Arsenal will spend the day deciding which new range of training gear to pack before jumping on a jet to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp in Dubai.
The club might want to take a therapist with them following a difficult month that has included four defeats in seven games, three of them on the bounce in 11 days.
In between the pool time and star jumps, they’d also be wise to organise a couple of friendly matches in the Middle East sunshine.
Nothing too taxing, perhaps the local over-65s walking football team or Dubai Juniors under-11 Bs…anything that helps Mikel Arteta’s players rediscover the art of putting the ball in the onion bag.
Against Liverpool on Sunday, they found new and innovative ways to not score goals and the boss is increasingly concerned it’s becoming a psychological issue.
“It probably has, especially after today, more than it was against Fulham, more than it was against West Ham,” he told his post-game press conference.
“That’s why we need to reset; the break comes at a good time because they are going to feel how we feel, how I feel about them very clearly in difficult moments, not when things are going well.
“Hopefully they can see from many other people that they jump on the train when things go well so when things are more difficult let’s see where they stand.”
Despite supporters calling for money to be spent in the January transfer window, Arteta doesn’t sound like a man with a big-money recruit up his sleeve.
The Gunners are sailing close to the wind on the Financial Fair Play front and there’s no magic money tree from which to shake a £100 million striker. Given the circumstances he wants everyone to keep faith in the squad at his disposal.
“What I beg the supporters is that they are behind the team like they’ve done in difficult moments.
“Stick with the ones we have – they are incredibly good. If not, they don’t do what they’ve done again today, in Anfield and here.
“Stick with them, it’s exactly what they need, that we are fully behind them. Then they feel important, and supported because they deserve it, with their attitude they don’t deserve anything different. That’s my opinion.”
He added: “Give them support, love, train them and make sure they visualise something very different to what is actually happening right now.
“They’ve done it, we’re not going to invent or reinvent the wheel because they have done it.”
Perhaps a couple of weeks apart will do supporters and players some good. We’ve spent far too much time in each other’s company recently and things have been growing increasingly tetchy.
We’re off to put a fiver on Dubai Juniors under-11 Bs.
I’m okay with sticking with our squad, but he’s the who not trusting his own squad, we have good players, even our bench is pretty good, we have trossard, esr, eddie. Why he’s not put Eddie sooner when we got so many chances, he put him when Liverpool scores, of course the chance gonna be more difficult because Liverpool will try to defend more. He didn’t use his bench better.
Sure, if there’s one thing this season’s really been lacking, then it’s more minutes for Nketiah 😒
LOL
The fans have been sticking with the squad, but it works both ways. The squad & manager need to work for the fans. Mikel has ruined the atmosphere at the emirates, by slowing our play down, passing sideways & backwards. Holding the ball to long, looking for the perfect pass when no players are making runs or when the pass is clearly not on. Buying a striker now in January wont change our team if Mikel wants to play “controlling “ football. He needs to go back to the intensity we showed for about 30 games last season. And we… Read more »
We didn’t pass backwards and sideways against Liverpool. You must be watching a different team. We just missed to many chances. We did against Fulham and that was painful. City were awful against villa having two shots on target, the last one being in the 11th minute. Liverpool got bossed by Chelsea and sneaked a draw. A better perspective will help. Support the team. We are in last 16 of champions league and I predict we will be top of the league when we beat Liverpool in the league in a few weeks time.
True, we reached their goal area plenty times. We just didn’t take our chances. The passing was forward
If you eat caviar everyday, it’s difficult to return to sausages.
And if you eat all the eggs sooner or later you realise why there aren’t any more fish.
Cantona has entered the chat
We played very well against West Ham and Liverpool. The goals will come. Can’t believe the knee jerk reaction of so many. As for Nketia, if we could get 15 million for him it would be a steal. He’s so far off premiership level.
You’re right though, he’s too afraid to use his subs earlier or switch up the starters when things aren’t working.
Yes. Look at Man City and Liverpool. Academy/youth players trusted with starting slots or to come on in important games. (Bobb, Lewis, Quansah, Bradley, Clark). Then look at us…aside from Walters’ start in the League Cup, not a single academy player blooded…and the likes of ESR and Nelson reduced to cameos. We cannot sustain a season with the same 12-14 players. We can’t build for the future without taking a chance on younger players in some games. I hope Arteta learns this lesson.
I think it’s to late for him to change (arrogance). Such a simple thing, switch your wide players if things are not going your way. Klopp did it and it helped Pool on to a victory.
Not sure if it’s arrogance. My take is that he lacks faith in his bench, and perhaps too much faith in his starting players. In some sense I can understanding it: since those players were creating quite a few chances, he might have thought, outside of the relatively early Martinelli sub, Let me give them more time to work it out. When they went one down, he decided to chuck in more attackers, none of whom managed much. Look at the hungry Jota, the confident Clark & Bradley. Outside of Martinelli who had a purple patch of about 10 minutes,… Read more »
4 years and didn’t introduce any new academy players. Our academy is too bad or the manager is too afraid of developing new generation?
Remember when he draw a heart and a brain holding hands? He needs to draw a pair of balls to promote some talent from academy, after all the youngsters saved him in the first place after playing Willian like he had saucy photos of him.
Walters didn’t start in the league cup
Agreed, but which of our midfielders showed before that they are capable of scoring??? A certain ESR, but we all know his chances are far and few, and very soon he will be scoring for another team. Why on earth is he not being given the same chance as Kai H to also prove himself???
There must be a reason why ESR isn’t given more game time – as fans, we don’t have access to everything. It might be a slight injury, it might be an attitude problem, it might be that he doesn’t do as well in training as others.
I’m a big ESR fan, but from some latest comments around here it seems like he’s Messi’s second coming and it became a stick Arteta is beaten with for our goal drought.
Remember 2 weeks ago when Zinchenko was our biggest problem?
And then we looked absolute shite against Fulham without Zinchenko and had to bring in Jorg to the midfield to make up for him not being present yest.
ESR has consistently broken down with injuries. As frustrating as it is I think the softly softly approach is right for him.
Havertz on the other hand has been available for every game for us.
Available and very slow
Yeah that’s the fkn problem.
I think it’s obvious that Arteta values availability and professionalism extremely highly, which is why Nketiah always gets chances because, for all his flaws, he’s always fit and is clearly extremely driven. It’s why Tierney was moved on and probably why we made big purchases in Zinchenko/Tomiyasu and Partey’s positions this summer. What I can’t understand is why we kept ESR after extending Nelson’s deal. Even if there wasn’t a buyer for him he should go on loan because his value is only decreasing the longer he sits on our bench. Tierney has played every game when fit for a… Read more »
Not sure I agree with that assessment Spanish Gooner. Mikel has his favourites, and he has players he doesnt trust because they dont seem to perform when given a fleeting opportunity.. I dont think it has anything to do with their fitness, because, Jesus, Zinchenko and Partey have all had their fair share of issues with appearances, yet they get minutes whenever they’re fit. So yeah — personally I perceive it more about trust, and his rigidness to stick to a specific game model, and players that can conform to those specific principles of play. If they can’t do that…… Read more »
Just a dip in form and we need a change of luck. We’ll smash the bin dippers in the League 💪🏿
About 2.1 million people used foodbanks in the UK last year and many places, including London, are full of people struggling to get by. As somebody who grew up with fuck all money, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out my parents dipped into a bin or two in my childhood and I really don’t like the way people refer to Liverpool/Everton in terms of poverty, singing “sign on” etc etc. Not a dig at you personally, but as fans of a club full of inspirational stories of people from working (and non-working) class backgrounds, I really hope we can… Read more »
for those who, like me, didn’t know the term before now:
‘Bin dipper’ is a slur primarily aimed at Liverpool fans and residents of the city, implying they forage in bins for food because they are poor or homeless.
Thank you for the comment @Spanish Gooner
And also, I agree with UzesGooner in that I hope it’s all just a dip in form!
They’re not bin dippers, they’re mug smashers.
Can anyone educate me on where “mugsmashers” originated? I remember reading it here many many years ago (and countless times since) thinking it was just a personal Mr. Blogs reference. You know, maybe he had a mate who smashed a mug after a particularly unlucky Liverpool game.. I dunno. Why are they called mugsmashers, and is it a specific Arseblog “nickname” ?
Considering the fact that no viable options are available, would we fancy a chance to sign Firmino from Saudi? Per reports , he’s itching to move (Fulham are trying to sign him) and a one/two year gamble might get him intrested. I’m assuming here that LFC will not pursue as they not lacking strikers. At 32, he’s not going to uproot any trees and there is obviously no long term goal here. But on the upside he’s versatile, proven in PL and by all accounts is a good team player . I’m a bit biased here as watching him during… Read more »
Firmino is the same type of striker as we have now – a “creative” facilitator like Gabriel Jesus. The difference is he had Sadio Mane (average of 15 PL goals per season) and Salah (av. 23/season) either side of him. This worked for us last year with Martinelli and Odegaard having comparable goalscoring seasons, plus useful contributions from Saka and Xhaka, however these goals have vanished for 23/24. Unless we want to pretend that it’s a good idea to spend £100m on a gambling addict who hasn’t played for 6 months and has only played two seasons at the highest… Read more »
Wow, is there anybody who’s gone to the Saudi League and is actually having a nice time?
Ronaldo
their accountants… ha!
The referees seem to be enjoying it
I can think of a couple of refs from Manchester
As supporters we should be absolutely right behind the team and pretty much are ! But I would like to know Artetas thoughts & plans for these special players ? ESR where are we with him & why no game time when it’s in all our heads that he’s a real talent ! Goalkeeper situation ? Why no new academy kids getting in the pitch ? How will he solve goalscoring crisis ? He must know so I’d like to know too as I’m way. Infused with the plan this season ??? Finally do we have a plan B &/or… Read more »
So confused I’m actually infused !!!
Yes, you would expect MA to have a solution – so why are we persisting with the same-old same-old?
None of it makes any sense to me!
Or me ?
We should also beg the manager to trust all the players that he has and not run the preferred 11 to the ground.
As he has done with Saka and Martinelli.
Sticking with the players is fine. And yes they can score more. But imagine this team with prime RVP or Sanchez. Even Adebayor. We have a serious serious issue with strikers.
Prime Sanchez would be the perfect wide forward for this team and I think he’d beat his 16/17 season numbers. Prime RVP would be in the physio room with Timber and Partey, exactly where he spent all but 18 months of his Arsenal career.
I appreciate I’m an old cove, but after the decade of decline and then Emery, there is no way I would abandon Arteta and this squad. ALL teams suffer dips in form, all players fail to find the net. I know we as fans think there are simple solutions, but I trust Arteta and Edu to fix this. I’d take us beating Liverpool in the league over the FA Cup any day
Apparently we’re now shit, Arteta should hang his head in shame and half the squad needs replacing, but I’ve just checked and we’re still 4th and have a very decent chance of getting to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League. Our floor right now is where the very top of our ceiling was just 18 months ago. We’re doing well. Trust the process.
If we play like we’ve played we’re going to have the traditional exit from Champions League
well said.
I know we all want Arsenal to spend money in January but I actually think Arteta is right in saying we should stick with what we have. Last January was an exceptional chance of winning the league and justified moving away from our careful squad building to improve our short term chances, but we spent £55m and £275k a week without improving our first team at all, while adding two players (Trossard and Jorginho) in the age profile we’d been actively moving away from. There is nobody on the market that would make us favourites for either of the competitions… Read more »
Not to mention, how much $$$ do we outlay for players that hardly/rarely ever play… ESR, Mo, Cedric, Fabio V…
Plus 100 mill on Havertz & Raya wasted. I would not trust him or Edu with any more of the Fans cash to waste.
Dubai Juniors under-11 Bs are missing five starters but we will also be missing our chances so it might be an even game
They wasted too much money on Havertz in the summer, who is not a no 9 or an effective replacement for Xhaka at no 8. The lack of goal threat at centre forward was evident last season and should have been a priority. Mikel was pretty huffy and irritable in his post game interviews but he can only blame himself.
Watching Havertz id say he’s an excellent utility midfielder and that includes No8………fucks sake he’s not a striker tho🙈
Kloppers uses subs, bloods players. So his squad doesn’t look that light.
Mikel resists subs, and recently resists blooding.
Saka Saka Saka Saka……. Play play play play.
Sorry gaffer, I ain’t sticking with Kai Havertz no more.
As a striker he was pure vintage Gervinho
Why Miki bought Havertz in the 1st place is a mystery, i wonder if it is down to his mistaken over thinking he has the keys to turn a player of limited potential to a Dennis Bergkamp, £65 million would of bought us Maddison/Ward Prowse with about £5 million change, or a proper striker like Ollie Watkins for £50 million, ok Timber/Partey injuries has been unfortunate but another loss v CP Mikis reign will be in serious trouble..
Ok so you buy a pure number 8, but now you haven’t got enough cash to get another striker and you are lacking depth. But ok so instead you buy a striker, but there is a big hole at left 8. What if a player was available who had the ability to play both left 8 and as a striker, the player has shown great talent before and potentially just needs the right environment to thrive. Sounds like a great buy, right?
Yeah it does. It ain’t Havertz though that’s the problem!
Looking forward to reports of a 10-nil win against Watford in a behind-closed-doors game.
I’m backing the manager to turn things around.
Simple as that.
COYG
Really tired of this ‘stick with us’ nonsense. It’s both old and unfair. We’re better than any other supporters in sticking with our team.
What causes frustration is when you hamstring yourself FFP wise by signing Havertz and Raya.
Arteta knows his grand plan of renovating Havertz into this ‘I don’t know what’ has failed and he also knows trust he should have put that money towards a striker
I don’t know if it is possible for the players to learn finishing from other clubs like Real Madrid or those that are known for their attacking prowess.
Simple really gamer007, Eddie isn’t good enough, Jesus isn’t clinical enough, we were expecting to much of Saka/Martinelli/Odergaurd/Trossard/Havertz to get goals, basically Miki having spent over £200 million on 3 players for this season our cupboard is empty, no in or out signings this January as miki has said, Havertz is his signing also who’s been a big disappointment, why he didn’t buy a Ollie Watkins from villa for £50 million we were linked to is a mystery to me, we need a guy up front who can shoot or head on target, Eddie/Jesus/Havertz isn’t the answer, i wouldn’t be… Read more »
Arteta needs to get over his weakness. He believes he does not need a striker. Giroud is still balling. If we had Giroud we would have won the league last season and would be flying this season!
We don’t have Aubameyang, Lacazette; any top quality finisher is what we are desperate for. It’s a blinding weakness!
Genuinely cannot believe some of the Giroud revisionism you see nowadays. He was a good striker with very clear strengths and weaknesses, and because his strengths were never related to his age (speed etc.) his level of usefulness has remained high as he ages. Just because he’s better than most 37 year olds doesn’t mean he is, or ever was, good enough to be the main man in a title winning team. Please put “Arsenal Monaco 2015” into Youtube.
Giroud is the ultimate expression of class. We went down hill in the striking department when he left. Now our 2nd choice striker is benched, and our double left footed midfielder is playing as striker. The club is cursed! We sold the all time french goal scoring leader and now we are cursed!
I vaguely remember reading somewhere when Zlatan was playing Juventus under Fabio Capello’s management, Fabio would berate Zlatan for being to skillful (not sure about that one) and not being clinical enough, so they would train extra in shooting to improve his finishing in front of goal everyday for the rest of his Juve career. Needless to say, we all know how that worked out for him. I’m just wandering if maybe, just maybe we could get an old school assistant manager, preferably Italian, to sort of help with the boys finishing ability as well as to give them a… Read more »
“To skillful”? About the 10th comment I’ve read saying “to” instead of “too”. What’s going on today?
Cutbacks only allow so many o’s in the budget.
Yeah there’s a budget restriction on how many o’s can be added unfortunately 😅
As much as i agree with no red shirt have we ever won a game wearing it ?
I don’t think we have. I applaud the campaign but perhaps the team itself has taken it to heart to o much. I.e. put away the weapons and don’t be deadly!
For goodness sake ,play ESR.It is just getting silly and apparently obstinate.