Freddie Ljungberg’s tenure as Arsenal interim head coach ended with a disappointing 0-0 draw at Everton.
The Swede is now set to stand aside for new man Mikel Arteta and it remains to be seen whether he’ll stick around to be part of the Spaniard’s coaching set-up or if he’ll look for opportunities elsewhere.
Facing the BT Sport cameras at Goodison Park, he confirmed he’ll have a meeting with Arteta tomorrow.
Here’s what he had to say.
On the performance…
I was very happy. We put a very young side out there because I wanted energy. They worked really hard in training so I wanted to give them the chance. We tried to dominate possession and keep the ball and you could see Everton getting frustrated and tired. Of course, there’s more to come but this was a building block to have stability when you play football that you can fall back on. Playing from the back, keeping the ball and getting up [front] to have a shot was very good. Of course, we want to create more chances. But we have to build slowly. I thought maybe we’d won the game with Aubameyang’s [chance] at the back post. They fought really hard and I loved what I saw from the spirit on the pitch. When you play in the Premiership you need to have spirit or you don’t win, you lose.
On picking the kids today…
There’s a lot of potential in a lot of the players. What I said today was that I want to see people that will run and fight and go for it. We can’t just rely on our name, we still need to run and do the dirty things. Then we put Joe on and Laca on and the sprinting and the fighting and all that…if we can do that and with the quality we have, we have a bright future.
On sitting down with Mikel…
I’ve been told by the club that they want me to stay. Of course I’m going to have a meeting with Mikel tomorrow. Hopefully a good one.
glad freddie gets to stay!
btw, AFTV get out of our club
Down votes can as well, AFTV are an embarrassment
Agree with The Boss, let’s rid negativity from the club. The fans will play their part in making this club great again
The nerve of those fuckers. Where do they get off sharing their opinions on public forums?! just who do they think they are?? Brb let me go share this opinion of mine on Arseblog and or twitter and or Reddit…(99% of the wastemen ragging on AFTV) And if you really want to argue it’s different because you’re not getting paid for it, just stop and think how exceptionally petty that makes you sound. Gunnerblog, Arseblog, Arsenalvision, Ian Wright, Keown, Dixon, all the rest of them. These are people who make a living talking about football and particularly Arsenal. AFTVs bunch… Read more »
i didn’t read
A youtube channel made by morons for morons
As opposed to the bonafide scholars on here
After a loss, I read exactly what I heard on AFTV right here from the same people complaining.
Arsenal vision/Arseblog etc have well balanced reasons for their opinions not shouting at each other in the street. They give fans from other clubs and media ammunition to beat The Arsenal with and create negativity around the club which is embarrassing. Nothing wrong with free speech but they represent Arsenal in the wrong light, sorry but it’s true. No problem with voicing opinions – just the way it’s done is shit. The fanbase has had enough and is turning… Think Arteta is changing mindsets already from one chat- creating a change in culture.. Smart guy
How can you mention free speech while making an argument against their right to free expression?
You can’t say ‘nothing wrong with free speech’ and also ‘get AFTV out of our club’.
Choose one position or the other. You can’t have it both ways.
Thank you
“all of us more or less say the same shit and have the same concerns they do”. You don’t speak for me, matey. Make that ALL of us minus one.
Yep, the majority of their viewers are opposing fans. Numpty Dumpty TV for the brain cell impaired. Should be renamed ABAFTV.
Some of this is likely going to come down to what type of role he’s offered as it’s unlikely he’ll be the senior assistant given how little relationship he and Arteta likely have. Interesting thing to me is even in just a few games to get a sense of players Freddie clearly does and doesn’t rate. Gendouzi went from a mainstay under Emery to not being much more of a peripheral player under Freddie while Xhaka was quickly returned to one of the first names on the team sheet. I really don’t see it with Xhaka but Wenger/Emery/Freddie all seem… Read more »
Seems Freddie is more Wenger than Arteta/Pep. Because I suspect Guendouzi will be forced into shape by Arteta
I think Arteta will be very good for Guendouzi’s career – although at maturity, that career may not be at Arsenal.
I think it was brave to start Smith Rowe but at the end of the day you could see they lack top flight experience. Arsenal needs dynamic creative players as well as proper tall defensive midfielders and center backs. I saw how many times torreira went for header and lost every single one. Aerial balls are important to win as well. since we lost Giroud we dont win any aerial balls in dangerous areas in the middle of the piitch. also shout out to Saka for stepping in at LB and putting an intelligent display. Martinelli and Chambers for me… Read more »
AFTV is part of our club most of them speak the truth and what we’re all thinking, get few di*k heads on there
Why should AFTV get out of our club?
They represent Arsenal Football Club in a poor manner and make the Arsenal fan base a laughing stock across the league and create internal divides.
Exploiting failures for personal profit is stabbing the club in the back not to mention the majority of participants have limited knowledge and a few can barely speak.
So to summarise…..its sh*t
Yeh fam, finally sum1 tellin it like it izzzz
They don’t boo the manager and players in the stadium, not everyone will like them but you can’t deny free men the opportunity to share their opinion, they only represent themselves as every other fan, our performance on the field is what the world sees and defines us
To be honest it’s a form of reality TV that many fans of premier league clubs watch for entertainment rather than the insightful football analysis. Basically they watch the channel to see a couple of blokes arguing with each other and find it funny at the expense of our club.
Zero to do with free speech – it’s the negative publicity it creates. Plenty of other outlets voice opinions in a way that actually complements the club not some geezer and his mates sensationalising some Talkshite radio style bullsh*t.
That’s not what they stands for. Arseblog too is making money but first of all,its the love of the ARSENAL
Because they don’t represent fans. They bring on the same bunch of overly angry armchair managers who have managed to monetise our decline. The worse things get the more they line their pockets.
That’s why they got to get out of the club. And that’s not even to mention how much of a joke it makes our club to other people’s fans.
Great shout.. 2 and half minutes too late though.
Great minds my man….
Maybe start s new channel. AFTVTV
A channel for fans to critique the views of the ‘fans’ that critique the club through AFTV.
What did AFTV done?
Young tram, a point away from home, clean sheet.
It’s already better than under Emery.
Team…
We needed three points not Freddie making his point.
We want you to stay
We want you to stay
Freddie Ljungberg
We want you to stay
Freddie’s a class act, speaks really well, knows the club, specifically the young players, who he has a good connection with.
Imperative we keep him.
It’s rather sad we didn’t think to sing this today.
Arteta as coach, Ljungberg and Alonso as his direct assistants, get Per and Pires contributing heavily and a sprinkle of Santi when he retires… I don’t know what we can expect in terms of results, but that there is a crew that can bring the style back to our game! The game is changing so fast that having a young coaching set up might actually be hugely beneficial, especially if they all stick together for a few seasons/generations.
He talks so well and understands and respects the building blocks of a functioning team. And every team selection has been based upon what he’s seen (he may say from training but it looks like from the previous game). I think he’s brave and has a real presence. May be difficult for him not to be ‘the’ boss as I see him as a guy who wants to lead
There’s no shame in apprenticeship at whatever age you may be
Does people seriously praise freddie over that performance or any of the game? The game felt more like freddie trying to make a statement rather trying to win a game tbh. I’m glad arteta will take over from now on.
Thanks ach, Freddie made the game about himself not Arsenal needing three points. He wanted to showcase his work at the academy and his principles.
dudes are just gonna dislike your comment because Freddie scored a cup final goal.
His team selection was awful
What are you three smoking??? Our performances have only got better under Freddie. He always talked about transition, he knew what he wanted. It’s better to stamp your authority then accept tantrums from players, he wanted the win and he knew he wouldn’t get it from his other first team.players. Guendouzi for all his mercurial talent has been found out for developing bad habits and has started to look lazy, he is young and he needs a coach like Freddie and Arteta who will put him in his place and others when they stop working hard. I very much hope… Read more »
Well done Freddie!!!! Class act!
We’ve got a very unpleasant run over Christmas, a couple more clean sheets would be very welcome
I am not hugely disappointed by a draw on the road. However it was frustrating to watch.
In particular, I lost count of the times that we gained possession in the offensive half, ignored an available forward or square option, then sent 2 or 3 long passes backwards all the way to Leno. If this was his strategy of “playing from the back” I want a different one. This felt like a continuation of the last 2 years. Remember when Emery said we were going to be protagonists? Hopefully Arteta gets us more confidence and brings back attacking play.
Our performances have improved under Freddie. It takes time. Some good performances out there today. Hopefully Arteta can get our players to pass the ball quick. I really find it frustrating how slow build up play is and the lack of movement into space with and without the ball. We need more Rosicky-style play.
Hope Freddie can stay on the staff under Arteta, he has a lot to offer and has done fine as the interim given the circumstances he’s been working under.
Thought it was a weird selection. OK with energy bc the kids are more diligent and our off ball work much better than some senior players included (chiefly Pepe and Ozil), but we needed a bit more nous. …would have had Guendouzi over Smith-Rowe in a forward mid position. Certainly preferred him over bringing on Willock. Torreira and Granit bring more stability IMO but cancel each other out sometimes going forward but Smith-Rowe still a bit raw. Good to see Nelson out there today. But would also preferred to have seen Laca on 60 minutes in cocert with Auba going… Read more »
Question: if it was possible, would you swap Xhaka for Fabian Delph in Jan?
I think given the size of the mess, Freddie ha done really well to get us playing possession based football again. Plus a draw and a win away is not to be baulked as with this team. he’s done well with no support from the club