I found it interesting listening to Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Glen Johnson and Gary Linekar last night whilst they were covering the Chelsea v Liverpool FA Cup fixture. A fixture Chelsea won by the way. The question posed by Linekar related to Chelsea’s inconsistency this season. Brilliant one minute, or at least good one minute, poor the next which led to questioning whether or not anyone present believed Frank Lampard knew his best starting eleven. No one thought he did which is why they believed he’s been chopping and changing his team throughout the season. Lampard had a full pre-season with his squad and yet he’s still tinkering. Lampard being a Chelsea man, would have known some of his players personally before taking over, he’d have watched his old club whenever he could too but despite all of that, only hands on experience in management and coaching will tell the whole story about a player. Most managers have around 25 players In their squad so that’s a lot of work to be done. A lot of time is needed to find out what makes them tick. An arm around the shoulder, the hairdryer treatment, dropping them, a quiet word on their own or a shouting match in front of everyone. One size does not fit all.
Whether Lampard would disagree with Shearer and co I don’t know but it’s fair to say he doesn’t have a settled or regular starting 9-11 players. Not even his keeper is a certainty.
Neither does Mikel Arteta know his best eleven in my opinion. He’s played every defender he has fit, every midfielder and every attacking player yet from one week to the next, the team could change. Only recently does he seem to have settled for Luiz and Mustafi at the heart of defence, Torreira is in one week, out the next, Lacazette the same and he even switched from playing Martinez in Europa to Leno. Pepe is another who’s not a guaranteed started and Sokratis has been preferred to AMN at right back when Bellerin isn’t able to play. AMN seems to have a slap on the wrists whilst being told to shape up just as reports suggested Guendouzi did a few weeks ago so Arteta is still learning about those two in relation to how they respond. The Frenchman seems to have taken note and knuckled down as he’s been back in the team but AMN appears to remain in the slightly naughty corner.
I’m sure Mikel Arteta began doing his homework on our players as soon as he knew he wanted the Arsenal job, just as Unai Emery did before he was appointed Arsenal head coach but reading about people and watching play tells a manager nothing about that players personality both on and off the pitch. Nothing about how they approach training? Nothing about how they react to discipline or being substituted. Nothing about how their conduct away from the club or around for that matter and nothing about how they are with their teammates old or young. Such information can be passed on by others but to be inflicted by another persons opinion is wrong in any walk of life. When new managers go into any post, a clean slate has to mean a clean slate. All of which takes time to assess, certainly more time than our Spaniard has had. Human beings operate at a different pace too. One person might grasp something new in one day, but for others it might take a lot longer so a premature decision over a players future is something the club need to avoid.
Another few months down the line and Mikel Arteta will have a better understanding of his squad but for now, I still believe he’s going through a trial and error. Finding out who is going to perform long term and not just through this new manager honeymoon period, who can respond with a solid performance after a shaky one, who reacts well after a halftime rollicking and who will take his ideas with them onto the pitch. Not just for a few weeks but for at least six months which is roughly what he’d have had by the time the season ends.
I’d imagine he still has question marks hanging over many players, regardless of whether they’d upped their game since his arrival. Xhaka, Mustafi, Ozil, Pepe, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Bellerin, Leno, Martinez, Guendouzi, Torreira, Lacazette – probably others too and that was the rational behind my comment yesterday about Mikel probably still trying to work out who he wants to keep this coming summer because I don’t think twelve weeks is enough time for him to make a definitive decision. He probably knows the type of player he’d like to add to the squad but for now, I’m sure he’s keeping an open mind on those he already has at his disposal.
Also, there are the club’s finances to consider which without Champions League football will probably mean a small budget to play with this summer. Losing to Olympiacos didn’t help our cause but whose to say we’d have beaten Wolves in the next round or whoever we came up against next had we done so?
This time under Mikel Arteta is about baby steps, improvement in specific areas where we were worst, learning, sorting out the squad and preparing for next season’s challenge. It’s about mopping up the mess left behind and moving the club forwards both on and off the pitch.
The football Arsenal have played for the last 5/6 years, if not longer, has been dire. It’s been pedestrian, negative, sideways and backwards passing. Boring, absolutely boring. Expecting that to miraculously change in just twelve weeks is unreasonable in my opinion.
See you in the comments guys.
Good morning Rico, an interesting post thank you.
Getting to know his players has been made more difficult, for Arteta, due to the number of injuries that have plagued the squad, defence in particular. Does he even known his best and most reliable back four yet?
Time for the all important assessment to be completed is fast running out as is the opportunity to try different players and combinations.
Decision time is not far away.
Morning Cicero, thanks.
I’m sure there will be decisions to be made before May but at least that shouldn’t stop the plans about who/what we need. That I think is more clear.
He has three months before making his final decisions I think, decisions which might be pushed should other clubs show any interest in our players.
If the offer is right for Arsenal, I think they’d consider them for many of our players.
Morning all.
Having a best 11 is one thing, but against different opponents, it’s a fluid thing at best.
League games are different to Cup ties and European games, so that best 11 will change every week and I haven’t even mentioned injuries.
It’s a balancing act to out the correct side out each week, and a very difficult thing to get right.
He’s doing brilliantly in giving us a very solid basis for next season and really, anything else we achieve this season will be a bonus imo.
Scott, I still don’t think he knows everything about each player, nor do I think he knows who should stay/go in the summer and I get why. What we think of players is based on what we see, but we don’t really know them like he’s having to do.
Well I guess that’s true Rico, many said Xhaka was a liability but Arteta saw something others missed.
Spot on, Rico.
Consolidate for now as best we can, and start building towards next season.
It’s the only way to go.
And Mustafi Cicero. Luiz too but his character is exactly what this squad of players has lacked for years.
Absolutely Scott. I do sometimes think a little more patience in life is required. Expecting us to suddenly become a well oiled football team overnight or in twelve weeks is expecting far too much.
Especially when the club has been shockingly run for as many years as it has.
Exactly right, Rico.
A slow, steady but constant rate of improvement is what we should want to see.
I think so Scott. We’ve seen too many new manager syndrome clubs get off to a flying start only to dip and end up having to start again.
Exactly right, Rico, and invariably, the club reacts by signing the manager to a long term contract, the novelty wears off and they’re stuck.
I’m more convinced now than ever that he’s the right man for the job.
Hi Rico & All I know it was only 1 match but I wonder if Luiz would be a better choice captain then Aubameyang and if we did this would it take some pressure of Aubameyang and allow him to concentrate more on his game and scoring.
Like Ole Scott. And imo, Mourinho and I’m far from convinced about Ancelotti but if they flop, it helps us 😂
I’m sitting on the fence re Mikel because imo, it’s far too early to know if he’ll be what we need but I’m certainly not writing him off by a long way. I like what he’s doing very much, and the relationship he seems to be forming with the fans at the game.
Hi Geoff. I think Arteta just left things as they were re the captaincy. I’m not a fan of strikers being captain, defender first, midfielder second but who at the time was ready to take the responsibility? Or played like a captain should?
Thanks for the post Rico…
Just read the same paragraph and tbh I’m thoroughly sick and tired of all these pundits.
Ian Wright has never worked in football outside of being a player.
Alan Sheared was a total failure at Newcastle.
Glen Johnson was an average footballer who got lucky, what are his qualifications?
And wtf does Gary Lineker know about coaching, just stick to eating crisps jugears….
Well I got that off my chest, back to the post… 🙂
Hi Rico that’s the problem we don’t really have any one who stands out but when you watch them Luiz helps and encourage the young players is great to see but I not sure if Aubameyang can handle the pressure of being captain and still trying to help and encourage the young players on the field when he is trying to concentrate on scoring personally I believe Arteta left or was told to leave Aubameyang as captain hoping he would resign with us for 2 more years.
Hi Kev, but they’ve all played the game to a high standard. They must know something. I’m not keen on any of them apart from Wrighty of course, but I know they know more about football than I ever will. 😂
Perhaps we’ll see changes made in the summer Geoff, definitely if Auba heads to new pastures.
That’s been the nature of the beast since he took over . Looking for prizes this season was always fanciful the project needs time but are people going to be patient enough to give him time. They weren’t with Dick and the animosity is beginning to build on the more critical sites and in the media
Yeah, I know Rico, but playing is totally different, all you have to worry about is yourself, when you Coach it’s another world.
Lampard has taken on a huge job with higher expectations than we have at Arsenal, their ownership demands trophies, sadly that’s not the case at Arsenal anymore.
But I’ve not finished the post yet (busy busy) or read any comments so I might be talking out of turn. 😉
I’ve seen the spiky comments add pace Potter. Doesn’t take long eh.
That’s true Kev but it would appear the Lampard will be given time. Money too if they land a CL place. Roman seems to pulled the purse strings tight otherwise. Plus they have last years budget to spend.
As for Arsenal’s owner expectations, do any of us really know what they are? If we’re judging them on money spent, they are simply playing by the rules imo.
“Yeah, I know Rico, but playing is totally different, all you have to worry about is yourself, when you Coach it’s another world.”
Little hope any of us will get much right then… 😜
Any fan demanding or expecting us to win trophies any time soon lives in Dream World.
Same with Chelsea, to be honest.
Right now, there are only 2 English sides capable.
Rico, as for these ex-players being experts, I always think that just because a player played at a high level doesn’t mean a damn thing about their football knowledge, it just means they were born with talent.
Pity the media outlets don’t realise that 🙂
Hi Rico, nice post 👍
I agree with you about the ‘baby steps’ – since Arteta took over, we’re unbeaten away (4 draws, 3 wins? In all comps)..there was a time when I thought we’d never win away again 😆 Now that might come to a grinding halt next Wednesday, at the Etihad, but thanks to Mikel I don’t dread away games half as much as I used to!
He has worked wonders with certain individuals.. I saw on WhoScored team of the month, Auba and Mustafi (yes you read that right) made it… Who’d have thought that a few months back?!
The financial side of things is a little worrying, especially now we’re out of Europe. Will there be a mass exodus in the summer? As we still have that ridiculously high wage bill!! Can’t see us buying unless we sell a few (not Auba though 😁) There’s talk of Besiktas not wanting to buy Elneny, so looks like he’ll be back with us…..
Oh and did I mention how quiet it was at work today? For some strange reason the Liverpool fans didn’t want to talk football today 😂😂👍
Cicero I don’t think that Wenger or Emery or even Arteta ever doubted Xhaka, it was just everyone else. 😉
Sue there has never been so many glum faces on Merseyside since they invented locking wheel nuts .
They must know a lot about the game Scott because they’d have learned from great coaches who have managed them..
Hi Sue, thanks. I certainly don’t fear our trip to The Etihad as much as I would a year ago. I don’t expect us to win but a good performance, by that I mean disciplined etc, I’ll bepkeased as it’ll be progress. Then again, City aren’t quite the force they once were imo.
Nikki looks set to return too I read as his price is reportedly too high. Like you, I fully expect a few sales this summer..
Ha ha Potter.
And Pep apparently Kev, didn’t Arteta say City wanted Xhaka. Mari too I read.
Potter.. hahaha brilliant!!! 👍
Yeah, that’s right Rico, everyone loves Xhaka….
Odd, isn’t it? 😄
I read a while back that we supposedly turned down an offer of around 8m (?) from Roma, why we didn’t take that, I’ll never know Rico! The way we do business is bizarre!!
Well, let’s hope Norwich do the biz tonight! I did say I hope the draw is kind to us, but it looks like it’ll be all premier league!
Sue :-Thought I would get in before Le Coq , Wouldn’t be surprised if Derby sprung a shock but it does look like Premier League all the way.
I will be rooting for Derby, Potter, and hope Rooney haunts his old team!
I’d love to know what it is they see Kev. Saying that, doesn’t he play further up the pitch for Switzerland than he does for us?
Sue,I’d have taken the money for Mikki but I wonder if Arteta thinks he could work with Elneny.
Oh hurry up with the draw & come on Norwich!
I, personally, don’t want Elneny back, Rico… he gave me nightmares 😂
We’re off to Bramall Lane then….
Sheffield Utd away..l
I didn’t mind him Sue..
Spurs go out on penalties.
Good old Norwich, Rico 👍 online the spuds were moaning about Maureen and how they want him gone, how they wished they’d stayed at WHL and invested in players instead… hahaha now who’s a specialist in failure?!! Loving it!
You beat me to it Vcc… 😝
Night guys.
Get in there City!!!!_
Canaries beat the Skinny Chicken on penalties.
Well, well, well, how many times has Mourinho taken over at a new club and failed to win a trophy in his first season?
Wasn’t one of the major reasons for bringing in the Special One the fact that he almost always guarantees trophies?
I guess there’s still the Champions League…
Sheffield United (a) could be a very tasty match up, I just wonder if the Blades are running out of steam after a very impressive season back in the Premier League?
I’d rather be at Bramall Lane than at Leicester that’s for sure, get past United and the competition is there for the taking?
JM, no mention of the Portuguese managers efforts today 🙂 🙂 🙂
New post up now