Morning all.
A story which has rumbled on for a while has now been confirmed by Arsenal Football Club. Bukayo Saka has signed a new long term deal worth a reported £300,000 a week.
The journey that I’ve been on, from where I started to where I am now, and the journey the team’s been on as well, is a special one. I believe the next few years are going to be the years that we get over the line, and we’re able to win trophies and make history for this club. We’re back where we belong, fighting for everything.
He’s right, we are as a club fighting for everything, hard to believe after watching us capitulate against Wolves on Wednesday but we are. We breezed through the Champions League so far, into the League Cup Final and the FA Cup and Premier League trophies are still up for grabs. Being in all four competitions and winning one though are two different things.
I kind of feel we’re in a last chance saloon. We worked our way from being dreadful to being competitive since December 2019 with the final roll of the dice taking place last summer with the players the club signed.
I think the one thing most of us will agree on is that Arsenal need to snap out of this dismal spell they are going through. How they do it I don’t care but they need to. Arteta too needs to get a grip of his players and spell out what’s needed to win silverware this season. He’s been there with Man City under Guardiola so he should know how to drag this group of players out of their slumber. If he can’t now then I’m not sure he ever will.
That’s what we need to see, Arteta smiling because if he’s smiling, it means his teams are doing well.
But, there’s a saying isn’t there, one I know I’ve used before on here – “Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result!” That’s Arsenal right now, doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different at the end of it. Switching Saka from the right into the centre is all well and good but it’s about more than just the players. It’s about the way we play and burning out certain players whilst casting others aside. I thought we were done with that.
Do you ever find yourself sat with a friend over a coffee or beer and all they do is moan? Yes, I’ve been there too but it doesn’t take long to realise that the friend is doing the same thing each day and it’s making them unhappy. What have they done to try and change their life? Nothing. I’m sure you get my drift.
The Premier League race is still on, it is only February after all, but as well as causing our own problems, Man City will cause them too because this is the time of the season when they usually push hard and win games themselves. They’ve already had their own share of disappointing results this season. Not that anyone was really talking about them when they were dropping points from winning positions but with Arsenal, it’s all over the back pages. Not that I’m trying to defend the players or Arteta.
We often hear about bouncing back, the next fixture is a good opportunity to get back to winning ways etc, the list goes on but it’s on the pitch which matters. Off it too as win, lose or draw, the buck stops with Arteta. He and his players need to take a look in the mirror and ask themselves a few questions, one of which is “can I do more/better”? The answer should be a resounding yes!
Arsenal have to start playing much better and get back to winning ways, starting on Sunday, and then go on a good run. A long run, otherwise the wait for a Premier League title will go on. And on.
Catch up in the comments.
Very well-spoken Rico. Arsenal needs to start winning and winning…and winning starting with the NLD this Sunday. Arteta needs to be more flexible and less partial in selecting players for our EPL matches. Zubimendi is tired, need to introduce Norgaard, a premier league proven midfielder. Also, Saka is not a no 10, not at this stage of his career, you want to change his position. Raya is becoming too complacent, he needs to sit on the bench a little, after all we have a super no 2 goalkeeper in Kepa. So many things need to change fast, and thank God Havertz is fit now, cos he is by far our best player up front. It will be humiliating to everyone related to Arsenal if this league is lost…COYG.
Thanks Mohammed, I too hope to see more of Norgaard. He’s not let us down once. Rice and Zubimendi need a breather imo, but I doubt either will get one this weekend.
Good morning Rico.
The media doom-mongers are in full flood, according to them we’ve gone from nailed on certainties to win the lot in January to also-rans a few weeks later. Psssh!
Tiredness, injuries, sickness, fixture congestion and lack of time on the training ground have all contributed to the downturn in results but we still have a very, very good squad.
We can forget the Carabao Cup for a few weeks and Arteta has to use the FA Cup games to rest, completely, as many first team players as is humanly possible. If that means sacrificing the old tin pot, so be it.
Finally, does anyone really believe City are going to storm their way through their remaining games without dropping points? I don’t!
Morning Cicero.
This is when City usually come good but I do think it will be down to us who wins the league. By that I mean we either continue to shoot ourselves in the foot or go on a great run.
Month Manchester City Fixtures
February Newcastle (H), Leeds (A) March Nott’m Forest (H), West Ham (A)
April Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Burnley (A) May Everton (A), Brentford (H), Bournemouth (A), Aston Villa (H)
Manchester City also has a postponed fixture against Crystal Palace yet to be rescheduled
Arsenal Fixtures
February ) Tottenham (A)
March ) Chelsea (H), Brighton (A), Everton (H)
April ) Bournemouth (H), Man City (A), Newcastle (H)
May ) Fulham (H), West Ham (A), Burnley (H), Crystal Palace (A)
You pays your money and takes your chances