It's irrelevant GT, we've made the same mistake for over 20 years, we never bring in who we need and fall short of the title, we need a miracle to win it this season and it didn't have to be that way

comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Sheriff John Brown - Arteta IN!!! (U7482)
posted 3 minutes ago
For sure, our summer business was pretty nuts. It looked nuts even then, but looks even more nuts in hindsight. We already weren't blessed with much attacking depth (only Trossard for much of the last 2 years could come from the bench to impact games). But to lose ESR, Nelson, Nketiah and Fabio Viera and just sign Sterling on loan was pretty facking mad. I'd have been more than happy if we didn't sign Merino and Calafiori if we could have strengthened in attack. Yes, I believed this at the time, and it's not a hindsight thing.
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And still we are 3 points off in comparison to last season. What does it say about the team?
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🤣👆

I agree PP. How many times I said we need competition in every position especially Saka needs it. We missed to do it and it could be costly.

I think Arteta has a blind side when it comes to attack. He was lucky to inherit a generational talent like Saka and built a team around him. It is not a coincidence that both our creatives come from the right and those who attack the ball from the left.

This is why Martinelli looked a bit waank yesterday.

I didn't think Martinelli was that bad in the 2nd half, he didn't have much support

MLS was amazing, he plays beyond his years, i do think he'll move into Partey's position soon

What support was Marti supposed to have? He is right footed, so his instinct is to go to the touchline to whip in a cross. What would Timber/White do but get to the byline to put in a cross? ie make the same run!

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 12 minutes ago
Ode had one run into the box. Teams are going to pay even more attention to him without Saka, not less. So I really don't expect his goal scoring to get any better.

I think its time Arteta started using Ethan wide right a bit more.
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He should’ve come on last night for the last 15-20 mins. Switched Martinelli left, just to give the Ipswich defence something different to think about.

Maybe Arteta is loathed to play Nwaneri and MLS together though?

comment by Passion Power - Make 1984 fiction again(U8398) (U8398)
posted 4 minutes ago
I didn't think Martinelli was that bad in the 2nd half, he didn't have much support
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Thought so too.

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 17 seconds ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 12 minutes ago
Ode had one run into the box. Teams are going to pay even more attention to him without Saka, not less. So I really don't expect his goal scoring to get any better.

I think its time Arteta started using Ethan wide right a bit more.
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He should’ve come on last night for the last 15-20 mins. Switched Martinelli left, just to give the Ipswich defence something different to think about.

Maybe Arteta is loathed to play Nwaneri and MLS together though?
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Or he thinks Ethan is still physcially slight at 17 and its is easy for the oppo to outmuscle him especially when they are camped in their half?

Time to bring Leon Bailey home

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 1 minute ago
What support was Marti supposed to have? He is right footed, so his instinct is to go to the touchline to whip in a cross. What would Timber/White do but get to the byline to put in a cross? ie make the same run!
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There were a few occasions in the second half, especially late on, where Martinelli broke away, only to find himself 2 or 3 on 1 with no one to pass to.

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted about a minute ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 1 minute ago
What support was Marti supposed to have? He is right footed, so his instinct is to go to the touchline to whip in a cross. What would Timber/White do but get to the byline to put in a cross? ie make the same run!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There were a few occasions in the second half, especially late on, where Martinelli broke away, only to find himself 2 or 3 on 1 with no one to pass to.
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Yep, that's exactly what I saw.
Arteta also mentioned it in his post match interview

But that won't change the dynamic. We've had issues scoring from open play all season because teams are overloading defenders on the right and daring Marti to be the man on the left.

I honestly think the only way is to fix it is to find a fast striker and stretch the team vertically.

That would give for more space to all other attackers. I bet they will look so much better! incl Marti.

Liverpool use Nunez and even Diaz to do that CF. Creates space for Gakpo/Salah/Diaz.

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 1 minute ago
What support was Marti supposed to have? He is right footed, so his instinct is to go to the touchline to whip in a cross. What would Timber/White do but get to the byline to put in a cross? ie make the same run!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There were a few occasions in the second half, especially late on, where Martinelli broke away, only to find himself 2 or 3 on 1 with no one to pass to.
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Only when rotated into CF position.

comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 25 minutes ago
comment by Sheriff John Brown - Arteta IN!!! (U7482)
posted 3 minutes ago
For sure, our summer business was pretty nuts. It looked nuts even then, but looks even more nuts in hindsight. We already weren't blessed with much attacking depth (only Trossard for much of the last 2 years could come from the bench to impact games). But to lose ESR, Nelson, Nketiah and Fabio Viera and just sign Sterling on loan was pretty facking mad. I'd have been more than happy if we didn't sign Merino and Calafiori if we could have strengthened in attack. Yes, I believed this at the time, and it's not a hindsight thing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And still we are 3 points off in comparison to last season. What does it say about the team?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

That we had a bad period last season heading into Christmas, and then went goal crazy and went on a record breaking run of points in the 2nd half of the season to recover (which we're not going to do this season). But that is even irrelevant. When you've competed twice for the title and fallen just short, it's pretty insane not to stay motivated and keep pushing and do everything possible to finally get over the line. Liverpool sweeping to the title this season in Slot's first year in charge would put us in bad light if we show regression. And it was all avoidable without the sheitetshow of a transfer window we had.

Arteta is already falling back on the excuse of injuries and playing with 10 men in numerous games to justify finishing second again.

Has Arteta taken us as far as he can go?

Injuries are not an excuse, but the red cards still annoy me though, but then again we need to factor referees decisions against us as we always get fecked over.

The season isn't over yet Pete

You know who would be a good signing this winter?






Darwin Spoonez

comment by PeebARGH!!! (U3245)
posted 1 minute ago
Has Arteta taken us as far as he can go?
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This seems to be the season where he's demonstrated the answer is yes. Don't know how much responsibility he has in player recruitment (his vision for what he needs certainly guides management, and he seemed to be particularly hands-on in the desperate Havertz pursuit which is a mark against his judgement), but our lack of fluency this season (not like we've compensated for it with better defending), is a regression he has to own. The period Odegaard was injured, where Arteta was just looking to spam the team with as many CMs as possible, was bizarre and made us a disjointed Pulis-ball playing team.

The lack of buying a striker because Havertz had some success in attack (false 9) last season is the reason for our problems. Arteta should have trusted Havertz in midfield and bought a proper striker or sold Havertz and replaced him with another no.8.

Jesus leading the attack against Monaco looked better. Pep sold Jesus because he is too small and too slow to do that in the premier league and although Havertz has the build to do that in PL he is also slow and clumsy.

Agree with what was said earlier. To move on ESR, Nelson, Eddie and to only bring in Sterling (who is currently injured) made no sense.

The bench yesterday had no real attacking option from the bench besides a 17 year old attacking MF player who is not trusted yet by the manager.

I will continue to say it but the attack has been neglected by the manager and the board. I mean how can you sign more goalkeepers than attacking forwards over the 5 years.

Arteta is always very cryptic in his interviews so I don't know whether it's actually him who is more responsible for the lack of attacking signings or whether it lies with Edu.

Lol