Mikel Arteta: Winner 🤴

[A_G]

By the same token, when Pep wanted him as a coach there was no stopping him either.

We didn’t offer him a first team coaching role did we? I remember Wenger saying we can’t invent coaching positions for retiring players.

 

[Red London]

Oh well pep making excuses as well

It’s a valid excuse tbh. When we are talking about competing against eachother in the latter stages of the CL.

It’s just that AM hate when you ‘make excuses’ for Arteta.

I think this is a general Premier League problem, it’s not an Arteta excuse.

The competitiveness of this league will potentially hamper our teams in the CL in the long term, especially with all these games and club world cups going on.

I think PL teams just have to use that extra £££ to build super deep squads. PSG or Bayern won’t need to do that anywhere near as much imo.

 

[Axel9090]

We didn’t offer him a first team coaching role did we? I remember Wenger saying we can’t invent coaching positions for retiring players.

On the flip side, years later, we gave him his first job as manager of a massive club, we took a gamble. Surely he wont leave until its very clear he should and I dont think that time is after one PL title or even a double. The party will just be getting started.

 

[Entropics]

It’s a valid excuse tbh. When we are talking about competing against eachother in the latter stages of the CL.

It’s just that AM hate when you ‘make excuses’ for Arteta.

I think this is a general Premier League problem, it’s not an Arteta excuse.

The competitiveness of this league will potentially hamper our teams in the CL in the long term, especially with all these games and club world cups going on.

I think PL teams just have to use that extra £££ to build super deep squads. PSG or Bayern won’t need to do that anywhere near as much imo.

England has been ****ting on everyone else in the European coefficient for years now, it's not an issue at all.

I agree the new meta will be deeper squads with the extra money, and the reason we might win two trophies is clearly related to what Berta did bloating the squad when everyone else didn't.

Hopefully the number of subs goes back to 3 to compensate, there's a new virus doing the rounds though so who knows

 

[Batman]

We didn’t offer him a first team coaching role did we? I remember Wenger saying we can’t invent coaching positions for retiring players.

He was offered an academy coaching role apparently.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

He's got some selection headaches coming up imo. You got an inform Trossard, an injured Ben White, a recovering Timber, Calafiori vs Hincapie, an undroppable MLS, a resurging Ødegaard, a waning Eze, and a player in Saka who imo you still have to manage his minutes for him to be as effective as possible. That's not even getting into the Gyokeres vs Havertz of it all. All I know is that imo Raya, Gabi, Saliba, Rice, and MLS are the only undroppables right now. Trossard is getting himself in that bucket because we know what he's like when hes on form. Everyone else can be picked and chosen depending on the opposition. Good problems to have.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

It’s a valid excuse tbh. When we are talking about competing against eachother in the latter stages of the CL.

It’s just that AM hate when you ‘make excuses’ for Arteta.

I think this is a general Premier League problem, it’s not an Arteta excuse.

The competitiveness of this league will potentially hamper our teams in the CL in the long term, especially with all these games and club world cups going on.

I think PL teams just have to use that extra £££ to build super deep squads. PSG or Bayern won’t need to do that anywhere near as much imo.

This is a Ligue 1 problem, not a PL problem. The fact theyre giving out a "best player in the league" award to a player that played less than 10 games is asinine and tells you exactly where their mindset as a league is and who they're placating for. Enough with the mincing of words. Its a ****ing joke, no two ways about it

 

[Gooner Zig]

He's got some selection headaches coming up imo. You got an inform Trossard, an injured Ben White, a recovering Timber, Calafiori vs Hincapie, an undroppable MLS, a resurging Ødegaard, a waning Eze, and a player in Saka who imo you still have to manage his minutes for him to be as effective as possible. That's not even getting into the Gyokeres vs Havertz of it all. All I know is that imo Raya, Gabi, Saliba, Rice, and MLS are the only undroppables right now. Trossard is getting himself in that bucket because we know what he's like when hes on form. Everyone else can be picked and chosen depending on the opposition. Good problems to have.

Nice problem to have.

Think you just have to roll with the side that's been doing the business with 1-2 changes max. Mosquera will obviously come in for White and after that maybe you can look at Ødegaard vs Eze but would not change anything else.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

Nice problem to have.

Think you just have to roll with the side that's been doing the business with 1-2 changes max. Mosquera will obviously come in for White and after that maybe you can look at Ødegaard vs Eze but would not change anything else.

I agree, we roll with the winning hand IF everyone is fit and ready to go (Saka was looking seriously unfit last game imo). Tbh, my comment was moreso keeping an eye on the UCL final lol. We should be running over this Burnley side

 

[Gooner Zig]

I agree, we roll with the winning hand IF everyone is fit and ready to go (Saka was looking seriously unfit last game imo). Tbh, my comment was moreso keeping an eye on the UCL final lol. We should be running over this Burnley side

I've seen this said a bit online and I watched the game on Monday because I couldn't watch live due to Mother's Day here in Canada. Saka was quiet but didn't look unfit to me? He was still excellent at ball retention but the weird thing was we didn't get him on the ball enough. A lot of our play really stuck to the LHS, especially in the first half when we were flowing prior to the White injury. Would also say that this was his third game in 8 days after being out managing an achilles injury. We have 8 days between the West Ham game so we should be able to give our players a really good rest.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

I've seen this said a bit online and I watched the game on Monday because I couldn't watch live due to Mother's Day here in Canada. Saka was quiet but didn't look unfit to me? He was still excellent at ball retention but the weird thing was we didn't get him on the ball enough. A lot of our play really stuck to the LHS, especially in the first half when we were flowing prior to the White injury. Would also say that this was his third game in 8 days after being out managing an achilles injury. We have 8 days between the West Ham game so we should be able to give our players a really good rest.

There were two times when it looked really clear to me: First was an opportunity in the second half where he has the ball on the byline and he cuts inside and a defender follows him, getting close to his hip. Saka's trying to accelerate to get past him, and obviously Saka's never been the fastest, but I swear during this particular stance trying to see him accelerate was borderline sad to me. He looked like Saka circa-2046 trying to see if he still had his old pace again. I've seen Mosquera dribble the ball faster than that. Then the second opportunity was when Rice gave him that pass in the box that he couldn't control. That to me looked like a player thats fatigued or not fully in control of his body because of lingering pain or soreness or something. I just want him fresh for the final, that's all.

 

[Gooner Zig]

There were two times when it looked really clear to me: First was an opportunity in the second half where he has the ball on the byline and he cuts inside and a defender follows him, getting close to his hip. Saka's trying to accelerate to get past him, and obviously Saka's never been the fastest, but I swear during this particular stance trying to see him accelerate was borderline sad to me. He looked like Saka circa-2046 trying to see if he still had his old pace again. I've seen Mosquera dribble the ball faster than that. Then the second opportunity was when Rice gave him that pass in the box that he couldn't control. That to me looked like a player thats fatigued or not fully in control of his body because of lingering pain or soreness or something. I just want him fresh for the final, that's all.

Fair, I didn't come away thinking that he looked unfit but definitely acknowledge that 3 games in 8 days was probably a bit too much given that he's managing the achilles.

 

[viktor]

 

[viktor]

 

[jones]

It’s a valid excuse tbh. When we are talking about competing against eachother in the latter stages of the CL.

It’s just that AM hate when you ‘make excuses’ for Arteta.

I think this is a general Premier League problem, it’s not an Arteta excuse.

The competitiveness of this league will potentially hamper our teams in the CL in the long term, especially with all these games and club world cups going on.

I think PL teams just have to use that extra £££ to build super deep squads. PSG or Bayern won’t need to do that anywhere near as much imo.

Until a few weeks ago we looked genuinely awful for like four months straight and we're still odds on to win the title. Liverpool last season were on the beach from January onwards and won it easily.

The leagues not that competitive it's just not as strong at the top. Stop drinking the Sky koolaid.

 

[El Duderino]

Nice problem to have.

Think you just have to roll with the side that's been doing the business with 1-2 changes max. Mosquera will obviously come in for White and after that maybe you can look at Ødegaard vs Eze but would not change anything else.

He just has to play the guys he wants to field in the final, really.

If he's starting Ødegaard, he needs to have him and Saka playing ~60 minutes together for the next two fixtures.

Mosquera is a lock, as I don't think Timber makes it back in time. Cala starts as long as he's fit.

The only question selection wise now is what to do at CF.

Gyokeres is on form, but if the plan is Ødegaard at right 8, then Kai makes more sense. You lead the press with both of them and try to keep the ball up top. It'll depend on his fitness, of course.

Plus, I'd hate for this to go to shootouts and not have Viktor on the pitch.

 

[jones]

This is a Ligue 1 problem, not a PL problem. The fact theyre giving out a "best player in the league" award to a player that played less than 10 games is asinine and tells you exactly where their mindset as a league is and who they're placating for. Enough with the mincing of words. Its a ****ing joke, no two ways about it

Dembele was injured most of the first half of the season. He's still their best player, top scorer and top assister in the league, where's the joke?

Really not sure why you Sky customers are constantly foaming at the mouth. Dembélé was on crutches but because Arteta and Guardiola pointed to the amount of minutes he's played you think Lucho just rested him for half a year while they were 2nd in the league for half the season.

 

[El Duderino]

re: Ode/Eze, altough Ode made the difference off the bench vs Westham, I do feel Eze's a better "need to change the game" sub.

Not many of those on the squad right now, unless Martinelli goes into his "Champions Leaguenelli" mode.

 

[Red London]

Until a few weeks ago we looked genuinely awful for like four months straight and we're still odds on to win the title. Liverpool last season were on the beach from January onwards and won it easily.

The leagues not that competitive it's just not as strong at the top. Stop drinking the Sky koolaid.

Us looking genuinely awful for 4 months straight I agree with but doesn’t really change my point. Again I’m not using it as an excuse, you’ve packaged your response like I am.

The PL is 1000% a more competitive league than Bundesliga and Ligue1 lol. The only debate is the Spanish league.

It’s the most physically demanding league and I firmly believe that recently it’s a really tough league to just go on a winning run. I think that’s linked to how physical and rugby like it’s become. Physical low blocks and teams causing on the break or set pieces.

Liverpool were on the beach last season because they didn’t have enough competition at the top // they were clearly the best. But does that change the general competitiveness of the league? Of the mid table teams, lower teams, etc.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

Dembele was injured most of the first half of the season. He's still their best player, top scorer and top assister in the league, where's the joke?

Really not sure why you Sky customers are constantly foaming at the mouth. Dembélé was on crutches but because Arteta and Guardiola pointed to the amount of minutes he's played you think Lucho just rested him for half a year while they were 2nd in the league for half the season.

I dont care what the reason is for him being out, giving a "best player in the league" award to a player that started less than 1/3 of the season is asinine, asiten, asieleven, however many asses you wanna put in there. Its got nothing to do with Arteta or Guardiola or Johnny Crackhead down the street pointing it out, couldn't give less of a **** tbh. It simply reads as a joke, you know it, I know it, everybody knows it. Whatever way you want to spin this Dembele award situation to make yourself feel better about the legitimacy of the league, but we ALL know **** like this is not a good look. He's not even ****ing top 5 in either goals scored or assisted lmao