Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

Cloud7

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He's the sort of managerial appointment I expect Everton to usually make and I thought we was actually going to but thankfully we finally made a good appointment for once. You even had a lot of people in the media trying to say Arsenal made the right decision to go for Arteta over Carlo but the people saying that was definitely trying to think of themselves as some sort of footballer hipster.
Everyone wants their own Pep/Zidane these days. Fully expect to see Gerrard rock up at Liverpool whenever Klopp eventually leaves.
 

Pep's Suit

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I just don't understand Arsenal. On one hand they're quite strict with money but on another they could have sold Alexis+Ramsey+Ozil for £140m but didn't. Now they have this inexperienced manager, terrible squad and will lose their best player soon.
 

Stadjer

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Everyone wants their own Pep/Zidane these days. Fully expect to see Gerrard rock up at Liverpool whenever Klopp eventually leaves.
Atleast Gerrard is getting some experience as a manager first. Not quite the same as appointing a ‘first timer’
 

Red Keane

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You know what I don't get, why doesn't Arteta realise that 3-5-2 is the best option for the players he currently has (1)? Especially when:
  • Few if any of their Centre Backs can actually defend while only 1 of their Full-Backs (Tierney (2)) can defend. So putting any of those players in a collective Back-4 is asking for trouble.
  • Arsenal really only have 1 proven Winger in the form of Pepe.
  • Lacazette & Aubameyang (3) have played their best football as a Front 2.
So considering that Arsenal don't really have anything to play for (Since Europa League Qualification is out of the picture), he might as well try out this formation out, especially when Emery tried said formation out in his first season...and got this side into a Europa League Final...

(1) I get that he has to work with a squad that is lacking in both quality, leadership & backbone. But that does not mean that you still don't make the most of a bad situation.

(2) Seriously, why didn't he move to either Liverpool or ourselves?

(3) Who has proven on several ocassions that is a far better ST than LW, hence why Klopp coverted him into a Striker in the first place.
 

Red Keane

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Budget is not everything. I mean why is he not playing martinelli or why is he starting kolasinac when a lb was bought from celtic for 20 odd million. People keep on saying about how arsenal have progressed under arteta, well I don't see any. The truth is in these 2 games they have looked clueless and boring as brick.
Arteta might have made mistakes tatics wise while in the dugout (like accepting the job in the first place), but there is only so much anybody can do when Xhaka is your "best" midfielder, Mustafi is your "best" CB and Bellerin is your "best" RB.

And yet they spent 72 million on pepe and bought a left back. Yes they may not have money like united or city or chelsea but they have spent more money than brighton. Their attack today was worth more than 180 million so this whole idea that they have not spent anything is joke. It's just that apart from aubameyang none of their transfer signings in recent times have been convincing.
We live in an age where 80 Million only gets you a "Decent" Player and 100+ Million gets you a "World Class" Player. So unless you are a club that is willing to spend Billions on Transfers, you can forget trying to compete with Top 4.
 

Dancfc

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Even the 1-1 at Old Trafford bothers me. In fact we've been pretty crap in the league against them recently.
It bugs me we 'only' took 4 points off them so god knows how you guys feel.
 

Il Prete Rosso

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I just don't understand Arsenal. On one hand they're quite strict with money but on another they could have sold Alexis+Ramsey+Ozil for £140m but didn't. Now they have this inexperienced manager, terrible squad and will lose their best player soon.
They should not have allowed Ramsey to leave. Alexis and Ozil's problem for other clubs is their wages. I think that squad needs a psychological evaluation. The problems are deeper than football on the pitch. It's culture within the club.
 

Shark

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So are the Ole haters who were wanking themselves silly about how Arteta was amazing and it was obvious how much better a manager he was starting to wind their neck in?
They could both be not good enough, Ole hasn't proved himself either by a long shot yet. Lets see if he can get us top four.
 

Adisa

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I think the job is impossible for any manager, considering the expectation and the reality.
Look at the deals they handed out ffs!
He was probably given the choice. "Lose those players and no replacements will come". What would another manager do in that situation?
I can't blame him for taking the job but fecking hell, how does he make this work?
 

JPRouve

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I think the job is impossible for any manager, considering the expectation and the reality.
Look at the deals they handed out ffs!
He was probably given the choice. "Lose those players and no replacements will come". What would another manager do in that situation?
I can't blame him for taking the job but fecking hell, how does he make this work?
It's not impossible but you need a totally different type of manager. It's for guys like Jorge Jesus, Simeone, Wenger, Klopp or Conte. Managers that have the ability to build foundations, that can set everything from the ground up on the training pitch and the locker room, currently Arsenal can not operate with game managers and just man management.
 

Adisa

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It's not impossible but you need a totally different type of manager. It's for guys like Jorge Jesus, Simeone, Wenger, Klopp or Conte. Managers that have the ability to build foundations, that can set everything from the ground up on the training pitch and the locker room, currently Arsenal can not operate with game managers and just man management.
I don't really understand your point. Are you saying they need more than that?
If so, I agree. For me it is not about going out to spend money unnecessarily, but the only logic behind the recent extensions of failed players seems to be they simply can't bring anyone else in, or don't want to.
How will any manger marry being in that position and meeting expectations?
How do you think they should move forward?
 

Needham

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Keano calls him the bluffer. Arteta is nothing but great presentation. And the way he's monetised being the first major PL figure to go covid is nothing short of disgusting.
 

JPRouve

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I don't really understand your point. Are you saying they need more than that?
If so, I agree. For me it is not about going out to spend money unnecessarily, but the only logic behind the recent extensions of failed players seems to be they simply can't bring anyone else in, or don't want to.
How will any manger marry being in that position and meeting expectations?
How do you think they should move forward?
Yes, they need a lot more than game management and man management which are crucial but not enough. I would say that they need an inspirational figure, the managers that I have mentioned have shown to be exactly that, they can change the culture of a football club, change the way players within the club behave, the players outside the club and the hierarchy behave.
 

Samid

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Taking off the talisman (and only goal threat) when chasing a goal in a home game, is that the kind of tactical brilliance he learnt while carrying Pep's water bottles?
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Taking off the talisman (and only goal threat) when chasing a goal in a home game, is that the kind of tactical brilliance he learnt while carrying Pep's water bottles?
I thought it was the correct decision. Aubameyang looks tired in those last minutes.
 

GifLord

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They have Spurs on Sunday, Liverpool on Wednesday and City on Saturday (Fa Cup)
Gonna be a tough few days for Ars
 

RooneyLegend

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Surely he should be trying to get something from Pepe? At this rate they are going to sell him for a pittance.
 

ThierryHenry

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Taking off the talisman (and only goal threat) when chasing a goal in a home game, is that the kind of tactical brilliance he learnt while carrying Pep's water bottles?
What a strange bump. We subbed off Aubameyang in the 93rd minute.
 

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They are still prone to shooting themselves in the foot but can see what Arteta is trying to do. Thankfully their owners won't allow a mass clear out of deadwood.
 

sammsky1

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Arsenals appointment of Arteta looks inspired. You can immediately see his impact and ideas and they have transformed this group of young players.

his challenge will be creating a style which is not exactly pepBall because he won’t have the funds required for such a team.

but I can see significant upward potential next season just through his coaching and tactics.
 

Berbaclass

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Arsenals appointment of Arteta looks inspired. You can immediately see his impact and ideas and they have transformed this group of young players.

his challenge will be creating a style which is not exactly pepBall because he won’t have the funds required for such a team.

but I can see significant upward potential next season just through his coaching and tactics.
I was saying after the Liverpool game the other night in the other Arsenal thread that since that Brighton game I've been really impressed by his ability to steady the ship and dare I say turn the corner a bit.

Switching to 3-4-3 has been massive for them and it helps protect their defence which individually is bad but as a unit has been solid enough. Going forward they obviously have a lot of talent. He deserves a lot of credit IMO for the way he has turned things around. At on point, they looked like they might finish in the bottom half.
 

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I'm honestly not looking forward to facing them in the final. They seem to always raise their game in such FA cup ones.
 

charlenefan

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Arsenal have had a lot of luck in recent weeks with opposition defences handing them goals left right and centre but you have to give them credit for tonight, got it spot on and was 100% deserving of their win
 

Berbaclass

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Arsenal have had a lot of luck in recent weeks with opposition defences handing them goals left right and centre but you have to give them credit for tonight, got it spot on and was 100% deserving of their win
They force errors with their pressing. It's not all luck.
 

AshRK

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Full marks for organizing the shit defence but his football is not the most pleasing on the eyes. 20% possession in the second half. Tactics like this cannot be feasible for long term.
 

sammsky1

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That 18 pass goal is up there for goal of the season.

Arsenal never knew how the score those type of goals before Arteta
 

adexkola

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Full marks for organizing the shit defence but his football is not the most pleasing on the eyes. 20% possession in the second half. Tactics like this cannot be feasible for long term.
City even when shit are excellent at dominating possession. This is the best way to hurt them :confused:
 

sammsky1

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We've got the not so small task of beating Chelsea first. Those extra couple of days rest will have been huge.
What’s your line up prediction tomorrow?

all change vs 50% change vs best team possible?
 

Fooza

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He'll do bits at Arsenal but without the funding he will struggle to compete. Let's hope they broke as I'd hate to see where he will take Arsenal with funds.
 

AshRK

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City even when shit are excellent at dominating possession. This is the best way to hurt them :confused:
I am not just talking about this game, even against Liverpool they just sat back and did absolutely nothing. Against spurs even though they dominated the possession butbhardly created much chances. I think his best games as an arsenal manager that I have seen was the first half against Leicester. Apart from that they have just been playing a boring football. Fair play to Arteta for organizing the defense but if come next season they are playing the same brand of football without winning consistently then he might have to change his tactics.

So far good job.
 

adexkola

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I am not just talking about this game, even against Liverpool they just sat back and did absolutely nothing. Against spurs even though they dominated the possession butbhardly created much chances. I think his best games as an arsenal manager that I have seen was the first half against Leicester. Apart from that they have just been playing a boring football. Fair play to Arteta for organizing the defense but if come next season they are playing the same brand of football without winning consistently then he might have to change his tactics.

So far good job.
Oh fair enough, I've not seen much of them outside of City, Liverpool and United games
 

sammsky1

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He'll do bits at Arsenal but without the funding he will struggle to compete. Let's hope they broke as I'd to see where he will get Arsenal with funds.
Arsenal have no pretence or demand to win the title right now; success for them next year is 70 points and CL qualification.

I think he has a chance to do that, if he can get in a few players.

makes top 4 challenge even more difficult next year, I think it’s going to be the most competitive PL in years.