Morning all.
Something rotten is going on at Arsenal. The dressing room is toxic according to headlines on NewsNow. Ex players are blaming current players, Edu, Mikel Arteta or all of them. Players were arguing during the game against Everton and one or two of them have gone behind Mikel’s back to complain about him. Aubameyang isn’t really injured either, he’s either been dropped or simply doesn’t want to play, depending on which newspaper you read. I’m sure if one was to dig deeper, there’s other stuff going on too, again, depending on which news outlet you or I choose to believe. Just how much of this is smoke or a raging fire is something probably none of us know for sure but it’s clear something isn’t right at the club.
It’s a good time to kick Mikel Arteta because the football his team is playing is pretty dire. The players he’s picking simply aren’t performing. Players like Pepe, Aubameyang, Willian, Bellerin, Lacazette simply aren’t doing enough for the Spaniard.
There are decisions to be made by the club but the first thing is to decide who is at the very root of Arsenal’s problems. Is it Edu, Mikel Arteta, or both of them? Or is it the players? Maybe it’s a combination of all of them. Or the owner, after all, they haven’t been mentioned for a while.
In my opinion, it’s a bit of a chicken versus egg situation and I’m glad it’s not me having to sort the Arsenal problems out.
I suppose the question one has to ask themselves is, would a different manager, a more experienced manager for example, be able to get more out of the squad than Mikel Arteta is getting? Is Edu failing in his role for supporting the signing of Willian even though he was most likely to have been behind the signing of Thomas Partey, Gabriel, Mari and Cedric?
I certainly blame Arteta for selling Emi Martinez because he really should have been Arsenal’s first choice keeper off the back of last season’s performances. It matters not whether any offers came in for Bernd Leno, Emi was our in form keeper and Leno should have been the one fighting for his place. If the club was so desperate for the £20 million Aston Villa paid for him, why then give Luiz and Aubameyang a new deal, or give Willian such a ridiculous deal? In any case, Martinez, if he insisted on leaving, should have been sold for three times the amount Villa paid. At least!
Another gripe I have with Mikel Arteta is his persistence with players who continue to let the side down. Especially when he options within the squad. If Tierney, Saka, Gabriel and AMN are prepared to run themselves into the ground, why can’t the others? Put faith in those who want to work hard and throw the others under the same bus they are trying to throw him under.
The Mirror suggests several players are frustrated at not playing alongside ‘big characters’ Mesut Ozil and Sokratis after their exclusion from the squad which I find amusing. Sokratis is a big character I’m sure but the last person I’d want fighting my corner would be Mesut Ozil. Football isn’t based around playing with your mates, it’s about having strength and grit on the pitch. Determination to get results, willingness to take responsibility and make things happen. When the chips are down, a manager needs players who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work. Yes, that’s Mesut isn’t it? Not! He might be a lovely guy and all that but Granit Xhaka probably is too!
Despite the ongoing issues at Arsenal, ‘a source’ at the club has reportedly told The Mail that Arteta is going nowhere for now and in January, the board will back him in the transfer window. A creative midfielder is on the list apparently.
We all love a new signing but he has to be right. A strong personality who won’t be swayed by the rotten apple/s already in the squad. He has to be someone who is ready to walk into this first team and take the game by the scuff of the neck and make a huge difference in a way Fernandes did at Utd, and Alexis did a few years ago. Arshavin too.
In the meantime, if the few, and it’s only a few according to reports, continue to moan and groan about Mikel, don’t play them.
See you in the comments.
Why is the team performing so bad is it the coach or players we supporter’s need to know the reason as to why????
Morning. Great read rico, shame on a depressing subject, alongside all the other depressing news of tiers, mutant strains, and blockages!
But at least our situation will get better; when and how we don’t know. Start of the season we were all optimistic after the great cup win. But it can only get better.
From yesterday ‘s post .
Good to be back , At least your tech guy seems to have cured your problems perhaps he could nip round to the other Highbury house in Drayton Park and get to work on them .
Those of us that that think , which is most people here , understand that there is no quick fix and changing horses again won’t actually improve things long term.
Whilst the bunch of shall we call them ” senior players ” remain top of their cliques we will eternally go round in circles. Somehow we have to break them up and weaken their self support groups. If you take away an underling any replacement soon becomes tainted as the need to fit in outweighs their independence and that’s what we have lost.
We have lost independent thinking and spontaneity some of which I am afraid comes from the touchline.
Are these players any worse than those of Southampton ,Everton, Burnley , Wolves , Leeds and even Tottenham ? From watching I would say no , so why have we only got 1 point out of those last 6 games .?
Are our players scared to take a chance , take on a player , are they frightened that if they lose the ball or the move breaks down they are scared that the players behind them are not fully doing their jobs ?
Are they scared of the pillorying that they get from the sidelines ?
Unfortunately with the games coming thick and fast it’s not allowing time to address the real problems.
As a group and , how I hate that phrase , we need to step back from tactics , they need to spend time clearing their heads and the air.
it is bullshit. you have the most creative player but you left him out. And now you are expecting the club can find a creative midfielder who is dare to come to a team sitting at 15th, not to mention we do not have the money to sign “big” names, and change all the way the goddamn manager is instructing the team to play? If you read Arteta said after the Spurs game, he was so satisfied that we were flying 44 crosses in a match. We are no Stoke City.
Morning all.
Whether there is a rift in the dressing room or not is hard to say. But ‘unrest’ always encourages click bait sites!
There is always ‘chatter’ during a game. Not every player can be in the right place at the right time, so a bollocking from the guy with the ball who has no one to pass to, is almost inevitable. However, this is the tip of the arsenal team’s iceberg. There is in sufficient movement, all the time. Players are static, they don’t look for space to exploit. They have been little more than spectators much of the time. At the beginning of the season they were all at it, they hunted in packs, they shut down, in numbers the opposition no matter where the ball was on the field of play, their, half our half, playing out or shutting down short corners, etc etc.
There has been a general dropping off of the high energy game where 100% effort is demanded and was given to something less than 50%, in my judgement. It all leads to a general malaise and an overall lack of commitment. Perhaps that’s why the results are so patchy.
Watching the Arsenal ladies yesterday there was a lot of energy and effort even when they were put under pressure. The goals or the efforts on goal came from absorbing pressure and then, in typical old arsenal style, a player (Jordan Nobbs for the fourth goal) hit a sixty yard cross field pass to the feet of Beth Mead who raced forward, maybe twelve strides and bent a ball round a defender, on the edge of the penalty area, and beat the keeper by placing a rasping shot in the top corner. It had Henry or even Auba, written all over it. The crucial part of the that goal was really the speed the ball arrived at the front of play having started bottled up in the Arsenal penalty area. The men can’t seem to bring themselves to do that, break quickly and decisively. It may be that they can’t bring themselves to ‘lose’ possession because they don’t believe in their own ability to spread play effectively. Hence crab football, hence facing teams who have oodles of time to park the bus and collect the tickets! Before the Arsenal arrive, searching fruitlessly for the onion bag, unable to break through a well drilled defensive wall.
And so it will go on, game after game until the players get a grip and start earning their corn and turning the results round. After all, no matter how well they train on the training ground, they are only ‘training’. It seems that playing with their mates during the week bears no reflection as to what the perform like during a real game.
Time for them all to give a little bit more and move a little bit quicker and create their own good fortune.
Good article again Rico. Highlights what happens in the press and social media when times are hard. When a man’s down just keep kicking him………it’s the British way, isn’t it?
It mostly comes down to our poor midfield. The likes of Xhaka, Ceballos, Elneny etc are not creating any goal scoring chances for the forwards, nor giving necessary protection to our beleaguered defence. Their biggest problem though is that they do not score any goals. We have always been used to the likes of Ljungberg, Vieira, Fabregas and yes even Arteta, chipping in with a regular contribution. I cannot understand why he is not giving players’ such as Smith-Rowe a run in the team. He certainly could not be worse than the current lot.
Another disgustung “fanc blog that does not support the club in a difficult period, but attacks the manager and the players. This negativity won’t help anyone. And attacking Arteta is the dumbest thing a” fan” can do. Everyone with more thaj 2 braincells knew that this process will take time and that it will get a lot worse before it gets better after the club has been mismanaged and in turmoil for years. I know everyone is frustrated and angry, but looking for a scapegoat is not what support means. We shoupd all stick together now. That’s what a true fans is supposed to do.
My comments on yesterday’s post, which I posted earlier today, sum up my feelings here….
Morning!
Another match, another defeat. More frustration, continued concern. I wasn’t in favour of Arteta’s appointment – I thought it was too soon – but I like him and I like what he is, or rather was, trying to do. The FA Cup win had me questioning my own view and maybe he was the right man at the right time. I’m now back at square one – I’m not convinced he is the right man for us now. He may well end up the manager we need, but how rough a journey are the club willing to have to get there? If indeed we ever get back to where we believe we should be i.e. challenging for the title.
No wonder I’m hearing in the back of my head “Too good to go down”. You know, the phrase appended to the likes of Cloughie’s 92/93 Forest team. On current form, we need to scratch 24 or so points from the remaining 24 matches and stay ahead of 3 other teams. I’m not convinced some of our players have the mindset to do that. Auba, Pepe, Willian, Ceballos and yes Ozil, are technically gifted, but can they roll up their sleeves and play like a “Stoke” when it’s needed? I cannot see it myself.
The PL squad is shot of confidence, which impacts on effort. Look at the likes of Pepe not running into the box. Not that I want to highlight him. I still feel there is a very good player in there. Whether he merited the price tag is entirely different and the blame lays elsewhere for that.
While we need to get rid of much deadwood and invest in some new creative talent – we simply don’t have a central link player from midfield to attack….. apart from Ozil who is on his way out and past his best.
We are never going to completely overhaul the whole squad. We are not Man City. The money isn’t there. However, some do need to go and I’d include not just older players, but many of the youngsters too who are good, but not good enough…… Willock, Nketiah etc. The likes of Saka, Martinelli, Balogun, Azeez and the ones we need to keep. But that’s all for next summer.
Urgency is what we need now, well January. We wont get someone like Aouar in January (if ever with this form), but would we take a punt on an Eriksen or Coutinho? We need what Bruno brought to United. That has to be the priority next month. If we can cash in early on the likes of Ozil, Bellerin etc then do so. Lamptey of Brighton looks a good prospect to replace Bellerin at right (wing) back.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to all you out there. Let’s hope the Europa league team gets a run out against City tomorrow in the Caraboa cup.
Emile Smith Rowe…… I didn’t mention him in my earlier comment. I would love to know what’s going on there. Potentially could be a great player for the future, but not getting minutes. Is he not putting the effort in? Is Arteta seeing a lack of effort or a discipline matter? Or is Arteta missing the potential? I really don’t know, and that’s why I am still questioning whether he is the right man for us at this time.
Replace ESR in the above para with Saliba, Balogun, Nelson and you can ask similar questions. Something doesn’t feel right. Would love to see these youngsters get more minutes, even in the cups and Europa league.
Hi Rico and all My gut feeling is that a lot of players don’t respect Arteta because he has never coached on his own and seeing him keep changing the side around does not help.
lets hope for every one’s sake we can sort some of the personal issues out over Christmas
and during the next transfer market.
As I posted yesterday (?) Elhemi is physically exhausted, Ceballos, circulates the ball but does not enter the area, William, who blocks Nelson and Pepa’s entrance on the right and only had some logic if he played in the middle, runs away to the wings and doesn’t enters the area (and Ceballos and william only play 1 part), Partney and Xhaxa are more defensive midfielders, etc., that is, none of them appear as 3rd or 4th element in the area to create more problems in defense,
it becomes complicated to score goals and create opportunities.
This team is missing Ramsey, Alexis Sanchez, Cazorla, Rosicky, Wilshere, Fabregas, even Podolsky, etc., who were not afraid to enter the area and play in the area.
Basically, the No. 10, the key player in a team.
Therefore, it always gives the impression that there are players missing, that we are out of position, that they are where they shouldn’t be.
I only see Willock, Lacazette and S. Row with some characteristics to play in this position. It will always be a “patch”. As for the post, revalidating with Luiz and Auba was a mistake, hiring William idem and Martinez left “a bit bitter”.
Moreover, all “exchanges” with chelsea were unfavorable to us starting with A.Cole-Gallas .. (that’s my opinion)
G’day all.
Here’s the latest from the horse’s mouth, via the BBC Sport website.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he has no plans to walk away from his job and feels he has the support of the club.
The Gunners have failed to win any of their past seven Premier League games, losing five and drawing two, as they have dropped to 15th in the table.
“I don’t like to think about those steps [walking away] because then I will be thinking in a negative way and I cannot do that,” said Arteta.
“At the moment, I have to try to be as positive as I can.”
Arteta was speaking before Arsenal host Manchester City on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
“We’re going through a lot of difficulties, the last thing we want to be thinking of is more problems coming up in the next few months. I’m not in that state of mind,” he said.
“I know the responsibility that I have and why I am here. Everybody knows that from a few months ago, this wasn’t going to be resolved really quickly. I think that’s the consciousness of everybody at the club.”
However, his side have struggled this season and scored just three goals in their past seven league outings.
He insisted there was “unity” in the dressing room and the atmosphere is “as good as it can be when we are all hurting because results in the Premier League are hurting us”.
The Spaniard added: “From within the club everything I am feeling is just support, encouragement and total confidence that we will get through this together.
“A club of this stature deserves the best and when it is not happening, everyone is going to question what is happening.
“I am the most responsible one in terms of results, so I have to accept that.”
‘You need fighters and you don’t want any victims’
Arsenal go into the game with City on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Everton and without striker Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who has a calf injury.
Arteta says he does not read “all the comments” about his side and urged his players to do the same.
“If I started to read all the comments, whether they are positive or negative, it would drive me mad,” he said.
“My suggestion to every player is exactly the same. All the time it happens with social media as well because you cannot control who is writing or what their intentions are, so it is a very dangerous thing to do.”
Asked what he was like as a player when things weren’t going his way, the former midfielder said: “I liked to look around me, whether it’s the staff, coaches, players and I wanted to see fighters.
“Normally when that happens, you have two types of people: fighters and victims.
“You need fighters and you don’t want any victims. Victims bring excuses, victims bring negativity and they start to blame anything that is happening around them or is not going their way.
“You need people who fight, people who contribute and people who are ready to give everything to the club in this moment.”
The ghostinside, not sure if you read here often but your comment suggests not. I’m fully in support of the club and the manager but I do detest players who can’t be bothered to work for team and fans.
Afternoon to you all and thanks re the post.
Potter, if only it was that easy eh…
Queuing at the supermarket isn’t fun and it’s raining…
Today is the great conjunction when Jupiter and Saturn merge in Earth’s eye line to create the Star of Bethlehem . Not that you would know it as the clouds are a complete blanket of grey and you can’t even see the moon .
Oh well here’s to the next 400 years.
Hi Rico,
I wish you and HH a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, (if such things are allowed in the Arsenal world!).
It’s not difficult to trace when and how the decline started, what is alarming is that for such a huge institution, the club continue to accelerate its self-destruction.
Since Dein left Arsenal have been rudderless handing power and control to completely the wrong people, and it seems now the club has been hollowed out of any passion, ambition or any genuine football intelligence.
Dark days for us Arsenal fans.
Really disappointed with the cloud cover. I thought we’d all get to ‘see the light’, including a few of the Arsenal players.
Hi Herb, long time and all that. Other than Arsenal, I hope all is well. Merry Christmas to you too.
Hi all, my problem is that they can’t even do the basics. Professionals that can’t trap a ball from a throw in, can’t make a 5m pass, can’t make proper contact on clearing headers and the worst, panic and kick the ball away or give hospital passes.
I see Burnley’s half the salary players that can push ball with purpose, vision and great control.
All contracts should be a small salary and performance incentivized. Would love a yearly contract, play for a renewal.
Got to agree with Herb re Dein . I have said before that his breakdown with Fiszman and Hill Wood has been responsible for much of the club’s problems.
It’s pretty much gone downhill since the whole leaving Highbury for Ashburton reared it’s ugly head . The shenanigans between Dein ,the board, Kroenke , Usmanov it’s worthy of a soap opera but unfortunately they were real and the club is still suffering for it’s mismanagement.
For years Wenger protected them , he was their front man / fall guy and in many ways whilst he was there he was the brake on their ineptitude. Since his departure though the Kroenke,s have pitched and rolled from pillar to post without any real expertise hiring and firing their way through the upper level of management .
There has to be stability to allow Arteta to be able to work and until that is achieved it won’t matter who is in charge .
The move was needed the sell out wasn’t.
Funny enough, I’ve just been writing about that. Our problems started long before Edu and Arteta walked through the doors.
At the end of the day if thing’s are not going right it is the Boss who has to take the blame. He is the one who employs the staff to run the show,if he is not bothered than how do you expect the staff to care, what they would do is blame each other ….just like what’s happening at our football club..I’ve said it a thousand times untill we get relegated and new owners buy the club we will keep falling down The Americans don’t care about what we do good or anything else,all they care about is if the theyare making a PROFIT WHEN DAVID DEIN WAS THERE THE CLUB WAS RUN PROPRLY AND IT WAS DOING WELL ON THE PITCH ,I remember him saying if we do not invest we will be dragged behind and that is what’s has happened and is happening so we will get relegated and I hope someone bus us I HATE WHAT THE AMERICANS ARE DOING. THEY ARE USING ES TO MAKE THERE AMERICAN FOOTBALL MORE SUCCESSFUL THEY CANT EVEN DO THAT , That is why the wanted to buy and have full control .WE FANS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN CHANGE IT WE HAVE TO GET THEM OUT OR THEY HAVE TO SPEND BIG I MEAN BIG £250million like Abromovich has and is doing at Chelsea Prove me wrong STAN YOU ALREADY HAVE GOT RID And RUINED mr wenger you didn’t back him enough the greatest maniger we ever had. If they have wenger the right amount of money he would of done much better there is so much I want to say but I’m to angry right now
I notice Martinez is in Garth Crooks team of the week again,on the BBC website.I never liked him as a player obviously but he makes sensible comments, and has picked Arsenal players in the past.He points out Martinez has the most clean sheets this season, and Villa have played 2 games less than most.
The decision to sell Martinez continues to haunt Arsenal.
I shall never understand that decision Limey. The best keeper we’ve had since Mad Jen’s in my opinion and we sell him. For peanuts.
New post up now