There is no point in saying ‘Arteta Out’ while Kroenke is still in charge

‘Arteta out’ will not solve Arsenal’s problems by Dan Smith

This isn’t me reacting badly after a loss. Any regular readers will know I don’t represent part of our fan base who demand a manager gets sacked after a couple of defeats. I’m not screaming ‘Arteta out’ because, really, he should have never been recruited in the first place.

Just like it was painfully obvious that Unai Emery wasn’t good enough.

Back in December I wrote that Arteta was simply the cheap option; another example of the club putting value ahead of ambition. I was asked ‘How did I know that?’ Was I a mind reader? How did I know he wasn’t the number one choice?

At the time, I didn’t think these comments were clever. I thought, ‘don’t cry in a few months when we fall even further behind where we used to be.’ I remember thinking, it must be music to Stan Kroenke’s ears. His customers conned, willing to wait another couple of years for Arteta to implement his ideas, put his own squad together, etc.

His favourite opinion must be the notion that being 9th remains the fault of the old regime. So not just are now some willing to wait, but they still blame everyone else but him. Meanwhile he’s making a record amount off Adidas for shirt sales.

You see I don’t sympathise with all Gooners. The likes of AFTV, who drove Arsene Wenger away, the last man who truly loved us and cared. This is what they wanted. They were adamant everything would be so wonderful once we pushed away the greatest manager in our history. Some are scared to say it because it will be admitting they are wrong, so I will do it for them…

We have gone backwards… Nothing has got better; it’s got worse. We are bleeding, bleeding badly, and it will get worse before it gets better.

I don’t feel I’m turning on one of my own, because from day one I saw through the lie, I understood how he got the job.

At the time, Ancelotti and Allegri were out of work (one still is) but they would have spent 2 minutes talking to the Kroenke family and would have not have been interested. Luis Enrique has confirmed this before.

Arsenal should be an attractive post for every coach. The stadium, the academy, the history, etc. Yet the very best don’t need to take work for the sake of it. They are winners who want to add to their CV. They will want to know ‘do they have a realistic chance of winning titles.’

The questions they would ask are like…
‘Tell me the world class defender you plan to sign?’

‘What are you doing to convince Auba to stay?’

‘Who will you buy to show the squad that this is where you want to be?’

‘How do you expect to win things if the Manchester clubs, Chelsea and even Everton will spend more?’

So, in other words, you’re only going to attract someone that is so grateful to have such a high-profile job that they will tolerate the lack of funds, selling our best players, etc.

Some will point out that Chelsea and Man United have gone down the route of bringing back ex-players. Indeed Barcelona and Real Madrid often go down the route of hiring ‘one of their own’. Yet the likes of Pep Guardiola, Zidane and Simeone in their first jobs were given every chance to succeed and were backed in the transfer market (we are now seeing that at Stamford Bridge).

It’s not Arteta’s fault. Of course, he’s going to back himself. For him, the reward is worth the risk. His worst-case scenario is that most will realise how badly the club is run and he just goes back and works with Pep.

He will always be undermined by loans like Mari and Cedric. It was said Southampton were shocked a club our size would want the right back. Do you really think our recruitment team thinks they are the answer or is it simply they are cheap? Would Chelsea sign Cedric?

I’m not saying ‘sack Arteta’ because all the Kroenke family will do is just bring in another cheap option, and the same thing will keep happening. I’m asking gooners to see it. See that everything that is wrong comes back to the years of zero ambition from Silent Stan. If he cared, he would have ripped everything up and started again.

That won’t happen. So, we bleed until he leaves.

Let’s hope by the time that happens it’s not too late for Arsenal to bounce back.

Dan Smith

29 Comments

  1. I agree with the article. There is no point sacking the manager when Kroenke is still in charge. Arsenal needs new owners with ambitions to compete again. Haven’t we noticed that since Kroenke became the highest shareholder in the club, Arsenal never reached greater heights, rather the club has been on a continuous decline to the extent that we are now a mid table team. What a shame!

  2. Are you suggesting that ,with the same limited resources,both off and on the pitch, Ancelloti or Allegri would have turned this mediocre bunch of players into a successful team? I think not.They are both “cheque book” Manager’s who cannot turn water into wine.The criticism of Arteta is not unexpected because unfortunately a large proportion of fans, particularly the younger element who have little knowledge of the art of Management, are completely fickle.Arteta has inherited a squad bereft of one decent CB and lacking one quality DM.Unless the spine of the team is strengthened it matters not whether the Manager is experienced or not.Could Ancelloti turn the likes of Mustafi,Sokratis,Luis,Xhaka, Ozil etc into top quality performers?Not a chance.

    1. Well said. I dont think a lot of people realize how bad this squad is. And maybe not in terms of talent, but in terms of commitment, in terms of on the pitch performances. Arsenal are exhibiting clear signs of what we see in a lot of midtable teams with no soul. The playesr are there for the paychecks, a good enough season is a good season. Overall, they dont really care to do better. This is arsenal right now. This is what has been allowed to happen throuhgout the years, and the culture that has been allowed to fester. The poor attitude players have conitued to legacy of this attitude and they need to go. This is why Ozil needs to be shifted out of the squad entirely ASAP. His attitude is poisonous. Worst part is the man has genuine talent. Ditch all the players that have mid-table mentality. And it is a lot of them. Hire a sports therapist (oh, I’m dead serious), and buy players that can be leaders, even if they may not have the stats of a world class player. The fact that Henderson is part of the best midfield in EPL is proof that commitment and a willingness to improve can matter more than pure talent. Scout talent AND character.

      1. I perfectly agrees with ur assessment and Opinion! The lacklustre attitude of our players on and off the pitch is very appalling. We need players who are allergic to losing.. Players with fighting mentality.. players who goes into the pitch with the belief that no one can outshine them today! Even if they aren’t already world class players, Putting a serious fight on Arsenal shirt will definitely elevate them.

    2. Could Allegri or Ancelootie do better then 10th ?
      Could they organise us better over two legs at Olympiakos
      Would they prefer martinelli to Reiss Nelson ?
      Would they play our only creative midfielder ?
      Would they do better with our defence ?
      Sorry grandad it’s a yes

      1. Shame to all involved The players the soft coaching crew and the owners So where is the Dubai training ? The players are petty and lack grit and commitment I swear I saw Abumeyeng pulling away from a tackle Their jerseys at the end of the game the same when they started Shame

  3. This analysis totally confirm my observations of arsenal over the yrs, arsenal are a team going backwards, the kronke don’t care about being dominant in the PL, their plan is to try have a PL team, and if they get relegated in the process, then they will likely sell and go unless the fans come together and force the mercenary out! The ambition of the club and owners is what you see on the pitch!

    1. Mogunna, which team did Lampard coach in Scotland? Are you thinking of Gerrard?Apart from that I find it difficult to understand what your getting at, but no need to respond.

  4. Teams like palace watford wolves dont have big name players either but watch the fight in their players what hapened to our team no winning spirit no fight in them oh my asnl

  5. The issue is Kronke. He is not the owner we wanted or need. We do need an owner who will back the team. Allegri is free but he will not come to the club without a large transfer budget of £200m plus.
    Unfortunately we have players not good enough and we are going backwards. This team currently is more like it was in the early to mid 80’s before George Graham took over. We have players who do not deserve to wear an Arsenal shirt. Ozil is a huge mill stone. I would let him go on a free transfer to save £18m a year in wages. Luiz and Mustafi both need to go as well.

    1. I don’t think you could “let” Ozil go on a free as he’s still under contract. Unless of course he agrees. Which, considering his often stated stance of going to see out his contract,he most certainly wouldn’t. Why should he? In the present virus affected financial situation,no club is going to pay anything like his current disgusting wages,plus bonuses,plus signing on fee,plus agent’s fees,plus commercial rights.
      As far as I can see,there is no practical way of NOT paying his wages,but I am by no means an expert on the matter.The best result for us would be unfortunately to keep paying him but tell him to stay at home (gardening leave if you like). This would give more opportunities for a squad member and allow someone to come into that place from the U23s or elsewhere,and so on down the squads. Unfortunately,we’ve got to suck it up as we are stuck with him !!

  6. You are all on points. Our club Arsenal will continue moving backward until Kroenke departs.

    And for Arteta, he is also contributing by deceiving himself that Nketiah is doing better that Gabi Martinelli and we fans know very well that Nketiah is nowhere near him. The only player at Arsenal presently that can score the king of goal Martinelli y against chelshit, is may Auba. But Arteta for his selfish interest prefers Eddie as his number 9.

    And whether we like it or not, we don’t have a creative midfielder like Mesut, Ceballos and Willock can’t create chances.

    Ohh come on Arsenal! Please change for good

  7. It isn’t rocket science to know that Arsenal are going backwards and there is no point me repeating what the others above think.
    Arteta was the cheap option but I’m not going to destroy him based on 2 horrible results. I don’t know if he will work out but I have reason to think he has every chance IF he is backed in the transfer market AND we can offload the dross.
    He improved the players before Covid and he must be furious now.

    For many years I was a Wenger fan but in the end he ran out ideas and between him not knowing when to bow out and our ghastly owners having a malevolent influence on our great club, we have slowly been sliding down the league

    1. But “Silent Stan” isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The last hope in that direction was if Usmanov could have bought him out. That’s all water under the bridge now so we’re stuck with him (and Kroenke Jnr. of course).

      1. It is no good replacing the Kroenkes unless they take the Board and senior management with them.
        Far more hopeful that they realize how poorly their Arsenal asset is being managed and put the cleaners through the Board and senior management.

  8. Arteta is not only a cheap option but not one at all; an assistant coach!

    All coach named here have gain some type of head coach experience, prepared.

    Our assistant coach never coached, meaning picking team & tac tic. His job was to get team ready for games and busy in training.

    He does that very well but can’t pick line up nor tac tie which reflects line up…

    As much top coach refuse this job, even more so Arteta as an ex club captain. Go and get a low /middle table or chamionship team or at least our U23 as Zidane who also assisted Ancelotti before that.

    Not put us in such a mess because of his own dream. Kroenke is what he is, but Arteta could have refused!

    Lampard went coaching in Scottish football before to land as first coach. He did what Arteta didn’t, not accept job not being ready for it…

    Last game showed that a small club with a coach with experience wins a game coming from behind!

    We need a replacement to Wenger, not easy task, Man U still on Sir Alex’s transition shows how tuff of a task it is.

    Without Wenger helping and part of this transition; it is way more of a task!

    In less than 18months, we are infront of that reality! Worst, an assistant coach to replace Wenger!

    Good news, Kroenke is going to sell in 2020. First, sell all bankable players then more money on club sell.

  9. Arsenal have been too predictable .Its pass after pass giving defences time to stifle the attack. The speed of attack is missing making the attack less potent.
    Arsenal have ballet players instead of tough guys and who are easily defeated in a one on one.
    We need a team of PV 4 who will not roll over easily.

  10. Barring an absolute disaster, fighting relegation for example, I don’t think that there’s the proverbial “Snowball in Hell” chance of the Board removing Arteta before the end of his contract. That would produce too many comparisons with Man Utd where a long-serving coach is replaced by a succession of others in quick order.

    That said, a more experienced coach would probably have been a safer pair of hands for the club in these troubled times. Learning the job in the current circumstances, as Arteta is having to do, isn’t often a good idea. We are where we are though.

    1. Fair point
      Trouble is that us fans are hard to please
      Who would come with the financial constraints and if no then.. Allardyce or similar?

    1. Grandad, Arsenal need a head coach to bring discipline, kick a few heads and be ruthless with these overpaid prima donnas.
      Shape up or ship out.

  11. Ozziegunner, you are one of the contributors to this site that I respect but we will have to agree to differ on this one.Arteta can kick the heads of every one of our centre backs but it would not improve them as they are basically poor and always will be.The goals we conceded against Brentford ,City and Brighton were shocking.Defensively we are inept primarily because our CBS are as bad as any in the League.It’s all very well to suggest they be shipped out, but who in their right mind would buy them and the likes of Ozil.As an aside while I am sorry for his injury we shouldn’t be resigning Soares and Luis.That calibre of defender is why we are in a mess.We have got to give Arteta a real chance by bringing in better defenders.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors