all seen this play out before. Wish I was wrong but highly doubt I am. Doesn’t win the league this season no more excuses, he needs to go. He’s had all the backing in the world, if he can’t deliver get someone who can.
Kev, I didn’t say I was comparing The Arsenal to Leicester or Palace though.
I asked if winning a trophy, as they have done, means more than the stability our club has had.
Do I believe MA is the only answer?
Well, I’ve watched other big six clubs, such as United, Spuds, change managers, then spend millions in sacking them.
I’m going to judge MA at the end of the season, giving him my full support during that time.
What can possibly be achieved by doing the opposite midway through the season and when we’re still in every competition we entered?
I don’t need trophies to know I support one of the biggest clubs in the world of football.
I also know that it is not a define right that we should win a trophy, just as it’s not any other clubs.
Are we the only club that other fans laugh at? Of course we’re not – it was only last weekend that united were the laughing stock of every other clubs fans.
Let’s see where we are at the end of the season.
To be fair Ken I’ve heard all that before *judge the manager at the end of the season* and then it’s we go again next season.. where is the accountability? On Leicester and Palace they aren’t big clubs are they ? And man utd and spurs are run by clowns, I like to think we are run a little better and when Arteta leaves the club we’ll be in a much better place to stay competitive and actually win trophies. And also I have praised Arteta when he deserved it so I’ll be fully critical when he doesn’t, unlike some fans who praise him when we win and blame the players and refs when we lose. Yeah I get that Ken but we have this bottling label on us and it’s fully justified and we’re seeing it again. Are we one of the biggest clubs in world football? Maybe support wise but this club outside the odd fa cup here an there has won nothing in over 20 years and has never won the champions league or Uefa cup/europa league the only european trophy I have seen in my time as a fan is the cup winners cup in 1994 which is now defunct, our european record is embarrassing for a supposedly massive club. This club needs to start getting serious about winning silverware again or fans can’t keep saying we’re a massive club. Yes this season can still be a success of course and I’m not saying sack the manager right now in January but if he fails to win the title then a conversation needs to be had wouldn’t you agree?
So we’re both singing from the same hymn sheet, except that you see trophies as the only measure of success, while I see the stability of the club as a success above any trophy.
I couldn’t care less what other fans say or think about our club and if we do win the PL, they’ll say it will be because all the other clubs were poor or in transition.
As I say, let’s see how the season ends and then, if I’m still around, I’ll write an article inviting the likes of yourself, Kev, a fellow Gooner , to discuss it.
The most successful clubs have stability alongside silverware Ken. None of us are getting any younger and want to see Success (trophies) before we die. Years from now if I’m still around I’m not gonna look back and say oh I remember that season when we finished 2nd what a season or I remember the legendary Arteta who stabilized our club, did you win anything? No we didn’t win anything but the journey was good. At some point the club is going to have to make brave decisions either stay competitive while winning nothing or take a leap of faith and go in another direction. Surely even you Ken can’t enjoy our brand of football? It’s defensive and our idea of attacking is winning corners and rely on set pieces as the main focal for goals. We even hired a throw in coach! Well Ken I’ll look forward to reading that.
Tell me Kev, what makes our club a “big club” if we haven’t won anything but four FA cups in the last few seasons, the PL in over twenty years and never lifting the CL in our history?
Could it be the stature of the club, how it’s been run over the years, playing top flight football since 1918, not having any skeletons in the cupboard (apart from George Graham, which the club acted upon immediately)?
Meanwhile, other “top clubs” like Manchester City have 115 charges pending against them, Manchester United have had, what, five or six managers since Fergie retired and have a stadium that, according to estimates, needs millions spent on it, no need to go through our noisy neighbours problems, chelsea and their run ins with the authorities, crazy spending and the Abramovitch saga, which leaves Liverpool, who, until last season had won the PL once.
Any idea what those clubs also have in common?
They’ve all been relegated at least once and some have even played in the third tier of English football, while being in trouble with the powers that officiate our game of football (bar the spuds regarding the latter).
Now, compare that with The Arsenal and it makes your claim that the most successful clubs have stability ring hollow in my opinion.
What will the outcome of those charges against city do for your claim of stability if they are found guilty?
If they are, should they be deducted points and should they be stripped of all the trophies they won during the period under investigation?
If that’s the case, we would have seen Mikel Arteta win two PL titles and a Carabo cup I do believe.
So, I would rather support a club with real stability, with no hint of any wrongdoing affecting their history and trophy wins, not carrying the burden of getting every other English club banned from European football and, once promoted in 1918, never being relegated from the top division.
Of course, we have won trophies during that time, doubles, Invincibles, domestic cup doubles, European trophies, come up against Russian roubles and oil money, built a new stadium and been bought lock, stock and barrel by Mr Kronkie.
I see your complaining about our style of football.
This season, we’ve only lost three games playing that style of football and we’re still in all four competitions.
I agree it’s not the early Wenger type of football, but, if we win the trophies you want, are you going to complain!
If we win the PL in the last seconds of the final game, from a corner, a throw in or a set piece, are you going to still complain?
You talk about being around in order to see us win trophies.
I agree with you and I’m probably under more pressure to achieve that than you, but not at the expense of our stability, which is second to none and something that I’m incredibly proud of as a supporter.
Again, let’s wait until the end of this season and then discuss.
The defence of Arteta has begun. Look forward to more inverted center halves joining. Set pieces galore and a smorgasbord of backwards and sideways passing. Lot’s to look forward to. The future is Mikel’s.
But Ken with all respect
You will just say at end of season but we competed , is 2nd the end of the world , etc
Then next Xmas your say …..well how do you know we can’t win the CL !!!!
Then it’s back to ….well it could be worse
Do you not see the loop
No Dan, but, with all due respect as well, I can see the loop where your already writing off the club.
It’s been that way since MA took charge and Mr Kronkie bought the club my friend.
By the way, finishing 2nd is not the end of the world, if MA was to leave, it would be a fantastic draw for any top class manager.
It’s not me writing them off
Just can’t ignore what see every year
So to clarify , 2nd is not the end of the world ?
That’s exactly what I said Dan and, if finishing 2nd was the end of the world, we would have been finished three seasons ago!!
As I say, let’s see if writing them off is premature at the end of the season.
Difference is Ken , we win the title I say I’m wrong
I been proven correct every season under the Koronke Family and your always wrong but simply say , 2nd is okay
A month ago you said how do I know we can’t win the quadruple
So which one is it ?
Are we winning all 4 or is is.okay not to win the title ?
I’m always wrong?! So show me where, in any of the last three seasons, I have said we will win the quadruple, the treble, the double or even a single trophy Dan?
At the start of every season I HOPE we can win it, under every manager we have had.
I don’t predict, that’s why I’m not part of your weekly prediction league.
I might have said I think we are in a position where we are favourites, as I’m a half glass full person, rather than a half glass empty person.
Again, I ask you, how do you know we won’t win the quadruple… as of this moment you don’t know!!
It probably won’t happen, but let’s wait and see.
If we win the CL or FA cup then I would say it’s OK to miss out on the PL this season, but my personal preference would be the PL title, followed by the CL, FA cup and the Carabo cup.
Oh and, of course, finishing second isn’t the end of the world is it?
Are you admitting that statement is wrong, or are we in a groundhog day from three seasons ago? 🤔
Think you took offense mate
I more meant you question the likes of me but when we end up not winning anything you always say ….well 2nd is okay .
Which is great I guess as your never be disappointed
I say we won’t win the quadruple based on any opinion , it’s formed on your eyes and your knowledge of the sport .
In my opinion , yes mate , if Arsenal finished 2nd this season it will be a huge blow that will set us back years .
Mentally it would be that big a knock
Not offended, just wanted to set the record straight Dan.
I only question your negativity, when there is no need to be negative.
Of course, with nineteen teams in the PL, the odds of you being correct are always in your favour mate.
Coming second is, obviously, a disappointment, but not the end of the world and we can see how that has affected the club in a positive way, when we see players wanting to join our club in preference to others who have won trophies, such as Zubimendi and Liverpool or Gyokeres and manure.
In truth I really started to believe until this weekend
I just need that one performance to know they are not crumbling
Anybody thinks Saka is a problem lately? Feels like he slows down the game upfront. No quick exchange of passes
I pointed this out after the Wolves game, Vithal and got a lot of negative responses.
I still feel the same today and we still haven’t sorted out our reliance on the right hand side and I believe Saka and Odegaard are part of the problem.
Ken1945,
I to make you right regards Saka. I personally think a lot gets over looked because he’s our star academy player and the poster boy of the team.
But his stats of late are nothing to write home about.
And you no my thoughts on Captain fantastic, so I won’t go there. 😂👍
Know my thoughts, OOPS. I really must learn to spell. 😂👍
Saka did have a significant role in both goals. The chip for the first beeing a moment of real skill.
Does he really deserve al the blame?
I always said with Saka is the issue that he’s not as good as we sometimes makes out
As in , I think he’s very good but some say he’s like world class
Yeah I fear he’s not the same since his injury
Not bad by any means but not quite the same
I think Madueke has not been effective enough So Arteta keeps playing Saka. First year you expect your new winger to be more effective & should help to win few matches on his own but that hasn’t happened.
Add to this , no goals from Odegaard either.
Given complete
failure of attacking players, Arsenal are fortunate to be at the top. Hope Our attackers start delivering quickly.
Looking like Arsenal are gonna bottle it again, can’t win the league playing like this, too many dropped points in the last few games against sides we should be beating, Arteta needs to be sacked if we blow it again, could have gone 11 points clear before the United game, absolutely criminal we couldn’t beat a bang average Liverpool at home and relegation threatened Forest away, throw in this loss to United and I think this poor run could end up costing us the league come May.
Good afternoon Konstantin. It’s been a while since you wrote an article on JA, but surprise, surprise, after our first defeat in a while you’re back with an article writing virtually the same as your previous articles.
Hopefully this one is the last one you will write this season.
Zubemendi is our weak link IMO, our high possession play hides most of his weaknesses
Most goals we have conceded is on counter attacks, exactly what a top DM would be cleaning up and stopping. Rice can only cover for him so much and he does that a lot.
His biggest strength is a 5m pass sideways or backwards. Cant handle pressure like a high press, average tackling, almost never reads intercepts and slow as hell. Watch how far behind he is everytime someone counter attacks us.
I’ve been saying this since he first laced up for us. He’s good when we have the ball, but thats not a measure of a DM is it
Anyone who supports Arteta and how they team is playing is not an Arsenal supporter and is deluded. How can you support such for many years. Arteta has bought nearly 3 squads and is paid a lot of money for this nonsense. He needs to change and change soon. Otherwise the moment City or Villa goes above us he must be fired and let someone finish the season have enough time to assess the current squad and build his own team for next season. Any institution with no standards is a disaster waiting to happen.
Ken, you have aptly brought out all that needed to be said. I have been surprised to see Mitov and Konstantin pop up all of a sudden! Where there is a carcass there will always be vultures! I am sorry to use vulgar language but that’s how some people behave. Why should anyone take pleasure in the misfortune of another? This is nothing but sadism! Having fought Wenger and Unai Emery out of the club, they are now sharpening their knives for Arteta! Do you never tire of futility? What do you gain through such negativity? I am not known to Arteta in any way nor do I have any personal interest in him. My only interest is in our club.
As Ken very ably explained, Arsenal is currently top of EPL and CL. In the case of CL, this has been achieved by winning all the seven games. In the PL Arsenal is still 4 points ahead of Man city and Aston Villa. When one looks at the impending fixtures, each team has challenges ahead. Besides, Arsenal got this far despite a number injuries to key players. Now the injuries are easing and the team can only get better. I haven’t seen anything to make me panic. If anything, I am optimistic for the immediate future. No amount of negativity or insults will change the facts on the ground. There are still 15 games to go in EPL. Let us wait and see how the situation will unfold. What I know we might soon be without Mitov and Konstantin for obvious reasons. However, the rest of us will always be around to support our team regardless of the situation.
David Rusa, Konstantin and Mitov are the same person.
I am sorry for the mix-up. It’s long since I read his writings, so I had forgotten that the two names belong to the same person! I hope there is no damage done.
Why nobody notice the drop off since odegaard return to the starting 11. Ten games 10 goals concied 8 points drop is that a coincidence and bringing in Jesus to make it worse.
I have seen the midfield outplayed against Aston villa at villa park that is what someone should be noticing because is their jobs observed the slittess of details. Is it the player or the system we 451 with eze in the middle and 433 with odegaard I think the former is a better team compact hard to play against.
I wonder how many of our fans on here thought we wouldn’t win the PL in the 01/02 season when lost our 3rd, yes our THIRD, PL home game before Christmas ?
Yes we lost yesterday, but we’re still top of the league by 4 points. Long way to go till the end of the season, so there’s no reason to give up hope.
I’ve got us winning our first PL title in 24 years and Bayern lifting the UCL – wouldn’t mind being wrong if we did the double😁
I can’t take this article seriously. You wouldn’t know we were top of PL and CL. Nothing wrong with being critical, we fans pay for these guys. But pretty lame to only ever come out of the woodwork to kick the team when they’re down.
Tell that to the players mate
At full time they didn’t look confident to me , they looked like they had lost it
They had lost the game Dan and, with it, the proud home record.
I wouldn’t have expected them to look any different at that moment in time.
The Leeds game will be a real tester for the players and their confidence, ability and fighting spirit.
No but to look that dejected
It looked like it was the final day in May not January with a 4 point advantage
I agree Leeds will tell us allot
Win that and some winnable games coming up while City go to Anfield.
Dan, you shouldn’t forget our old rivalry with Man U. So, losing to them at home was more than a routine loss! Being dejected is not a sign of weakness but rather a feeling that what has happened was not anticipated and is not acceptable. I don’t see anything wrong with that. In fact it is a sign that the team is determined to correct this wrong!
If they looked otherwise, then you will say they don’t care!.
No I wouldn’t
Precisely.
The precisely is a reply to Kenya 001.
It was a tough beat. We started well. Catasrophic error to concede, then conceded two more wonder strikes to rejuvinated team with nothing to lose. Would be worried if they didn’t look gutted.
Fine to criticise the team, we all do. But we’re all a bit more balanced than this writer. Mentality of team won’t be helped if fans turn on them every time – whilst sitting top of the table.
👍👍👍👍
Fans have written we could win the quadruple ., will easily win the CL , that Arteta has tatically surpassed Mr Wenger, that Pep Guardiola is scared of him.
Nearly every fan in our predictions said we would win Sunday
So no one can say that this team hasn’t had praise and told it’s good
Not saying otherwise. The binary optimists get carried away, but at least they’re supporting the team. The author of this article only ever comes out of the woodwork to criticise – even when we’re top of the tables. Diminishes credibility of the article, which was the original point.
So if the majority are positive it won’t impact the mentality of the team then
We seemed to be veering down a different track, but to answer – if I was a player, who’s doing my best, and who is top of table, but being criticised and told I’ll never be any good and that I’m going to choke again – that’s probably going to impact me mentally worse than optimists willing me on and telling me I can do it.
Exactly right SG
The silence after the mistake was deafening and yes, we were in control up until then. I keep banging on about it. It took an age for the supporters to get going again and all that does is enable the opposition still further – which it did.
Sorry mate , that was meant to be when I read the post we will win next two games and City will lose their
Of course we can win a trophy just not the quarduple
What you believe and what you think are two different things
If Arsenal signed Mbappe next summer I would believe he would be top goal scorer
If we had back Eddie Nketiah your saying we wouldn’t
By your logic I have to say Eddie will be top scorer to be a fan ?
1. Zubimendi is not an awful player. In fact, he has helped us become a force in England and Europe. That’s why teams such as Man United and Atletico Madrid have targeted him, because he is the engine of the team
– If he is awful because of his two mistakes so far, then, what about Saliba who have our two silly goals against Madrid and Palace?
2. Everyone is saying we lack creativity. But, how did we beat Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Spurs and Chelsea in the Carabao cup without creativity? Do you guys know what creativity means?
Freddy, yes, we do have creativity, so no problems there, but it wasn’t very obvious against United, was it? We actually have a creative player who also drives at defences and can score a goal or two, but he’s been sent out on loan.
…and yes, Zubimenda has been a revelation and a worthy buy. Problem is of couse, when a defensive player makes a mistake it often results in a goal against, while a striker gets away with missing multiple chances.
Whoops…Zubimendi
While i agree with almost everything you wrote,i don’t agree with your opinion about Zubimendi,for me,he has actually been our best signing this season&his goal against Chelsea in the Carabao cup,the most entertaining goal i have seen us score this season.Hincapie have been our worst signing(my opinion).
Matthew, I said Zubimendi “has been a revelation and a worthy signing.” He most likely is the best one also.
My comments was meant for Konstantin Mitov,Jax
Matthew, sorry, my mistake😱
It just amazing how many goal we miss – should’ve been 10 up now…