Mikel Arteta: Working Jovertime

[Blood on the Tracks]

Partey wasn't awful at RB but he's a CM playing RB, you can see it constantly, he's never comfortable.
He wants to come inside everytime, shutting Saka out and he doesn't have the mobility to offer anything offensively.

None of this is his fault really, but Partey at RB should be a last, last resort at RB. I really hope Arteta views it that way too.

Sadly Sterling and Jesus didn't make too much of a case for more minutes either and Jorgi was just okay.

So I can't say the rotation worked performance wise though at least we got the 3 points.

 

[WesleyNHohfeld]

I have a few complaints about Arteta in this game. Playing Havertz in midfield with Sterling and Jesus up front was frustrating and he only corrected that error an hour into the game. He also should have put on Nwaneri for final 10 minutes once we went up 3-1.

He is trying to play Sterling and Jesus into form but I fear both of them are washed up. That was an uneven performance from us.

 

[fute]

Partey wasn't awful at RB but he's a CM playing RB, you can see it constantly, he's never comfortable.
He wants to come inside everytime, shutting Saka out and he doesn't have the mobility to offer anything offensively.

None of this is his fault really, but Partey at RB should be a last, last resort at RB. I really hope Arteta views it that way too.

Sadly Sterling and Jesus didn't make too much of a case for more minutes either and Jorgi was just okay.

So I can't say the rotation worked performance wise though at least we got the 3 points.

Partey did well, all things considered. Arteta gave him a big hug when he came off the pitch when he was subbed. So Arteta appreciated his efforts.

Tomi is just getting back from injury and not fit and he normally plays left back. Both White and Timber were out. Partey was the only option.

 

[Maybe]

You could tell from the lineup this wouldn't work, Nwaneri should've started to add some quality on the ball.

I sometimes wonder how these guys work behind the scenes, they sit at the table and say to each other "Jorginho and Rice midfield will work". It doesn't have creativity, or pace, just a flat boring midfield with zero chances of getting anything going

 

[Melquiades]

You could tell from the lineup this wouldn't work, Nwaneri should've started to add some quality on the ball.

I sometimes wonder how these guys work behind the scenes, they sit at the table and say to each other "Jorginho and Rice midfield will work". It doesn't have creativity, or pace, just a flat boring midfield with zero chances of getting anything going

I believe we're 9W 1L 1D in 11 PL games those two have started together in the last two seasons.

It isn't pretty and we're probably sacrificing some fluidity in our buildups but it seems to generally be a pretty reliable '2nd option' when we're forced to do it.

 

[Riou]

Ethan needs to be subbed on in games more.

Bar that, as good and as handsome as ever today was Mikel!

 

[razörist]

I will keep saying it: don’t move players around because of injuries, go for like for like replacements if available. With Ödegaard injured, Havertz should not be played in midfield. You weaken two positions instead of one. Trossard/Havertz double false 9 is fine but please don’t do it anymore. Best solution is Trossard/Nwaneri share those Ödegaard minutes and Havertz is striker primarily.

 

[Nunowoolmez]

That's 16 games undefeated all competitions now, going back to the Bayern & Villa losses last season.

Need to keep this good run going

I think thats his best undefeated run so far ?

 

[samspade]

even the poorest teams in this league have quality. I felt we almost got punished for over rotating and the bizarre pairing of havertz and jesus. Qualiy told but we played like bozos at times today

 

[MikelHadADream]

Could and probably should have been 7/7 wins to start the season, with Villa City and Sp**s away all out of the way now.

It’s looking good.

 

[Jasinho]

That's 16 games undefeated all competitions now, going back to the Bayern & Villa losses last season.

Need to keep this good run going

I think thats his best undefeated run so far ?

Crazy to think we've played away at Old Trafford, Etihad, Villa Park and Sp**s stadium x2 in that time. No losses.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Let's be honest, Mikel ****ed the line up vs Southampton. He should have stuck Nwaneri in the #8 and left Kai at CF where he's been cooking.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I think this will always be a difficult call. How much are you going to rotate? Previously, the manager have been criticised for rotating too little. Today, it is too much.

Still, we've rotated, and we have three points and no injuries.

Job done?

 

[db10_therza]

I think this will always be a difficult call. How much are you going to rotate? Previously, the manager have been criticised for rotating too little. Today, it is too much.

Still, we've rotated, and we have three points and no injuries.

Job done?

I’m a fan of like rotating one/two players every game (like City do) as opposed to rotating 5 players in a single game like Arteta does. Just too much disruption with that. He didn’t give Soton enough respect. This wasn’t Bolton in the Carabao…

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I’m a fan of like rotating one/two players every game (like City do) as opposed to rotating 5 players in a single game like Arteta does. Just too much disruption with that. He didn’t give Soton enough respect. This wasn’t Bolton in the Carabao…

Have we really rotated 5 players in general? I thought on the whole the problem was more that he didn't rotate at all unless we add the league cup.

I've no data on this, and I'm not trying to argue a point out of sheer bloodymindedness. My impression was always that he rotated too little.

 

[db10_therza]

Have we really rotated 5 players in general? I thought on the whole the problem was more that he didn't rotate at all unless we add the league cup.

I've no data on this, and I'm not trying to argue a point out of sheer bloodymindedness. My impression was always that he rotated too little.

Nah I mean we had 3 today I was being a bit hyperbolic.

Really I just didn’t like the Partey at RB to begin with, and ditto Havertz in midfield. It’s no coincidence how much more comfortable that game looked once he moved up front.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Nah I mean we had 3 today I was being a bit hyperbolic.

Really I just didn’t like the Partey at RB to begin with, and ditto Havertz in midfield. It’s no coincidence how much more comfortable that game looked once he moved up front.

Yeah, I didn't like either of those calls. It is what it is though.

 

[PrinzPoldi]

Enjoy these years lads, we could easily be like United when Arteta decides to leave.

Enjoy not being a laughing stock every week.

no way...
according some experts here, there are about 20 managers better than Arteta at this moment.
We will not miss him a single bit if he leaves.

 

[Penn_]

We should’ve been out of sight inside the first 15 minutes. The lineup was a bit too conservative but nothing to really complain about.

 

[Riou]

Ethan needs to be subbed on in games more.

Thinking about it, considering how much he praised Ethan after the Leicester win (plus his two goals in the cup before that) it is quite funny how he's got 0 minutes in the 2 games since then lol.

You literally never can guess what Arteta is ever going to do