Arsenal are continuing to assess Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gabriel Martinelli in the hope the strike duo will be available for the Boxing Day clash with Chelsea.
Aubameyang has been nursing a calf issue for a week and missed the games with Everton and Manchester City but “has now joined outside drills”, according to the medical team.
After sustaining a big kick to his shin, Martinelli had to be subbed off early in the second half of Tuesday’s defeat to City. He took to social media yesterday to reassure fans that he’s not done any major damage and the club are hopeful “he will be able to participate in full training ahead of Saturday.”
Thomas Partey remains sidelined with a thigh strain but is making good progress in his recovery. Last night the club released a video of him undergoing rehab sessions and claim he’ll be working with the ball again soon.
Having picked up a three-game ban for his red card against Burnley, Granit Xhaka will be available for selection.
As far as we’re aware, there are no other injury issues.
Let’s hope so, we need both of them badly.
Properly fit too, not just rushed back in a panic
Thomas Tuchel.
Discuss.
No. End of discussion.
I’m surprised. Can I ask why?
Because he has just been fired. What good will he be to us?
A because I absolutely dislike him as a person. I already did when he was at Mainz.
B because I think the way PSG played, considering the amount of quality in that team, doesn’t make me think that he’d do wonders with this current Arsenal squad.
C because the last time we hired a sacked coach from PSG, it didn’t go THAT well, eh?
D – and that’s probably the main reason – because I still believe in Mik and that he’ll turn it around.
I’m really curious – what are you seeing that makes you believe in Arteta at this point?
The key word is “believe”.
Being pro-Arteta is a matter of faith. Because clearly, the evidence points to an inexperienced fair-weather manager with no Plan B – and a Plan A which might work at like ten clubs worldwide.
I agree. Arteta has shown no spark, no wit, no leadership ever since shit hit the fan. He’s sticking to his decisions sure that teams will come around and let him do his crossing just because he’s so persevering.
He’s been unlucky. His team only usually has a 7% chance of losing
Must be really fucking unlucky then…
“I’m really curious – what are you seeing that makes you believe in Arteta at this point?“ I think those that were pleased with Arteta being appointed bought in to the romance of rolling the dice. That only someone with Arsenal DNA could breathe an ethos back into the club which had lost its identity so badly. We bought into a “long term project” and in so doing acknowledged that there would be pain along the way. Now we’re suffering that pain and we’re getting nervous. I’m still Arteta in because for me the gamble is worth the risk. I… Read more »
I would be more on board if virtually all his decisions weren’t so short term focused as Stillman points out. Willian, Mari, Cedric – torching Saliba. Playing clearly unfit players etc.
Stillman is, for the first time, beginning to write out of anger — never seen that from him before — though understandable given our circumstances. Even if your project is long term, you still have to try to win games today. Everyone says they would be just fine with a rebuilding project and the struggles that go along with it, but look around you — we aren’t patience personified. I think when you are in a crisis and desperately need wins, you do anything you can — if we were up in 8th I don’t think Partey and Martinelli come… Read more »
Arteta came up with a style of play which was then relatively easily countered this year. He has yet to show the ability to adapt as his plan A no longer works. We’re a really poorly coached team at this point.
IMO he’s out if we don’t win 2-3 of the next 5 PL games as were genuinely slipping into a relegation battle which is totally unacceptable
Exactly. Not to mention more than 60% of the decisions he’s made has backfired. Freezing out Ozil. Backfired. Keeping faith in Willian over any body else – backfired. His handling of Pepé when he was clearly our second best player after Auba in that FA cup triumph – backfired. His treatment of Saliba. Keeping faith in Xhaka. Releasing Emi Martinez, and signing Runnarson as backup (we also have Matt Macey who again, never gets game time). Reluctance to start our best youngsters (ESR, Bolagun, Nelson, AMN to an extent, William). And I’m sure I can name a few more if… Read more »
It’s not goodwill. Fans that still support Arteta aren’t in the Christmas mood necessarily, but rather looking at where we are coming from and where we hope to go — not simply the present slump in form. And trust me, it’s not easy to do; but there is a belief that this manager has high hopes for the club and the ability to get us there. I know this doesn’t jive with the “table doesn’t lie” and the “it’s a results business” pearls of wisdom, but I’m in this the for long haul. It is going to be so, so… Read more »
Are you one of those “speak it into existence” positive vibe gurus? Arteta actually thinks we played well and dominated the games we recently lost or draw. That’s the worrying part. All this bullcrap about having more possession is pointless if we can’t even register a shot on goal.
Arteta is trying to get the confidence back into his side, and thus he has to emphasize whatever positive he can find. I think it is something coaches do, but I can’t be sure.
The Prince came riding on a horseback and married the beautiful poor girl and made her a Princess and they lived happily ever after.
I don’t believe in fairytales
Yeah he’s just the 3rd manager in a row to have had to drop the hugely-overpaid-while-underperforming-but-with-a-top-notch-PR team Ozil. How many more does it take for people to figure out the pattern?
I count 2 managers, Emery being the other. But say I’ll be gracious and give you 3; they didn’t exactly set the world alight did they? Your point exactly?
Wenger fell on his sword and wore down his legacy little by little when he took the board’s side when it came to team decisions (selling Vap P, Alexis, etc.) It feels as if Arteta hasn’t learned and thought that fucking with Ozil will endear him to the bosses and help him build a future in his image. What he’s done with Saliba – the lack of clarity – is unforgivable. It’s comparable to Jose and Shaw. He could have ridden it out if he was winning but he’s done the total opposite so far. Pepe was supposed to be… Read more »
Willian, Cedric and Mari have been bought before he became the manager. So I’m not sure if they we’re his preferred purchases. And Saliba hasn’t been torched but protected. He’s a kid and went through a lot on a personal level. What’s the fu**ing problem in giving him half a season off after everything he’s been through in the last 12 months. He’s the future so no need to rush things. Let him come in when he’s ready. It’s not like we’re short of numbers in the cb position. He’ll come good. And I haven’t heard a word from him… Read more »
Arteta publicly talked about wanting all 3 players so unless Edu & co were bringing in players he didn’t want, those are at least partially on him
He has been asked about players his technical director just purchased. Absolutely normal that coaches are saying that the players who have just been brought in are completely shite. That doesn’t tell us anything about how much geb wanted these transfers done.
Not sure how this is being downvoted. The point about Saliba is very valid.
We tried to send him on loan last minute and couldn’t even get the paperwork done on time – a complete debacle vs any real plan for his development. We then chose not to put him in the Europa League squad where he could easily have played competition a step below the PL in the group stages. While he’s a young player he still started in the French first division the last 2 years.
Not sure that is at all fair — Arteta may well have planned out hls loan back to France, only for the suits to fall through. Then, with an already bloated squad (some of whom need to play in order to be sold), his chances were slim — we own him, he’s ours, sorry for the hurt feelings everyone, but he can wait his turn.
Everyone is turning this into a storm in a teacup, which is what we are wont to do, but it’s really absurd. And funny, actually.
Berlingoon’s point is, of course, absolutely reasonable..
If we wanted to give him half a season off then fine. But clearly we didn’t as we tried to loan him out and were so incompetent we couldn’t get the paper work done. A lot of this is just reductionist history to paint us in a better light. Stillman isn’t angry – he’s 100 percent correct in everything he’s saying.
Mistakes happen, and clearly the club were in over their heads this summer with a few things, you know, going on behind the scenes. Is it really the cross on which to nail Arteta and Co? Saliba will be fine.
Stillman is very angry, but that doesn’t make what he’s saying inaccurate; it’s just couched in a tone that is less measured than is his normal. I was struck by it.
What does “reductionist history” mean? I haven’t heard that one before.
Maybe we thought loaning him back to his home club would be good for him. It’s a difference if you have to get over shit that happened in your personal life in a different country or in a familiar environment. That the loan deal fell through can hardly be blamed on Arteta. Pretty sure he’s not responsible for submitting paperwork. After that fell through, they maybe thought it’s a good thing to take him out of the firing line and let him get over it while getting used to life in London and learning the language, without the pressure to… Read more »
Edu & Arteta are a team as Arteta is the manager and at this point one leaving would almost certainly mean the other one is out as well. I would point to Stillman’s column as a solid issue of why Arteta should be sacked baring some rapid uptick.
We’re a badly coached team slipping into the relegation zone while spending a large chunk of our tight resources on bringing in old players. It’s a proper mess.
Saliba has shown no strain of the ’emotional backpack’ you talk of. He’s raring to go. Even if he doesn’t turn out to be very good (he couldn’t have saved our season TBH) – it’s a fuck up any way I see it.
How can Saliba be worse than Mustafi? Or have less potential than Mari? Or be more fit than Chambers? Or not at least be a reliable backup to Holding?
I am sorry I fail to see how Saliba wasn’t picked but Mari was. How Ozil was scapegoated for getting his money but Willian was actively courted? Also, it doesn’t matter who did what – Edu Arteta Vinai. It’s on all of them.
The f**cking problem is that Saliba himself apparently feels like he’s “in a prison”.
The f**cking problem is that all parties thought a loan would have been the best option, they just couldn’t complete the paperwork on time, you know, as well-run organizations do.
The f**cking problem is that our manager, who’s f**cking problem it is to know who his squad is, was apparently unaware that Saliba was eligible for the Olive Garden Cup.
Wow.
What I gather is that you are hellbent on coming up with excuses with Arteta no matter how poorly he does. I want MA to do well because it also means Arsenal is doing well. But he isn’t and a lot of that is down to self inflicted own goals that he doesn’t seem to acknowledge, or have the capability to turn around. With Wenger, one feels that we are great at home but can do much better away. With Emery, one feels a draw is the default. With the current Arteta, a defeat is expected, a draw is a… Read more »
I gather you, like so many other Arsenal fans, aren’t patient and don’t understand that rebuilding this team into a consistent competitive unit is going to take time, and thus I gather that you don’t fully realize the situation we’re in — and I don’t mean the relegation battle. The relegation battle is something we’ll deal with and rise above, soon enough, with the current personnel. What lies deeper than that, and something we’ve been struggling with for years, is the dysfunction that defines Arsenal FC. We have changed everyone from the captain up, and we’ve settled on this project… Read more »
If Arteta foretold the poor form, I would give him time. He never saw this coming and now has no clue what to do. Arsenal haven’t been here before – no one to advise at any level. I’m sorry but I can bet the American Masters are getting very fidgety
This ❤️
I admire your belief. I love Arteta. I still bristle when people take potshots at Wenger. I get where you are coming from. But this romantic exercise is close to a tragedy if we fall in the bottom three. Not just financially, but also in terms of acquiring and keeping players we want. Where I lauded his pragmatism (Bolton style play) when it got us the FA Cup, now I see blinders re his management and worse – encouraging factionalism in the squad. If we continue down this path through the end of the season, he will have set us… Read more »
First of all he doesn’t even have the “Arsenal DNA” (whatever that means). If anything, he has but the “Everton DNA”. Let’s get that straight.
I believe Arteta can turn it around too. He needs to stick to his guns and get the team playing an identifiable style of his own crafting and not give in to short termism (as Tim was saying) and panic like an Emery. Saying this, I have felt pretty puzzled watching us this season at how little pace and creativity we show. It feels like a regression from his first months. I hoped he would bring more steel to the team but also, having worked with Wenger, have harnessed some of our beautiful footballing style from that era too. Some… Read more »
Fair enough. I don’t believe he can/will turn it around. I am struggling to see what the vision is. His treatment of young players thus far also puts a seed of doubt in my mind in terms of his capacity to nurture.
Fair enough. I’m guessing from your name you know a fair bit more about German football than me!
I just remember him being lauded as one of the bright new things in European football until he took hold of the poison chalice that is managing PSG.
But I bow to your superior wisdom.
I’m not militant ArtetaOut but I think if we aren’t at least putting a few feelers out there, we haven’t learnt a thing from our mistakes this time last year.
Hiring any manager who comes from a club with unlimited money is always a risk, unless you have unlimited amount of money to give him a 50 million right back at anytime.
You mean like Arteta?
Lucky for Arteta he was never a manager or first team coach in his career when he joined Arsenal. So he does not apply.
Well he quite literally is a manager and he comes from a club with unlimited resources.
The fact that he wasn’t even the manager there makes it worse, if anything.
And I’m pretty certain he *was* a first team coach at City.
Maybe this is the root of the problem
Have you watched Tuchel at Mainz? Very limited resources. brought Fuchs and Okazaki. But, it seems he has an issue with the sporting director or CEO as he wanted total control over transfer activity. not sure Edu will like it or not. pros side. Auba scored plenty of goals for BvB when tuchel was the coach.
He’s an odd fellow. But a talented coach He’d almost certainly clash with higher ups and parts of the squad, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if the collateral damage can be minimised He probably wouldn’t want to come in as just ‘head coach’ given what he’s put up with at PSG. Also clashed with Mislintat at Dortmund over recruitment. I get the feeling he’s a bit of a control freak – probably not a bad thing given the cluelessness of our higher ups. We badly need someone with football understanding and experience, whether that comes from the manager… Read more »
Can we call him tushie? If so I’m in.
I like an alliterative name but that’s it.
Allegri, if not stick with Arteta
All of a sudden I’m liking the name Allegri for no particular reason. It must a psychological thing.
I doubt if all-agree about him
Horrible football, smarmy face, what’s to like?
Naa…What it means is Willian is going to start against Chelsea.
He is gonna be poor again and probably get a card and his reasoning being he was overwhelmed playing against his former club.
I still remember Arteta’s first match against Chelsea , we did lost but we played so well. Hope its the other way round…style can take a backseat..points matter.
For this Chelsea game Arsenal were leading 1-0 when Özil left the pitch…
Let’s hope Gabriel Jesus contaminated nobody especially our Brazilians he could have socialized with.
Lots of hope until the last update
The only players I see as undroppable/integral to our improvement are Leno, Tierney, Gabriel, Partey, Auba, Saka and (I know it’s still early days but he’s shown enough imo) Martinelli. Now we need 4 more to properly step up and make a case for being a regular starter. Some can just absolutely fuck off and never come back too, of course.
auba ? if laca has his scoring boots on, i’ll always prefer laca over him.
If my Aunt had a dick she’d be my Uncle
😂😂😂 i get your point.
a fair shout, here.
Laca in form is an excellent player.
How quickly we forget.
He’s given us about a year of woeful form and the appearance of having concrete in his boots to help us forget. I quite like the guy, but we haven’t forgotten “quickly.”
How dare you forget Willian.
I’m really worried about relying on Saka and Martinelli too heavily before they’ve really grown into their bodies and brains. We’ve seen what this can lead to several times before
I know it’s not optimal for short term results, but I’d rather they were limited to 30-something games per year for the next couple of seasons rather than 50-something
The reason I can’t fully buy into this is because this squad should be able to achieve top 6. If not, the wage bill is insane.
I am also hoping for a proper comeback for Bellerin. He has shown glimpses of what he can do this season
Xhaka being available is big news ♥️ our engine of 1920’s mould is finally back into team.
That was the bad news that’s why it was at the end
Yeah it’s normally “on a lighter note”..? 🙂
Vintage
I think Runarsson should start against Chelsea.
That will be the equivalent of Arteta hitting “send” on that resignation e-mail
I think we should leave the lad alone now. It’s not his mistake that Arsenal gave him a contract. In some way I dofeel sorry for him – wherein out of shame he had to close his social media account.
Me too, I feel for him. He got a dream job as the second Arsenal GK out of the blue and now all that is in jeopardy.
MA looks really really bad on this. He had just used a second GK for more than 15 games and the guy was critical in winning the FA Cup. Yet he decided to get a second GK with no credentials.
The cheap bastards running the team are the problem not MA. Compare our players to the City players on the night. We bought 5 of the players on the pitch. The rest were either free or very cheap. You need to buy quality players to do well in today’s football. Until we do that, ain’t no point in getting angry after losses. These set of players have failed 4 coaches….. Clean house please. Only 5 senior players are worth it and the kids.
MA is a big part of the problem. He has been involved in the purchase of 3-6 players already, none of whom have done well.
Gabriel looks an absolute gem. Most solid presence we’ve had at the back since Kos. And he hit the ground running.
We’ll I think Arteta if backed by the board as Lampard is at Chelsea will do better. My point was mainly that we need better players. Whether with Arteta or another Coach. As fans, let’s aim our frustrations at the owner and board. The gulf in talent between us and Liverpool/City is now an ocean. I’m not going to continue to be delusional anymore.
So, ya think a comparison of the Chelski “board” – there isn’t one, its just Roman – and Arsenal board (there isn’t one, is just Edu and stans idiot son) isnt’ absolutely bonkers, eh?
And did you see how much chels spent in the summer???
ha.
I tend to agree with you.
Imagine if we had both Partey and Aouar in the summer, and a better than Runner-son.
Gabriel Magalhaes?! Partey and Mari have been injured (after having long periods of never being injured) so i wouldn’t say they’re bad purchases. Willian yes no one likes, he’s mediocre and we might as well not have him here. Cedric was signed as a back-up, because i’m guessing they thought one of bellerin or AMN would get a good offer but didn’t really, so his job could also be done by any youth player. Runar Alex had a bad game but he’s young for GK, i think people would write off emi too at that age except he was on… Read more »
But Arteta also continues to play them , only makes me doubt his non negotiables principle…how can you be so blind. Our academy players are so much better than the personal he choses…he needs Mertesacker + Arteta type of signing to steady the ship but on the other end.
The problem is, he’s one of the bastards running the team, cheap or otherwise.
Lol 😆. He’s not faultless.
His ability is not fixed, we have a good track record of keepers improving while they’re with us. He’s young. Give him time.
He’s 25 with a third rate career, we are Arsenal, the fact that he was brought in by the goalkeeping coach because he knows him is a disgrace. I suppose you think we can make the Champions League with players like that? He should never have been signed and he should be offloaded in the summer, he’s wasting a valuable space in the squad and he’s never going to improve.
Arteta has had to close his social media account?
Yeah, and after stumbling upon the video of Kolasinac stepping out of the way of that shot at the last second–which I’m sure Runarsson wasn’t expecting–I feel even worse for the keeper. Still should have stopped it, but the Kola move meant Runarsson actually had little time to react.
Still wouldn’t trust him, but that was kind of a chicken shit move by Kolasinac and it made the mistake possible.
Kola made a full Adebayor.
he’d take a knife for Ozil but not the ball on a shot against smh
Runarsson, Willian and Xhaka for that championship level were aiming for.
Why may I ask?
😄😃😀
Troll.
Time for Tuchel?
Somebody should trip Willian on his way home for a long term hamstring strain.
I’m not an evil guy and definitely not a plastic fan but sincerely speaking that’s how much I love our latest ex- chav based on his input since he signed for us and (to a large degree) my feelings for the club he came from.
What does it matter whether they’re fit or not for boxing day? We’ll just throw them onto the pitch anyway
Love this. Partey to replace injured Xhaka (plays 89 mins) with 1 minute remaining. Tweaks thigh again.
I searched “sacked Arteta” every day and as a miracle today I see the news “Tuchel sacked”. So sad.
PSG sacked Tuchel and will replace him by Poch. Poor Arteta will have to go through intensive sack or not sack discussions in the media.
I’m amused you think MA actually gives a fuck what idiots in media think.
Didn’t he JUST say he doesnt pay attention to media?
(he did)
Is okay, do keep up the pointless negativity. You’ll turn this place into le grove, yet.
Hilariously Thomas Tuchel had the highest points to game ratio in ligue 1, a record he shared with Unai Emery!
In that league, PSG plays against itself. No competition.
except monaco won the league when Emery was there
If you haven’t read the Tactics Column by Tim Stillman today, please do. Very well thought out piece.
If Xhaka starts and we lose. Sack Arteta on the spot. Can’t stand Xhaka ever again
Xhaka will play because arteta likes xhaka. The standards he claims to value were soundbites which he gets to act upon when one of the guys he doesn’t like so much falls foul in the tiniest of fashion. I’d rather there were NO standards set than double standards. To me that’s the behaviour of a coward. Personally, i really don’t like this guy and think he’s full of crap
I am with you, I don’t like to see Xhaka play for us anymore. Maybe in the next europa league group stages for the easy games f we ever qualify anytime soon. But the problem is just not Xhaka, 95% of our players are under performing and don’t play with any hunger. Arteta has no clue what he is doing. Just blaming one player is not enough. Our manager and team needs to wake up and fight for the club.
I mean considering how piss poor Ceballos has been and having played 3 games I think It’s better Xhaka starts with Elneny. Yes I know there will be tons of back passes it either that or giving ball away cheaply and result in embarrassing scoreline.
Exactly what we don’t want
Granit Xhaka is back to play that one good pass he does when he turns like a ferry and sprays it out wide to full back on the floor
Yeah but the real good news is that we’re going to sign a 20 year old on loan from Real Madrid. That will definitely solve all our problems. I predict top 4. Hooray!
What good is xhaka is to this club? Slow as a snail, and passes the ball backward. He should be suspended till his contract expires
I was going to write something along the lines of “Thank goodness, we need them”, but then I thought will they make much difference at present? We have to face it, although things can change (and let’s hope that they do), we can’t seem to win with them so are we going better if they don’t play? Frankly, I don’t know. Whoever plays, the outlook for the Chelsea game isn’t exactly good. We’re currently in a spiral of defeats – both with the “main” team in the PL and with more squad players playing as in the League Cup. The… Read more »
Great, let’s rush some players back from injury again! It’s worked out great for us so far!
Clearly, Arteta is the right man for the rebuild, always with the long term in mind.
Subject change: The transfer window next month is massively important for the club. We have a chance to make a real difference if we move quickly and decisively. We desperately need to bring in at least 3 players. We need a striker, a creative midfielder and, of course, a decent reserve goalkeeper. We probably don’t have any money for transfers but we could get 3 decent loan deals done. We could also use the window to loan out some of the deadwood and thereby cover he cost of the players coming in. I doubt that any club would want to… Read more »
What’s this with we don’t have money. They’ve managed to condition is in accepting the poor club tag. Guess what, poor clubs get relegated.
We need to buy A players to compete period. This is football nowadays.
As far as a striker goes, I think that if we change the way we play–in other words, actually getting up the pitch quickly sometimes, with intent and pace and purpose, instead of letting the opposition get completely organized every single time–we would be able to get enough goals out of these strikers so that they wouldn’t be one of the problems. A creative midfielder would also help our strikers out a lot. If we keep playing this way, then I suppose some heading behemoth would be a useful addition, but I would much rather just see us change our… Read more »
“We desperately need to bring in at least 3 players.”
Wrong. We DO NOT, and SHOULD NOT bring anybody in “desperately”.
That’s all we’ve been doing the last few years and why we’re in such shit.
We need to bring in the right players, for the right price at whatever time we manage to get them.
That’s called a rebuild and that’s what we “desperately need”.
What we do desperately need is to clear out as many of the shit players who contribute nothing positive ASAP. We have 2 players we can’t even register ffs. Get rid of 5 or 6 before even think of bringing people in
Ozil, Mustafi, Xhaka, Willian. That’s got to be in excess of 500k a week off the wage bill. And then in the summer we can get rid of Luiz, Kolasinac, Bellerin, at a minimum. Wow, that really is a list of top notch dross currently draining in excess of 750k a week. A week….
Seeing as we’re currently in a relegation battle I’d say that our position is desperate.
Or should we slowly, carefully rebuild in the Championship?
Why not?
If the alternative is building a squad that will spend the next few years trying to fend off relegation, than yes, going down for a year, giving the kids opportunities, dumping the dead weight and coming back with a leaner, meaner squad that’s actually won some fucking games is the better option.
We’ve tried short-termism, it hasn’t worked.
No more of this scaredycat bullshit. Things can’t be much worse than they already are.
To ruin everyone’s day: even if Auba plays, what has he done so far this season? It’s not like he’s been the Auba of last season. And even if he does play, Xhaka will probably be back in the team and his fuckery cancels out any quality Auba can bring into the side. Don’t see anything other than a L incoming. Arteta was doing very well setting up against the top sides but now confidence is completely gone and these shit players really show how bad they are.
Yeah, if Auba isn’t fully fit then keep him in the bench. Maybe he can do something from the bench
Xhaka back in the starting lineup then
Doing a Thierry from now on. If see Xhaka starting I’m turning the TV off.
First of all happy to know they might be back sooner but sad cuz zhaka is bk again.anyway,id like to say this appointing mikel was a risk,i liked the guy then but not anymore.cuz i see he is stubborn n rigid.rely on already made players.except ur a matineli or saka.he can thrive in psg ,mancity etc where the milions falls everytime.people talked bout how he transformed sterling n co but i dontsee anytin like that in arsenal.were already fighting relegation but i do know we wont be relegated.so why cant mikel try balogun,rowe,azeez ,cotrel ,cirjan .etc instead of playin mustaphi… Read more »
Our future manager just got hired at PSG. Now we are truly in trouble. Arteta or bust.
If Xhaka was selected in the starting XI immediately after he’s served his suspension then that would really make me lose faith in Arteta I have to say. It’s not just that he’s not good enough, but he let us dowm massively in a game we would have gone on to win!
Having said that, I don’t like the look of ceballos and Elneny either so 🤦🏻♂️
This is squeaky bum time
The sad part of people commenting on Xhaka is that he is still one of our better midfielders. That just indicative of our issues and quality at the moment. Elneny isn’t any more secure and makes similar mistakes. For all of Xhaka’s propensity for the ‘mad minute’, he’s only done in 3 times in his career, much of his reputation as an explosive ill discipline player is overblown. He has an edge which if harnessed can be a good thing. OTOH he is a liability if he can control himself so there is some merit in those who think he… Read more »
https://www.90min.com/posts/6564399-the-11-players-with-the-most-errors-leading-to-goals-in-the-last-5-premier-league-seasons
Xhaka the only non goalkeeper on the list
With regard Jan window, I am very concern about Edu and Arteta given card blanche to muck tinsg up further. The hope is they get the player that is needed rather than go for compromise but considering our wage bill, huge cast of unused assets, over spend in the summer without income sufficient to cover, the signs point to compromise. Vinicius Jr touted in trades, I just don’t see the need for yet another wiinger. Coutinho mentioned too but his wage is a problem in itself. Otherwise I am OK with a loan maybe and have him as a left… Read more »
Against Chelsea, I think we just need the security of the back 3. As much as some again preferred to highlight Mustafi for no particular reason last game, Gabriel was equally culpable to no mention (And of course Edu’s great signing Runnason) It doesn’t matter who is played we are making mistakes but we are also not prosecuting forward efficiently enough to lay all the blame off a defense constantly under duress. We are going to be missing Gabriel that said which means we will be also slower in defense. Is Tierney-Luiz- Holding good enough to control the nimble Pulisic… Read more »
And just as a reminder why we need Xhaka, we were prey to a number of powerful headers recently. We aren’t a big team. Gabriel is now suspended. Not rocket science why Mina and others also had some joy against us. On set pieces we have benefitted from Xhaka as an extra player with height to clear the ball. People tend to not fully think what is pragmatic and where our faults really lie. They knee jerk jump on the band wagon on certain players. There are justifiable criticisms but there is also goood reason why Aretta has continued to… Read more »
…On the twelfth day of Christmas my Arsenal gave to me:
12 Players squatting
11 Scouts a’leaving
10 Woeful signings
9 Center backs flailing
8 Prem League losses
7 Points at Emirates
-6 Goal difference
5 Yellows from Bellerin
4 Points from relegation
3 Goals from Auba
2 Dressing Room Leakers
And a Partey in a thigh brace !!!
Merry Christmas To My Fellow Devoted Arsenal Fans!
Love MoJo
Pls leave Abua, Martinelli and Partey alone to fully recover. We still have many battles ahead and with those three, I believe we will salvage this season. Risking them is as good as bidding this season good bye. Resist the temptation to rush them back becos of one game.
Meanwhile, make the best of the players available. Give them confidence to fight and stay in the competition. It’s not over yet!
“It’s not over yet!”…? The fight against relegation? I don’t think we’ll be relegated but there’s nothing else much to aim for in the PL is there?
Love the positivity. Breath of fresh air!! COYG
I am devouring Wenger: My Life in Red and White, which I received today. My initial thought: how amazing that this man raised in Alsace 60 years ago, for whom football was a hyper local phenomenon, and whose childhood footballing dreams stretched only as far as the local professional club Strasbourg, could inspire an American, with no allegiance to any professional team, who grew up where to follow football at all was very niche, to play it even mocked, who only really followed professional football with any regularity after sharing a cable subscription with his roommates in college, to follow… Read more »
Yeah yeah yeah, but what about Will.I.an, is he fit to play?
See Jesus and Kyle Walker are covid positive after playing against us on Wednesday, plus 2 members of City staff. Wonder what this means for us?