Sh*tty coach Arteta won’t stop incredible Arsenal rot

Will Ford

Keep your mails on Arteta or anything else to theeditor@football365.com.

 

Liverpool obscenity
Bloody hell. Sorry to all the rival fans whose weekends we spoilt within two minutes. Palace away is always a game that causes concern for virtually any team in the league. In fairness after the first ten minutes we actually looked a bit average and Palace were getting in behind and looking dangerous. I thought Ayew and Eze both looked good coming from the wide positions. Then the ten minutes before half time ended the game as a competition.

The second half was ludicrous. Everything the boys touched turned to gold. Minamino wasted a huge chance and a couple times we picked the wrong pass too. Whilst it could’ve been 1-1 in the first half it also could’ve been 9-0 in the end. It seemed like we played more of a 4-3-2-1 with Firmino and Minamino playing slightly deeper roles than Mané. This was great because we had so much control in the midfield.

Now we have the best goal difference in the league and are top on our own. If we get through to January and are still 3 points clear then I think every other team will feel incredibly deflated. The most important thing to remember is that Palace were not that bad, we were just obscene…I think every team in the league should be alarmed.
Minty, LFC

 

An absolutely disgraceful result in the Palace vs. Liverpool game. It’s clear that the best team lost.
Hodgson, R. (Croydon)

 

Arteta over-complicating
Having just watched the Everton Arsenal game and listened to 90 minutes of the commentators telling us that Mikel Arteta can’t be blamed for the failings of such a poor Arsenal squad, I feel compelled to write in and counter that this Arsenal squad is one of the best in the league.

Leno, Gabriel, Tierney, Aubameyang, Lacazette and Saka would all start regularly for every team in the league bar Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea (though they would also play a significant number of minutes for those clubs)

Bellerin, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Willian, Holding, Ceballos and the extremely promising Martinelli are all good footballers.

The only real stinkers in that squad are Luiz, Xhaka and Mustafi. Pepe is a bit of a mystery, though for me he looks like an extremely talented player who is devoid of confidence.

So no, the standard of Arsenal’s squad is nowhere close to excusing Arteta’s failings this season. They’re a confused group of players playing in a baffling, over-complicated system.

Lets not forget that Arsene Wenger once took a side in which Almunia, Andre Santos, Denilson, Gervinho, Eboue and Bendtner all played regulary to a top four spot.

Just last season OGS took a side in which a badly out of form De Gea, Lindelof, Shaw, Lingard, Martial, Pereira, Fred,  James (who was seen as a flop at the time) all played a significant number of minutes to third.

Its time to stop making excuses for Arteta. That Arsenal squad should be challenging Utd and Spurs for a top four spot at the very least.

Wishing the F365 staff and Vuukle Community a very happy Xmas,
Ken Claus, The North Pole

 

 

In the year of Arteta 2020
I was listening to the Arsecast podcast at the beginning of the week and one fan had tweeted them for advice. Basically, the way things are with Arsenal was causing them to feel depressed and anxious. Understandable if you’re not used to seeing your club fall so hard. Arsecast gave the same advice I would have given; step away from it. It doesn’t make you a bad fan to invest less emotionally if it’s affecting your daily life and the way you interact with friends and family. Honestly, this year has already been pretty sh*t for mental health. Back in the summer when Maupay “Harry Kaned” Bernd Leno (some truly c*ntish behaviour that would make Mourinho proud) I thought our season was over, and what little excitement I’d had at the Premier League restarting was completely extinguished. The thought of Arsenal finishing mid-table, and trophy-less, AND missing out on European football was a gut punch in what was already a sh*t year in general. And so, going and winning an FA Cup against all expectations proved a fantastic pick-me-up. Except that’s now an oasis in a desert. So, would sacking Arteta bring happiness back? I’m not so sure.

I’ve had to cut back on my intake of AFTV and professional whingers like Lee Gunner. Imagine finding out your parents had just died only for your neighbour to shout at you angrily over the fence telling you your parents had just died. Yeah, no thanks. Of course, if you’re not an Arsenal fan you love it. Whenever Man Utd or Spurs lose I’m straight on YouTube to hear Goldbridge calling £80million Maguire a “bloody tw*t!”. And who didn’t love the Expressions reaction to the West Ham game. Schadenfreude and banter are part of being a football fan. Just don’t let it affect your mental health. Actually, regarding AFTV, I would normally avoid the videos after a defeat as they get accused of profiting off of Arsenal’s losses. Now I avoid all their videos as it’s a constant sh*tstorm of negativity I really don’t need right now. Which is a shame as, since the lockdown, turning to such fan channels gave me a real sense of remaining a part of a community. For more level-headed and therapeutic Arsenal debate and analysis I’d highly recommend the Arsecast and Arsenal Vision podcasts. For a more hopeful YouTube experience I’d recommend Indian Gooner.

But, anyway. Bringing back happiness. Arsenal need a better squad, right? Perhaps if Arsenal had spent a quarter of a billion pounds in a single transfer window there wouldn’t be any calls of Arteta out. In fact, I can draw up a shopping list based on transfer rumours and reported fees. Obviously, you have Gabriel and Partey (£70 mil). Now add Upamecano (£60m), Max Aarons (20m), Aouar (£55m), Szoboszlai (£25m). That gives you something like:

Leno
Aarons, Upamecano, Gabriel, Tierney
Szoboszlai, Partey, Saka
Pepe, Auba, Aouar

Don’t tell me that that hypothetical new Arsenal are finishing below Aston Villa. Now, obviously Arsenal aren’t Chelsea. In fact, we’re probably closer to the sleeping giants like Villa, Newcastle, or Leeds than the nouveau riche. The fact that we couldn’t fork out another £50mil to get Aouar leads me to believe we’d struggle to get a good Arteta replacement. A serious question to all the #artetaout fans: who would you have instead? The only “elite” manager available is Allegri. And, in a fire-fighting situation I don’t believe the best way to rally the troops to your side is through an interpreter. Of course, that’s based purely on my own preconception. So, in order to land a top manager there would likely be a hefty compensation package to pay to pry them away from wherever. Basically, it’s not happening any time soon. Alternatively, we could go for a cheaper, decent but not great coach like Poch (Arteta has more trophies), Nagelsmann, or whoever. Is that really a big enough step up from a man who’s already beaten every Premier League winning club since The Invincibles (caveats welcome)? Not for me. Of course, we’re still paying the price for not sacking Wenger and going for Klopp five years ago. Perhaps his dragging Dortmund down to the relegation zone at the end of his tenure put the board off. Maybe our board put Klopp off. I don’t know. I do know, however, that fans and the media were calling him a fraud in his first season. Never forget. And never forget the hand holding celebration of a draw with a mid-table/relegation-battling side. But, is Klopp a fraud now? Obviously not. Arteta might never reach the trophy haul of Klopp or Mourinho. But, put him in charge of a big club with a big budget and he will win titles. I really do believe he’ll have a great career, even if it’s not at Arsenal. Christ, he’s already had a better career than Frank and Ole.
Simon, Norf London Gooner

 

Sh*tty coach
The last time I can remember expecting us to win a match was against Aston Villa, didn’t expect us to win against Spurs, so I did not bother watching ..took the missus out, it was a miserable date, as all I was doing was check scores update on my phone. Didn’t expect us to win Burnley, Southampton or Everton. I don’t expect us to win against Chelsea, Brighton or West Bromwich. This is a sad reality, that I expect nothing. Under Emery, Aubemeyang and Lacazette where described as world class players, under Arteta they are league one players. Nketiah is shit. Gabriel Martinelli scored lots under Emery, but scored 2 in 12 or 13 under Arteta. Willian was brilliant for Chelsea. Pepe, he divides opinion..he is shit, yea…was shit…yea.. But in his defence he was brought in at the back of 19 goals in ligue 1 for Lille. Not for creating chances. If you spent £72m on a 23 year old, play him to his strength.. Play him to his strength, play him as close to goal as possible, at Lille, the centre forward was a false nine. If we wanted creativity, we signed the wrong Lille winger, we should have gotten Rafael leao. I digress, Mikel Arteta is a shitty coach, and he is not going to be sacked because we have shittier people at the helm of Affairs. The other one , the Brazillian, an average player in his day..came out to say all is well. It really did hurt listening to him, even more than the losses. But what do I expect from a guy who sanctioned the permanent signings of Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari, despite them showing nothing to warrant that. Maitland Miles is second choice right back, David Luiz is third choice centre back, and Mustafi is fourth choice, so you blew £10m of scarce funds on a fifth choice centre back? While still having Chambers, Saliba and Sokratis on your payroll? The rot is incredible, and I just saw that Rafa Benitez is available. I dislike the guy, but he will be good for us, if only….

Yours truly
A Broken Gunner (Edu should be sacked with Arteta)

 

Arsenal just lost to Everton and I’m not surprised. As an arsenal fan, I’m now used to us losing. I used to feel sad and desolate before whenever we lose but now, I feel nothing. No sadness, no despair. Nothing.A year ago when Arteta was appointed, I was sceptical because I know he lacks the experience needed to turn our fortune around. He wasn’t the best option available for the job cos Ancelotti was available. But our stingy board went for the cheapest manager and now we are a candidate for relegation. I only hope someone put Arteta out of this nightmare. Hopefully, Chelsea will put 5 goals past us next week and set off the fire alarm.
And for those that feel that Arteta is still blameless in all of this because the players are all sh*t, just ask yourself this question. “Will Klopp, Pochettino, Nagelsman, even Mourinho do better with this crop of players”. I’m awaiting your responses.
Yours indifferently
Azeez (Abuja)

 

Arteta is the saline solution of managers- a sterile and passive placebo.
Dylan. Seattle, USA

 

It’s the 8th of August 2021. Arsenal players trudge off the pitch after suffering a humiliating 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in their first game in the Championsip. But pundits like Carragher and Shearer still don’t place the blame on Arteta. It’s an impossible task he’s been given and he’s going to need at least 6 transfer windows before Arsenal have a squad anywhere near challenging for a promotion place.
Simon Clarke


Early loser: Willian, that was really nothing


Kudos for Arteta
I literally get it, a football website article that says ‘calm down, it’s a long-term project’ isn‘t going to get many clicks, which means advertising space won’t get sold, etc. etc. But is there no room for a little bit of balance here? Just a couple of months ago Arteta was reinventing sliced bread. Now he could be reinstating COVID Christmas 2020 and he would be pilloried. Everything through the ‘Arsenal in crisis’ lens looks bad I’m sure, but do we really need statements on the Everton game like those about Arsenal’s possession stats, which  “should not and must not be seen as any evidence of progress or improvement.” .  ‘Any evidence’? ‘Must not’? I mean, it’s a bit extreme isn’t it?
What did we think a team in transition (which I don’t think anybody would question, Arsenal undeniably are) looks like? When ‘experts’ talk about the ‘pain’ Arsenal have to go through, did people actually think that meant losing the odd game to a ‘Big 6’ team (whatever that is nowadays) and drawing with Leeds once in a while?!  People need to wake up, smell the coffee and just calm down. It’s a team that was really good a while ago, hasn’t been anywhere near that for a while, can’t compete with better resourced rivals, and needs to rethink and reset.

Nick Faldo had loads of early success in his career, but he realised his really good swing was masking some really serious faults (for Arsenal, see lack of bite, defensive frailties, etc.). Despite winning already, he disappeared for years to undertake a tough, painful rebuild. Didn’t work out too bad?!

When you have deadlines, or you support a rival, I’m sure it’s much easier to say they’re terrible, they’re going down and all that. But either you keep doing the thing your doing and keep falling short, or you have the guts to try something different and rebuild. Kudos to Arteta for trying (don’t compromise your principles!) and Arsenal if they can keep their heads, whilst all around are losing theirs!
Stozzer, Tier 4. 

 

Mad money
Just seen in the gossip Rashford is to be offered £300k. I understand he is valuable but does nobody else find it baffling that United will have 5 players (Pogba, Rashford, De Gea, Cavani and Martial(!)) on more than any player in the Liverpool squad. Maguire has near parity with Salah and earns more than anyone else there. Dean Henderson is 50% better paid than Alisson. How does such a problem come about and why is still going on? Which other side on the league would offer Rashford £300k?
KC (the root of all problems) 

 

Nine man bench
Likely to get lost among the weekend’s matches, but a thought looking at the first nine man bench in the Premier League.

Surely, nine men on the bench provides the richest of the rich benefit as it allows them to have all of their £50+ million players available and they can chose from infinite ways to beat the small clubs. Who themselves now would have to fill the nine man bench with youth players and dross.

Despite these more options being limited to three, it still seems inconsistent voting from the Premier League clubs.
Perhaps someone who is in favour of staying at three substitutions could tell me how I’m wrong and what I’m clearly missing.
Conor, London