Morning all.
I suppose there’s a couple of talking points from yesterday’s defeat. The darn right stupidity from Xhaka followed by another stupid moment by Elneny. I understood the foul on the halfway line to stop Burnley from breaking away but just take the booking and walk away. Xhaka didn’t because for some bizarre reason he thought it was a good idea to grab a Burnley player around the throat. With VAR in operation, there was only ever going to be one outcome. The yellow card retracted, a red card shown in it’s place. Xhaka will now miss the next three games. Hoorah I hear you cheer. Elneny however got lucky after referee Craig Scott handed out just a booking.
After a pretty boring first half, Arsenal came out after the break with a bit more purpose. So much so, Nick Pope had to make a couple of saves. Aubameyang scored at last but in his own net which doesn’t count. With it, Burnley secured their first win over Arsenal in years.
I thought we’d beat Burnley. We should have beaten Burnley because even though our squad is lacking in one or two positions, it’s better than Sean Dyche’s. We failed miserably. Half of our first team players looked like cart horses out on the pitch and it gets harder to back Arsenal. Punters are now moving over to place their bets on horse-bettors.com, with tips available on the site, as Arsenal continue to disappoint this season in the Premier league. Xhaka and Willian especially.
If the club opt to part company with Mikel Arteta, I’d totally get it. We’re heading for a relegation battle very soon if things don’t change and if we drop into the bottom three, we’re done for. This group of players don’t have the fight to get out of it. Not in my opinion. From what I’ve seen, too many of them couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag.
Arsenal are in a much worse position now than over a year ago. The players he selects week in, week out, aren’t doing it for him. He’s had the choice to leave one or two out but he’s not taken it. In football, a manager’s career lives on dies by the decisions he makes and in my opinion, Arteta has and still is, making too many wrong ones. Selling Martinez being one of them.
Thankfully, selecting Granit Xhaka is no longer a decision Arteta has to make because he’s banned for the next three fixtures. Willian too could be dropped as Pepe returns to the squad for the Southampton game on Wednesday night. To suggest it’s a must win game is an understatement.
There are choices for the board. Sack Mikel Arteta and go for someone like Poch or Allegri, or stick with Mikel, hoping that he can turn things around by making signings and sales next month. Would a couple of fresh faces at the club make much difference if the players we do have bar a few, have already lost faith in their manager? The answer has to be yes surely as different players give a manager different options when it comes to selecting his team but in Mikel’s case, he already has options but for whatever reason, he’s ignored them.
AMN is good enough to come off the bench so surely he’s good enough to start, same with Ceballos. Nelson, in my opinion, would offer more to our attacking play than Willian when he’s played out wide, yet he too is ignored. Are Burnley any better than Molde or Rapid Vienna?
Mikel Arteta made the bold decision to drop Mesut Ozil from the squad which means he’s not a man to shy away from making big decisions. Maybe he needs to make a few more. Drop the underperforming players or those who simply look as though they don’t give a toss. If they can’t be bothered to play for him and the fans then in my opinion, they don’t deserve to be at the club. Until they go, Arsenal are unlikely to improve. Put them up for sale and get them as far away from Arsenal as possible but that takes time and patience.
I know I keep saying it but the players I’m talking about are the same ones who dropped tools under Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery, Freddie and now Mikel Arteta.
The solution to our problems is to sack Mikel Arteta, after all, it’s always the managers fault but I don’t agree. It’s certainly the easy option but then whoever comes in next will still have the same players at his disposal. What happens when they get fed up next time?
Food for thought eh…
The solution to Arsenal;s immediate problem is to sack Arteta.Pure and simple He is so fixated on his ideas and he favors some players even if they score three own goals in a match. I can bet you players like Auba and Bellerin will start on Wednesday against The Saints.Infact He should be sacked before our next game. He has lost everything, the dressing room, the fans and even most of the players. The only thing going for him is the board, and if they don’t fire that man, a relegation dog fight looms larger and larger…
Good morning Rico and everyone. It’s been a while I commented on Arsenal and it’s situation, I love my sanity and peace of mind, i won’t trade it for anything. To anyone present it’s clear that there is something wrong with the core at arsenal. The team needs a overhaul, most of these players are too complacent and comfortable with mediocrity and this has been the case since Wenger’s late years at the club.
Arteta has his faults too, he has insisted on playing people that keep disappointing week in week out, I really don’t know what it is but most of the old players have got to go as the new players are been infecting with Arsenals mediocre spirit.
Rico, I agree that we should not sack Arteta and imo it would be stupidity to do so.
It’d just maintain the status quo of those same players who won’t put in a shift maintaining the balance of power at the club.
That’s what’s caused this situation, so to enable these prima donnas even further would only make things worse.
We need a massive shake up and that’s what Arteta is doing that and some of these ponces can’t handle it.
Time to bench them and and move them on.
That is on Arteta, agreed, and the time is right.
Sack Arteta, bring in a big name (if you can find one willing to take on such a mess) and when they fail, suddenly people will then start blaming the players?
Maybe, but I fear plenty would then still blame the manager.
Mmm.
Morning Rico. Good summary of yesterday’s debacle.
I said to my wife at half time, “they’ve had several really good scoring opportunities and most of the game, so they will concede a goal in the second half against the run of play, and the Arsenal will lose 1-0!”. (What a visionary I am!)
In fairness, I don’t think the team performed particularly badly, even after Xhaks’s departure, but they really do have a major problem, they can’t score goals or even one goal. Part of the reason is the pedestrian way the ball is moved from the back line to the forwards, if it ever reaches the danger zone at all! Auba’s charity shield goal is an example of how to score a ‘quick’ goal. The ponderous inter passing on the flanks that invariably ends up starting again from the halfway line, is so predictable and so defendable that we’ll never do any damage from those areas. However, a flying winger or cf with nobody in front of him may create a more successful outcome. It’s largely about transition. It’s not rocket science! Although the movement of the ball should be rocket propelled!
If we continue in the same vein then I can’t really see where the next victory is going to come from. No goals no wins, no future!
Morning Mexy, Wavy, all.
I think Mikel needs to look at some of the players he’s putting his faith in because they are not returning the favour. Willian on the right is always going to be a problem because he hasn’t the legs to help Bellerin.
Our left side is good with Tierney and Saka but when then look to pass, what do they see? Nothing more than a few static players who look as if they’re more interested in how they’re going to cook their brussels this Christmas instead of scoring goals.
I feel sorry for the players who want to play.
Aubameyang, Lacazette, Xhaka, Bellerin and Ozil. All can go imo.
Arteta is making errors imo Scott but he’s caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. He can’t play the younger guys because if they don’t get results social media will go into meltdown but he could play one or two. The balance of the team needs to change so it has more who want to fight for the team than those who don’t.
Rico, absolutely he’s making mistakes, all managers do and especially inexperienced ones.
I’m with you though, play those who want to give their all and bench the rest.
I do think supporters will get behind the younger guys if they have a red hot go, and accept the fact that they’ll be inconsistent.
You’ve seen social media Scott, fans can be cruel. I do think he can afford to use one or two though. He might have to now Xhaka and Bellerin are banned.
RIP Gerard Houllier…
He must, imo Rico.
No choice as fans just want something to look forward to.
It’d also give the experienced a guys a kick up the backside.
RIP. Gerrard Houllier. Nice man
Hi Rico I left a message but it come up a minute later then you put up new post.
As I always said I am not a big Arteta fan ( coach side only ) but I can not see Stan nor can I see any sense in sacking Arteta before the end of the season.
The biggest problem I see at the moment is the Board may have sacked Emery a bit to quick which has now put more pressure on then to explain why Arteta must stay if we finish near the bottom 4.
Maybe I am looking at it wrong but I wonder if some of the older players don’t respect Arteta because he has not coached on his own before and when you read or hear Arteta having a go at Pepe and Xhaka for retaliating also the dropping of Ozil and now fresh roomers about him and Luiz makes me wonder if the player feel they can trust Arteta.
Morning Rico and the House
Home to Napoli in the Europa
OOPS
Benfica v Arsenal
What a gloomy outlook for our beloved Arsenal. Same old, Same old.
We play the most predictable football I have ever seen us play since supporting them for over 65 years. So, so, sad to see how low we have gone under this manager.
Our crab like football fools no one. We are void of any ideas.
It has sank that far, for me to terminate my accumulator bet early. And the only team to let me down in a 5 team accumulator was Arsenal.
At half time, I had Leicester winning 3-0 and Southampton, Everton and Newcastle United already in the bag.
My “winnings” (If Arsenal were to win) stood at £564.57………How right I was to take the cash out price of £297.????? at half time.
I said to my Son at half time, I’m taking the cash out, as the only team I can see scoring here is Burnley.
Arsenal……you are depressing me……..Not sure if I can watch any more of this static, crab, backwards football.
I used to say in Wengers later years, “How many of this side would get into a top 4 club?” Usually a good bench mark of where you were.
Well, yesterdays team, I said “how many of this team would get into a bottom 4 side?”
My answer was an unbelievable THREE. The rest are not worth a dime. Gutless, clueless, pedestrian footballers.
Rant over.
See you all on the dark side.
Come on Saracens.
Bye Bye Europe League
Not sure it would Scott, just a reason to sulk even more.
Hi Geoff, I disagree re Emery. I think we’re where we are because the board didn’t sack Wenger quick enough. His signings are the ones causing the problems I think.
Morning Rick, tough test for the ‘second string’.
Afternoon Rico and All
I’m gonna talk with my coaches hat on because I think I’m looking at a different match,up until crackerjacker got sent off we were playing some very good football,Micky wanted more from the players as regards goal attempts, he got that No Premier team produced more than 6 on target 12 off target 18 attempts in all we have our own pandemic The Onion Bag.
As much as I like Micky it does not mean he is right on everything for instance,
Glenda Dozy strangling that little Brighton Prick..Taxi
Pepsi Cokehead.Welcome to Glasgow…………….Unacceptable
Crackerjacker…..Wheres your Adams Apple…….Unacceptable
Hellnini…………….Hindu Face Massage…………….No Comment
Football is,most would say about opinions,not facts but,do we want to see a new manager come in next week and hope he can tactically mastermind a player into streering the ball just where all the opposition players and keeper can’t get to it.
Time for a Coffee it smells lovely.
Afternoon Rico/all,
I’ve stayed away from the internet today, just too toxic.I agree it would be pointless at this stage to sack Arteta, although if results don’t improve it could happen.
I think we need to get AMN into midfield, perhaps go back to 3 CBs,move Aubameyang back to wide left, partner him with Nketiah,out go Lacazette (trying hard but not working)Willian- ditto,Bellerin has been a favourite but I think he needs to leave now.He is one of the few we might get a decent fee for.
I agree recruitment has been bad,there are signs that’s getting better,Martinelli, Tierney,this summer Gabriel & Partey.
It’s probably good that our next game is so soon.
Tough draw in the Europa League Benfica, older fans will remember them beating us in the European Cup in 1991/2, also the Southampton manager came on as a substitute in one of those games.
Afternoon Fred, if I knew which players you’re on about, I’d agree. Lol
Afternoon Limey.
I think until the ‘old boys club’ have gone, little which change over a sustained period of time. It’s like they enjoy the initial stages of a new manager but once they realise they’ve got to work harder, they down tools.
No crowd in for the Southampton game, London will be in tier three from midnight Tuesday.
At least there won’t be anyone there to boo the team off if we lose again. 😒
So we lose Bellerin for one match, Xhaka for three but we are blessed to have Pepe back after his ban.
I see Emi Martinez was MotM for Villa at the weekend. Sold for a measly £20 million, the worst bit a of business since Arteta’s arrival. Worse even than signing Willian. Next on the list must be Aubameyang’s three year deal and pay rise.
Come on Cicero, give him a break. He scored yesterday! What more do you want?
Selling Martinez still cheeses me off.
More tough times ahead guys, that’s one thing we can be sure of.
We just need to see progress, even small moments.
A better attitude would be a start.
Apparently the 3 players who’ve been vocal in supporting Arteta of late are Tierney, Partey and Gabriel.
No surprise there.
No coincidence, either.
3 that are happy to put in a shift.
Rico. Yes, the short passage of time doesn’t make it look good does it?
If true, doesn’t surprise me either Scott.
Martinez Adam? The decision looks worse a# each game passes.
Exactly Rico.
Evening depressed gooners. Tierney has rapidly become my favourite Arsenal player, saw he said fans had a right to boo with that performance. Is it too much to hope for, he could be a future Arsenal captain? Maybe grow into a less snarling Stuart Pearce?
Andrew, plenty to be depressed about, yet on the other hand, our weakling/prima donnas are being shown up for exactly what they are, so that’s a positive.
Now to move them on……
Not an easy task, but identifying them is a start.
I read on another Arsenal blog that Arteta has fallen out with David Luiz over the Dani Ceballos/fisticuffs leak.All a bit of a non-story but at the time Arteta said he would be ruthless with the source of the leak, initially thought to be Ozil, now the heat is on Luiz, I’ve no idea if that’s true, but team morale certainly isn’t right.
He’s become one of mine too Andrew. I feared he’d be an injury prone player a while ago but he’s one of our most consistent. He and Gabriel.
Scott, as long as someone at the realises those letting the team down should be moved on, and are moved on. My concern is they’ve done this before. Still, a different group of people making decisions now.
I think Luiz has denied that rift Limey.. As if he’d say anything else.
Rico, I’m sure we will see a hell of a lot of the current squad gone within 3 windows.
Love to see it happen sooner but that’s not practical.
I think so too Scott. Next summer alone four will be gone at least in Luiz, Mustafi, Ozil and Sokratis. Shame they’ll all go for free though. There will also be contracts to sort out s in selling players whose contracts are soon to expire.
Rico, that’s why I can’t understand so many fans around social media turning on Arteta.
Everyone knew there was a massive job ahead and that it’d take time.
Seems they want the glory days without the hard work required to get them.
Seems pretty obvious to me those players not playing well just aren’t willing to do what’s required for the club to have success.
He’s calling them out, they’re failing to step up and the poor results are on him?
Ridiculous.
Stuff player power and sacking a manager because those on the pitch won’t put in a shift.
We’ve seen enough of that already.
Back the manager and get players in who do want to put the hard yards in.
We have more tough times ahead, but when it turns, it will be dramatic.
We’re you thinking the same a year ago though Scott when Emery was struggling?
I think the players are much of the problem, I really do and that was my belief when Emery was at the club but in football it’s always the manager who pays the price.
I’m just writing about that very subject.. lol
I agree with you Rico, This squad has failed 4 managers now. When will fans wake up and realise as much. When we have players like Luiz, Mustafi, Sokratis, Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Ozil and Lacazette. All picking up over 1.5m a week in wages and bonuses also players we are struggling to sell. Okay Arteta is making the mistake due to his inexperience by giving them more time than they deserve. The only thing i can say is they must be training very well but matches and training is very different.
We havent got a Coutinoh to sell, i also believe Guendouzi and Torriera were sent ot on loan to make room on the wage bill to sign Partey. We have one of the biggest wage bills in the league not Arteta’s fault. Is it arteta fault these players were brought in when evidently they were not good enough (Sokratis, Ozil, Lacazette and Kolainac) or past their best (Sokratis, Ozil and Luiz). Has he made positive moves Gabriel and Partey and has his eyes on the right players like Szabolazi and Aouare.
What do we do throw in 6 youngsters to replace the likes of Bellerin, Lacazette, Elneny, Xhaka, Willian, Auba. Of which if the gunners faithful will no doubt slate him for if they loose. The solution is simple get rid of the of all the players who have let us down for 4 years by next season bring in 2-3 players in the jan window. Let Arteta have an actual pre season with “HIS” squad. If nothing improves then it time to consider his future, we wont get relegated its a sign that as these players get another year older they struggle even more
James, I think you and I are on the same hymn sheet. Although Elneny hasn’t been that bad I think. He’s a very good squad player imo. Also, I don’t think we’ll get the two players you mention as I think one has agreed to move elsewhere and the Aouar ship has sailed imo. Mind you, who knows for sure these days.
Rico, maybe not and that’s a fair call, but then I never really warmed to Emery and that’s the truth.
Saying that, I was hoping Arteta would the gig then (I’m glad he didn’t at that stage).
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
He’s tough rico, had some rough treatment recently and just gets up and gets on with it.
Saw an official training picture where he was only one in shirt sleeves😀
For what it’s worth, this is copied from the Guardian, an interview with Edu about the club and Mikel’s future etc
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/14/arsenals-players-must-take-blame-for-terrible-form-says-tierney?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
It throws a little more light on the ‘project’
Tempting as it may be to overhaul the whole squad doing in one large hit is unrealistic.
No doubt the club has a list of those they want to keep but we are overstocked with non home grown and foreign players. We have too many at home for the squad and have Ozil and Sokratis on the sidelines and then there are those on loan too . If they don’t find other clubs we will have them back as well.
Edu needs to be concentrating on sales rather than purchasing
The suspensions and quick turn around are a blessing for Arteta. Forced changes to either 3 at the back which I prefer with Luiz bringing the ball out or Cedric /AMN on. No Xhaka surely gets one of the Thursday night youngsters in. Hopefully Willian will need a rest and Arteta is forced to change there too.
Marinelli on the bench would be a nice option as well.
Wavy, it’s a massive job to change things around and yes, that explains things very well imo
Potter, another 2-3 windows I reckon before we have an Arteta side on the pitch.
Can fans wait that long?
Plenty can’t even wait for 1 🙂
Already reading on social media fans who won’t watch us any more.
Glory hunters and that’s all they’ll ever be.
Scott what worries me about being so low on table is the amount of money we are loosing and under the FFP rules will we have to sell some of top young players so we don’t breach the rules
Geoff, no other club worries about FFP 🙂
How are you mate??
I think a lot of people struggled to warm to him Scott and perhaps that was half the problem, and that his PSG side blew something like a six goal lead in a CL tie over Barca, only to lose. Add the language barrier and he was on a hiding to nothing imo.
I saw that too Andrew. That’s what being born and bred in Scotland does.. lol
I’d imagine the club have a lot of player sales in the pipeline. Sokratis will hopefully get his move, Kolasinac too and maybe even Mustafi. We won’t make much but it’ll all add up come the summer. These guys need to be playing football.
I hope the club pay off Ozil. Get him out of the place and away from training pitch where he could be a bad influence. I can see one or two going out on loan too.
Geoff, FFP is likely to remain relaxed because of the lack of fans.
I have to slightly disagree with Rico and Scott, although in general I agree with you,it wasn’t lack of effort from Lacazette or Willian the other night.They both tried hard in my opinion, and did their best to follow instruction..
Unfortunately they were both utterly useless,I don’t want to see either in the team in a hurry.
Maybe unrealistic but it’s how I feel.
Aubameyang on the other hand looks like he’s in a big sulk, the actions of Xhaka were like he’s trying to get his manager sacked, Bellerin looks shot.
Limey, bearing in mind what happened with Guendouzi, perhaps Xhaka will find himself out the door. His reactions were a disgrace. The best bit though was Lacazette pushing him away from the incident and Xhaka landing on his backside.
Maybe I sometimes get effort and ability mixed up. Lol
New post up now
Limey, I don’t recall suggesting Lacazette isn’t having a crack.
Willian is not the same player he was at Chelsea, but I don’t think I’ve said it’s through lack of trying.