The new Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta only got his first real chance for some serious training with his new charges when they went off for the mid-season break in Dubai, and it would appear that he has made very clear who is in charge from now on.
Matteo Guendouzi is the first to fall foul of the Spaniard’s tongue when he was dropped totally from the squad to face Newcastle on the teams return to action.
There have been reports of a ‘heated exchange’ between the youngster and his new boss, and Arteta himself hinted that there was more than discussion about tactics involved, when he told the Telegraph why Guendouzi was dropped against the Toon: “The reason is that players who, in my opinion, are training better, behaving better and are more applied to deliver on the pitch, what we want, are the players selected,” Arteta said.
It is looking like Arteta is going to be a much harder taskmaster than Unai Emery, who famously preferred to watch videos and talk tactics rather than supervise the actual training part. But he is not just expecting them to work hard, but he needs the players respect to get them to do his bidding.
As Lacazette said in a different interview in the same paper: “He demands a lot of things,”
“I wouldn’t say he is strict, but he knows what he wants and when it is not good we know that as well we are playing s***. He is a good coach.”
So the message to Guendouzi (and the rest of the squad) is clear. Do what the boss says or rot on the bench…
If there’s one thing I learnt from Pep, its to be Ruthless..
Arteta’s 1st interview.. seems to be coming through.
Arteta will surely get the best out of these lads.
He needs that iron fist and good man management skills.
All d best MA
Sounds good to that he is not the weak manger most pundits thought he would be because he was an assistant to Pep. And he manages the big players even better. He had the gut to drop Laca and that worked in his favour. I know there are areas still to work on but am enjoying the work done behind the doors, and Arteta’s graciousness, calmness, and authority in dealing with issues. Far far better than Emery who is talking trash!!!!
Lol to your last statement Pat
The reason Man United were so succesful was because Fergie ruled with an iron fist! No one would ever question him. If you did, you got the hairdryer thrown at you! Add to that, a steely captain (Roy Keane) who was one of the toughest midfielders in the land and tou had a formula for maximum respect on and off the pitch. There is no other way. Pep is the same and so is Klopp!
👍 totally agree, GunneRay (if I was the coach, it’d be the straighteners 😆)
Why is this even a question? Do we need to analyse everything Arteta does to the finest detail? IMHO it shows and demonstrates a complete lack of trust. Performance on the field is what counts.
i agree with you guys
coach need to deal with his players manners and attitude. because he need to get the best out of them. what he need them to bring in training and on the pitch.
I admit that I had early doubts about Arteta but no longer. I believe that we have found our long term manager and the board should back him financially in the summer. He has proved that he is a good man manager with a bit of steel and has, unlike Emery, the backing of most of the players.
Andrew, agree 100% with your post.
Not since AW joined have I felt so sure about our club being on the right track.
MA takes no notice of the media or fan sites, he selects the players he sees delivering his vision.
No scapegoats. No vendettas. No excuses.
Plus he keeps the supporters informed – such a strong base with which to go to kronkie with and, as a businessman, Stan must, surely, see what, backing MA will bring him?
Ken, are you implying that Emery or Wenger chose players based on fan opinion? If I recall, Emery very much did not consider fan input and his win streak was a result of putting out lineups that made many fans very upset. He also benched ozil for the longest time despite the criticisms from fans too. I dont think any recent Arsenal manager has considered fan input at any point.
RSH, no, what I’m implying, no, stating as fact, is, that some on here are convinced that they actually have the influence to do just that!!!
Don’t you remember fans accusing AW/UE of having favourites and how their actions regarding xhaka, eboue etc led to them being dropped?
Even as up to date as two weeks ago, fans were questioning MA, s selections and calling for polls, as if that would have made a blind bit of difference to his thinking.
I don’t think anyone here actually thinks it will actually make a difference, and just want to express opinions rather. The chances any manager has ever been on this site is close to zero, haha.
RSH, I’m not saying any manager has/will been on here am I?
What I said, quite clearly, was he wouldn’t take any notice of fans anyway, as he selects his players as he sees fit.
I stated it is the fans, who think they influence decisions with polls and actions against the likes of xhaka. I was using this to point out how that will never affect MA… and I seem to remember the nonsense on here that those who called for Ozil to be recalled under UE, were then blamed for his inclusion, including someone from admin!!!
Can’t have it both ways can you? hahaha
Strong , encouraging, positive and yet demanding ruthlessness are all part of the same vital necessity all top managers and winners demand and DO achieve. Arteta is, IMO, well on the way to showing he has these gifts given only to elite managers. Wenger had some of these gifts but never did “demanding”, to his own ultimate downfall. Emery had ONLY “demanding, by stark contrast. ALL are needed, not just some. But it is almost impossible to be encouraging and positive when one cannot adequately speak English.
SA Gooner, if we leave aside the obvious rejoinder that you may well ask why is ANY article on here at all and why do we even NEED a fan site, then I fail to understand your point completely. As we DO have a fan site, in my view this is a fine subject for an article , likely to be of interest to most Gooners and a far better theme than yet another unfounded or false transfer rumour and/or yet another, yawn, yawn, Ozil article. Who agrees with me? I should like to know!
Very interesting statement from MA as to who he selects and why – there are one or two who have featured in every game since he took over and I’ll leave that with you as to who those players are and why they are impressing MA so much.
Certainly anyone deemed as being lazy, past it or bleeding the club dry wouldn’t be in that elite group would they?
Well not if one believes in the vision of the man MA they wouldn’t!!!
As long as he is equal in his ire then things will be fine, the problems will be if he is seen to be selective.
Being selective as an accusation or criticism , will be of no concern to MA.
He is his own man, as he has already proved and no amount of irrelevant BS will affect his decision making.
What fans might say or want, will have no effect on him whatsoever and he will come out and explain those decisions to us.
I have no concerns whatsoever about his ability to manage every single player and situation that arises, as his selections of players up to now has proved… Guendozi being the perfect example.
Hi Ken…. hope you and your daughter (& Phil 😊) have a great time in Greece…. enjoy the game! COYG
Hi Sue, arrived yesterday and the weather is sunny and warm.
We are awaiting the appearance of PAL, at would you believe 2.30am in the morning!!!
The stadium looks small, holding about 33,000 and I’m hoping the T shirt will be prominent in it’s display!!!!
Thanks for the message, will try and get a photo of Phil in his fishnets tomorrow!!!
Sounds nice, Ken. Well I’ll certainly look forward to that! Haha!
Its not about your opinion ken, its about players respecting discipline and they will only do that if it is fair and not selective, which he has to be.
Just as your opinions are as irrelevant to MA as are mine, still not sure what you are trying to prove, unless you have a problem with what MA has already done by his actions?
The fact that certain players are being asked to play every game, seems to have upset a few people, that’s their problem, not mine.
As the players are already respecting his decisions, what you are trying to actually achieve?
Love the fact that you are teaching me the basics of life itself though, really appreciate your knowledge in this area and I would never had guessed that respecting discipline was so important – well actually I did think about that and that’s why I have complete faith in MA…yet again, only my opinion of course.
Thanks for the message.
As per ken you are twisting things putting your ideas and thought into people’s posts. I have not mentioned in this post anything you are accussing. I am stating MA has to be seen to be fair, or has been the case in the past with some of these players, he will lose the dressing room.
Then we have agreement, the world’s a wonderful place once again.
SAGooner, I think almost all Gooners take Artetas total authority as read, as I do too. This article IS of interest and I THOUGHT YOU WERE QUESTIONING WHY WE NEEDED AN ARTICLE LIKE THIS. As I said , we don’t actually NEED any article but it is still a welcome change. Seems we were arguing at cross purposes anyway. I don’t think the article was actually questioning hs authority at all, for what its worth. Rather I read it as supporting the fact that he does have authority.
What MA has done and doing is perfectly right and I support him totally. There are a number of players who need to be told that a spade is a spade. Discipline is the basic quality needed to play irrespective of talent, skills, etc. The more MA stamps his authority on the players, the better it is for the future of Arsenal FC. All great managers have these traits and MA will be surely successful.
Sign of a good manager is when he has no favourites.
Not afraid to leave out any player.
Mighting be liked by every player but respected by all..
If a player is training well and gives everything on the lpitch he should play…
Did anyone from Arsenal say there was a bust up between the two, I believed it when I read it because I was talking with another fan already about how opponents easily get under Guendouzi’s skin. He needs to grow a thicker skin, sometimes it comes out as passion and commitment, but sometimes he plays right into their hands. A game v Che I think, he wanted to take a quick free from deep in our area but the player held onto it for about three seconds before dropping it, Guendouzi then wastes much more than three seconds when confronting him and then the ref called them both over, we were losing and it was close to final whistle or into added time, he played right into his hands, it was daft, completely daft, he wanted to take a quick one to begin with. He needs to get a handle on it and Arteta probably feels the same way, channel it better, Matteo!