Arteta this season by Terry Christie
Without doubt Mikel Arteta has improved Arsenal, but he makes too many poor decisions which have slowed progress. First of all, his decision to put Kiernan Tierney on loan to Real Sociedad was madness. Tierney was the only proper left full-back at the club and now there are none. Zinchenko is a hugely talented midfielder but is slightly built and slow. Kiwior is just slow, and Tomiyasu is a great centre-back who kicks with his right foot. We have no left-back!
Saliba has been a success in spite of Arteta. He spent two years on loan in France when he should have been playing for Arsenal. Madness!
Last season Ramsdale was outstanding. There was room for improvement in his distribution, but he was terrific in all other aspects of goalkeeping. That he has been replaced by Raya is beyond comprehension. Ramsdale is 6’2”, Raya a neat 6’0” and, in today’s game, is short in stature for a top-class keeper. He cannot deal with crosses in a crowded penalty area. His distribution is marginally better than that of Ramsdale but, in all other aspects of a keeper’s job Ramsdale is better.
Then there are the bizarre team selections. How could any sane football person have thought Tavares was a better left-back than Tierney? Back in August at the start of the season Mikel had us all scratching our heads. In the first match of the season against Fulham, Thomas Partey appeared at right-back, White at centre-back, and Trossard at centre-forward whilst Gabriel and Jesus warmed the sub’s bench.
Arteta has now to face up to difficult truths, such as that Havertz does not possess the energy to play in midfield and that Nketiah is not good enough. Preferring Nketiah to Jesus in the recent defeat by Fulham was crazy.
Is Arteta going to be able to rejuvenate Saka? Is he prepared to take him off the wing and play him as an attacking midfielder? Mikel is likeable, committed but currently making too many mistakes.
His report card reads, “could do better, room for improvement”.
Terry Christie (ex-footballer and manager)
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Lots of very obvious glaring mistakes are catching Arteta up. His massive glaring error that wasn’t mentioned is his tunnel view of a small amount of players, he relies on religiously and the number of players he does not trust like or rate and stubbornly refuse to mix it up with them and change his tactic.
Players are missing so many chances it’s insane! MA has done a great job in changing his tactics from those dark early days when Auba was feeding off scraps, to what we see now – a ton of clear cut chances almost every game.
That said, the mid season report on the players reads – all of our forwards are really letting us down. Brilliant last season, but cannot hit a barn door this season. If just half of them were on form we’d easily be top of the league still, and probably still in the FA Cup given we missed four clear cut opportunities against Liverpool.
Of course MA deserves criticism, and he’s getting it in spades, but we have to look at the players as well.
Where are the clear cut chances? Best chance we had vs Liverpool was an error from them
Last year yes we created chances but not this year. Look at the Fulham game also. We created
half chances but nothing clear cut .
– Tierney: We finished as a runner-up last season without an overlapping LB. Man City and Liverpool also don’t play with that player type this season
– Zinchenko: Was pretty successful in the inverted-LB role last season, but he doesn’t have a tall target to vary his crosses this season
– Tomiyasu: Played the inverted-LB role well last season. Remember when he nullified Salah
– Kiwior: If Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake thrive in the inverted-LB role, so should Kiwior
– Saliba: He returned to EPL with two years of experience, which is very important for a young CB. He still made some fatal errors last season despite those loans, which were ignored by the fans due to our victories
– Ramsdale: I also think Raya isn’t better than him
I wouldn’t be surprised if the article was made by Neville, Lampard or Gerrard, under a pseudonym
I wouldn’t disagree with your opinions of the players you’ve named, and how well some of them played “last season”, but it’s this season that Terry is referencing, and giving a half term report on, which I’d say was reasonably fair & accurate criticism.
You left Sutton off of the list of fake article writers.
The writer mentioned about Saliba’s loan period which occurred two seasons ago
@gotanidea.
From what I saw against Liverpool in FA Cup Ramsdale did well, and Raya won’t do anything better. Arteta just seem sentimental about Raya. I don’t rate Kiwior’s ability in left back after watching him play against Liverpool. He is slow and better as a CDefence.
The coach also need to vary his tactics he seem limited at times. His emphasis on many chances his team created in games won’t matter to the fans if they remain profligate. I would rather have few chances well taken than loads of them without end product.
It’s time the coach have faith in his bench than over using certain players.
Yes, I also think Arteta should try Smith-Rowe in the left-sided AM position in some games
Your assertion that Liverpool do not play with an overlapping left back is nonsense.Both of their attacking left footed left backs are currently injured hence the reason for Gomez filling in for them.
– Tierney: We Finished 2nd because Liverpool, Chelsea were in mess and other team were not considering title contenders to us. We were like dark horse. Then latter teams figured Arteta’s tactic and we had a poor results in end.
– Zinchenko: Again Teams have figured his tactics. As of now his defensive liabilities is hurting more than his distribution his helping the team. So Energetic Overlapping fullback could have at least provided other options and helped Martinelli in attack.
– Tomiyasu: Yes He is very good versatile player we have. He can play effectively at CB, RB and defensively at LB. Even he can play CF role better that Havertz.
– Kiwior: Arteta has not given him consistent chances to come at any conclusion
– Saliba: The season Arteta sent him on loan and bought average overpriced White to play as CB was a mad decision. This shows how poor judgment Arteta has about players. Luckily for him White played decent at RB.
The numerous bad decisions Arteta took about transfers of Havertz, Viera, Tierney, Pepe, Niles, Cedric.
He does not trust the academy, did not play any of them even in cup competitions.
We dont create quality chances or situations. They are mostly half chances.
Thomas Partey as a right back is “the stroke of Genius”.
And we all know how that turned out.
;You know something everyone is talking about the championship because last year they surprised everyone because no one expected that Arsenal could win the title…and in the end they were vindicated…Ok clearly there is an improvement But the biggest improvement when you show that you are on the right path, comes only with additional reinforcement of the team. Pure reinforcement to give depth with equal footballers on the bench. No it’s a secret that the championship teams that also star in the Champions League have at least two elevens, anyway, at least 17 trustworthy footballers, we can To make rest changes, or if it is necessary to bring in some equals or almost equals in case of some injuries that will occur. Here we have footballers who are not at the level first eleven or to come from the bench as equals. I say that Tomiyasu, Kivior, Nelson, Smithrowe, N’ketia, will never, ever become the depth we ask for… also I didn’t like Georginio Otherwise I would keep him. Arteta kicked him out, thinking Zitchenko can be a left back or do a trick with Tomiyashi…but I think he overrated both of them and Zitche This is not what we call a defensive left back. So when after all this and your first eleven is not working well, where do you ask for help? For me, the issue is more realistic… you sell everyone the ones I mentioned because they are simply for teams from ten place and below. You buy six or seven top players over the course of a year, the jubier also returns, you also bring back Charlie patino And you are on the right track. Let’s say that Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Villa, and Newcastle … as long as this City exists, with two equal elevens and always willing to strengthens by holding the trunk and bringing ne Fresh blood …great players …we’re just looking for the second one
like most on here, very frustrated with the final outcome of the last few games.
a bit perplexed as to why the ball isn’t hitting the back of the net when there have been many chances (please dont comment on we need a proven striker as that boat has sailed due to the cost of what it would take to get one in but we live in hope)
to many players in all areas not living up to there potential standards they set last season.
i disagree with not creating as we had an abundance to put pool to the sword in the first half.
agree that KH is a heads gone signing same as Raye but ladies and gentlemen we are where we are with this group of players and if you think we are going to get a complete overhaul in Jan then you are mistaken.
our approach play at times is still sublime but pulling the trigger at key times has let us down and that goes for our proven players such as Saka, Martin who were hitting the back of the net for fun last season.
someone is due a hiding from us very soon so hopefully it is sooner or later so we can restore some confidence in the scoring department
i am still the optimist and if we can hold on to the coat tails of City who are gathering pace without even trying then we will still be there or there abouts come May.
agree with TC with “could do better, room for improvement” but we are far from finished for this season and many more twists and turns lie ahead for all of us.
onwards and upwards
Yep, let’s hear no more striker BS before summer (if then even). We have the build up play and chances are being created, so nothing to panic over TBH. Switch our regular front three throughout the game, get Martinelli more central and spending some time on the right.
Havertz is only really suited to the midfield role he’s quite good at. The goals will come, and
I’m sure Arsenal will play their way out of this without huge sums being spent.
Imagine how our players must be feeling after they gave their all last season while building a unity only for the manager to go out and purchase a downgrade in Havertz. Proceeding to make him the highest paid in the squad. As if that wasn’t enough he disrupted the team and formations just to accommodate him.
As if that was not worse enough he cast away an instrumental player last season in Ramsdale for an inferior keeper in Raya.
I won’t blame them if they down tools.
Can you believe all the people crying about overpaid Ozil and Auba?
How do you feel about Havertz now?
👍but HH, I would “blame them if they downed tools”, because they are supposed to be “professional” footballers!
OzzieG, the players are human first. Saka clearly needs a rest, the attitude of the lad is brilliant, so is Martinelli. There seems to be no squad rotation.
Declan Rice is very much welcome, worth every pound. Kai and Raya are downgrades. Ramsdale for Jan Oblak would have made sense , but Raya?
The lads do have emotions, fatigue issues, which our manager fails to acknowledge and address them.
The joke is that we paid 45M for a 10 goal a season wonder, City paid 50M+ for a 30 goal a season wonder. Lets not blame issues like money, its not wisely spent and there is no accountability from the owners, board, manager and players. Villa have nocked in 43 goals, we 37. that sums it all.
That is correct OG, then at least I won’t blame them if they are demotivated.
I agree with most of the points raised by the writer but not his suggestion to play Saka as an attacking midfielder .To the best of my knowledge he has never been used as an AM and in my opinion he lacks the passing skills and close control to provide competition for Odegaard.As far as rejuvenating him and Martinelli, the solution is for them to switch positions so they can cross the ball on the run with their stronger foot rather than having to turn back which makes them so predictable in their inverted roles.
I’m sure Southgate had Saka doing just that some time back (Euro 2000?), where he was moving at pace through the midfield. It was quite effective, but doubtful that he could this against a low block. I’d also like him & Martinell switch during games.
What we never see from Saka or Martinelli is an early ball, crossed in behind a defence, just after the halfway line to turn the opposition defender early. We pass pass pass until the defence gets back and then run around like headless chickens.
Safe to say the “MADMAN” of Arsenal is overthinking, overtinkering, overspending, overmanaging, overcoaching. Also safe so say players are confused, tired and frustrated.
Arteta is on burrowed time!!
Plus compared to last season, Arsenal’s build up play is much slower, with players tentative with identification of upfield options and making passes, taking too many touches and not taking shooting opportunities.
Arteta could do better; yes. That is only if he will now prefer goals to high ball possession. He will do better is hope on hope!