Level of MF at the club unacceptable

Fans genuinely thought we were better of without xhaka.

Passing from the midfield players is too slow. You need a quarter back kind of player who can pass the ball much quicker through the lines. Cazorla was a master of this.

Smith Row or Odegaard can position themselves all day long behind the opposition midfield players but if the ball never reaches them then there is no point in doing that.

I think enough time has passed for us to admit Partey hasn't been good enough overall. I appreciate that he's had to do the job of 3 midfielders in some games, and there's been times where he's had to anchor the middle singlehandedly, but man, he's not been great at even doing the basics correctly.

Inconsistent passing, sloppy on the ball, wants too long to make a decision, runs into players too much and wayward shooting.

Our midfield options aren't going to get us anywhere. And with the AFCON as well, we 100% must revisit this area in January if we want to have a respectable season.

Partey has been poor. Struggles with the physicality of the prem

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gillespie Rd. (U18361)
posted 3 minutes ago
It's not just midfield. The squad is pretty thin across the park.

There's practically zero options outside of Tomiyasu and Tierney at fullback.

I have a lot of time for both ESR and Saka, but the idea of having two 20-year-olds as nailed-on starters in midfield is facking insane.

There's also nothing beyond Auba and Laca in attack, who both have one foot practically out the door.
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Yes there are holes all over the team and a serious lack of quality but our options in MF are to play kids alongside Partey.

Also, I said we needed a wide player and I have not changed my mind. Saka doesn't score enough goals and Pepe has been poor.

Still can't belive we have spunked 135M and still worse off
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Our spending over the summer didn't exactly set the pulses racing, but I think it's still to early to judge the new crop.

comment by RonAlvinho (U6117)
posted 12 minutes ago
There's practically zero options outside of Tomiyasu and Tierney at fullback.

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I've been impressed with Tavares every time he's played.
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Partey hasn't been helped by trying to adjust to the prem whilst having to it surrounded by some questionable quality, or young players also trying to adapt.
He is probably aware he has to do way more than he's comfortable doing. Put him in the arsenal sides that were getting CL and he'd obv look way better.

Arteta has an impossible job in ways. The $ needed to buy 5-6 top players, even if a couple are under the radar bargains, is so much money it's crazy nowadays.

comment by FootyMcfootfoot (U21853)
posted 45 minutes ago
Partey hasn't been helped by trying to adjust to the prem whilst having to it surrounded by some questionable quality, or young players also trying to adapt.
He is probably aware he has to do way more than he's comfortable doing. Put him in the arsenal sides that were getting CL and he'd obv look way better.

Arteta has an impossible job in ways. The $ needed to buy 5-6 top players, even if a couple are under the radar bargains, is so much money it's crazy nowadays.
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No..Arteta's job is far far from impossible.
He purchased Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Partey, extended Xhaka's contract, Lokonga, Tovares, Odegaard, extended Auba. Tierney - any manager would want and the same for Saka, EsR and Martinelli. The excuse that this is an impossible job because he does not have the necessary tools, is no longer valid. He has shipped players out and brought an entire first 11 in. Yet he still can't get a tune out of them. We have to stop looking at players and look much harder at a manager who is frankly boring me to bits with his lack of style of play

He needs to stop playing odegaard deep, he’s much more effective as a 10, he ends up getting lost as a CM which leaves partey basically on his own. I get why it was tried with Xhaka being out, but it’s not worked. Needs to be Elneny, lokonga or possibly Niles. None are the quality we really need there, but it’s a more natural midfield than putting odegaard with partey. Elneny while obviously not close to the standard we need, him with partey was a decent balanced partnership when they’ve played. Also could give partey a bit more freedom, and it allows us to have ESR LW, Ode 10, Saka RW, which is a system where we’ve looked the most effective.

Arteta has issue with overthinking everything and trying to be clever, we don’t have a squad where that works. Like when he blew Europa by playing Xhaka at LB. Just play players in their best position as much a possible

Yesterday should have been Martinelli and AMN for Saka and Odegaard or ESR (preferably the former) at H/T. Martinelli would have kept us the hefty attacking threat down the left and AMN would have had the pace and the direct experience of the opposition to stop Palace with Partey through the MF. Obsessed with ESR/Odegaard playing at the same time Arteta decided to not just only sub a winger for a MF but also to bring on the weakest MF of all with the least experience of this league and opposition, who is still trying to just find his feet in the PL.

It's as though it's not enough for him to put the team out then feck it up with his strategic calls from the touchline. He just has to go that extra mile to feck it up some more with the wrong substitutions time and again. Fans keep slating these players but it's actually a credit to them that they don't get thrashed every week. Given the level of self sabotage being committed by their manager both for and in every game. Poor sods.