Arsenal supporters are expressing frustration with their team’s poor form, and some, who have grown less patient, are already calling for the club to sack Mikel Arteta.
The Spanish manager had initially brought a transformation to the Gunners since joining the Emirates, fueling dreams of league victories in the past two seasons. However, the team is currently struggling to maintain the high standards set by some impressive performances in the previous season.
Despite the anticipation that Arsenal would capitalise on Manchester City’s slip to secure a significant lead in the Premier League table, the Gunners find themselves starting the new year behind the defending champions, who have a game in hand.
Following their recent loss to Fulham, marking back-to-back defeats, fans have begun advocating for Arteta’s dismissal, per Football Insider. Feeling they’ve had enough, some supporters believe that a new manager could take the team to the next level and should replace Arteta.
Just Arsenal Opinion
A manager’s job is only as safe as his last result, and Arteta knows he will be sacked if the team is not making progress.
He has taken us to a good level and it is too early to start calling for a change but if results do not change soon then Arteta could be in trouble.
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It’s got nothing to do with the loss, it’s got to do with:
– boring gameplay
– slow gameplay
– inability to change tactics in game
– inability to develop his own tactics
– substitutions done too late
– lying about picking players on form
– claiming we played well when we didn’t in many games
– playing players out of position
– running players into the ground
– promising players they’re part of his plans but the rarely giving them even 5 mins
– rarely giving academy players a run, even in games where the result will have no effect of standings
– buying players we didn’t really need at the cost of not buying players we really need
Let’s see what happens against Liverpool, a win will be great but can we afford to keep playing the same players?
Was typing my comments at the same time as you, and upon reading your post we have the same concerns.
– not even 5 mins for Elneny, Cedric, Amario, etc
– it’s like the academy was dead by 2020!
– send players on season long loan and claim the squad is thin!
_ he is after spending and claiming FFP rules: Tierney Vs Zin vs Kiwior;
Pepe Vs Willian Vs Trossard;
Toreirra Vs jorginho vs Kai
Leno vs Ramsdale Vs Raya
etc
@PJ-SA
RealTalk 👏🏾
Agree same old story and time wasting as teams get on with the play and try we have too many excuses from Arteta
Agree with almost all your points. But quite HOW you can then seriously claim “its nothing to do with the boss” considering WHAT you, correctly , wrote, staggers serious minded fans such as I.
Its ALL to do with him! That is unless YOU wish to take personal responsibility, which I assume you dont!!
If, by any possible by highly unlikely chance , you are going to claim you were simply being sarcastic, which it does NOT look like, then perhaps you OUGHT to have made that clear.
What???? Heavy night last night? 🤣
If I read PJ-SA post properly I think he said ‘ nothing to do with the loss ‘ ( fulham game) not ‘boss’.
I don’t think Arteta should be sacked, but he should be served notice. There is an overall regression from last year in performances and tactics.
1. 800 million spent on his players and his team
2. The level of control and decision making he has been given
3. The patience extended while he built his squad and philosophy
At some point Arteta has to be held accountable and serious questions asked. Tactically we have regressed, and a stubborn refusal to change.
Game substitutions but no change in game tactics?
Failure to capitalize on youth and our academy. ESR is rarely used, could lose Patino (who could be as good or better than Vieira), will Walters or Souza ever get a chance?
It’s a fair question to ask if Arteta has taken us a far as he can. We can’t only blame players, or lack of spending and investment, or whine about other teams getting better.
Inexperience isn’t an excuse anymore, goals and accountability need to resurface. Perhaps Edu needs to be included in any self examination as well.
Totally agree we’re has he taken us we have one superb 3/4 a season last season then bottled it. I’ve said for a few months now arterta isn’t good enough. Why pay 65 million for Havertz he drifts pit of games way to much. The squad looks weak the bench is still a issue apart from trossard who is actually good enough on the bench bringing raya in has been the most ridiculous decision I have ever seen. Jesus and nkethia aren’t number 9s jusus should play 8 and influence the game his good enough to play that position sell nkethia sell some fringe player bring in a world class strike and a better left back and some cover for saka and martinelli. There’s 2 outstanding players in the championship who would fit straight into this team and play well at the base of midfield archie gray of Leeds and harden Hackney of middlesbrough
I still think 2 games in 3 days was too much to expect maximum points. Why others get 5 days to rest and we get only 1?
Because of this gameweek criminal fixtures I give Arteta a pass.
I have never hide the fact that I dont like his management style but we have been in good place from last season until the past two games.
We should reserve judgement until the end of the season. I think he has earned that. If there is no trophy at the end of the season he should give way for another manager to enjoy the house Wenger built.
Not trying to excuse the performance but I was wondering the same.
What happened to when all teams would play on Boxing day 😕
Why are Arsenal and Spurs playing on Sunday when both played on Thursday and the teams they played against are both playing on Tuesday JS.
HH And thehouse that first having built, Wenger subsequently let fall into decay, through lack of careful care and attention to all the key elements thjat made that house, for his first decade , such a successful one.
We didn’t even get 1 point from either so a bit hard to back that argument.
I can guarantee you that we won’t be the only team that needs to do 2 games in 3 days. There’s a reason we have a squad, its supposed to be used.
You can also say we have 3 games in 15 days (24 Dec – 7 Jan)
He’s a one-trick pony.
Terrible to watch most games.
Nothing upfront which should have been solved ages ago.
Tactically wise he’s poor. Especially with substitutions.
Utter farce the Goalkeeper situation because of him.
And what on earth was he doing ? spending big money on Havertz and putting him on the highest wages.
Havertz is a Premier League flop. Always has been.
What is the point of these forums when it makes not one bit of difference.
He will continue to do what he will, after all he is the manager and by the time things do pick up the season will be over once again – its like the Wenger days when the season would be over by Christmas but the form of the team would pick up basically because the pressure was off them.
Just disappointing.
They think he is the future of the club so he will be sticking around for a bit – just like Wenger without the trophies..
If you want the honest answer….to make money from advertising by creating as much traffic as possible on the sight, which is usually done by posting more regularly on divisive topics which create heavy debate (i.e. longer screen time).
e.g. Havertz was a massively debated topic, hence the reason for the multitude of articles.
I don’t think the purpose of this or any other forum is to advise Arteta on his teams, tactics or any other related issues.
As if he could arsed to read them anyway😜.
Squad not good enough bench is weak manager is clueless everyone can see the positions were we aren’t good enough raya not a Arsenal player ramsdale should never of been dropped outrageous decision left back is a huge problem as is the cf lacking a number 8 either try academy players at number 8 or go into championship and pick up harden Hackney or archie gray we are 4 players short if this isn’t addressed soon we might not even get top4
Never ceases to amaze me, two bad results so the manager must go!! What about the players, don’t they bear some responsibility for the losses? The same players were battering teams last season, goals were flowing and then THEY bottled it at the end. When things get tough you need a good leader not a passive one like Odergaard so where I do question MA is why he didn’t immediately give the armband to the only real leader we have i.e Declan Rice. That was one of the reasons he bought him wasn’t it?
Those who want Arteta to go haven’t suggested who will replace him and do a better job. Like quality strikers, top coaches/managers are hard to come by and we should thank our lucky stars that we didn’t end up with someone like Ten Haag!! For the record I have had some reservations about MA but, seriously, how can any club consider sacking someone who is a couple of games away from leading the EPL table at the halfway point? Just ask Chelsea if sacking good managers works ( I refer to Thomas Tuchel). If at the end of the season we are out of the top 4 and no trophy then judge him.
Almost no-one on here has called for MA to be sacked, some are saying that MA may not be able to take us any further which may well be true. You see the thing is you are only looking at results and not performances as you said yourself mentioning 2 bad results. If you were taking note of performances in games you would’ve noticed it’s been a few months where we haven’t looked great, despite picking up points.
Players have to play exactly as MA says, there’s almost no freedom of expression. This has been mentioned by many players in interviews it’s just worded in a way that sounds “better” than control freak, difficult to blame the players for that don’t you think?
The same players you are talking about are rotated poorly and many are being run into the ground, again difficult to blame them for that.
Your argument is a poor 1 regarding changing managers, cherry picking the bad examples while ignoring the good examples.
You also can never say that because someone did badly like Ten Haag has, that they would’ve been equally bad if they had gone somewhere else like to Arsenal, too many variables to ever be able to speculate. That kind of thinking lacks depth completely. By the same logic we should never have bought Havertz because if he’s poor at Chelsea he’s guaranteed to be bad at us…..doesn’t work like that son.
You are contradicting yourself, not sure what fans who said MA “may not be able to take us any further” will suggest aside handing him the sack. No way can someone say that and still want him at the helm.
What a difference 10 days make!
From Hero to Zero in no time at all!
Arteta has done a great job overall and
If we use temporary/inevitable disappointments to sack managers we’ll never employ another manager for more than a few months.
Let’s be honest men! What Arteta has done sofar is beyond the expectations. But we shouldn’t also forget that we have a coach who is learning at work.
No one to blame for the poor performance of the team but Mikel Arteta himself. He has done things which really prove he’s still a learner and not a complete coach.
The way he has been spending money on players who have not been used. Players like Nuno Tavarez, Sambi Lokonga, Auston Trusty, Fabio Viera. I hope Hevertz will join this list if we’re to have a competitive midfield.
Another issue is the way he can’t rotate the players. We always see almost the same lineup every game which is not the case for Pep and Klopp. We have players who can be rotated to have the game confidence, the likes of Trossard, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Elneny, Jorginho, Fabio Viera, Kiwior and Ramsdale. When you don’t give minutes to players their confidence dies and the form drops.
Finally it’s the way he freezes players who would still be important. I’m talking about Aaron Ramsdale and Kieran Tierney.
For sure Arteta will have no excuse for the poor performance. Because he was given the Authority which was not given to Unai Emery, the transfer money which was not given to Emery and the team was patient on him than it was on Unai.
It’s not beyond expectations at all after 800mil spent
I’m saying beyond expectations because no one could expect a learner to make a team a title contender.
Olivier A sensible and honest summation!
I too have been an MA supporter and realised he was learning on the job, esp his first two seasons.
I was prepared to give him adequat e time as I SAW, ALL ALONG, HE POSSESSEDREAL AMBITION, TOUGHNESS, determination ro rid our club of shirkers andtrouble makers. Ozil/ Auba and Guendouzi, which h did.
He deserves great credit for harmonising the dressing room AND the club rebonding with our fans All these are plusses and I REGOGNISE AND GIVE CREDIT FOR THEM.
However, ALL the points you list are extremely valid and it would be dishonest and biased of me – which I will NEVER ALLOW MYSELF- to ignore the obvious truth in your list and not to raise doubts with MYSELF about my support for him, which right now, is in the balance.
It is plain that as yet – it MAY STILL COME- his all round managerial talents are well below the best in the Prem, meaning Guardiola and Klopp, of course.
I remain hopeful now, rather than convinced, that it will still come, in time.
But time is always finite at the top level clubs and rightly so, IMO!
Chill up Colonels, things will be alright soon enough. i don’t think there is anything to worry about.
Which coach do you expect will take us to another level now….Conte or unai or xhabi Alonso or who????
I’m not saying Arteta should be sacked now, but in case it happens Unai Emery would be a perfect coach for us. I’m not saying this basing on the Astonvilla success though.
I knew and loved Unai even before he came at Arsenal. I was happy when we got him, but I was also dissapointed that he wasn’t given full control and enough money to buy players. But regardless of that, he managed to collect more points than Arteta collected in their first 48 games on the club plus reaching the Europa League Final. Then After going at Villarreal to win the Europa League and then reaching the Champions League semi finals. MAKING IMPACT EVERYWHERE HE GOES.
OT but maybe our players need to watch championship games and see how those guys play with heart and desire 😉.
Saka needs to dye his hair back to black and remove that blonde look 😁 that has zapped his skills 😄.
One of the reason Mikel recommends the league to our youngsters. watched Sunderland beat Preston and i must admit i’m impressed, very much of high standard and quality for a second tier competition.
Are you currently watching the match between Plymouth Argyle and Watford? My my what a game.
I can’t believe l am currently watching a championship game.
This is what fans pay to see.
Yeah, some brilliant stuff on display.
Sorry Admin for derailing the blog.
Don’t think people are “turning” against Arteta, but more opening up their eyes and taking off the Rose tinted glasses.
1. He’s been given funds, patience, and control to build his squad.
2. He’s not been held accountable and excused from consequences due to inexperience.
Now, 4 years into the process we can see the results.
Tactically not as astute or evolutionary as we were told. Copied Pep’s playbook, but now bereft of ideas.
Has an Ego and stubborn streak that the club enabled by lack of accountability early in his tenure.
Now people see where problems lie. Blamed players like Auba, Laca yet his chosen replacements still can’t score. Blamed deadwood not good enough, yet Nketiah, Vieira, Havertz, Jorginho, haven’t pushed us on.
Shipped out Tierney, didn’t suit his style, and the inverted Zinchenko has been sussed and we leak goals because fullbacks can’t defend.
New players, 800 million spent, yet same problems and mistakes.
1. Sideways passing, possession without purpose or end result, slow deliberate buildup, repeat tactics of playing everything through the RW side.
New players won’t make much difference, not until Arteta changes. Have REAL competition, rotate players, and flexible tactics and plan B options.
Micromanagement is blunting our squad, and people are seeing where real problems lie.
The fact he worked with pep does’nt mean he “copied pep’s playbook” as there are no similarities in our style of play. And no, he is not “bereft of ideas”, as two defeats in a row does not suggest that. At least the players he moved on get beat convincingly by teams like City and pool we look to emulate and compete with compared to the ones he is currently working with, which goes to show they’ve moved us on.
No similarities in the style of play you say?
How about Jesus as a striker; interchanging, helping in buildup, pressing exact same under Pep. Are you willfully blind, or just deny reality?
How about Zinchenko as inverted fullback. Pep actually created that, yet Arteta won’t bin a tactic that clearly has been sussed.
Those are two examples of players both managers had and Arteta has used in the exact same capacity.
There are other examples like playing players out of position, but why go into detail when you will only turn a blind eye and deny it rather than logically consider the fact with an open mind.
I say “bereft of ideas” because he substitutes players and stubbornly continues the same tactics.
Slow buildup, side to side passing, possession over end product, and fullback invert not overlap. When is the last time a LB overlapped Martinelli? Was it Tierney?
How can we constantly blame players who follow Arteta’s orders, yet rarely if ever question or criticize the manager?
Has he adapted his tactics to counter the low block defending? Or just continued the slow buildup, and play everything down the RW through Saka?
His “new idea” to start the season was the grotesque and deformed setup of Partey at RB, starting 3rd choice CB White, and a false 9 Havertz in midfield.
It was so disgraceful that even Arteta quickly abandoned the tactic.
We continue to lack any bite in our attack, and how has Arteta countered the constant double teamed Martinelli and Saka on the wings?
Overlap with fullbacks? Switch to a more centrally focused attack? Played Havertz as striker to capitalize on crosses?
Sadly no. Only rinse and repeat. Sub in Nelson or Trossard and persist with the same tactic.
When was the last time Odegaard drifted to Martinelli’s side and play like he does with Saka? Has he ever tried Zinchenko overlapping Martinelli on the left?
Arteta’s tactics and shortcomings have to be addressed. Can no longer hide behind the squad (800 million spent on his players), or depth (Tomiyasu, Kiwior, Trossard,Jorginho, he extended Nelson and Nketiah).
Sunlight is the best disinfectant as the saying goes, and now the shortcomings are being brought to light.
This is so true..even someone like zinny cuts back to the Rw leaving martinelli in the wilderness instead of zinny offering surport to martinelli
The drop off is definitely a cause for concern, particularly as we put in a decent performance against Liverpool and then failed miserably against West Ham and Fulham.
That said, I genuinely think it’s too early to say that the wheel has fallen off our season. At present, winning the league is a long way off.
So far this season hasn’t been what I’d hoped/expected, but nothing stays the same – apart from City looking likely to win again.
What I find really sad are those who had been won over by Arteta are ready to stick the knife in – finding fault with everything that had us in top spot so recently. If the fall off continues, then Arteta will have to answer for the tail off.
I know that as manager rather than coach, he has a huge influence over incoming and outgoing players but I’d be surprised if Arteta and Edu are not working closely together and on the outside, we have no real idea what is happening behind the scenes
SueP
All fair points you make, and I admire you for raising concerns but have reserved any judgements.
Perhaps too much has been placed on Arteta’s shoulders too soon? He’s relatively new to coaching, so perhaps managing the club is a step too far?
I would suggest Arteta’s responsibilities be limited to coaching and developing the first team.
Naturally have a say in transfers and outgoings, but not be involved in final decision making.
For example, Havertz is sus when we clearly needed a legit B2B midfielder, especially when Arteta himself said “I don’t know where he fits in” at 65 million pounds as well.
4 years and no competition or backup for Saka? That is shocking considering the 800 million spent.
4 years and no plan B? Not even a second option in attack, especially in striker position?
Do we even play a legit fullback that can defend? We have 3 CB’S that play at fullback, and a CM that can’t defend and repeats mistakes.
Lastly not making the best use of resources available (frozen out players and academy), and lack of rotation creates rust and out of form options.
I feel changes should be made, and perhaps having Arteta focus on immediate concerns while leaving executives and ownership to deal with the bigger picture.
IMHO ownership and execs focus on future and long term goals, while Arteta should focus on day to day performances and yearly goals for the current season.
Would be interested to hear your thoughts Sue
So interesting when you say too much has been placed on MA ‘s shoulders Durand – wasn’t that the cry regarding AW?
Wasn’t it also said by the club that there would never be such a situation where one person had so much power ever again?
I do believe that this has been one of the reasons why Mikel has been struggling this season, especially after he led us to near glory last season.
You and I have agreed on how MA was given hardly any accountability compared to AW and UE, but I am agreeing with SueP at this moment in time. He has got the club back together again and, last season was exceptional – I’m prepared to give him a chance and let’s see where we end up in the PL, CL and FA cup.
If it all goes pear shaped by season’s end, then we should get out the long knives once again.
Happy New Year to you and yours my fellow Gooner.
Ken
I don’t think one can say Arteta has not improved the club since he took the helm. However, I think there is a debate on whether he has taken us as far as he can.
As far as AW goes, I do believe he had too much on his shoulders, and perhaps this played a part in his results in his last years at the club, and the ultimate decision to part ways.
I also agree regarding the clubs statement about power resting in the hands of one individual, but I can’t say if this is once again the case regarding Arteta.
I still believe Arteta would be better with coaching responsibilities and the day to day actions of the squad (performances and development) and implementing the goals for the current season (top 4, CL quarter finals, FA Cup rounds, as examples).
Thank you for your detailed response Durand
It has been a very big ask for Arteta to fill the shoes of Wenger in his pomp and I’d say that while I agree with the board for giving him more clout, I think I’d have preferred him to be more answerable. The Kroenke family aren’t football people. I think that may have helped if they were.
He has seemed such a focused person that I’d be somewhat surprised if he isn’t aware that problems exist within his ideas for improving the football and our league position. If he isn’t aware that some of the problems emanate from poor recruitment in some areas then he really doesn’t deserve to be in charge. Whether Edu had more to do with transfers, I don’t know.
Rotation has been a big issue. I don’t think Arteta fully is behind the second 11 and if I’m honest, nor am I. I have heard a number of reasons why giving EN and RN increased contracts was favourable. To me it’s money for not sufficient return. City have an embarrassment of riches in their squad which is the envy of us all.
My biggest disappointment has been the overall lack of quality in some of the signings. It’s not acceptable to bring in Tavares, Sambi and to a slightly lesser extent, Vieira and Kiwior if they aren’t good enough to whet the appetite
I have considered Arteta to be intelligent and watching his interaction with his staff on match day think they are a team. I used to wonder what Pat Rice was in the dugout for.
Something isn’t quite right but form and timing can be fickle bedfellows.
I’m also watching the ebb and flow of form within a large-ish number of clubs. Newcastle have slipped up, ManU lurch from improving to going backwards and Chelsea supporters must be wringing their hands as well. Aston Villa don’t look quite so convincing even though results have been favourable
Too soon to be overly worried but I’d hate to think that all the hard work has been in vain
Sentiments apart channel the money for new players for a new manager when we still have a fifty per cent chance in the league. The priority is a new manager not new players.
The problem with Arteta is his arrogant..what you see as dead wood players or weak players, to him they are his best…he cnt substitute them…secondly his players have a problem, every player want score,every player want to shine,to be seen..arteta must talk to this selfish players,like Saka,ordegarrd…they must pass the ball to others to score also…they must create chance for Rice to score…it’s not a matter of kicking the ball once you face the goalkeeper but pass to another player whose free to score..play as a team…kentiah, Havert too slow…bench saka..start with Jesus,kentiah and martenelli. Or Jesus on the right,trossard striker and martenelli on the left..Raya mst go.
Buy players like,zodimendi,Kubo,mitoma,klerke of Sunderland, doglas luiz,Whittaker.give joginho to play defending Middlefield and allow rice to attack or follow martenelli ..arsenal lose more games in second season and it’s high time to buy players
He should take some lessons from Girona manager.
A lot of unknowns playing the best football of their lives. 1 loss in 19 games a lot better than where we are.
It’s definitely not some fans…its most of the fans