After Everton’s 2-1 win against Arsenal at Goodison Park you’d be forgiven for wondering if the Gunners will ever win another game of football.
It seems everybody is hurting; the fans, the players, the coach, Gunnersaurus…even the bronze statue of Herbert Chapman outside the Emirates has shed a few tears.
However, as Bernd Leno points out, with Manchester City and Chelsea popping down the chimney this week, there’s no time to feel sorry for ourselves.
“Of course, there’s big disappointment, it hurts a lot,” the German told Arsenal.com at Goodison Park.
“It’s not the time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to stick together, we have to stay positive and this is the only way because on Tuesday we have another big game. We have to win games to come out of this situation and have a positive mood again.””
Reflecting on yet another turgid performance away from home, our keeper tried to strike an optimistic note: “I think in the second half we showed good body language, good attitude, so you can see this team is alive and we want to turn the situation around.
“Now the confidence is not on the top level but the only thing that can be said is we should stick together and come out of this situation.
“A lot of things are going wrong for us but we don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves, we have to fight for every ball, for our teammates.”
Yes, please do that. And score some goals.
This guy is an Arsenal legend , you can see it coming. He’s one that’s truly tuned into Mikels Cutthroat-Professional culture, it was already his way of life. No time for self pity
Mikel needs a high-performing Leno-type in midfield to Marshall his midfield.
Mari seems Leno-type and I believe he is going to be a rock for Mikel.
Martinelli upfront is “Leno-type”
17 17, hmmm 🤔 🤔
Every player needs to shut up. Just shut up and work on your game. Or get out the club.
Yep That’s the message from the boss
I think they need to communicate with one another better. There’s premier league football, and then there are pickup squad tactics like, run when you know where the pass is coming because we didn’t practice this beforehand. Maybe they should be more vocal.
Lmao literally all words and no action. This guy just comes out every week saying stuff like this and it makes no difference in anyone’s performance whatsoever
Yes, people listen to people they can relate to.
It’s not his fault that everyone else has been shit. I don’t think a single one of these bad results have been his fault. It anything I feel for the guy. To have to be a part of such a shit team must be really awful.
You do know how interviews work, right? Journalist asks player for stuff and they answer. It’s not like our players are tracking down and turning up at the journalist’s houses and forcing them to take their quotes at gunpoint.
If you don’t like that they are doing interviews, don’t read them. Part of the job of a modern footballer is media resposibilities, so no need to get bend out of shape over it!
Like Mikel but what makes the current manager and the previous ones see in players like Xhaka, Mustafi is beyond me. At times we fans might be ridiculed for.having opinions and rants but we are much more involved with the games and find out players who need not be in first team. I though Xhaka and Mustafi were the wrong sorts and we would be better once they are off but we just seem to be adding more sorts of these players in Willian, Luiz and even Ceballos looks like a player who plays according to his mood and player… Read more »
I know everyone hates Willian, but there is a genuine agenda on him. Yes he has been very bad, but the whole team has. Imagine if Aubameyang had come from Chelsea on a free, only to play as bad and carelessly as he does now. Everyone of us would scream at him to get out of the team.
The whole team is on a historic low and while Willian could to a lot better, so could all of the Arsenal players.
It’s hard for us to warm to an ex chelsea player taking the piss. But I agree we tend to have our scapegoats we always have.
But you are right we have some horrible players. I think we could probably lose all our players except Leno Gabriel AMN Saka Partey Nelson Martinelli possibly Aubameyang and no one would be too bothered. Just get a fe blokes from the crowd to fill in till we get replacements.
Nelson can go as well. He’s been great at academy level but produced nothing at senior level.
He hasn’t exactly been given much chance has he? I’d rather see him than Willian any day.
If he was any good Chelsea would’ve extended hi contract. If
Is Tierney on a low? Is Leno on a low? Is Gabriel on a low? Is Saka on a low? Auba has carried us all these season, if he has a dip in form so be it…but if you are new player who just goes about to be care nothing but just drift along the field and having a carefree attitude sorry but I will not take that from a player playing for Arsenal. Xhaka, Mustafi for me are players with idiotic decision making on them and very limited skill but Willian just doesnt show he cares to play ,… Read more »
I did watch that 1. Half in which you could make the exact same argument on any other Arsenal player. Especially Nketiah, Holding, Luiz and Elneny, not to mentiom Ceballos who threw away possession lots of time. Even Saka was bad.
No drive, belief or Confidence is present in the team at the moment and it goes for almost all of the Arsenal players. And again, almost the whole team was better in the second half, including Willian.
I would argue that trying to defend Willian is a perfectly reasonable thing to do in your corner, alone, with a glass of your preferred poison. Don’t break bad…
I think the plan made by the club on paper was to recruit players who can give sound performances during the two years our academy graduates need to mature. The plan isn’t working but except for Saka, the young players ateneady to secure the position.
Even if that was the case, I don’t understand why we brought Willian in to effectively replace Pepe. He was making real strides last year and that’s all out the window now. Willian has also meant Nelson can’t get a game either as Pepe has been relegated to the Europa league. For a team with limited resources, bringing in 32 year old players is a colossal waste of money
Can we get Bruno Fernandes on loan for rest of the season
Can we get Kevin De Bruyne or Messi you mean with Klopp as manager?
Exactly
Shiiii, can we
At this point I feel even Dion Dublin would perform better. Or better yet let’s get Stanley Matthews. Still better than Willian.
Xhaka, ozil, mustafi, bellerin, William, el neny- this mediocrity needs to go asap..
We can’t just blame the players. I like Arteta but we have better players than the likes of Newcastle, Fulham, West Brom, Brighton etc. Their managers are getting more from their squads than ours is
So you mean the players I mentioned above are good enough to play for Arsenal?
I’d still keep Bellerin. The rest I’d sell in a heartbeat.
Yes need to activate his barca DNA asap
Ozil absolutely is good enough. He’s a player we could very much use right now.
You forgot Pepe. Is Pepe a better player than Walcott was for us? Theo used to score more goals, was a threat with his speed. Used to stretch defences allowing RVP to score.
Yes but pepe I will give him time till end of this season.. but till now clearly he is no good too.
In patches. Pepe would score more if he wasn’t instructed to play out on the wing on his own. I feel sorry for him, he came to the league and got smashed up in some horrible tackles that should have been red cards, got injured, and every time he starts to get a bit of rhythm he gets taken off. He was a victim of a transfer fee scam and can never live up to that price tag, he’s probably cursing the day he ever signed for Arsenal.
H e gsd
Sorry, I wanted to say Pepe has his own problems as well. He is lazy to put it bluntly.
That’s what it comes across as , but the player thinks he offers some mad stuff that should be exploited by putting him in th best place for him. Pepe as a CF with balls played into him will score like a motherfucker, because his precision is like a machine. But if life wants you to win big and long, it can have you put on the wings so that you stop being so ticking entitled and bust your back more than the comfort zone you’ve discovered and mastered. Pepe is a genius, possesses Messi-level talent (haha) so I just… Read more »
No no. Body language whatever–players have to relax at points during a match, especially when they’re as skinny as Pepe
Really disagree with all that actually, Saka played right wing for the last 10 minutes or so and looked miles better than Pepe. Arteta has a lot to answer for no doubt, but there’s absolutely no excuse for Pepe’s performances and it’s up to him sort himself out. We can moan about how poor Willian has been, and he has been crazy poor, but let’s be honest; if Pepe was more consistent, he’d be playing every game instead. He’s not shown anything this season outside of a couple of Europa league performances to suggest he should be starting for a… Read more »
Life gives to all of us ‘lucky’ ones oxygen and most of us; privilege. Yet so many miss out on that specific guidance that sets you world class in life, the simple guidance that Bendtner missed. Because unfortunately simple basic Introspection is impossible to humans
What has Willian shown to demonstrate his continued involvement?
I swear, both Mikel and Pepe need work but I hope Pepe got some ‘advice he listens to’ because while he has invested in himself/his precision enough to warrant being in front of goal, he needs to be reminded that life isn’t bed of roses and that if you don’t do your best with whatever you’re given now, you might never reach your expected end.
Meh–Walcott hit 30 before we sold him. Reliable to break and chip like he reminded us. Pepe is apparently better on the spot, and is more successful at dribbling, etc.
If you wanted EPL ready, Walcott is one of the most experienced wingers. If you wanted a more complete player, we have Pepe. whee.
I’ve said it before on here, and I’ll say it again; Walcott deserves much more credit. Certainly he’d start for us now, Willian and Pepe’s off-the-ball movement is non-existent and their finishing is even worse.
So what other bland players on the wrong side of thirty can we give long and lucrative contracts to? One or two more and we’re there I reckon. True mid Championship form.
Noah
William has a bad omen. Arsenal will always lose when he is on the field.
The whole backroom setup needs to fry for the recruitment.
I am arteta in. He rocks that pound shop pep look. He’s articulate. And won’t a relegation dogfight be a bit different? I can’t remember us being in one – even the 70s when I started supporting us we were never really in trouble – we were around about where we are now 15/16th. Staying up will be like a trophy!
He’s the direct opposite of Pep …
Give a shitty team to Pep and see how he would fare. It is easy giving instructions to De Bruyne and Sterling and look smart.
Fair enough, my point wasn’t from that angle though
Here what you’re saying but I think Pep would get a lot more out of this team than what Arteta is achieving currently
Hah! Not sure if this is meant to be sarcastic but I like it!
It is a pity we don’t have Martinez.
I can believe West Brom beat us to allardyce. Redknapps free and must be attracted by our way of doing transfers!
Fear not. There’s always Pulis.
A real pity ..
Yes, the players may not be up to standard. But we forget that Wenger had some of those players. Unai inherited them… However, none of those two failed to get at least something from them like this Arteta. Artetas failure didn’t start this season, we were awful at the end of the season safe for the FA Cup win…we have become worse. We have NO identity. No style of play. Creativity is gone. We can’t string in more than 2 forward passed.
I say again, there is a constant in this whole saga…. ARTETA.
Oh come on, this team were plummeting down the league when Unai got axed, shipping 30 odd shots on goal per game, they were the definition of relegation fodder
Come on, Wenger brought Auba in as well. Laca was a player admired and wanted by many coaches. Emery and Arteta weren’t able to get the best out of him. Plus, Arteta brought Willian and Runnarson in. Hope he wins the CL with them.
Boy am I tired of hearing this ‘we were better in 2nd half nonsense’ – it seems better because we generally have a terrible first half and opposition teams take a lead & sit back, inviting us or daring us to score which is as likely as watching Mourinho’s teams play tiki taka.
Can we do away with this customary nonsense?! What else do we expect players to say, they might as well give us a template of responses with names against it and we’ll choose what we like from it!
It’s weird but when we were playing well it was when drink breaks were a thing and Arteta was getting a message across to players mid half. Since that stopped we’re rubbish.
Oh wow, I hadn’t thought of that but you’re absolutely right. It’ll be worse when the stadiums eventually fill up again and he can’t coach whoever’s nearest him throughout the game. Then again by the time 60,000 people are allowed in the emirates together again, we’ll be in division 3 and he’ll probably be nearer the pitch.
He knows many will agree with what he says because they are dumb. It’s quite arrogant, but he’s trying to save his own skin and he knows he and the team need the supporters on their side.
Even if we win a few of the next games. This style of play has no future. The stats are damning, like the players forgot the basics of football. It is not just the player selection. Arteta is on the wrong path. How sooner it ends the better.
That the best we can hope for is to not get destroyed by city and chelsea says a lot about this season’s prospects under this manager and with this ownership
We have better second halves because it’s like a senior team playing vs kids, dominating them in the first half and then feeling sorry for them in the second half. Ah, we’re sorry have a go lads! We’ll try our best to pretend to defend really hard.
I think we should give the job straight away to Benetez. We need experienced manager to get results and make sure we buy better players. Arteta can’t do anymore and he leaves as a cup winning manager but this job is way too far out his capabilities.
Blah, blah, blah. It’s all talk at the end of the day, isn’t it. Various Arsenal players have said roughly the same thing after almost every defeat in this terrible run (check it out on this site) and what’s actually changed? Diddly-squat! They (and the manager) need to realise that just saying it (repeatedly) doesn’t make it happen! The moment of reckoning, the tipping point if you like, is not here yet but is coming up on the horizon quickly. If MA and the players can’t do something on the pitch over the full 90 minutes – not just playing… Read more »
Top post, Biggs.
Great politican Leno will be, once playing days are over. Same applies Mikel, as he could be next PM instead of wrecking clubs and talking himself out of it week in week out.
Luck has nothing to do with us failing consistently. At least it was easy to say Emery lost it, but while Mikel keeps talking the talk team does not walk the walk. This has to end.
Have we ever had less competition for the number one spot? We literally don’t have a number two. I’d rather have Maitland-Niles laying across the goal like he’s defending a free kick than play Runarsson in anything but a dead rubber.
All in all, it takes some (deranged?) talent to bring together a squad like we have currently. Yes, it’s taken time and there are certainly good players in there (somewhere – they are often elusive and usually need to be coaxed out) but the amount of deadwood, as a proportion, remains huge – far larger than any other of the so called “big” PL clubs – and several of the “not so big” ones as well! The only saving grace is that many of them, but not all by any means, will be gone in the Summer when their contracts… Read more »
Stuart Taylor?
Leno is right. I don’t want to see Willock comment Arsenal’s fb-posts with broken hearts or our social media people sharing a tweet from Ceballos being “very sad and defeated” on our official fb.. It’s just making this rot a mantra, we talk ourselves into a mentality that isn’t helping anyone.
Folks blaming Leno and wishing for Emi are way off base.
Right now arsenal has no midfield. None.
Ceballos is kack. Elneny limited. Partey a waste of money since he cant or wont play when we badly need someone.
No way to play football or win games with half assed midfield.
Willian is shit. For sure. Hes a big part of the problem – a crap winger whe. The midfield is out to lunch.
Were a mess.
Don’t get Nketiah, hold up poor, unless it’s on a plate never convinced he can slot it in from inside/outside box, throw in cebalos never going to unlock, Willian a waste of resources, Xhaka never a Arsenal player why we didn’t get rid ? Holding ? do me a favour..to many players to mention, before it’s too late Arteta must go, no structure no discipline no nothing, addios Miki a job to big for you .
Getting rid of players easier said than done considering inexperienced edu has been unable to move on Guendouzi, Torreira, Sokraits, Ozil, Kolasinac etc etc And it weighs on transfer funds. As is we are already dipping in to reserves getting Partey. Saliba and Pepe weigh another 15-20m each summer. People complain about Mustafi and Xhaka and getting rid of them but in truth 1) As much as they have been at times liability, they have also played well in stretches which is no more than most players in the squad 2) Neither were there when we succumbed to Villa or… Read more »
I fear either £200M on the right players in January or a new manager is the only way we’ll get out of this. Which do you think our tight fisted owner will choose?
Which is living inSouness dream land. We could not even do business properly in the summer. Edu outs ina derisory 32m bid on Aoaur when Lyon were looking for 55m. Likely they would ahve been amicable to about 45m release. Instead Edu thought he was clever went over the reputationally sensitive Chairman Aulus’ head and dissed him. Door close. Then Edu had to go cap in hand to our stingy American owners and to their credit they actually coughed up, we eventually spent 45m anyway for Partey but with big salary package. To think the same people will cough up… Read more »
Think they need to consider Leno for captain. He’s at the back and can see the play. As I have been saying for some time, I think Captaincy should be function over form. Auba leads by example but form comes and goes. Without, he is a shell and we have zero leadership to grab the lads by the balls. Xhaka is natural captain material but is too volatile. Its a thin line between the positives of his aggression and fight (Something we tend to bleat on about lacking) and of course crossing the line. So no for me. Then Luiz… Read more »