Morning all.
Asking a simple question about where Mikel Arteta is taking Arsenal doesn’t mean I think he should be sacked here and now. Questioning what goes on during a game isn’t me trying to be a footballing expert either, in fact I don’t think it takes an expert to see something is wrong at Arsenal. Two of our most senior front men calling a sickie on the same day raises suspicion, the squad aren’t playing together, the football is fragmented and Mikel Arteta looks a frustrated man. We were told the owners were going to back him during this transfer window yet so far they haven’t, certainly not to the degree Mikel probably hoped. I know there’s still a couple of weeks of this transfer window to go but there’s no sign of any deals being close.
Anyone who thinks my concerns over Arsenal are a reaction to a defeat against Brentford, are daft. This is a new season with new hope. Ask yourself, are Arsenal looking a stronger, more together and more balanced team now than they were on the day Mikel Arteta took over? Could Lucas Torreira, William Saliba and Matteo Guendouzi have improved us? £65 million worth of talent playing elsewhere yet they belong to Arsenal.
Then we have Vinai and Edu, what are they doing to help Mikel Arteta, a manager for the first time who imo, is struggling. Then there’s the group of coaches who are usually sat together in the dugout whilst Mikel bites his nails and barks his instructions from the sideline. Better, or rather a more experienced assistant manager would give him support, perhaps encourage him to sit down even and talk about how the game is going and what improvements can be made. If Arsenal were prepared to give a rookie such a big job, support him, not let him struggle along on his own. Arsene Wenger had Pat Rice alongside him for many years, a man who knew English football inside out. Fergie always had an experienced assistant too. Klopp has a guy with managerial experience by his side and even that ghastly bloke at Villa had John Terry for a few years, just as Pep had Mikel Arteta by his side. Who has Mikel Arteta got? Some bloke called Albert who apart from a couple of years at Utd under van Gaal, has no real connection with English football. Steve Round is at the club too but I wouldn’t say his coaching career has been a great success story.
I assume Mikel Arteta chose his backup team but perhaps he’d be better off changing them, or at least one or two of them? If Edu was smart, he’d sit Arteta down and be brutally honest. Tell Mikel he needs help and encourage him to accept it. Would Freddie come back, Keown perhaps? Would the old and wise Roy Hodgson or someone like Eddie Howe take an assistant role instead of being the main man?
Again, this is just an idea, it’s certainly not me suggesting I know more but what’s bleedin obvious to me is Mikel is struggling. The idea is to encourage a debate, not a slanging match..
See you in the comments.
i’m starting to wonder if silent stan hates Arsenal to the extent on destroying it , basic business sense says that if you improve the team you improve the standing so improving the money coming into the club , or is it that he really doesn’t trust Arsenals most inexperienced manager to do the biggest rebuild in Arsenals since the move from Highbury , I have been following the gunners since 1962 and have never been more worried or frustrated for my team.
Arteta is clearly out of his depth and needs all the help that he can get get.
However an inherent arrogance will never allow this to happen.He has surrounded himself with “yes men” as far as his coaching staff are concerned.Whilst Llungberg and Bould might not have offered the best in coaching ability they knew and respected the Club’s history.There are plenty of ex-players who would love the chance to be involved in the coaching.Its clear for example that we need help defending set pieces…Martin Keown.. for example… would jump at the chance of helping out.Steve Round was an unmitigated disaster in the role of Moyse’s number 2 at Manchester United and seems to be just as useless in the same role at Arsenal.
Edu also seems to be wallowing in a position which is far beyond his capabilities.Unless a transfer involves one of his “agent friends” he’s struggling to make it happen.He’s presumably been unable to act as a calming influence upon his Manager’s tendency to ” bin” players without a second thought once they fall foul of his “good books”.
All in all we’re looking at an complete “dog’s dinner” and one which will unfortunately get somewhat worse before the situation improves…and that will only happen…if and when we get an upper level intervention!?
Morning AndrewB, all.
He’d be foolish to do that because it’s his share value which will decrease.
Good morning Rico. What can I say? Other than that I totally agree with you.
I have said previously that Arteta needs an “old head” beside him, or maybe in the background.
Cool, overcast and drizzling here, hope it’s better at Lords.
Freddie and Keown would be my choice too Joel. Arteta does seem to be strong willed and certainly doesn’t appear to forgive and forget otherwise Torreira, Guendouzi and Saliba would still be at the club.
These are very worrying times for our club. We are in a freefall and seem to be stuck in a ‘Groundhog Day’ situation. The owners have to be ousted as the club are just a cash cow and nothing else. We are so far away from being a ‘big’ club now that it is shameful. Arteta is a lovely guy, likeable and charming and one day he will be a great coach – the problem is we cannot be his learning curve. We need experienced management and a serious cash injection to even stay afloat as a Premier team. It is clear that we cannot compete with money clubs like City, Chelsea et al, so we need to be led by a manager who has the guile and cunning to kick our players into some sort of system. Time for action is now, or it will be a disaster of a season.
Morning Cicero, I’m surprised he didn’t appoint a bit of experience when he took the job. Even more surprised the likes of Edu allowed it.
Pant has gone so game on.
Sorry Rico, I can’t agree with you this time. Keown has virtually zero coaching experience and Freddie had a short but ultimately unsuccessful period as caretaker prior to Arteta’s appointment.
Db, I suspect Mikel is already a great coach, I just think management is the issue.
That’s ok Cicero. Both are Arsenal though which goes a long way. Also, Adams wasn’t a coach yet by Coles admission, it was he who made him the player he became.
I’ve watched with interest some of the games played over the weekend and I’m intrigued by the “light touch” refereeing. It’s seems strange that referees have been instructed to ignore incidents that only a couple of months ago would have been, in many cases, treated as fouls and penalised.
In view of the above, Manchester City might well come to regret the £100 million signing of arch diver Jack Grealish and may well think again about signing Kane, a player who has built his career on “winning” free kicks by deliberately backing into defenders and dramatically collapsing in a heap.
It’s a very pertinent question with no easy answer.
You are quite correct the man is struggling and getting into deeper water and is probably coming up for the third time.
It begs the question too , As to exactly how much help the powers are prepared to give and whether they are throwing him under the bus , preparing to sack him just before the next window and appointing someone else so that they can sit back on their contracts and maintain their positions for another couple of years.
Whilst we can all appreciate the special circumstances that have surrounded the last couple of years it seems that the club have dragged their feet in the revitalising the squad to Arteta’s demands.
As you say we seem to have a very disjointed group of players scattered all over Europe that the club are clinging on to in the hope of getting money for and it seems that in house we have players downing tools because they are just as unhappy as everyone else.
A new broom sweeps clean , so they say , but as a new one Arteta seems to have been sweeping with one arm behind his back.
He was promoted beyond his experience that’s obviouis but that in itself is not his fault , the blame for that is in the higher level of authority and that’s the question that I want answered , Exactly who is pulling the strings and are they doing their job?
In my opinion just sacking Arteta doesn’t get us anywhere , the club needs a root and branch clear out .
The Bard through Marcellus said that “” There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark “” If you substitute Copenhagen for North London the sentiment rings just as true.
Ultimately I suppose it comes back to Kroenke but not neccessarily his ability to spend money but on his appointees and where with his inexperience of competitive football he finds them .
Our actual board have little or no football experience and the level below them has Edu with 3 1/2 years of experience of English football and as much as Iliked him as a player remember his origins at Arsenal were delayed because he had a fake Portuguese passport , not the greatest character reference of both him and his agent , who is currently trying to palm Coutinho onto us having already achieved to do the trick with Willian , Luiz and Soares.
Great post. I held high hopes for Mikel after his appointment and speech(es). The job as he admitted has been far more difficult with unexpected problems. I’m guessing they expected an easier turnover of players than has happened this window but Edu and Garlic presumably have taken forever to get the essentials done and failed. Does anyone know the seniority?
How can a coach/manager be anything other than frustrated when the key pieces are not there to start the season and added to by senior players sickies. We know what we need. Edu has been told what we need but we’re all still waiting.
Odegarde was obviously a key piece worth waiting for if it was possible and may arrive now this week but RB and the striker (Plan B) is now essential.
I liked your suggestion of better assistant support recalling Fergie’s regular changes to stay on top of new ideas. I’m not so sure of more experience seeing Everton failing to move the needle with Ancelotti and Maureen at the Tots etc, but Conte and Poch would excite but maybe be out of reach for our pocket….
Potter, things seem to be running in a similar way to Arsene’s latter years. He wasn’t prepared to listen, seek help, or change his ideas. I’m not for one minute suggesting Mikel is a control freak but that’s just the impression I get purely based on what I see.
He’s like someone with an addiction imo. He has to admit he needs help before he can get it.
Thanks Pat. I think most did and who knows, with the better, more experienced people around him, he might yet do much better. I feel he’s been left hung out to dry a bit but even so, some of the decisions he’s making seem odd. I believe he’s the same grade as Edu now which is a recipe for disaster. Their needs to be accountability and I don’t feel there is at any level.
I also think Arteta learned a lot from Pep but when he took the Arsenal job, he forgot that he wouldn’t have the kind of players Pep has.
Good managers adapt to what they available and not always try and get players to play in a way which is alien to them.
Hi Rico, well Xhaka has signed his new deal until 2025 with a salary increase.
Some of these decisions being made are head-scratching… one minute he’s to be sold, the next a new deal/more money!
I’m struggling to see where he’s taking us – the promised land or road to nowhere? After 20 months I’m still unsure…
Chris Rea sang about it Sue, The Road to Hell.😕
Hi Sue. I find that head scratching too. Sadly, as each press conference and fixture goes by, I think the road is heading nowhere.
I believe that he doesn’t know whether he is punched , bored or countersunk . Vinai and Edu are on great deals and Kia is dipping in when he can . If they use Arteta as their patsy they can keep their positions and string it all out for as long as they can .
Lets face it Kroenke hid behind Wenger letting him take all of the flack , I can’t help thinking that they are doing something similar.
If I’m honest, I didn’t see anything different on Friday night from last season; wasting the first half and deciding to give it a go in the second. Poor defending. We could still be playing on that pitch right now and would be no closer to scoring! Our style of play – what is it exactly? We’re just a soft touch, I’m afraid.. get at us and we cave in..
So for me nothing has changed.
I’m sorry to be such a doom merchant, but I was so excited about Friday, I know most teams would’ve found it hard there, first game in the top flight in donkey’s years and all that, but good teams find a way to win – enough said! Deflated already and the Chavs up next…. it never rains but it pours! 😭
I don’t think it’ll be long before Josh makes his trip to north London..
If Arteta goes, the whole lot should follow him imo. Who was behind William, the ridiculous deal for Aubameyang and now Xhaka who’ll be 32 Barca few weeks when is deal is up? Why has Pepe been allowed to drift, Bellerin and Leno too?
I don’t think Arteta is solely to blame for anything bar on the pitch.
That’s just it Sue, we didn’t even compete with Brentford. I can accept a defeat when we’ve played well.
The Aubameyang, Bellerin and Lacazette conundrums are interesting, or worrying.
Morning Rico and all
Do the owner’s and the board members who selected Arteta really think that the older and more experienced players would respect a coach / manager who has never coached on his own, I would not respect him I would want a coach who has some experience at another big club not some one’s side kick telling me what to do.
As I have all ways said Arteta should of started his coaching career at a smaller club our even our under 23 team to gain experience.
How can the players trust him when they play 2 or 3 good games in a row then get dropped or start working really well along side another player just for him to change the team around, then they see him dropping players and never picking them again just because they disagree him or sacking coaching staff around him and replacing them with yes men how can this give any player confidence or trust in him.
So were do we go from here, Do we sack him this week if we loose. I say no we have to give him at least another 6 months and in that time hopefully some one from out side the club can take him aside and speak to about his man management skills and get him to relax.
Our next 2 or 3 matches are going to hard but as fans we need to show support for the players and hopefully they will respond and then that might help Arteta relax on the side line.
Cicero.. spot on!! With a one way ticket!!
I understood that Xhaka had 2 years left and they added another with an optional year so not as bad as foretold.
We tried to upgrade and it failed so better to try later and keep a good if limited leader in the camp.
We had to shell out €1m for playing Mari on Friday. Was his performance worth it? No… he’s been really poor of late. I doubt we’ll see much of him once Gabriel returns.
So, €1m every 10 games he plays for us. That’s a total transfer fee (so far) of around £12.5m for a player who is currently valued at £6.3m and has never been worth more than that. In fact, he was worth around £1.9m when Arsenal bought him.
We really are awful with money!!
I thought their old school pairing was pretty solid when Holding and Mari were together we at least knew what to expect and can work around their short comings.
Pat, but how can the player and club go from selling him, him wanting to go, to him staying and be given a new contract. It’s baffling.
Hi Geoff, I suppose no one expects us to beat Chelsea or City but Norwich and West Brom are a different matter. What we need is Partey and Gabriel back fit, Auba and Lacazette either sold and replaced or back working hard for the team and perhaps a three man defence so we play to Whites strengths. Imo of course.
I don’t know about Arteta needing help, but the England batsmen certainly do.
Morning all.
I am struggling to retain my optimism for the new season after Friday night debacle.
I will give Arteta the benefit of reasonable doubt as that was not the first team:
#1 – Holding and Gabriel out injured;
#2 – Partey out injured;
#3 – Auba and Laca “sick”; perhaps violating COVID protocol?
#4 – Nketiah injured.
Best to judge Arteta when he can field his 1st team eventually.
Maybe, players he wanted by 31 August are signed then?
Xhaka?
C’mon, be realistic. How many players in the squad that can control and command midfield like Xhaka can do? And his replacement can easily cost 60+ mil or more with Maddison a prime example.
Rico, nice reading some positivity here instead of virtually all “doom and gloom” regarding Arsenal.
Rico the Auba and Laca situation needs to be sorted out quick fast for every one involved.
White will be ok once he get use to his new team mates
I’ll leave that to others M96, as much as I’m not convinced by Arteta, I’d love for him to turn things around.
For sure Geoff.
Two best batsmen are in, from looking to win it last night to hanging in for a draw.
Those swing and hits have cost us Brad. Jammy devils. Lol
Change that, I think we’re heading for a defeat not Root and Bairstow are gone…
How many players in the squad that can control and command midfield like Xhaka can do?
That’s the problem , he doesn’t . As soon as someone says boo , he disappears .
The player that the media wowed over at the Eurosdoesn’t play for Arsenal.
Agree, which in itself should raise questions about why he plays so well for his country yet not for his club.
Perhaps he has a different coach?😂
Afternoon all.
I feel we’re in the soft and smelly already.
Accruing 40 points and safety may be an interesting ride this year. No, I’m not joking. We have some outstanding players but we have an under performing team of disconnected individuals. No fluidity, no cohesion and more often than not, no idea!
Not good. Not good at all.
Happy days.
Nah, it’ll be a draw, looks muggy that the game won’t reach all balls bowled
That could very be the difference Wavy.. lol
I hope so Brad.
Apparently we’re after Emerson Royal. 22 year old Brazilian from Barca in case you’ve never heard of him. I guess it’ll be a player swap with both clubs being broke.
Emerson Aparecido Leite de Souza Junior, better known as Emerson Royal or simply Emerson, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a right-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Brazil national team. Wikipedia
Born: 14 January 1999 (age 22 years), São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil
Position: Defender
Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Apparently has played once for Barca and 74 times for Betis on some wierd loan half share basis.
And has a few substitute appearences and 1 start for Brazil in the Copa America.
Great post. Things were always going to get worse before they got better. I feel that many of the club’s senior players are quite happy to tootle along in a fair to middling sort of way and pick up their wages until those contracts run out. Arteta, for all his faults, is at least ambitious. His major problem, as I see it, is being stuck with a load of players that he can’t get rid of. This lot saw off Wenger, downed-tools on Dick and are now complaining about Arteta. Lest we forget, Freddie was so sick of them that most got dropped for his last game in charge. I’ll admit to being invested in Mikel but if he can’t turn it around by Christmas, he’s kind of got to go. Though how much good that’ll do I’m not sure because guys like Conte are unlikely to be overly interested in managing Arsenal these days. Fact of the matter is that unless you get owners in who are mega-wealthy and aren’t interested in running the club as a business, you’re not going to be (consistently) challenging the likes of City, Chelsea and PSG. Messi leaving Barca for the former, kind of sums up the modern game.
Funnily enough, his market value is the same as Bellerin who allegedly wants to go to Barca.
Rick, did you know Miguel Azeez 20 year old brother Femi is at Reading? He scored his first goal for them at the weekend which was also his first professional goal.
Rico, Arsenal U23 game is being streamed on West Ham’s YouTube channel…
Thanks Sue.
Evening Rico and the House
So far not a good day.
Lost the test match
Essex lost to Glamagon
At the moment U23s are one downe to West Ham
Evening Rick, did you see my earlier re Azeez?
Can’t believe how England collapsed.
Over playing in defence , too many negative passes and absolutely no threat up front . Just like watching the first team. Obviously they are being coached not to take players on . Some nice looking players but never play an incisive ball when 6 passes gets you nowhere.
Great minds think alike.. lol
I was aware he had a brother at Reading Rico
but I don.nt know anything about him.
Any one watching the game
Much better then the Booring wood game
but something just not right.
Bring on KTH
I was pleased he scored his first goal Rick and my family were there. I’ll have to ask them what’s he’s like.
I’ve been watching some of it, uninspiring really.
3 nought down now, both goals from poor passing at the back
AUBA ‘FULLY COMMITTED’ TO ARSENAL
Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth on The Transfer Show:
“I’ve spoken to a contact who says Aubameyang is fully committed to Arsenal, he does still have two years on that big contract, and wants to return to the pitch as soon as possible.”
More similarities than thought then with the u23’s
5 now and we keep mucking about at the back and getting caught
6 , it’s a shambles
Late penalty from Azeez and it’s finished 6 -1 . Heavens to Betsy , this clubs in trouble.
What a shocking performance. 6-1
Words fail me
Bloody hell… and just to rub it in Okoflex scores a hat trick!!
What a thoroughly miserable start to the season!!
Potter Kev
Just a thought after tonights game.
No one has given a reason why Steve Bould was sacked.
Last season the U23s and U18s did not play out from
the back and Bouldy had plenty to say when his side started to play it
Seeing what has happened could it be play out frome the back or leave
The present team cannot play this way and we are in big trouble
Be afraid Sue, we might be saying the same about Willock in a few months time… 😜
The old saying…don’t change horses in mid-stream. Playing out from the back is Arteta’s diktat, abandoning the tactic in mid-season would be a disaster. Mind you continuing with it could be just as disastrous.
No club wants Aubameyang, he’s happy to cop his barrow load of money each week, we’re stuck with him.
Without a doubt, Rico!! 🙈
To play out from the back you need movement throughout the team which we do not have.
When we blame players for getting caught in possession we are blaming the result not the cause .
It’s similar to playing chess and knowing what will happen three moves ahead , when half of our players don’t know what day it is unless it’s pay day.
Just a thought :- From the mail.
REVEALED: Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Brentford was just HOURS from cancellation after three players reported feeling ill before the match, forcing every member of their squad and staff to take Covid tests ..
Not the best preparation .
Could that be fake news leaked to cover up a breakdown in relations between certain players and the manager?
Morning all.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Lacazette and Aubameyang sickness stories are true.
I’m hoping Abaumeyang, Lacazette and Bellerin are in sale negotiations and we offering 60 mil for Martinez.
Let’s ask Viera if we can have Butland as our back up keeper.
Put an offer in for Dallas from Leeds and try buy gundagon instead of Silva as City need to balance the books to buy Kane and could be willing to give him up.
I don’t know why we didn’t go for the PSG keeper who was on loan at Fulham last season and now on loan with West Ham I believe.
Can’t see City letting Gundogan go..
New post up now