Arsenal FC Thread

[Halladay]

Discuss all things Arsenal and their club in here.

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[Jersey Fresh]

All thanks be to @Halladay.

I'll start: I find Arteta's star to be far too attached to Pep. If I'm being frank, day 1 to today I'm not seeing much improvement in their play, irrespective of the roster and it's warts.

 

[robertmac43]

This was a good and probably over due call!

 

[Halladay]

Fulham has scored more goals than them so far, that isnt too encouraging.

 

[phisherman]

All thanks be to @Halladay.

I'll start: I find Arteta's star to be far too attached to Pep. If I'm being frank, day 1 to today I'm not seeing much improvement in their play, irrespective of the roster and it's warts.

You see glimpses of it like first half against Leicester and Man U and the Europa League matches. The problem is the squad is so flawed so he's going to have to choose to either try and get results only (playing 3 at the back that led to them getting results last season) or trying to implement his system (4 at the back which is resulting in the poor results right now.

It has been reported that Edu and Arteta want to replace the entire midfield so Partey is only the first of three that has been brought in as replacement. We need to see how the team plays with players that Arteta brings in to really judge him.

He's not without his faults though. He starts Luiz and Willian too much and needs to incorporate Saliba ASAP.

 

[Blender]

All thanks be to @Halladay.

I'll start: I find Arteta's star to be far too attached to Pep. If I'm being frank, day 1 to today I'm not seeing much improvement in their play, irrespective of the roster and it's warts.

Arteta has certainly improved their club defensively compared with Emery, but their attacking has gotten worse. My opinions on their squad are well known, but where Arteta's biggest failing has been is he's not really playing to the strengths in the squad and there aren't many players, if any, who you could say are performing better than expected.

 

[robertmac43]

A new MF sounds fine by me. Need some kind of creative spark in the winter transfer window.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Aouar would’ve been huge for Arsenal this year. They lack someone to link the attack and defense effectively and I think that’s a big reason why the attack is struggling. That and Auba looks incredibly checked out currently.

 

[robertmac43]

Aouar would’ve been huge for Arsenal this year. They lack someone to link the attack and defense effectively and I think that’s a big reason why the attack is struggling. That and Auba looks incredibly checked out currently.

Auba looks checked out because there is no service due to the lack of a MF link. Arsenal also seem to be sending in far more crosses to the box these days which does not play to the teams strengths. Especially when Willock and Auba are the only ones in the box

 

[Blender]

I'm baffled they didn't keep Saliba, and they could have even slid Luiz into the midfield in that arrangement since Luiz has rarely been great in a back 4.

Fofana was not as good as Saliba last year on the same team, and he's doing pretty well for Leicester.

 

[AB13]

The players need replacing and better players would make a huge difference under another manager, for sure. But better players would not lead to a noticable offensive improvement as long as Arteta persists with his offensive tactics. Aouar or Szboszlai would not change things much. Arteta’s offensive style style is obviouly too systematic, and he microcoaches where every single pass in every single phase of play should be played. This goes against every single basic principle there is to offensive coaching. It is ironic, but doing nothing and just letting the players express themselves without systematic restraints would likely lead to a huge offensive improvement.

Defensively, Arteta is conceding less than Emery, but partly because he doesn’t press as high or attack as much.

Fulham have 35 more shots than Arsenal despite us having better players in every single position. People defending Arteta and not putting pressure on the board to sack the utter incompetent joke of a manager are ruining the club. As I have said, the squad is not that bad. Top 6 quality for sure, would finish top 4 with a good manager like Hassenhuttl, Bielsa, Nagelsmann, Rose, Allegri or Pochettino. Get them in and we will instantly be competitive. That is my view.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I'm baffled they didn't keep Saliba, and they could have even slid Luiz into the midfield in that arrangement since Luiz has rarely been great in a back 4.

Fofana was not as good as Saliba last year on the same team, and he's doing pretty well for Leicester.

That is also baffling to me. Saliba not being registered is lunacy to me, there’s no way he isn’t an upgrade on Luiz or Mustafi.

 

[bluesfan94]

All thanks be to @Halladay.

I'll start: I find Arteta's star to be far too attached to Pep. If I'm being frank, day 1 to today I'm not seeing much improvement in their play, irrespective of the roster and it's warts.

He's won silverware, but his play style hasn't really been that effective generally or that aesthetically pleasing. I've said I'm willing to give him the rest of this year barring a relegation scrap. But if he finishes out of the top 8 or so, then I'm going to have to think long and hard about replacing him. I do think that he was in an unfortunate situation with COVID, but at the same time, results matter.

 

[AB13]

He's won silverware, but his play style hasn't really been that effective generally or that aesthetically pleasing. I've said I'm willing to give him the rest of this year barring a relegation scrap. But if he finishes out of the top 8 or so, then I'm going to have to think long and hard about replacing him. I do think that he was in an unfortunate situation with COVID, but at the same time, results matter.

Why the low ambition and standards for a sacking? He should be sacked if he misses out on top 4 or doesn't win the UEL.

 

[S E P H]

Personally, concerning my own perspective, I could care less about who is or who isn’t a fan of whichever team.

I’ve recently stated opinions suggesting that Arsenal suck for no other reason than that’s what I think. I wouldn’t be shocked if they finished 5th by any means, but I think it’s valid to debate they’re quality being top 6. It’s in and around there. It’s not outlandish to suggest that they are definitely top 6 quality and neither is it outlandish to suggest that they are not of top 6 quality. These players have played like shit for the most part for 3-4 years for 3 different managers. They are currently in 14th. It’s either discuss then honestly, or avoid discussing them at all to abound hurt feelings, because there is not much positive to discuss.

There is indeed the fact that from all the fanbases here, Arsenal indeed have a couple 2-3 guys that are so lost due to not being able to separate emotional analysis from logical analysis that the y do in fact say the most outlandish things and deserve to have their opinions bashed. It just so happens that these guys are Arsenal fans. It could’ve easily been (for me) Chelsea fans, or United fans etc, but I don’t see nearly the same level of delusional from those fanbases. Trust me, if it was out of emotion, I’d much prefer to bash united and united fans than anyone else, but things are what they are.

Not sure if this includes me, but "deserve to be bashed" is a ridiculous take here and pretty much finalizes the rest of your post - which I thought was decent...at least in the first half - as something that deserves to be bashed instead. Everyone here is entitled to an opinion, if you don't like it then move on. The footballing world is way worse than whatever I've seen and read on here regardless of country or club. I forgot the mates name, but someone in Colombia pretty much assassinated a player after he made a major mistake in one of those WC matches (no one is dying on HFB). And you're absolutely wrong in the anti-Arsenal brigade here, there is an obsession with our club and I've seen it play out many times that I've lost count.

Whenever we always talk about "insert EPL here" in a negative light, the topic ALWAYS changes to Arsenal. For the record, I'm absolutely fine with talking about Arsenal being rubbish because we honestly are, but it gets tiring when someone talks about Leicester being overrated, Chelsea having defensive incompetence, or LFC being relevant for the first time in twenty years and somehow everyone's thoughts then go straight into an Arsenal-bashing feast. This changes the topic from "defending" your club to going offensive to "bashing" mine and you've been responsible for this as well Koy. That's the significance the people on here have absolutely no clue in, we can talk about KFC being irrelevant for long portions of time one day and Arsenal being miserable later on in that day, but not as a defensive mechanism in a debate/discussion.

 

[The Abusement Park]

The players need replacing and better players would make a huge difference under another manager, for sure. But better players would not lead to a noticable offensive improvement as long as Arteta persists with his offensive tactics. Aouar or Szboszlai would not change things much. Arteta’s offensive style style is obviouly too systematic, and he microcoaches where every single pass in every single phase of play should be played. This goes against every single basic principle there is too offensive coaching. It is ironic, but doing nothing and just letting the players express themselves without systematic restraints would likely lead to a huge offensive improvement.

Defensively, Arteta is conceding less than Emery, but partly because he doesn’t press as high or attack as much.

Fulham have 35 more shots than Arsenal despite us having better players in every single position. People defending Arteta and not putting pressure on the board to sack the utter incompetent joke of a manager are ruining the club. As I have said, the squad is not that bad. Top 6 quality for sure, would finish top 4 with a good manager like Hassenhuttl, Bielsa, Nagelsmann, Rose, Allegri or Pochettinho. Get them in and we will instantly be competitive. That is my view.

I think the reason the offense looks so stagnant is because he’s having to cover for the poor options has has the the backend. Gabriel and Tierney are good players, but Luiz and Mustafi are genuine liabilities at the back.

 

[robertmac43]

Fulham have 35 more shots than Arsenal despite us having better players in every single position.

Wow that is a telling stat....

 

[BKIslandersFan]

club only good for arsenal fan tv.

 

[AB13]

I think the reason the offense looks so stagnant is because he’s having to cover for the poor options has has the the backend. Gabriel and Tierney are good players, but Luiz and Mustafi are genuine liabilities at the back.

It has nothing to do with that. Even in the games we try to attack, we don't create anything because of Arteta making everyone stick to their position in the offensive third and because of him forcing the players to follow rehearsed patterns of play. The opposition managers have read those patterns of play now, but instead of being unpredictable and letting the players play freely while attacking less through a system and relying on natural dynamics, he forces the players to play the same way with microcoaching. No offensive player would ever do well in a system that allows for no individualism where everything is systematic.

This is the most essential, basic skill any coach can have. Not being restrictive, finding the balance and just relying on natural dynamics is usually much more effective than playing a "system" offensively.

 

[robertmac43]

My Dad sent me a message this morning about joining the relegation battle with Brighton - It was in total jest but I found this tweet funny.

 

[koyvoo]

Not sure if this includes me, but "deserve to be bashed" is a ridiculous take here and pretty much finalizes the rest of your post - which I thought was decent...at least in the first half - as something that deserves to be bashed instead. Everyone here is entitled to an opinion, if you don't like it then move on. The footballing world is way worse than whatever I've seen and read on here regardless of country or club. I forgot the mates name, but someone in Colombia pretty much assassinated a player after he made a major mistake in one of those WC matches (no one is dying on HFB). And you're absolutely wrong in the anti-Arsenal brigade here, there is an obsession with our club and I've seen it play out many times that I've lost count.

Whenever we always talk about "insert EPL here" in a negative light, the topic ALWAYS changes to Arsenal. For the record, I'm absolutely fine with talking about Arsenal being rubbish because we honestly are, but it gets tiring when someone talks about Leicester being overrated, Chelsea having defensive incompetence, or LFC being relevant for the first time in twenty years and somehow everyone's thoughts then go straight into an Arsenal-bashing feast. This changes the topic from "defending" your club to going offensive to "bashing" mine and you've been responsible for this as well Koy. That's the significance the people on here have absolutely no clue in, we can talk about KFC being irrelevant for long portions of time one day and Arsenal being miserable later on in that day, but not as a defensive mechanism in a debate/discussion.

Bashed was definitely the wrong word to use. I for sure mean more “challenged”. And that’s the crux of what’s gone on today. It’s being insinuated that people are dogging for something other than valid observation. Maybe some are, I certainly haven’t. I don’t see how there could be any different opinion based on the results over 3-4 years now with multiple managers. So, if they’re shit, it’s either discuss it, or avoid discussing solely for the reason of avoiding hurt feelings. Because if you’re looking for positive commentary on the state of the team, I don’t think it’s ridiculous to suggest that there won’t be much based on results over this time period.

How foolish would I have to have been when Liverpool were finishing 8th and 6th and 7th to suggest they have top 4 quality when they didn’t finish top 4 in years? And I certainly never suggested as much while they were finishing so poorly because there was no justification in making such a claim.

 

[bluesfan94]

Why the low ambition and standards for a sacking? He should be sacked if he misses out on top 4 or doesn't win the UEL.

Because that standard is laughable for a manager who has been around for less than a year, still.

 

[AB13]

Because that standard is laughable for a manager who has been around for less than a year, still.

After the season, he has had a year and a half. So far he has made us much, much worse. I would sack him today, but logically you have to sack him if he doesn't reach the target he has had financial backing to reach.

I am asking, what is a realistic target for this season? I would say top 4. If he doesn't reach the target or show huge improvements in style of play, he should simply be sacked.

 

[bluesfan94]

After the season, he has had a year and a half. So far he has made us much, much worse. I would sack him today, but logically you have to sack him if he doesn't reach the target he has had financial backing to reach.

I am asking, what is a realistic target for this season? I would say top 4. If he doesn't reach the target or show huge improvements in style of play, he should simply be sacked.

But put that year and a half in context. He had a couple months during the busiest time of the season, then was in lockdown for a couple months, then had a couple months where we were finishing an old season, then he had a couple weeks of an offseason, then he's had a couple months where we've been playing twice a week. It's not exactly conducive to building a side.

 

[AB13]

But put that year and a half in context. He had a couple months during the busiest time of the season, then was in lockdown for a couple months, then had a couple months where we were finishing an old season, then he had a couple weeks of an offseason, then he's had a couple months where we've been playing twice a week. It's not exactly conducive to building a side.

I don`t think that holds up as an excuse for him to keep his job when he is doing much worse than Emery with better players. If he turns it around, sure let him stay, but the likliehood of him improving is not high. The more his system has been implemented over time, the worse results and performances have been getting. One poor season is enough to sack a manager with no previous credentials, in my opinion.