Santi wrote:Angelito wrote:Fran Solo wrote:It is amazlng that we beat Chelsea with this very cheap starting lineup. No Willian, Luiz, Aubameyang, Pepe, Ozil, Gabriel, Mustafi, Sokratis, Partey, Kolasinac and so on.
bUt wE hAvE thE wORst sqUad
How many times do we have to say, we know full well what this squad is capable of at it's best. As I said before, it's comfortably 4th/5th best in the league on paper and when they perform.
Consistency and attitude is what drags them down to about 10th best. Do you guys think we should sell Aubameyang and Partey btw? Since we won 1 game without them then I guess we don't need them at all right?
Santi darling, you haven't said that. But it's been implied countless times here that we have an appalling squad, which is why we suck.
As you've said, this is a top-6 squad. Others like me hold the same opinion. Both of us went overboard in the summer, didn't we? We actually believed Arteta might be amongst the top-4 best managers in the league.
It hasn't turned out that way. I don't understand why Mikel is the antithesis of Wenger and Pep. Never would I have imagined that. At this stage, he looks like a chemical son of Jose post-Inter and Emery at Arsenal.
The squad, as it is, is good enough for top-6 under a good manager. I'd argue that it's worthy of top-4 nomination under someone like Klopp or Simeone. Arteta hasn't helped himself with all the buffoonery in player management.
The greatest managers of all time—the likes of Wenger and SAF—were brilliant man managers. Unlike Wenger and Wengerball, SAF doesn't even have a philosophy dedicated to him. Yet, he's the most successful manager of all time.
We shouldn't sell Auba and Partey. But we've seen how Martinelli's return has rejuvenated this side. He's still a kid. Arteta was happy with his preferred players. That line-up against Chelsea was enforced on him.
We have similar talented players in Ozil, Guendouzi, Torreira, Saliba, and Sokratis that he ditched. Some of those players mayn't be as good as they were. Some, like 'Douzi, might simply need more guidance. A Torreira would be a good player off the bench.
My opinion is that the squad isn't the issue. You believe that. That's what I'm saying. I simply don't believe that we need 73920 players to play decent football.
My expectation is no longer top-4 that you and I, and so many of us, took for granted under Wenger. My expectations—under Mikel—is good football, a top-6 finish.
I was amongst the first people who wanted Arteta here (hi Simmy!)—over Carlo, Jose, and the likes—but I won't be fixated on it if he can't get this bunch to perform.
