Morning all.
When Unai Emery dropped Mesut Ozil, much criticism was directed his way. What was he thinking of leaving such a gifted footballer out of the team/squad. Along came Mikel Arteta and it wasn’t too long before he dropped Mesut Ozil from an even greater height by leaving him out of both Premier League and Europa Cups squads altogether at the start of this current campaign. Arteta too had his critics but now, it’s clear to see both Spaniards were right all along. Mesut Ozil has flopped in a big way at Fenerbache. He’s made ten appearances since his move at the end of January and his goal tally is a big fat zero.
Even worse goings on for two Arsenal cast offs unfolded in Germany where both Sead Kolasinac and Shkodran Mustafi helped Schalke 04 get relegated. I shouldn’t laugh I know but it is kind of funny. What’s not so funny though is Kolasinac still has a year left to run on his Arsenal contract so unless he stays in Germany or finds another club, he’ll be back in North London for the start of next season. Not that he’s ever likely to play in my opinion. Mustafi however, has already been released by Schalke so he’s free to go wherever he likes. Or to whichever club is willing to snap him up for nothing and I’m sure there’ll be a few.
Things like this show how important it is for a manager/coach to have a team behind him who’s willing to support the decisions he makes. I think it’s fair to suggest that Unai Emery had very little support from the board in place during his time at Arsenal, yet Mikel Arteta clearly has, otherwise all three above mentioned players, plus a few more like Guendouzi and Torreira would probably have been at Arsenal this season and not Thomas Partey, or Martin Odegaard.
I’ve always been of the opinion that a manager/coach should choose his own players to sell or sign and not someone sat behind a desk who has no input on training, tactics and team selection. That’s basically what happened to Unai Emery if the stories about Raul Sanllehi were true at the time. Since then though, Sanllehi and Gazidis have gone and Edu has come in. Richard Garlick joins Arsenal too this month, just before one of the most crucial summer transfer windows for the club I think. Arsenal need quality and not quantity. There’s no point in signing five players if they’re not as good but different or better than who we sell and the benchmark has to be Tierney, ESR, Saka, Partey and Martinelli. Arsenal need players who want to perform and do.
Edu once said that after a phone call with Mikel Arteta, he knew the Spaniard was right for Arsenal and something similar has to be felt when Arteta and Edu talk with potential signings. Arsenal need players who want to be at Arsenal because it’s Arsenal and not because of the salary they might earn. The club has to bring who/what we need and not just some random great player who just happens to be looking for a move to the Premier League. Arteta and Edu have to get this summer right, even if lack of money means transfers are limited. Arsenal will sell players this summer, I think that’s obvious to everyone but what would be the point in selling Joe Willock for example to sign someone like Willian? No point whatsoever in fact if Edu and Arteta did that, they’d both deserve the sack!
For what it’s worth, I don’t think the club should sell Willock, nor AMN, certainly not this summer. Willock has been really good for Newcastle with his goals pretty much keeping the club in the Premier League whilst AMN would have learned a different kind of football under Big Sam. Let’s see how both perform next season at Arsenal before casting off two English players who at the very least can play in the domestic cups. If we do by chance secure a spot in the Europa Conference League, then we’ll need them. However, they might have a fantastic pre-season and make it impossible for Arteta to ignore them when selecting his squad for the first League fixture of the new campaign.
As much as Arsenal might not need such a big squad next season if we don’t qualify for Europe, we can’t forget the Euros take place this summer so goodness only knows how fit our squad will be at the start of the new season.
I hope Arsenal get their transfer business done early. At least then my F5 tab won’t become too worn. NewsNow will be full of recycled transfer stories based of fiction rather than fact, but I’ll still get caught out. Not this summer though, I refuse to click on the ‘Arsenal to sign Kane or Haaland’ headlines…..
See you in the comments.
Buongiorno
I doubt the the F5 button will stop being refreshed Rico. Even if we manage to do all the business in the first week. We will still keep on pressing it. Even though deep down in our hearts we know that there will be no more news. I will still keep on pressing it anyway.
It feels good to see those three stooges we had going through their own present troubles. At least it means that trouble follows them wherever they go. But I doubt that we know the whole story. I feel that there were other reasons the three of them behaved the way they did.
It is not rocket science to realize that since they left we have played 23 games and won 13 drawn 5 and lost 5. And the table in the last 23 games sees us 2nd to City. so improvement was made and it seems that the camp is happier without those three. We had a disastrous run between October and December and that set us back. If we hadn’t dropped 12 points through our carelessness we would be 3rd only one point behind United and definetely in Champions league places.
That’s my point really Devil and why it’s so important for a board to support the manager with his decisions, unless it’s clear any suggestions are ridiculous.
I’m sure Edu can spot a good player, after all, he played alongside some of the best this club has ever seen but he needs to shut the door on his ‘contacts list’ imo, unless there’s another Martinelli or similar out there.
It seems that Brandt and/or Buendia are seen as the alternatives to Odegaard while Arteta has been quoted as saying that Willock will be and Arsenal player next season. If Brandt/Buendia do come in I dont see where Willock will fit in as both will take the number 10 role while ESR will be shifted to the side…which honestly I dont like. Willock can be at his best if he is rotated with ESR in the number 10 position.
However, as RaKa pointed out, Willock is more a Klopp type player while ESR is a Guardiola player. Willock is a power player while ESR is more technical. I wonder if Auba suffers in the Guardiola system that Arteta wants at Arsenal. It may be that he thrives with Willock more than with ESR as number 10. Buendia is also a Guardiola type player and while he may have an eye for a pass in the final third it must be remembered that Auba needs direct players around him not ones who build it slowly.
Giroud used to fare better when Ramsey was behind him. I feel that with Willock behind Auba both of them would thrive.
Martinelli, I feel, can fit into both systems. And he can play as LW or as a CF. In other words he is simply a forward who can play anywhere along the front line.
yes you are correct about EDU getting rid of his contacts list.
I watch a lot of games which involve youths especially at Under18/19/21 levels. And honestly dont need any contacts to point a player to me. I can reel off many names of players under the age of 22 who are very good and will surely improve our team.
I keep on banging about Leao and Saelemakers of AC Milan. Both are 21 years old and I had known about them since they were around 17 years. Saelemakers was bought for around 3 million and can play as RB, RM and RWF. At least that is where he has plays for AC Milan, while Leao can play anywhere around the attack including the No10 position. But there are other players who I can roll off not only those two.
The point I am trying to make is that if I know so many young players around the world, yes even South Americans, then Edu, if he is professional in his work, must surely know much more than I do. Yes even in the English lower divisions there are good youngsters. Blackburn, Sunderland and Forest have a good crop coming through. No one mentions them. And the majority are English bdw.
I feel it depends on various factors which I might not be considering. From my laptop I can only see the player and his skills…..but not his agent, if the club works with him, what commision he gets and so on. So many factors need to be taken into consideration which I might not be aware of. However, I can easily pick good upcoming players simply from my laptop. Edu is supposed to do so much better than me. And he gets paid for it. I dont.
season is 38 games, what is the point of assessing 23 games, Arteta’s tactics, formation and style of football is the reason we are where we are, he is simply out of his depth and next season will show that.Who else in a major semi final in an European trophy plays no striker, it was insane and disastrous and proved what a novice Arteta really is. The style is boring, slow and pitiful and once the fans are allowed back in and the same style carries on, then you will see how Toxic it will become
Foreverinourshadow…..my point in analyzing the past 23 games was based only on the fact that since January when those three left we have played better. I did not comment on playing style etc. So kindly read it all properly not only where it suits you. Because I am certain that I made my point clear in the previous comments. If you decide to read it in part and only where it suits you than that is a big problem.
Even though those three did not play more than 5 games between them till December, the fact that they were training with the first team was enough to create division and bad feeling among the playing staff.
Before the crowd becomes toxic….fist they must consider the toxic atmoshpere created in the dressing room by those three. What I did was simply divide the season into two…..while those three were at the club and after they were gone.
Good morning Rico and all.
Back in January the Kroenkes borrowed £120 million from the Bank of England to help with the club’s cash-flow problems. The Kroenkes have now repaid that loan by borrowing a similar sum from another bank, but at a higher interest rate. The original loan had conditions attached, it was specifically designed to be used to help with the running of the club and had restrictions on how the money could be spent. It could not, for instance, be used to pay dividends to the shareholders (the Kroenkes).
By taking out the new loan, those restrictions no longer apply.
In answer to questions about selling the club, they have stated that “they don’t need the money”, if that is the case why are they loading more debt on Arsenal Football Club.
That is the problem Cicero…..when just one owner owns the club. He can load more debt on it, especially if its a cash cow.
Its a pity that Arsenal and clubs in England dont operate like the German model…..one person cannot own more than 49%. The rest must be owned by supporters.
having 100% in the hands of one person is not healthy.
Its like Boris Johnson getting over 66.5% of votes int eh election. If that happens it means that Boris Johnson can change the constitution at will and no one can stop him.
Nice article and I’m in full agreement. I’d add two things though.
Firstly, when squad building we have to remember the African Nations Cup is next season. Currently Elneny, Partey, Pepe, and Aubameyang will all be missing for a bit during next season. That’s going to hurt!
Secondly, (from memory) one of Edu’s main job with Brazil was to identify any young Brazilian talent that had dual nationalities. Brazil were trying to stop other countries from stealing their young talent (such as Diego Costa, Deco, Alcantara, Pepe etc). I’d be putting money on him dipping his toe back into that market.
What I meant though Devil is don’t sign players just because an agent is driving his move. Sign the players we need for the positions we need them in.
Forever, I’m kind of with you re the style of football which for much of the season has been very up and down. The results have been better, but I must say, barring a few matches, watching an Arsenal game has been hard going.
Morning Cicero, if they don’t need the money, why throw Arsenal’s name into the Super League because that League was imo about nothing more than making a quick few hundred million dollars.
Perhaps Arsenal need someone with more finances than Ek to make an offer.
Devil, I get the impression that’s what Ek wants to see at Arsenal. I don’t see the problem with one owner though, not if it’s the right one. Roman is a good example even though I dislike everything about him.
Sorry DG, but Boris winning a general election with 65% of the vote does not mean that he can alter the constitution for two reasons. One, he needs the consent of both houses of parliament together with the approval of the Queen to pass any legislation. Two, we do not have a written constitution to alter.
Thanks Hobart.
Absolutely agree re young Brazilian players if we can get them, it’s the old ones we don’t need.
It’s certainly going to be a big few months up to Christmas for Mikel and the club. Who will be our main striker I wonder?
Hmm, I fancy meat pie for lunch.
Pie ‘n mash Kev?
Hi all,
So Nuno Eespirito Santo is available. I like his style of play and seems a better man manager than Arteta. More senior manager that has the players respect. Was unlucky with his injuries and lack of funds to buy better players and had to sell Jota and Doherty (sounds like Arsenal).
I think they will be relegated next season if they cannot buy better players.
Afternoon Rico and the House.
It looks like there are a lot of mixed feelings and opinions
leading up to our final game of the season.
In all the time I have been a gooner I have never wanted us to lose
and I have always wanted to finish above the spuds
I would hope that on Sunday night North London is Red and that a lot of so called experts are eating humble Pie
The Leeds guy is interesting too Bradley, they are certainly entertaining this season.
Evening Rick, I too want us to finish above that lot. If Everton beat City, they will finish 7th I think and with a CL final to play, I’d imagine Pep will want to keep his players fit for it.
I like Biesla’ style too but I doubt we could pry him away for next season.
I’m not a fan of a Newby coach, they haven’t learnt how to use their staff effectively nor earned the respect of the players.
I see what a difference Tuchel made with the same players and Brendan Roger’s with Leicester where he seems to get the best out of players who were average previously.
I understand the clean out was immense for Arteta and he has had good moments but we should not be the club that gives him school lessons to our detriment.
Must admit, I too thought Arsenal shouldn’t be a training club for new managers and think Mikel Arteta should have managed elsewhere first. But I also realise the job in hand was and still is massive. I just hope next season is far more positive on the pitch than this one has been.
I have just watched th4e first half of Blackpool Oxford playoff.
Just to see how Danny Ballard is playing
He had a brilliant assist for Blackpools 2nd goal and was the victam of a nasty tackle.
He is looking good .
Not watching anymore Danny taken off halftime (face injury?)
With Blackpool 6-2 up we will see him in the final at Wembly
Rico if we beat Brighton either the totts or everton must win to stop us from finishing 7th and I beleive thats where we will be
Pleased to hear Mikel say Joe Willock will in the squad next season.
Hope he is not telling porkies.
Rick, Ballard is my new Ramsey 🙂
Keep track of the lad-I reckon he’s a born leader on the pitch and has a big future!!
After what Willock has done this past few months, even I’d question Arteta’s intelligence if he let the guy go without giving him a thorough chance 🙂
I haven’t seen him play, but I don’t need to-6 goals in 6 games says it all.
Give him a crack.
Where has he been playing, Rick,
Position wise, I mean…
No Adam, in the end I had a curry, but it was delicious…
Curry? Now you’re talking Kev…
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/05/22/rotten-eggs-and-more-protests/