Understandably a lot of people are upset and venting their frustrations right now and the emotions are pouring out in the comment sections, some without any real rational behind them.
However I don't think its right to be calling for Arteta's head or basically imply that he is an inept manager over the two recent losses, or because he signed Havertz or Raya.
At the end of the day Arteta has always had the balls to make decisions that divides the fanbase and failed managers/pundits. Many of those same decisions are the reason we even talk about a title challenge now. Decisions such as getting rid Auba who was becoming a toothless player even though everyone loved him and demanded he was always in the team, Arteta rightly showed him the door. Keeping Xhaka whom everyone absolutely hated with a passion. These decisions were frowned upon just like his signings this season... and who turned out to be right? Thats right Arteta.
The point, there is an inconsistency here. We can't have it both ways, as a fanbase we can't call for his head for signing Havertz then heap praise on Xhaka who most of you all hated with a vengence but only now love because of Arteta's ability to ignore the baseless noise and stick to his guns and kept Xhaka in his team.
The same could happen with Havertz and Raya... or they could even go one better than the once hated abused Xhaka and lift a legue title or a european cup with Arsenal this season. You just never know....
Arteta
posted on 1/1/24
My guess is they will come 3rd and lose to the first elite side they meet in the CL. Probably find a way to win the FA cup though.
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With the way we're playing right now, I'd take that and would consider that as a pretty successful season.
posted on 1/1/24
I think its crazy, fans calling on Arteta to leave. The players are exhausted and this is our blip. Other teams will have blips. A couple of decent loans or a purchase in January will freshen the team. We've been unlucky with defensive injuries and it shows. Midfield is good. Just need an out n out striker. Oh. Definitely swap out Raya, and play Ramsdale from now on. We'll be fine.
posted on 1/1/24
We are in the top 4. Challenging for the title and qualified out of our group in the CL after god knows how long. It was obvious Arteta needed to sign a third striker/ backup to Saka last summer, and we were linked to Kudus for a very long time. But Edu has been saying we have changed the strategy to only buy players who are more of a sure thing, so may cost extra. That means one player a season at that level. That tells you what the expectation from the board is.
This was not to challenge for the title this season. But to establish our selves in the top 4. Arteta is still in line to do that, but it may require bringing the summer signing to Jan.
I think people have got carried away a little, as have other fans who were suggesting that we are ahead of Liverpool in squad development. We are not. We are still very young as a team, and that means there will be inconsistencies in performance. But as we are pressing less this season, I don't think we will collapse in Easter like we did last season. So I expect a stronger end of the season.
posted on 1/1/24
comment by The Logical One™ - destroying the souls of trolls 😏 (U20872)
posted 3 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by Bãleš left boot (U22081)
posted 11 hours, 23 minutes ago
I don't get the logic here. Cos man makes a couple of good decisions you shouldn't question his decisions? It's like United fans that say they shouldn't sack the manager because they've sacked managers before.
You won't sack him because he's generally doing a good job. Even the best make flop signings and lose games they shouldn't. That's football
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No that's not the logic. The logic is just like he proved everyone wrong with Xhaka and turned the hate into love... maybe just maybe he's onto something with Harvertz and Raya. So for people to be making out he's an inept manager for those signings doesn't seem make sense to me when recent history has shown that he knows more than a thing or two about players (Xhaka) than any of the arm chair managers and failed managers on sky sports.
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OR......Havertz and Raya could be like Runnarson, Willian, Tavares, Lokonga, Cedric, or Vieira (to an extent)...not good enough at all and needing to be shipped out. Xhaka may be the EXCEPTION rather than the rule.
Also...I want our goalkeeping coach fired. I feel he has been a major part of the instability in that position. Martinez, Leno, Runnarson, Turner, Ramsdale and now Raya. Wtf...what other team goes through goalies at this crazy rate???
posted on 1/1/24
comment by 16Bit (U3448)
posted 59 minutes ago
I think its crazy, fans calling on Arteta to leave. The players are exhausted and this is our blip. Other teams will have blips. A couple of decent loans or a purchase in January will freshen the team. We've been unlucky with defensive injuries and it shows. Midfield is good. Just need an out n out striker. Oh. Definitely swap out Raya, and play Ramsdale from now on. We'll be fine.
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Why are they exhausted????
Saka has Nelson as a backup...signed a new contract and been benched. Martinelli has Trossard as a backup, but starts every game. Elneny was given a new contract, Jorginho has been fit but none of them are being rotated in to give Rice a break. Kiwior for Habriel, Tomi for white or Saliba or Zinny.
If our players are tired, it is because Arteta has very poor rotation policies and even worse man management.
Having said that, the bad form is down to overcoaching this control thing to the point that formerly creative and explosive players are incapable of doing what come naturally as they are told to slow it down. Arteta is the architect of this mess..a mess he could have avoided by playing the same way we played last year with more rotation and better backup in key areas. Havertz and Raya were luxury/ego buys
posted on 1/1/24
If our players are tired, it is because Arteta has very poor rotation policies and even worse man management.
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Arteta's rotation can be best described as a work in progress.
Having said that, the bad form is down to overcoaching this control thing to the point that formerly creative and explosive players are incapable of doing what come naturally as they are told to slow it down.
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No disagree. We are not pressing like we did last season and instead defending like we used to when we were finishing 8th with a low block. It's rubbish and something Moyes does and has over influenced Arteta imo.
posted on 1/1/24
comment by MaineGunner (U10130)
posted 2 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by The Logical One™ - destroying the souls of trolls 😏 (U20872)
posted 3 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by Bãleš left boot (U22081)
posted 11 hours, 23 minutes ago
I don't get the logic here. Cos man makes a couple of good decisions you shouldn't question his decisions? It's like United fans that say they shouldn't sack the manager because they've sacked managers before.
You won't sack him because he's generally doing a good job. Even the best make flop signings and lose games they shouldn't. That's football
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No that's not the logic. The logic is just like he proved everyone wrong with Xhaka and turned the hate into love... maybe just maybe he's onto something with Harvertz and Raya. So for people to be making out he's an inept manager for those signings doesn't seem make sense to me when recent history has shown that he knows more than a thing or two about players (Xhaka) than any of the arm chair managers and failed managers on sky sports.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OR......Havertz and Raya could be like Runnarson, Willian, Tavares, Lokonga, Cedric, or Vieira (to an extent)...not good enough at all and needing to be shipped out. Xhaka may be the EXCEPTION rather than the rule.
Also...I want our goalkeeping coach fired. I feel he has been a major part of the instability in that position. Martinez, Leno, Runnarson, Turner, Ramsdale and now Raya. Wtf...what other team goes through goalies at this crazy rate???
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Yep the goalkeeping situation since Arteta has come in has been an absolute joke
posted on 3/1/24
However I don't think its right to be calling for Arteta's head or basically imply that he is an inept manager over the two recent losses, or because he signed Havertz or Raya.
...
This is where we differ. In my eyes Arteta absolutely must line and die by his decisions. While Havertz is starting to work out, Raya is not and never has, and yet Arteta refuses to reinstate Ramsdale. His stubbornness in trying to prove that something broken can work has cost the club points and will continue to do so. He needs to be held accountable for it.
I'm not saying he needs to be fired, certainly not right now. But if our season is hampered and we lose out again, I think questions need to be asked of him.
posted on 3/1/24
comment by RuiCostaJr - laconic, sardonic, sometimes moronic (U10462)
posted 2 hours, 18 minutes ago
However I don't think its right to be calling for Arteta's head or basically imply that he is an inept manager over the two recent losses, or because he signed Havertz or Raya.
...
This is where we differ. In my eyes Arteta absolutely must line and die by his decisions. While Havertz is starting to work out, Raya is not and never has, and yet Arteta refuses to reinstate Ramsdale. His stubbornness in trying to prove that something broken can work has cost the club points and will continue to do so. He needs to be held accountable for it.
I'm not saying he needs to be fired, certainly not right now. But if our season is hampered and we lose out again, I think questions need to be asked of him.
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Totally agree Raya is nowhere near as good as Ramsdale, he lacks any form of dominance with crosses or corners and this pressurises the defenders into dealing. You can see the confusion on almost every cross or corner
posted on 3/1/24
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 2 days ago
We are in the top 4. Challenging for the title and qualified out of our group in the CL after god knows how long. It was obvious Arteta needed to sign a third striker/ backup to Saka last summer, and we were linked to Kudus for a very long time. But Edu has been saying we have changed the strategy to only buy players who are more of a sure thing, so may cost extra. That means one player a season at that level. That tells you what the expectation from the board is.
This was not to challenge for the title this season. But to establish our selves in the top 4. Arteta is still in line to do that, but it may require bringing the summer signing to Jan.
I think people have got carried away a little, as have other fans who were suggesting that we are ahead of Liverpool in squad development. We are not. We are still very young as a team, and that means there will be inconsistencies in performance. But as we are pressing less this season, I don't think we will collapse in Easter like we did last season. So I expect a stronger end of the season.
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Surely this was the season to challenge and actually when you look at City, they have left the door open.
But on top of that there are 2 or 3 other teams who have been improving and are on your coat tails.
What happens in a season or 2 when Utd and CFC get their shiiiit together again. Spurs, Villa, Liverpool all strengthening. Suddenly the task becomes even bigger.
By rights, given LFC had rebuilt their midfield, Utd are a mess, Chelsea a bigger mess, Spurs disastrous, leading into this season, it should have been Arsenal & City head to head. 4 points from 15 is not excusable by "it was never about the league this season". It was a massive opportunity to put 12 points between you and City, piling pressure on them, and Arsenal blew it. I'm not sure you will be above them again this season.