Mikel Starteta Wars: Phase IV - A New Cope

[Trilly]

So the only thing I’d add here is that Mikel imo looks for breakpoints in the season to switch things up. Last season it was Dubai - this season it was the fixture swing and intl break.

We’ve basically seen the same blueprint for the last 2 seasons now. Roughly split season into 3rds, first 3rd play compact and conservative, second 3rd go wild, final 3rd mix it up based on the fixtures.

There’s too much evidence there now to assume it’s driven entirely by player availability but if you want to think it’s all a coincidence be my guest.

We were playing Haramball (and have in the past) with Ode present so I still strongly lean towards your theory tbh.

 

[db10_therza]

We were playing Haramball (and have in the past) with Ode absent so I still strongly lean towards your theory tbh.

I think you mean present not absent but yeah basically

 

[SA Gunner]

Real ball knowers go off vibes and eye test, only neeks and dead ballers need statistics and research.

If someone ever uses the term 'field tilt' I just assume they got bullied as a teenager.

Yeah, this is nonsense.

Statistics and all that comes with it has gone into overdrive in recent years, I do agree. But, like in other areas of life it does help paint a better picture of what we are looking at.

Save the playground talk, its stupid.

 

[OnlyOne]

Would also say that Haramball came at the start of last season when we have a new midfield.

Took Mikel a while to figure it out.

I think it represents how we currently differ from City.

 

[HagnSprayGooners]

I don’t know why you’re getting emotional. When the set pieces don’t come, we’re not as potent as demonstrated by our toothless CL displays and 5 PL games where we were held scoreless.

You don't think there's any other factors aside from set pieces?

 

[HagnSprayGooners]

Well if he said it…

(I used his numbers by the way, 20/150 = 13%, always check the working bro c’mon)

I don't get why people don't read things properly. In terms of corners you're correct, I'm talking pens, corners and free kicks because AG said set pieces.

In terms of just corners that 13% stat is even more damning for his argument!!

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

It’s not the most likely outcome admittedly but I can see us winning all of them as long as we have a fit squad. City is the real question mark there, they could have sorted themselves out by then.

I’d take 4 wins and 2 draws out of that. Wont accept any more losses though.

It all depends on the fitness of our squad. Sp**s don’t worry me - the way Postecoglou plays we’re their kryptonite. We should beat Villa at home. We should be smashing Brentford home or away. Brighton away admittedly is tough as well, they have a lot of match winners.

Imo the form we are gearing up in recent weeks has us as the best team in the league. Shore up the defense and Im hopeful we will smoke the league.

Knowing my life though, we will probably start by losing to United on Wednesday.

 

[A_G]

You don't think there's any other factors aside from set pieces?

Yeah, we need a killer CF. X-factor.

 

[Trilly]

It’s good to look at context and the micro factors but taking a step back and taking a macro view is also important.

I’ll NEVER rate Mikel if he allows finished/easy games/Klopp-tax/Lucky etc. Liverpool to win the title with a manager in his first season.

There’s no defending that.

 

[Bagels]

It’s good to look at context and the micro factors but taking a step back and taking a macro view is also important.

I’ll NEVER rate Mikel if he allows finished/easy games/Klopp-tax/Lucky etc. Liverpool to win the title with a manager in his first season.

There’s no defending that.

Thought experiment - what if Liverpool hit 100 pts this season. Would it still be indefensible for us to not win the league?

Note - before anyone gets on my nuts about Arteta wars **** - in most realistic scenarios, I would be disappointed to lose to Liverpool this season.

 

[BBF]

Yeah, we need a killer CF. X-factor.

I'm all for a new CF, but Marcos Alonso might be a step too far.

 

[Rasmi]

Good week. But next two games are banana

It’s good to look at context and the micro factors but taking a step back and taking a macro view is also important.

I’ll NEVER rate Mikel if he allows finished/easy games/Klopp-tax/Lucky etc. Liverpool to win the title with a manager in his first season.

There’s no defending that.

In my eyes I will never see him as top manager until he stops approaching away games against good teams in cowardice ways.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Thought experiment - what if Liverpool hit 100 pts this season. Would it still be indefensible for us to not win the league?

Note - before anyone gets on my nuts about Arteta wars **** - in most realistic scenarios, I would be disappointed to lose to Liverpool this season.

Part of the problem is whatever side you're on every event or happening gets boiled down to - Does it makes Arteta look good or bad?

It should be about Arsenal first, Arteta shouldn't be the focal point of absolutely everything.

Even as someone who likes Arteta I hope the next Arsenal manager has a different vibe because he really seems to rub people up the wrong way.

 

[Trilly]

Thought experiment - what if Liverpool hit 100 pts this season. Would it still be indefensible for us to not win the league?

Note - before anyone gets on my nuts about Arteta wars **** - in most realistic scenarios, I would be disappointed to lose to Liverpool this season.

I think if Liverpool hit 100 then it doesn’t mean we did badly, it means they did exceptionally well. I guess in that scenario it becomes less about not rating Arteta and more about how well Slot did.

But then the question becomes, why did they do exceptionally and we didn’t?

I think no matter how you look at it there’ll be difficult questions to answer.

 

[Bagels]

Part of the problem is whatever side you're on every event or happening gets boiled down to - Does it makes Arteta look good or bad?

It should be about Arsenal first, Arteta shouldn't be the focal point of absolutely everything.

Even as someone who likes Arteta I hope the next Arsenal manager has a different vibe because he really seems to rub people up the wrong way.

Yeah, it’s a bit odd as an Arsenal fan who just wants my team to do well, see good/bad results analyzed specifically as good/bad for Arteta, instead of the actual team as a whole.

I often find myself thinking along the same lines as your last paragraph, but then I remind myself it’s been this way with every manager on this place since I’ve followed. Not sure if it’s actually Arteta specific. Could be wrong though.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Yeah, it’s a bit odd as an Arsenal fan who just wants my team to do well, see good/bad results analyzed specifically as good/bad for Arteta, instead of the actual team as a whole.

I often find myself thinking along the same lines as your last paragraph, but then I remind myself it’s been this way with every manager on this place since I’ve followed. Not sure if it’s actually Arteta specific. Could be wrong though.

Yeah this is a fair point. A lot of people seem to think real management is like football manager where a manager is judged on a game by game basis and anything that happens in the game is a direct result of his management.

In reality managers are responsible probably over a longer time frame in order to be truly judged. Yes I get there are probably tactics for one game compared to another and a manager might arse his tactics up completely. But in general it's more over a series of games where what the manager is doing in terms of selection, tactics, training, etc should be judged in terms of how it's doing as opposed to reacting after every single game. There are definitely things like subs and team selection than can be scrutinised but in terms of manager doing "good" or "bad" I don't think think that should be judged on a game to game basis.

For example, if a manager has specific tactical ideas he wants to implement, a lot of the time it'll take a few games for the tactics to real bed in and this might come in errors from the team as they haven't fully adapted to the new tactics yet. The inverse could be seen in something tactically the manager is doing which is a weak spot for the team but opposition haven't been able to capitalise so it goes unnoticed, however eventually teams might catch on and begin to expose them. People might be reactionary to the game it finally gets exposed but in reality it's something that could've been coming for a long time but for whatever reason the opposition couldn't take advantage of this glaring hole.

 

[fute]

Slot's success is irrelevant to how we view Arteta.

Slot was hired due to his similarities with Klopp and where drastic changes wouldn't need to be made on the first team and academy. He walked into a situation with Alisson, Trent, VVD, and Salah. Let's not forget Pool was on top of the league last year only for them to bottle and implode towards the end.

If Maresca wins the league this year or finishes ahead of us, then some might raise some questions. Another former Pep assistant coming from the championship league and wins it all in his first year.

If Amorim finishes ahead of us this year, then the wolves would be out on Arteta. And not talking about Wolverhampton.

 

[Bagels]

I think if Liverpool hit 100 then it doesn’t mean we did badly, it means they did exceptionally well. I guess in that scenario it becomes less about not rating Arteta and more about how well Slot did.

But then the question becomes, why did they do exceptionally and we didn’t?

I think no matter how you look at it there’ll be difficult questions to answer.

Fully agreed!

 

[db10_therza]

I think no matter how you look at it there’ll be difficult questions to answer.

It’s not difficult in that scenario. If Slot gets a hundy then he’s an all time great basically. Arteta whilst a very good manager isn’t that. There’s no shame in it.

What would be difficult is trying to work out why Arsenal fans feel entitled to having a GOAT level manager. They don’t exactly grow on trees…

We had a chance at getting Klopp if Arsène left a year earlier. Right now I don’t see any alternatives to Arteta other than a gamble like Slot that may or not pan out.

 

[db10_therza]

It’s not difficult in that scenario. If Slot gets a hundy then he’s an all time great basically. Arteta whilst a very good manager isn’t that. There’s no shame in it.

What would be difficult is trying to work out why Arsenal fans feel entitled to having a GOAT level manager. They don’t exactly grow on trees…

We had a chance at getting Klopp if Arsène left a year earlier. Right now I don’t see any alternatives to Arteta other than a gamble like Slot that may or not pan out.

Btw in case someone gets the wrong idea - I do think if Slot wins the title (and gets less than 100 points…) then Tets will be a bit mudded. What Slot has done already is frankly incredible. Following a legend is never easy and he’s made it look light work.

His appearance frankly made it easy to write him off initially but he’s the real deal. Normally I’d say I expect him to win the league within the next few years but with their contract issues in the squad and FSG being what they are idk.