As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
The decision to move Xhaka to left back today has really got under my skin.
It feels like such a self harm thing to do.
Not only are you compounding the loss of Partey by taking your only other senior midfielder out of midfield as well, but you’re also totally changing the dynamic of the team by playing a static midfielder at left back, and then moving your regular number 10 into an unfamiliar deeper role as well. Of course we were going to struggle for cohesion with that level of unnecessary tinkering
I’m far from Arteta’s biggest critic on here but decisions like today really shake any confidence that Arteta is the right man for the job. Truly self harm management.
I'm afraid it doesn't matter a jot whether you want Xhaka, Tavares or Saka at LB
Odegaard deep or further forward
Martinelli out wide or down the middle
Seriously- try every single combination between now and the end of the season. It won't matter. Its all gone. This manager has zero experience of these situations, nor do the players, leadership as an ethos has been tossed aside, Spurs are flying under a winner, we are toiling under a loser
Two 8th place finishes about to be followed up by 7th. West Ham's threadbare squad is inferior in every department bar Declan Rice but they have a manager who is infinitely more experienced and will get them to the EL semi final and 5th or 6th.
It's shameful, embarrassing at every level and for every sad ass c.unt who thought a 37 year old novice would work out....you've all got f***ing blood on your hands
The decision to move Xhaka to left back today has really got under my skin.
It feels like such a self harm thing to do.
Not only are you compounding the loss of Partey by taking your only other senior midfielder out of midfield as well, but you’re also totally changing the dynamic of the team by playing a static midfielder at left back, and then moving your regular number 10 into an unfamiliar deeper role as well. Of course we were going to struggle for cohesion with that level of unnecessary tinkering
I’m far from Arteta’s biggest critic on here but decisions like today really shake any confidence that Arteta is the right man for the job. Truly self harm management.
Whilst I agree he is garbage at left back, the problem is not Clive moving to left back mate. Thats just a symptom of shit management. The problem is that the complete moron is still Martinez-Lite's first name on the team sheet. The guy is a clusterfuck no matter where he plays. I do not agree we miss him in midfield. He is an accident waiting to happen that contributes nothing but mistakes and idiocy. For me, if anything, he can do less damage at left back than in central midfield.
I also don't agree we miss him as a "senior" player in the middle. That infers he is a leader in there and he certainly isn't. He's a brainless coward and a bullshitter. He should be long gone from the club.
The fact Martinez-Lite persists with him reflects on Martinez-Lite's own ineptitude.
Similarly he is now persisting with Laca who now hasn't scored from open play in how many hours of football?
Martinez-Lite is a novice, that's bad enough, what's worse is he is a novice with an outsize ego.
It’s been said a lot but Laca is finished. Can’t hold the ball up. Short arse, bundled off the ball all game. Can’t score. Pointless and basically means we are playing with 10 man and no threat. No surprise we then get attacked at will as their defenders have nothing to worry about. Nketiah actually does have a threat. Could easily have scored and was a bit unlucky.
Arteta has blown up right when we needed a calm experienced head.
It’s been said a lot but Laca is finished. Can’t hold the ball up. Short arse, bundled off the ball all game. Can’t score. Pointless and basically means we are playing with 10 man and no threat. No surprise we then get attacked at will as their defenders have nothing to worry about. Nketiah actually does have a threat. Could easily have scored and was a bit unlucky.
Arteta has blown up right when we needed a calm experienced head.
I’ve said it a few times tongue in cheek but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Laca has a fake passport No way is he 30; he plays like a 40 year old. Totally finished as a top level player.
The decision to move Xhaka to left back today has really got under my skin.
It feels like such a self harm thing to do.
Not only are you compounding the loss of Partey by taking your only other senior midfielder out of midfield as well, but you’re also totally changing the dynamic of the team by playing a static midfielder at left back, and then moving your regular number 10 into an unfamiliar deeper role as well. Of course we were going to struggle for cohesion with that level of unnecessary tinkering
I’m far from Arteta’s biggest critic on here but decisions like today really shake any confidence that Arteta is the right man for the job. Truly self harm management.
Whilst I agree he is garbage at left back, the problem is not Clive moving to left back mate. Thats just a symptom of shit management. The problem is that the complete moron is still Martinez-Lite's first name on the team sheet. The guy is a clusterfuck no matter where he plays. I do not agree we miss him in midfield. He is an accident waiting to happen that contributes nothing but mistakes and idiocy. For me, if anything, he can do less damage at left back than in central midfield.
I also don't agree we miss him as a "senior" player in the middle. That infers he is a leader in there and he certainly isn't. He's a brainless coward and a bullshitter. He should be long gone from the club.
The fact Martinez-Lite persists with him reflects on Martinez-Lite's own ineptitude.
Similarly he is now persisting with Laca who now hasn't scored from open play in how many hours of football?
Martinez-Lite is a novice, that's bad enough, what's worse is he is a novice with an outsize ego.
I think we can all agree we’d like Xhaka as far away from Arsenal as possible. Certainly this summer!
My view on this is that you try and change as few cogs as possible when things are going reasonably well. Losing Partey & Tierney shouldn’t mean wholesale changes as it disrupts everything. Just play Lokonga or ESR with Xhaka in midfield and leave Odegaard where he was! - same with left back; don’t play a static, club foot midfielder there… just play Tevares in the role we presumably bought him for. It’s not perfect but at least he’s a left back.
That day at Hull, Wengers last game, we told the evening Standard, and I quote - "If the club employs a no mark like Arteta there is going to be trouble" And here we are......... How is it that we, armchair fans, can see these things, yet the press, former players, so called professional pundits cannot???
Mind you, these are the same people that think Partey and Xhaka are a formidable midfield pairing.
This might hurt but it might be a blessing in disguise.....if it rids us of Arteta, it's worth it.
The club Is beyond a joke in how badly it's run. We sacked Emery and thought the solution was to bring In a novice as his replacement. Then with top 4 in sight this season we sign no one in January and stick with geriatric Lacazette and championship Nketiah as our striking options. Even if the club somehow rated them, both are about to piss off on a free in the summer. On top of that you have zero accountability for the manager so he will still be here next season regardless of this shitshow of an end of season. There are a certain section of our fanbase who are getting what they deserve with this capitulation, those twats who have tried dismissing any complaints about the manager as agenda driven and who have convinced themselves that Arteta is a genius and the dissenters need to go support someone else.
The decision to move Xhaka to left back today has really got under my skin.
It feels like such a self harm thing to do.
Not only are you compounding the loss of Partey by taking your only other senior midfielder out of midfield as well, but you’re also totally changing the dynamic of the team by playing a static midfielder at left back, and then moving your regular number 10 into an unfamiliar deeper role as well. Of course we were going to struggle for cohesion with that level of unnecessary tinkering
I’m far from Arteta’s biggest critic on here but decisions like today really shake any confidence that Arteta is the right man for the job. Truly self harm management.
Whilst I agree he is garbage at left back, the problem is not Clive moving to left back mate. Thats just a symptom of shit management. The problem is that the complete moron is still Martinez-Lite's first name on the team sheet. The guy is a clusterfuck no matter where he plays. I do not agree we miss him in midfield. He is an accident waiting to happen that contributes nothing but mistakes and idiocy. For me, if anything, he can do less damage at left back than in central midfield.
I also don't agree we miss him as a "senior" player in the middle. That infers he is a leader in there and he certainly isn't. He's a brainless coward and a bullshitter. He should be long gone from the club.
The fact Martinez-Lite persists with him reflects on Martinez-Lite's own ineptitude.
Similarly he is now persisting with Laca who now hasn't scored from open play in how many hours of football?
Martinez-Lite is a novice, that's bad enough, what's worse is he is a novice with an outsize ego.
That day at Hull, Wengers last game, we told the evening Standard, and I quote - "If the club employs a no mark like Arteta there is going to be trouble" And here we are......... How is it that we, armchair fans, can see these things, yet the press, former players, so called professional pundits cannot???
Mind you, these are the same people that think Partey and Xhaka are a formidable midfield pairing.
This might hurt but it might be a blessing in disguise.....if it rids us of Arteta, it's worth it.
what pundits and former players say may not be what they really think
The club Is beyond a joke in how badly it's run. We sacked Emery and thought the solution was to bring In a novice as his replacement. Then with top 4 in sight this season we sign no one in January and stick with geriatric Lacazette and championship Nketiah as our striking options. Even if the club somehow rated them, both are about to piss off on a free in the summer. On top of that you have zero accountability for the manager so he will still be here next season regardless of this shitshow of an end of season. There are a certain section of our fanbase who are getting what they deserve with this capitulation, those twats who have tried dismissing any complaints about the manager as agenda driven and who have convinced themselves that Arteta is a genius and the dissenters need to go support someone else.
And that’s where all was lost.
Whatever about all the shit that went on with Auba towards was still our main goal threat, letting him go without getting a replacement in sealed our fate.
Where the fuck did we expect the goals to come from?
No way is he 30; he plays like a 40 year old. Totally finished as a top level player.
