Brighton is a tough team to play against. They play high intensity, positive game and have Europe in mind. Having played 3 less games than Tottenham, who sits at the 6th position, Brighton could overtake them with a win. They are in a happy place but they know things can turn bad towards the end of the season, and won’t really be wishing to leave it to that. They will fight, and they will make things tough for us.
Today’s game comes with a relief for Arteta, both Solly March and Webster are ruled out of game and we are back in fine form. Saliba and Zinchenko are ruled out for the season, but Kiwior didn’t disappoint and Tierney is as good a player at LB. He might come up short in his midfield abilities, but I’m of the belief that a defender’s first priority is to defend well. Anything else is extra.
Having said that, I would really like him to excel in the three games left. Rumours about him leaving (or sold) is not a good news for me, I don’t know if we need to splash another 60m for a LB when we already have a lad covering it and doing well whenever given a chance. It would be like creating a problem and then fixing it.
For the rest of this season, we don’t have anything to win or lose now. I’m a generally optimistic person but everyone and their dog knows City are not going to drop points, and are not going to give away their 1 point lead with a game in hand. We feel the Liverpool’s frustration, in a short amount of time they have overtaken the title race. No doubt we have thrown it away ourselves by sharing points against the likes of West Ham and Liverpool after going 2-0 up, and against Southampton at home, but Pep is showing to us how hard it can be for any other team. Not only does he prepares his team tactically, he engrains in them a tough, winning mentality which allows them to perform at the top when needed the most.
It was nice till it lasted. It leaves us to the last three games, and I’m looking forward to finishing our season with 3 wins, and 90 points. It will keep the confidence high, make the incomings in the summer easier and gives us the confidence to pick ourselves up and retry again next season.
—
Back to the game, I’m expecting a a back 4 of White, Kiwior, Gabriel and Tierney. Jorginho would probably keep his place after a good game against Newcastle. Xhaka starts because he always do. We would see Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli behind Jesus, but I would personally like to see Eddie given a chance today. We are at home, we are playing Brighton and Eddie can do a job.
Trossard would like a game too, but unless we play in 2 competitions, I doubt we will see much of him. Mikel has his favorites and there is nothing wrong in that if it works. The only problem is, it don’t keep people happy. We need a strong bench, but good players don’t like to settle on the bench. A conundrum Mikel has to overcome, and we still have ESR and Eddie waiting, Balogun, Lokonga and Tavares returning, Saliba and Tomiyasu injured.
I would love to see a clean sheet. It felt sh*t to David De Gea winning the golden glove. I wouldn’t have mind if it was Ederson or Allison but lol.
Right, a short one today. Lets beat them seagulls and continue the quest of being the best out there. If you are saddened with missing out the trophy after being top of the table virtually the whole season, here’s some positive – we will be playing in Champions League next season, we will be fighting again for the trophy, Spu*s might not even make to Europa and London is red through and through.
#COYG
Just got up Tony. Knew you’d come through. Will read again and respond. Football obviously disappointing. Our ability to pass through the lines was seriously lacking, we couldn’t pass through the press whereas they could. Our midfield, as for all the games where we’ ve struggled recently, was simply not good enough. White and Trossard had their worst games against their old team. Finally a moan about the ref, you could understand why this was the 17th time he’d reffed Brighton and they’d never lost- Martinelli being fouled out by the otherwise excellent Caceido and the Brighton man not even booked was arguably pivotal ( especially as Trossard was surpringly so ineffective).
Time to get the flip flops on!
Bob
As a final thought if you do go the studio hire route, they will have a good list of session guys who could play on your son’s songs. I’ve no idea what sessions go for these days but more musicians are out of work than working, so I’m sure there will be some grateful musos for the work. It would be a great education for your son as he discusses his arrangements with the experienced musicians offering their interpretations. They will also have the right range of their instruments, such as Gibson or Fenders keyboard bass or bass git? The range of keys out there these days is crazy.
Does your son want Roland drums Schiller has used successfully with Gary Wallis from Pink Floyd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc6C_a1uUy8
Backing singers for harmonies?
Artists like Schiller and Yello are bringing out their albums in Blu-Ray 5:1+ immersive productions.
A few £thousand and you could do your lad proud and help greatly to his future. Not just Uni transcripts, but the start of his music connections and direction. You will have contributed to that immensely.
It’s how I would help Junior if in your shoes, as we believe education is everything to build a life on, so whatever the costs, it’s worthwhile. More so for me at my age as I’ll be 70+ when I get to France.
Bob
Pleasure. It’s tough world to make it in – my path was dogged persistence that eventually paid off.
Yesterday was a sad day of our football and us fans. One can only hope for next season to be one without capitulation.
Bob
The Martinelli wipe out of Mitoma a few minutes earlier wrong prompted the Caicedo clean out on Martinelli in retaliation. Neither player was booked when both should have been.
I saw Pedro slip that ref Brighton fact in the guise of Conetta. Sow the seeds of doubt to the fan boys. 🙂 Anything to get the we love Arteta narrative going and the nasty northern refs’ conspiracies. AFC Forever MIA yesterday must spend a fortune on tin Foil.
Brighton are a seriously good side with an excellent identity that wins games and could well see them in the CL in De Zerbi’s first full season. Tony Bloom has admitted he has the holy grail of algorithms that cost him more than a £1m to put together and is what is used for his conveyor belt of South American rough diamonds. Unlike Edu and his agents.
Junior and I have watched most of Brighton’s games because of the attractive football they play with excellent players we’d love to buy. In fact Brighton has been serious shit on by PGMOL who had to publicly apologizes to BHA.
Sorry, Bob. I just can’t take LG seriously any more now Rich is the sage of the blog. Bet it’ll be all change to Pedro’s new managerial love affair or hate after Arteta. I’m expecting Rich to get a Talk Sport call up with his takes these days. Just Wow!
Pedro’s narratives are not for me nor his fan boys’.
Arteta has said we collapsed yesterday. Really? We’ve taken 9 points from the last 21 available I’d say the collapse started against Liverpool and has pretty much continued since. Chelsea are so poor I’d expect our under 12’s to beat them, Newcastle was a good result but the truth is in the cold light of day it was a fluke.
Yesterday was only the second or third time I’ve ever left before the final whistle and I don’t know how else so demonstrate my sheer disgust at the performance. Fans are already making the excuses of “we would have taken 2nd at the start of the season” but that’s bullshit – once you’re in a dominant position anything but winning it is a massive failure.
Marc
I thought of you during the game and how I wouldn’t want to be there witnessing, as you rightly say the continued collapse. Whatever Arteta did before the Liverpool game has had long ranging consequences and will continue to the end of the season. The lads have given their all only to be let down, misused and their physicality/bodies downright abused by Arteta.
The identity came and went when cuckoo brain tried to be too clever and instead of improving our play, he turned it into frenetic chaos, devoid of ideas and getting in each other’s way. Xhaka and Jorginho should never have seen daylight at the Emirates yesterday. The game was always going to be too quick for them. In fact Xhaka should have been benched before the Liverpool game. The goals and assists created a false sense of an improved player. The rest of the time he was anonymous or in the way of working partnerships in defense as well as up front.
From Liverpool onwards a 3 at the back sans Saliba and a mobile 5 midfield with 2 up top would have acquitted us far more points than the same predictability from Arteta, as has now been proven and we’ll never know if a very mobile 3-5-2 could have worked?
The burning question I’d like to ask Josh & Stan is when we all realised there was a possible Leicester revised winning season, why didn’t we heavily invest in the January window? All we got was lip service and excuses. we should have been buying before the world cup or in the summer for January.
All the triumphant fanfare heralded at the beginning of the season claiming deals of the century with Jesus and Zinchenko; bit part winners in the City machine. Less milage we were told so better conditioned athletes. More like 2 crocks and one that cries a lot probably because he can’t defend. He was brought in to play 2nd fiddle to KT and LMF. Ended up a bit of both leaving gaping holes for counters, especially with Saliba out.
For all Arteta’s supposed tactical nous when we got 2 up at Anfield we looked confused and lost our mettle with one touchline dust up. Pep only made one main change in keeping Haarland in his own half, which created their first goal the first time it was used. What did Arteta do? Nothing.
Forward 4 weeks of us being branded weak mentally and easy to take points from. Martinelli’s shoulder charge on Mitoma sure showed we had out mettle back.
To be fair I thought it was dangerous play and a possible red and only a little less physical than Caicedo who also should have seen red, but wouldn’t had, had the ref sent Martinelli off for the Mitoma’s NFL line backer like hit.
If Arteta can’t win the league from such an assailable position, then what’s the point of him having a 3rd try after bottling the last 2 seasons.
Here’s how the Transfer Groundhog Day works – we were only supposed to need a couple of players to compete a recurring statement made each summer TW by the club. Reality is we need 6 or more and have done since Arteta’s arrival, which Arteta aded more clutter.
Another £500m should do it. Forget Hale Enders that’s fairy tale football our youths enjoy at other clubs.
I’ll finish on this. If I were an elite player and A&E came talking to my agent. I’d be a hard pass. Leopards don’t change their spots and Arteta’s optics are very poor right now.
Will the RM dream slip from Arteta’s slimed grasp – oh please god I hope not. They are meant for each other.
Ambarish, would you mind emailing me Tony’s e-mail – he suggested it. Don’t want to clog the site up with non Arsenal stuff! Thanks
Hi Bob
I’ve asked Ambarish to send you my Gooner email.
We can go into more detail, which will help me offer more detail to your son’s project. Songwriting is all about telling songs and you son can tell the story of each song if he works with a cool group of musicians. Changing arrangements and keys affects the mixing integrity to where they both find their harmony or sweet spot as we like to call it.
Rather than see it as a tricky project hopefully, your son will have his first real taste of making his music into fully track layered songs.
Really, happy for the lad, Bob.
stories*
Cheers Tony
ADHD
I saw Panarama program entitled: Private ADHD clinics exposed. I haven’t seen it yet to comment fully and Panarama can be a bit tabloid like at times, but mental health is a serious subject whether you’re mildly affected as Junior is now having almost grown out of it; however, the focus symptoms are always there with the brain always looking to grab onto to something with its constant scanning or mine type of ADHD is like this.
There are excellent mental health services out there on-line you can check first to choose the Dr who fits best. We have a family mental wellness Dr we have elected to use either alone or in group(s). It works really well with our differing needs of ADHD with different attachments and depression in the mix.
We’ve had our Dr. now for 18 months and the family’s collective mental status is the best it’s been period. Everyone is functioning happily in their daily routines. If one seems to be off, we suggest they ‘have a word’ and we set up a couple of hours private or group session.
Beats laying on the couch or being in a sterile room you’ve had to travel to. We use our Dr maybe 2 or 3 times a year for a mental health MOT, which can be done anywhere in the world.
Always check your Dr’s out thoroughly is my advice.
In S E Asia hospitals post their Dr’s qualifications and where trained and educated. The patient then chooses the Dr best suited language and experience wise for their needs. It’s all transparent and breeds confidence.
I was trying to make sense of this season while listening to a 600+ track playlist that took me 6 months to put together and what I have entitled: “I remember when” . The files are approx FLAC 20% Wav/AIFF 40% and DSD/Hi Res 40%, so the sound quality and feel are other worldly. It allows for very deep thinking in my case when I’m immersed in pure sound. Normally, I’m working out production techniques and appreciating progressive chord changes.
Try as I might I cannot get a fix on Arteta’s thinking and or reasons for his bizarre decision making throughout the season. I also ask myself what does the bullish Miguel Molina do? Ok, he has a sports science degree, but so have most of the gym trainers I’ve talked to who are at graduate degree level. To be honest I’d expect PhD for an elite club with our history, not a young under grad. Ok, Molina worked for Athletico before, but it’s unclear in what capacity, as assistant covers a multitude of sins and modus operandi.
I’m not picking Molina out in isolation, but I am asking the question why Molina’s squad ran out of gas so many times during the season? He’s the sports science and conditioning guy that advises Arteta and Gary O’Driscoll our Dr., so what went wrong?
Did Molina advise Edu and Arteta as to squad’s fitness & health needs and more importantly, the squad size required for an assault on top 4 last season and winning the title this season? If so, Molina was clearly not listened to.
We have tried to run a 4 x 400 relay with 3 runners for last and this season. It’s obvious the squad numbers didn’t stack up to take into consideration injuries, loss of form and illnesses to us fans, where we have been vindicated in our negative projections that have all but come true much to our chagrin.
When this happens, we as fans we rightly want answers whether if such actions this season and last are going to be our nemesis for the coming season and repeated for a third season.
What then do Steve Round and Albert Stuivenberg do other than to talk furtively to Arteta on the touchline? We see deep discussions in the dug outs that should have taken place during the week well before kick-off. What it suggests is that the 3 of them are looking for answers that should have been part of a Plan B if ‘A’ is failing that our lads can seamlessly slip into, as Pep’s & Klopp’s teams do.
I believe for Arteta, his goal is to win and win beautifully with sublime football played by elite Worldy players. That’s his dream I truly believe Arteta wants to succeed at. All Fairy tale an unicorns.
This season we overachieved when the top 6 were having an off season. Either that or we completely bottled the title as we did top 4 last season.
LG will claim the first, as we at LIR proclaim the latter.
So, what of next season?
Will it be wash rinse repeat or will Arteta have finally learnt by his rookie mistake ridden 3.5 years? Wenger never listened, and I fear Arteta is cut from the same narcissistic cloth of being stubbornly wrong too many times of “I’m right and you’re all wrong”.
Can Arteta change? That is the $64k question?
Without going into a drawn-out iteration of who we need to buy player by player, it’s safe to say we need 6 players if we are going to make a dent in next season’s title challenge. No more players for 2025 or bit part crocks from City or any club.
We need either elite or almost elite in 6,8, 9 & 10. We need experienced quality for RB & LB. That’s before we look for RW back up. Buy right in these positions and Arteta might just make it 3rd time lucky or three strikes and you’re out.
We need to buy Emi back!
At times during the season we played some fabulous breath-taking football, especially at home when our confidence was riding high, driving us fans into delirium. However, this was only intermittent, where it was usually followed by drab, fragile football that was almost the opposite of our high tempo identity winning gamesmanship. Our play was too Jekyll & Hyde frenetic and messy.
Apart from the requisite aforementioned player needs, at least a 20-man squad will be nneded, all with a fighting mentality to have their names on the team sheet. We need to add that to our rotations and fitness conditioning, so that we have enough gas for 90+ minutes in each game, which will mean more timely, intelligent pressing patterns off the ball.
Finally, Arteta must change from keeping pets happy. If you’re going to use non-negotiables it applies to every player at the club. Arteta needs to ensure everyone is motivated to knowing they have a chance at succeeding at The Arsenal: from the Hale End to the squad.
You play if you’re good enough and can fit seamlessly into Plans A, B & C if necessary.
Essentially, for us to win the title next season and do well in the CL, then Arteta needs to change and rid himself of past mistakes and not make new ones because Arteta is no longer a rookie.
Personally, I’d go all out for De Zerbi and let Arteta move on to RM.
sent you email Ambarish. 🙂
Brighton is so good in unearthing talent that some say why don’t we get their scouting department or imitate their scouting model. However, that is impossible and here is why according to an article from the Athletic.
“Brighton’s recruiting and transfer is the envy of every EPL club. Their ability to unearth gems like Ferguson, Caicedo, Mac Allister and Mitoma because they source worldwide data on players used by owner Tony Bloom, which nobody else can replicate.
He uses his own software that filters the whole market. The algorithm is a secret, kept even from those inside the club. Scouts are sent a list of names to watch and compile reports on players who have passed the data tick list, based on factors such as age and match minutes.
A traffic light system is used for reports. Green means a great fit, amber is for players close to fitting the criteria, and red is for monitoring.
Brighton’s CEO, said: ‘We focus on the areas for improvement, focus on the players that we feel can fill that gap and then send our eyes-on scouts to look specifically at those players.'”
Here are some examples:
Sold Cucurella for £63mill to Chelsea and bought Estupian for £15mill to replace him. That is the kind of profit they are making and it will only get more massive. Mac Allister, Caicedo and Mitoma will move to bigger clubs and this is the kind of profit they will produce:
1. Bought Caicedo for £4mill in 2021 then rejected an offer of £70mill.
2. bought Allister for £8mill if they sell him it will be £100mill or more.
3. Bought Mitoma for £3million in August 2021 and easily added £40mill to his valuation.
And then there is Edu & Arteta who devalue players they want to move on (Guen, Leno), burn through money and buy the wrong players only to sell at a loss then having to repeat the cycle of rebuilding with the wrong players. This has been going on for over 10 years, Arteta fans will say next season we have the right players only to repeat this cycle Ad infinitum.
The media reports Arteta wants at least 5 new players in the summer TW. What a fucking joke of a manager. Stan wake up before he takes you to the cleaners some more.
Killroy
I was surprised Tony Bloom went public with that info with the Athletic. Looks a fabulous business model of asset management and where I’ve posted that, by those financial gains alone, Tony Bloom could keep BHA a top 6 club or better.
To be honest with that supply of quality players to work with why would De Zerbi want to move?
Makes you wonder what Gazidis really did with our data company, and how good the algorithm really was. Probably more millions down the N16 drain.
Tony
This is the article but it requires a subscription which is $20 for a year.
https://theathletic.com/4237821/2023/04/21/brighton-scouting-premier-league-tony-bloom/
Quoting from it:
Brighton can point to examples abroad and closer to home with players who see a clearly identifiable route to career progression.
This is especially true of South American players, who see Brighton as an environment where they can grow before moving on. Brighton can offer salaries three times as much as La Liga clubs can afford, apart from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
“They’ve been able to go out and buy young players who are maybe not ready, give them a few years before they put them in the team and they’ve got so many good young players coming through now.”
A lot of that is to do with the fact Tony’s company has the advantage of an incredibly well-established player database and that they’ve been able to flex that in order to support their recruitment.
“Brighton are an attractive proposition. If players move onto bigger and better clubs, although it’s a hit for the system on one front, it’s actually a huge investment on another.
“There’s then a desire from the next players that jump into those roles to think ‘I want to go to Manchester City, Real Madrid or Barcelona. Brighton are going to give me that opportunity’.
“That model of losing players for huge money to maintain sustainability at the club actually contributes to how great the model is. They’re growing their product.”
Tony you can see how young talented players will choose Brighton because they can see a path to end up at a top elite club in Europe. Unfortunately we ruined our relationship with that club through Arteta’s handling of the Caicedo issue in the Jan TW.
Killroy
I like the Athletic’s writers, but with me really only following 2 sports I felt the stories I’d like would be common place because they are realistically written. Thanks for the quotes.
I’m sure the coders and mathematicians are ferverously working to equal or better Tony Bloom’s software, as it’s a way to literally print money legally. I know Brighton well and it’s wealthy suburbs, Tony B would have no problem filling a larger capacity stadium. I’m a fan of Bloom & Brighton because of their successful asset management business, and the large improvements De Zerbi is making on the pitch.
After Arsenal, I follow Brighton with avid interest because they are the exciting new kid on the block as it were, where the signs are apparent that on this continued trajectory, they can only get better and bigger as a club.
Whether Bloom esq can go all the way with Brighton, is not an easy question to answer. Betting men will be backing Mr. Bloom I would imagine, and I appreciate the colour Brighton bring to the PL with their unique brand of football.
“This season we overachieved when the top 6 were having an off season. Either that or we completely bottled the title as we did top 4 last season.
LG will claim the first, as we at LIR proclaim the latter.”
After spending circa £300 million plus inheriting Saka (100 million), Saliba (50 million), Gabriel (40 million) and Martinelli (50 million) as far as I’m concerned neither of the above is acceptable. If Arteta can only compete when the others are in a shambles with that sort of money he’s not good enough.
Marc, Arsenal has little control over other clubs(other than playing them twice a season, where they are in their cycle, how well they’re being managed and owned. We were best of the rest this season and with healthy expenditure and a bit of luck, we could be challenging for a few years yet. If we don’t, questions will have to answered but our trajectory is good, with a young team and a manager, who I’m sure you’ll agree, has room to improve too! The stories coming out are that we want both Caceido and Rice in, early in the window. If this can be sorted early, I think we should all get excited.
Two devastating, pathetic chokes in consecutive seasons.
Hundreds of millions spent on players’ transfers and wages.
One wonders if the Kroenkes have looked at this in the past few days and asked themselves where the fault lies. The owners of most clubs with big budgets, and which have been starved of success, would ordinarily conduct a root and branch review and produce a strategy outlining a set of reforming actions.
Where does the finger of blame point?
Lack of investment? – not really, at least not in the past 3/4 windows taken as a whole.
Money misspent? – yes. We could argue names and specifics but it’s evident that not all if our signings have succeeded.
Support? – no, the majority of game going fans have really got behind the team this season, and have been superb away from home.
Leadership? – He certainly hasn’t convinced the entirety of the fanbase, and us still prone to making poor tactical decisions. And there’s no sense that he’s getting sustainably better, especially at times of the season when it matters.
I can’t see him being poached this summer back to Spain much to my chagrin. A well run club, hungry for success, needs to be fearless in making decisions (and doing so quickly). Arteta (and Edu) ought to be told his position is under review by Lewis and the Kroenkes. No sinecures!
Kroenke, ‘Two devastating, pathetic chokes in consecutive seasons.’ Emotive language indeed.
We certainly ran out of steam but we pushed City and have comfortably finished second. Do you honestly think that KSE will be unhappy with the progress this season and if they were, would they be providing sufficient funds(reportedly) to improve the quality and depth of the squad this upcoming TW?
You mention the supporters- Arteta’s name is chanted passionately every game. Now some of this is due to club loyalty for sure but only a fool would say that wasn’t due to a appreciation of his work and the way the team is playing.
Arteta will be under review (aren’t all managers?) and I think KSE will be giving him maybe a B+/ A-. I appreciate that you would probably give him a much lower grade. What would you give him?
Bob-ever since we were easily bested on Sunday social media outlets and the like have been eagerly postulating such claims, which is more likely a byproduct of our PR team wagging the fucking dog than a credible statement of our true intentions…as a general rule, major business being conducted early in any window isn’t part of our organizational DNA, so to think that 2 highly prized assets would sign on our dotted line, without our having to pay way above the number, seems incredibly far-fetched…it’s far more likely we will continue to allow these stories to proliferate, regardless of their legitimacy, and we might even lob a couple of lowball offers into the ether, then when they invariably sign elsewhere or stay put the very same aforementioned outlets will spew nonsense about how we were serious contenders but that it was too rich for our blood or we couldn’t compete with the oil-rich/”cheaters” clubs or we were stymied by the fact we had to sell off some assets first or the clubs in question weren’t acting in good faith or, and worst of all, we found “better” alternatives, who just happen to be on nobody’s list of desirable options with vastly lower price tags…that said, I’m certainly not holding my breath, as I very much doubt we’re the kind of “serious” club who names their highest priorities then gets them over the line in a timely fashion…ultimately I would be over the moon if we managed to get two seminal readymade targets, re-upped Saliba and Saka, brought Balo back into the fold, sold off Xhaka, then brought in a manager who had the tactical acumen to take this project to the next logical level
TRVL -‘we will continue to allow these stories to proliferate’ – not sure how much control the club has over these stories. Just as Liverpool have been experiencing when it comes to getting top targets in, we have a budget( a very reasonable one, I’ll grant you) and if a price of a player goes above it, we’ll walk away rather than try and match a Chelsea or whoever. We might find United with a new owner outbid us an Caceido or Rice, just like Chelsea did with Mudryk. City look like they’ll have a couple of CMs leaving. I remember a few months ago Wrightie was wetting his pants at the name(probably Rice) who was keen to join us if we made CL. There is talk of Caceido having a clause in his new contract that would have an impact on a bid this summer, whatever that may be!
Untold has often kept a list of players named as targets for Arsenal in the summer window, it usually reaches over 100 – should we believe that Arsenal are manipulating these stories or is more a combination of journalists needing to write something and agents trying to drum up interest? Without a doubt we are now a very attractive proposition for some of the best players available, a competitive team who looks like will improve naturally through experience and the addition of 3 or 4 upgrades.
Watching Arsenal frustratingly drop points in recent weeks highlighted more than ever where we can improve. Let’s see how we get on with our top targets but they’ll be other quality players who we will certainly sign in CM, maybe RB/RCB and RW/CF. You don’t have to be a blind optimist to see our potential and now with CL money coming in, we can step up even more.
Bob-the club can’t necessarily “control” these stories, but they can dispute their respective claims if they so wished, which certainly isn’t unheard of…since our move to the Emirates, we’ve been a cake and eat it too club when it comes to media/organizational transparency related issues, in that Wenger’s beyond reproach posturing gave off the impression that the club had no backchannel relationships with the journalist/pundit/gossipmonger classes, which was clearly disingenuous based on what transpired surrounding both RVP’s and Sanchez’s respective exits and when it came to rumours regarding potential targets that Arsene dismissed at the time then later “bragged” about…with this in mind, I would suggest that MA has tried to adopt a very similar hypocritical disposition, as evidenced by his overtly passive aggressive man/asset management practices and his post-match excuse-laden diatribes…whether it’s done to control the narrative, deflect attention, encourage season ticket re-ups and/or to simply quell the short-term concerns of those from within the fanbase matters not, as all that truly matters is that there was an intentional/orchestrated attempt(s) to deceive the fanbase for primarly selfishly motivated purposes and not with the greater good in mind…of course, not everything needs to be played out in the public realm, but for a team supposedly trying to reinvent it’s organizational wheel, a good starting point would be to stop leaning into the same old disingenuous cultural narratives that have plagued this club for far too long…Cheers
Hi Bob
We started the season like a train. The sequence of fixtures all went our way, we sustained few if any serious injuries pre WC and the team was playing beautifully. In those few games where VAR and the general breaks seemed to go against us, the team showed resilience and fight. They seemed to get stronger and more coherent with each game, and Eddie provided something new when he filled in for Jesus.
The season hinged on establishing and losing that 2 goal lead at Liverpool. I think they pulled one back to make it 1-2 at half time. That was the acid test for the team and the manager. How best to control the game to secure all the points. Arsenal failed (and the bin dippers should have won), and they repeated the failure at W Ham. Two draws that felt like losses, followed by something even more egregious at home to Southampton. There was evidence that maintaining leads had been learnt by the time Chelsea and the Barcodes came along. But the buck stops with Arteta for those 3 drawn matches. Underwhelming game management, defensive fragility and panic. All hall marks of late Wengerism being served up again. And Sunday’s result? Where did that come from? It’s hard to fathom that Arteta got so many things wrong against Brighton – selection, mental and physical preparation and an appalling inability to get back into the game. It happens, right? But we were awful.
So yeah, let’s hope that our money grubbing owners fully review the season and decide to take action. I’m not holding my breath.
I’ll give Arteta a C – no plusses or minuses. Were I his teacher (he’d learn a lot from me!), I’d say on his report card…
Decent course work throughout the year, albeit not the quickest learner, only to become complacent by shitting and pissing his trousers at exam time. Would benefit from re-enrolling at a spanish school this summer where his oeuvre might be more appreciated and his evident incontinence tolerated.
In essence Bob, we confounded a lot of people and got closer that we have for many years. I get that. But you and I know we had enough to get over the line. I was looking forward to my kids asking me about how it felt compared to 89.
Kroenke, I respect your opinion but I think it’s too harsh. Your focus feels too centred on where things didn’t go well rather than the season as a whole. I think we were lucky to be able to pick a settled first 11 up until January but for the pivotal moment came when both TT and Saliba were injured in the same match – our defensive stability and overall cohesion suffered considerably. Our CM has always been a weak link against stronger opposition and Saka could have done with more rests.
We need to try and pace ourselves like City but that of course is much easier when you have more depth. Buying in players like Caceido and Rice who are extremely capable in more than one position would mean that if we do have multiple injuries in one area we would be able to cope much better. Upgrading, Holding, Lakonga, Xhaka, Nelson would enable Arteta to rotate more. Arteta has certainly made mistakes, his in game management is still average for example.
It’ll completely be his squad come the start of next season, can’t wait to see what we can do. I’ve, for the most part, really enjoyed this season and I’m not willing to dwell upon our ultimate failure to overcome City, one of the most dominant teams in my lifetime.
TVRL – do you seriously think Arsenal should comment about transfer stories? I got a little lost reading your post but I certainly felt the passion. Which big club operates better than us? What lessons could we learn from them? Arsenal stories are voraciously read by hoarded of supporters and the journalists know that. My point is that there’s no value in comparing us to say Brighton , who can operate under the radar in a way that a club with the global fan base of a club size of Arsenal can’t.
Actually Bob,I was going to ask the other lads but seeing as your last post referred to it I’ll ask you first. Would still be delighted to hear what others think. There’s been a lot of talk amongst Arsenal fans lately, understandably, about the strength of man city. Many are claiming them to be the greatest club team etc. In my lifetime there have been four footballing dynasties in England though I accept that within each there was a lot reconstruction. They were liverpool( late 70″s early 80’s), fergies utd, Mourinho/ Abramovich ‘s original Chelsea and now City. My question obviously is which of the 4 were the most difficult to defeat in a title race? This has nothing to do with knocking or supporting Arteta btw,genuine question. When I started thinking about it I realised that the financial might of each was only part of the challenge presented. Influencing officials (fergie), dominating the domestic market,history, status etc.
Yet for me the answer was actually quite easy in the end. Fergie’s utd had more stacked in their favour than any other club in the history of English football ( Herb will correct me on that I’m sure!!) So in short I actually have increased my appreciation for what Wenger did in those glorious early years. What do you guys think? Are city as big an obstacle? Bigger? Or am I getting nostalgic?? Bob?
Speaking of getting nostalgic it looks like Xhaka’s on his way. There’s no doubt last year was his best ever season in an Arsenal shirt but I could never bring myself to see him as anything other than a relic of a failing Wenger,a reminder of how he had totally lost his touch in the transfer market. I’m glad he’s going,that chapter took too long to bring to a close but his durability was impressive if not frustrating. Hopefully 2 new quality midfielders are now inevitable………..but I wouldn’t want my life depending on it!
Almunia, it’s hard not to get affected by recency bias, that’s for sure! City 5 out of 6 takes some beating (8 out of 12); United (8 out of 11; 4 out of 5 twice), Liverpool (10 out of 15). All dominating forces- take your pick! Nostalgia can get you too, mind!
We went toe to toe more with United, though let’s not forget Anfield 89, as if!
Honestly can’t pick one, I’ll stay on the fence if you don’t mind!
Bob
What would be an unacceptable finish to next season that should demand Arteta’s sacking?
I ask because you strike me as another of the many fans we have who are all too happy to just make excuses.
I’ve wanted Xhaka gone for years but I almost has a sense of disappointment that he’s possibly going ( emphasis on the word almost). A quality upgrade would soften the blow!
Xhaka leaving will make my day he’s never been the right fit for the PL – he should have gone to Italy 5 years ago the slower pace out there would suit him to a tee.
Marc, one person’s ‘excuses’ is another person’s reasoned thinking! If he loses the dressing room, in other words the players don’t play for him anymore then he should go.
If we start going backwards.
If we finish 3rd say and Liverpool return to top form and we get through the knock out phases, I imagine I’d be okay with that.
Bob, not being able to come to a decisive conclusion on that question is perfectly Understandable. I can’t quite put my finger on it but fergie’s utd are a anathema to me,always have been,hence they are my pick. A West Ham supporting friend of mine with a few years on me loathes Liverpool with a passion that is a level above all the others. Perhaps it’s a generational thing? I certainly think that some of our younger fans who see City as an insurmountable obstacle could benefit by seeing how even those aforementioned dynasties were eventually toppled. Not even the Romans ruled forever!
Hi Almunia
That question about dynasties has got me thinking. Pretty galling, but wholly accurate, that we don’t feature. I think back to a time when football was slightly more financially egalitarian which is, arguably, when teams did best to stand out from the rest.
It pains me to say it but it should be Liverpool by that yardstick. Moreover, they had a shit load of European success until their self inflicted behaviour brought it to an end in Heysel.
Sorry Almunia. I know that Liverpool reside in the 13th circle of hell for you.
PS On balance, just about right to exclude late 70s Forest from the discussion.
Marc,
I have to confess I could never understand what managers saw in Xhaka. The ‘Wenger signed him as a box 2 box player’ story used to disgust me. Had he really sunk that low in his recruitment? I choose not to believe that story now. But,yes,it’s hard to feel sad at Xhaka’s departure. Actually Switzerland really has not been a happy hunting ground for us has it? Xhaka, Senderos and Djourou off the top of my head. And you know that corrupt prick who sent off RVP at the Nou Camp? You guessed it,Swiss.
KP,
I nearly had the cheek to include Kendall’s Everton,one of my favourite non Arsenal teams as you know but they simply weren’t around long enough,same as Forest. Revie’s Leeds would have to be in the conversation but they were before my time.
You’re right really,when you add European glory to domestic dominance that Liverpool team really were kingpins. But there was just something about OT in Fergie’s pomp,you knew you would be beaten by fair means or foul,the outcome always seemed pre determined to my cynical eyes!
Bob
Fair comment. I am harsh on him, harsher than Emery, and harsher than I’ve ever been about any Arsenal manager (although late Wenger ran him close). I don’t like him (based on the little I see of him) and I like his touchline antics and media stuff even less. He’s over-confident, overrated, stubborn and self absorbed in my opinion. He comes over as what Argentines would call ‘pecho frio’ (a cold chest, in other words aloof and lacking in human warmth). It’s prejudice on my part because I’ve never seen him display any genuine humanity. He doesn’t move me.
I know this isn’t a key selection criterion to be a football manager but given all his other manifold weaknesses as a manager, it makes it difficult to support him. He spoils my enjoyment of Arsenal unlike any other manager we’ve had. You won’t be surprised to know I adored George Graham, the antithesis of Arteta as a man and leader.
Bob
So finishing 5th or lower would be unacceptable?
Bob-my apologies for veering too far afield,,,I had a singular train of thought when I first started to respond then I got a bit too caught up in my feelings, which led to a more convoluted take…my underlying point was that I still don’t see much of a tangible difference between our club under MA and those latter years with Wenger in charge…this applies to our tactical rigidity, our settling transfer nature/January window miscues, the seemingly endless excuses, the missed opportunities, piss-poor asset management and the monopolistic managerial practices…as such, I don’t believe that we can achieve the highest of heights under MA’s tutelage
as to the questions you’ve posed, I would respond in this way, of course organizations don’t tend to directly respond to transfer rumours, but very few, if any, have quite so many targets being bandied about, which is likely due to the fact MA appears determined to perpetuate the whole “top secret” Wengerian transfer initiative, so it lends itself to a whole host of unsubstantiated guesswork …now this would be much easier to digest if the ultimate reveal was better than expected, but in most cases the exact opposite applies
as to your second question regarding the operating practices of other “big” clubs, I could name a whole host of better run organizations who have rightfully achieved much higher heights over the last decade or so…each has done so by committing to at least 2 of the following organizational tenets, hiring the best available management team based on your collective objectives, spending wisely, more often than not, regardless of the sums involved, and/or developing a definitive culture then rarely if ever deviating from this course…we’ve failed on all 3 accounts since we relocated to the Emirates…as such, I still see Arteta and Edu as short-term placeholders, who should be thanked for their efforts then suitably replaced by those with the requisite acumen and nous required to properly complete this highly nuanced process