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Mikel Arteta: Top Of The Klopps

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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Country: England
Guess those Brazilian themed team lunches are worth something after all…

If Raphinha comes I need to find out if they’re putting crack in the feijoada.
 

shoot for the top

Active Member
Interestingly, if you look at Cesc's stats, he still got good numbers there, something like 1 in 3 for both goals and assists, 2 in 3 when combined, which is a much better output than basically everyone else bar Messi in his time there.

Although I do agree with the general sentiment, they were complete mugs for selling Cesc when they did as Xavi was clearly not long from retirement, they could have built another 3-5 years of sucCesc from having him alongside a more traditional B2B with Busquets behind, imo.

Messi was playing as a false 9 and obviously he plays where he wants to as he was the best in the world at the time, but there's no reason Cesc and Messi couldn't have played together imo. Messi was also a world class winger in previous seasons so without completely displacing Messi and having him slightly adapt his game may have meant they could play effectively together.

Also worth noting that Thiago left in 2013 as well, so they clearly had no plans for a Xavi successor despite having 2 of them at the club in 2013 and him not far off retirement - awful squad planning has to be to blame here, I guess having won the treble in 14/15 with MSN up front masked this.

Perhaps they could have even made a success of a different system with Thiago, Cesc and Iniesta with Busquets in a diamond instead of wasting hundreds of millions on needless signings like Dembele, Coutinho and Griezmann.
Cesc was tired of being used as a utility player so he left.
 

Sapient Hawk

Can You Smell What The Hawk Is Cooking?
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Country: Saudi Arabia
Guess those Brazilian themed team lunches are worth something after all…

If Raphinha comes I need to find out if they’re putting crack in the feijoada.

The crack's probably in the tap water of both Colney & the Emirates along with a host of experimental pharmacueticals concerning mind control.

Why leave anything to chance when you can willingly control the psyche of both players & matchday supporters/journalists :lol:
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
I agree with you but I think with Cesc it's a bit different. To this day I don't know why they signed him but for being able to do so cause he was good at Arsenal and "had Barca DNA". Back in 2011 Cesc was playing as a 10 for Arsenal, which they didn't have at Barca. Xavi was going to spend another 4 years there as their playmaker and Cesc only developed into a DLP later at Chelsea - so successor stuff my ass. And they also had that guy at their club already in Thiago. Messi was playing false 9 operating in the almost exact same spaces as Arsenal Cesc did at 10. I remember Pep trying a 343 diamond so he could fit in Cesc at 10 in front of his usual Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta trio but him and Messi were just blocking each other. It was so useless Barca got Cesc and that fact makes the whole transfer and saga even more infuriating.

It wasn't Mourinho that developed Cesc into an 8, Arsène had already done it.

Remember from 2005-2009, Fab was one of our main central midfielders...and in that time, we nearly won the Champions League in 2006 and the Premier League in 2008.

He was proven he could play in the same role as Xavi and Ineista, he just never really got a chance to.

I agree Barcelona still shouldn't have signed him, as they already had enough players like him.

Not really. Copa America is a top heavy tournament that you can win if your keeper has two good games against the bigger teams.

Feel that's a little harsh, tbh.

To win your country's first ever trophy, nevermind both, is pretty amazing...a lot of mental hurdles to get over, to win those Copas.

Plus he was brilliant in both tournaments, his winning penalty in 2015, was unbelievable.
 

Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
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Country: England

Player:Rice
The thing is with Cesc, it's not like they needed him.

Think it was more a case of seeing one of 'Their kids' taken from them and performing really well for us that grated on the club and fanbase.

He was like the prodigal son to them. An ego thing wanting him back rather than it being a footballing necessity.
 
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Mrs Bergkamp

Double Dusted
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The minimum objective must be 70 points and top 4. Arteta has had a baptism of fire but by now, he must be deemed to have sufficient experience and have learned from any mistakes. He seems to be targeting good players who are more rouched and he must complete the squad so that every player is played to his strengths and can form some connection with the rest of the team. I don't want to hear the phrase "he needs xyz to perform...". Starting point is to get and keep Partey fit or play someone who can provide what he does. His injury showed how vital he is even if under par. Same at FB. Get the transfers in done before pre season and SELL those he doesn't want instead of hoarding them to use once in the season. No more excuses.
 

Oxeki

Match Day Thread Merchant
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Country: Nigeria

Player:Saliba
The minimum objective must be 70 points and top 4. Arteta has had a baptism of fire but by now, he must be deemed to have sufficient experience and have learned from any mistakes. He seems to be targeting good players who are more rouched and he must complete the squad so that every player is played to his strengths and can form some connection with the rest of the team. I don't want to hear the phrase "he needs xyz to perform...". Starting point is to get and keep Partey fit or play someone who can provide what he does. His injury showed how vital he is even if under par. Same at FB. Get the transfers in done before pre season and SELL those he doesn't want instead of hoarding them to use once in the season. No more excuses.
Minimum objective is top4. Simple.
A more ambitious club would be gunning for 3rd place. But we're being told 5th is a "major achievement".
 
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Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
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Country: England

Player:Rice
To me the higher end objective for next season should be 3rd.

A decent to good season would be 4th.

5th or below would be unacceptable.

We invested pretty heavily last summer and it's looking like we're on the same track this one too. We'll have a good crop of players and importantly they're ones Arteta wanted so he can't complain on that front anymore. I'll give the devil his due, Stan has backed Arteta to the hilt so we need the results now.

We basically bottled 4th last season. Asking to finish above 2 out of 3 of Chelsea, Man Utd and Sp**s ( who all have their own issues in one form or another) with what is likely a pretty heavily improved squad isn't exactly asking Arteta to climb Mount Everest or turn water into wine ( though Jesus could probably help on that last one :lol: )
 

Entropics

Established Member

Country: Colombia

Player:Saka
Nah, the standards have dropped for good. Mikel can finish 6th for the next 20 seasons and absolutely nothing will happen.

I bet he can even afford a couple of midtable finishes as long as we keep recycling players on the transfer windows to excite the fanbase.
 

Sapient Hawk

Can You Smell What The Hawk Is Cooking?
Trusted ⭐

Country: Saudi Arabia
The minimum objective must be 70 points and top 4. Arteta has had a baptism of fire but by now, he must be deemed to have sufficient experience and have learned from any mistakes. He seems to be targeting good players who are more rouched and he must complete the squad so that every player is played to his strengths and can form some connection with the rest of the team. I don't want to hear the phrase "he needs xyz to perform...". Starting point is to get and keep Partey fit or play someone who can provide what he does. His injury showed how vital he is even if under par. Same at FB. Get the transfers in done before pre season and SELL those he doesn't want instead of hoarding them to use once in the season. No more excuses.

Tets has bad enough baptisms to be proclaimed a Saint.

It still doesn't detract from the fact that he is terrible manager who is simply favored with supernatural luck to still be employed, let alone stealing a fortune for a living!
 

Mrs Bergkamp

Double Dusted
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Tets has bad enough baptisms to be proclaimed a Saint.

It still doesn't detract from the fact that he is terrible manager who is simply favored with supernatural luck to still be employed, let alone stealing a fortune for a living!
If he doesn't come good this season then we have to put our hope in Kroenke. Arteta is very lucky though as you say.
 

Pulp

Active Member
Nah, the standards have dropped for good. Mikel can finish 6th for the next 20 seasons and absolutely nothing will happen.

I bet he can even afford a couple of midtable finishes as long as we keep recycling players on the transfer windows to excite the fanbase.
Would be very interesting to know what the Kroenkes seem good enough with regards to Arteta. With the investments they have been doing, surely they would want some returns on that. Top 6 shouldnt be enough, at least moneywise. EL and Farmers Conference give almost nothing in terms of financial gains, so CL is the only real moneymaker.

While the Kroenkes seem patient and thinking longterm, I seriously doubt they want to spend that much money for midtable. With how much they pushed for Super League as well, its obvious money is the only thing they care about. And that makes me believe that Arteta has to deliver this season, or he might go. I would be very surprised if he stays after another season without top 4 and/or trophies.
 
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