Mikel Arteta likes to remind us that the line between success and failure is small. What he doesn’t realize is those small details which make the difference include him over complicating his team selection.
At the weekend against Fulham our manager asked Thomas Partey to be our make shift right back. The Spaniard made that choice not based on injuries , he had defensive options, but not for the first time he chose to be too clever for his own good .
Impressed by tactics of Zinchenko in his first season starting in defence but timing when to step into midfield , our boss wants the same happening on the other side .
He tried Partey at full back at the start of the last campaign, only a lengthy injury ending the experiment.
On Sunday, Partey was moved from midfield because Timber switched sides due to Zinchenko being unavailable. Yet In Kieran Tierney the Gunners could have selected a natural left back, meaning both Timber and Parety could have remained in their favoured positions .
Just like against Liverpool, Partey played right back forcing Timber to left back even though Zinchenko and Kiwior were subs . Lewis Skelley has even been asked to come off the bench to play out of position . To clarify that’s an academy graduate whos a midfielder asking to play an unfamiliar role.
The counter argument is Tierney has been on the sidelines since the Euros and due to his fitness record he shouldn’t be rushed back. Yet if your fit enough to be named In the match day squad surely you have some level of fitness?
The reality is the 27 year old is well aware he’s only still in North London because his hamstring problems occured during the transfer window . His employers will never admit this but if they had their way, the Scot would have been off the wage bill ages ago. He last wore the red and white shirt in a fixture over a year ago. All parties will be assuming he will be leaving the Emirates this January .
If you think you have read our players being utilized in this manner before then that’s because you have . It’s incredible how much talent our boss has washed his hands of. I continue to blame the Kroenke Family for not insisting that part of a managers job should be to get the best out of the resources you have .
Even if Tiereny has no long term future with us, he’s still from now till the New Year being paid thousands of pounds a week so why not use him. At the very least he should start in the Carabao Cup, even if it’s just to give someone else a rest .
If I was our owners I would want to know why they have invested 25 million on an asset just for him to essentially be paid to sit at home?
I wouldn’t then want to hear injuries as an excuse why we can’t challenge Liverpool.
Arteta used to trust the player, starting him in the FA Cup Final , the last trophy we lifted.
Based purely on defending, Tierney has always been one of the best options. The fact he’s a defender that’s quite an important quality to have . Sometimes Football can be that simple and it doesn’t need to be over thought .
Despite two hamstring strains at Real Sociedad, he featured 26 times in Spain proving his body can still with stand the highest level of the sport .
Yet this was another loan period ignored by Arteta . It wasn’t designed for the man’s development , for him to prove anyone wrong . No matter what he did in La Liga (and reviews were positive) his fate had already been sealed, and stubbornly Arteta won’t change his mind.
I’ll remind you that Mikel Arteta isn’t doing us a favour. He gets paid al ot of money, some of the most in the country to get the best out of the tools at his disposal.
It’s okay if we are not good enough as long as you have done everything to the best version of yourself. It’s not okay to be playing a CM at LB while your LB sits watching .
Dan
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Kevin T is the best LB partner for Martinelli. They both overlap and link up very well to cover the left side. Tierney is also a magnificent rose as well.
Tierney has had 2 hamstring Injuries in 23/24
The club do want him sold because if he plays and breaks down then what ?
Perhaps some game time against Palace in the carabao Cup to show potential suitors he is fully fit. Top player but unfortunately Injury has ravaged him.
As for myles playing lb. It’s a good thing, players should be able to play in various positions and be comfortable. Arteta recently admitted he would more than likely end up back in midfield sooner rather than later. If Tierney or myles were fit – I would still select myles ahead of Tierney purely due to Tierneys injury record and long term future not at the club
AD,
His hamstring issues can’t be used as a reason not to play him.
Every time a player steps onto the pitch he’s a stretch, a pull, a kick away from injury. We might as well play no player’s in that scenario.
And if as you say they want to sell, and your worried about his sell on fee going down in the event of further injury. With him not being in the shop window so to speak, will there be any suitors for his services anyway.
Me personally wouldn’t sell him. He’s good, sadly our manager doesn’t seem to agree, sadly.
Remember both players were not hired by Mikel who favors his players. Klopp once called Martinelli a “talent in a generation” but sadly the lad has not progressed under Mikel. 6 points separate us and Liverpool and 6 points between us and 10th placed Fulham. Barring City what has been the investment by those clubs in players? The days of “1-0 to the Arsenal” are over. The game has evolved. The Bees have scored 31 and Arsenal 29! Mikel is taking us backward. The only plan is set pieces. Boring Arsenal. Arsenal fans deserve better!
You are absolutely right. It’s either over tasking the right flank, or gunning for a corner. That’s all that is Arsenal now. Wonder why Arteta cannot see the limitation of his bouquet of 2 tactics. Add to the quagmire the interchange between Odegard and Saka looks wonderful when it works. But more often than not it doesn’t. All teams know this. Matter of factly, Arteta is the problem. See how new coaches have taken over teams and are doing great.
The new Managers doing well are two who inherited squads of superior quality to what Arsenal has & we still can’t say they are successful with only a third of the season played, at the end of the season we shall know if they are really successful, Arteta isn’t perfect but we can’t overlook the good work he has done since he became Arsenal manager, restructuring a mediocre team and being in the conversation of title contenders and I believe we shall soon get there with a few additions especially in attack.
In my 26 years of following Arsenal the only times I have known Arsenal to be mediocre was the consecutive 8th finishes under Arteta. Its senseless to say he inherited a mediocre team!
Tierney’s confidence mudt be very low because of lack of minutes. Using him in the carabao can be a good start. But the coach knowa better.
Got rid of the best LB we had in Tavares,who is now showing his early promise in Italy .
Dan sometimes you speak truths other times you speak absolute nonsense. Saying Tavares is our best left back is in the nonsense department
Really please explain Liam .
Tavarez was awful at Arsenal, Marseille and Nottingham Forrest. A decent 10 15 games doesn’t make a good player but that doesn’t suit you’re narrative does it?
I’ve held the same opinion of Tavares from the day he started playing here ,so please explain this narrative I have now regarding the player ,oh and if you wanna get aggressive in you replies just remember I can play that game also .
Tavrez is talented but appears to have a maturity behaviour issue in his early years. I would say that having been involved in 30 plus games at Marseille speaks of his technical ability plus that Marseille considered signing him whilst on loan at Forest. It is good that he found his feet in Serie A and is developing well. Hopefully he will continue to improve but probably won’t be back at Arsenal due to obligation to buy clauses but that’s just one of things. Maybe right player but wrong timing!
Tavares vs Liverpool away a few seasons back is all we need to mention. Sorry Dan but liam is spot on here.
Are you writing him off based on a 4-0 loss at Anfield when he was 21. At the corresponding home fixture, when he didn’t play, we lost 2-0 which is pretty poor as well . Yes he was poor but it looks like an attitude/ immaturity/management issue. Note we had a similar issue with Guenzdozi at about the same time. Now at 24, at last he is finding his feet. Football is funny old game. Both Tavares and Guendouzi at Lazio and players/team doing well.
Actually, this is one of the rare times where he has a point. Tavares is arguably one of the best LBs in Europe.
As an attacking LB he has shown menace from time to time. However, it is uncertain that he would fit into Arteta’s preferred system. His tactical discipline was also suspect.
I should say clarify that he has been one of the best based on recent form.
Over 12 games. If 12 games makes you one of the best players in a certain position then Kai was the second best cf in world football in the last 18 games of last season.
But is Tavares good defensively or is just an average Left winger playing LB?
Because I remember him being very technically good going forward but defensively was like Welbeck trying to defend. His lack of defensive awareness just made me nervous..
He is like Zinchecko when playing LB. Technically amazing but gives everyone constant heart attacks defensively. Has he improved his defensive capabilities or has he just matured more into a LB that did not make it as an out and out Left wingers?
Ranked 22nd out of 150 defenders in Serie A this season
Top 10 % in defensive clearances,duels won and interceptions
Top 3 % in crosses ,successful crosses and key passes .
8 assists in 10 games
Now valued by lazio owner at 70 million pounds after paying I believe 8 million at the end of this Season .
But yea like Liam said he’s not a good LB
So what Chris Smalling looked like a world beater in Italy. Lukaku is seen as the pinnacle of cf’s. What about his stats at Arsenal, Forrest and Marsielle Dan ?
Let’s hope they do sell him for £70m, as we would then get £28m, due to the 40% sell on agreement.
This League wasn’t for him I believe. Atalanta wanted him when we got him and so I think if he had gone there he would have developed much better but his decision making was rash. Even at marseille , one week he was given 10/10, the following game 3/10 and he wasn’t even sent off. Good to see him find his home at lazio and in seria a
Get out of here, Tavares is the worst left back in Arsenal history
Mr Arsenal,
Although I agree that Tavares wasn’t a good left back for us in his short stay, I have to take issue with the worst left back jibe.
For me it was a certain Brazilian left back, whom sadly his name escapes me. But he was an absolute shocker of a left back, good at going forward, but defending forget it.
I was at a game against Wolfsburg we lost 2-0 and both goals came down his side. and it could have been more to be honest. He was so bad, that at one point our goalkeeper even gave him some verbal, for the shocker of a performance he was producing.
As I said earlier, his name escapes me, but if your talking worst left backs for the club, he takes some beating.
Derek, I reckon that LB was Santos, and I totally agree with you, he was hopeless at defending.
Herr Drier,
Thank you for the heads up. Yes just hearing the name sent shudders down my spine.
He was just so bad, you had to see it to believe it.
As good as we were under Wenger for the most part, he did sign some shockers at times.
But Santos, has to be right up there. OH, just saying his name.🤦♂️
Actually DEREK I noticed the other day that Chelsea have got a Brazilian footballer called Andrey Santos!
(on loan at Strasbourg at the mo)
Admin Pat,
The one you mention is a different Santos.
The Arsenal one to give him his full name is Andre Clarindo Dos Santos.
I believe that he’s now 41, and retired.
His last club was Figueirense.
I know DEREK. The Chelsea one is 20 years old and spelt different. I was just pointing out the coincidence
Admin Pat,
Thank for the heads up, (my bad). 🤦♂️
I to agree that Arteta is sometimes to clever for his own good.
Tierney must wonder what he has to do to get a game. Yes he’s been very unfortunate with injury’s, but so to has Partey. But when there both fit there is no doubting the quality they have.
But while Partey rightly gets game time, Tierney doesn’t. (Its a crying shame really).
For the life of me, I can’t see why a manager would want to play Partey at right back and Timber at left back, when they’ve been a big part of the teams upturn in form in recent games, from there preferred positions.
All the more baffling when you see a quality left back sitting on the bench twiddling his thumbs.
Baffling, truly baffling.
Not really “Baffling” as it is Arteta’s style of management . He made up his mind about Tierney when deciding to send him out on loan to Spain as he couldn’t sell him at the time. He is reluctant to play him and wants rid, similar to ESR. Another example of his management style is Leno comments about wanting to stay and fight for his place but Arteta said no.
It’s Arteta’s way or the highway so he better win trophies or should be shown the door
The similarities are that they both had injuries and fitness issues. Also, both have been overrated by Arsenal fans.
KT has not played a serious game for Arsenal in around a year and a half and here you have Arsenal fans saying it’s baffling that he doesn’t just walk straight back into the team.
KT has also previously struggled in Arsenal’s system relative to some of the other LBs that have played the role.
Tierney isn’t the answer but surely moving Rice to left back and Merino into midfield was a simplier solution.
Being a pure LB and a fit Arsenal player who made the bench, why is he not the answer?
It’s like saying Raya is not an answer between the sticks.
There are only so much excuses you can come up in 5 years. The nonsense Arteta apologists come up with nowadays…!!!!!
How am i an Arteta apologist. I said play Rice there which he didnt !!!! muppet
Why is Tierney not an answer?
Because the last time he played a professional game of football was May.
Liam,
Tierney isn’t thee answer, he’s an actual left back.
Why play Rice there, fitting squares in round holes. I don’t get it, I truly don’t.
We have an actual left back, and some would rather ignore that fact, to play yet another player out of position.
Your entitled to your opinion sir, but I’m truly baffled by it.
Perhaps we should move Saka back to left back where he played extremely well way back when🤔. In case anyone is in doubt, I’m joking, but it makes more sense than Rice playing there😊
Didn’t Saka start off at an attacking LB under wenger and even during Emery’s first games if I am not mistaken.
I think under wenger he played as an inverted Left Back or something like that.. I think it was Emery that moved him into the Left Winger position.
Goonstar, Saka made his debut under Emery and played on the LW. It was under Mikel, when both Tierney and Kolasinac were out injured, that he played LB.
Or just do the obvious thing and play Tierney there.😣🤷♂️🤦♂️
Talented squad with injury prone players. Tierney of course. Calafiori is one. Merino looks to be another. And if we get Isak, well… The point is we’re struggling from poor squad construction even after, give or take, five or six-odd trophyless years of this project.
Rather use the checkbook than develop resources on hand.
Head scratching decisions; Rice 2nd best DM in the world behind Rodri, but hey let’s play him at CM where he has been average.
Partey most consistent and productive midfielder this year by a mile, so let’s move him to RB.
Timber has been shining at RB, so let’s move him to the left.
These decisions you expect from a rookie manager, not someone 5 years in and sees the players every day. Not always players fault, sometimes the manager does the squad in before the ball is kicked.
@Durand
And there you have it folks. 👍🏾
Stop talking sense!!!!!!!
For anyone who has been watching the Arsenal play over the last couple of years there was nothing odd about the setup of the defence.
The whole team setup was designed to ensure that we controlled the flow of the game which is what it actually did.
What a bloody good article I agree 100%
Don’t always agree with Dan but I’m with him on this one, it weakens our midfield to play Partey at right back, sometimes Arteta tries to be too clever rather than using the obvious solution…play players in their proper positions.
Two simple reasons Tierney is not playing
1. He cannot “invert” the way Arteta wants his full backs to do
2. They don’t want to risk him getting injured and out for another eternity and leaving the club for nothing. Better to keep him healthy for a possible transfer fee in January
In this era of FFP and PSR, every penny counts
Spot on mate spot on. Corporate finally speaking sense haha 😀
Is he really Liam?
So who do you think would buy a player, who you identified as not playing since May, who you say is injury prone, who you say can’t fit into the inverted left back position favoured by most top clubs at the moment and who is ignored by the manager, who, instead of playing him, moves top notch square pegs into round holes?
Perhaps you and Corporate Man could identify such a club?
With tongue in cheek of course, it could be The Arsenal, looking at our injured left backs at the moment 😂😂
Well said Ken.A very good article Dan.The fact that Arteta seems to be obsessed with playing an inverted left back is one of the reasons why our entire left flank has been ineffective for some time.The sad thing is KT is highly rated by numerous Managers and retired Managers, including Ferguson,who achieved a lot more in his career than Arteta ever will.Surely it makes sense to play Tierney against Monaco if only to give him the opportunity to showcase his ability with a view to attracting potential suitors.Wrapping him up in cotton wool will be counterproductive to negotiating his sale which is what Arteta is hoping for.
There is a regular return to these talking points whenever we drop points. The team’s setup is what Arteta has used for the last couple seasons and made us one of the most effective sides in Europe with the resources we have.
How is that we now have a clamour for a LB who hasn’t played a serious game for us in around a year and half? We had KT before but he was displaced by Zinc because he couldn’t play the inverted role as effectively.
The article is simply being supported because it is critical of Arteta.
Corporate man:
You are good.
Arteta disrupting Arsenal line up, yes.
Having a perfectly good left back in KT, no.
Tierney has been a dead man limping for the longest time. MA obviously wants to get rid and he needs to be uninjured to do that. He will only play him on a ‘needs must’ basis, period.
I’m happy more and more people a waking up to the reality at hand regarding Arteta.
I still believe giving him that contract before the beginning of the season was premature.
You take any sort of pressure off his shoulders and make him too comfortable for the progress of the team.
Once again I repeat, if any of Slot or Maresca ends up winning the league, then the club must reassess their position regarding Arteta.
No more excuses.
If we don’t win the league or the champions league he has to go if I’m being honest. What I cant stand is people using ridiculous narratives to push the agenda. Tavares is our best left back or Balogun is a world beater ect.
Haha
Down here moaning now .
You missed the word bias from the Arteta fan club dictionary
How can I be from the Arteta fan club? I have repeated on numerous occasions that if we don’t win one of the big two trophies he should be fired at the end of the season. Finally I replied to all your comments pal and got bored of waiting for you to reply to the Tavares stats at Arsenal, Marseille and Forrest?
PAL !
(Lols)
the reason KT is not playing against quality* opposition is the same reason he fell out of favour in the first – he is not good enough with ball at feet to play out from the with confidence or progress play via inverting in to midfield
that is how Arsenal play and KT is not good at those things
bombing down the left touchline like a headless chicken has been taken up by Martinelli
* may see him get a run out in a cup game or two
Once Arteta decides he’s done with a player, that player never gets another look in, no matter what. The problem with that is, when you’re trying to move players on, your manager announcing to the world that they’re trash as far as he’s concerned, has a massive negative impact on the transfer fee offers you receive, if any.
We had loads of opportunities to play ESR last season as he was fully fit, but Arteta refused to give him a chance. An ESR playing for his Arsenal future or putting himself in the shop window probably fetches us an extra 15 million over what Fulham paid for him, and it is quite strange that since he moved, we haven’t seen any of those stories about how he doesn’t train well or whatever nonsense Arteta was briefing Pravda with.
We actually have two fit LBs, but Arteta would rather disrupt the balance of the entire team then play either Tierney or MLS. And if you want to make the argument that KT isn’t fit since he hasn’t kicked a ball since the World Cup, the world and their dog know we want to sell him. It would make more sense to play him to demonstrate to potential suitors that he still knows how to kick a ball. Preserve some value in the asset. Instead, Arteta keeps making Stan eat the payouts to players he doesn’t want.
I’m one of Arteta’s biggest critics on this forum, and a lot of what I’ve read today on the shortcomings of Arteta, I don’t feel the need to add any further comments.
Other than to say that, Durand, Marty, Ken1945, Grandad, Twinlights, DanKit, and MrBure have done all my talking for me.
Thank you very much my fellow contributors.😉👍
Kieran tierney is the best left back in britain Arteta must give him a run in the team
Not even second best in Scotland.
The answer is Arteta doesn’t rate, like, trust, love or want to give Tierney a chance. Its not the first time Tierney has sat on the bench, since Arteta took over.
Pick one of the above.
Seriously we have some fans on this forum that hides under the idea of freedom of opinion to just say anything no matter how illogical that is.
Firstly, Dan, though comes up with some constructive criticism which always makes a good read at times, often shows bias in his critics piece.
Secondly, KT is love and highly rated by Mikel evidence of that is how important he was in Mike’s lineup during his early years and when fit. Unfortunately for him, the coach changes in approach rendered his skill set useless to the team and his position now demands skills that he’s lacking. His injury record only worsen his position while the change in approach has yield positive results hence, the coach can’t change a working tactics to accomodate a player. On the rare occasion he was given chance to prove himself in this new setup we all saw how he struggled.
Thirdly, Mikel often talks about versatility and how much he value it in players. TP is not new to playing RB go back to his days in Athletico Madrid he was used there and performed very well. Even against Fulham he didn’t struggle the same goes with Timber they are both versatile players that can play in different positions when needed. Timber is naturally a CB but can play full back which I believe is one of the reasons he was signed.
Lastly, I don’t know why some fans failed to appreciate Mikel achievement at our club. He has built a team that can compete both in England and Europe. The last couple of years we’ve competed very well and that’s a sign that trophies are coming. Blaming him for not winning a league for the past four years but we haven’t won the league for over 20 years. He haven’t won the league but he has built a team that can win it. A team that can compete consistently. That’s what we should be asking for no team has the divine right to win the league for whatever reason. Thinking that we must win the league this year unfailingly is naive and illogical. There are other good teams that are competing for the league too or are you thinking we’re better than them? But we’ll always stand a chance if we compete. And the popular saying here that I support the team not the coach is silly because the success of the team depends on the coach success hence, if you want your team to be successful you have to support the coach. And let’s stop trying to understand the coach decision we can’t always get it but support your own team and the coach.
Constructive criticism is allowed though.
👍👏👏👏
Key point there: by consistently being up there in the mix, competing to win things, you are likely to win (some) things.
You won’t win ’em all, but you might win some if you compete consistently. There are, however, no guarantees.
Why is that so difficult for some people?
This is so true, a lot of Arsenal fans may not agree because of the top 2 finishes that Arteta has produced over the last two seasons. But he’s decision making has costed us over and again, we lacked balance the balance that a right back and a left back would have provided at craven cottage against Fulham.
In the event, Lewis-Skelley was a great success, so the decision to pick him at left back was vindicated (this time).
Tierney is in the same boat this season as Cedric was last season – on his way out, but difficult to shift due to injuries.
He’d be a Sociedad player now… if they’d wanted him, but they didn’t because… after a good start, he got injured. Again.
Also, by his own admission, he can’t learn the new ways of playing FB (inverting to midfield etc).
So far this season MA has used him as he did with Cedric last season – sitting on the bench as an emergency back-up, possibly playing the odd game against lesser opposition when someone needs a rest.
Tierney needs to find a club where the tactics use FBs in the traditional way. And Tierney himself knows that, he’s been out on loan and he knows why that is – he was keen on a move to Sociedad until it went pear-shaped.
I think you’re right – except I felt Cedric was eking out his contract because it was financially advantageous as he’d never get one so good elsewhere
No.
We must win them all.
We must win them all as we are playing against fools who must lose.
Well, at least, that, I think is what some are trying to say.
😁
Moronic reasoning laced with positive expectations.