Arteta really isn't any different...

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 57 minutes ago
I am far more concerned abt Arteta's inability to infuse any form of fluidity in our attacking play than his man management.
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Yeah I agree with this. We all know Wenger used to focus the vast majority of training sessions on developing the players' ability to pass the ball around quickly, retain possession, and create changes. Our attacks were very formulaic, but over the course of a game they guaranteed we would tire out our opponents and leave spaces to create changes in the final 15 minutes. We had a clear attacking identity, that while it was too predictable, was very easy for players to get into a groove and play the attractive passing football we have become used to.

Now Arteta has sorted out the team's defensive structure, and got us properly marking spaces and pressing together across the pitch, he needs to work on what we do when we have the ball. However, he also needs to maintain the defensive structure we have built up. There's only so much time in training each week, and our team also has a lot of travelling and recovering to do with the Europa league. The most disappointing aspect of our loss to Aston Villa, and my biggest criticism of Willian, is that he was responsible for their first goal by failing to do the "non-negotiables" in working back for the team. The bare minimum for our players is to do the defensive work and ensure we stay in games, so when we finally break our goal-scoring duck it actually counts for something.

I want to see him focus on developing an attacking structure, and get our attacking midfielders moving into those spaces between defence and midfield in the middle of the pitch, ready to receive the ball and move it on quickly, to draw defenders out of position and create space for our wingers and strikers. It's why some people are so frustrated we can't pick Ozil (although I agree he should be frozen out), it's the obvious missing piece and the reason our attack is so disjointed, there is nobody demanding the ball in the middle of the pitch, so our players have to keep recycling the ball waiting for an opportunity to try a speculative through ball or cross into the box.

comment by Flamini'sShirtSleeves (U8186)
posted 0 seconds ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 57 minutes ago
I am far more concerned abt Arteta's inability to infuse any form of fluidity in our attacking play than his man management.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah I agree with this. We all know Wenger used to focus the vast majority of training sessions on developing the players' ability to pass the ball around quickly, retain possession, and create changes. Our attacks were very formulaic, but over the course of a game they guaranteed we would tire out our opponents and leave spaces to create changes in the final 15 minutes. We had a clear attacking identity, that while it was too predictable, was very easy for players to get into a groove and play the attractive passing football we have become used to.

Now Arteta has sorted out the team's defensive structure, and got us properly marking spaces and pressing together across the pitch, he needs to work on what we do when we have the ball. However, he also needs to maintain the defensive structure we have built up. There's only so much time in training each week, and our team also has a lot of travelling and recovering to do with the Europa league. The most disappointing aspect of our loss to Aston Villa, and my biggest criticism of Willian, is that he was responsible for their first goal by failing to do the "non-negotiables" in working back for the team. The bare minimum for our players is to do the defensive work and ensure we stay in games, so when we finally break our goal-scoring duck it actually counts for something.

I want to see him focus on developing an attacking structure, and get our attacking midfielders moving into those spaces between defence and midfield in the middle of the pitch, ready to receive the ball and move it on quickly, to draw defenders out of position and create space for our wingers and strikers. It's why some people are so frustrated we can't pick Ozil (although I agree he should be frozen out), it's the obvious missing piece and the reason our attack is so disjointed, there is nobody demanding the ball in the middle of the pitch, so our players have to keep recycling the ball waiting for an opportunity to try a speculative through ball or cross into the box.
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*create chances

The problem is our lack of movement as a team. We are playing two touch football. That is, one player gets the ball and then dwells on it to look for someone to pass to. That shows a clear lack of practice of passing movements as a team. There is no one touch passing movements at all. No passing in triangles. That means we are not able to transition the ball in phases from defence to midfield to attack quickly and so there is no tempo to our game.

It doesn't matter if Ozil or in fact Maradona is playing at his pomp. All attackers are pretty much done if the passing is so slow that the opposition is allowed to form a defensive structure before the ball gets to them.

Thats why I believe fans are focussed on the wrong aspect of our problems at the moment. We shouldn't be too critical of the players until Arteta can prove he can coach more than Moyes, Fat Sam or Pulis solid positioning. Thats good enough for cups. But only good enough for mid-table mediocrity in the league and Arsenal have never been (even before Wenger) a mid-table club.

We shouldn't be too critical of the players until Arteta can prove he can coach more than Moyes, Fat Sam or Pulis solid positioning. Thats good enough for cups.
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We have become a cup team aye

But awful examples of managers considering Arteta had already won more cups than those three combined

comment by CrouchEndGooner (U13531)
posted 55 seconds ago
We shouldn't be too critical of the players until Arteta can prove he can coach more than Moyes, Fat Sam or Pulis solid positioning. Thats good enough for cups.
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We have become a cup team aye

But awful examples of managers considering Arteta had already won more cups than those three combined
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The point was thats what the fans expected as the ceiling of those managers. Take Bruce for example. If Newcastle fans won a trophy they would probably build a statue of him. Compare that to when Keegan was in charge or Bobby Robson.

I just don't want our expectations lowered. In one respect buying Partey shows that the ownership won't put up with it. Champions League should be a minimum for Arteta.

Keegan and Robson also failed to win a cup for Newcastle

You can either talk about football or trophies but one does not equal the other and it's unfair to compare Arteta to managers he's already more successful than

I don't expect us to win the Champions league or Premier League. Just challenge for it. That usually means ending up near the top. And why is it unfair to compare Arteta to accomplished managers? Thats what managing Arsenal means. If he can't do the job maybe he should quit now.

comment by CrouchEndGooner (U13531)
posted 14 minutes ago
We shouldn't be too critical of the players until Arteta can prove he can coach more than Moyes, Fat Sam or Pulis solid positioning. Thats good enough for cups.
__________________

We have become a cup team aye

But awful examples of managers considering Arteta had already won more cups than those three combined
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That's why 👆

So I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment just the detail

Stillman is hit and miss. He writes with intelligence (sometimes self-indulgently so), but this article for example is complete and utter conjecture. I mean he's got article obligations and word counts to fullfil, so I don't blame him for it.