We have seen these performances before by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people, the season is pretty much over. I’m a little broken inside, but also a little relieved that it’s done, so I don’t have to live with the false hope. The reason we lost again was pretty simple. There was no fight, no passion, no desire. That second half performance was Villa all over again. Two seasons ago, the second half against Newcastle was the same thing. These are not one offs, these are reoccurring performances under similar circumstances for many years in a row.
All of our European campaigns under Mikel end in the same gutless performances. If you played Villarreal Vs Arsenal from a few years back you won’t be able to tell the difference in our performance. Same with Olympiacos and Sporting.
We had a fully fit squad which we didn’t use again. There is something not right with Thomas Partey. We could’ve used his ability on the ball and range of passing, but I think Arteta suddenly falls out with some players and they don’t see the pitch ever again.
I think two things epitomised our entire season. Firstly Eddie Nketiah coming on. It’s an absolute joke, I don’t wanna speak on it, as he shouldn’t be near this football club. Second and more worrying. The last kick of the game, we have a corner and we need a goal and the ball cannot go past the first man? The lack of conviction showed everything about who we are as a football club.
I think it’s time some of the players hold some responsibility too. Declan Rice has been awful the last 4-5 games. Is it really his fault though? He plays every minute, even though we have Partey, but I’ve spoken on this topic many a times and I don’t like sounding like a broken record.
Then there’s Saka. Anonymous performance, but is it really his fault again? We haven’t brought in a winger to compete and rotate with him for 5 years. He doesn’t take players on anymore, he looks like he’s playing with an injury. But our manager would rather run the squad to the ground before trusting the bench he assembled himself.
Back to the players, what’s happened to Gabriel in the last week is astonishing. People have been talking about him being the best defender in the team and he went back to bozo-gene settings.
His Brazilian namesake Martinelli didn’t shower himself in glory either. I thought last season he was the one player who stood tall in the run-in, even though we lost the title, but this year, he really misses Granit Xhaka, who was helping him out massively. Now the Brazilian looks so isolated on the left. It’s again difficult to say if it’s his fault alone though.
The manager sent 65 million down the drain and that performance today confirmed it again. Reports say Havertz is the highest paid player in this football club. His lack of application, desire and conviction should be absolutely unacceptable. Honestly reminds me of Ozil without the talent.
If you think about it our front 3 all need improvements in the summer. We need another body in midfield. I don’t mind Jorginho, but the guy is not fit for a game that requires pace and power. If you think about it we barely created any chances this game.
I knew if Bayern scored first we were dead. We’ve not shown the ability to turn games around. They say managers earn their money at half time. I sometimes wonder if half time is a funeral at the dressing room? We scored 5 in the first half against Sheffield, 1 in the second. We were alright in the first half against Villa, dead in the second. Same against Bayern. It’s a pattern, not a coincidence.
At the end of the day, you have to look at the manager. I think he was lost. There wasn’t the arm waving, the orchestrating of the team, the antics, all gone. So was the passion of the team. Non-existent.
There’s no divine right to win in football, but not wanting it is criminal in my eyes. Unfortunately we’re back to where we were with Wenger. We make the top 4, get the CL money, fans are happy, money’s in the bank, all is good. We’ve achieved our true objective, so why bother winning a trophy?
If we are a serious football club that wants to win the major prizes, we need a solid overhaul and a new manager. We may be 2 points off City, who also exited the CL, but look how they will dust themselves off and win the league title. They’ve done it multiple times before and they will do it again. We on the other hand we have collapsed 3 years in a row and history is repeating itself, because we don’t learn.
I honestly didn’t want to write this article. I’ve been following Arsenal since 2005. 19 long years I wait for a major trophy… The Champions league is special for me. I remember that 2006 final, and I’ve dreamt ever since to have the chance to rectify it. I’m not on this platform to tell people “I told you so”. If I could somehow trade something, so that I am wrong, I’d come back here and say it first myself, apologise for not believing in Arteta and the project and so on.
Unfortunately, I cannot close my eyes and pretend that all is good, when I see obvious problems and they lead to poor results. I watch football for the emotions, the fight, the character. When I saw Dortmund Vs Atletico I saw fight. Not seeing any of it from Arsenal hurts like hell.
Honestly I can’t take another heartbreak anymore. If we start next season with Arteta in charge again, I won’t bother at all. I don’t want to hear the excuses anymore, we had a fully fit squad. Look in the mirror Mikel. It’s on you.
Konstantin
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
Hopefully Arteta will be in charge just so we dont have listen to youre drool.
What do you want him to say based on this week
That’s it’s all rainbows and unicorns?
Here’s a spoiler
We play like that at Wolves mate …..there might be articles that are critical lol
Spot on Dan
Firstly, you are not listening. Second, you dont have to read it. Third, if you don’t respect opinion (like some on here) you are of low intellect. Fourth, its his opinion and he has a god given right to give it. DONT BE DISRESPECTFUL!!!!!!!
I have come to the realization that in here we have Arsenal fans and Arteta (as an actual person not as the Arsenal manager) fans.
Just like we used to have Ozil fans (as a person not as Arsenal player) who stopped posting here the minute Ozil left Arsenal.
A person who support Arsenal and Arteta because he is the manager will agree 100% of any criticism when things are not going well or when mistakes have been made.
But those who regardless of results and mistakes still lit fireworks and pop up champagnes celebrating Arteta’s job well done day in day out how can we say they are Arsenal first and foremost?
You can try and classify me personally in any way you like, but I, for one, am extremely happy with our massive improvement over the last two years.
Arteta has made watching Arsenal entertaining for me again. Being nearly as old as JF (nearly I said) I do not expect trophies every season, but i do enjoy being thoroughly entertained on a regular basis.
I even enjoyed watching Bayern’s classy football last night, even though we lost…. (Shhhhh)
Massive improvements bought and paid for!
If I see bargain buys, academy players promoted, improving average players into good players etc I too will be happy with only being competing and will give due credit.
Thanks to you and the fox trying to put things into perspective. The adventure has just begun and I’m convinced that we will be successful. To replace Merci Wenger after 22 years was never going to be easy. Now we must handle a bumpy ride until we are able to take the next step. COYG
Which top three club in the big leagues are not spending big money, or have spent big money to reach a certain level? How do you expect Arsenal to compete in the league or European tournaments without spending?
Bravo PAT Count this VERY old man(your opinion, rather than mine) firmly in YOUR camp.
I will be sending in an article on how massively the difference in supporting philosophy of those in polar type supporter camps, while still claiming to be Arsenal supporters , actually is.
Lots of these mere “kids” on JA have NO IDEA how fortunate they are to support our club. Imagine how fans of such as Orient or Walsall feel!!
And there are many clubs far less able then those two examples , but they have still PROPER fans.
Many of the self entitled, hysterical posts on this thread are ridiculous and foolish, IMO
When you DEMAND silverware as the price for your support, then to my mind you are NOT a real supporter at all, but simply a would be glory hunter.
Nuff said, FOR NOW!
This is coming from someone who hoped we would lose to Bayern ,great supporter 😂😂.
Replaying this nonsense is glorifying it
HH ….you have a bet to pay lol
😁😁😁😁
I was wondering when you will want to collect.
My confidence in Arteta has lost me 100 pounds and yet I am called an Arteta hater.
Your all good mate
Keep your money lol
I’m sure if Arsenal won the CL you would have let me off ? Lol
Thank you for your kindness sir! Of course I wouldn’t but I wouldn’t have let you forget it.
Lol
It’s all cool.
I agree.
If he doesn’t want to be a fan because of Arteta he can leave.
I just hope the club won’t be to hasty in rewarding Arteta with another new and improved contract if we end up trophy less
Once again .
They aren’t ambitious. Of course they will
DK, I am of the opinion that Kronk will give Arteta a new contract, if he is happy with just getting CL football. Because thats what Arteta is giving Arsenal. If we actually want to compete with the elite on level terms, he has a decision to make.
Reggie
I think the club needed to be looking at EDU also ,some of our buys have been questionable to say the least ,we were told by some that we would no longer have deadwood at the club with these 2 in charge .
Lol, only some?
The majority of the signings have not worked out.
And the decent ones you might think were signed by Arteta, actually were not.
Saka came through the academy.
Saliba and Martinelli were signed during Emery’s time.
17 out 29 deadwoods in my opinion. Also some wages have been questionable. I said when we signed Jesus that he is not worth 250k a week and it will be hard to ship him out because of that salary.
As expected the usual suspects came in force saying we should give him time, Arteta will make a player out of him that Pep could not and the usual bla blas, as if I had not watched Jesus play for a number of seasons to form my opinion of him.
Same story with Havertz.
Same story with Ramsdale. There were some who were not happy with Ramsdale signing but the usual suspects came in force as expected. Now they have abandoned Ramsdale and they don’t agree with criticism of Raya.
I read on here someone admit they were a die hard Arteta fan ,shouldn’t that be a die hard Arsenal fan 😂
I wish I could know what he has done really to have such strong and loyal fandom!
All valid points, we collapsed against villa in second half the same way.
I was actually hoping we would nit equalise and I would not have to sit through xtra time, we were dresadful, no fight at all , what’s up ?
Very interesting, which manager should we sign and do we get a success guarantee? I know about one but he has a job and will never become an Arsenal manager.
When we signed Arteta did he give you any guarantees of success?
He could be our rudgers not klopp
I was full of hope for the future after last season but the changes in personnel haven’t improved the results/point gained. In fact we have been fortunate that our centre backs have kept fit this season- where would be in if we had Holding in the team like the end of last season?
We now have an ineffective bench as good players apart Trossard having no impact. Ask the question who were you wishing to come on to change the game? -why is this, possibly lack of rotation to get up to match speed or Arteta’s management of squad players etc?
It’s back to the later Wenger years of qualifying for the Champions league is our trophy for the time being
How is back to the Wenger years of top 4 ? Wenger usually got 4th by the skin of his teeth yet we are currently sat in second? Of course its not rainbows and unicorns but we are building something special and with one or two more signings we can compete on all fronts. Last season came a season too soon and now the demand from the fans has increased due to us hitting targets sooner than expected. The main men who let us down this season are Jesus and Martinelli whom both have been nowhere near the level of last season and what is expected and required. Over the two legs against Bayern the two wingers, the fans favourites, let us down massively. Saka was a complete liability from running into nuer in the first leg to taking the quick free kick at the end of last night. The less said about Martinelli the better.
Maybe, instead of a character assassination, writing what you have written would have been more constructive. Dont lower your self to other bigoted posters on here, that talk garbage about people. Lets have your opinion. It wll be a better site for it.
Wenger usually got 4th by the skin of his teeth !
1st position- 3 times
2nd position-5 times
3rd position – 5 times
4th position-6 times
He said later Wenger years pal. Like bottling the league to Leicester city or finishing 5th? What about finishing over 20 points behind the champions for the final 3 seasons?
But how’s it drool?
What has he written that you disagree with ?
We do have performances like that at this stage of the season.
That is a regular Artea performance in Europe ?
Make a footballing argument why it’s drool.
Because what you actually mean is you don’t like what you are hearing
Wenger 6 th 5th ( cup ) 2nd , 3 rd ( cup )
Arteta 8th ( Cup ), 8th, 5 th , 2nd
Wenger final years Vs Artera first
Wenger’s was better
You are comparing apples with bananas, Dan. Merci Wenger was our manager for 22 years, and that’s something quite different than being a young manager in his first years of management. In addition, after Wenger we had Emery, and I’m not sure this made it easier for Arteta.
My point is what Arteta is doing now was considered not good enough
What he’s doing? He’s building a team able to compete for all possible trophies. I have never expected us to win trophies, we are not alone in the league or in Europe, and I have never turned down Merci Wenger.
How many more years would he need to finish building?
Why haven’t Manchester United been able to win the league since Ferguson retired? I mean it sounds easy when you are writing. Do we have a stronger squad than Manchester City?
Manchester United have have won everything except the ucl and the league in their worse periods, what have you won except few fa cup
After many transfers
Who’s fault is it that we have a weaker squad? When many players has been bought and contracts renewed
Check your facts regarding Wenger and your “skin of his teeth” misleading comment.
1st = 3
2nd = 6
3rd = 4
4th = 6
Yet another example of discrediting his legacy!!
No sign of 8th I should add.
Just seen DK ‘s answer to this false claim – sorry DK!!
After seeing the 8 teams in action, I hope Borussia Dortmund make it to the final and win it. They were the most refreshing and exciting team to watch.
I hate to say it but based on what I have seen I want an all German final because RM and PSG have been the most disappointing teams to have made it this far.
PSG are very good, you underestimating them!
@k6
So are RM in terms of results. But both are disappointing to watch. PSG got through against Barca only after the red card. Our nemesis BM and other German team BD play entertaining full throttle football
Love your passion for the team and the effort in your articles. But not sure all is that bad. MA inherited a debacle. He’s not perfect, he’s made mistakes, and still does. But they all do. It’s been a strong season and the only team ahead of us in PL is deep pocketed, deeply experienced team managed by the best there is. Players look a bit leggy as they did pre-Dubai refresh. With such an aggressive full team press – which has been effective until now – he clearly needs to rotate more. And yes there’s some players need to come and go. But struggle to see we would benefit from turfing him out now, unless we replaced him with Pep.
I put your article down to the same huge disappointment that we all feel after the loss last night
It’s your opinion as Reggie has pointed out, but the same opinion unfortunately pops up whenever there is a disappointment and it’s my opinion that going through every disappointment in such a fashion is of no value as a subject for debate.
You come across as perpetually angry which is such a shame because you have something to say but it just gets lost
I can assure you that you haven’t “seen” this episode of the “movie”. Remember you critics were told.
You always say that lol
No, this is the only time, and i’m talking about our pl title chances, guys like you have dismissed, just like you did last December.
I was right ?
Like i said before, wait till season’s end or at least when Mathematics condemns our chances, shall we?
Disappointing performance, they seem to lack the mentality to dig out wins. Not surprised if I’m honest, we see this every year.
They lack the character and mentality, and there are no consequences for failure.
Same players will start, and some will never be dropped or be challenged for their spot.
This Summer will show how determined the club is to be successful.
Standards and expectations should be up front and on the table. 800 million for a top 4 “trophy?” Wenger got mocked and Arteta gets praised, it’s truly saddening.
1. A top striker, clinical and ruthless in front of goal.
2. A true midfielder, either a DM or B2B
3. Ship out underperformers
Another makeshift midfielder like Havertz, another “striker” in name only like Jesus, and this club is not serious or ambitious.
I would like to take this opportunity to point out that the woodwork has made more saves for us this season than Raya.
Madrid’s third choice goalkeeper looks more robust than our supposed $35 mill world class first choice.
Haha
I don’t think Raya can even reach the Crossbar.
How many matches have lost because of our goalkeeper? Which goalkeeper in the Premier League has most clean sheets this season?
Clean sheet is an old fashioned metric and not a good way to measure a goalkeeper.
That’s why all these new XG stats exist
Well, if there’s a clean sheet there’s points or victories which crucial in elite sports. How many games have lost this season because of our goalkeeper’s shortcomings?
What do you even mean?
Enough to potentially lose the title…
Surely winning the title was the objective when we decided to spend huge money and supposedly upgrade the goalkeeper.
If the objective was to end up 2nd or 3rd again then we could have achieved that with Ramsdale just fine
The point is, this signing has been pointless and we could have bought Kudus with that money instead
Newcastle
Porto
Draw with Chelsea , Draw with Bayern , draw with Spurs
CL in France
Do you know a goalkeeper free of mistakes during his career? I have seen a lot of very good goalkeepers from the 70s to our time, but never seen any without mistakes. We are winning as a team and losing as a team.
I was just answering the question
Yes no goalkeeper is free of errors, but there are good keepers and bad keepers and most are appropriately priced. Sheffield United and Burnley for example would not be this horrendous if they had better keepers this season. And Luton are fairing well because of their excellent keeper.
And we payed and extortionate amount of money for someone who is performing worse than what we already had.
How many big saves have raya made to keep us in a match? I can’t even remember one
Clean sheet are you joking, when he face zero shot on goal
You are not able to answer the question, pathetic
Arteta Is his greatest own enemy, from villa second half game the team looks so leggy..
Ben White and rice looks a shadow of themselves, you brought players and extended contracts yet runs players yo the ground, saka looks so jaded while Nelson got a renewed contract, bought viera yet can’t ay him, jorginho doesn’t have the legs to play 90min every 3 days yet Partey has been on the bench for more than a month, refusing to play players into form when things are going well, no single player promoted in his tenor is also unacceptable, arteta is a good coach but a terrible manager, since he has been here every season he chooses 14 players and run them to the ground
We are second in the PL and got to the QF of the CL for the first time in many years.
I disagree that he is a “terrible manager”.
Spot on, a lot terrible fans, I feel embarrassed supporting the same club 🔴⚪️
Didrik I do not feel at all embarrassed , but had the many self entitled ones,even an ounce of self awareness on here, which few show any signs of, I would HOPE THEY would feel embarrassed.
But to be embarrassed at all, one needs to be aware of what a fool oneself is. And they are not!!
Jon….
My favourite philosophy states
Do not compare thyself with others because there will always be greater and lesser persons than thyself.
And mine too PAT! But what IS your point??
Thanks, good point Mr. Fox 😁
Second and a cl quarter final in almost 5 years is not good enough for a club as big as arsenal ASAP…
Is it good enough for THIS one season?
Let’s take a good look at our cl league run
We beat psv, mid table sevila and forth placed lens in league one, scrapped past Porto and beaten by the worse bayern I have seen in over 2 decades. Should I be jumping for that run?
We tend to surrender every thing in April for the last 2 seasons, took 15points in last 30available and looking likely to happen for the third season in a row, let’s your love for arteta not blind your judgement every fan wants us to be successful but we have to call things the way they are, if we capitulate again making it third seasons in a row then the coach has to be looked at
We have made a huge step in the right direction, the state of our club was terrible a few years ago. Do you expect us to became champions over night? If that’s the case you are lacking perspective and understanding COYG
There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.
We ask to be best version of ourselves
You can’t say in last two performances we left it all on pitch ?
We are not perfect and can definitely do better, but the adventure has just begun. I’m convinced that we will get better and win titles in win titles soon.
Perhaps it’s time to consider the workload on Premier League teams, because it’s definitely not beneficial. Manchester City wasn’t the best version of themselves yesterday either, but should definitely won their game.
Yet last season they did the quadruple Didrik!!
For me it’s just another excuse.
These players are tired after two hours of football a day, twice a week?
Tell that to the nurses, doctors, miners etc etc.
They are pampered beyond belief and get grotesque salaries as well!!
It’s been FIVE YEARS Didrik, so it’s not just begun has it?
I’m sure we’ll get better, but let’s not paper over the truth.
Ken, some people just don’t and won’t see sense. Stop talking sense🤣🤣🤣
All i can see is excuses, excuses as to why we are not yet winning trophies, after phenomenal investment. Yes another manager could have had us mid table but I will state, many managers would have won a major trophy and bitten your right arm off to be able to invest what we have this last 4 years.
As expected Arsenal are out of Europe again, couldn’t win home or away to one of the worst Bayern Munich teams in living memory, Saka falling all over the place and playing balls that went nowhere, he was our worst player by a mile, the rest weren’t much better, they got carried away with the hype of being favourite to go through, Bayern taught them a lesson over 2 legs.
Overall it’s been another average European campaign, lost away to Lens and Porto and narrowly escaped last 16 elimination through the lottery of penalties, and some fans call this progress? Don’t kid yourselves folks, we’re a million miles away from winning anything major anytime soon.
Europe is always a problem for English clubs simply because the premier league is tougher than any other league in Europe. So by the time you get to this part of the season the players have more miles in their legs than their European counterparts. It comes down to squad depth and intelligent rotation, I’m not sure Arsenal have done too well on either count. Just because Arteta has done well so far doesn’t automatically mean he’ll lift the big trophies. At Spurs Pochettino left the club in a much better place than he found it. But in the end he couldn’t take the final step.
I think you have a point there regarding English clubs. I don’t see any other convincing reason.
But honestly, if AFC couldnt celebrate Arsene Wenger making Europe competition
Year in Year Out.. Why is Mikel Arteta being celebrated.?
Blunt and to the point Tony.
Just been watching Martinez saving two penalties for villa – anyone think we dropped a big un there?
Me!!!!!
Well Raya also saved 2 penalties against Porto. That being said, the 2nd half drop in energy under Arteta has been there right from his first season and I believe it is something he really needs to work on. We always start games on the front foot and then capitulate in the second half. I remember games against Chelsea, Spurs, United, Palace etc in his first season also going the sane way and it hasn’t changed much through the years. Even while we were flying last season, the 2nd half capitulation also featured occasionally like in the games at Elland road, St Marys, Anfield, London Stadium and even the home game City. This has become a mainstay and stamping it out should be the Managers priority.
The definition of the word NORMAL seams to be inadequate.