Aston Villa secured a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League this afternoon as Emi Buendía struck a late winner to seal an important result for the home side. The match arrived at a moment when Arsenal had been struggling away from home, and it offered Mikel Arteta’s team an opportunity to end a disappointing run on their travels. With ambitions of ending their long wait for another league title, this was a significant fixture for the Gunners.
Villa Make a Strong Start
From the outset, Aston Villa approached the contest with confidence and intent, showing once again why they have often proved troublesome for Arsenal. The Gunners were aware that they could not afford to fall short in a third consecutive away match, yet Villa continued to apply pressure with purpose. Their efforts were rewarded just after the half-hour mark when Matty Cash opened the scoring, giving the home side a deserved lead.
The goal served as a sharp reminder to Arsenal of the task ahead, but Villa maintained their advantage with discipline through to half-time. The visitors required a strong response after the interval, and Mikel Arteta acted decisively by introducing attacking changes that reshaped what had been a puzzling starting lineup.
Arsenal Respond but Villa Prevail
The adjustments made an immediate impact, with Leandro Trossard finding the net shortly after the restart. His equaliser, coming moments after he entered the pitch, brought renewed hope to the travelling side. The match then developed into an open contest, with Villa creating several promising opportunities to reclaim the lead and Arsenal threatening at the opposite end.
Despite Arsenal surviving a number of dangerous moments, the final word belonged to Aston Villa. With the contest approaching its conclusion, Emi Buendía delivered the decisive strike that secured victory for the hosts. The result continued Arsenal’s difficulties away from home and highlighted the resilience and quality within this Villa side.
Let’s hope the doubts from the last few seasons don’t begin to creep in and derail what has been an excellent season thus far
Cannot afford Gabriel out for a string of games again. Unlikely the title challenge stays alive without him.
Too right.. he’s so important at both ends of the pitch. He’s been a huge loss
Madueke isn’t a replacement for Saka, he’s always better on the left. Why was Trossard taken off? Why was Saka taken off?
Taking Saka off when chasing a winner is just insanity. Madueke has 1 goal contribution all season. Lot of huffing puffing, dribbles, basically zero end product. In a team that already lacks a lot of it.
Not going to hit the panic button yet – but will say if we blow this season and walk away with nothing, Arteta’s position becomes difficult with all the money spent, no matter how much I like him.
Nowadays I stopped living on false hope!! Arteta has enough depth but ends up over playing some players till they’re grounded out of exhaution or injury!! What is young Nwaneri doing on the bench game after game? For what did he sign Norgaard yet can’t give him minutes even when Rice is visibly exhausted? Poor game management has cost us 3 vital points!!
Arteta’s subbing Saka for Madueke is to prove a point and he has proven it to show that he’s stubbornly clueless. All those senseless and aimless dribbles and runs with no intention of passing the ball to his colleague is useless. Ethan Nwaneri proved himself last season when Saka was out injured but no Arteta keeps imposing his favorites to the detriments of the club’s success.
Saka was poor that is why, and he has been for awhile, Trossard precaution
Trossard was injured.
Trossard substituted because his ankle injury flared up and Arteta didn’t want to risk further damage.
I’d like to see us just go full out for a win instead of trying to manage games so carefully. There are opportunities in matches to really squeeze the opposition side and instead we fall back and try to calm a game and make it neutral as if that is an advantage to us. Sometimes chaos is fine. Sometimes a slower, more “controlled” approach doesnt work because the opposition is aware of what were trying to do and is going to throw caution to the wind themselves and make us uncomfortable. We’re playing a makeshift backline so of course it was going to get a bit messy today, but truthfully when I saw this fixture I only saw it being messy and Arsenal were going to have to be messy to win it, instead of trying to be measured. I think Unai handles us so well because he’s able to read Arteta so easily.
That’s a good facts brother, we are going to lose the games because of we try much to control the ball. Especially at the back
Yet we have been on a run of nineteen games undefeated by playing the football that, after one defeat, is being blamed for one defeat.
We are top of the PL and CL playing the kind of football that entails possession of the ball.
The reaction to losing by a 95th minute scrambled goal away at a top six club and with another injury crisis is unbelievable.
We weren’t outplayed despite the above and yet it’s all doom and gloom.
Spot on
I am at a loss what you are talking about.
The finishing of 2nd in 3 seasons in a row, had losses to A villa, about twice, if not more, and to want to win the league, losing to A Villa is a bad omen, going by what went on before.
He can read us so well, it took a scrambled 95th minute goal to beat our injury hit squad of players…. OK.
He does have a good record against Arteta ken. He very rarely struggles with the rag tag team he assembles. He bloodied Artetas nose with an inferior team in the EL and always gives us a hard time.
you are very correct . it baffles me that we don’t always approach games with killer mindset . typical Brasillian team doesn’t play to defend but to outscore their opponent. games are worn by outscoring your opponent. .
Point blank
Not sure why Odegaard came straight back into the team ,why change a winning formula..
Agree with you DK and it saw Eze being subbed because he was out of position.
Their goal was, unfortunately, down to Eze, but Odegaard didn’t have a bad game in my opinion.
Agree Ken but MOM not for me.
Have you done the second Article yet Ken ?
Yes I have DK and sent it off to admin for approval.
👍
Exactly play Eze central leave Odegaard out and attack your opponent Mikel, be brave don’t chase it command it
Extremely poor! Began second half well, were on top and scored then do what we normally do.. go into a defensive shell. Winning today would have been a massive statement but Arsenal always fail to deliver when it matters.
So we failed to deliver while going on a nineteen unbeaten run then Kev?
Of course it would have been a massive statement, just like the nineteen unbeaten run was!!
Done by a 95th minute scrambled goal and we failed to deliver when it matters.
Wow!!
Totally agree, all the armchair fans bleating on Arsenal bottling it in December, missing the best defensive pair in the world, they will be back when it matters, still top, played some tough away fixtures, best defensive record, my only complaint, Arteta needs to trust his players, Rice and Timber need a rest, would love to see Gyokeres and Jesus in the starting eleven. Maybe against Wolves he could do that
But the idea of all the money we spent was to improve the squad
I would say the team we put out was not a weak team ?
Hence , why did not more predict before that we would lose if people were so concerned by the injuries ?
We pay fortunes to improve the squad in every position. So why improve the squad, because whenever we have a “squad” player playing or a player out, the “squad” players let us down and are the reason for every failure. Lets just but 11 top players, put youth players in when they are injured and say, it doesn’t matter, we have a player out, we can’t win the league anyway🤣
@Reggie
REALTALK.
Because the narrative changes when we lose Dan these Arteta cultists become enraged if anything critical is said of him so it’s never his fault. Seen this countless times before top of the league unbeaten and it all comes crashing down like a house of cards. Arteta for me has many issues he can’t solve, one is Unai Emery, can’t win at Anfield, or Etihad and notoriously struggles away at Everton too, plays way too safe, especially in away games and that’s why we drop so many points and end up winning nothing.
Likewise, Kev, when, after nineteen games unbeaten, we lose a game to a scrambled 95th minute winner, the anti Arteta brigade become enraged and forget about said unbeaten run, where we are in the PL and CL, the injuries and they immediately change the narrative to be critical of Mikel.
Everything has “come crashing down like a house of cards” after this one defeat is the reaction that makes me wonder what your reaction will be if we have the same kind of results we saw midweek?
By the way, pointing out facts that support Mikel’s successes so far this season, doesn’t make me a “Arteta cultist”.. what it does do, is put opposing points of view.
Well, we have improved the squad Dan and one defeat in nineteen proves that wouldn’t you say?
I have no idea why fans predict the way they do – perhaps they do so using their hearts instead of their heads?
Not a bad thing if one supports their club 100% and much like not wanting our club to lose a game to prove a point.
Agree ken and thats why we shouldn’t blame injuries for one defeat in 19? We have a squad most managers in europe would die for and they wouldn’t use injuries as an excuse for defeat, with a squad like ours.
We all need to remember WE ARE STILL TOP OF THE LEAGUE. BUT tactics win you games over a season. Today Arteta got it wrong first half. ALL managers make mistakes. To win the league you make the fewest. It isn’t a slight he got it wrong TODAY, it happens. We have to make fewer than other teams to ACTUALLY win the league over a season. We all hope that will happen.
And if we don’t we can just blame injuries and say trophies are not everything
Or refs mistakes
Or the ball
Or being to tired because of less rest (didn’t see it that mentioned a couple of times this season when it went in our favour )
There should be no excuses this season ,nearly 400 million spent in the summer on 8 new players ,all our competition are blowing hot and cold .
No more ,6 seasons of ridiculous excuses ,get it done that’s all some of us ask for .
So get behind the manager then DK.
Can’t see city115 and Villa blowing hot and cold since their slow start to the season by the way.
I get behind the team Ken ,,like you know I’m not a fan of Arteta,he’s all about himself and im not a fan of him .
Like I’ve always said AFC =Arsenal football club ,not Arteta football club
Having, what is it, five players out and yet another injury today, isn’t an excuse, as it’s a fact.
We only had Gabriel and Saliba out for two of those 19 games I believe by the way.
We are still top of the PL and CL and Mikel has achieved that, despite the injuries and, I agree, most managers would die for – tell me, who’s disputing that observation?
What I’m querying is the negativity surrounding a game lost in the the 95th minute to a scrambled goal, away from home and against another current top five club.
Look at the stats and tell me where we were outplayed.
What this result has done, of course, is given those who have been waiting to criticise Mikel, the opportunity to do so.
I’m quite happy and willing to counter their points with facts, just as I did when they came for Arsene.
I think the problem is that we can’t kill teams off or kill the game , the players should know or at least be taught to waste time with the ball ,.for example Madueke should of run to the corner flag instead of giving back possession .
Not complaining ,.its just a observation .
Yeah a good squad but still need to prove they can get over the line
Just worry about our mentality when it counts
Yes Ken when it matters we fail to deliver
Always have under this manager
I thought that was established?
Likewise, Kev, when, after nineteen games unbeaten, we lose a game to a scrambled 95th minute winner, the anti Arteta brigade become enraged and forget about said unbeaten run, where we are in the PL and CL, the injuries and they immediately change the narrative to be critical of Mikel.
Everything has “come crashing down like a house of cards” after this one defeat is the reaction that makes me wonder what your reaction will be if we have the same kind of results we saw midweek?
By the way, pointing out facts that support Mikel’s successes so far this season, doesn’t make me a “Arteta cultist”.. what it does do, is put opposing points of view.
Don’t know why this appeared here!! 🤔🤔
Not this season it hasn’t Dan and it’s this season that matters to me.
Anfield ?
Man City at home ?
Stamford bridge when Chelsea were down to 10 ?
Villa Park in stoppage time ?
Stadium of Light in stoppage time?
And mate that’s not me being wise after the event
I generally asked two weeks ago when we compared to the Invincibles and called a juggernaut, who have we beat that we were not expected to beat ?
Don’t get me wrong no need to panic but this idea that Arsenal mentally have proven they don’t go missing when it matters I can’t agree with
Until we get over the line that will always be the fear
Correct.
Not this season it hasn’t Dan and that’s what matters isn’t it?
Yes it has
I said it at the time , fans are getting way over the top about being top in November
In 2022 we went to the World Cup with like 50 points , a decent gap over City and then choked April / May
We won’t know if that has changed till the run in happens
You people really need to pipe down. It’s one game lost. The way some of you are running down the team is over the top and completely unhelpful.
You are worrying about Arsenal’s form or mentality later in the season when we are still in December.
You are writing whole articles just because one fan called Arsenal a juggernaut. Ridiculous.
People going on and on about “fear” and “choking” is useless unless what you actually want is for the team fail.
When Arsenal win games most of the naysayers make brief comments and move on. Drop points and it’s as if there’s been some kind of natural disaster.
People need to get a grip.
And another fans said Arteta had surpassed Mr Wenger
Another fan said he had eclipsed Pep Guardiola
Another said he would win everything
Another fan said we win 10 League games in a row
Another said Halland wouldn’t manage a shot on target
Personally I’m not seeing an over the top reaction or any disrespectful articles
I think it’s the ones who acted like the title was over are the ones now getting sensitive
Quite agree
There seems to be no rationale behind one bad result and the level of hysteria that follows it.
To follow on from Dan’s reply to you, who gives diddly squat about one fan here and there writing absolute drivel about the team’s chances for the season or Arteta eclipsing Pep?
What about the sheer number of people posting how Arteta has always been about himself, or overworking the players etc etc and yet remarkably keep schtum when we win? The idea that those that have some modicum of faith in our players are the ones being sensitive is incredible
We have different players from those in the 2020 season, so why you keep bringing up the past to bolster your opinion is no way related to this season and I note how you select the games we dropped points in, rather than mentioning the results across the season, including both the CL and PL.
If course your being wise after the event by quoting those losses.
Because a few fans went overboard during that 19 game unbeaten run, doesn’t mean you can tar everyone who supports the manager and players with the same brush.
There is nothing about this squad of players that makes me think they will choke – quite the reverse in fact.
Thank you Kev. 100% agree Gooner!
Gyokeres is useful but not cutting it. Terrible when on the ball and can’t carry the ball at all. Maybe he will improve. Arsenal aren’t targeting him with crosses either.
And Aston Villa are pretty great to watch let’s be honest
Kai is better at literally everything compared to Gyokeres. Gyok is a placeholder until we get Kai back. At 27 too, we cant expect Gyok to be more than he is showing us.
Insane reality I am missing Kai also after all the grief I’ve given him, but he’s always had the skill level to play for top sides. I’ve seen nothing to suggest Gyokeres does. I think we might need to accept we’ve signed a championship level player because thats what he’s been showing us.
I’m with you on this one RSH, never thought I’d be looking forward to Harvetz’s return. But we need his greater mobility and ability to get into good positions. Amazing to think that Arsenal have spent around 150 million on Jesus, Harvetz and Gyorkes and we can’t even get them on the field, let alone scoring goat.
Kai Havertz has his own problems but will be good to have him back now.
Anyway this title charge depends on the defence staying healthy especially Gabriel.
Didn’t we lose to villa with Havertz on the pitch along with our 2 CB last season ?
Eze should play CAM with a double pivot behind him and a false nine in front of him or stay on the bench, because he’s not good enough to play LW and in Odegaard’s position. Eze and Odegaard playing together is a recipe of weak midfield
Gyokeres still can’t outjump, outpace and outmuscle any huge EPL CB, nor can he offer high technical skills. This is another bad signing from Berta and Arsenal that isn’t suited to Arteta’s tactics at all
Maybe we should concentrate on champions league, I think we have a better chance there unlike EPL where every team we meet of late plays like the prime Barcelona
We are not winning the CL mate lol
What a strange attitude.
We have came through a string of very difficult games and until today had a five point lead. This run has included away games at Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd, Newcastle, Villa and Sunderland. We have some favourable games coming up that can get us back on track.
I am disappointed, particularly with Gyokeres who seems to have as much impact as the fans who pay to watch him but we are doing very well and we have to remember that everyone below us are more inconsistent 🙂
Apart from your opinion regarding Gyokeres, Leon, I agree with you 100%.
It seems that Gyokeres is being set up to be the next patsy and we’re being told it’s “yet another bad signing” by Bertha and Arteta – who have been the others GAI?
When I remember the stick Havertz got before he had even signed for our club and now he’s going to be our saviour up front, perhaps some of our fans should bite the bullet and let players settle down during their first season?
I don’t necessarily think they are bad signings but its down to the way we ask them to play. Eze, Gyokores, Zubimendi and Hindcapie had bad games today and Eze and Zubimendi have more average to poor games than good ones. Why?
I agree Ken
No need for scapegoats peeps
We win and lose as a team
Only December, and you are an expert in football, Gyokeres has yet to be going, makes me laugh when I read posts like this. Let’s see in March what the situation will be
Eze must start from the bench
Or played in a position that he’s been proven to be effective at?
Ken perhaps now at last somebody at Arsenal will see what we all can, that Eze is not a left winger. Never was and never will be. He has just one effective position, that of left attacking midfield (LAM).
I agree!!!!!
Extremely poor from us. A run has come to an end, and maybe it’s better this early than the latter stages. We really now have to show some mentality with little margin of error. Another good run might do the trick
He had a good enough to walk away with 3 points. If he fails to win a trophy this season, he should definitely be sacked, no excuses, then he’s not a good enough manager to cross the line.
Arteta killed the game with his starting lineup, what’s with Merino, so many misplaced passes, back passes, falling time and again. We should accept that we play better with Gyokeres, his holdup is good, stretching defenders thus giving others space to exploit.
Eze is a no.10 not a winger, why start both Odegard and him
We saw glimpse of 2022-23 odegaard today and his solid partnership with Saka , taking Saka off at the time he took him off was not wise on the part of mikel and taking Trossard of was a surprising. Calafiori and Hincape made so many errors today, on the ball off the ball Thier continuous erros cause villa to keep on the attacks on the left side , it’s a suprise vila didn’t put us out earlier on. We need Saliba and Gabriel back ASAP , we lost today and I will gladly take a loss to club brugge if it means we give the available first 11 (all of them) a full week rest. The next four fixtures should be winnable and we will restore the 5 Pt lead at by Christmas but someone needs to tell Arteta to push for a two – three goal lead before trying to control the game. First half today we let them score very late because we kept doing the back passes , passing among the defenders and between keeper and defenders, Gabriel and Saliba does it well but Hincape who is new to the system shouldn’t be doing it. The loss put a bitter taste in the mouth but it’s not doom and gloom yet, we need a run to regain confidence, our main defence pair needs to return (what’s with all this injuries?) and Arteta should make use of Saka, Trossard and merino as best as he can as they are our main guys.
Our loss has nothing to do with Saliba and Gabs. We’ve always struggled with Villa even with them.
May be we have limited ideas for dealing with them
No have won at Villa the last two seasons, missing the two best centre halves in the world will be a difference, Saka has been poor, maybe carrying an injury still top, Wolves next, wair til March
Not sure we did mate
And also we had Saliba and Gabriel on the pitch at Sunderland and conceded
Let’s not make excuses
Better team won on the day
We had Saliba and Gabriel in defence against Newcastle last season in the league cup and they got mullered. BOTH legs.
👍
MC now two up, that 3 points meant everything to our title challenge, and apart from a few players, there was just not enough importance put on it. Not acceptable, when Hincapie got that ball into the last seconds he should’ve just kicked it out.
It’s a very long way to go yet
Title contenders will drop points here and there. At the end, the team that nets the highest number would be champions. And it will be close.
Arsenal will be there; that’s for sure.
So let’s keep the faith
Defence has been holding this team up for the past few seasons, its the attack that is the problem.
Eze and Madueke have no end products
Gykores can’t get on the ball. Cannot physically beat CB.
Saka complaining after every foul or decision against him, lazy attitude.
Odegaard gets in good positions but too slow to release ball, shots are poor.
Nail firmly On head that 👍
Some of us can see it. Its probably about mentality. We need to try and win games, not try and avoid defeat. Villa had 7 players in our box at the end of 94 minutes and that says it all. The ONLY time we have 7 in the box is from corners. Open play we are often short in the box.
Dan,
Congrats for your perfect 2-1 prediction!
You’re predictions guru with respect to Arsenal games. Against Sunderland, Chelsea and Villa you predicted Arsenal to drop points. Spot on! You deserve an advisory seat at Arsenal before things get out of control.
When you watch them long enough lol
Can anyone explain to me why Gyokeres was Europes top scorer, now he’s at Arsenal he can barely score for love or money? There must be a reason. We don’t have a problem getting into goal scoring positions, we just have a problem putting it in the back of the net. Our top goalscorers at the moment are Trossard and Merino with Saka when he’s having a good day. We simply could not afford to lose that game, it felt like most of the team didn’t realise or understand the importance with MC yet again breathing down our necks.
We actually don’t create enough chances. There is a common theme in this side.
They play poorly in at least one half of the game every match. Almost every time they go behind, they don’t win except the Newcastle game.
These are tell tale signs that the team is playing like last season.
What happened when the set piece goals stopped last season and Gabriel got injured? Same thing that is happening now.
Gmv8, unfortunately Arsenal is not playing to Gyokeres’ strengths and his style of CF play, apart from his excellent high pressing, appears to not suit the structured constrained possession based football coached by Arteta.
Poorly managed game when we needed a result. It would be nice to see Arteta take off the handbrake and let the players be creative and play without a leash.
Unfortunately, Arteta philosophy is based on control, static positioning, and possession over product. It has got us back into the top 4 and finishing 2nd three times, but yet to deliver a title or trophy.
Unai is a bogeyman to Arteta, and head to head he seems to get the best of Arteta, especially when we need 3 points Yes Villa are in great form, and yes we have looked like crap the last 3 games.
People act like City can’t walk us down and surpass us, they have done it 3 years on the trot; not discounting the fact they may do it again.
Best chance in decades to win the PL, let’s see if Arteta and the fellas are up for it or not.
Arsenal need to try something different. It is becoming too predictable how certain players will play when they are in the starting 11.
Simba
December 6, 2025 at 3:51 pm
It will be a shame if we easily give up the top spot. The biggest challenge is that Arteta builds and destroys so the team does not really improve. Apart from the numbers the quality has not been improved. You can’t let Kiwior go of loan and rely on two new centre halfs who are very young and new to the league. They looked good playing with Gabriel and Saliba but once they are left alone it becomes a different ball game. Kiwior would have been very helpful and the coach should have guaranteed him game time which is very possible with the number of games the team plays.
Arteta messed up with the line up. How do you start with Odegaard, Eze and Merino who are your three number 10s. It meant we didnt have options to bring in in case of injuries or poor performance. Why would he start with all three when we had a fit again Gyokeres and four fit wingers. Why does Timber a natural right back play as a CB and White natural CB play right back. Just a mess from the coach. Zubimendi is good but doesn’t have presence and aura things that Partey had and are very important in that position. Villa was going through our middle with no resistance at all. Arteta is has good very good players but he lacks imagination and always plays not to loose in key games. Wenger used to say “We aproached the second half with the hand brake off” and we did win most of those games.
I was afraid the return of Odegaard would see the coach mess up a winning formula and it has happened. Eze looks like he doesn’t do much but he makes the ball move faster and he hangs upfront which draws the opposition to their goal area. The team needs to be set up so that they can feed the striker with chances but how many times have our strikers been given decent chances to score. Today Gyokeres came in and you can never blame him for failing to score because the team is just set up to defend and move around the ball and not create chances for the striker.
Well said Simba.
Team selection apart, I just feel the mentality should be about trying to win rather than being afraid to loose because Man City are on our tails.
We also have to accept that UE is a better tactician than MA as he has often outperformed him with inferior teams with Villareal being the most notable.
Yet again, we have retreated to typical Arsenal mentality, where if we get one goal, we suddenly go back to defensive, let’s not lose this mentality. If we can get that one goal, we can get another, PL winners do not have this mentality. I thought we had got over that with the Newcastle win, but unfortunately, not. We were going for the draw, and Villa for the win, we needed a win, yet we just didn’t seem to get it.
Gmv8,
You are spot on 100%! Thank you Gooner!
After scoring the equalizer, Arsenal don’t push for the win wholeheartedly. We become too complacent with the draw. See that against City (1-1) Sunderland (2-2) Chelsea (1-1) and Villa (1-1).
Well, we scored in the last minute against city115 after pushing for the equaliser so much, that for the first time ever, Pep had to defend.
Sunderland saw us come back from a goal down to score two goals as we pressed for the win only for a goalkeeping error in the final seconds to stop us taking all three points.
Chelsea? A typical London derby where I saw both teams giving no quarter and going for the win.
Villa? Check the stats and you’ll see who had the most chances.
These myths about our club not going for a win wholeheartedly don’t stack up if one looks at things objectively.
The only time I would agree with that, is the Liverpool game this season.
ken1945,
Against Chelsea the stats don’t support your argument. With a man down Chelsea were superior in goal attempts maybe 9 v 7. Against Sunderland Eze was ejected for a defender when we led 2-1.
Come on mate we still are the League Leaders. Top teams except City will come to Emirates in the 2nd round.
Ambechew,
Sunderland game : We fought back from 1-0 down, after dominating the game and scoring two goals, only to be undone by a keepers mistake in injury time.
Chelsea game : Goal attempts do not signal that we became “complacent” as, according to you, we made seven attempts on goal.
Pleased your not contesting city115 and Villa.
Oh I know we’re top of the league and we have just lost one game in the last twenty Ambechew, it’s the negativity that drives me insane my fellow Gooner.
Ambachew, against Sunderland we hit the crossbar and Ballard blocked a goal bound shot AFTER Sunderland had scored their equaliser. Which proves that we DO push for a win. We pushed for a win today after we equalised, but our shots were either off target or were quite tame.
Always playing not to lose. When coaching players, since when is the answer to one mistake an immediate yank? Tbh I’ve never been a huge arteta fan. He’s definitely improved the team. He does a lot of things right. The way the team is set up for the season is pretty much immaculate.
But he doesn’t adjust well. Most good adjustments are just fumbled upon after he tries everything else he can think of. He’s not interested in making use of players’ talents, but fitting them into his system. He preaches mentality but often time from his attitude on the sidelines to his pressers he comes of as quite petulant. He’s ruined some good young players convincing them to stay and then benching them for years until their sold at a fraction of what they could’ve left for and after he’s pretty much ruined their confidence.
Mostly, I just have trouble stomaching a hypocrite. Even if we win a lot of titles with him, I can respect him, and I can appreciate what he does with the club. But I don’t know that I can ever fully get behind him.
Even after the match Arteta talked only about defensive blunders that led to Villa goal not about why we didn’t score the 2nd goal that may give us the win. This clearly tells Arteta’s obsession with the defensive aspect of the game aiming to secure a draw. He now needs to pursue the route of outscoring as another way of winning a game esp at this time when defenders are injured.
But it was defensive blunders that cost us the game mate.
If he talked about how we should have scored a second goal, he would have been accused of ignoring our defensive mistakes – in other words, he just cannot win!!
Ken he’s been told by some he’s tatically surpassed Arsene Wenger, will win everything and has eclipsed Pep Guardiola
His lack of trophies get excused for …..trophies are not only metic of success
I never know a manager to get so much praise for being top of the league in November.
You were ready to bet about a CL and Prem double
So yes ….I think he can win lol
Come on Mr Daniel Smith I already applauded you for your perfect 2-1 prediction even labelling you as a specialist guru in Arsenal games. You’ve held grudges for us comparing Arteta with Wenger. Both are pleasingly ours. It’s too premature to judge Arteta. It’s normal in a marathon epl race to lose battles but eventually we’ll deffo win the war. Title is ours with the returning players bolstering the fatigued players. Rivals don’t have this second wind.
Yeah I think we might slip up at Everton but then City will slip up over Xmas / new year
Dan,
Thank you for predicting a City slip up over Christmas. You usually have soft spot in your heart for City and Pep. Hope the looming verdict will not tarnish that.
Pep I have allot of respect for
Can’t argue with his results as a manager
I’m one of these who thinks trophies in top level sport is quite important
Dan,
In as much as trophies are important how those trophies are earned is equally relevant. See the Juventus debacle.
Oh I agree mate
City and Chelsea will always have an astrix next to their success
And if City are found guilty then of course I will call it out
Who has told Mikel that he’s tactically surpassed Wenger, will win everything and has eclipsed Pep ?
Literally fans on here
So they actually spoke to Mikel then ?
Oh no silly lol
I think me and Ken meant fan criticism, not literally talking to the manager lol
So when Ken says
he would have been accused……..not literally accused to his face , he means accused on here , in the press , etc
Well try posting correctly then
Okay lol
But you weren’t ready to make a bet Dan, so what does that tell me?
No I’m happy to make a bet mate
But you want to do odds
I want to do a straight bet
Plus no one pays me back lol
Although I think you would to be fair
Dan, I’ve also read just as ridiculous statements about the negativity regarding Mikel during our 19 unbeaten run, when we topped both the CL and PL – so there are fans on both sides of the fence who go OTT.
The fact that you keep quoting one side of the coin shows who you think is correct.
Oh I agree
As a fanbase we get carried away on both sides
The truth is in the middle probably
Then I suggest it would be a rational thing to do if you called both sides out with the same vigour and consistency Dan – maybe then we wouldn’t disagree so much?
I do mate
I haven’t seen anything over the top this weekend
Really?! I suggest you read what was said after the villa defeat then Dan.
Perhaps you missed them?!?!
I didn’t read anything like he should be sacked or anything
Should have seen out the game and nicked a point like we should have seen it out at Sunderland to nick a win, if Gabriel and Saliba are out for long periods I can see us dropping more points, that defence was a mess from start to finish.
Anyone know why we are not playing Christian Norgaard? Experienced tall, strong PL captain DM/CD we could sorely do with that at this time, yet he is just being ignored.
Gmv8,
You literally have my heart. I’m also thinking likewise why Nordgaard is not deployed thus far when our defenders are exposed. Rice made one superb block today nothing else to talk about. It was time for Nordgaard. We shouldn’t believe in names; only visible performances emancipate oneself.
Agree with Gmv8 and Ambachew. Christian Norgaard is a proven experienced EPL midfielder, even if not as highly rated as Rice. I am concerned that Rice needs to be assisted by some rotation to avoid playing him into the ground to minimize the risk of injury.
At this rate Saka’s England place might be overtaken by either Foden or Rodgers. Tolami?
Amberchew, how about Rice’s beautiful cross in the final minutes to set up Madouke , which he then fluffed and provided Villa with their opportunity to then steal all the points. A lot of Rice’s work goes unnoticed, I can’t imagine how bad the score could have been without his presence. But I agree with you that Norgaard should have played some part in the game.
The silver lining is Chelsea and Liverpool have also dropped points against lesser opponents.
City are the ones to worry about
As it stands, There is an 80% chance that we will not win the league.
Sometimes history can be annoyingly strong when you’re at the losing end of the occurrence.
The only hope now is that most of our injured players come back and we don’t get anymore injuries again, then we try and get another long winning streak.
And that’s very difficult to achieve now.
Why is it more difficult to achieve now then when we achieved it before, considering the injuries we had then SJ?
Yeah innocent until. Pep’s defenders in Gvardiol and Dias came to his rescue. People say City are a man team reliant on Haaland but they are progressing well even without his goals.
The work experience of lifting a major trophy somewhere is paramount to do it again in the epl. Slot had with Feyenoord. Emery was married to Europa. In this respect our gaffer is rookie and so are his assistants in Stuivenberg and Heinze.
SJ,
80% too harsh! We face top teams at our grounds in the 2nd round. If we lift the Carabao that would spur us for more. Returnees reinvigorate the team. We don’t know what is going to happen with City’s 115 charges.
Potential contenders are going backwards. Even without key players we still lead the league. If we early ascertain our place in the UCL qualification, full attention is given to the domestic front which other rivals don’t have this privilege. So lots of positives ahead….
Yes, there are positives but I still see us dropping points again maybe in the Everton game.
Our drop points will only fuel City’s experience and quality to go on an incredible winning streak from now on like they always do.
Merino.
Martinelli. Nwaneri. Madueke.
Eze. Norgaard.
Skelly. Hincapie. White. Timber.
Raya.
Havertz
Gabriel
Mosquera
Saliba
Trossard
Jesus
6 good players are currently facing injuries and lack of fitness.
With Mosquera to be the longest out with 2 months absence.
I hope for their quick recovery and we remain fit and injury free for the rest of the season.
League position does not matter at this point.
This is what Arteta has to work with heading into the December run because of him.
Have a back 4 that is completely gassed, injured, new or not in the correct position does.
A mid with Zubi and Rice being played to death, and Ode just coming back.
Tross went out injured again, got kicked in same place as before, Jesus does not even really play for AFC as a true option at this point, Martin and Madueke just coming back from injury.
And up top, Gyoal just came back, Kai has been in no man’s land forever it seems- he is a great player, and Saka and Merino being burnt crispy.
But Norgaard, MLS, Ethan, Dowman, Anous can’t get a look in mid or up top to help, basically 0 minutes. (MLS 132 minutes in league)
9 players injured or just coming back from injury out of 24
A horrible look no matter how one slices it!
We have seen this movie with this director for 5 years!
It is a horrible look. Of the players who can’t get a look in – would you have had them play out of choice against Villa or Spurs or Chelsea or Bayern Munich ? Probably not. It’s been a difficult run of fixtures right now. As for having seen the movie, is it Arteta who is to blame for the injuries? God knows what our league position would be without the strengthening that took place in the summer
one needs to ask the question why do you spent another 250 mil to run your players to the ground?
Arteta has cost us a title or two already with post player management . The inguries in the club should raise lots of red flags. He could potentially loose RICE and that would be catastrophic.
His choice of players in position is also questionable. Today with a make shift defense he still plays the same way and seemed he had no idea how to change it.
Why not start Gyokers and give Merino some nimbuses off and he could use him in midfield if needed later in the game . Why Eze on the left when Martinelli is available? He could have used Eze for Odegaard late in the game to fresh the team up.
Eze has no defensive awareness hence he lost Cash for a goal. There are so many questions on what he does.
He has brought Arsenal to a level of competing for the
title and CL but the questions about been able to cross the line will remain until and if he does.
Emery on the other hand has with some average personnel won El 4 times and may win it will Villa again this year and maybe the EPL and the way his group look right now why not?
Absolutely and I couldn’t have put it better myself. I did allude to the personell and lopsided team. When we have players out, why over complicate things instead of doing the correct thing of playing a well balanced team with players in their best positions. Is that just too simple?
Useless analysis.
Poor performance and decision making by Eze can’t be blamed on the manager.
The team has had to be rotated due to injuries and some players did not play at a high enough level.
However, it still took a scrambled last minute goal to get a win.
Disgraceful comment to blame Arteta for costing Arteta titles.
Disgraceful comment to blame Arteta for costing Arsenal tiles.
So when Arsenal win he’s surpassed Arsene Wenger but if he fails don’t blame him ?
David,
Disgraceful comment to blame Arteta for costing Arteta titles.
Your mask finally slips. 😂🤣👍
Haha was going to post the same .
It is too simple for Arteta
He outsmarts his own self.
Arsenal so far this season Domestically:
Top of the league as of 7th Dec
Second top scorers (28)
Best defence (9)
Joint best Goal Difference (19)
Least amount of defeats (2)
Through to the QF of the League Cup
Arsenal so far this season in Europe:
Only team that has a 100% record (5 wins from 5)
4th top scorers (14)
Best defence (1)
Best Goal Difference (13)
This is an absolutely amazing start, which is even more impressive when you factor in the injury crisis since day one. Yet, listen to some fans on here, and it’s been a poor start, and even for some, it’s been unacceptable!
So what were you expecting? For us to win EVERY game?
Im not sure you understand Arsenal historically over December/January. We don’t handle that pressure well
It only takes 2-4 subpar games to ruin all the good progress you’ve mentioned, I’m not sure why people can’t understand that….that is what people are cautious of
@PJ-SA
Historically that’s correct, but you’re still talking about things that haven’t happened. I am talking about things that have happened this season, and in context.
I think that’s the divide
It’s not an amazing start
It’s a start we have made before and I think some Gooners got carried away
@Dan
That is crazy that being top in the league and CL, AND destroying the so called “best team” in Europe, with tons of injuries, is not an amazing start?
I will be fascinated to see if you answer my two questions below, and how you answer them. 99% of the time that I ask based questions, they go unanswered because it would mean critical thinking would have to be applied.
What would have been your expectations before the season started, with a fully fit squad, for the first third of the season?
What would have been your expectations before the season started, if you knew all of the upcoming injuries, for the first third of the season?
I would have expected Arsenal to challenge for the title ?
To clarify , it’s been very good
But some are acting like Arsenal being top.of the league in December is like Arteta has re made the wheel
I seen Arsenal ( including with Arteta ) be top allot later in the season with bigger margins
As for the injuries, after the summer transfer business there can be zero excuse
Don’t we keep saying we have the best squad ?
Compare what we spent to Villa in the summer . You can’t tell me player for player Villa had a better 11 yesterday
If so , I would ask why did only two readers predict a Villa win ?
That does seem to be the expectation in some quarters.
We have played a difficult run of fixtures in quick succession and with important players suddenly missing through injury. Yesterday, was an away fixture against a rapidly improving Villa and it was lost in the dying embers of the match. Am I disappointed? Yes of course but like you , I can’t understand the level of hysteria surrounding it.
Spot on SueP about the hysteria.
We’re almost into mid Dec, and have only lost 2 games in all comps! A late goal away at Liverpool in a game that had a draw written all over it, and away at Villa, the most inform team for almost the last 3 months, with a lucky last minute goal.
Only 2 defeats with an injury ravaged squad, and apparently that’s not good enough? I always thought that being top, was a good thing? Maybe we should go back to our normal position of 4th 🙂
Maybe we should go back to our normal position 4th !
Wengers list
1st – 3 times
2nd -6 tiimes
3rd – 5 times
4th -6times
5th -1 time
6th -1 time
Silly myth made up from the anti wenger club that he always came 4th .
What I don’t see his him finishing 8th (twice )🙂
But you forget , winning isn’t the only measurement of success Dan lo
But, apart from the three number one spots, there were nineteen times we didn’t win the PL Dan and DK, so if you, as you’ve always stated, measure success only by winning the PL, you must be very disappointed with Arsene from very early on in his Arsenal career.
Winning really ISN’T everything is it?!
Yea I wanted him to leave in 2014 .
He was also winning FA cups though .
At least you’ve answered DK, I’m waiting for Dan’s reply.
Why did you want him gone in 2014 though?
His last 2nd position was three seasons before he left, he became the most successful manager in fa cup history and never took us out of the CL until those 5th and 6th finishes.
@Dan kit
Thank you for proving me correct! Strange myth, when 4th under Wenger was our joint best usual finish, like you just said.
Man, that backfired on you 🙂
😂
Most normal people would average that out though wouldn’t they Thirdman ,Jen ,or whatever you real name is .
But I didn’t say average, did I.
Maybe you should read before commenting, so you don’t end up proving my point, and making yourself look really stupid.
And by the way, I wasn’t having a go at Wenger, I was having a go at those being unhappy with 1st. Straight over your head though!
Mr deflection 😂.
Don’t you talk some nonsense .
You know that’s happened before right ?
We went to the World Cup in 2020 and I’m quite sure we had lost just once
Your acting like this is astounding lol
Eze as a CAM is a balance team not that of odegaard with all the attacking treat through saka
We are losing our grip on the title.
Injuries need to leave us and we get a good winning streak run to extend the lead at the top.
I still believe Man City and Villa will drop a few points along the way too.
Let’s just try and not drop points more than them, but I can’t boldy say that we won’t drop more points than them especially Man City and that’s the saddest part.
Hopefully Gabriel, Saliba, Havertz and Trossard comes back fit and firing and don’t get any injury again.
I don’t know about The Arsenal losing it’s grip, it seems you are SJ!!
Two defeats all season, top of the PL and CL, downed by a 95th scrambled goal against another top four club at their ground and the deck of cards, seemingly, come crashing down!!
Everyone will drop points and lose games – let’s keep the faith mate!!
Some fans have PTSD from the many near misses that we have had over the years with Wenger, Emery and Arteta.
So I don’t blame anyone who is not believing that we can win any major trophy.
Every top club has near misses though SJ – just look at the breakdown given by DK regarding Arsene… second six times!!
For me as I’ve said before, I’m taking it 6 games at a time. In our first six games we picked up 13 points form a possible 18.
The next block we picked up 16 from a possible 18.
The first 3 of this block we’ve picked up 4 from a possible 9. So it’s the worst start to a block to this point.
But it’s still only December, and while the league is not won in December, it’s not lost either. But that said, it could be seriously damaged if we’re not careful.
From a playing point of view, I’m not overly happy with the teams play. But going on an 18 game unbeaten run cannot be sniffed at. If they can go on a similar run, it should keep them there or there abouts come the business end of the season.
And then we’ll truly see if they’ve got what it takes to get over that pesky winning line.
As I’ve said on a few post’s now, don’t take any notice of these pundits that have already given Arsenal the title. One they should know better, and two there doing it for a reason. And I believe that reason is, that should it go pare shaped for Arsenal. They will then declare open season on Arsenal.
As disappointing as yesterdays result was, there’s still plenty of games to go. Here’s hoping.🤞👍
Reading some of these comments, one might think that Arsenal is under threat of relegation! This is the reason why I am grateful to Ken for his usual calm demeanour. We need to be level-headed. No one expected Arsenal to go a whole season unbeaten at this time. Losing a game to one of the top teams at their home can’t be defined as a disaster. Besides we have just a few weeks to meet them again. The most important thing now is to recollect ourselves and move on.
Absolutely David.
I’ve just been discussing the game with a friend who was at the game and he said there was nothing to choose between two excellent sides.
It’s worth remembering that out two defeats in the PL have come about by watching a superb free kick being scored and a scrambled 95th minute winner.
Of course, we’re still undefeated in the CL!!
Only Paula Radcliffe finishes as she starts with a constant tempo. The tempo of the league is really under the mercy of Arsenal. If we up the tempo further it becomes boring just in December. When the chasing pack approaches alarmingly then we reset the tempo and keep the distance safe. We collect 12 full points by the end of the 1st round. 33+12=45 pts!!! It’s a Champions point.
Rivals surely drop points as they play each other. There you respond with what’s your usual word arrogance what?