Martin Ødegaard

[Trilly]

I am just joking when I post all that stuff, tbf...I wrote a post about a full page long comparing Arteta to Bobby Robson, even going as far to say that Arteta was a little bit ahead of Robson at Newcastle, as he had already won a trophy.

Even though at that point Robson had taken Ipswich to the top of the game, managed peak Ronaldo's and Figo's Barca and had one of England's best ever World Cup performances...to just name a few

Don't take anything I say too seriously, just up for shaking a few cages, in good fun of course...wish I joined the forum years ago, when I first found it.

Few on here have an actual agenda (I think/hope at least) just all have different tastes in what players/coaches/teams/styles/etc that we prefer...that's just being a human.

I would like Arteta to succeed, as I like the thought of an ex player doing very well...but if he does badly, I will understand him getting replaced.

Though if it was Thierry Henry in the hot seat, doing terribly and getting bantered about in here, I would admittedly be genuinely annoyed...would probably end up getting banned if that happened

 

[Trilly]

You don’t ‘quash’ anything, son. And, yes, a fair amount. Same hypocritical cry babies tbh. Negative, hypocritical **** bags.

And now they’ve met a bit of opposition, they’ll want him to fail even more. But of course, you’re going to tell me that this doesn’t happen AM...

Where’s the evidence then? It should be in this thread right?

 

[Trilly]

Well, the same question remains. Who would you have got instead of Willian? A PL proven player with similar amount of money. Give me a list.

I wasn't mega-excited about him. I'm not sure why would anyone be. It's something totally different that gets me mega-excited. Like Partey. I thought it was good business, and only the pessimists could have guessed that he will perform so badly thus far.

We have seen that Nelson could not be counted on. Martinelli out too and needing much time to get going.

You didn't answer my question. Who would you get for the same amount of money as Ødegaard here?

Not going to lie man.
With 200k per week wages we could have signed some real quality. Have you seen the free agent market this summer? It’s crazy.

Even a 100K per week wage with a 30M transfer fee could have got us a quality player (Buendia?). At the time we signed Willian, Pepe was our starting RW and Saka was knocking on the door, with Nelson getting decent minutes as well.

Signing Willian when we already had all that competition for one wing spot meant that Willian had to be brilliant, it was a gamble that’s completely failed in hindsight.

 

[Trilly]

None of them are really good though, Auba the only real top quality one and even then he has big flaws...while Laca has enjoyed his best run of form in maybe years under Mikel this season tbf (plus Pierre was quality last season under him, wonder if whatever is going on with Auba now understandably affected his form this season.)

Auba is good. He over-performed under the first few months of Arteta and has now reverted to the mean, which is him being on track for 10 PL goals.

Laca was good under Emery, then struggled in the role Arteta created for him. He’s been better since Arteta stopped killing him with the no10-9 hybrid role. I’m not making this up btw, there’s an interview by Arsenal on Laca talking about the new role Mikel wants him to play.

Willian was literally good a few months ago then came here and died. Even Pepe while struggling and adapting was still one of the best dribblers in Europe and one of our more dangerous players.

Every single senior forward player has gotten worse under him, you don’t explain that away as ‘they aren’t really good anyway’. Things have gotten better since ESR admittedly but let’s wait for this tricky run to be over.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Auba is good. He over-performed under the first few months of Arteta and has now reverted to the mean, which is him being on track for 10 PL goals.

Laca was good under Emery, then struggled in the role Arteta created for him. He’s been better since Arteta stopped killing him with the no10-9 hybrid role. I’m not making this up btw, there’s an interview by Arsenal on Laca talking about the new role Mikel wants him to play.

Willian was literally good a few months ago then came here and died. Even Pepe while struggling and adapting was still one of the best dribblers in Europe and one of our more dangerous players.

Every single senior forward player has gotten worse under him, you don’t explain that away as ‘they aren’t really good anyway’. Things have gotten better since ESR admittedly but let’s wait for this tricky run to be over.

Ay? Since when has Auba ever been on track for 10 goals in his entire career? Its nothing other than poor form for Auba.

You're kinda making stuff up now just because you have an agenda, which is natural. Lacazette hasn't struggled in any specific role, he's just gone through a stage of poor form. You can see that with his finishing up until recently, he couldn't finish his dinner despite getting plenty of good chances.

And just for the record I think Laca works perfectly in the 9 role that Arteta wants, dropping deep and linking play. He's been excellent at it recently with ESR in the side. Not the best we can get but the best at the club right now for the specific role.

Willian is another case of a complete loss of confidence and drive. Pepe has been like this ever since he arrived, the bloke will not make it here and he simply doesn't have the right tools for the premier league. One of those incredibly inconsistent players who is good in France and La Liga where you can gain confidence against farmers weekly.

Sometimes you just have to take the L, Pepe can't deal with the premier league level, and that's fine, frustrating, but fine.

 

[drippin]

Taking about money and wages, it was Arteta who signed Cedric and kept AMN when Wolves wanted him? Now he’s not even playing AMN. I’m sure AMN was MOTM in his last game at RB.

It’s Arteta who dumped Guendouzi and Özil.

We signed Runarson when all the French journalists were shocked and saying he’s dreadful. 6 months later we’ve dumped him too.

Runarsson was a panic buy and cheap, Cedric was cheap too. Guendouzi is an idiot like Özil.

What are you going for here?

Man, you're one of the first one's who wanted Arteta as Arsenal manager.

 

[Riou]

Auba is good. He over-performed under the first few months of Arteta and has now reverted to the mean, which is him being on track for 10 PL goals.

Laca was good under Emery, then struggled in the role Arteta created for him. He’s been better since Arteta stopped killing him with the no10-9 hybrid role. I’m not making this up btw, there’s an interview by Arsenal on Laca talking about the new role Mikel wants him to play.

Willian was literally good a few months ago then came here and died. Even Pepe while struggling and adapting was still one of the best dribblers in Europe and one of our more dangerous players.

Every single senior forward player has gotten worse under him, you don’t explain that away as ‘they aren’t really good anyway’. Things have gotten better since ESR admittedly but let’s wait for this tricky run to be over.

You could be right, tbf...as you say let's wait and see.

Laca looked past it the last few months of Emery's reign and carried it over into Mikel's, before these last few weeks.

Auba has previously done well under Mikel too, maybe this was just a blip for him recently.

Pepe is a good player, will never say he doesn't have attributes to work with...but having watched him for a year and a half now, I just don't think he suits this league.

Willian came here, saw the money he was on, and mentally retired it seems.

All these coupled with all of them are late 20s/early 30s (bar Nico) could be a sign that they are naturally declining...all players decline at some point, regardless of manager.

Auba and Laca has still looked quality for Mikel at periods, especially Auba last season, they could just be periods of off form too...it will depend on the next bunch of players he has, imo.

But as I say I could be wrong, it's just what I think, feel Mikel has understandable reasons as to why this attacking group is declining...we will know with the next bunch of senior attackers he has under his tenure, at Arsenal or elsewhere, if he is dropping the ball with players age 25-30.

 

[drippin]

Not going to lie man.
With 200k per week wages we could have signed some real quality. Have you seen the free agent market this summer? It’s crazy.

Even a 100K per week wage with a 30M transfer fee could have got us a quality player. At the time we signed Willian Pepe was our starting RW and Saka was knocking on the door, with Nelson getting decent minutes as well.

Signing Willian when we already had all that competition for one wing spot meant that Willian had to be brilliant, it was a gamble that’s completely failed in hindsight.

The reports told us that Willian got 100k per week plus signing bonuses and maybe some performance bonuses. People keep spewing this propaganda still. So give me the proof so I will believe you.

30 million doesn't necessarily get a very good quality player. Pepe cost over 70 million. That's the market. Can we be sure we have tens of millions in our bank for a winger?

We needed a cheap PL proven player, to give us rotation and backup if all the youngters (other than Saka of course, he was a known performer) don't perform like we hope. There wasn't much better options available than Willian. Well he hasn't performed well at all, but that's the hindsight part.

 

[balthazar]

Also, Norwegian. Expect him and Tierney to have no problem playing naked in the cold. Psychological warfare.

and Runarsson, the purebred viking warrior.

 

[scytheavatar]

The reports told us that Willian got 100k per week plus signing bonuses and maybe some performance bonuses. People keep spewing this propaganda still. So give me the proof so I will believe you.

Give me the proof that Willian is on 100k per week and I will believe you.......... every article you post that Willian is on 100k per week, I can post another that he is on 200k per week. I don't believe for a second that he is on 100k per week cause whatever we offered him must be something that not even a sugar daddied club like Chelsea is willing to pay, and you know that must be a stupid amount.

Also there's no way Arteta will keep playing Willian if he is brought just to "give us rotation and backup", obviously the amount we are paying Willian is enough to cost Arteta/Edu a lot of trust points from the Kroenkes if Willian is a failure.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

and Runarsson, the purebred viking warrior.

Unfortunately, he is off to Greenland to work as a Muskox hunter.

 

[drippin]

Give me the proof that Willian is on 100k per week and I will believe you.......... every article you post that Willian is on 100k per week, I can post another that he is on 200k per week. I don't believe for a second that he is on 100k per week cause whatever we offered him must be something that not even a sugar daddied club like Chelsea is willing to pay, and you know that must be a stupid amount.

Also there's no way Arteta will keep playing Willian if he is brought just to "give us rotation and backup", obviously the amount we are paying Willian is enough to cost Arteta/Edu a lot of trust points from the Kroenkes if Willian is a failure.

Signing bonus was the rest of it, as it was a free transfer.

Chelsea's problem was the 3-year deal. Willian wanted that and not 2 years, so chose Arsenal in London.

Anyone is free to believe the shocking tabloid rumours about it and lose their sleep. Whatever tickles your fancy.

 

[Godwin1]

Yeah, that's just so weird - just like not signing Spanish players no more because 1-2 didn't work out before.

Imagine actually drawing conclusion about a player's success because of his nationality.
That's like deriving the outcome of our next game based on past results of some statistics from 10 years ago - absolutely irrelevant

It's not based on nationality you tool it's based on a situation where we need a performer for 6 months and we've got a guy coming in with low match fitness who needs to adapt to a new league.

I was purposly being over the top with Kallsrom mk2 I guess it doesn't translate well onto a forum.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I think it is a fair concern how he adapts to the league. Language, culture and weather will not be a problem. However, La Liga is not the Premier League.

He had an excellent season for Sociedad, and I am sure he could replicate that for us...but can he do so in time? That is the concern. We will soon know.

 

[Godwin1]

Man, you're one of the first one's who wanted Arteta as Arsenal manager.

Aggresivly wanted him

 

[drippin]

I think it is a fair concern how he adapts to the league. Language, culture and weather will not be a problem. However, La Liga is not the Premier League.

He had an excellent season for Sociedad, and I am sure he could replicate that for us...but can he do so in time? That is the concern. We will soon know.

LaLiga is the 2nd best league in the world. It's exactly the league we would want a player from, who has performed there.

Are people suggesting we shouldn't try to strenghten our team, just because players might need adjusting time?

Sounds great! Willian at AMF it is after ESR is run to the ground.

 

[dashsnow17]

 

[Sanchez11]

Does he speak English?

 

[dashsnow17]

Does he speak English?

Yeah he clearly does, think he just wanted to do the interview in Norwegian so he could fully express himself. Understanding and expressing in a foreign language are different things. He'd understand everything and be able to express himself very well, but for talking about tactics you'd probably want your native language.

 

[SA Gunner]