Strangely enough, towards the end of last year, Arsenal went through an awful patch which saw our lead at the top of the EPL table get severely reduced. First of all we drew with Liverpool, which was swiftly followed by defeats to West Ham and Fulham, and was immediately followed by our home defeat to Liverpool in our first FA Cup game of the season.
The Gunners obviously needed to do something and the solution found by Arteta was to take the squad over to Dubai for a week’s warm-weather training in the sun. They came back fully refreshed and set off on a seven-game winning run that put us firmly back in the tight race for the title.
This was recalled yesterday when the media asked Arteta if our current run (losing to Bournemouth and Newcastle with that Liverpool draw in between) was a similar situation to last year and could he turn it around again. He replied: “The results probably were very similar, but the context is very different, because you tend to forget why you lost a full game against Bournemouth, or what happened what we didn’t win against Liverpool or the amount of situations we have had to go through.
“It does not matter, in the end we cannot go to Dubai for a week now like we did last time, we can go to Dubai still for two days – if that’s the solution we’ll go forward and backwards! The team is doing 10 times more better things than we used to do at that period, that’s the positive thing, but for all this to be clear and relevant you have to win, especially to answer certain questions.”
So, we have to beat Chelsea, but that is far from certain in our current form, but it is good to know that Arteta is looking for a similar solution to last season, but really, will just two days in Dubai be enough to get the squad back on track?
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I don’t think so if Havertz still plays right-sided AM
Havertz needs to play up front
Partey needs to play in Midfield
Also we need to play Nawaneri for creativity
That’s my opinion lol
“Will just two days in Dubai be enough to get the squad back on track?”. If that’s the difference between success and continuing failure then there’s something wrong with the coaching, isn’t there?
Arsenal are playing complete and utter rubbish, and they get rewarded with a two day trip to Dubai.
You just can’t make this stuff up.
Who knows, if they continue to produce this dross until the end of the season, the club may treat them to a holiday in Disney World, yippie.
Tittle is gone
We are 10 points behind Liverpool and it doesn’t look anyone can stop Liverpool, not even City
Hope Arteta go with back 3 today
Raya
Timber Saliba Gabby
Saka Partey Ode Merino Martinelli
Havert Jesus
Ode need to play as left sided midfielder as it will bring creativity at left sided
Creativity at right i think enough as we got Saka timber and Partey there
But I am not arteta
Amir,
I hope Arteta go’s full-stop.
It will definitely buy us time to get some of our injured match fit but I don’t believe we have the squad to go on an undefeated streak for more than seven or eight games before the same issues, lack of creative thrust and a striker will come back to haunt us.
Joe. S,
You forgot to mention and a good manager in your piece.
I think we’ve got it that you don’t like Arteta.
Marty,
How observant of you. I’m glad it comes across that way.
Maybe it would be better if the kids come tired to Mykonos. I think a wet board would be just what they needed to lay down.
there is no gap in the calendar this year allowing a 5 day trip to Dubai – and in fact Arsenal got lucky last year to have that clear period of no football, not all others did
but 5 days will not happen this year, is it worth for 2 days, in most cases I would suggest not, but given the positive psychological impact of last year it may be more tempting, but there is just no ‘mid-week’ off without a game until 2025