Monday blues…

The above is doing the rounds on social media and it’s not good if it’s genuine. Even though Wrighty missed a season out, the one when we finished eighth, I get what he’s saying. It’s going to be hard to defend “the process” if it doesn’t bear fruit this season.

Right now it feels like every player needs to go into one of these warehouses in which angry people can let off steam by smashing up old furniture etc. They are playing like the whole world is on their shoulders and it’s weighing them down. Somehow, certainly before Sunday, they need to rid themselves of it. Mikel Arteta, well he could do with taking a couple of Valium around 4.20 on Sunday so when he takes his seat at The Etihad, he stays in it.

One of our best performances against Man City was in my opinion, when Albert Stuivenberg had to stand in for Mikel Arteta on New Year’s Day 2022. Ok, we lost the game but that was more the diving cheating Silva who conned the officials to “win” a penalty to win the game. Plus, Gabriel was sent off and Gabriel Martinelli missed an open goal. Yet, despite playing with ten men, the team fought hard, really hard to take a point but City got lucky at the end.

Another game in which City were lucky to walk off the pitch with a point came in September 2024. Against we had a player controversially sent off, this time it was Leandro Trossard for kicking the ball away, and again we were leading. In the eighth minute of added time, goodness knows where that came from, John Stones scored an equaliser at The Etihad. (Thank you Michael Oliver!)

Understandably, this coming weekends game at The Etihad is being tipped as the Premier League decider. City will of course be the favourites, especially after their League Cup win but coming away with at least a point is not beyond the realms of possibility for Mikel Arteta’s players. It will take a mighty performance of course but look at the group of players Arteta has, they are certainly good enough if their minds are focussed and their hearts are in it. Without that, it doesn’t matter what Arteta’s plan is because nothing will work but I certainly hope he has a plan better than the one at Wembley. A plan which doesn’t include David Raya faffing about with the ball in his own area, creating pressure from the opposition and the defence along the way. A plan which doesn’t include playing the ball to a teammate who has an opposing player right by his side. The simple things eh.

Football is about progression, getting the ball from defence to attack quickly and even I know, a team doesn’t score goals when the ball is constantly being passed around sideways and backwards in their own half. The more we faff around in our own half, the more likely it is that we’ll see errors or lose possession, especially against a side like City. But to that, our midfielders and forwards need to be better, more flexible and more switched on. What’s the point in our wingers hugging the lines if the ball isn’t coming their way? Use some initiative and move into a space where they can receive a pass instead of aimlessly waiting for the ball to arrive. Be smart, not stupid. Take a bit of responsibility instead of drifting through a game having little impact.

Mikel Arteta can prepare his players all he likes but once they cross the white line, it’s about them. They are professional footballers, most of whom are vastly experienced. They shouldn’t and probably don’t need yelling at from the sidelines, they should find it within themselves to perform well. Honestly, if someone kept yelling at me from the sidelines, I’d probably be inclined to switch off be it becomes white noise. What we need on Sunday, in every game left to play, is a cool, calm and controlled approach.

Just my opinions of course….