Armenian national team manager, Artur Petrosyan, says he’s glad that Henrikh Mkhitaryan has left Manchester United to join Arsenal as he feels the kind of football we play will suit the 29 year old better.
In a not too veiled dig at Jose Mourinho, he suggested that the former Borussia Dortmund man was expected to do too much defensive work, and that the more expansive football Arsene Wenger prefers will see him get back to his best.
He didn’t explicitly call Mourinho a massive park-the-bus prick, but I think we all know that’s what he meant.
“It is good he has left,” said Petrosyan about the six-time Armenian player of the year. “I am not happy with Mourinho’s decision not to play him, but it is his club, his team, he knows what he wants.
“I cannot tell you about my talks with Mkhi because it was between us but I told you that I was not happy with Mourinho.
“We are very happy with this transfer from Manchester United. His style of play will be better suited at Arsenal.
“It is my impression that Henrikh had a problem with the coach. At Arsenal, it will be another thing and not the same situation.
“There will not be so much pressure on him defensively.”
Let’s hope he can rediscover his mojo with us, starting with Tuesday at Swansea, and at his press conference earlier the Arsenal manager expanded on where he sees him fitting into the team.
“I think Mkhitaryan can play in all positions in midfield,” he said. “Box-to-box, not a defensive role or holding role no, but the other positions are not out of reach for him.
“Until now he has been more a wide player, he can certainly absorb that role in a winger playmaker but I don’t rule out him being a box-to-box player.”
To be honest, it’s been quite a while Arsenal ourselves have not been playing our own expensive, free flowing football I feel. The days of Rosicky, Cesc, Helb & Nasri moving the ball through the midfield like hot knife over butter. Hopefully with Miki, Jack, Ozil & more, it’s the start of smooth flowing football again!
Agree with you fully. Going off on a tangent now – I also think, we should somehow get Raiola to be part of our negotiation team. I’m amazed he managed to get a pay rise for Mhki coming from ManU – one reason is his below par time there, plus ManU pay one of the highest salaries amongst any club/sport in the world, while we are have a reputation of being tight with purse strings! Also, we struggle so much with the negotiations that a number of our transfers turn into a saga, it would help having someone like Raiola… Read more »
I love Giroud but if they are really asking for him in return I can kind of understand it from their perspective because they are losing a player who has already scored 21 goals this season.
Let’s hope for that Mkhi mojo coming back, he could be a great player for us.
Queue wenger playing him as a holding mid haha
Left back.
You beat me to it!
Wenger is basically saying he is our Santi replacement. With Mkhi and Auba i can see us switching 4-3-3/4-2-3-1/4-4-2 in game. Our attack will be Laca, Auba and Ozil with Mkhi, Jack/Ramsey and Xhaka. Welbeck and Iwobi will providing competition from the bench. I still want Giroud to stay with us because of the qualities that he brings to the squad. Even with all these guys Auba and Giroud we will need one more offensive player to complete the squad. It’s impossible to rely on the fitness of Jack, Ramsey, Mkhi and Ozil. To be at our free flowing best… Read more »
I’d have rated the Armenian coach more if he simply went all out and called Mourinho ‘a fucking cunt’.
Music to our ears that much of his problems were caused by Mourinho’s (lack of) style
I still think it’s a great feeling to take the Mkhi out of ManUre- even if we lost our juicy orange: Makes me think of the time I bought what I expected to be really good quality, politically correct oranges from sunny Spain- after 3 days they were all mouldy and rotten- just sayin’–
sorry you lost me there…. politically correct oranges?
Not Isreali or South African maybe. Or perhaps organic.
Seems Mikhi’s flexibility in position will put pressure on Ozil and Jack in negotiations. But I don’t think it would affect whether they sign or not.
I believe a big signing, statement of intent would get those two signed up very quickly, and at agreeable terms.
If this is the solution to plugging the wjole that Santi left then I think maybe, just maybe, we can start playing football like we used to, the Arsenal way. Something pleasing to the eye.