Mikel Arteta: 36 More Months

[AbouCuéllar]

I still have doubts that a supporting cast of ESR-Saka-Ode will have enough end product to have us finish 5th though. Much easier to score/assist in transition, we may need a bit more against set defences but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I go back and forth on this issue, honestly.

I've always tended to be a ESR-Ode-Saka guy because I just love the balance and the potential for interplay and generally feel that behind a 30 goal striker like Auba it's okay if you trade a little bit of end product for more creativity, combination, fluidity, and also control (which in theory having an interior attacking midfielder on the left should give, as well as a winger that could almost be classified this way facing the play on the right in Saka).

A comment from a poster I really like in @AW49 along similar lines as yours about how there just might not be enough goals in that team, Pepe's run towards the end of last season, and ESR's play (in reality against lower blocks he doesn't seem to boost our creativity / fluidity that much more than Pepe, and most of all I don't see that he affects our ability to control matches that much; for being an interior attacking midfielder he drops into possession to give us an extra man in possession and combine and allow overlaps much less than you would expect, he disappears and plays like a typical winger a bit too much for my liking) had me changing my tune at the end of last season and at the very beginning of this.

Now I think I'm reverting back to my original position. In big part because I think Saka just has to be on the right facing the play. And because whether ESR is doing the things I want to do in that position more or less than I like that is Arteta's job to make him do so and work on him in that position, and I think our potential as a team is just higher that way.

In the end Pepe has come good more or less but I think the death of him is that Saka is just a bit better in that RW position. Depending on how well ESR and Martinelli come on this season (hard to see how Martinelli really comes on, unfortunately, without European football there just aren't minutes for that kind of emergence to happen) something to continue raising our level as a club would potentially be selling Pepe and making an offer for Sterling at LW. Buendía or Joao Felix are a couple others that might be upgrades on ESR on the left and be more like for like with him. The dream would be Gnabry long-term, maybe after he wins another CL with Bayern and gets into his later 20s and wants a new challenge.

 

[Xln]

Credit to Arteta for making my day.

“Man got 13 like Rimzee…”

This is the funniest watch recently. He's actually smooth af ngl

 

[Fabregasm]

We played well but I’m not really going to neglect that Sp**s were/are in complete free-fall. They’ve been terrible all season so I have to acknowledge that.

I’m complaining because I think he’s earned another 6 months in his job with this win without actually addressing his weaknesses. I’m complaining because I don’t think our owners are football savvy enough to understand the above.

So like if we end up top 4, ya gonna be pissed he earned another year or 2 in his job?

 

[AmsterdamGunner]

I go back and forth on this issue, honestly.

I've always tended to be a ESR-Ode-Saka guy because I just love the balance and the potential for interplay and generally feel that behind a 30 goal striker like Auba it's okay if you trade a little bit of end product for more creativity, combination, fluidity, and also control (which in theory having an interior attacking midfielder on the left should give, as well as a winger that could almost be classified this way facing the play on the right in Saka).

A comment from a poster I really like in @AW49 along similar lines as yours about how there just might not be enough goals in that team, Pepe's run towards the end of last season, and ESR's play (in reality against lower blocks he doesn't seem to boost our creativity / fluidity that much more than Pepe, and most of all I don't see that he affects our ability to control matches that much; for being an interior attacking midfielder he drops into possession to give us an extra man in possession and combine and allow overlaps much less than you would expect, he disappears and plays like a typical winger a bit too much for my liking) had me changing my tune at the end of last season and at the very beginning of this.

Now I think I'm reverting back to my original position. In big part because I think Saka just has to be on the right facing the play. And because whether ESR is doing the things I want to do in that position more or less than I like that is Arteta's job to make him do so and work on him in that position, and I think our potential as a team is just higher that way.

In the end Pepe has come good more or less but I think the death of him is that Saka is just a bit better in that RW position. Depending on how well ESR and Martinelli come on this season (hard to see how Martinelli really comes on, unfortunately, without European football there just aren't minutes for that kind of emergence to happen) something to continue raising our level as a club would potentially be selling Pepe and making an offer for Sterling at LW. Buendía or Joao Felix are a couple others that might be upgrades on ESR on the left and be more like for like with him. The dream would be Gnabry long-term, maybe after he wins another CL with Bayern and gets into his later 20s and wants a new challenge.

I think Martinelli should be our central striker after Auba gets too old, i rather see Martinelli play there in games now than Lacazette.

Pepe has a lot of ability but he is not smart enough with tactics and vision to play the right wing. He can be amazing there or really awful because he just plays on his instincts and doesn’t really understand what managers want of him I think.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

I think Martinelli should be our central striker after Auba gets too old, i rather see Martinelli play there in games now than Lacazette.

Agree completely, have felt this since the first time we saw Martinelli at CF. I think a worry here is that Martinelli might see himself more as a wide forward. :/

 

[Blankety Blank]

Have never blamed the players. They looked good yesterday too. But I still question the Saliba /White, Ramsdale/Emi, Douzi/Lokonga situation. That money could have been more productive in my view.

No you constantly blamed the manager.
Football is a combination of players & manager they both need to do their bit.
We dont know what happened with the players mentioned but by most accounts Emi didnt want to stay & fight for the No1 spot & although i like douzi he can behave like a **** at times. So keeping them may not have been best for the dressing room?
While the Saliba situation hasnt been handled in the best way (Arteta even said that) At the end of the day he is very young & still our player.
I am glad we signed White.

 

[Riou]

Reckon the win yesterday was all down to the galvanizing appearance of Thierry, feel Arteta did nothing.

 

[KrissKringle]

?

Are you not familiar with Emery's famous "Good ebening?" Come on, man. It's not too hard to pick up on the joke.

 

[IstraBalagina]

Reckon the win yesterday was all down to the galvanizing appearance of Thierry, feel Arteta did nothing.

Arteta was the party crasher (second half performance)

 

[Taxi Driver]

So those who question Arteta should change their outlook on Mikel on the back of two narrow 1-0 wins against relegation candidates and one convincing victory against Sp**s.

But two years of dreadful football and results that precipated this are apparently to be discounted now (despite being a much larger sample). How about we wait a while longer to asses the situation?

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Momentum is key for o survival. Loss against Brighton and its hells horses again. IMO he needs 8 Ws in a row.

 

[Barry]

Brighton away is a tough match. I'm hoping for 10/12 from the next 4 (at Brighton, Palace, Villa, at Leicester). If that comes with the 2 pts dropped in the next match that's fine. 10/12 will put us very much in for top 4, 12/12 we'll be flying, and 8/10 we'll be still on good course for 5th.

Those four games (along with Tottenham) are big 6 pointers for the Europa League spots. If we do manage a winning run now, that will put us in a good position for 5th/6th place as well being a huge psychological lift

 

[Sanchez11]

Plenty of you dropping you knickers for our Tets now, fs!!

 

[Barry]

I go back and forth on this issue, honestly.

I've always tended to be a ESR-Ode-Saka guy because I just love the balance and the potential for interplay and generally feel that behind a 30 goal striker like Auba it's okay if you trade a little bit of end product for more creativity, combination, fluidity, and also control (which in theory having an interior attacking midfielder on the left should give, as well as a winger that could almost be classified this way facing the play on the right in Saka).

A comment from a poster I really like in @AW49 along similar lines as yours about how there just might not be enough goals in that team, Pepe's run towards the end of last season, and ESR's play (in reality against lower blocks he doesn't seem to boost our creativity / fluidity that much more than Pepe, and most of all I don't see that he affects our ability to control matches that much; for being an interior attacking midfielder he drops into possession to give us an extra man in possession and combine and allow overlaps much less than you would expect, he disappears and plays like a typical winger a bit too much for my liking) had me changing my tune at the end of last season and at the very beginning of this.

Now I think I'm reverting back to my original position. In big part because I think Saka just has to be on the right facing the play. And because whether ESR is doing the things I want to do in that position more or less than I like that is Arteta's job to make him do so and work on him in that position, and I think our potential as a team is just higher that way.

In the end Pepe has come good more or less but I think the death of him is that Saka is just a bit better in that RW position. Depending on how well ESR and Martinelli come on this season (hard to see how Martinelli really comes on, unfortunately, without European football there just aren't minutes for that kind of emergence to happen) something to continue raising our level as a club would potentially be selling Pepe and making an offer for Sterling at LW. Buendía or Joao Felix are a couple others that might be upgrades on ESR on the left and be more like for like with him. The dream would be Gnabry long-term, maybe after he wins another CL with Bayern and gets into his later 20s and wants a new challenge.

I still think the answer to this one depends on which striker we are playing. Auba thrives with more service. Laca gets involved deeper but needs runners. I hope we can give game time to Martinelli and Pepe along with Laca - that's going to mean mixing it up sometimes. Having those different options is useful though.

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

Those four games (along with Tottenham) are big 6 pointers for the Europa League spots. If we do manage a winning run now, that will put us in a good position for 5th/6th place as well being a huge psychological lift

Everyone might disagree but it would be very difficult without Xhaka if its a serious injury but if we get to January and are somehow in and around champions league spots we might be able to bring someone in for that central midfield position alongside Partey. While Lokonga looks a talent he still looks a bit raw on the defensive side of his game.

 

[Barry]

Everyone might disagree but it would be very difficult without Xhaka if its a serious injury but if we get to January and are somehow in and around champions league spots we might be able to bring someone in for that central midfield position alongside Partey. While Lokonga looks a talent he still looks a bit raw on the defensive side of his game.

Yeah it's just too early off the back of one good performance to say if we are genuinely back in the mix yet or not. The run from Christmas last year suggests that we may have the quality but I personally think that top 4 is unlikely, just based on the squads of the leading teams. We'll know much more after the next 4 matches - if we show enough to get results against the chasing pack then it's on for the season for sure.

Agree with you on Lokonga as well. So long as Partey stays fit it probably doesn't matter that he's a bit raw, but losing both Xhaka & Partey together and we're in big trouble.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

I haven't posted in this thread for at least 24 hours.

I've nothing to gripe about for the best part of a week

 

[Rasmi]

He is still an inept clown. One result don’t change that

 

[Melquiades]

So those who question Arteta should change their outlook on Mikel on the back of two narrow 1-0 wins against relegation candidates and one convincing victory against Sp**s.

But two years of dreadful football and results that precipated this are apparently to be discounted now (despite being a much larger sample). How about we wait a while longer to asses the situation?

It was two months of dreadful football.

The last 24 games of last season the team went 14-5-5 which over a full season would have put them 2nd in the PL, with a goals/game total that would have been 3rd in the PL.

I definitely haven't forgotten how bad those two months were and how poor some of the Summer 2020 moves and decisions were ... but acting like this team has played like total ass for two years straight is totally incorrect.

 

[Oxeki]

I haven't posted in this thread for at least 24 hours.

I've nothing to gripe about for the best part of a week

Don't worry.

Arteta will hand his backside to you very son