Morning all.
Hats off to Brighton who against the odds, have secured a place in next season’s Europa League. If Brighton fans felt cheesed off when Potter ditched them for Chelsea, they must now be so glad he did because Roberto De Zerbi has already achieved more than Potter ever did on the south coast. The club itself seem to be run really well, buying players for lower fees and selling for a huge profit but all the time, remaining competitive on the pitch.
Meanwhile, down the road from The Emirates, no one seems to want the Totts job. Arne Slot, the current Feyenoord manager is reported to be latest candidate to say thanks, but no thanks. Yet you’d think he’d jump at the opportunity to switch from the Dutch League to the multimillions the Premier League offers. Perhaps he sees Totts as a step down having just won the Eredivisie League title.
Arsenal appear secure as far as a managerial appointment goes but no managers job is 100% safe at any time in his career really because football is a results/performance based business. If Arsenal had played the entire season as they have the few months, I’d imagine Mikel Arteta would have thought his time at Arsenal was in serious doubt. However, it’s not because for the majority of the season, his team has been brilliant. Longevity has been the problem though, maintaining high tempo football for an entire season. Also, we seem to struggle with turning a game round and by that I mean if we start badly or lethargically, we haven’t always been able to change it. I suppose I think of the Liverpool game, West Ham, Southampton, Everton away and even Utd away. Great sides can flick a switch, up the tempo and secure a win. No, I’ve not forgotten the comeback against Bournemouth and Villa, nor the last gasp goal against Man Utd but its against clubs at the bottom of the table we’ve struggled to raise our level.
Arsenal have been great when things are going well but when a spanner has been thrown into the works, Arsenal hasn’t always responded well enough. It might sound like I’m being picky or overly critical but if we as a club are going to go from very good to great, Arteta and his players have to find a way to overcome what I think is a clear problem.
I’m not overly thrilled to see Jesus and Gabriel behaving like babies who’ve just had it’s favourite toy taken away from it each week either. Seriously, if Jesus didn’t fall over every time an opposition players goes near him, he might actually get more decisions go his way when he really has been fouled. Sitting on the ground with his screwed up face looking like he’s about to cry doesn’t help the team. Get up and get on with the game unless something other than his ego has been wounded.
Anyway, one more game to play this season and with the pressure off, it’ll be interesting to see how this group of players perform. Neither Arsenal of Wolves have anything to play for but seeing as we’re at home, it’d be nice for the fans to see Arsenal finish the season on a positive note.
Then of course it’ll be all about transfers. Who is going, who is staying and who will Arsenal sign. I hope one or two big characters come through the doors, not big egos, just players who when the tough does get going, they do too.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico, I hope you won’t mind me repeating what I said earlier. RIP Tina, Simply the Best!
All in all I think Edu and Arteta have done remarkably well. They have made a good start on clearing the decks and with any luck will complete the job next month. Most, if not all, of their signings have come off and not one of those departed have been missed.
One thing missing from the whole of Arteta’s coaching philosophy is the unpredictable. We, and every Premiership manger, know exactly what to expect. Arteta’s tactics are to rigidly enforced, perhaps with the younger players becoming more mature, more experienced, more confident, some of that rigidity can be relaxed in such a way as to give opposing coaches something to think about.
Morning Cicero, not at all.
I too think think the club has done an immense amount of good work on and off the pitch. The contract management has vastly improved too and hopefully Saliba will be announced soon.
I agree though, unpredictability is a great choice of words. We’re missing it and in turn, it’s made life a little too easy for teams who don’t let us play.
Since Jesus’s arrival Saka has stopped putting high crosses into the box, instead he turns inside and tries to pass to Odegaard for him to try a shot from the edge of the box. Initially it worked and our Captain scored some lovely goals now, however, whenever Saka gets into that position Odegaard finds himself well marked and up against at least two defenders. Thus, predictably, one source of goals has been cut off.
Let’s not forget plucky little Brighton have been bankrolled by Tony Bloom to the tune of £500m. Will he want a return on his investment?
I think the recent criticism of Arteta is wide of the mark. Often we hold others to standards way beyond what we would consider reasonable for ourselves…
You have point there Pete, but there is a considerable difference between them and us. For example, Saka”s weekly wage has gone up to £200,000 per week. I, on the other hand, have just been advised by the Pension service that on reaching 80 my pension has been increased by 25 PENCE per week
If you get the big bucks you can expect to take a modicum of criticism.
Afternoon Rico and all.
I admit you can’t blame Arteta for the bad performance of the player on the day, but this is Arteta team, and he has to except a lot of blame, for not resting players, making changes far too late.
The owners of the Brigthon are linked to Belgium’s St.Glloise.
In addition to the absence of Saliba and the squad being short and/or not having players on the bench who can make a difference, I think that what marks Arsenal’s “slip” was the 2nd goal by Liverpool (Firmino) near the end of the game and the removal at Highbury from the Europa League.
Hi Geoff.
I read a few comments on a different Arsenal website the other day and there was suggestion that Saka should be sold and Arteta sacked. I know that’s not the view here but even so, I find that view difficult to understand.
I expect Gary Neville wrote it… 😂
Whoever finally gets appointed head coach/manager of Chelsea will have some job on his hands. There’s no way the present bunch could be called a team and Lampard will struggle to find a manager’s job higher than the third tier of English football.
Rico, I agree why would we want to sell Saka unless someone made an offer way too good to turn down and Replace Arteta after coming 2nd this season.
I can understand why people would want Arteta sacked next year if we were to finish 6th or 7th. but this season, I believe he has earned the rights to manage another season.
New post up now.
I would imagine that Lampard is set fair to replace Southgate when the time comes. He basically ticks every F.A box. Useless , English and won’t say boo to a goose
Chelsea may well be a basket case of a club but as in the Mudryk example they have the ability to continue the inflation of players prices. It is a kind of parody of half of the political problems that are faced by our present government.where importation is seen to be the easier route rather than producing our own with a can kicking system that leaves them with long term contracts that means that they are pretty much strapped unless they can move some of their over priced players on.
However we will be forced to go into the market but if we want proven players we will pay over the odds and if we want prospects we take gambles possibility and pay for what might be ( Vieira anyone ? )