Morning all.
Mikel Arteta on if Granit playing at left-back disrupts the team…
When I’m convinced that I’m going to do something that’s best for the team, then it’s going to be judged on whether you win or you don’t win. The problem I guarantee was not Granit playing as a full back.
Really? Perhaps not the only problem but Granit Xhaka is no more a left-back than I am a 6’ 4” centre forward. As said yesterday, I think him moving from midfield does disrupt the team because not only does it weaken our midfield but we lose something in defence too. Just because Xhak is left-footed, it doesn’t mean he can play anywhere on the left hand side of the pitch.
On if finding those solutions are easy…
It is complicated but you have to try and make the best out of that. There are moments that we have played Ben at full back instead of somebody else and you win the match and I haven’t heard any comment about him playing as a full back. When you don’t [win] obviously everything is there to be judged but it’s better to do it before the game, not after.
We do…
I think there is a big difference between moving Ben White because a) he’s a defender by trade and b) he’s played at right-back many times before.
Anyway, Mikel Arteta will ultimately succeed or fail with the decisions he makes and I’m sure he believes whatever decision he does make, is best for Arsenal at the time. Whether he’s proved right in time though is a different matter.
Southampton has just been battered by Chelsea so they’re either going into this game today still licking their wounds or focused on making amends. Ralf Hassenhuttl will have watched Arsenal’s two recent games, as will his players I’m sure. “Arsenal are their for the taking” will probably be the message he’s been drumming into the heads of his players.
The last time Southampton won a league game at St Marys was February 19th when they defeated Everton 2-0. If Arsenal can’t beat them today, what hope have we got for the rest of the season? Even with the small squad and injuries, are we not stronger, on paper at least, than Brighton and Southampton?
Mikel Arteta was asked about his comments about the performance against Palace, and what he’s done differently this week to avoid another defeat…
I said that the performance in the first half it was unacceptable, because I saw things that I didn’t see for a long time. I saw a big reaction in the second half, but we didn’t put the game into a situation where we could still get something out of it. Against Brighton it was different, it was not an attitudinal thing, it was something else. Again it wasn’t good enough, and we didn’t perform at the level that we should do. We are trying to change things, but not too many things because there are a lot of things that are working. But there are details that are letting down the team – it’s not that we are conceding 15 or 20 shots and getting hammered in games. We are conceding one or two shots, and we are getting penalised, and we haven’t been efficient enough in a lot of things that we should do better.
So if our last two performances were not down to the players attitude, what was it? Lack of preparation or ability? Why is it that all of a sudden, the team aren’t playing at the level they had previously? I just hope Mikel knows the answer and today we see a much better performance which results in Arsenal securing three big points to kick off what is a tough week ahead.
Arsenal need to be playing in Europe next season, regardless of which competition that might be. A Europa League spot is ours to lose, a Champions League place is ours to win. Eight fixtures, eight wins and we’re there. Simples. 😂
See you in the comments.
From this morning :-
Like Lacazette Eddie needs help in the box , it’s no good trying to hit him with long balls or high centres , he feeds off the scraps that others make. He is sharp around the goal but when he was scoring for fun for the Under 21 team he had Hudson Odoi , Foden , Abraham an Reiss Nelson as partners. .
If we play him as a lone striker and expect him to hold the ball up , it won’t work but Arteta has to find a way to to include him possibly with lacazette and see what happens then.
Some how Arteta has to find a way to implement this , and chances are Hassenhuttl won’t be expecting it.
Agree. Playing the ball from back to front a lot quicker would help. All this messing around on the halfway line does out attacking players no good whatsoever.
Morning Rico and all watch a interview on pay tv football show Arteta admitted it was a mistake to move Xhaka but then when on to say he had no option due to injured players and then back to his old line that they are the youngest team in the league and they are still learning but not really except any blame him self yet after the interview was played the shows team blamed him for his poor decision
Morning Geoff, that’s not what he said on Arsenal media though.
Rico unless the show cut some of his interview out or it’s 2 different interviews who knows, but the most important thing is we have to win tonight and win well with a clean sheet would be nice.
Fingers crossed Toots lose today.
Perhaps Geoff. Yep, I’ll be hoping both Brighton and Norwich win.
Morning Rico. It was a strange interview for me. But we’ll see how realistic it all is after today’s game.
G’day Rico and all.
I’m afraid that it’s not only the answers that Arteta doesn’t have, it’s the questions he is asking himself that are wrong.
Arsenal: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Lokonga, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah.
Subs: Leno, Holding, Ogungbo, Swanson, Elneny, Azeez, Smith Rowe, Hutchinson, Pepe
4 – 3 – 2 -1 ,
Can’t teach an old dog new tricks then , Best we play fast through the middle because we won’t get far crossing it.
:Lacazette has the Covid lurgie apparently
At least Tottenham is sending us a life line for the game against them
I don’t see this line up any better.
No protection to Nuno, haphazard Midfield especially if Xhaka is playing holding mid and doubt Arteta changes his formation meaning it’s Nkitiah next to Odegaard. I see no change to how we played last week.
Thank you BHA now for us to take advantage
Hi Rico.. Well, well, well, Trossard was called a Trosser last week (🤣) all forgiven now! Let’s hope we take this opportunity..
Good on ya Brighton!
Afternoon Adam, Sue, Cicero, all.
Excellent from Brighton, what a good time to score. 😆
Merson was right – Tottenham still have a Tottenham in them!
Phew, KDB makes the bench – Come on City
Afternoon all
Excellent start to the afternoon..
Come on Arsenal!
I will post at the end agaian
Adam, I too thought it was an odd press conference, especially the bit about White, Xhaka and Tavares.
Good point Cicero.
😂 Sue
Afternoon all.
We have a real good chance of regaining our control of fourth place. Arsenal, the club that loves to give. Watch us throw it away again today! We should win by a country mile, despite our patchy form of late, but we are the Arsenal!
I’m going for a close 2-1 win to the gunners. But nothing will surprise me. This is far from our best eleven, but really we should prevail. I hope so, I rally do.
Bloomin heck!
Christmas comes early At Southampton
We have no one to blame but our self.
Half-time observations:
1. Cedric Soares didn’t prove himself a decent choice for right-footed set pieces.
2. While the ball possession is shocking (68%), the overwhelming safe passes really concern me.
3. The 2 key passes are a disgrace. I don’t know if we forgot how to attack or just wasn’t interested.
4. Lokonga is not particularly effective, but he is far from being a liability.
5. The referee should have issued 2 yellow cards for Southampton.
6. Contrary to the hopes and hypes Ramsdale is a perfectly average goalkeeper.
7. Saka’s miss was terrible. If he wasn’t everyone’s favorite Arsenal player, fans would demand his head.
so glad we never brought that striker in January that we really need but on the bright side Arteta’s hair stayed in place
It’s official – we’re in freefall!
79% possession, 21 shots with 5 on target! That’s according to the BBC.
Dreadful.
Yep, in full flow too.
Even Utd are ahead of us now. Europa? Can’t see it myself.
Our season is dying. We are as bad now as we were in the opening games.
Arteta will be lucky to keep his job.
No surprises, nothing more to say, Arsenal of old is back.
No easier way to capitulate, after being presented with so many massive opportunities this season by man United & Spurs, never taking advantage, never interested, no mentality. Thank you for the memories Arteta & Co.
Oh and we have Chelsea next… I just want the season to be over 😩
Rico going by todays match our humble pie will go off with old age before we need it.
As said before Saka needs to learn how to shoot as once again a nice height side footed waste of a great chance was the first opportunity to go begging . Then we they go in front and all of our five a side training comes into play as we pass , pass ,pass trying to thread balls through gaps that aren’t there .
Still We should improve on our two 8th place finishes , I reckon 7th.
Sue will it be worth watching the Arsenal v Chelsea
As unpalatable as it is, we really are a mid-table team thrashing around near goal and making dumb mistakes in defence.
Who is responsible, if anybody? Or does it just carry on?
Think so too Geoff.
Well probably get walloped by Chelsea and Utd.
Geoff.. not sure I’m up for it 🤣
If Burnley can sack Dyche Adam…….
Wolves aren’t far behind us Potter.
Crystal Palace hadn’t won at home in 2022. #helloArsenal
Brighton had won none of their last seven games (D1 L6) #helloArsenal
Southampton have won none of their last six games and lost their last four in a row at home. #helloArsenal
Embarrassing.. Arsenal (& Liverpool) really know how to ruin a weekend
We really are the gift which keeps on giving
Rico. Are you suggesting Dyche for us?😀
Cicero, if Arteta manages to keep his job, he will indeed be lucky.
But we ain’t.
Arteta’s interview the same response as last match.
If Kroenke really cares Arteta should go, but I recon Kroenke will offer him a new contract at the end of the season
Ha ha Adam, no. 😂
– 76% possession, shots 9 v. 23; on goal 3 v. 6; corners: 6-8
Touch 208 v. 653; accuracy – 125 v. 580
Final score: 1-0
It is the reality of facts.
And it has often been the reality of the facts.
Surely we can cancel AMN’s loan and use him, I hardly see him playing for Roma.
I think Leno should take over to let Ramsdale know that his place is not guaranteed.
White needs to wake up too. Number of poor performances and I blame his feigning injury for the goal.
Can’t see Arteta doing anything like that Brad, even if it does make good sense.
Something has to be wrong in the dressing room imo.
I must agree Rico. Why would covid be previously personal time off.
I fear with the fixtures remaining we will capitulate to 8th again with maybe points from Leeds, Newcastle and Everton.
Exactly Brad. He’s talking in riddles.
I can’t see us picking up many points now but with Wolves fixtures as they are, we might scrape into the Europa Conference League.
I was bought up in an era when we had some really strange people like Mercer , McLintock , Adams , Vieira . All players that led from the front , cajoled their team mates and drove their players on.
Today we have one man trying to be a Manager a coach and a non playing captain at the same time and it’s not working.
We are rudderless , the players don’t know how to change their one pattern , they are adrift and nobody is helping them .
It’s too easy to blame them but the same old is getting trotted out
We are heading for a season end not much better than our last two . Not showing any or little improvement . KSE have a decision to make , stick or twist .
They can twist and start again or they can stick , but if they do then we don’t want a superstar , we need a leader , we need more of the players mentioned earlier . We have some players that are up to it and we have others that are borderline and we have some that for whatever reason need to go but .the leader comes first or we will continue to get more of the same.
Totally agree. For how long now have a few of us on here said about lacking leadership, height and strength? Power too. We’re a team of tiddlers who rely on skill and agility which in this league, doesn’t always win.
For what it’s worth, I think Arsenal will stick, just as they did with Unai and if things go wrong at the start of next season, they’ll react.
New post up now