• ! ! ! IMPORTANT MESSAGE ! ! !

    Discussions about police investigations

    In light of recent developments about a player from Premier League being arrested and until there is an official announcement, ALL users should refrain from discussing or speculating about situations around personal off-pitch matters related to any Arsenal player. This is to protect you and the forum.

    Users who disregard this reminder will be issued warnings and their posts will get deleted from public.

Mikel Arteta: Top Of The Klopps

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
So, it looks like Arteta has sort of steadied the ship for the time being.

Without investment though, we're ****ed. That said, I sort of think we should only spend on young players from next season and develop our young players. I really don't see the point of investing heavy on limited expensive players with little upside for growth.

I'd rather see a young exciting team being moulded than clowns like Xhaka, Mustafi, Luiz, Kola etc waste time and money.
 

Manberg

Predator
So, it looks like Arteta has sort of steadied the ship for the time being.

Without investment though, we're ****ed. That said, I sort of think we should only spend on young players from next season and develop our young players. I really don't see the point of investing heavy on limited expensive players with little upside for growth.

I'd rather see a young exciting team being moulded than clowns like Xhaka, Mustafi, Luiz, Kola etc waste time and money.


I disagree. I think we have some good young players and we need quality experienced players to compliment them.
 

Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
Not seen much of those three but we don’t even have to sign big names. We just need players with the right profile, physically capable with the technical ability to thrive under pressure. All our current midfielders are slow, weak or technically limited and none of them can dribble.

Aouar is destined to be a world-class midfielder and is having a great season with Lyon, so he's probably the only difficult target there. Sangaré and Cantwell should be easily obtainable, Toulouse and Norwich are both heading toward relegation.

Just three names that I really like though. We definitely don't have to sign big names, there are so many good, obtainable and affordable prospects out there. You can extend the list with Said Benrahma, Pape Gueye, Dominik Szoboszlai and many others.

I'll be quite upset when we inevitably end up not signing anyone of this profile in the summer and get Willian or Ross Barkley or whoever.
 

Fewtch

Özil at 10 And Emery Out
The midfield is the thing that's really holding Arteta back imo, even more than the defence...the way Arteta is setting up the midfield is pretty much the same way Emery did, bunch of slow players that aren't press resistant in any way really, helps pretty much every team have a real chance against us.

Have always wanted to try Lucas as a 6 with Ceballos and Niles ahead of him in attacking box to box roles, try it with Xhaka in Lucas' place...just trying something different than a 4-2-3-1, with two slow pivots and one past it number 10...please Mikel!
It’s not the same as Emery at all. We’re not really playing a 4231, It’s more of a 325 in the build up and then 235 as Xhaka steps up from LCB or Ceballos from CB. We then defend in a 442 out of possession.

We do well in the first two phases of play but when we reach the final third we lack penetration and the technical quality to sustain pressure and do anything meaningful with the possession apart from a Saka cross at the moment. Imo this is happening because we have one too many strikers in the lineup and Pepe is struggling to adapt to his role as a touchline winger. Pepe wants to play in the same spaces as Özil cutting in from the right and Auba is too poor on the ball to play between the lines.

As I’ve said before, hopefully Arteta lets Pepe play the role Auba is currently playing when Tierney comes back and we can have Héctor holding the width on the right wing like Saka is doing now. The problem is that it leaves Xhaka out of the team (yes it’s a problem, he’s much better than the alternatives).

Leno
Luiz Mari
AMN/Matteo Ceballos Tierney
Bellerín Pepe Auba Özil Saka​

Something like that. Pepe comes closer to the goal and Bellerin can hold the width/run in behind and deliver crosses. Özil can make the through ball to Saka, hit the first time cross like KDB for city or get in behind for a cut back. Auba on poaching duty like he should be with two wingers delivering crosses.
 

Red London

Anti-Simp Culture
Trusted ⭐
So, it looks like Arteta has sort of steadied the ship for the time being.

Without investment though, we're ****ed. That said, I sort of think we should only spend on young players from next season and develop our young players. I really don't see the point of investing heavy on limited expensive players with little upside for growth.

I'd rather see a young exciting team being moulded than clowns like Xhaka, Mustafi, Luiz, Kola etc waste time and money.
Gotta make sure we dont just fill the entire team with young players, we need the right balance.
 

MutableEarth

Reiss' Dad
Trusted ⭐
So, it looks like Arteta has sort of steadied the ship for the time being.

Without investment though, we're ****ed. That said, I sort of think we should only spend on young players from next season and develop our young players. I really don't see the point of investing heavy on limited expensive players with little upside for growth.

I'd rather see a young exciting team being moulded than clowns like Xhaka, Mustafi, Luiz, Kola etc waste time and money.
I think for the rest of the season, it's not a bad shout - although we need to be a little careful. My issue is the profiles that make up our "best team" still lends to too much imbalance.

As much as I'm ambivalent about him coming back, this team misses a presence like Aaron Ramsey because he isn't like the other midfielders. Xhaka, Guendouzi and Ceballos are all way too similar to complete the midfield. Torreira is hurt, but he's not enough of a departure either. You have Joe Willock who is out of form and playing further forward. AMN who's typecasted as RB and phoning it in as a result. Who else can you really call on to fix that midfield? We should be giving a go to the latter two alongside one of the former 3 to at least give us an extra dimension until the Summer but it won't happen.

I hope Tierney is able to play at least by tomorrow aswell because we can move Saka further forward aswell. I'd also like to see Nelson and Martinelli in the starting lineup a bit more aswell - Martinelli because his movement and pressing from the front gives us another dimension and Nelson because he's the only one of 3 dribblers in the entire attack (Saka and Pepe being the others). I can understand Martinelli not starting often as I don't think he works particularly well with Auba also in the side. Both players aren't necessarily good at retaining in the final 3rd and both look to exploit space more. That said, I still think we need to at least try to tweak our approach by allowing him to develop an understanding with Auba at least.
 

Get These Hands

Off of my purse !
I hate to be cynical, but we've been awful to watch the last few weeks. Our play has looked so lethargic, ponderous and devoid of energy.

We are really riding our luck in matches, unfortunately that luck eventually runs out. Those shots that hit the post or go over the bar by an inch start going in. Same thing happened with Emery. I really hope I'm wrong, but after the initial bounce, I'm not optimistic at all.
 

OnlyOne

‘Donkeys don’t have a peak, they remain useless’
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Last few pages scream Unai Emery.... it's coming.
 

Hunta

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Last few pages scream Unai Emery.... it's coming.
Can’t believe that dosser was our coach for 18 months. I’m never wrong and I called this guy a bum DAY ONE.

A lot of recovering to do to get back to Sir Arsène Wenger standards.
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
Gotta make sure we dont just fill the entire team with young players, we need the right balance.
I think for the rest of the season, it's not a bad shout - although we need to be a little careful. My issue is the profiles that make up our "best team" still lends to too much imbalance.

As much as I'm ambivalent about him coming back, this team misses a presence like Aaron Ramsey because he isn't like the other midfielders. Xhaka, Guendouzi and Ceballos are all way too similar to complete the midfield. Torreira is hurt, but he's not enough of a departure either. You have Joe Willock who is out of form and playing further forward. AMN who's typecasted as RB and phoning it in as a result. Who else can you really call on to fix that midfield? We should be giving a go to the latter two alongside one of the former 3 to at least give us an extra dimension until the Summer but it won't happen.

I hope Tierney is able to play at least by tomorrow aswell because we can move Saka further forward aswell. I'd also like to see Nelson and Martinelli in the starting lineup a bit more aswell - Martinelli because his movement and pressing from the front gives us another dimension and Nelson because he's the only one of 3 dribblers in the entire attack (Saka and Pepe being the others). I can understand Martinelli not starting often as I don't think he works particularly well with Auba also in the side. Both players aren't necessarily good at retaining in the final 3rd and both look to exploit space more. That said, I still think we need to at least try to tweak our approach by allowing him to develop an understanding with Auba at least.
Yeah, I guess we need a certain balance in player profile as well as age and experience in some respects.

In all honesty, I think even on a tight budget we could pull off some right moves like getting some experienced, tactically intelligent, high work ethic players from mid level Spanish clubs for midfield/defense and maybe do one or two higher profile loan players. Like Ødegaard for example if RM has no place for him next season.

And, then if we shift Özil, Mustafi, Xhaka, Luiz etc or make a sale on either Laca or Auba then we go big for a central midfielder and CB.

I wouldn't mind too much if we took Ødegaard and Militao on loan to groom them if it meant they deliver now while our young players develop.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts+

Top Bottom