Mikel Arteta Sack Watch

The Franchise wrote:Certainly not going well. Europa is the only possibility now, but it seems very unlikely they could beat Man Utd.

I think he started with good ideas which have not been expanded upon. The build up is for the most part good, but it is one of the most controllable areas for a coach to manage to some degree. What Jay has alluded to, the play from the middle 1/3 upwards is a big issue which I am surprised hasn't been better figured out.

Also, worrying is that Arsenal started with the intention to apply heavy pressure to the first line of the opponent, but this has gradually been curtailed and more often (or perhaps just the games I watch) I see a passive mid block.

I stand by my comments, teams like Leicester have player for player superior players and I think Rodgers is a really high level coach who I am not surprised that teams like that are above them. But my critique was not on the basis of results, rather the progression of the team and how they play and this has really stalled out.

What I dont understand, is the team selection. Do certain players have in their contract a minimum amount of games or minutes? Because it seems like players are not selected 100% on merit. For me, the squad itself is not complete at all but it compounded by some very strange selection choices at times.

He picks players who train well, apparently. It's why Xhaka is undroppable and Elneny gets more games than a player of his ability should. Might be why Willian got so many starts, too.

Meanwhile, he came out and said in an interview Martinelli has to "learn to deal with the disappointment of not being selected" and has benched him despite his energy and directness being one of the main reasons for the team's improvement in January. Then you have Pepe who has actually been playing pretty well recently but has been in-and-out the team a lot. Nelson and Nketiah were kept at the club in Jan instead of loaned and have barely seen the pitch.

Tierney being out obviously doesn't help because he's literally the only left back in the squad so he's playing Xhaka there for his left-footedness rather than Cedric. He could put Saka back there but he's so valuable on the right of the attack he can't be moved right now.

He kinda picks the team the same way Emery did: constantly changing things up to stumble on the right combination because the squad is so messily put together it's not obvious who to play.

I was thinking about this squad earlier and think it suits a 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 pretty well. That'd get Lacazette and Aubameyang up front together, allow Saka and one of Smith Rowe or Odegaard to come in off the flanks and open space for the full-backs. They already defend in this shape, but this way they can avoid having Auba track back to his own penalty area.

Arteta was never good in the final third as a player. Way too cautious and maybe this is showing in his tactical plans?

I remember Mourinho once made a fun of him when he was at Chelsea "we let Arteta play side passes all game" knowing he couldn't create any danger.

Jay29 wrote:



He picks players who train well, apparently. It's why Xhaka is undroppable and Elneny gets more games than a player of his ability should. Might be why Willian got so many starts, too.

Meanwhile, he came out and said in an interview Martinelli has to "learn to deal with the disappointment of not being selected" and has benched him despite his energy and directness being one of the main reasons for the team's improvement in January.

I was thinking about this squad earlier and think it suits a 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 pretty well. That'd get Lacazette and Aubameyang up front together, allow Saka and one of Smith Rowe or Odegaard to come in off the flanks and open space for the full-backs. They already defend in this shape, but this way they can avoid having Auba track back to his own penalty area.

I can believe it. I think that attitude is common with younger coaches (not exclusively) as they look to stamp their mark and show authority. Therefore, rewards of training are common. I think some older, more experienced coaches understand better some players just arent geared towards training as the same intensity and while certainly this is not something you encourage nor will it be successful in the long term there should be some wiggle room for the short or medium term. Overall, I think Arteta and younger coaches want to prove their control but nothing does this better than results.

As for the system, you would know better than me but what you say makes alot of sense. I think you would be better in transition because with 2 center players. Also in the final third, you have 2 players down the middle which forces the backline tighter and perhaps opens up more wing space.

Regarding Saka. I think he is a real talent, I remember the Barca pre season 2 or 3 seasons ago now where I first saw his talent and had earmarked him to remember. But I am not fully convinced he should be playing as a forward as he doesnt seem an instinctual finisher. I think without Tierney, he could have been used as a very offensive wing back and id argue Pepe or others could have been used on the flank. But again, this brings us back to the point you made about rewarding training.

I still think Saka's future position will be full-back or wing-back. His timing and delivery are very good, but his dribbling and shooting aren't anything special.

At the moment he's playing RW because Tierney was playing at LB, and it made sense to have them on opposite flanks to ensure there was good delivery from both sides. Having them both on the same flank would be redundant.

But with Tierney out I'd prefer Saka on the left instead of Xhaka. Go back to what Arteta started doing, with Xhaka dropping into LB or LCB when Arsenal had the ball and returning to midfield without it.

El Gunner wrote:the boy's only 19 - he can still learn to develop his dribbling and finishing to a decent enough level. He tends to get himself in very good positions, he's just lacking the composure mostly. Composure tends to come with experience and age, i have no doubt about his technique - remember that worldie volley he scored against Wolves? His impact on the game is too great to restrict him to running up and down a wing.

Sure maybe in the future, but I mean right now considering the situation Arsenal are in I think the left makes more sense.

As Jay said, they were better when Xhaka was dropping into the back to make a temporary back 3 and this allowed Saka to get high up the pitch and put in the crosses and cut backs.

Maybe in the future as he develops he can be a forward, but without Tierney, I think Saka makes more sense in this role.

I can understand that, the other options are not awe inspiring it is true.

But I just dont think Saka is a forward and I dont think he has played very well there either. It is true Pepe has played better on the left, but this cant surely be a long term solution given all the other options you have?

I dont know, its not easy and I understand the logic but I think Saka was more effective coming from deeper.

Fair enough, we can agree to disagree.

But would agree that currently he isnt a very good finisher?

Or that he is sometimes hesitates in and around the box in terms of pulling the trigger?

And that his best asset is delivery?

In the future, something different and he may or may not improve on these things but just currently.

It's a fair point.

Is day night? Is the sun the moon?`

What is going on?

just for reference

We'll come back and win this 2 -3, wait and see

Could have had Tuchel. Could have Ten Haag, but he's going to Spurs, it seems?

Imagine both London rivals having vastly better managers while you're on a massive downward cycle... couldn't be Arsenal.

Pippo.

Jay29 wrote:Could have had Tuchel. Could have Ten Haag, but he's going to Spurs, it seems?

Imagine both London rivals having vastly better managers while you're on a massive downward cycle... couldn't be Arsenal.

Henry next probably

I don't know anything about ten hag but to see an Ajax manager come to Tottenham would be fantastic

Dead man walking.

Can't believe he was allowed to fuck it up so bad

should have been fired months ago

last year, really

FARTETA OUT.

It's been way overdue.

In before @The Franchise claims Villareal had the better team player vs player.

I've given the situation enough time now.

It was chaos under Emery and for a while it seemed Arteta had restored some order and control. The team had some structure again. That was good.

But as the games have gone by it's become more apparent his ideas haven't extended to the attack. Or if they have, they're crap ideas. Watch any given Arsenal game and you see one method of attacking: spam the left flank until Tierney crosses. After that, there's nothing. The team is scared of using the middle of the pitch, the right flank if often dead and god forbid somebody ask them to play a pass into the channel or over the top.

If Arsenal are the big club they think they are (Super League lol) then they have to realise they can't sit on a coach who might have good ideas, but whose team keep losing and can't score goals. Sticking with someone who clearly just isn't it is a waste of everyone's time.