19 Sep 2020 23:23:26
Tonight's performance just highlights even more that Aouar is not the answer to our prayers. Spend 40mil on a quality defensive midfielder, not another silky, tricky and creative midfielder ðŸ‘🻠he's good yeah but he's not exactly what we need right now. We need the right balance, we need strength, we need composure and we need solidity. I'm glad we managed to take 3 points but we have to be careful. COYG.
20 Sep 2020 08:45:37
Early days in a new season without the benefit of a preseason so it's difficult to have firm fixed opinions about anyone or anything just yet.
Last week Gabriel looked like the best thing since sliced bread this week not so hot, last season in our first home game Ceballos looked unbelievably brilliant and people were screaming for Arsenal to give Real anything they wanted to make his loan a permanent move by but by game 10 few people wanted him in our starting 11.
There is still a couple of weeks to go before the window closes but we certainly can't let it close without either off loading and replacing or forgiving Guendozi Torreira and Ozil and bringing them back into the fold.
Our midfield is weak and we have 3 midfielders who are being frozen out of the squad, one way or the other this needs addressing by growing up and stop holding infantile grudges against Mesut in particular but Torreira and Guendozi too, that no way to run a successful business or football club.
20 Sep 2020 09:23:02
Gunner / I agree but not one of those players are a strong beast that adds the strength we need. Granit is a weak spot but he’s staying.
So we must strengthen CDM or it’s plane negligence. That’s the clubs job. We should be able to say that without it still being early season.
I agree about Ozil but if we still have Granit plus Partey - I still think Ozil is a luxury we can’t afford. Elneny, Torreira, Dani etc just aren’t what we need in CM.
Perhaps if we get Partey then Dani pushes up the field but I don’t think he’s good enough but at least it’s better than him playing CDM which is hopeless.
It’s another obvious blind spot that the club and if we don’t address it - Mikel has. He has a blind spot for Granit fir sure.
{Ed047's Note - I think it’s harsh to say Mikel has a blind spot SY as it seems clear what he wants to do.
Sometimes we have to cut our cloth accordingly and even more so now, I’m sure Arteta will well know the benefits of a Fernandinho type player because he was pivotal for City.
It seems to me he’s doing his best to get that type of player, there are at least 2 weeks of the window left.
Torriera, Guendouzi and Ozil are all training with the 1st team but not featuring and that says to me that all are likely to go so let’s be a little more patient.
20 Sep 2020 09:28:12
John, holding grudges and growing up?
Come on mate, was you hung over, or wouldn’t the mrs not let you have some loving this morning?
Those 3 midfielders you mention are no better than what played in the first 2 games.
20 Sep 2020 10:50:14
Hi Mark no mate I'm all good :-)
They may not be any better but they are Arsenal players and Partey and Aoura simply aren't Arsenal players, that is the current situation whether people like it or not, that is reality.
During the next two weeks there is time to change that reality should the club wish to or be able to.
But should the window close and all is as it is now then it's just plain crazy to have 3 midfielders sitting on the naughty step while you have a midfield shortage.
If you can't change what is then simply accept it and let the past go, anything else is silly pride and stubbornness which results in a loose loose resolution, to me that's not a very sensible or grown up way to run a business/ football club.
20 Sep 2020 11:40:24
Hi SY mate, let's wait and see then go from there mate. I never ever expected all of our weaknesses and failings to be addressed and resolved in one summer or one full season under Mikel, unquestionable genuine progress is the name of the game in my opinion, not just progress from where Mikel found us but progress and a more progressive and upto date plan and way of doing things than we've seen in a very long time. It won't happen overnight but it may happen in 2 to 3 seasons if Arteta and very importantly the club get it right.
20 Sep 2020 11:54:38
I think the issue is we have up to 6 different central midfielders but none offer anything different, so whether you play a, b or c you get the same. At least with AmN and Elneny you get a higher work rate, which in itself is useful.
20 Sep 2020 12:31:50
Agreed Epping - our midfield is packed with “vanilla†midfielders compromises and no special creative or defensive blend
Until the last five minutes, neither Ceballos nor Xhaka created a single chance.
West Ham dominated shots and we will have a young defence that needs protection. We never needed to solve a problem with Pepe but still bet the house on him, so why can’t I expect a proper CDM.
The other thing - how much better would it have been with Emi dominating the box and helping the young centrebacks out plus a CDM helping the defence out.
Ed - if Mikel really ypthinks that Ceballos and Granit can be our midfield fulcrum and believes as he did last season that Granit is the rock of his midfield then why can it not be questioned that he’s got a blind spot. We all do! I had one for Wenger.
Mikel wanted Granit at City and clearly Pep said no way. He’s slow, can’t tackle, doesn’t cover and isn’t super creative. He doesn’t dominate or dictate the midfield. He doesn’t scare anyone in fact I think he let's opponents think there’s a mistake in him so gives them the upper hand. To not demand a beast in there and get that done is crazy and will stop us having the second season that Gunner wants. It’s been our weak spot for years and if management can’t address it then why are they in management.
Out of all our midfielders - AMN starts fir me. That’s saying something isn’t it. That speaks volumes about our midfield. The fact we ask if luiz is the answer screams we have issues.
I put a rather strong view out there as I want to be challenged as I’m not always right and want to learn from Eds and posters.
We accepted sub standard at end of Wenger reign, at start of Emery and already looking to make excuses for Mikel. It might be tough but at least it sets a better bar.
Once the window closes, we can moan and then get on with supporting all our players but until then we should demand a better midfield or our young defence will get exposed and people will ride them.
{Ed047's Note - oh I’m not saying you can’t question that SY just to give him the window to see if he does or can change personnel.
We all know a DM is what we need and I’m disappointed that Torriera never seems to have been given that chance.
We always question things SY and we ourselves have our blind spots, but let’s just see what we do in the next couple of weeks.
20 Sep 2020 15:31:23
Agreed Ed. I want the club and manager to put a statement of intent out there. By signing that key DM and even saying what our goal or expectation is like Wenger did in 02.
20 September 2002: “Arsenal can go unbeaten all season. It’s not impossible as Milan once did it but I can’t see why it’s so shocking to say it. Do you think Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea don’t dream that as well? They’re exactly the same. They just don’t say it because they’re scared to look ridiculous, but nobody is ridiculous in this job as we know anything can happen. â€
He was mocked and of course no one apologised for their remarks but we had intent, a vision and a goal.
That soon changed to Top 4 is our 3rd goal and trophy but at least we had expectations.
What’s the clubs expectation today
What are our expectations? Give it 3 seasons- why. We have a great squad and expectations should be high. My expectations are high. We’ve invested w lot and pay Mikel a lot and most of all - we are a big club
“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it. "
{Ed047's Note - I think Wenger knew without a doubt to him that he had the squad to do that.
I don’t think Arteta is yet in that position, he, as of now proved nothing, if he smashes back into the top four, which I’m pretty sure he’s said is his aim.
Then I expect him to be confidently saying we want to or we’re going to win the title.
He has almost zero experience of managing at the top, so let him get his feet firmly under the table, the players he i and you know that we need and see where that takes us this season first and foremost.
Yes we are a huge club and 100% 2nd place is the first loser!
20 Sep 2020 18:33:26
Finding answers to problems isn't usually as straightforward as we'd like it to be, everyone's got an opinion they think is THE solution but the truth is almost always it's a simple case of trial and error and ruling out things that don't work before you stumble across something that does work.
Unfortunately it's a process of illumination and that usaully takes time.
The only thing worse than watching different players, different pairings, different ideas and formations not come good is watching the same old players formations and ideas fail season after season and yet seeing no sign of change anywhere.
Judge Mikel and his team in May 2021 not in September 2020 is my motto.
21 Sep 2020 09:52:10
Agreed Gunner but it’s difficult to hold someone accountable or judge their success if you don’t
1. Tell them what’s expected
2. Give them the tools to do the job
I don’t want to get to the finish post and we say - bit did ok given the squad. That’s BS. The midfield isn’t good enough, seasons already started, Everton have added the type of midfielder we need - we need to step up. We’ve only get a few weeks of the window left and the games are about to get very difficult very soon. Chelsea have done some nice business, as have Liverpool. we’ve needed a midfielder for years and i'm impatient 😂 😂.
21 Sep 2020 10:58:18
I understand the impatience mate but so far what Arteta does isn't confusing and what he does and doesn't do isn't baffling so I accept unless we can sell who we wouid like to sell then we won't be able to buy who we would like to buy.
Moving our players for a fee seems really difficult as everyone is looking to loan rather than buy our players at best and because of our players ott wages at Arsenal even loaning out isn't easy for us it seems.