Mikel Arteta: Aston La Vista To The Title?

[AbouCuéllar]

Thanks AC

Where do you stand on Rafa Benitez as a possible replacement, if it comes down to it? A poster (forgive me, I can't remember his/her name) mentioned Rafa earlier.

If I had a personal preference, I don't like Rafa. The embittered individual in me thinks he's won trophies by fluke (damning, I know).

However, I can warm to the idea if Rafa turns our fortunes (and he's also a more experienced manager than Captain Scarlett)

I absolutely hate it and discard it as any kind of decent option without a second's thought. Rafa was one of Florentino's poorest decisions in the last decade and that was what, 6 years ago?

It's 2020 and Rafa is **** / has been **** for a while. Rafa's only an option if we want to somehow reach new heights in incompetence, and top the Emery hire.

 

[Oxeki]

Arsenal's Premier League form since February: LLWLWDWDL

But AM told we've been imperious since Boxing day?

 

[Trilly]

We've yet to experience the new manager bounce since Wenger left either.

Yh we’ve been quite unlucky but not as unlucky as you’d expect. There aren’t that made good managers out there so it’s not crazy that we’re yet to have had one since Wenger left.

The club doesn’t help itself though, Emery in hindsight was perhaps not the best selection and we basically gambled big time on Arteta.

Still think there are some players in the squad whose level we can’t be 100% sure of. Some of them have played under a declining Wenger, a clueless Emery, an out of his depth Freddie and then a complete novice in Arteta.

 

[Rasmi]

But AM told we've been imperious since Boxing day?

I see 3 wins ........winning

 

[GDeep™]

Horrendous season. The numbers are atrocious.

Arsenal can’t be midtable all season, not with the players we have.

 

[GDeep™]

Still think there are some players in the squad whose level we can’t be 100% sure of. Some of them have played under a declining Wenger, a clueless Emery, an out of his depth Freddie and then a complete novice in Arteta.

Like who? The only Wenger players here are Bellerin and Xhaka.

Auba was only with Wenger for 6 months, while Laca was producing 1 in 2 under Wenger.

Also, once you extend a player he becomes your player. Most of the squad is an Arteta squad.

 

[AberGooner]

Yh we’ve been quite unlucky but not as unlucky as you’d expect. There aren’t that made good managers out there so it’s not crazy that we’re yet to have had one since Wenger left.

The club doesn’t help itself though, Emery in hindsight was perhaps not the best selection and we basically gambled big time on Arteta.

Still think there are some players in the squad whose level we can’t be 100% sure of. Some of them have played under a declining Wenger, a clueless Emery, an out of his depth Freddie and then a complete novice in Arteta.

We're not a title winning side by any stretch but we've got enough to be top 6 and really competing for top 4 in a season like this with the right person in charge. In my mind the club felt that as well with how they backed Arteta in the summer.

 

[Oxeki]

The post boxing day form that the Arteta acolytes keep pointing to is a midtable form.

 

[GDeep™]

We’ve been **** in the league all season, and I for one have always maintained that. Crap results and crap performances. How many times have we won back to back games in the league? Can’t be many.

I thought Arteta was in trouble until ESR came in the team and Saka started scoring and creating every game.

 

[Hunta]

Horrendous season. The numbers are atrocious.

Arsenal can’t be midtable all season, not with the players we have.

Thoughts on Elneny and Luiz getting extensions after Holding’s earlier in the season?

Arteta incompetence or a deeper, darker motive from Edu and Kia?

 

[GDeep™]

Thoughts on Elneny and Luiz getting extensions after Holding’s earlier in the season?

Arteta incompetence or a deeper, darker motive from Edu and Kia?

Signing all the old bum players while ditching the young talent? Think something dark is going on tbh.

Guys like @Jury will defend it with some weird rambling about tea bags but I think he’s involved too.

 

[DanDare]

We’ve been **** in the league all season, and I for one have always maintained that. Crap results and crap performances. How many times have we won back to back games in the league? Can’t be many.

I thought Arteta was in trouble until ESR came in the team and Saka started scoring and creating every game.

How many games can you think of where you thought "we played really well in that game"?

Can't think of any. We got some good results under Arteta. Not played like a top team for more than 30 mins though

 

[say yes]

Thoughts on Elneny and Luiz getting extensions after Holding’s earlier in the season?

Arteta incompetence or a deeper, darker motive from Edu and Kia?

Edu's own summer (shove it)

One of the many consequences of poor squad building is that bad decisions are the midwife to further bad, rushed decisions. After a hectic January of cleaning out some clutter from the Arsenal closet, the summer is going to be even more hectic for Mikel Arteta, Arsenal and Edu. Just skimming the...

arseblog.com

This is a good analysis of where we're at contract wise. It's depressing, but the logic points to guys like Luiz, Elneny and Xhaka all getting extensions.

Our midfield is an utter mess.

 

[Blankety Blank]

I think people are guilty of thinking we are better than we are & feeling entitled to have a place in the top 4.

I think getting the FA cup last season was a very good ahievement & beating Liverpool & City made people think we could possibly compete?
We are very much in a transitional period.
How many top quality settled players do we have right now at their peak?
I actually dont think we have a single one. In that regard tbh its poverty & worse than i can ever remember. We always usually had at least a couple.
We do have a couple of super promising kids in Saka & ESR. I would say martinelli has potential but most of the other kids are not as good as some people think. KT is coming towards his peak but has fitness issues. Odergaard similar to KT but not even our player. The rest are either on the slide, younger players or pretty meh imho. Partey possibly could be next season but he is still adapting to the demands of this league right now & has suffered with injuries.

 

[GDeep™]

Edu's own summer (shove it)

One of the many consequences of poor squad building is that bad decisions are the midwife to further bad, rushed decisions. After a hectic January of cleaning out some clutter from the Arsenal closet, the summer is going to be even more hectic for Mikel Arteta, Arsenal and Edu. Just skimming the...

arseblog.com

This is a good analysis of where we're at contract wise. It's depressing, but the logic points to guys like Luiz, Elneny and Xhaka all getting extensions.

Our midfield is an utter mess.

What’s the breakdown of that link? Arteta dumping nearly every Raul signing isn’t helping.

 

[say yes]

How many games can you think of where you thought "we played really well in that game"?

Can't think of any. We got some good results under Arteta. Not played like a top team for more than 30 mins though

Nah, that's nonsense. Results have been poor but there have definitely been some great performances: Leicester and Sp**s in the last month. Chelsea before that.

The issue has been the consistency.

 

[Oxeki]

I think people are guilty of thinking we are better than we are & feeling entitled to have a place in the top 4.

I think getting the FA cup last season was a very good ahievement & beating Liverpool & City made people think we could possibly compete?
We are very much in a transitional period.
How many top quality settled players do we have right now at their peak?
I actually dont think we have a single one. In that regard tbh its poverty & worse than i can ever remember. We always usually had at least a couple.
We do have a couple of super promising kids in Saka & ESR. I would say martinelli has potential but most of the other kids are not as good as some people think. KT is coming towards his peak but has fitness issues. Odergaard similar to KT but not even our player. The rest are either on the slide, younger players adapting to the league or pretty meh tbh.

What the **** is this drivel?

So we're not better than midtable?


It's confirmed. Arteta is greatest salesman in the world.

 

[Hunta]

Edu's own summer (shove it)

One of the many consequences of poor squad building is that bad decisions are the midwife to further bad, rushed decisions. After a hectic January of cleaning out some clutter from the Arsenal closet, the summer is going to be even more hectic for Mikel Arteta, Arsenal and Edu. Just skimming the...

arseblog.com

This is a good analysis of where we're at contract wise. It's depressing, but the logic points to guys like Luiz, Elneny and Xhaka all getting extensions.

Our midfield is an utter mess.

Yeah good piece to be fair. I reckon we’ll see another dozen leave, sounds a lot but when you go through the squad it’s just obvious who’s off. Also have to consider that with likely no European football we will need to trim the squad anyway.

Something like 12-14 out and 5-6 in.

 

[HaffBR]

Arteta's football is not only bad, but is also very slow and boring.

 

[GDeep™]

What the **** is this drivel?

So we're not better than midtable?


It's confirmed. Arteta is greatest salesman in the world.

First time ever since I have followed football am I hearing this many excuses for a manager.

It’s like we can’t judge him until he has 22 peak top players.