Despite knowing matters were out of Arsenal’s hands, there’s no doubt Mikel Arteta was disappointed not to seal a place in Europe on the final day of the season.
While the Gunners eased past Brighton 2-0 at the Emirates, Sp*rs’ late fightback at Leicester ensured it’s our neighbours who’ll take part in the inaugural Europa Conference League come August.
Facing the press one final time for the season, Arteta reflected: “We’re disappointed we’re not in Europe. We’ve made progress on last year in terms of points, 61 points last year would have got you fifth. But it shows the level and as well where the league is developing and the level we need to get to.
“I knew what was happening [between Sp*rs and Leicester] but they were still playing when we came inside from the game. It wasn’t in our hands. We tried to do our best winning the last five games but it wasn’t enough.”
While many believe the extra time on the training ground will stand Arsenal in good stead next season, the boss skirted a question about taking positives from the situation.
“I leave the season sad because this club deserves to be delivering trophies and the Champions League and we haven’t managed to do that.
“Under very challenging circumstances we’ve tried to stick together and do our best. It’s not been enough, now we have to be very critical, including myself.
“Then next season we have to prepare the best possible way and take advantage of that. Hopefully, we can have a pre-season and time to work with the players and try to be a better team.”
He continued the theme when asked if the Gunners need to have a busy summer in the transfer market to compete with the clubs above them.
“They’re going to get better and they’re going to strengthen, so we need to get better,” he said.
“First of all, we have to get our players better, more consistent and help them to improve.
“Our way of playing, our philosophy, I think, is in place. They buy into that and now is the moment to take it to the next level, to improve that and improve our consistency because since December to now, we’ve shown that we’re the second or third-best team in the league. It’s not enough. Six months, the level is high, so we need to do that for 10 months.”
Today’s match was watched by Josh Kroenke, who travelled in from the US to take in a first match in the flesh in over a year.
Asked what the American, whose father owns the club, had said to him, Arteta replied: “The same that he says every time we’re on the phone. He’s very supportive, very passionate about the club and he wants to take the club to a different level and he has ambition. That’s why he’s here.”
KSE have certainly taken us to a different level since they got involved with the club. Unfortunately, that’s down, not up.
With fans in the stadium, we looked like a proper big 4 team today dominating minnows. I am 100% sure, with fans we would have never lost so many games at emirates.
I really can’t listen to this cocky attitude from our fans. Are you guys living in the past?
We’ve been a mid table side since 3-4 seasons ago; and you have the audacity to call Brighton minnows? This is the same Brighton who got the better of us a number of times within the same time frame.
It helps to be a bit more humble and adjust your expectations accordingly. It just makes you look deluded, when we finish 8th and you go around thumping your chest like you’re the talk of town.
Theres an arguementbthat fans would have propelled something better in the semi final against villareal but thats an impossible statment for covering a season. Plus you thibk the emirotes atmosphere is better then ie Anfield?
The emirates has a great atmosphere for the big matches aswell. Go to Anfield when Liverpool play someone like Fulham and it’s silent also.
It is the same for all clubs so that is not a valid argument.
Not sure if the fans would have helped that much. Since we have seen turn sour when things didn’t go well during Arsene Wenger’s last year. It was the environment at Emirates which sucked the life out of the players as negativity was abound. Maybe during the big games it would have helped but generally not much. Ticket prices need to be brought down so, more supporters are able to bring kids who make for a better atmosphere. But that would mean less rush here 😛 The fans were generally grateful to be in the stadium as the whole year… Read more »
Anyone else excited for not playing in Europa so we can concentrate on the league?
Arsenal to win the league next season.
Had enough of playing Mickey Mouse Fc on Thursdays.
I’m so excited for Saturday football again. It’s as simple as that.
Yup. At least it beats losing sleep on sunday and having a worse monday than usual.
yep bring it on. Clever marketing ploy to fall out of Europe entirely when season ticket renewals are on, haha!
Jokes aside, I’m happy about this and can’t wait to get back there on a saturday.
this is the vicious cycle of an arsenal fan. win one game, we dream of winning the league the next season. then lose one game, we’re in relegation form and must sack the manager.
We were in relegation form, mind you. We didn’t just lose a game.
I’m excited for the sole reason it gives this fraud of a manager nowhere to hide. He could throw away the league and the fans would still give him more time so long as he is in the quarter final of the Europa Conference league.
Unbelievable!
‘Fraud of a Manager’….
Were you saying that when we won the FA Cup, were you saying that about Wenger because many were, were you saying that about Emery, were you one of those who thought we should have gone for Ancelotti or just one of those who thought we should have gone for a ‘big name’, you know, someone off of the sacked managers roundabout…..
I don’t get calling him a fraud. He’s young. He’s going to make mistakes. I’m not convinced by him but let’s not be so ridiculous as to call him a fraud. I think he should get until Christmas with a proper summer transfer window with less fucking dallying and if we’re not progressing by then it’s probably time up.
That is unjustified to call him “Fraud”. I don’t like most of his decisions but we should be more focused on the statistical side of things when taking decisions. We are 2nd in form since Boxing day match and finished strongly to end up at 8th same as the year before. Manager has mentioned internal factors which have been dealt with recently. So, basically now things are rosy at home. This is time to stick with him and let him get the best out of his team. I am sure it won’t be pretty but if effective we maybe able… Read more »
The Community Shield is not a trophy.
Therein lies the problem. Arteta’s disciples dressing up a dogs dinner of a season any way they can to absolve their idol.
Assuming we can keep/replace Odegaard the team that played today is probably our best XI and good enough to get top 5 with a week’s preparation per game, before transfers. I’ve questioned Arteta a lot this year, but he’s been given a massive vote of confidence and now has the chance to prove a lot of us wrong
Unfortunately Auba is not clicking (yet) with Saka Pepe ESR. Ofc they haven’t played a lot together. I believe Laca is better partner for the youngsters and having said that ….he should be sold.
Agreed. He was the weak link today, and through much of the season
I will love auba laca and nketiah be sold this summer and buy the Celtic striker and promote balogun. Auba cannot play through the middle arteta failed to understand that.
If I have a ‘2nd team’ it’s Celtic. KT was a no brainer for me, clearly going to be a success. Edouard ? Not so sure he’s at the level we need, either quality or attitude wise, compared to KT
Arsenal & Celtic? DPK? You’re not from Downpatrick too are you?!
Agreed though, KT always looked like making the grade, Eddy has dropped off massively
About 100 miles south of you 😀
edouard rules and he could learn a lot from auba
Arteta talking like we now have a football identity and just have to buid on it.
Actually he can. We don’t really play through the middle though. Arteta either finds a better way to involve him or we try to move him on.
Patson Daka
Big gamble, watching him week in week out in Austria. Not at all convinced he can replicate his form in the prem..
“The Celtic Striker”. This legend is apparently so hot he doesn’t need any introduction.
Auba is a shit number 9 but probably the deadliest striker coming off that left wing in world football. Challenge is how you get the balance between the two. He has consistently failed for us as a 9 but this year aside excelled on the left wing.
Problem for the manager anyways. Let’s build on this final 24 match form and see where we end up next season
No Saka in our best 11?
I forgot Saka didn’t play! Him, ESR, Odegaard and Pepe 4 can rotate across the season depending on form/fitness – it’s a nice problem to have
Pepe striker, Saka right wing and then esr and another technical attacker (odegaard/buendia). We still need a midfield upgrade. A bissouma type – he was immense for them as he’s been all season. Another modern mobile player alongside partey in midfield and we have a real team.
i’d love to see Pepe play through the middle. He’s got a combination of Laca and Auba’s quality. Auba’s directness, laca’s aggression. I know for sure Wenger would have totally explored this possibility as he’s tried with RVP, Henry, Gervinho, Walcott. To varying degrees of success obviously.
Buendia isn’t just a technical player. He’s a tight space player, more Cazorla/Wilshere type. I think he could do the Odegaard/Ozil job but might be better alongside Partey. If we get him. I imagine it will be very difficult to prise him from Norwich who will know they need him for any chance of survival. Fingers crossed they need the money!
I’m a huge Buendia fan. One of his strengths people don’t realise is his workrate and ability to execute a high press. He could easily drop into a CM role at times and at other times play RW or AM alongside ESR and two more direct attackers (Saka/Auba/Pepe/Martinelli). I’d be more than happy for us to retain Odegaard instead because he’s quality too. But one thing is for sure we need one of them to sign. We cannot go into the season with ESR alone. If he was injured that would be disaster and we need options to rotate AND… Read more »
Top 4 should be a real possibility. Only 6 points behind Chelsea despite a poor season overall. Many points dropped in winnable games due to fatigue and lack of focus just after a Europa League game. A season out might just be what Arsenal need to get back into the Champions league.
Those silly losses to Wolves, Burnley, Villa etc are now haunting us.
Fatigue? Top Four..?!! 🤣
Apart from the Europa League comment, this post could well be from last summer.
We were also expecting improvement.
We became worse.
Are we became worse, r u serious?
Oh, sorry. I don’t know how I’ve missed our improvement over a season where we won the FA Cup and qualified for the Europa League.
Must have forgotten about the prestigious Subway® League Points Since Boxing Day Trophy. Wow, what an improvement.
I’ll make the mental note to “be very excited” for next season.
FFS…….
Where were you last Christmas whilst we were 15th…..?
Could be from any season of the last 10 years but particularly the last 5. We Always finish strong when the pressure is off.
It is not just due to fatigue. Tactics, man management and team selection were all poor at times.
Some of the losses/draws were due to VAR as well let’s be real. Burnley, Wolves. It’s unbelievable how we get screwed up by VAR
Burnley away was down to Xhaka.
We’ve gained ten points with Luiz leaving as well
It’s almost as if Luiz isn’t very good at defending.
Only Arteta could make this seem like it’s all part of the plan.
I’ve been saying for a while we should cash in on Auba and people keep saying he’s our best player. We need to seriously learn from the Ozil debacle and when we start giving players £300k+ weekly contracts there should be the expectation from the club and fans that they need to be on it, there’s no let up. He’s had his issues, granted. But turning up to training late (as a captain he should be a shining example to the rest of the team) on top of rubbish performances and generally looking like he can’t be arsed on the… Read more »
There is a problem with your suggestion:
Auba is a 20+ goal striker
Laca is a 10+ goal striker
Our midfield is -10 goal in total
Correction – Aube was a 20+ striker. And that’s Neil’s point (which you miss)… Ozil was a 15 Assist (plus a half a dozen bonus goals) player.
It’s about knowing when to call time and cash in, rather than compounding a declining situation be increasing it’s cost.
In that case, it’s time to ‘cash-in’ on Arteta, before we waste yet another season…..
The signs are positive, the uptick in form suggests the Jan clear out was much needed.
Arteta might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but let’s stay classy and not go for the throat of our managers after 18 months. Next year is judgement year, top 4 or 5 is a must to show progress has been made.
Yeah, I mean, what is changing the manager going to do anyway? It’s the players who have proved, under every manager so far, that they are not good enough. Arteta has said that he needs resources, it’s going to be this transfer window that makes or breaks him (and Edu) I feel. They have in fairness managed to clear the trough somewhat and that will likely continue. but who they bring in will be imperative, it can’t be a signing like Willian or Mkhitarian. We need a few players at the peak of their careers to turn us around.Pepe/Partey/Saliba/Gabriel are… Read more »
Have the execs decided to rehire scouts? How else are good talent going to be found and evaluated? Stat DNA or it’s bastard child has not resulted in Arsenal spotting and bringing in talent.
The Kroenke Shit Show rumbles on………
It’s NOT the players. It’s the way they have been asked to play.
Look at our squad. Mostly full Internationals.
They didn’t get to that level in the game playing foe Arteta…
He’s not my cup of tea, but I think stability is important and am clinging to the hope that there was someting in all the initial hype around him.
But I think the uptick in form is better explained by playing a creative midfielder rather than by the clear out, i.e. what happened on the pitch not off it
In January we let go players who weren’t playing at all. How could that have affected the second part of the season positively?
I imagine most people don’t perform at their best when surrounded by negative and disruptive colleagues.
That assumes that the players moved on were negative and disruptive and the only players in the squad that were negative and disruptive. I suspect that even though we don’t necessarily play a lot through the middle, having that central midfield creative presence has made an immense difference and far more than any players being moved on. We played the first half of the season without a functioning creative central midfielder. The main players filling that role were Ceballos, Willian and occasionally Willock. It didn’t work and significantly impacted any cohesion in moving the ball forward.
Both can be true.
They can be but I recall reading some stats around November that the team was actually working hard so the effort was there. Playing an actual # 10 has made a world of difference. The frustrating hilarity of mindless, repetitive and fruitless crossing has significantly reduced since we have played a proper # 10, suggesting the issue was more a team selection than a team motivation issue.
I think you’ve hit the nail Hank – I feel that midfield vacuum also worsened the creeping culture of negative passing. No trusted force in the mid meant it became safer/easier to pass it backwards. And that – for me – is the single biggest challenge Arteta faces next season: a more forward-oriented distribution mindset; more risk-positive attitude to trying the incisive pass. But… it will require a more mobile midfield to clean up those more aggressive passes that don’t find their mark. High risk = higher reward on the chances created front – but also more counters so we… Read more »
It’s taken you all season, but the penny has finally dropped has it?
As I, Hank and a few others have been saying all along, Arteta’s insistence in dropping our best Number 10 at the start of the season and relying on Willian to come up with the goods killed us and dropped us into the relegation zone at Christmas.
Three games from the sack, he was forced into a desperate last throw of the dice and played ESR and Saka against Chelsea. They saved him his job.
Or negative tactics come to that…..
Nacho, do you really need someone to list all the reasons why…really? Try thinking 5 +/- alpha males with all manner of personal and professional aspirations, all not playing AND not likely to have a chance of playing…really? Do any of these manager type video games incorporate locker room, international duties and goals, personal relationships etc? Just searching for a reason why understanding that managers need to do more than say “ kick the ball “ “ jump higher “ “ run faster” etc. Kinda sorry but that was a rather poorly thought out comment.
Heh. “Run faster”
Chance would be a fine thing…..
Not sure if you are aware but a season isn’t just for a few games. A few good games run now doesn’t mean jack shit in the grand scheme of things, especially considering he has been making a hash of the league earlier.
I’m a little bit optimistic at this point but I also feel that nothing significant is going to change as we’ve been in similar situations for a couple of years now.
Hopefully I’ll be dead wrong this time.
May not be the change we were all looking for, and we’ll see whether the impact is positive or negative (historical results for other sides point to the former), but no European games is a very significant change that’s already guaranteed.
I still feel Arteta will come good. Obviously he made mistakes this season and is learning on the job but this years experience coupled with no European distractions next year should really give him every chance to prove whether he’s up to it or not. I suspect he is.
For stability’s sake I’d like to see him up til Christmas, however overall I’m still on the fence: 1. He sanctioned the deals for Cedric, and Willian on the wages and duration they are on. This will be his (and Edu’s) first test. If we muck about in the transfer window buying washed up, dead-wood players or giving players undeserved wages then I really have no goodwill come the start of next season. 2. He doesn’t know how to develop or involve our young players: Martinelli, Reiss, Willock, Saliba, Balogun, to an extent Pepe (young-ish). When in fact it is… Read more »
On a very serious note, i was flabberwhelmed and overghasted by player’s performance today
Well thank goodness that Spurs made the Europa Bubble Gum Cup and we missed out. Next season it is all on the Prem’. There’ll be minimal mid- week distractions and Arteta and his staff will have the players Monday to Friday on the training ground. So it’s all up to them. We need to improve by at least ten and preferably fifteen points. That means converting five of those many defeats into victories. Difficult. But not impossible. But if he can’t do it – he will have no where to hide ; and he’ll be out. And rightly so. By… Read more »
This season looked a lot different at Christmas than after Christmas.
True. Didn’t we lose to Wolves, Burnley, Aston Villa, after Christmas though?
Don’t forget Villareal.
No chance of that with you around mate.
Got kicked out of every competitions after Christmas too.
Or at least, the owners tried hard to get us kicked out of the Premier League…
Actually, no. The loss to Burnley was before Christmas 😉
Oh dear. You’ve spoilt their post Christmas myth with some cold hard facts.
You absolute rotter. 🤣
Hear hear
The 5 wins in a row with so little to play for shows arteta has the squad behind him, and our players feel accountable for our table position. Let’s hope we get summer transfers right, and take that next step, despite our awful season we where only 6 points from CL qualification
That’s actually quite incredible. Too bad we didn’t get the January clear out earlier. Maybe would have been different.
The most significant part of the january clear out was the removal of Willian from the starting 11. Funny the correlation there. The one the fans called for months before. Very improvements on the pitch has occurred when either the approach or players the supporters had been asking for were installed. Simple obvious things which should’ve happened before. This set of players have been made to look worse than they are and its been due to poor management.
Indeed. We shouldn’t stop at demanding fan presence on the board; we should have fan presence on the bench, advising the manager! I love it! 🙂
I can see it now. Mikel gets the tap on the shoulder. “It’s time to make a substitution Mikel.” Arteta motions to Willian to warm up.
“No Mikel, we’re losing and Willian isn’t going to help win this game. Try again”
And as well the consistent inclusion of Saka and ESR, which in all honesty looked like something Mikel stumbled upon. Yet it’s the players leaving (who mind you didn’t play at all before Christmas), who were the main root causes. Don’t be daft.
Agreed on ESR but not Saka. He was already doing well under Emery but when ESR played against Chelsea, Ceballos & Willian were both unavailable & Willock not convincing. He had no real choice other than to play ESR. His conservatism in relying on the same guys unless something else works suggests a happy accident.
Where were the squad against Villarreal? Or for the rest of the season? Spurs spanked Leicester. Does that mean the whole squad is behind Mason? After just a few games in charge? Surely it couldn’t be that with nothing to aim for and no pressure these players just went out and had fun. Being professional footballers that is what they should be good at.
I’m tired of this Arteta nonsense. He couldn’t motivate me outta bed let alone a football team.
You make an interesting side-bar point here: many of the ArtetaOuters are highlighting the point that we only win games when there’s no pressure on us… that we just capitulate when it really counts. One can just as easily argue that getting players to fight for the win (especially in the last 10 mins, as we’ve seen) ‘when it doesn’t count’ is just as difficult. Consider for a moment, the size of the task – pre that Chelsea ‘tipping point’ – of repairing the crushed, relegation-shadowed, mind-set of our players… the sense that ‘we always find a way to cock… Read more »
Fans need to put this season behind us and support the club positively over the summer regardless what happens with transfers so we go into the new season with a positive vide around the club, protest against the owners can happen but when that whistle blows fans should support the team through thick and thin
You lost me after regardless of transfers.
So if we buy more Chelsea rejects on bloated contracts, we should still get behind the team?
….
What would you call an Arsenal supporter who doesn’t get behind the team?
Most clubs in the world never win anything, but their supporters still stick with them and get behind them every game.
That really bad patch before Christmas was the big nail in the coffin for this season. We’ve done reasonably well since that. As the man said, if we can keep it up for a season as well as improve we’ll do much better. Even without new signings, the above is possible, if not inevitable. Onwards and upwards. Seasons over now, get behind the team and the manager.
Almost half a season is not a “patch”.
I have been an Arsenal fan long enough to know that “keeping up (the good performances) for a season” is virtually impossible.
The attack is still a problem. The slow build-up is still a problem. The midfield is still a problem.
I’d love for this team to play to its strengths – let’s see if they can play well if there’s something to play for.
Agreed. People forget post Christmas the only thing to play for was the UEL and we absolutely bottled that. What was it, 3 shots on target over 2 legs?
Amazing the excuses people come out with. Now our shit season long form is just a “patch”. Don’t take the piss.
Season long form? Think you need to recheck your facts. We had a 10 game run where we picked up very few points and couldn’t win. But in the last 24 games (65% percent of the season) we were second behind only Manchester City.
Constructive criticism is a good thing and there are certainly a number of things to criticise from this season (and I’m not in any way trying to justify that awful run because it isn’t acceptable), but ‘shit season long form’ just isn’t accurate.
And still, some misguided muppet downvotes what is clearly hard fact – and well-reasoned – probably because it simply doesn’t echo the doom ‘n gloom?
Amazing how some ‘fans’ will warp reality out of any recognisable shape, just to support a bitter, toxic narrative:
Can you really, honestly, argue that 2nd best goals scored and conceded, and 3rd best league performance for five months, doesn’t bear mentioning, or at least constitute a signifcant chunk of the season?
Six months ago, Covid-19 was claiming 10s of thousands of lives throughout Europe… your logic would suggest we all just call it day then, as there’s no hope evident in recent months and we should just give up!
Erm…..there’s a difference between the entire planet fighting a global pandemic and a mere football club persisting with a shite manager.
Just saying…..
The nail in this season’s coffin came in August, when Arteta dropped Ozil and replaced him with Willian.
The rest is comedy gold….
Next level is a manager with tactics. Playing Willian so many games when he was awful really hurt us. I hope Willian never plays again. Credit to Pepe he has stepped up his game. If I see Pepe on the bench with Willian staring I am going to be pis**sd.
Agreed, Willian’s stare makes us all uncomfortable.
Pay Simeone whatever he wants.
The next level: seventh?
“We know the expectations at this club.”
How will you appreciate the nectar of 7th if you didn’t end at 8th?
Well he’s succeeded in taking us to the next level, the next level down.
Josh that is.
On the plus side, we can enjoy spurs bottling the easiest trophy they’ll ever have a chance of winning, against a mid table side from God knows where. Hopefully this is a blessing, just hope we get the players that need football out on loan or enough minutes in the season. There’s alot to do this summer, I can see some players missing out.
At this rate I don’t give 2 f**ks what happens to Spurs. Our team is so far off from where we need to be why would you take little joys from Spurs being Spurs
Um, because some of us are Gooners, and Sp*rs are the team who hate us, and whose name is a swear-word.
That’ll never happen. It’s a nailed-on trophy for any PL club that ends up in it, with a place in the following season’s EL given to the winner. But hey-ho, it’s a tin-pot cup and we can “focus on the league”.
Chelsea were nailed-on for the FA Cup. Its a nailed-on fact that nailed-on is an over-used phrase.
Still really hopeful we go for Bissouma. The only negative I can think of is that he’ll be off to AFCON like many other key players.
Signings will need to be smart so our squad can deal with that period when it rolls around.
#kroenkeout
#kroenkevirus
I know it was “only” Brighton (actually a team that typically plays in the style of a big club–like Bournemouth did–but obviously with less quality), but there were long stretches of the match, not just a few minutes, where we looked as good as we have in years. We moved the ball quickly, made constant attempts to penetrate (not the horseshoe), recovered the ball every time they cleared it, or won it back with aggressive, swarming tackling. If he had played that way–or tried to–against Villareal, we would be in the final.
Instead we played with a false 9, Xhaka at LB and and overly cautious approach to most of the home leg. I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say the failure to advance was heavily down to Arteta. He seems to have adopted Pep’s occasional tendency to completely outsmart himself.
Let’s hope he emulates him in a few other ways then, too.
a chequebook manager without a chequebook?
That’s called nothing to play for. Arsenal are very good at doing that with the pressure off. If you are happy with that then prepare yourself for the same old shit next season. We won’t be competing for anything under this manager and owner
Agreed – the number of direct through-balls from Xhaka, Partey, Ode, etc was a real filip and I can only hope it’s a declaration of intent for next season.
That’ll be 7th then.
As I’ve said before, this Europa Conference League sounds dire. I’d rather have focus on being consistent in our league form and doing better in our push for a Champions League spot than be in a third tier UEFA competition. Fortunately we get to see Sp*rs take that honour(!) instead.
Decently end to the season Hopefully we can have a good transfer window now. Sell Nketiah- 15-20 million Reiss Nelson-20-25 million Elneny- 5 million(replaced from someone in the academy like Miguel Azeez) Bellerin(if he wants to leave)- 25-30 million Torreira= 15 million Guendouzi= 10 million Willian= 2 million Lacazette= 20 million(since he’s only got a year on his contract and Auba has just renewed his) That’s roughly 120 million in sales plus a 50 million investment from the club and we have a decent amount of money to spend. Priorities should be Right back(start chambers or buy someone of Tierneys… Read more »
Add in amn, and we need a back up lb and another midfielder to replace elneny and ceballos.
We need a left back cover. Also who is going to pay that much for players who are unwanted by a teAm finishing 8th?
Those figures are total fantasy.
Heard someone on the radio comment ‘Suppose City for example, put in a 60mill bid for Saka. Do you think he’ll want to stay or go play in the champions league’ certainly the Kronke’s will snatch there hand off and sell.
Your going to have to accept the fact that Saka is gone one day. We should be able to keep him for a couple more seasons, but unless we get back in the ucl quick he’s gone. That’s OK if we deal properly in the market. He should be sold north of 80m quid. Get that and reinvest Wisely and build up more talent. That should be our model going forward. We’re not on the elite money level of the Chelsea, City and even United. The reason Liverpool have money is because of success and big money sales. We can… Read more »
Nketiah and Nelson need a season on loan. Definitely too early to write them off. Elneny is a solid squad player who should only go if we bring in an upgrade – next season may be too early for Azeez. He’s another I’d like to see loaned for experience.
I expect the rest of those players to leave, but doubt we’d get anywhere near the amounts you suggest for them. Maybe 50m total.
As for our signings, the priority should be cover at LB, holding midfield and Odegard if he isn’t priced out of a move by real
Delusional. Mate you won’t even get those sort of fees for them on FIFA.
5 million for our most reliable midfield back up? Then what, pay another 30 to bring in a replacement who isn’t miles better? Sound indeed.
I’m not a fan of Arteta, I felt like he made way too many mistakes this season, very costly mistakes. Ill be honest, I’ve been shouting Arteta out most season. However, weve finished with 61pts, 6 behind 4th spot. We had a few very questionable decisions go against us, probably cost us around 9-12 points. And lost really silly games, another 6-9pts. Weve no way been good enough, but seems we almost could’ve made it if things went our way. Also Aubameyang didn’t get his amount of goals he usually does, which is the difference of moving up potentially 3… Read more »
Maybe it’s a case of Mikel having teething problems? Or maybe he is right, the extenuating circumstances of this season and the Raul stuff etc had more of an effect than we think?
Agreed. I’m certainly not part of the cult of process trusters & he has made a lot of mistakes with significant impact on our performances across all competitions. Whether we like it or not he will be at the club at the start of next season. Regardless of individual opinions hopefully people don’t want him to fail next season. If he fails then the club fails & it is another wasted season much like this one. Arteta claims to have learnt some lessons so we’ll see how his learnings play out. If we’re around 7-8th by midseason he should be… Read more »
Basically, you’re saying if we scored more goals and got more points we would’ve finished higher. That’s a bit of Michael Owen-esque commentary!
Auba has had at least 4-6 bad misses this season, by his own standards – chances he would – and should – have buried last season. That is NOT on the manager: a player of his seniority (not to mention club captain) and wages has to take some accountability for squandering a number of the few chances he did actually get.
Not sure if he is knowingly talking bollocks or if he genuinely believes this shit.
He seems genuinely invested in his delusion.
great more Arteta fan boys next season with the “trust the PRocess” nonsense
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Time for some Hoddle style faith healing.
What philosophy? Arteta’s system and style of play accentuates the weaknesses in our best goalscorer and best goalkeeper?
its time to get excited and boo josh kroenke some more
I feel Auba needs to be stripped off his captaincy in order for him to get back to his best. If Xhaka stays, he should be reinstated as club captain. If not Xhaka, then KT. He screwed up before but it looks like he’s learnt his lesson well.
Pointless. Everyone knows the real captain is Xhaka anyway.
Losing the captaincy won’t make him any younger or sharper in the box.
The next level is the next level
Trim the squad…recruit hidden talents instead of going for buzz players ( like we have been). We have a core if players who can challenge. Honestly 3-4 decent players and go for a big name next year when we get CL football
As shit as this season was. I am still positive for next season. Arteta turned around that terrible run of 5/33 points. Since then we were second in the league. So he did fix the problem. So assuming he doesn’t unfix the problem maybe we won’t have that dip next year. No Europe will help massively also. We may also shed some of our shit performers and bring in some better guys. I know the football hasn’t been great. I really don’t see much point of changing things up now. I would give Arteta one more summer/winter transfer, one whole… Read more »
You must be new here if you’re excited for this shitshow.
I don’t read the word excited anywhere in my above comment. You must be blind or just looking for any reason to have a nice cry.
So you’ve already decided that next season – which is what Baz is talking about – will be a shit-show? Toxic mate. How about instead – accept that the manager is here for at least the first 6 months and give it full positivity? Hank makes the point above – wish ill on the manager and you wish ill, by extension, on the club… at least for another year. Imagine – against all your odds – that Mik gets it right: we do some smart business pre-season; train our bollocks and sit in the top 4 by early Dec? Might… Read more »
Listen mate we are not all on board with your “sometimes I doubt your commitment to sparkle motion’ let’s all be positive about everything claptrap so give it a rest. People are here to give their opinion. Many don’t think the manager is up to the job. Plenty on here were calling people who didn’t think we could still make the top four negative and toxic around Jan Feb It’s called using your eyes and brain and judging the season on what you see not some make believe half season table or so called process that has brought us our… Read more »
Explain what is the philosophy? I still don’t know after 15 months. I can say the words ergonomics but I haven’t the faintest clue what it means.
I should hope so. But we have not gone to next level with his ‘philosophy this season or Edu’s experience. Still finishing in 8th this time without a cup. You cannot bleat on about ‘its not his team’ trite. Bar top 3 or 4 this season, no one has a perfect team. Not emery or Arsene. Certainly not Leicester or West Ham who finished above us. Everton is but a point seperated from us as is Leeds. And we play some poor stuff under Arteta which has nothing to do with the players. Dour side to side passes , too… Read more »
my 2021/22 wish/dream list: backup england GK 10m (40k) backup england young LB 20m (50k) CM Bissouma 35m (100k) CAM Beundia 40m (100k) ST Watkins 50m (120k) Total 155m (410k salary) out Wiilian 0m (180k) Bellerin 25m (100k) Eleny 10m (60k) Dinosmarvo 5m (30k) Guendouzu 15m (30k) Toreira 20m (70k) AMN 15m (30k) Nelson 10m (30k) Lacazette 20m (150k) Ketiah 15m (30k) Kolasinac 0m (90k) Saving 135m (800k salary) Net spend 20m by saving salary (400kx52) of abt 20m too. Not even need owner $. reserve for Jan. Saliba returned. Keep Willock n promote Azeez/Balogun til Jan, if both not… Read more »
Fuck. Mediocre club. Now disillusioned fans. Arteta talks shit. And it shows.
Au revoir
This season has shown, if anything, that new managers must get people on their side on a consistent basis, and that experience is a very dubious measure of a players suitability. I have been extremely critical of Willian throughout this season. I frankly don’t see it as coincidence that during the period where he wasn’t a confirmed ticket passenger, we were actually far, far better in terms of points collected. I will not go after the tactics first, but Arteta’s bull-headed obstinacy regarding his team selection and in-game management (substitutions). He himself, while banking on experience fruitlessly, doesn’t have the… Read more »
Was signing Willian really an Arteta decision, and did he drive the deal?
Did Willian’s ridiculous deal mean that Arteta was under pressure from those above to play him in every game?
Unless you work alongside him you can only guess the true answers to these questions.
Kroenke does not seem to be a man who will allow a mere coach of his team to have the level of control that Wenger had when Kroenke first took over the club.
All clubs above us and even some below can say the same thing that they have their philosophies in place. Hoping for the best, but feeling apprehensive about the next season as well.
The Arsenal that used to only lose 4-7 games a season has become a climbing ladder for other clubs.
…because we are now fully in Kroenke’s playground.
I think the job that he was hired for (rightly or wrongly) amounted to stopping some deep rot and beginning a rebuild in some very unfavorable conditions. His inexperience was always going to be his greatest weakness, and it cost us points! Like many others i was bewildered and angry at many of the decisions he’s made, especially in terms of selections and subs. I do have a hunch that he is following a larger logic and actually has a plan for what he is trying to do. (No doubt inspired by Pep at least in part) I would have… Read more »
Philosophy? LOL!
The corporate propaganda has gone into hyperdrive, especially the bumlicking of his employer. Kroenke needs to lick my hairy nutsack before I spend a penny on his failed franchise.
Also:
Be Excited ™
His philosophy is to control the match and opposition through our positioning. Then once we have control then to exert certain patterns of play and interchange of personnel in order to overload the two channels. But this means intense training (mentally) and these patterns are trained in blocks and the loading (both physical and mental) are then used to exert the gameplan. It works but is heavily reliant on Mikel making the right assumptions about the opposition and how they will line up and change which he is very very good at doing. And having trained the players for the… Read more »
Yes. It’s time to go!