Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

[Bebestation]

Think the bolded part might have been the most fateful decision.
Leno is basically the German Mignolet, makes standard saves look like superman heroics and then lets his team down, every once in a while, when it hurts the most.
The backline looked so much more assured with Martinez behind them, while when Leno returned the sensation of lingering panic was immediately palpable again.

I thought Arteta was going to be great too, at the beginning, there were positive signs in his first weeks and months, and you always like to concentrate on potential with youngsters.
But I was wrong. He's clearly not up to it; the football is trash, the results unacceptable, and it's puzzling how a club like Arsenal refuses to act in a situation like this.

Yeah, personally when they had both goalkeepers I was starting to think - damn Arsenal finally look like they have a decent goalkeeper who even isnt world class is good enough to be called reliable. Literally in the 2 weeks after Arteta let's go the goalkeeper that progressed a bit in his performances whilst deciding to keep Leno whilst he was clearly the worse goalkeeper and possibly chosen only because he may have been the more well known goalkeeper with a slightly bigger name.

You can literally see the goalkeeper they sold at Aston Villa, again maybe not be world class but good enough to bring some stability for a good season to a premier league club and supporting a bunch of premier league defenders.

Watching that decision gave me doubts about Arteta straight away.

 

[rotherham_red]

Man some of the fellatio that was done over the alter of Arteta's supposed genius, is hilarious to see in hindsight

 

[renandstimpyfan83]

Keeper is least of Arsenal’s problems in my opinion. Leno isn’t world class but I struggle to remember any time where he’s looked a weak leak for Arsenal. He’s definitely been their most solid number 1 keeper since Lehmann.

Selling Martínez was a no brainer. People talk about him like he was a kid. He’s almost thirty and spent nearly a decade having unspectacular loan spells in the lower leagues. His stock was high based on a good run of form and they cashed in. He could end up showing he was a top keeper at Villa but as a business decision it really hard to argue against.

 

[Cloud7]

What is so amazing about pattern of play, well oiled machine, systematic play if all bottom half team can find mild success with it?

We've seen if over the years,
Swansea coming to the PL, play systematic football 1 season, failed miserably and relegated. Brighton, Sheffield, all of these teams will suffer in the long run when they got found out sooner or later.

Big clubs need a balance of both, style and individual brilliance, we're not seeing it with Arteta in charge. Not one single player in that team shines at the moment.
He is a terrible manager.

What are you on about? Arsenal don't have any sort of patterns of play or system. Their football is 100% park the bus and hope something happens football, without even being able to counter well.

 

[Ace of Spades]

His gameplan seems to be mostly reliant on wing play, because Ozil has been frozen they have no creativity in the middle, so he is packing the MF with defensive players like Xhaka, Elneny and Partey, the problem is that there is no one in their team to really get on the end of those crosses. Giroud would have been very useful for them with how they are playing.

 

[Lay]

Guillem Ballache has done an article on the BBC supporting him

 

[FrankDrebin]

I hope he gets more support while they continually drop further down the table.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

His gameplan seems to be mostly reliant on wing play, because Ozil has been frozen they have no creativity in the middle, so he is packing the MF with defensive players like Xhaka, Elneny and Partey, the problem is that there is no one in their team to really get on the end of those crosses. Giroud would have been very useful for them with how they are playing.

I watched arsenal on good number of games last season, it was so clear & obvious what they were lacking. I don’t know why they don’t even to make it priority. And now it cost them. They become predictable now.

 

[meamth]

I hope he gets more support while they continually drop further down the table.

I think he is one loss away from sacking.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I think he is one loss away from sacking.

based on what Edu said. Looks like they will give him a chance until January transfer window. Mentioning they are backing him and understand that they need creativity in the middle.

 

[Ace of Spades]

I watched arsenal on good number of games last season, it was so clear what they were lacking. I don’t know why they don’t even to make it priority. And now it cost them. They become predictable now.

True, but just shows the numerous problems they have besides Arteta, though Arteta himself is making plenty of mistakes as well.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Lingard, they need Lingard.

 

[balaks]

Lingard, they need Lingard.

Why would you sell such a promising young player to a direct rival?

 

[Moonwalker]

Keeper is least of Arsenal’s problems in my opinion. Leno isn’t world class but I struggle to remember any time where he’s looked a weak leak for Arsenal. He’s definitely been their most solid number 1 keeper since Lehmann.

Selling Martínez was a no brainer. People talk about him like he was a kid. He’s almost thirty and spent nearly a decade having unspectacular loan spells in the lower leagues. His stock was high based on a good run of form and they cashed in. He could end up showing he was a top keeper at Villa but as a business decision it really hard to argue against.

Yeah, that's my view on it too.

 

[Jonno]

I remember this conversation very well, amongst others (links below).

We'd just lost to Arsenal 2-0 in Jan, its Arteta's first week in charge

Posters were insisting that Arteta had come in, coached them to a world class level and made them a better team and completely surpassed Solskjaer's level of caching. I insisted it was a new manager bounce, they disagreed.

@Toblerone92 , do you still think it was Arteta's elite level of coaching or are you happy to admit that it was a new manager bounce?

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/arsenal-vs-manchester-united.452477/post-25110680

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/arsenal-vs-manchester-united.452477/post-25110834

 

[Mb194dc]

The dreaded board vote of confidence...

Why did Arteta change tactics, in FA cup final they played effective counter attacking football.

Now they've turned in to a really bad imitation of City. Don't have the quality to play like that.

 

[Walrus]

One does have to wonder about his man management. The handling of Ozil and Saliba has been absurd for a start. Then you have some of the younger players like Nelson, Smith-Rowe, Balogun and even Maitland-Niles who are struggling to get a look in, even though the team is not performing.

 

[Guy Incognito]

The dreaded board vote of confidence...

Why did Arteta change tactics, in FA cup final they played effective counter attacking football.

Now they've turned in to a really bad imitation of City. Don't have the quality to play like that.

Tierney, Saka, Partey is arguably a spine of a top six club. But they have so much deadwood who are only motivated when they come up against big sides.

Arteta will surely leave, they aren't prepared to spend big in the transfer market so why keep him there?

 

[Zoo]

 

[Morty_]

Last match in charge, if they lose this?

 

[Dancfc]

Tierney, Saka, Partey is arguably a spine of a top six club. But they have so much deadwood who are only motivated when they come up against big sides.

Arteta will surely leave, they aren't prepared to spend big in the transfer market so why keep him there?

They have a best Xl that if used most weeks and properly could challenge top 4.
Leno, AMN, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Elnenny, Partey, Saka, Pepe, Auba, Martenelli, it's not perfect but it's a better lineup than our best last season when we got 4th.

Also Saka gives them the versatility to seemlessly switch between 343, 433 and 424 depending on the match situation which will give them a huge advantage in tight tactical chess like games.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Last match in charge, if they lose this?

I don’t think we have many Arsenal fans on here - but I would have thought so.

pulling the trigger now gives time to get someone in for the Jan transfer window.

 

[Berbaclass]

Last match in charge, if they lose this?

Might as well keep him in for the City game as a free hit.

 

[Cassidy]

They have a best Xl that if used most weeks and properly could challenge top 4.
Leno, AMN, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Elnenny, Partey, Saka, Pepe, Auba, Martenelli, it's not perfect but it's a better lineup than our best last season when we got 4th.

Also Saka gives them the versatility to seemlessly switch between 343, 433 and 424 depending on the match situation which will give them a huge advantage in tight tactical chess like games.

Agree. Arteta is massively underperforming

 

[Bobcat]

Why would you sell such a promising young player to a direct rival?

Beats me. We cant let Arse keep snatching up our promising youngsters like that

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

They need to sack him and they need to sack him now.
I’m sure people will be calling for patience like they were for Ole at this point last season but Arsenal is a different beast, they just don’t spend/invest at the levels Manchester United do and they need a manager they can be certain of.

Get someone in as soon as possible who has managed at this level before, not an assistant coach.

Good coach or not, he simply has no CV as a manager to the degree Arsenal would now need in order to “keep faith”. Looks more and more like an utterly idiotic appointment by such a big club.

 

[Ali Dia]

gotta be sacked soon. they look like an outfit in free fall. it looks like he's lost the players already

 

[bludsucker]

But arteta coaches patterns of play and attacking football. And some on here said he is a better coach than ole.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Wow, that's appalling.

Whatever was said about Wenger, they still managed to rank high on shots and goals.

 

[Sylar]

Wanna hear Tim Cahills thoughts on this

 

[Foxbatt]

He is in big trouble and the players are not good enough and also they don't seem to be trying much. Maybe he should have played Ozil?

 

[Sylar]

Also I reckon if they are firing him they should do it after the Chelsea match as the next few games are all winnable to get momentum before the United game

 

[Zen86]

gotta be sacked soon. they look like an outfit in free fall. it looks like he's lost the players already

That’s the problem really. If you’ve lost the dressing room, you’re a dead man walking no matter how much of an extravagant plan you have or what your reputation is.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

He is in big trouble and the players are not good enough and also they don't seem to be trying much. Maybe he should have played Ozil?

Their squad is lacking but there are some good players there. Saka, Tierney, Partey, Aubameyang are fine, Willian is still serviceable, Bellerin and Gabriel are salvageable with some better manegement. They spent poorly in some attacking slots like Pepe, Lacazette but its not a squad that is totally lame.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

gotta be sacked soon. they look like an outfit in free fall. it looks like he's lost the players already

Pep football is clearly hard to teach to the highest levels and needs top top players who buy into it for it to work.
Pep can get players to buy in because well, he’s Pep and he’s won everything.
Arteta had some success at first, along with the new manager bounce, but it’s looking very very bad for him now.

Seems a stupid appointment, leave the “top manager’s assistant” appointments to the likes of Middlesborough and Burnley, it’s nothing a top club should be considering. And he’s not even an Arsenal legend ffs.

 

[Josep Dowling]

It’s crazy to think that Arsenal, Chelsea and United have all gone for inexperienced managers with no credentials to manage a top club. And shock all 3 are underperforming. Is it any wonder Liverpool are so far ahead of the rest of the pack. They bought in a winning manager with an established pedigree.

 

[Foxbatt]

Pep football is clearly hard to teach to the highest levels and needs top top players who buy into it for it to work.
Pep can get players to buy in because well, he’s Pep and he’s won everything.
Arteta had some success at first, along with the new manager bounce, but it’s looking very very bad for him now.

Seems a stupid appointment, leave the “top manager’s assistant” appointments to the likes of Middlesborough and Burnley, it’s nothing a top club should be considering. And he’s not even an Arsenal legend ffs.

Correct. You need the players who can play that kind of football and a manager who has done it before at this level to get the players to accept it. Arteta has no experience at all. I mean Ole has managed for a long time even in a lower class but arteta has not.
I think he is going to get sacked. How did we lose to this lot?

 

[charlenefan]

It’s crazy to think that Arsenal, Chelsea and United have all gone for inexperienced managers with no credentials to manage a top club. And shock all 3 are underperforming. Is it any wonder Liverpool are so far ahead of the rest of the pack. They bought in a winning manager with an established pedigree.

Whats City's excuse then?

 

[Foxbatt]

It’s crazy to think that Arsenal, Chelsea and United have all gone for inexperienced managers with no credentials to manage a top club. And shock all 3 are underperforming. Is it any wonder Liverpool are so far ahead of the rest of the pack. They bought in a winning manager with an established pedigree.

Interesting facts that all top three clubs have managers who won the CL.

 

[Mb194dc]

Tierney, Saka, Partey is arguably a spine of a top six club. But they have so much deadwood who are only motivated when they come up against big sides.

Arteta will surely leave, they aren't prepared to spend big in the transfer market so why keep him there?

Allegri supposedly coming in. He will play reactive football that will suit the squad. Like Arteta did before this season. My guess is if Allegri does come in Arsenal will improve significantly very quickly.