07 Feb 2021 18:21:37
I keep ranting here about MA. Everybody talks about our improved defensive game, but to be honest, that is what is costing us.

When we attack, you hardly see anybody in the box? Teams attack in numbers, with up to 5 players in the box.

For instance, City just scored against Liverpool, with 5 city players inside the 18yard box.

Arsenal game is just so boring, players stay back and play sideways, then lump in a cross into the box, with nobody at the end of it, even at the end of a rebound.

Very pathetic. Arteta is not what Arsenal needs.


1.) 07 Feb 2021
07 Feb 2021 18:36:42
Whilst I see your point I think our defence got so crap he had to sacrifice the attack to improve it. And the next step (next window) will be improving the attack whilst still being more solid at the back than we was. Least I'm hoping. It was always going to take a few years to sort the mess out.

{Ed047's Note - we did need to sort and now individual errors seem to cost us rather than being inept as a whole defending.

We have to start from the back, we’ve added Partey and we need an upgrade next to him.

We need to find a player to rotate with ESR and I won’t mind if he’s a first choice as ESR will still learn.

It’s defend as one and attack as one and that is going to take time.


2.) 07 Feb 2021
07 Feb 2021 18:39:22
You make a fair point mate, however do you think it is Arteta just not quite trusting the defensive personnel that we currently have on display? Or do you think its his style? You see against some of the lesser teams just how aggressive we can be with our attacking, however when we seem to play a team who we know can hurt us i see us just not as committed to get everyone up there.


3.) 07 Feb 2021
07 Feb 2021 19:30:19
OK people are not happy about Belerin but from what I can make of it people are effervescent about Holding Gabriel Teirny plus Partey and Xhaka too now, so what's wrong with the defence that Arteta can't trust it and needs to be so cautious?

Yes we can say Gabriel was ruled out but strangely we did better without than with him (don't ask me to explain why, but we did) , we can also say Tierney is now out but if we think like that we will always be Just one injured player away from a dip in form and find an acceptable excuse for that dip, plus Cedric has had some pretty glowing reviews while deputising.

Managers set the style of play and impress thier Phyloshy on the players they manage.


4.) 07 Feb 2021
07 Feb 2021 19:36:08
Not sure that’s entirely a manager’s fault. You need players with confidence and pace in case your team mate lose the ball you can get back or trust the back two. I say back back two because in the scenario you mentioned I would presume one or both full backs are playing high up the pitch.


5.) 07 Feb 2021
07 Feb 2021 21:20:00
Im still to be convinced by Gabriel, looks promising but still only young, has a lot to learn. Holding for me has been decent, but too slow and I don’t think he reads the game well enough to cover for the lack pace, also very wasteful from corners. Tierney is the one on that list for me G62, he should be made captain for me, as he plays every game full of determination to win. Partey early signs are good, great range of passing, but sometimes a little sloppy with it. Xhaka has been in my view really good since the Burnley game, is he good enough though, i think if he could speed up his game he could be, and seems to be gelling well with Partey. Come the end of the season, depending on where we finish will decide on who is available for us to strengthen and if we do or not.

Im still not sure on wether Arteta will come great, but i think the board will give him at least another season, i think rightly so as well, he has managed to get the squad trimmed, maybe a few extra to leave in the summer and strengthen the full backs and CAM. The squad overhaul was needed long before Wenger left.