23 Sep 2021 04:35:01
So I know a lot of people on here really don't rate arteta for many reasons. tactics, team selection, Saliba (I don't know one football fan I speak to not baffled by this) and man management to name but a few, and they may well prove to be totally correct. but I just want to say the direction I see this team heading in makes me feel good about the squad, not because we've beaten 3 teams we should be beating without a shadow of a doubt but more because of the core of youth that is being forged into a team that could potentially play together for a very long time, I am very much a rose tinted glasses fan who overly backs our team when I probably shouldn't but who can honestly say that atleast 75% of the youngsters in this team aren't truly exciting prospects? The project that they are building excites me massively and although I'm still not 100% convinced arteta will get the quick fire results he needs this season to ensure he bears the fruits of this youth gamble a decent manager that potentially follows arteta will have an amazing base to build from, something we haven't had for a very long time. I hope he gets the time to see out his vision for the squad but I genuinely don't think he will last that long. surely MA, Edu and co atleast deserve some credit for having the balls to do this when they must have known the stick they would get. sorry for the essay just nice to post something positive about our club in a time where for years there's been very little to be optimistic about COYG.


1.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 09:48:21
Couldnt agree more, the youth coming through is very exciting! doesn't mean much for this season, and possibly next, but if talents like Patino, Biereth, Balogun, Taylor-Hart etc continue to develop at the current rate, we are in luck. Add these to Saka, ESR, Martinelli, Sambi, Pepe, White, Ramsdale, Tavares! The squad can be insane in a few years!


2.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 10:46:45
I don't want to throw a spanner in the works but genuine question, how long can we keep Saka ERS Teirny without being able to offer them competitive football both at home and in Europe?
Top teams who can offer top football will come in for them I'm sure.

{Ed002's Note - There is interest in Saka.}


3.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 13:03:01
Who has interest in Saka Edoo2?

{Ed002's Note - Bukayo Saka (LM/LW) Atletico have enquired after his availability and Juventus have have declared an interest.}


4.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 13:21:41
Agreed 62, I said a few weeks ago our talented youngsters would be off in a couple of seasons if we don’t start competing and who could blame them.


5.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 13:58:02
It's only natural players want to play at the very top Banbury mate, people say, "if these youngsters stick with us we will be this that and the other in 3 years time " but Saka and ERS have been at Arsenal a long time and like us they've heard it all sp many times before.

We need to actually show the football world that Arsenal are back in the business of being a truly competitive club before anyone is going to take us seriously again.


6.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 15:47:06
But the difference I see now is the base is fully there, what we need now is a couple of top established players sprinkled in to the mix, yes we are gona struggle to attract that type of caliber player but I genuinely think if we were to throw enough money at a truly top talent each window it’s possible… money talks and we no longer have the need for 4,5 or 6 players each window, just my opinion and not saying it’s possible or even likely but the foundation has been set in my opinion, next two or three windows will be crucial for the direction we go and if we can retain the bulk of this talent we’re brimming with.


7.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 16:19:29
I see what you are saying Marshall mate but progress needs to be proven for any of it to have a realistic chance of happening.
A 3rd successive 8th place finish won't impress the ambitious players we already have or attract ambitious big name players to us so Arteta needs to show people he's the man by getting the best out of an already very decent squad.

Chelsea let club legend Frank Lampard go and brought in Tuchel who won the champions league with the same players Frank had not the players he has now and if we accept another 8th place from Mikel them we won't deserve anything better.

All clubs are where they themselves put themselves and all clubs are currently reaping the rewards the choices and decisions they have made in the recent past.


8.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 16:23:37
Great point about the youth. Obviously we were very much youth orientated in our transfer market activity, plus our own youngsters coming through. But the 64,000€ question is Arteta the man to make it all gell.


9.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 17:51:28
I agree Bill, we have a short window of opportunity with this young squad; get it right and we could keep them together and reap the rewards on the pitch for sometime, get it wrong and the squad will naturally disperse leaving us with only those who failed to impress bigger more successful teans.

Giving Arteta this short window is an absolutely huge gamble.

I doubt very much any Chelsea fans now wish they had stuck with Frank out of loyalty and given Tuchel a miss.


10.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 19:41:50
I’m super excited about the youth and talent in the squad. I would like some experienced players to lead them as well as winners to teach them. My concern is with the boss and Edu. Arteta is so stubborn and tinkers too much while he doesn’t seem to be able to make big in game decisions or man manage.

I don’t think it’s taken balls to run with youth - we don’t really have a lot of options and it’s what we’ve been saying on the site for a while.

We needed a revolution and we are slowly getting there but like the youth team Wenger tried to build…. Hopefully it doesn’t start disintegrating due to lack of medals or to fund some other need.

Nothing against Arteta but I just don’t rate him that highly.


11.) 23 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 21:32:38
I get the optimistic out look but I do think a lot of it is based on conformation bias.

If we were still in our pomp and fighting for titles and Liverpool were currently in our exact position with our current squad, with Mikel as their manager and had our last 5 seasons reord of 6th 5th 5th 8th 8th would we be concerned about them in the slightest?

Our only real tangible assets at this moment in time are our young players who are actually doing it right here right now in the premier league, we could increase those tangible assets overnight by replacing our novice manager who is obviously struggling badly at this level with an experienced manager who isn't currently struggling at all but is and has for a long time now constantly exceeded expectations.


12.) 24 Sep 2021
23 Sep 2021 23:16:23
Spot on 62 and a change in style of play plus some experience.