Mikel Arteta, success or failure? - Merged thread.

[TeeCee]

After spending more money than any club in Europe no European football and no cup football after january we should be expecting a 4th place finish shouldnt we?

It's all relative. If you start from a low position (where we were with all the deadwood), then spending what we did elevates us to a middle position. We now need a similar investment or more to get us into a 'top' position. Arsenal have been 'ruined' for over 10 years by poor management (thanks Arsole Wenger) so we are wayyyyyyy behind but it doesn't take an Oligarch to get us back to being competitive with the top boys. We needed a good strategy and someone capable of taking us on with that strategy......is Arteta the one? Maybe, another season should tell us a lot more. The most important thing is we seem to have finally realised that signing 28+ year olds on long contracts is NOT the way forward, either in a playing sense or in a financial sense! Judging by the atmosphere at games, the players have created a connection with the fans again, jesus, I actually look FORWARD to watching games now. I'm really hopeful for a good summer of signings......we really need CL footy though to attract the better players you would imagine?

[DB10GOONER]

After spending more money than any club in Europe no European football and no cup football after january we should be expecting a 4th place finish shouldnt we?

It's all relative. If you start from a low position (where we were with all the deadwood), then spending what we did elevates us to a middle position. We now need a similar investment or more to get us into a 'top' position. Arsenal have been 'ruined' for over 10 years by poor management (thanks Arsole Wenger) so we are wayyyyyyy behind but it doesn't take an Oligarch to get us back to being competitive with the top boys. We needed a good strategy and someone capable of taking us on with that strategy......is Arteta the one? Maybe, another season should tell us a lot more. The most important thing is we seem to have finally realised that signing 28+ year olds on long contracts is NOT the way forward, either in a playing sense or in a financial sense! Judging by the atmosphere at games, the players have created a connection with the fans again, jesus, I actually look FORWARD to watching games now. I'm really hopeful for a good summer of signings......we really need CL footy though to attract the better players you would imagine?

As much as I hate the CL format and all that, you are right in that we need to be in it. No matter how shit many of us think it is, it's the competition that all the top players want to play in. We need it to have any real chance of signing top players.

Agreed too on the improved connection between the fans and many of our players. It reminds a bit of the old Adams, Wrighty, Rocky days - but not to the same extent.

[arrgee]

We have jettisoned the trouble makers, the lazy disinterested only here for a payday - think Willian, Luiz, Ozil, Mustaphi and Arteta, by the end of the summer will have His team, committed to playing for The Arsenal.

He wasn’t my choice as manager, by any means, no experience, very young, but we have improved without doubt, we have matched Liverpool and City in games and been unlucky to lose recently.
We still have a way to go, the defeats to Everton and United shows that, but by and large we are a far more solid, structured team, who are now playing some lovely football.

I can’t see the Kronke’s saying last year was a one off, we clearly, were in for Vlahovic and were willing to pay the fee and wages, which must have been sanctioned - so yes, we are still recruiting.

Even if we finish 5th, we are better than last season, the fan base is united off the pitch, the team is united on it - at last we have Victoria Concordia Crescit back. Victory through harmony.

Agreed. The losses at United and Everton seems like a long time ago and I feel they wouldn’t be repeated now. Two games where Arsenal should have got at least a draw and possibly won. Aside from the cup defeats, 2022 has gone as well as can be expected. Losing to Liverpool and City wasn’t ideal, but they are the top 2 by a distance and Arsenal gave both of them a game.

Arsenal will have to bring in a number if players this summer as the squad is insufficient. Maybe 6 or 7 assuming Lacazette, Nketiah and Xhaka depart along with Elneny and Leno.

I thought 5th at start of season as I believed Manchester United would have the players to be top 4, so 4th would be a good finish. Captain Black is currently exceeding expectations and has been George Grahamesque in getting rid of players that don’t fit into his plans.

[OneBardGooner]

Agreed. The losses at United and Everton seems like a long time ago and I feel they wouldn’t be repeated now. Two games where Arsenal should have got at least a draw and possibly won. Aside from the cup defeats, 2022 has gone as well as can be expected. Losing to Liverpool and City wasn’t ideal, but they are the top 2 by a distance and Arsenal gave both of them a game.

Arsenal will have to bring in a number if players this summer as the squad is insufficient. Maybe 6 or 7 assuming Lacazette, Nketiah and Xhaka depart along with Elneny and Leno.

I thought 5th at start of season as I believed Manchester United would have the players to be top 4, so 4th would be a good finish. Captain Black is currently exceeding expectations and has been George Grahamesque in getting rid of players that don’t fit into his plans.

I just look forward to the day when we can all say Good Riddance to Clive.

Actually I wonder what GG would have made of Clive as a player.


Just the fact that he threw a tantrum, told the fans to fuck-off and disrespected the Captains Armband AND The Shirt, tells me GG would have given him a right ole kicking' then showed him the door head first!

[arrgee]

Agreed. The losses at United and Everton seems like a long time ago and I feel they wouldn’t be repeated now. Two games where Arsenal should have got at least a draw and possibly won. Aside from the cup defeats, 2022 has gone as well as can be expected. Losing to Liverpool and City wasn’t ideal, but they are the top 2 by a distance and Arsenal gave both of them a game.

Arsenal will have to bring in a number if players this summer as the squad is insufficient. Maybe 6 or 7 assuming Lacazette, Nketiah and Xhaka depart along with Elneny and Leno.

I thought 5th at start of season as I believed Manchester United would have the players to be top 4, so 4th would be a good finish. Captain Black is currently exceeding expectations and has been George Grahamesque in getting rid of players that don’t fit into his plans.

I just look forward to the day when we can all say Good Riddance to Clive.

Actually I wonder what GG would have made of Clive as a player.


Just the fact that he threw a tantrum, told the fans to fuck-off and disrespected the Captains Armband AND The Shirt, tells me GG would have given him a right ole kicking' then showed him the door head first!

The problem is that Xhakash!t does seem to fit into Captain Black’s plans. George Graham did stand by the players he liked even when they came off the straight and narrow, so who know what he would have thought of Xhakash!t. Let’s not forget he signed John Jensen and played a few less than awesome midfielders in his latter days. I suspect Xhakash!t trains well and is probably admired by his managers.

[DB10GOONER]

Call me crazy. But I think we can bag 6 points from our homes games against Leicester and Liverpool. Sure beating Leicester wouldn't be a surprise, mind you will be a tough game though. But I have a feeling we could derail Liverpool's title challenge. I feel like were building up to a big result and beating Liverpool could be it. Liverpool fans will be looking at their fixture list, counting down to their blockbuster game to City, and you can bet Arsenal away is the match that would give them the most anxiety.

You're crazy.

[SteveO 35]

Defining result tonight. Back to where we were months ago - there to be knocked around and bullied at will. Brentford on the opening day blamed on COVID. What do we blame tonight on?

Just stood there flapping his arms around surrounded by yes men and a bench full of kids.

Going nowhere fast I'm afraid

No further forward than when Wenger left. Tonight's performance had all the hallmarks of a Wenger display from 2010-2018

[DB10GOONER]

Defining result tonight. Back to where we were months ago - there to be knocked around and bullied at will. Brentford on the opening day blamed on COVID. What do we blame tonight on?

Just stood there flapping his arms around surrounded by yes men and a bench full of kids.

Going nowhere fast I'm afraid

No further forward than when Wenger left. Tonight's performance had all the hallmarks of a Wenger display from 2010-2018

Tbh I don't think it was even that good.

[SteveO 35]

Defining result tonight. Back to where we were months ago - there to be knocked around and bullied at will. Brentford on the opening day blamed on COVID. What do we blame tonight on?

Just stood there flapping his arms around surrounded by yes men and a bench full of kids.

Going nowhere fast I'm afraid

No further forward than when Wenger left. Tonight's performance had all the hallmarks of a Wenger display from 2010-2018

Tbh I don't think it was even that good.

I remember in Wenger's last couple of seasons if we went 1 down in an away game, thinking to myself "oh well that's it. An hour or so of sideways passing whilst their keeper gets the pipe and slippers out"

Yesterday was almost identical. My Palace supporting mates were saying at half time how they expected Arsenal to come out flying at them and I told them to expect lots of huff and puff and an "illusionary domination". Suffice to say the latter happened !

[wilson2.0]

How much longer will he wait before playing Martinelli down the middle. Is he really going to allow Lacazette to play out the rest of the season without a goal. No goal from open play this calendar year. His link up play isnt even that good. under hit passes, poor lay offs, short in stature and weights only 73kg. He cant even run in behind the defence. Back to goal or chest to goal - he offers nothing. He is completely spent as a footballer for a team wanting to play CL football. No one expects him to score. No one, not even Lacazette thinks he has a goal in him

I cannot stand it. I support Arteta but I loathe his lack of conviction to play Martinelli down the middle and persist with the 'safe' option of Lacazette. You cannot have a striker who has a complete inability to score. Every fucking game we play I have no faith in Lacazette to put the ball in the net. Every cut back by Saka, or through ball by Odegaard - is ruined. How can striker playing infront of Odegaard with Saka and Martinelli on his flanks not be able to score. Its sensationally bad.

ESR left, Martinelli central. Saka right. Its not fucking hard. It should have been done months ago but we kept winning so Lacazette not scoring was not noticed . But when we went 2-0 down I didnt see a way back because I knew our striker cant score a goal.

Dont worry about Xhaka, he isnt the problem. Its the cart horse upfront.

[A11M11]

I can go along with most of your analysis except for the Xhaka bit . Having said that Partey was acting his namesake still celebrating his world cup qualification. Our midfield in the first half was non existant. our left back was under extreme pressure and getting no help and Gallagher was running him and Ramsdale to ground .
The comparison of his movement and effort to Xhaka's was so noticable that I wasn't sure that Xhaka was there for long periods. It's all well and good having touchy stylistic players but you need workers too and Xhaka doesn't meet either criteria.

[Gunner Rob]

I’ve never ever been fully convinced by Arteta.
Ok we have had a “good” run of wins but at the back of my mind I haven’t been able to forget the performance and result at Everton in December.

Our run in is horrendous - even if we had a fit and on form team. I am concerned things might start to unravel in the coming weeks.
Chelsea away for example is already a guaranteed loss. This is our record against the top 3 so far this season

Played 5
Won 0
Lost 5
For 1
Against 15

[DB10GOONER]

I can go along with most of your analysis except for the Xhaka bit . Having said that Partey was acting his namesake still celebrating his world cup qualification. Our midfield in the first half was non existant. our left back was under extreme pressure and getting no help and Gallagher was running him and Ramsdale to ground .
The comparison of his movement and effort to Xhaka's was so noticable that I wasn't sure that Xhaka was there for long periods. It's all well and good having touchy stylistic players but you need workers too and Xhaka doesn't meet either criteria.

100% on the money mate. Central midfield is a key area in the PL and in CL. We carry the utter shit that is Clive so we are down a midfielder from the off, and if Partey has a stinker then we have zero midfield to take the pressure off the defence, particularly the CHs. This is basic football stuff.

[A11M11]

The midfield is always where titles are won and lost . Even going back to the Shankly days in scouseland they have had a policy of turning around midfielders after a few years when they had burned them out.
They had talent to go round it but the workers albeit good players lasted a few years and then left. They had a constant turnover of players , Hall , Case , McDermott , Lee , Souness, Whelan , Sheedy , Johnston , Gillespie , Wark , Molby , Walsh . All in that 8 or 9 year period . Xhaka has been here too long time to leave.

History is too often ignored , for instance have we learned nothing from Michael Owen and jack Wilshere who were over played at a young age by club and country .
I wonder how long it will be before Saka starts getting repeat injuries .

[SteveO 35]

I sincerely hope this is a post that is held up and ridiculed for years to come....

I can't fucking stand what we've become under this manager. A bunch of trendy beard c.unts without any soul and clinging to fucktard rhetoric about "transitions","personality" and "lacking urgency".

Get the fuck out carpet head. You've convinced 50 per cent of Gooners you're the man, and 90 per cent that you're better than the last man....but fuck me, all I see is Wenger lite and the performances that remind me of every reason I wanted him out for almost a decade

Please fuck off and let us hire a proper GG character