Mikel Arteta, First-Team Manager

[Arsenal Tone]

Of course he should

[Santi]

Well as injury prone as he was, Wele was a decent option player and always gave his all.

I really didn't mind him being around as a backup, that game against Atletico in the semi showed both sides of him. He was an absolute threat ripping them apart early on that left side but the end product wasn't quite there.

Until Saka and ESR emerged, he would've been one of our best options for the wing lol.

[starmandb]

A negative goal difference after 14 matches played is unprecedented.

I'd take a back line of Mustafi and Sokratis over this if it meant spreading the squad investment more evenly instead of stockpiling CBs and useless Xhaka clones.

Unprecedented?
We were in negative goal difference after 14 games in 73/74 and 74/75 and that’s just two seasons that I remember

[VCC]

A negative goal difference after 14 matches played is unprecedented.

I'd take a back line of Mustafi and Sokratis over this if it meant spreading the squad investment more evenly instead of stockpiling CBs and useless Xhaka clones.

Unprecedented?
We were in negative goal difference after 14 games in 73/74 and 74/75 and that’s just two seasons that I remember

Allot of the guys wouldn't have been in their old mans ball sacks in 73-75 most had only known one manager until AW went west

[starmandb]

A negative goal difference after 14 matches played is unprecedented.

I'd take a back line of Mustafi and Sokratis over this if it meant spreading the squad investment more evenly instead of stockpiling CBs and useless Xhaka clones.

Unprecedented?
We were in negative goal difference after 14 games in 73/74 and 74/75 and that’s just two seasons that I remember

Allot of the guys wouldn't have been in their old mans ball sacks in 73-75 most had only known one manager until AW went west

It still plays into the mantra that if you are critical of your own the facts should be cast iron solid and not casually thrown around
Supporters support

[theHotHead]

How about this as a statement I am sure we can all get behind:

There is no way a club of Arsenal's size and stature should be on negative goal difference approaching Christmas.

Can we all agree on that at least ?!!!

[firfi]

The season before he picked us up we we're 1 pts behind 4th place and Emery sacked the Season for Europa league let that sink in. Now we're 8th twice and ur okay with that and we're on a coarse to get 8th again.

[jayramfootball]

How about this as a statement I am sure we can all get behind:

There is no way a club of Arsenal's size and stature should be on negative goal difference approaching Christmas.

Can we all agree on that at least ?!!!

Not really.
I would say it is disappointing for Arsenal FC to have a negative goal difference approaching Christmas - not that there should be no way for it to happen.
It only takes 2 or 3 games where things go south to wreck a GD over 14 games.
our GD was -9 over the first 3 games alone - and it has been +6 since.
We all know the first 3 games was a shit show - for various reasons.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

A negative goal difference after 14 matches played is unprecedented.

I'd take a back line of Mustafi and Sokratis over this if it meant spreading the squad investment more evenly instead of stockpiling CBs and useless Xhaka clones.

Unprecedented?
We were in negative goal difference after 14 games in 73/74 and 74/75 and that’s just two seasons that I remember

OK, so this last time we had a GD this terrible happened when:

- Brezhnev was heading up the Soviet Union

- the Shah had just assumed power in Iran

- Arteta's dad was growing his first pubes

I am duly chastened.

Next you'll tell me the six shillings it cost to fund a transfer window then comes out to £150m in today's money.

[starmandb]

Unprecedented
Never known or done before
Words matter

[greengoonerie]

We finished second in 2016. That’s two years before he was fired. How that makes it ten years in decline I don’t know. You’d be doing cartwheels if we finish second any time in the next decade.

Because we finished second in a 2 horse race. He is not getting props for finishing second when we should've won the league that season, we won't get a better chance than 2016 and Wenger f***ked it up!

No. We finished second in a 20 horse race. And for what it’s worth every fan thinks we should have won every season. But it’s going to be a looooooong fcking wait before the next Arsenal manager gets us to finish second.

Mate, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and Man U were going through a major transition, they were all poor, it was down to Arsenal and Tottenham to duke it out for the league title, we were on top at Christmas I believe, we got overtaken by Leicester and lost the title. We won't be in a situation where 4 of the biggest teams are going through a major transition again at the same time.

Honestly how the f**k is this even a conversation that has been driven from a simple point that it will be good to get top 6 this year and we might even get top 4 with some luck???????
Does anyone actually think otherwise?

I don't agree it would be good, I think it should be the bottom line. Good would be a top 4 finish.

Top 4 would be an exceptional achievement.
To turn this club around and get us back into the CL in less than 3 years would elevate Arteta massively.

It would because he’s been so rubbish so far, two 8th places.

There’s zero chance of 4th place with Arteta, anyone who thinks there is needs to wake up IMO, the guy is a dreadful manager.

Next season will be a washout, if it’s possible to get it wrong Arteta will, let’s not kid ourselves anymore please, this guy was all hype.

I can tell you right now the one thing that will make Arteta miss out on a top 4 finish and that is starting Auba as CF. Book this post.

By the time Arteta realizes his mistake we would have dropped too many points to make a comeback

I am still hopeful Auba will be better this year. He can't be much worse than last.
We're stuck with him this season, so if last season was just about attitude and not his age we might get one final season out of him before he leaves.
Against some teams, where we have less possession, he may even be ok playing centrally

Sadly Jayram this post has not aged well.

Auba is and will continue to be worse than last season. And next season he will be even worse. And Arteta will still pick him next season



Crimson- you aren't even in the ball park when it comes to how i have felt about the waste of a pick that is PEA. He's an absolute sham of a footballer and has been since he got his 350k deal.

Worst Arsenal captain ever and now the worst CF ever at Arsenal in terms of performance. Worst.

[Angelito]

Bizarrely enough, it seems like Arteta is good at most things apart from coaching.

[ag6789]

But soon Auba ,Pepe and Party all will be heading for AFCONS, put up to a month(?), so Arteta will be forced to play a new CF , possibly Laca ( who also lacks motivation, after contract stalled) or maybe be Martinelli ( lightweight , me thinks) or dip into the market.
It seems Auba is set for the bench anyway from the Everton game.
See if our fortunes improve when Arteta's hands are forced. Interesting January awaits.

[jayramfootball]

But soon Auba ,Pepe and Party all will be heading for AFCONS, put up to a month(?), so Arteta will be forced to play a new CF , possibly Laca ( who also lacks motivation, after contract stalled) or maybe be Martinelli ( lightweight , me thinks) or dip into the market.
It seems Auba is set for the bench anyway from the Everton game.
See if our fortunes improve when Arteta's hands are forced. Interesting January awaits.

Could be a blessing in disguise.
None of them are any good this year.

[theHotHead]

Arteta is reducing the value of all of Kroenke's assets, its like he is a financial hit man. £45m you say, I'll soon get it down to £20m.