Country: England
Fantastic post.Apologies guys. Long read.
Depression and acceptance for me because I think combined that creates apathy.
Everyone on this forum is clinging to transfers to improve us. An AM and a CF will make us better in everyone's mind. On that imaginary paper, but when it comes down to it, I can't see that being the case.
There are just too many bad decisions and too many unqualified people in high positions. When you look at the overall situation. There will be this talk about not being able to shift our players. Most of it is of our own doing.
We can't buy a rb because we have 3. We have refused multiple offers for chambers in the past. We signed Cedric on silly wages on a long contract. Of course he wants to stay and fight for his place picking up his money in London and not playing. Bellerin is an academy graduate who we should be looking to help by getting him a move. A loan with an option so he shows he can do it in a weaker league so we can move him on the following year. Kola is on silly wages, loan him for his last year. Don't give him game time. Put him in the reserves to force him to move. His mates aren't here anymore. He will soon move if he has a new club and the same money for a year with the option of a Bosman. We refused AMN a move, to keep him and not use him. We are currently doing the same with Willock. Either loan and extend or sell at a reduced fee. We loaned Torreira to Spain. That isn't his market. Italy is. Loan him there ffs. Then take the hit because you identified the wrong profile. It's the club's fault ffs. Not his.
50 million on White? 30 million on Ramsdale? 40 million on Tammy? I am all for homegrown talent, but Lokonga and Tavares literally show the value on the continent. The best strikers and AMs are not English. It's why England just played a euros with no attacking midfielder. It's why besides Kane nobody else is trusted. Even then. EVEN if we identify the correct striker. We don't have the room because we are giving game time to Lacazette and Eddie. Players we want to move on, but still make them feel like a part of the team? That is not how you force players to move. Don't ****ing play them. They are not in the shop window. Everyone knows what they can do. Force them to move. On top of that we signed Auba to a new deal out of fear of losing him when the way he plays doesn't even suit the manager's ideals. That is without even mentioning Willian. Someone who the manager valued over Pepe.
Then we come to the manager. He is unqualified. You do not get a short cut to managerial experience based on being Peps number 2. Nobody did under Ferguson who was a better manager than Pep. In what world does that qualify Arteta. Coach was fine, why promote him? Give him the the cash to build a squad? Something he has never done, with someone in charge of doing it, who has also never done it before?
Every player that has joined us has said it has taken us ages to do the deal. Lokonga, Tavares and White literally seemed exhausted by the process in their interviews. Yet we expect these guys to pull off Lautauro Martinez in 2 weeks? Or Maddison? I can't see it.
Tactically I kind of see what Arteta is doing, but currently pushing an extra attacker forward and leaving our current crop of defenders in 1v1 situations is suicidal. All teams in England can transition on you. Teams are specifically built for it. Look at how Villa destroyed Liverpool. We cannot afford to leave Mari, Holding, Chambers and White 1v1. They will get done on the counter time and time again. White literally came on the pitch yesterday and did the same thing Holding did. Followed a striker into the semi circle leaving Mari 1v1. So it is clearly instruction. If those are the instructions. What hope do we have?
It is also a strange profile of player we are for in the defence. I appreciate white is good on the ball and nimble. Gabriel basically is his polar opposite quality wise which should make a good partnership. Albeit inexperienced and shaky. However beyond them, Mari and Holding are deep block defenders. So an injury leaves us with the wrong profile to play how we want to play. Liverpool push high up so they buy Konate. We push high and put Holding in a foot race with Werner. That isn't Holdings fault. What is he meant to do? It is the equivalent of crossing 50 times to players who can't header the ball. Auba missed a header yesterday. Not because he hasn't scored in ages. He just isn't good in the air. Neither is Lacazette. Yet we build play down the sides and get into crossing positions for players who don't attack crosses unless they are tap ins.
Our press is still not co ordinated. It took Klopp half a season to effect his pressing system. We press man for man in a 3 4 1 2 one at a time. No cohesion. No boxing. Literally one after another. Any team with ability can play through it or go long and win the second ball because we only have Partey in there who can physically move. Player selection and substitutions are still major issues and always will be. He plays who he likes. Why else would Elneny play? Two games in a row he has given the ball away under pressure, while adding nothing to our game. No drive, no progression, no calmness , no aerial ability. I see Lokonga play and I am trying to remember him losing the ball and I can't. Maybe the one time he should have got a foul against Chelsea, but other than that, when? I see switches of play, recovery tackles, aerial challenges, dribbles but most of all bravery to play forward with either foot. He is clearly our best option next to Partey. Yet Xhaka, someone who openly doesn't want to be here and Elneny will get the nod.
Tactics are an issue for me. Its cautious possession based football where players need to be in a certain place to play the pass. How far are we into his tenure now? It still looks like players are thinking about where they need to be rather than actually knowing it. Players refusing to play the pass because the pattern isn't set. I think hat's why Elneny plays. He knows the patterns as does Xhaka. Lokonga doesn't. He doesn't play to them. He just beats a man and wants to go forward. Same with Tavares. I am all for structure off the ball, but on it. You need to let footballers be footballers.
We build up in a 2 3 5. I have said it recently. I think we have a back three squad. And I feel we would be better suited in a natural 3 4 3 or 3 5 2. The shift from a 3 5 2 to a 3 2 5 or a 2 3 5 is smaller than that of a 4 2 3 1 to a 2 3 5.
In a 4 2 3 1 5o go to a 2 3 5. Tierney becomes a left winger, think of how long that takes. And then your central midfielder needs to cover Tierney leaving your other central midfielder alone in the centre. You have two CBS and your right back now needs to tuck in. So you are left with.
----Xhaka----Partey---Chambers
------Gabriel----White
Everyone else is gone. When we have good possession and only when we do, that is when chambers goes and we leave four back. Even then, ESR, will come and fill in at right mid to make it look like we have 5 back. However, what happens is we lose the ball, and teams either go long and beat us in a foot race or play through us as we are put of position. Our players are too busy shifting around for pattern play that when we lose it they are not in a 2 3 5. Holding is past the halfway line with a CF. Mari is 1v1. Tierney is nowhere to be seen, Partey is on the edge of the opposition box, Xhaka is at lb unable to run and Chambers is on the opposition byline. WHAT IS THAT? ITS STUPIDITY!?!
We do not have Gomez, Van Dijk and Fabinho. Three players who can handle a 5 v 3 scenario. We have one monster and he is injured. The other is on loan in France.
So play a ****ing back 3. That way you have a 3 5 2 that goes into a 3 2 5 with the full backs and attacking midfielder moving forward. If you get caught you have your base intact. They aren't shifting around. From the 3 2 5 you can push one of the CBS forward to turn it into a 2 3 5. Ie. Ben ****ing White.
Nagelsmann, one of the best young coaches in the world. There is absolutely no way he would come to Arsenal. Look at our defenders and go, yup , back 4.
Oh well. 3 weeks till we can settle on this squad and judge Arteta based on his window with his players and no excuses. The position we are in is down to Edu, Vinai and Arteta and if they can't get us out, they need to be gone by December and replaced.
The only points I disagree with is whilst there is definitely more value to be found on the continent, we do genuinely have a homegrown issue with this squad. Whilst AM have largely baulked at the names mentioned (including myself) I actually applaud the focus on homegrown talents.
Also, I think pre-season selections have riled some people up when they shouldn't. Even under Wenger and Emery players who are on the verge of exits participated in preseason. Tammy Abraham has played every preseason game for Chelsea despite being credibly linked with us.
I'm more on the wait and see camp, I am annoyed Arsenal haven't accepted (reported) lesser bids for Xhaka, Bellerin, Laca and Eddie - but apart from overcharging for unpopular players I find it hard to blame Arsenal for the lack of transfer activity. I've pointed out many times the market has largely seemed gridlocked until very recently.
I am convinced we have a marquee signing or two to be announced. Whether they will address our issues will remain to be seen but that's where I start to agree with you on your assessment of the club.