So at the half way point, we have been a bit shaky and looking like we are on a tightrope now in the title race. We are clinging on but we need to have a very good run of form now to stay in the fight.
What are your minimum expectations from Arteta for the rest of the season?
Lets imagine, we win a few games and also get passed Liverpool in the cup. We are still within 1-5 points off top in mid feb, then the CL comes back and the focus on that harms our form again. We go into the end of March/start of April out of the title race and trying to maintain our top 4 position.
We then get knocked out convincingly in the CL quarter finals by a big CL side. We are focusing on a top 4 fight and manage to finish 3rd/4th at the end of season, with potentially an FA Cup victory.
Would you keep Arteta on that basis? Or would you think nope we were happy with that 5 years ago but after spending so much money, putting so much faith in Arteta and being involved in title fights, we expect more now. Its time to change?
Personally I think if we want to be a big club, we need to act like a big club. Arteta should be sacked and we go and get a big name like Liverpool did in Oct 2015 with Klopp. Thanks for saving us Arteta. You did your job. You put us back where we belong, but now we need someone capable of finishing the job.
Arteta can then go and manage a club more at his level like an Everton or Brighton.
What are our minimum expectations?
posted on 2/1/24
Incredible how pathetic and entitled people suddenly become after a bad result or two. Arteta is the reason we are acting like a big club again yet you want to sack him because we had a poor game against Fulham.
I know you've created a hypothetical situation where you sack him but really you just want to sack him because we've lost to Fulham and West Ham and think he's taken us as far as he can.
I'll humour you though. We beat Porto but get knocked out of the CL by Real Madrid. We come 3rd in the league and we fail in the FA cup. Disaster of a season. Arteta is sacked for this abomination. Who is winning us the league next season?
posted on 2/1/24
All these hypotheticals
Arteta will stay as long as we get top 4, which we should.
It seems we are the only club that dont get any mitigation in terms of our injuries. Spurs have got more from Van der Ven missing 2 months than we have for Timber missing the entire season (basically the same signing - a £40m defender for the first team). One of our best players of last season (Partey) has played what, 2 games? Odegaard, Saka, Gabriel Jesus have all missed spells.
The biggest question mark for Arteta is his signings (or Edu's, depending what you believe).
Raya hasnt really improved on Ramsdale, £65m Havertz hasnt been as good as Xhaka who we sold for £12m, Rice has been great but for £105m you'd bloody hope so. Compare that to Liverpool or Newcastle it doesn't look great - but of course compare it to United or Chelsea and not so bad.
posted on 2/1/24
comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 30 minutes ago
Incredible how pathetic and entitled people suddenly become after a bad result or two. Arteta is the reason we are acting like a big club again yet you want to sack him because we had a poor game against Fulham.
I know you've created a hypothetical situation where you sack him but really you just want to sack him because we've lost to Fulham and West Ham and think he's taken us as far as he can.
I'll humour you though. We beat Porto but get knocked out of the CL by Real Madrid. We come 3rd in the league and we fail in the FA cup. Disaster of a season. Arteta is sacked for this abomination. Who is winning us the league next season?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Results are one thing and even Man City have their off days.
Perhaps what is more questionable is how the money has been spent - why Havertz is seen as an answer to anything? Creating unnecessary focus on the GK position to the detriment of performance, and why you are effectively forcing Ramsdale out of the club. Where the genuine striker options are? Where the Saka back up is, that allows this guy to get a rest every now and then.
These factors have all contributed IMO to your inability to be consistent this season. You look jaded and a bit short of ideas and options vs a low block
posted on 2/1/24
Complete madness if you were to sack him, Arsenal have been in the wilderness for decades at this point, he at least has you consistently up there.
I still think the squad is short, you don't have a proper goal scorer and to win a league without one of those you need everything else to fall for you.
posted on 2/1/24
Artetas done alright but hes not worked miracles. He inherited some of the top young talent going and was backed heavily. I think he was at times lucky Arsenal stuck with him but in the end he repaid them making Arsenal believe again. Its not exactly gone to plan this year but he deserves some time again for sure, as do his signings etc. Certainly isn't over or Arteta out, you're still ina very good position especially considering you've not really played well most the season you've picked up good points.
posted on 2/1/24
* And to add hes still very young for a manager and learning and the squads still very young. Put a lot of money into it already too and although the squad strengths improved its still missing 2 or 3 key pieces you feel. You abandon him now and have to start all over again could put you back another good few years.
Hes only 41 himself.
posted on 2/1/24
I feel like Arteta is over thinking things....seems to have moved away from last seasons very effective intense way of playing, is now more circumspect, has rotated a lot and looked to solve problems that didnt really exist, like bringing in Raya and Havertz
posted on 3/1/24
Expectations always vary as the season goes on. After last year I expected with the addition of Rice that we would push on and have a real shot at the title. However as the season has progressed its become obvious that we are not as fluid as last year.
This could be due to a number of issues including , teams learning how to play against us, some players off form , injuries and some puzzling decisions i.e. Havertz and Raya
Players form will come back but I dont think we will win the league now unless Arteta comes up with a way of overcoming the way that opponents are stifling our wide men and brings in a proper goalscorer.
Top four is now my minimum requirement and anything above that is a bonus