Mikel Arteta believes Thomas Partey has suffered a recurrence of the thigh injury that has kept him sidelined for the last month.
The Ghanaian international was a surprise starter in the North London derby but had to be substituted in the dying moments of the first half after pulling up at the exact moment Spurs counter-attacked to score the second goal of their 2-0 win at White Hart Lane.
Asked whether it was the same injury, Arteta told the BBC: “It looks like that, yeah. It looks like it.
“I don’t know [how long he’ll be out]. We’ll have to do the MRI and see the extent of the injury. At the moment it’s difficult to say.”
In his post-game press conference, he added: “I haven’t seen the action repeated. But it is an injury and it is in the same area unfortunately. We don’t know how bad it is.
“I was trying to push him [back on the pitch] but I don’t think he realised the gravity of the situation when he left his position but that was probably because he was in a lot of pain. It’s nothing we can do at the moment to resolve that.”
If Partey, who only rejoined first team training on Thursday, is sidelined for another month he could miss as many as eight games. Obviously, the concern is that it could be even worse than that.
Either way, it doesn’t reflect well on the coaching team who seemed to bow to pressure from the player to be involved.
Arteta was also asked whether Partey should have reacted to the injury in the manner he did. The midfielder, rather than go down on the pitch, limped to the sidelines vacating his position.
“It was too quick,” said the boss. “We were through and I think it was a four against three situation for us to play the final ball and we were through.
“Suddenly, they are coming to attack us and Thomas is walking to me and I was trying to push him. I haven’t spoken to him so I don’t know exactly how it happened or if he felt something really serious. I will look at it and we will talk about it.”
Having spent the week trying to frame this afternoon’s match as a potential turning point, Arteta again has to rally his troops in the hope of turning our wretched form around.
“I’m going to keep fighting. The team is going to keep fighting. You saw the spirit and the desire and the way we played…under the circumstances, any other team would come here and play with low confidence, we didn’t do that.
“We conceded that goal [Son’s] in those circumstances but we kept going. The second one. We kept going. And we’re going to keep going and I’m going to keep going. It’s how I am, it’s how this team is built.
“But we have to know that without goals, we cannot win games. At the moment, we’re not scoring goals so it doesn’t matter what we do. Without scoring goals we cannot improve that situation.”
When it rains it pours
Dior Dior….
MA really aged a lot!
What was up with Partey just walking off the pitch when a counter was on? I didnt understand what happened
Partey walking off injured was the issue? It was a 4 on 2 situation. What happened to the rest of the players? Saying Partey walk away while a counter attack was on, is just an excuse. Partey on the other hand was injured!
Most importantly the repositioning of Laca as a number 10 could be as significant of the repositioning of Santi as holding midfield. His passing was on range and he was our main attacking threat. Auba is the shadow of himself, Willian has been awful for us and Nketiah is not premier league quality. party is out, it is time to experiment with a more dynamic midfielder like AMN. Please do not forget we were robbed against Leicester. COYG, I’ll support Arteta until the end of the season. I’m expecting a response from him and the players!
Absolutely terrible management letting him start if he’s not fit. I had a bad feeling this would happen as well when I saw his name on the team sheet. Praying it’s no more than a few weeks because I can’t handle a midfield of Ceballos and Xhaka any more
You know that’s what you’re going to get don’t you. And with a serving of Willian on the right as well
It was a calculated risk. This is what happens when you gamble and lose. Obviously the physio dept. cleared him. That’s the thing with muscle injuries you can get away with them sometimes (I remember Arsene risking Cesc for 45 mins, successfully, some years back), other times they come back to bite you in the anus.
“Bite you in the anus” was unnecessarily specific for this time of the morning.
Apt though.
I’m taking a shii rn so I’m gonna go head and send some water after it do something doesn’t
Player management has been poor. It was a poor decision to let Luiz stay on last week and it was a poor decision to include Partey in the starting line up.
I don’t think it’s solely Xhaka and Ceballos. They weren’t the problem when we were beating pool, and city and Chelsea in the FA cup.. was that just a new manager bounce or what, something has changed.. worse squad than this finished 5th 2 seasons ago and we have supposedly improved it after that, spent around 200mil. What happened? I think reality is hitting everyone now, even Arteta. He’s realising that football management isn’t paperwork or oral ideas, it’s about getting things done, it’s unfortunate that he’s learning that at the expense of Arsenal football club. Fans are getting angrier… Read more »
But there is a bit difference sitting deep and counter-attacking against City and Liverpool who thrive on possession to playing ineptly slow against teams that themselves thrive on counter attacking football. It has been painstakingly clear Xhaka has no place in games where we need to control possession for 3 years. Even against Liverpool this season they were ready. Klopp pressed Xhaka at every chance and liverpool had way too many actions high up the pitch and the slaughtered us. Without Partey, who it looks like we are without for another month or two we have arguably THE WORST midfield… Read more »
I can’t bring myself to give this a thumbs up because your sitting on a perfect 100-0 thumbs up to thumbs down ratio
Arteta is a doctor or physio now?
We and he (Arteta) are in serious shit…
Lose next week and we are in free fall. The rot has to stop next week.
Is it ok to be scared now?
Mate, I had serious reservations when he signed Willian and then dropped Ozil again.
Strange this post has down votes. Some think it was fabulous to sign Borges? And to drop Özil? OK good.
If there’s one thing the Ozil Haters hate more than Ozil, it’s being proved wrong.
And they’re being proved wrong week in week out.
Who’s been proved wrong?! In what world do you think a lazy, petulant Ozil would have improved our team? He checked out years ago and has been a leach (both financial and emotional) ever since.
So what’s your alternative?
If you can’t see that Mesut Ozil could create more in midfield than the current clowns that have taken us down to 15th, then you clearly know nothing about the game.
What’s your alternative? Or are you enjoying our worst start for just under 40 years?
Just look at the matches played before Covid.
He was bragging he would still be there when Emery was gone & he’s tweeting the same now. The quicker he’s out the club the better for everyone. He’s as toxic as covid.
He might be there after Arteta, but certainly not after end of June. 😉
Toxicity has – gladly – an expiry date.
I’m probably foolishly optimistic, but It’s not that bad (*yet). Look at the table, it’s so compact because everyone is dropping points. We’re 6 points off Man Utd in 5th. Burnley and Southampton are must wins now. Win those and we’ll probably be 8th or thereabouts. Our Fixture Difficulty Rating has also been worst in the league, btw. Again, I’m an optimist.
Right.
But you think this lot will get a result much less a win from either southampton of burnley? Come on. Yer fooling no one.
Sean Dyche will have our number a mile away. Draw at best.
Walcott to score as well.
Were drop zone fodder. An expensive fancy pants Moyes Everton. Wrighty can fuck right off as well. He sounds clueless lately.
We’re not that bad. I’ll bet you 100 Mongolian Tugriks that we’ll beat Burnley. Do we have a deal?
You’re on, I’ve always wanted 100 of those…whatever they are. And given Partey is out again and no doubt we’ll be starting Xhaka and Willian, I think I stand better than a 50:50 chance of winning that bet.
That’s less than 1 pence by the way.
Yeah, but if you melted them down and sold the scrap metal you might even get 1p
Fixtures are never difficult or simple. It’s just your relative strength that makes you believe that. Look at how spurs have navigated city, Chelsea without even conceding.
On the other hand a team like Burnley will look at the entire fixture as a nightmare. We are a very low mid table team now and even fixtures against bottom teams look tricky on paper.
Wut? Burnley will look at Liverpool away and Fulham at home and think they have an equal probability of getting 3 points?
I hate this misery. Please go out from my f*cking club. 😭😭
Is that you Stan?
Your club lol? I think Arteta has greater claim to it being “his” club mate.
We had the ball when he limped off, for all of Arteta’s in game instructions, he couldn’t ask someone else to drop back?
There’s a good 5-10 seconds where Arteta could see Partey. Fair enough he’s fixated on the ball in that moment. But once we lose the ball he looks down, sees a guy doubled over hands on his knees. As he realises we’re fucked on a dangerous counter he hurls him back onto the pitch. Thankfully it’s just a muscle strain but can you imagine if something was seriously wrong with Partey? Next thing you know he’s collapsed and that’s that. It’s desperate and foolish and plain irresponsible. As much as James can say he’s never seen a player walk off… Read more »
That moment alone tells you that the manager is getting increasingly out of his depth.
The alarm bells sounded for me after he publicly criticised Pepe and accused the player of letting the rest of the team down – that’s how you start losing the respect of the dressing room.
You have to give praise in public, bollocking in private.
100% spot on
Just saw the replay. As the ball is being played to Laca, Partey is 10 feet away from the touchline, clearly indicating that he can not continue. When its crossed to Auba, Partey is on the touchline, right in front of Arteta.
If you have the time, its worth seeing how little awareness Xhaka shows by pushing ahead
I might have an actual aneurism if I have to watch anymore Xhaka than strictly necessary.
I have literally decided to not watch games when he is in the starting line up. I didn’t watch yesterday, just the
highlowlights. And while I didn’t enjoy seeing the result, my Sunday was much more level than enduring another 90 mins of misery. It’s borderline masochistic willfully enduring this.That’s no hurl. It’s a shove. I am pissed with MA’s actions but come on…
I sent this team to my son yesterday…….
Leno
Bellerin holding Gabriel tierney
Elneny AMN
Laca ( good perf in this position mid week)
Nelson Auba Saka
There’s no Partey in there, there’s no Willian either.
It’s not rocket science
But Willian is on so much money for another 30 months. We need to use him as much as possible for a return on that money, don’t we?
That’s how it works, doesn’t it?
Yep, that’s how it usually does work, if a manager pushes for a certain player to be signed he usually plays him in order to justify his judgement, they all do it…
Why didn’t Partey just sit down and wait for treatment and the referee to stop the game?
Yup, looks like Arteta is staking his job on Willian in particular, but also Xhaka. A gamble he cannot win.
Ozil is paid more but not used at all so I don’t see the problem with dropping Willian.
Maybe he’s got a contract that compels the club to play him…
Tell Ozil that, mate.
Not rocket science either to figure out that the lineup is not the problem. We could have a front 3 of Ronaldo Lewandowski and Messi with KDB behind them and still they would be crowded out by the time we get tired of playing it safe at the back
We need some cool heads.
Managers are not omnipotent, a new manager just inherits the same issues.
As long as Arteta doesn’t lose the dressing room? I’d give him time to work.
This mess has been years in the making, and was always going to take longer than 12 months to fix.
We desperately need to clear the decks, and we can’t afford any more inward transfer mistakes.
Rubbish.
MA has made an absolute hash of the situation.
I would argue he’s already lost the dressing room bar bellerin. Hes first on the team sheet regardless.
Bellerin had a shocker yesterday, but he wasn’t alone. Not sure why we turned down a bid for Niles, and offered Soares a 4 year deal If we’re not going to trust them to play. We’ve got a first team squad of 31, our squad’s a train wreck. Arteta is now where Emery found himself, if he drops the senior players who continually let him down, and the youngsters sink, instead of swim Then the senior players will throw him under a bus, and become even less interested than they already appear to be. I’m not convinced by the argument… Read more »
For sure playing Partey was the wrong decision but I don’t agree with the knee-jerk reaction of fans in attacking Arteta. It is very clear that we have very serious problems that cannot be fixed so easily by anyone.
Well, two things could be fixed easily: don’t play Xhaka and Willian. That’s all on Arteta mate.
I don’t agree with the attacks either, but his insistence on picking those two, when we can all se it’s not working, kind of leaves him open to the abuse.
If we do not address the midfield creative slot in January, we are f*cked. Partey should not have played today, even i was skeptical. Is this the worse before it gets better moment?
Wenger, Adams, Merson, Ljungberg and Wilshere have all publicly stated that Arteta needs to reinstate Ozil.
This is not going to go away, especially if results don’t improve.
Even if Ozil is the answer, the difficulty is that he is fucking off in May 21. So even if he were to come in and we somehow limp back into the top 10, we are still in the same position next summer.
That’s irrelevant. A decent manager would take a pragmatic approach and use the best players at his disposal and set his bloody ego aside. Not this chump. He’s ditched our most creative player (the stats don’t lie) and insists on playing Willian. A player he wanted and pushed for. For all this shit about non-negotiables he keeps giving the same failures a free ride and certain selection. From all reports, the most recent being Kos, Ozil is a professional. The guy covers more ground than most of our players. Sure he has his flaws and yes he’s gone in May… Read more »
It’s the question to savebthibgs and to be in EL THIS SEASON. So why not using the players the club has without waiting next season for a potential sub. Many want the guy from Salzburg in January. Ok but you’ve got now a guy who knows the players and the PL.
Save your breath, mate. The Ozil Haters don’t want to know. Things like proven stats and links giving plenty of visual evidence to back up arguments they can’t win, doesn’t interest them. They don’t get it; they’re too thick.
One dickhead even posted on here that he would rather see Arsenal relegated than play Mesut Ozil again. A typical example of their average intelligence and knowledge of the game.
He’s not the answer. He’s a part of the problem. Everyone here (expect perhaps Qwaliteee and one or two others) knows that, but people are now so desperate because of the dire state of affairs that they think Ozil is the answer. Were with better with Ozil? Hell no. He wasn’t putting in shifts off the ball, he avoids physical contact like the plague, and even his creativity was severely diminished. And again I say that from someone who was once one of his biggest fans. I have a freaking Ozil Bremen shirt!! We need to move away from the… Read more »
Exactly. Even forgetting his defensive / pressing responsibilities, his attacking contribution has been minimal since signing the contract. He’s completely and utterly washed up – partly because of natural age related decline, partly because he just can’t be arsed anymore. I hate that some fans see Arteta/’The Club’ and Ozil on opposite sides of a seesaw – and as Arteta’s stock falls, Ozil’s rises (of course Ozil and his social media team have orchestrated it to be that way) Fuck that, after 8 months without football his stock should be lower than ever. He’s let us down time and again,… Read more »
I agree.
Most everyone here was screaming for Özil to take a long walk off a short pier for about a year or two, he didn’t run back, he didn’t defend, he didn’t travel to away games with mystery aches and pains, no end to the things he did wrong and how useless he was – and now suddenly after not playing for ages, he’s the new Messiah? Come on…
Qwalitee, his social media manager, has been working hard on here (and twitter and everywhere else) to ensure, as @Public Elneny states, that he is on the upswing to Arteta’s downswing. It’s pure spin that I ain’t buying for a second. He’s washed and I hope he never dons an Arsenal shirt again. Similarly, I wish it were also the same for Xhaka and Willian, but
Gallasalas…Well take a look at the Premiership table mate.
15th.
That’s where your Ozil-less midfield has put us.
Fine.
Let’s have it yours (and Arteta’s) way.
Willian, Ceballos, Willock and a developing youngster who has barely cut his teeth in the Premiership.
15th in the Premiership. Our worst start for just under 40 years. Less second half shots than the rest of the 91 clubs in the Premiership and English Football League.
And you want to continue using the same players. 🤣
Come on then – what’s your alternative to Ozil…?
What’s your alternative to the current crock of shit in our midfield, masquerading as professional footballers…?
If Ozil is so shit, what’s the solution?
In your own time….🤣
Oh behave mate!
What, sling Smith Rowe into this mess and he’s somehow going to grab the Premiership by the nuts and morph overnight into a latter day Bergkamp…?!! 🤣
He has good potential, but at the moment he’s an inexperienced kid.
You Ozil Haters. All the same. Clueless.
He has good potential, but at the moment he’s an inexperienced kid.
Still better than a lazy, over-experienced has been. It’s funny, you’re all about getting up in Willian’s grill, and rightly so, but then you think a 32 Mesut Ozil who hasn’t played in a year is the messiah (Mesutiah?). Based on what? Current form? … ROFL! Seriously, he must have you on good coin.
Relax mate. Ozil will never play for Arsenal again – Arteta will see to that.
Thumbs up!
I was never against Özil. I was one of those who defended playing him. My point remains. He has done himself no favors, and it seems the same vocal majority that wanted him out, suddenly developed convenient amnesia and now he’s the answer to our midfield – the midfield he was the biggest problem on for a few seasons – even before he started modt of his off field antics. I dont buy it. We wasnt rated then, how could he be the obvious answer now? I would LOVE to see him play, and play well, but he’s all but… Read more »
So what’s your alternative?
Heh. You guys are always so dismissive of Ozil, giving it the big one, but you can never ever come up with a proven better alternative.
Not one of you.
Wenger said it was the player’s responsibility to do what it takes to return to the team. To me, this doesn’t include shaming the club about Gunnersaurus, refusal of 12% cut and BLM vs Ouighurs.
You forgot to include that the defendant (or should that be attacking midfielder?) was also singularly responsible for Covid 19. And whatever crimes against humanity you can dream up.
Pathetic.
I think we need to be looking to bring in another player similar in style to Partey if I’m honest, if Thomas is so vital to our midfield then maybe having another one like him would be prudent?
Need? Who in their right mind would sign for us? We’re not the Invincibles anymore. We’re those guys that if you know someone, you get a long contract and don’t really have to perform, and after you’re done, you get a nice Bosman out the door, because the club can’t manage a single effing contract… I’m not being dramatic – I wish things were different, but remember this is someones job, career and livelyhood. The amount of money we’ve thrown at contract extensions for players over the last years clearly demonstrates this point. We’re not in any financial position of… Read more »
Loose next Week and it’s into the relegation zone..
(nervous laughter)
Lose next week and the club surely have to start considering other managerial possibilities that may be open to them.
Relegation territory is nowhere good enough for this club.
Especially given Burnley are our ‘easiest’ fixture for a while.
I will take AW back as interim manager.
As an interim manager – that is an awesome shout. 👍
I feel like he’s starting to call out individual players more and more frequently in his post-match interviews when: (1) there are obviously larger issues at hand (e.g. implying Pepe’s red against Leeds was decisive when we were shit anyway and now focusing on Partey’s (debatable) lapse when we we had possession and should’ve scored and got countered instead); and (2) there are other players who need to be called out if he’s gonna go down that path (Willian, Xhaka always and probably Auba and Bellerin today). Not a good look, Mikel.
Also not a good look is the report that in the team meeting Arteta said he was still trying to find out who leaked info about the training ground bust up. Players must really love to know the manager is sniffing around. That’s over and done with and the club faces much bigger issues.
Clearly he doesn’t suspect Xhaka or Willian
Sorry to say but Arteta is finished, he is displaying too many traits of a bad manager
1: Has a blind spot for certain players, no matter how bad they play… Check
2: Constantly changing the team and formation to no effect… Check
3: Afraid to trust young players, always goes for the conservative safe option… Check
4: Starting to sound delusional after games… Check
Checkmate!
Well put mate. Sad to see but he is wandering into Emery territory.
Emery won ten times what arteta has.
Arteta is starting to sound like Comical Ali
5: Starting to belive fans are blind and don’t understand basic football (one of Wengers biggest mistake, he actually took fans for granted. 7: when you start to make decisions to please people rather than what’s right, it means you lack confidence or you lack ideas or both.. What I am most disappointed is Arteta showing lack ot character, he broke his own principles and went with the board’s decision to blackmail Ozil out of the club. Not a big fan of Ozil, it’s not even about him as a person or a player but if you deal with the… Read more »
Take the fans for granted, as opposed to listening to armchair coaches?
Auba being played centre was a masterstroke?
You do realise Ferguson the most successful manager in PL history was one game away from being sacked after United had finished 13th & gone 11 games without a win before an FA cup run saved him?
Arteta has already won the cup & needs to be as ruthless as Ferguson with the overpaid underperforming players.
Mmmh….alarm bells all over the place. Thats the 2nd time in a week he’s risked injured players. He is panicking, inexperience is showing. There was a reason Freddie binned most of the senior players in his final game as manager. He knew they could not be trusted. Arteta and co should have done the same this summer. Admittedly i prefered Auba signing than just keeping him, yet maybe given our past experiences with players on renewal, given his age, perhaps thats what we should have done. Him and Edu have only gone and added more deadwood to the squad, 2… Read more »
The blame here lies strictly with the American owner…….ever since this friggin company came in and bought majority shares this club has been descending rapidly! Kronur doesn’t like to spend money in order for the club to improve and win trophies……all he cares about money in the bank……just have a look at his sporting teams in major leagues in the US. There’s only one way Arsenal can be a winning successful team again is to bring back passionate, caring owners and directors – like Dein. Until then am sorry to say, we’re on our way down and down……here we come… Read more »
What century are you living in?
While blasting the owners will never go out of fashion, what exactly is Kroenke supposed to do in this situation? He’s backed the club in the pursuit of most players and personnel.
This situation is entirely between Arteta and the squad.
That should have read Kronke in my last posting
Arteta has now thrown Partey and Luiz under the bus. Not good for already v low morale of squad.
You can add Ozil (if you believe Arteta himself, although I strongly believe that this one’s on the owners), Guendouzi and Saliba to your list. As much as I
supported his appointment, he requires a crash course in man management.
Definitely, he’s avoiding or getting rid of characters. Most good players are mavericks, it’s they become good footballers. Arteta will be a championship manager soon if he can’t deal with characters.
One could almost imagine him combing his immaculate hair in the morning before the mirror, driving out whoever the mirror says is a better man.
What do you think happens to those stubborn strands of hair that refuse to go down after an entire can of hairgel?
Add Martinelli to the list as well. People have forgotten that he had been dropped from the team last year before his injury, inspite of being one of our best players at that time.
I sort of meant ignoring their physical discomfort rather than damaging their football careers.
Should never have played, and I don’t care how much he wanted to. The doctor and the manager need to get a grip, first David Luiz and now this, it’s total stupidity.
We will beat Dundalk on Thursday and everyone will be on the Arteta transitional season, give him time bull sh*t again. Then we wont beat Burnley and Areta will say” we have to score to win.”
Same sh*t different week. Get a proper manager in plz!
But why is Belerin, an experienced footballer, always having a foul throw? He should henceforth be sent to the bench until he is able throw properly and also take a reasonable corner kick.
What makes it even worse is that he keeps taking the throw-ins! He also threw the ball straight to a Tottenham player in the first half. If he can’t take throw-ins, let someone else do it!
Same with Willian, Pepe and Nelson taking corners that go nowhere.
Don’t even get me started on the free kicks!
Didn’t we hire a specialised set piece coach this summer?
Wouldn’t be surprised if Edu had a hand in hiring the set piece coach.
You need a set piece coach to take corners? Get the feck out in the rain and practice, like every other kid in history. Sure, you need coordination with movement and the rest of the offensive players to score from corners, but when your problem is that you hit the first defender you see, there’s no need to even set up cones. Just go out there and hit the damned ball and float it in. When that works, we can start adding players to those sessions..
Players get injured that’s the Arsenal way. What I didn’t like is Arteta pushing the player to run when he couldn’t have done anything. His hamstring was gone and perhaps that final run made him worse.
Arteta is a young coach and he has mismanaged Ozil, Geunduzi, Partey and it looks like Auba too.
Auba needs to play on Thursday to get some confidence back.
Oh yeah I forgot ArtetaOut
His lack of concern for Partey is concerning. Never should have even been on the bus. When he was clearly in pain, Arteta shoved him back out endangering him further. We were outmanaged today, and it stings to admit that. Kane and Son are in form and a step above us. Also stings.
This is just crazy. Cant say I’m Artetas biggest fan, but i wasn’t against him, but his inexperience is showing more and more and the gambles he took are getting back at him. The inability to create, to organise to pass to interplay.. Is glaring and arsenal can’t afford not to play all the creative players they have. Im not saying Ozil would have won this match. But he is a player that knows footbal, knows when to pass, and who to pass too, knows when and where to run. Maybe if we were Man City or Chelsea and had… Read more »
Wheres the international break when you need it the most?
The signing of Xhaxa and his continued presence at Arsenal is the reason we are shit. There have been many mistakes, mismangement and behind the scenes fuck ups for years.. But Xhaxa is the lightning rod that compounds all the mistakes. What spell does he put on not 1 but three managers in a row who have inexplicably made him an important mainstay in an already mediocre midfield. He literally is the opposite of what all modern midfielders have to be. Absolute nothing player. In four years i have never been able to work out what the fuck does he… Read more »
I called it the cultofxhaka months ago on a post here. Bizarre, he’s got that shouty, pointy Jordan henderson vibe about him which tricks people into thinking he knows what he’s doing. Arteta is no Klopp however and this water won’t be wine
If it’s a recurrence it seems like really poor management
Where was Bellerin to cover his wing?
Lost in space……
We are so bereft of talent that the club rushed Partey back.
Pathetic management by Arteta, the medical staff and the club. It’s like putting Luiz back on the pitch. The team said he was fine but then he has to go off at halftime and can’t play a week later. Right. He was fine.
Just like Partey was ready to play.
Only current first x1 players worth keeping are Partney, Tierney, Gabriel and Pepe…. The rest suck (for arsenal level) , especially Nelson, Eddie, Amn, holding etc. Laca xhaka and auba are the past so forgot them, the young guns are a bust. Martinelli and Saka the only ones who might play CL football
If Arteta loves the club like we do he will turn it around quick or walk away.. I see another ego monster manager though
The only good thing about this is the traffic you get Blogs. I hope its a Christmas Bonus for you and the family. Tiochaid ar la
Some errors of judgement. Something I believe we must see it through until end of the season.
It’s getting crucial period now. Without Partey we are at a loss over Christmas period. He had plenty of moments where he unexpectedly broke through the lines with his press breaking runs. It’s quite unique how he draws in diving challenges and comes forward very directly.
Shame other players couldn’t take advantage.
Some errors of judgement by Mikel and his medical. Something I believe we must see it through until end of the season. It’s getting crucial period now. Without Partey we are at a loss over Christmas period. He had plenty of moments where he unexpectedly broke through the lines with his press breaking runs. It’s quite unique how he draws in diving challenges and comes forward very directly. Shame other teammates couldn’t take advantage. Someone with the ability to turn and run at defenders in tight areas like Saka would have drawn many dangerous free kicks had he played in… Read more »
No more Xhaka. Just no more, please…
why is it always the shit players that dont get injured?
Last night reminded us why the fans broke out against Xhaka.
I may have to be restrained for murderous intent if I ever find out the person who signed Willian.
This is excruciatingly painful to watch.
Would be happy if our Europa league squad plays against Burnley and Southampton. At least they are an exciting bunch.
And our last Europa Match is a dead rubber anyway. Might help the players who have forgotten how to win.
Partey is an unacceptable excuse. That break, and allowing it to happen was criminal.
Daft decision to start him. Thought he got the structure right but I mentioned right side always tricky. We rely on Bellerin to make up the difference going forward with Willian relatively ineffectual. So there will always be a gap behind when the ball is turnedover with Bellerin caught out and Son would exploit this. Had we started with a stronger RCM, we may have had better cover behind for both goals. Contrast right side where Xhaka did a decent job along with the tireless Tierney covering for Saka. We are unbalance in this respect but also playing HOlding on… Read more »
What is happening to this team. Its no more than 5 months ago that Granit and Ceballos formed a perfectly fine midfield duo that made us beat several big teams and walk of with a FA Cup. Its not more than 5 months ago we (with the same players) was able to make Auba score on a frequent basis. What happened? We did not sell any important players. But bought two really good ones (and one that went straight to retirement) I don’t buy the “we just got found out by the other teams”-logic. Most teams are not “surprising” their… Read more »
I think we all need to be realistic about what’s happening to our beloved club and lower our expectations slightly… Our manager is in his first managerial role. He needs time to adapt after being a number two for, what, three or four seasons? That’s a big jump. The signings he’s made are VERY split: Partey, Gabriel and Mari all look decent – Mari I think has been unlucky with injuries, but will come good – however, plays the same position as Gabriel so will always be backup. Runarsson, we can’t judge – he’s never going to displace Leno (unless… Read more »
You just have to put it down to inexperience. The player was pushing for a game and it was too tempting given the paucity of options in the squad.
If we don’t beat Burnley, the pressure will be too much.
After yet another 90 minutes of dire, toothless fodder served up by most of our first team it’s time for Arteta to be brave and drop some of them, Auba, Willian, Xhaka, Laca, and Hector must be on last chance saloon. Hell I would even revert to a 4:4:2 if it meant getting some of the youngsters in the team. They must be watching every week and thinking how the fuck can we not get a game? Leno, Hector (last chance), Holding, Gabriel, Tierney AMN, Elneny, (any of Willock, Ceballos or ESR), Saka Rotate Nelson, Eddie and Pepe up top… Read more »
I really don’t think we’re as far away from being a good side than what people suggest. If you take Fernandes & Pogba out of United, De Bruyne and Sterling out of City , Mane and Firminho out of Liverpool then those teams would also struggle to create and perform the same way every week. People call Auba World class, but i’m sorry – he isn’t. There’s a reason scoring all the goals he has for the last 10 years haven’t got him a bigger move than BVB or Arsenal, it’s because he lacks the other components to make a… Read more »
Two of the three clubs you mentioned have Pep and Klopp at the helm. Don’t you think that’s a factor at all.
And while we do have some good players, who apart from Auba (on last season’s form) would walk into the starting lineup at those three clubs? I’m assuming you were referring to attacking players.
The 4-4-2 is the most basic modern formation that can be seen as the starting point of more contemporary formations and from which you can tinker into different formations. Each manager should know its strongest 11 when play for a draw against a stronger team (you may win, but the opponent will have the most of the ball and/or the best chances); and for a win against a weaker team (you may lose but your team should have the most of the ball and the best chances) At the end of the last season Arteta knew its strongest 11 when… Read more »
When the club appointed MA I so wanted him to be done with the likes of Luiz, kola, mustafi, the deadwood and co and take the job on with the young guns coming through, really prove that he was the great new young manager he was hyped up to be. I thought we could follow the dortmund or leipzig model of promoting youth over fading stars, bring the young hungry players through and build for the future…how disappointed I am now and feel we’ve lost a great opportunity. Thursday nights are fast becoing my preferred Arsenal games to watch.
Then why did you select him…?!!
Bad management. Again.
Why was Partey played? He is not an Attacking midfielder who can come up with a moment of brilliance to win a game. He is a protection against attacks which means someone who has to do alot of running. (Simple Maths)
I really want to see Arteta turn things around because I like the guy. I just fear that he doesn’t have the experience to do it. When you look at how quickly Palace sacked Frank De Boer a few seasons back, only about five games in, when he was supposed to be their exciting new young manager Arteta must be very close to it and, if he’s not, it says more about the board than him. The problem is finding the solution with what he’s got. Playing unfit players and getting them injured again doesn’t help. He needs to become… Read more »
We were shit in the shitter, but at least we don’t have a shitter for a stadium