Yeh I was talking to my mates about it yday. Raul set us back more than anybody else at this club.He would have made far more sense than the guys we actually signed, that's for sure. Emery knew what this group of players needed far more than Arteta, that's for sure.
Yeh I was talking to my mates about it yday. Raul set us back more than anybody else at this club.
He was just power grabbing his entire time here. If you forget about the incidents with Mislintat and Monchi and just focus on the players it’s still dodgy.
Emery wanted Zaha, Nkunku, Banega and Nzonzi. Instead Raul signed Pepe who is a very particular player and high risk, as well as Saliba who we still haven’t even used.
If we had signed Emery’s players, they wouldn’t have all been a success (like Nzonzi maybe), but they all solved what we needed and suited his system. Banega was that perfect 8/10 hybrid, Nkunku is just talented and versatile, and Zaha was PL ready and proven.
Villa have won their last three Premier League meetings with Arsenal, as many as they had in their previous 36 against them in the competition (W3 D9 L24). They last won four consecutive league matches against the Gunners in September 1962.@American_Gooner which record can Mikel break with this game?
View attachment 4839Unless we raise our game considerably I can’t see a win here. In fact I think we’ll most probably lose.
I think a comfortable loss actually. Unlike palace and Brighton, villa has goals in them and will hurt us. I think after this loss the club will start a pr campaign about bunch of transfers in January and the usual overhaulSo basically Arteta has lost all three games against Aston Villa and Dean Smith.
You guys still talking about a home win, lol. This match will be either a loss or a draw.
If we start that team we will win, enough players there who havent been damaged by Arteta's tactics.View attachment 4839Unless we raise our game considerably I can’t see a win here. In fact I think we’ll most probably lose.
Yes agree with this. Want to persist with it. Yeah couple of games with that has been bad but I feel it could get better. Eventually with or without arteta I'd like us to play 433.Part of me wants to persist with the 433. It gets our best players onto the pitch at once, and feel a 4231, with 2 Dms and Tomiyasu at RB provides its own problems.
The problem with it is that ESR and Ødegaard have no clue how to play the 8 positions. It's a catch 22, they need time to learn the positions/but we also need the points.
As much as the personal, the way we move the ball around is also a problem for the 3 midfielders. When take too long to get shots off, and let the oppositon to regroup by keeping the ball too long in the final 3rd. We don't have the superstar players to be able to play this patience game and create stuff against low blocks like City do, so when we inevitably loose it, we are getting destroyed through the middle on the counter, because ESR/Ødegaard can't defend (not their fault). I feel a bit sorry a bit for Partey, there is far too much defensive responsibility on his shoulders. If we had proper 8's, this wouldn't be the case.
**** macarthur but good in a way that he needs a breather too. Bring on martinelli.
So basically Arteta has lost all three games against Aston Villa and Dean Smith.
You guys still talking about a home win, lol. This match will be either a loss or a draw.
Don't think it's the worst idea either to be honest. I'd be tempted to shake things up a bit with the team, maybe bring Laca in as well, possibly Martinelli or Tavares for fresh legs. Try something a bit different at least.Partey cannot go up against both McGinn and Luiz and win the midfield battle, certainly not on his own (Arteta just can't seem to get the 4-3-3 to work) so we have go back back to 4-2-3-1, with 2 holding mids, it's our only way to play/win.
And I would start Elneny next to Thomas, as mad as that sounds.
Lokonga looks to be a real prospect, but he is a 22 year old in his first season in the country/league and he has looked a little nervous in games recently...would take the pressure of him, play Mo in this and give Sambi the cup game next week, to build up some confidence again.
Uhhhh, not confident at all for this match...can't be having Emi celebrating, in a full stadium