Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

[C'mon FC]

Right. But generally on here when people talk about price of a strike force it's only talking about value of signing, not wages, years spent etc

Of course happy to be corrected by @cyberman

Well if we go by signing fee only, would be Griezmann, Coutinho + x

 

[GDaly95]

I think they're the 9th best side in the league on paper.

United
City
Liverpool
Wolves
Leicester
Everton
Chelsea
Tottenham

Would take any of the above squads before Arsenal's.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I am pretty sure that since Ancelotti and Arteta took over we have taken more points in the league overall. That’s from when I’m considering choosing Keane or Luiz from as that’s where each club was currently at before the season began, with those managers in charge. Luiz is fecking awful nowadays, he was once a cracking CB and CDM but now he’s a mistake waiting to happen. Keane is limited but solid at what he does.

So the manager is the difference then?

The Pepe and Richarlison choice is a no brainer too. One is a tireless worker who is as important to the defence as he is to attack (the forward with the most tackles in the league last season) as well as putting up impressive forward numbers, and the other is someone who lumbers about the pitch with no urgency at all.

Richarlison isn’t a RW! You failed to counter that argument and keep ignoring it. Even Willian before this season would have been better RW candidate.

Yes, they have a few young talented players and good enough senior players throughout the side that should be doing better but I don’t see a top 4 side at all. I see a side that will be battling for the EL spots with a strong set of teams around them - Everton, Wolves, Southampton, Leicester etc. who are currently a lot better quality wise and form wise.

I never say they are top 4 side. I’m saying Arteta should be doing better because his XI and squad aren’t worse than Everton.

 

[SilentWitness]

So the manager is the difference then?



Richarlison isn’t a RW! You failed to counter that argument and keep ignoring it. Even Willian before this season would have been better RW candidate.



I never say they are top 4 side. I’m saying Arteta should be doing better because his XI and squad aren’t worse than Everton.

Of course managers are a difference when concerning squad quality as players can turn into better players depending who the manager is. DCL was never going to become the player he is today under Silva but with the guidance of Ancelotti he has managed it. The barometer we have currently is how the players l

I’d actually argue that Richarlison isn’t a LW or RW and his best position is as a CF where he can impact all areas of the pitch but I’d rather have him as a RW than Pepe due to the reasons I mentioned and he’s a better player than him in general.

We will have to agree to disagree.

 

[Green_Red]

Why, for the hilarity which will ensue from AFTV meltdowns?

Pretty much, that and to see whether they actually get relegated under him or not.

 

[cyberman]

Messi + Griezmann + whoever?

The exchange rate has complicated things (thanks Brexit!) so the stat slips to having a (?) at the end.
Also Liverpool getting all of Coutinhos fee just popped into my feed so it looks as if i wished this (sort of) stat out of existence!

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Of course managers are a difference when concerning squad quality as players can turn into better players depending who the manager is. DCL was never going to become the player he is today under Silva but with the guidance of Ancelotti he has managed it. The barometer we have currently is how the players l

I’d actually argue that Richarlison isn’t a LW or RW and his best position is as a CF where he can impact all areas of the pitch but I’d rather have him as a RW than Pepe due to the reasons I mentioned and he’s a better player than him in general.

We will have to agree to disagree.

How many times do I need to tell you this, We are not talking about now, we are talking about before this season. Team that finished 12th shouldn’t have majority their players in over the ones that finished 8th and won FA Cup. Even last season under Ancelotti towards end of the season, you had very poor results.

End of the day, what you said is down to one side opinion. In neutral argument, Ancelotti in arteta’s place now could make the current arsenal at least in the same position where Everton is now because before this season started, arsenal squad & XI should be at least on par or better than Everton. They were top 4 candidate while everton were EL candidate.

 

[SilentWitness]

How many times do I need to tell you this, We are not talking about now, we are talking about before this season. Team that finished 12th shouldn’t have majority their players in over the ones that finished 8th and won FA Cup. Even last season under Ancelotti towards end of the season, you had very poor results.

End of the day, what you said is down to one side opinion. In neutral argument, Ancelotti in arteta’s place now could make the current arsenal at least in the same position where Everton is now because before this season started, arsenal squad & XI should be at least on par or better than Everton. They were top 4 candidate while everton were EL candidate.

Ancelotti and Arteta took over before this season which I’ve been referencing constantly.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Ancelotti and Arteta took over before this season which I’ve been referencing constantly.

this is you.

The barometer we have currently is how the players l

 

[mav_9me]

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Can someone explain what he is trying to say? Thanks.

 

[Cloud7]

Is his team really that bad? It's obviously not as good as the general top 5(Pool Spurs, City, Chelsea and us), but is it that much worse than the likes of Leicester, Southampton and Everton?

It's not that bad. At worst they have a top 8 squad in the league. Where they are right now falls squarely on the shoulders of the manager for reigning over such a disastrous campaign.

 

[AshRK]

Ancelotti and Arteta took over before this season which I’ve been referencing constantly.

Ancelotti would have done a much better job than Arteta with the same squad. Thos arsenal squad is not 15th level bad. Aubameyang used to bag 20 plus goals in every past 3 or 4 seasons. Any manager would make sure to build the team.around him. This is the worst anyone has seen Aubameyang, surely manager has to be blamed.

 

[Ecstatic]

Can someone explain what he is trying to say? Thanks.

He suggests the dominant team always win in basketball and that in football the best team that shots a lot can lose.

In other words, he would have been a successful a basketball manager.

Does Arsenal have a basketball section?

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

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A dig at Arteta there.

 

[Bobcat]

Yes, they are that bad.

1. Hector Bellerin - laughable
2. Dani Ceballos - When Andy Gray made that joke about 'wet, windy nights in Stoke' he was playing on the imagined stereotype of the weak, snide, diving, sideways passing, continental fair-weather foreigner. Ceballos somehow managed to embody all those things.
3. Pepe - got some quality but he's basically a left footed Gervinho
4. Willian - still got quality but he's on the wane
5. Xhaka - give him the keys
6. Mohammed El backwards
7. Mustafi - nuff said
8. Kolasinac - see above
9. Cedric Soares - pretty average and on a 4 year deal if I'm not wrong.
10. David Luiz - if he's your best centre half, good luck.

Arsenal fans rave about Tierney but I've seldom seen him make intelligent choices on the pitch. Lacazette has talent but is simply not worth what Arsenal paid for him. He seems to get no criticism in the media comapred to say Martial despite being half the player and cost nearly as much. His goal return has fallen year on year and he's never touched 20 goals a season. They'd kill to have someone as good as Calvert-Lewin ( some caf posters turn their noses up at him) who is going to become a 25 goal a season centre forward.

They spent £27M on this Saliba kid but he hasn't kicked a ball yet so can't be judged. Maitland Niles is alright and Smith-Rowe is supposed to be good too but I've seen little of him. Apart from that Saka and Martinelli have quality but they are kids, they aren't going to put up the numbers like seasoned players. If you pop around to Arsenal forums/subs they cheered Martinelli's return as though it was Fat Ronaldo returning to action which says it all.

Basically the spine of this side - the senior pros are all garbage. Their only top level players are Özil and Auba. One of whom they won't play and the other is not in any way a leader.

Someone brought up West Ham earlier in this thread. You have mentioned Leicester and Southampton. Many of their players are better man for man better and/or better coached.

1. I'd like to ask any Hammers on this forum if they'd swap Soucek, Bowen or Rice for their opposite at Arsenal. They offer goals and composure neither of which can be found in Arsenal's midfield.

2. Watching Southampton play Arsenal recently I was struck by the intelligence and composure shown by Walker-Peters, Ward - Prowse, Vestegaard and Armstrong. These players have clearly improved through coaching. Something Arsenal's haven't done in years and the best example is Walcott who is making sensible decisions and taking up intelligent positions for the first time in 14 years.

3. The Leicester the midfield has Ndidi, Maddison and especially Tielemans who is a glorious player. Justin and Jonny Evans have shown more quality than all the clowns in Arsenal's back four over the last seven years put together. Then there's Schmeichel Jr is, Harvey Barnes and Vardy.


Why is it that Arsenal's board cannot detect shit unless they are knee deep in it? Or maybe they have and don't care.

Thanks. I throughly enjoyed reading that.

A bit harsh maybe, but yeah. Arsenal have a pretty shit squad right now and far too many fannies

 

[elnorte]

Yes, they are that bad.

1. Hector Bellerin - laughable
2. Dani Ceballos - When Andy Gray made that joke about 'wet, windy nights in Stoke' he was playing on the imagined stereotype of the weak, snide, diving, sideways passing, continental fair-weather foreigner. Ceballos somehow managed to embody all those things.
3. Pepe - got some quality but he's basically a left footed Gervinho
4. Willian - still got quality but he's on the wane
5. Xhaka - give him the keys
6. Mohammed El backwards
7. Mustafi - nuff said
8. Kolasinac - see above
9. Cedric Soares - pretty average and on a 4 year deal if I'm not wrong.
10. David Luiz - if he's your best centre half, good luck.

Arsenal fans rave about Tierney but I've seldom seen him make intelligent choices on the pitch. Lacazette has talent but is simply not worth what Arsenal paid for him. He seems to get no criticism in the media comapred to say Martial despite being half the player and cost nearly as much. His goal return has fallen year on year and he's never touched 20 goals a season. They'd kill to have someone as good as Calvert-Lewin ( some caf posters turn their noses up at him) who is going to become a 25 goal a season centre forward.

They spent £27M on this Saliba kid but he hasn't kicked a ball yet so can't be judged. Maitland Niles is alright and Smith-Rowe is supposed to be good too but I've seen little of him. Apart from that Saka and Martinelli have quality but they are kids, they aren't going to put up the numbers like seasoned players. If you pop around to Arsenal forums/subs they cheered Martinelli's return as though it was Fat Ronaldo returning to action which says it all.

Basically the spine of this side - the senior pros are all garbage. Their only top level players are Özil and Auba. One of whom they won't play and the other is not in any way a leader.

Someone brought up West Ham earlier in this thread. You have mentioned Leicester and Southampton. Many of their players are better man for man better and/or better coached.

1. I'd like to ask any Hammers on this forum if they'd swap Soucek, Bowen or Rice for their opposite at Arsenal. They offer goals and composure neither of which can be found in Arsenal's midfield.

2. Watching Southampton play Arsenal recently I was struck by the intelligence and composure shown by Walker-Peters, Ward - Prowse, Vestegaard and Armstrong. These players have clearly improved through coaching. Something Arsenal's haven't done in years and the best example is Walcott who is making sensible decisions and taking up intelligent positions for the first time in 14 years.

3. The Leicester the midfield has Ndidi, Maddison and especially Tielemans who is a glorious player. Justin and Jonny Evans have shown more quality than all the clowns in Arsenal's back four over the last seven years put together. Then there's Schmeichel Jr is, Harvey Barnes and Vardy.


Why is it that Arsenal's board cannot detect shit unless they are knee deep in it? Or maybe they have and don't care.

Pepe deserves more of a slagging than what you have given him. He's been an absolute shocking piece of business.

 

[el3mel]

Their squad is dogshite but it seems their problems are far more than just lacking quality. Apparently there's a big friction in dressing room and there's a degree of clash and hate between players with the manager involved as well.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...l-toxic-dressing-room-different-factions.html

Even if this is Daily Mail, it's obvious watching them that something is just wrong. Arteta can't seem to be able to control the dressing room.

 

[SilentWitness]

Ancelotti would have done a much better job than Arteta with the same squad. Thos arsenal squad is not 15th level bad. Aubameyang used to bag 20 plus goals in every past 3 or 4 seasons. Any manager would make sure to build the team.around him. This is the worst anyone has seen Aubameyang, surely manager has to be blamed.

I agree that it’s not 15th level bad but I don’t think it’s any better than the teams fighting for EL either which was the argument - Wolves, Leicester, Southampton, Everton etc.

 

[AshRK]

I agree that it’s not 15th level bad but I don’t think it’s any better than the teams fighting for EL either which was the argument - Wolves, Leicester, Southampton, Everton etc.

Richarlison and DCL were not this good last season but Ancelotti improved them. Yea arsenal squad is not a top 4 level but it is not worse than wolves or Southampton or Westham like some here are suggesting. Southampton don't have a better squad than Arsenal. People here are massively underrating arsenal's squad.
Leno, Tierney, Gabriel, AMN, partey, Saka, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Martinelli all are solid players who are much better than what the teams you mentioned have. It's the managers job to maximize the squad. Before the start of the season many predicted arsenal in top 6 and some even in top 4, so this sudden change of stance that this squad is top 10 PL level only doesn't make sense.

Arteta is massively underperforming with this squad.

 

[city-puma]

Their squad is definitely not shit!
He needs to find the right formula and the current one just misses some important ingredients.
In some sense, it’s his own make of the current situation which actually demonstrates his naive way to rebuild the team.
Compared with what Ole and lamp have done, at least by the moment, he is much a failure in term of building a team. They are simply not in the same league.

 

[Tony247]

Judgement Day for Arteta today? Or just another day in life at Arsenal?

 

[Tony247]

Can someone explain what he is trying to say? Thanks.

Basketball is such a simple game for simpletons where you win I mean definitely definitetly win if you shoot the ball more than your opponent. Whether you miss the basket all the time is irrelevant. To decipher football however you need a mind of Arteta.

 

[Judas]

Judgement Day for Arteta today? Or just another day in life at Arsenal?

The relegation 6 pointer against Brighton is Judgement Day, today they're expected to lose.

 

[renandstimpyfan83]

Can someone explain what he is trying to say? Thanks.

In a high scoring game like basketball, small errors are less decisive than in a low scoring game like football.

He’s not wrong but his point is just...irrelevant.

 

[Samid]

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Imagine an Arsenal manager even entertaining the thought of relegation in public.

 

[adexkola]

They won't get relegated. And if they're in threat of relegation with 10 games to go they'll fire him and bring in a caretaker who they'll make permanent

 

[VorZakone]

I actually don't think Arsenal's squad is that bad. Arteta is underperforming with them.

Leno, Bellerin, Tierney, Gabriel, Luiz, Partey, Elneny, Saka, Martinelli, Aubameyang, Lacazette should be a good first XI.

 

[Mike Phelan's Former Tash]

Just listening to Arteta's press conference is demotivating.

 

[MayosNoun]

Arteta is trying to save his job. He’s basically stating that they will be in a relegation fight if they lose their next 3 games in the hope that when/if they win one of them, he can them claim it as improvement. He is a dreadful manager and he will be gone soon enough.

 

[tenpoless]

I didn't understand the hype surrounding him before this shitty period for Arsenal. You could say he was an appointment from within (ex Arsenal player) although he was not, spent more years playing for Everton than Arsenal and spent more years working as a staff with City than Arsenal. When he walked in as manager he was a nobody for that Arsenal team. With Ole and Lampard at least they're club legends. Arteta was never a top top player to begin with and by the time he joined Arsenal he was not anything special and did not do anything special as well. Sure Pep could say he had a talent to be a top manager etc but it was under Pep's guidance. Simply put, he, just like Ole and Lampard, is learning on the job but in a much worse way since he does not command enough respect from the players. If this ends badly i won't be surprised.

 

[sglowrider]

Arteta is trying to save his job. He’s basically stating that they will be in a relegation fight if they lose their next 3 games in the hope that when/if they win one of them, he can them claim it as improvement. He is a dreadful manager and he will be gone soon enough.

I hope he stays. I would like to see Doncaster v Arsenal at the Emirates in the near future.

 

[Slevs]

I didn't understand the hype surrounding him before this shitty period for Arsenal. You could say he was an appointment from within (ex Arsenal player) although he was not, spent more years playing for Everton than Arsenal and spent more years working as a staff with City than Arsenal. When he walked in as manager he was a nobody for that Arsenal team. With Ole and Lampard at least they're club legends. Arteta was never a top top player to begin with and by the time he joined Arsenal he was not anything special and did not do anything special as well. Sure Pep could say he had a talent to be a top manager etc but it was under Pep's guidance. Simply put, he, just like Ole and Lampard, is learning on the job but in a much worse way since he does not command enough respect from the players. If this ends badly i won't be surprised.

He sat next to Pep on the bench.

A Pep-lite if you want.

 

[Raredaredevil]

Stop trying to jinx him. He will beat Chelsea. You read it here first.

 

[Sylar]

He's more Moyes than pep with his set up, down playing the chances and quality of his squad etc

 

[elnorte]

Stop trying to jinx him. He will beat Chelsea. You read it here first.

They're certainly due a win. They might just scrape one.

 

[VorZakone]

You just know he'll get a win today. Worst moment for Chelsea to face Arsenal. The latter are due a win.

 

[WeePat]

You just know he'll get a win today. Worst moment for Chelsea to face Arsenal. The latter are due a win.

That's how I feel as well, but I always do this when we play a big team. Confident throughout the week, then wake up on the day feeling extremely pessimistic. Everything literally points to a comfortable Chelsea win, so naturally we'll probably see Arsenal play us off the park.

 

[Dipper]

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Imagine an Arsenal manager even entertaining the thought of relegation in public.

Jesus Christ. Big Roy Hodgson energy coming from Arteta here.

 

[VorZakone]

You just know he'll get a win today. Worst moment for Chelsea to face Arsenal. The latter are due a win.

Called it.

 

[SinNombre]

ArtetaIn.

He is a discount version of old Lvg.

Don't concede a lot and only score off setpieces or penalties.