Tony Adams has been critical of Arsenal for a long time. Critique in Arsene Wenger’s last few years was dismissed as our ex-captain being bitter of not being invited to return to the club as a coach.
Yet our former defender has continued to question how the Gunners are being run behind the scenes, forcing Mikel Arteta to defend our recruitment policy. Essentially Adams has accused the current regime of making signings that haven’t been better then what we have.
Our manager does what he is particularly good at, speaking in a manner where it sounds like he’s making sense, but in actuality saying nothing with any substance.
To paraphrase, the Spaniard essentially said his priority was to find balance within the squad, and now that has been done, we can bring in talent of a certain level.
As I wrote in January, I have little interest in Stan Kroenke slashing the wage bill when we are finishing in our worst position in decades. It puts the pressure on for there to be serious investment in the summer.
How do you expect to compete with a Man United or Chelsea in the summer when they plan to outbid City for Haaland, while our ambition is hoping Real Madrid lend us a couple of their fringe players?
I maintain interest in Odegaard and Ceballos was not having to pay a fee, as finding value will be Edu’s main criteria. A big club shouldn’t be relying on another clubs cast offs to make their midfield better, an example that Adams could use.
As is Willian who hasn’t improved our creativity, signed purely because he was a free agent.
Being out of contract is the only reason we got in Cedric who is simply a body to make up the numbers.
Mari’s been mainly injured for a year.
The situation with Saliba leaves you wondering if we have all the facts. If the club are trying to simply protect the youngster then he either hasn’t been told or disagrees that he needs any help.
Gabriel started well but faded.
Yet Adams isn’t rating the likes of Gabriel, he is suggesting we purchase a finished article. Someone to take us to that next level. That’s why he was particular frustrated with the transfer of Martinez, feeling competition would have pushed Leno.
It seems already acknowledged that Runarsson isn’t ready to be our second choice keeper, which is why we loaned Matt Ryan as a cheap alternative.
Arteta proudly brings up how many youngsters he gives a chance to, but who cares if your giving youth a chance if you are not meeting your targets.
That is Adams’s point.
While an Arteta and Edu can speak eloquently to offer a defence, ultimately Adams is correct because the table doesn’t lie.
The aim at the start of the season was top 4. Every decision the club made should be made with that in mind, ‘will doing this give us the best chance of being in the top 4?’
Like any business who fail to meet their targets, that means the choices made have been bad. If at the start of term, a school had a huge staff turnover and a year later got one of their worst inspections, that means recruitment has been poor.
Adams failed in his own coaching career, but without question this is a man who was a winner. When he played for us, he set standards and demanded others to do the same. He loves the club and therefore it must be hard to see what we have become.
Worse, a Billionaire’s response is to make signings that those above us would never make, the priority always being finding value,
When you hear the links for certain players it hurts that we are not in the conversation. For example, you know we wouldn’t even try and get a Grealish.
There is a lot Adams that has said over the years which has come across as bitter.
Saying our recruitment has been poor is not one of them.
The table does not lie.
Who’s Correct, Adams or Arteta?
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