***** ARSENAL CHIT CHAT *****

Good result for them

Wolves were never scoring tonight and I backed them

Discipline again. Though three points despite John Moss being on the whistle must be a positive. He tried his best though.

Seems like going down to 10 makes us grind results out, but it really isn’t pretty.

Wolves aren’t the team you have faith in vs 10 though fink

They move the ball to slowly and it’s easy to defend against

Fink, Michael Oliver was the ref.

My bad….At least it wasn’t Craig Pawson, my own personal bete noir.

Another ref mightn't have sent Martinelli off but both were cynical and yellow cards. He could have stopped it after the first one and booked him though as it may have resulted in a foul throw. A little unlucky but a lot more stupid. No complaints. Don't get why Arteta is talking about VAR when it was two yellows and VAR wasn't involved?

A good result and defensive performance but Wolves aren't that hard to defend against. Another set piece goal from a CH and a worrying lack of potency up front and inability or lack of any intention as a team to hold onto the ball when under pressure. Doesn't bode well for top 4 aspirations. Doubt it would have been much different in the last 20 if we had 11. Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs games all to be rescheduled.

Some pundits are not very bright imo...............

Ex-Republic of Ireland striker Morrison was the co-commentator for BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: "I've never seen it before where you get booked twice in the space of five seconds. Arsenal do have a case [to be angry]." Er, why??  never mind Keown will be along to explain in a minute

Former Gunners defender Martin Keown on BT Sport thought it was unfair on Martinelli as he did not know he was going to be booked for the first foul. He said: "It's within the laws of the game but I thought it was pedantic from the referee. "There's a moral issue with what the referee has done. It doesn't feel sporting."...Bl00dy sight more sporting than committing two yellow card worth fouls in thirty seconds.

He thought Oliver should have stopped play after the first foul, although fellow pundit Joleon Lescott pointed out the referee did not know the Brazilian was going to commit another foul before he got a chance to book him. Correct - Ref played the advantage, simples

I've never seen it before - that's because it's extremely rare that a player gets a chance to commit the second foul before being booked for the first one. They were both stupid. He had gained massive ground on the player for he second one and if he'd kept going he would have been goal side. The player wasn't about to pass or cross the ball either but he just barged into the back of him.

A lot of Arsenal fans bleating like children that the refs are against us. I can't think of one red we've got this season that we can complain about. In nearly all cases there has been a high level of stupidity from our players and we can and should be complaining about that. There have been a few where opposition teams should have got one but didn't, that's about it.

Gabriel damaging the penalty spot, Xhaka and Partey against Liverpool in the LC, Xhaka two footed against City, Martinelli last night. That's all of them this season. Criticising the ref and not the player for any of them is not being a fan it's being an idiot like the player.

Blimey. At this rate we’ll finish fourth without having to play another game (assuming West Ham get deducted points for the cat torturer and Man U for Greenwood). Makes you realise how much of a muchness it is outside the top 3.

Best league in the world my arse.

All results possible tonight, but low scoring I suspect. Think market over estimates our chances. Wolves are a canny side. Tight game in prospect.

Making my way there now. Hope atmosphere is the same as recent games and the crowd in the stadium are behind the team, ignoring the social media pundits who never go….

Great atmosphere last night. Good win against a very organised and determined side. Think 4th is achievable, but it will be touch and go.

Tbf, we shouldn't be anywhere near 4th in the so-called "best league in the world".

Can you think of a worst Arsenal side than this in the last 35 years?

I can't think of one. It's as much to do with the quality of the other sides going for 4th tho. Wolves are still in contention despite losing to us twice and only scoring 24 goals in 25 games!

We are very consistent against teams below us in the table, which we nearly always were under Wenger and last season too. Don't think our highest level has improved very much tho, we'd still get KO'd from the Europa before the SFs imo. Can't seem to win any game comfortably.

Arteta will get more time now regardless. He has never signed a striker, so that is the next test. More goals are needed to move to the next level. Still think he might sign Laca on a bumper contract but he'll have to give him Willian wages as he's already on about 180k a week. He has got rid of every player on those wages, so perhaps not. It would be a big mistake, better to spend on youth.

Spirited performance last night but severe lack of quality until Pepe changed the game. Hopefully he gets more of a look-in as I think we'll need him given the lack of quality up front. Wolves should have gone for a second but got what they deserved in the end.

Unusually I was feeling optimistic about our chances tomorrow. However, have just seen it’s our old friend Craig Pawson on the whistle. A lay for me now.

Great going forward. Best for a long time. Poor at the back.

Final CL spot will be touch and go. Spurs have a much easier run in than us and our ‘games in hand’ are, on paper, our most difficult ones remaining. Still, makes a change from the ‘Arteta out’ narrative.

4th place by default quite possible.

Not a fan of Arteta but what do I know about football and what goes on at a club. He is fortunate to have a fine set of youngsters and the future is looking brighter than at the start of the season.

He has or is cutting the wage bill and the summer will be interesting. What top strikers would want to come to Arsenal though? On the plus side are good wages, promising young team, London and perhaps Champions League Football. The spine is still not good enough.

Another great atmosphere inside the ground yesterday. Good performance, though Leicester were understrength.

Huge test on Wednesday against a top, top side. Will be a more accurate measure of where we actually are. ‘Pool odds on which is fair. Hope we can put in a performance regardless of the result. If we get rinsed, it could be a big blow to this group of young players.

I think we should give more credit to Arteta. First time a manager and stood firm to get rid of the toxic players in the squad. A nice young squad that will only improve. Yes he inherited Saka, Gabriel, ESR, Tierney & Martinelli but also brought in Odegaard, Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Tomiyasu & Tavares. Credit where credit is due. Yes, you could argue we are lucky not to be in Europe with a light squad - LEts see what happens in the summer if we make top 4. I'll be there Wednesday.

See how we do against Liverpool. Nothing else is really a barometer as we were beating the other teams consistently in the second half of last season. We showed a lot of improvement against City the last time tho and that was encouraging.

Man U Leicester and Spurs are all having mare seasons, so no surprise to see us closer to 4th after a lot of spending and no midweek football. Overall, I don't see much improvement yet. Pretty toothless in attack most of the time despite the players we have up top and still very reliant on set-piece goals.

Fact your not had European games to worry about or any cup games
You’ve beaten what’s around you are in driving seat in mini league
For 4th 5th 6th 7th
Other teams had mares but are still about
Fact you had poor start your be miles clear up with Chelsea
Liverpool game surly free hit with games you have in hand

makes a change from the ‘Arteta out’ narrative.

I did an Arteta Out thread myself, but I don't think he should go now. I like the decisions he has made in the last few months, prioritizing players who should be reaching the peak in 2/3 years and building around them, not looking to give huge contracts to talented older players that have not brought much success.

I don't think Top 4 is that big of a deal really at this point. Of course it does no harm, but getting too excited about it could perhaps bring back the '4th Placed Trophy' mentality, which is what brought Arsenal to their relative low ebb of the last 5 years.

Arsenal being in the Champion's League between 1998 up to around 2010 was exciting, as there was always the possibility they could go all the way, although they never really fulfilled their potential. But the last 6 or 7 years in the competition under Wenger was not enjoyable at all; tedious group phase, then a hiding in the L16, then a 2 month battle to secure 4th and repeat the whole process again. Every summer there would players in or around the starting eleven that would be coming near the end of contract, that were clearly not good enough to compete with the best teams, who would be given new 4 year deals, because these players were good enough for 4th, and 4th was the ultimate prize.

Saka and Smith-Rowe may be excited about getting 4th this season, but - assuming they fulfill their potential - when they are 23/24 they will not be excited about 4th place/Last 16, because they will look around at Foden/Grealish/TAA and see them every April challenging for titles and CL Semis and wonder why they can't be doing that. If the likes of Xhaka are still around in 2024/25 because 'we got Top 4 with him' then it will be clear to Saka and Smith Rowe that 4th is the ceiling of the club and they will be looking elsewhere.

Some good points Tobermory. It will be galling to lose some of our good young players if the chances of winning silverware is demonstrably better elsewhere. Already rumblings about Saka and I’m guessing a few will now be sniffing around Martinelli too. Important to keep this group together and add to them if we want to make progress.

A committed performance last night and great support. Beaten by an elite team that were just as committed but were clinical in taking their chances. Game probably turned on the Odegaard chance.

I’m far from convinced that we’ll actually finish 4th this season. The games in hand are against Chelsea and Spurs, so we could end up with no points from those. Added to that, Spurs have a dream run in with the exception of having to go to Anfield.

When you look at the Brighton and Brentford model, which is really good based on a good business model, are clubs like Arsenal, West Ham going to become an upmarket version of these, but going to have to play second fiddle to the sheikhs money teams?

Arsenal are not at the same level as Brentford, Brighton, West Ham. They are more on the level of Liverpool in terms of support base domestically and globally. Liverpool have bridged the gap thru getting the right manager and being savvy in the transfer market in both sales and purchases. Arsenal are a long way away from all that still but that's what they should strive for. Wouldn't be at all confident of that happening under the current owners tho and not even sure that's on their radar but it should be as the revenues grow more with success than anything else, which is why Liverpool have overtaken Arsenal in terms of revenues by some distance.

Another good and encouraging performance against a top side so more progress for me. Still not got the cutting edge in the final third tho and still no better than a europa league KO stage level side. We should be better in terms of ideas and movement in the final third with the players we have in attack tho. Some really poor decision making once we get near the box and players still rather rigid and predictable in terms of their positions. Arteta will sign a striker in the summer and hopefully a replacement for Xhaka too and let's see if that side of things improves.

Even money for Arsenal Top 4 is utterly ridiculous. A great lay.

Big problems at FB and in midfield now. Xhaka would prob move to LB but now Partey is injured too. Vieira targeted our full-backs last night and we couldn't play out. Completely devoid of ideas in attack and toothless in the middle up top, with two championship level 9s to pick from.

Meanwhile 'finished' Auba has 7 in 6 starts for Barca cos Xavi is playing him as a box 9 and tells him just to make runs across the goal in between the posts and the others will find him. Who'd have thunk it?

Arsenal weren't going to move forward with Aubemayang, though he is better than what they have there now.

Apr 5, 2022 -- 11:25AM, the fink sisters wrote:

Even money for Arsenal Top 4 is utterly ridiculous. A great lay.

It's still a toss-up and can go either way. Or Man U could go on a winning run and steal 4th spot. But yeah, Pound shop Pep looks tactically inept when things are not going according to plan.

They were never going to move forward with Auba in a false 9 system, yes, but best to change the system to suit him, given the likes of Saka, ESR and Martinelli who could be coached to create chances for him.

Best not to give him a new contract on 350k a week if you are not going to play him in a system like that. Assurances were likely given to him to get him to sign too, as he was almost immediately unhappy and could have gone to Barca on a free instead.

Not saying Auba would make a difference now. He wouldn't. He would still look like the visibly depressed version he was when he played under this manager.

Odegaard has 3 assists, 2 against Norwich away and 1 against Leeds. Laca, 4 goals, 2 of them penalties. Hasn't scored from open play in 10 games. Doesn't appear to be much coaching of attacking players still. In a false 9 system, wide attackers are supposed to make runs into the central space the 9 vacates. Everyone just seems very rigid, you don't see midfielders making runs into the box either.

It's a big problem that's been there since the start and I don't think signing a top striker is going to solve it on its own. Re top 4, as the defence is weaker now (and the midfield) it is not looking good. But top 5 might be enough because Russia's 2 places and maybe Ukraine's might be redistributed.

Time to ditch Pep's cone man methinks.

Looks like the season will end like the Emery one in 2019.

A 'certain' Top 4 place lost on the run in.

Looks like the season will go out with a whimper, for sure. I posted on 17 March that Spurs were more likely to achieve 4th than us given the respective run ins when we were trading at 1.6.

Where to from here? If we get 5th or 6th they will argue that progress has been made, despite a squad lacking quality. A more ruthless board would probably show Arteta the door, but I can’t see that happening. Needs a Summer of investment to move forward again, midfield and striker being absolute priorities. Shame if we don’t take advantage of this opportunity. Can’t see United in particular being as poor again next season.

I think it should be clear by now that Pep's former cone man is not the answer.

Every time there's any kind of test, we crumble.

Other than a covid affected FA Cup win, what's he achieved?

Clowns will back him again in the summer. They need to develop a ruthless streak but not just at the end of the season. The likes of Tuchel and Conte were available mid-season, need to fire the manager and get someone like that if and when available. But there are no alternatives left really and the fans seem happy generally so no need for them to change.

Squad depth is as bad as ever and attack weaker than ever.  The way the manager plays in the final third is the real tell, zero improvement in 3 years and little desire for a 2 goal lead. Selling Guendouzi on an £8m option looks like a real f up too. Could have had some real quality in the team and great cover too if the manager could man-manage better.

Some points well made lurka. Though Conte and Tuchel demand top dollar and we have no track record of paying those sort of managerial wages. There was so much dead wood at the club (still is) and clearing it out takes time. Like you, I feel the way they have left the midfield looks particularly negligent. Maitland Niles or Guendouzi could surely have done a job if retained. Unfortunately Arteta is a very young manager and doesn’t seem able to compromise when it comes to man management. He does appear to be backed to the hilt by the board which I think has led to fewer outright protests.

Despite the two recent losses, the general view of the fans that go (rather than the more voluble armchair section) is generally supportive. I was there Saturday. There was booing, but by no means as toxic as in previous seasons.

I don't think we had the money to pay a top manager when Emery and Arteta were hired. We had to pay off the prev manager and had a very limited transfer budget. We did last summer due to FFP relaxations from covid, the owners pumped in a lot of money (which will prob have to be repaid) even tho we had no gate receipts for a year and had lost our euro football revenue. Not sure that can/will happen again as FFP relaxations will prob end soon and that money is gone now. 

It was prob our only chance to either get a top guy in or to bolster the squad with quality which will take years otherwise. The owners need to realise that spending big on the right manager is much smarter than backing a cheap option. But perhaps that ship has sailed now. I wouldn't really criticise them for it as they didn't have to do it and fans have been crying out for them to do it for years.

I think another manager, not necessarily top level, would have Saliba, Guendouzi, Auba as regulars in the team and performing well, playing a system which suits the players he has. The likes of Saka, ESR, Martinelli too all look capable of producing a lot more than they do but they don't have a top striker to feed and don't look like they know what they are supposed to do with the ball most of the time. No game plan up top and little movement.

Meanwhile cast-off Unai takes moneybags Villareal to CL semis a season after lifting the Europa League trophy.

The man wasn't given the respect he deserved.

Arsenal and Arteta are complete gash. Who loses three on the bounce to bottom half teams at this stage of the season? Only a team that would lose a winning lottery ticket!

Apr 16, 2022 -- 7:15PM, Storm Alert wrote:

Arsenal and Arteta are complete gash. Who loses three on the bounce to bottom half teams at this stage of the season? Only a team that would lose a winning lottery ticket!

Spurs are just as bad (or possibly worse).

Sh!t v sh!tter

if we had ambition in the club arteta would be gone tonight, but we haven't

how the hell was emery sacked but this is allowed to continue it doesnt make any sense

win our last 7 we are 4th , in our own hands still, we are all crap but someone has to come 4th

absolutely no chance under this current manager the way they are not playing for him , so why not give someone else a crack, nothing to lose now

same **** squad of players yes,  but utd and spurs are still stuttering, you cant tell me its not worth a try rather than just accepting our fate

mainly because of the FA cup win and no fans in the stadium for half of it.

It's not going to happen but I'd like to see him stay until a suitable candidate is found or becomes available and then fired without notice once we agree terms. He's not going anywhere this summer anyway. We'd get 4th with a proper striker and a manager who knows how to coach an attack. Arteta has bought Odegaard and Willian in 2.5 years. Buying a striker is not going to fix things and no reason to think he's going to buy a good one. Learned under Pep and Wenger and he doesn't have a clue how to attack? Big red flag. We'd be doing well to finish 3rd in a CL group tho.

Of course that is what WILL happen Lurka

I just feel this is our best chance of top 4 in the immediate future and we are not out of it yet.

With Newcastle in the mix next year and Utd and Spurs surely better, I think its this season or not for a long time (or until we find a new owner)

Great atmosphere last night in the away end. Genuinely didn’t see that result coming. Football, eh?

Still think we’ll be 5th or 6th given the respective run ins. Having beaten Chelsea away, it’s almost written that United will turn up on Saturday.

^
The Arsenal fans were great last night

This season reminds me of Emery's first when ourselves and Spurs dropped 11/15 points in our last 5 games and United dropped 13. Lose 3 in a row to lower sides then beat both United and Chelsea by 2?

I think we've been quite poor for over a month now but somehow in pole position for 4th again. Lucky to meet West Ham between EL SF legs and then Leeds at home. 2 very winnable games. Could actually clinch 4th with a result in the NLD. But not smart to make any predictions.

Agree lurka (when was the last time that happened).

The point about playing West Ham between two legs is well made. Whether we will be able to take advantage of it is another matter. Leeds could go either way if we’re nervous. We were good in parts yesterday but United were a bit unlucky and on another day…. Still nothing guaranteed though.

Great atmosphere inside the ground though wasn’t it? Felt a while since it’s been like that and Arteta has to take some credit for forging a reconnection with the fans.

well the team made me look stupid with those two results

never thought we were out of it but didnt see the turn around this week

circumstances went our way, and i was amazed ronaldo didnt take the open, he scores 2-2 the way teh game was going we could have gone on to lose

and chelsea missing key defenders,  maybe lady luck is smiling on us now

lets hope we can see it through , and then attract some better players

Arteta is quite clearly the best manager since Herbert Chapman

I have an idea to read back through this thread after a few bottles of London Pride. I think it would be quite amusing.

Wherever you got that impression, I'm sure it ain't from reading this thread

Whilst not being prepared to bet on it I think Someone did say Arteta is ok

or deserves a chance

Which imho is tantamount

You playing Westham with no recognised centre half
In middle of two big games in Europe
Going be in great shape come north London derby where might not have to worry about the result

Oh pleeeease digger

You are not talking about Citeh or Toon fans. People used to being placed on the dung heap of life with their team and abused by the owners. London has more to offer bitter and twisted Arsenal fans after being devastated by failed promises. Landan has more to offer than Northern Monkey Land

There was justified criticism of Arteta earlier this season and last. Obviously, everyone wants Rome to be built in a day. It’s been very clear that the Board were going to back their man unless they were languishing in mid-table and I think as a result of that, they cut out a lot of the noise. The atmosphere inside the stadium is the best I’ve experienced for a long time. We have a terrific bunch of young players and a great platform to make further progress. I wouldn’t bet the ranch on 4th, but I think there’s a decent coach in Arteta and he, like his young charges, will make mistakes on that journey. It’s often overlooked that he’s the youngest coach, with the youngest team in the league.

Agreed Fink - I don't post on here often but have said he must be doing something right on more than one occasion on this thread.....

Classic end of season game today, tense atmosphere. Stadium behind the team. Definitely closer that it should have been given that Leeds were down to 10 men. They showed a lot of spirit, to be fair.

Pleased we’re four points clear. Derbies have generally gone with the home team in the past couple of years and I’d be surprised to get anything on Thursday, especially as they’ve announced Paul Tierney as the man with the whistle. Will then be a very difficult couple of fixtures, especially if Everton need anything on the last day.

What is it with arsenal there dirty cheating mob with manger
That sneak into his gran bedroom nick her last cigarette
Can’t stand that word streetwise no it’s cheating
Hate spurs think there sit back wait tactics like ours
At Westham from dinosaur age I hate it myself but gets results now than

A lot of fans and the manager blaming the ref for that last night. Embarrassing and pathetic all round, always someone else's fault. It was a penalty and a red card. The second one could have been a straight red. Never the players' fault, which is why it keeps happening.

Rob 'Holdini' Holding was signed from Bolton after a single season where they finished bottom of the championship, 19 points off safety. Never been good enough for any top half PL side, never mind Arsenal. He's started over 40 PL games under Arteta, while Saliba is banished. No idea what he's still doing at the club. Totally out of his depth and yet another stupid red card in a big game. 13 in the league since Arteta joined. Brighton are second with 8 in the same period. And the media talk about the discipline Arteta has instilled in the squad?

If we get top 4 we will be mullered in the CL. The only reason we are in contention is the poor seasons of Leicester, Spurs, Man U and not having midweek football. Zero improvement, in fact we are worse than Emery's first season and Wenger's final season after £150m spent in the summer. Even Ramsdale has looked average for the last while. Imagine we had midweek football this season too?

The only thing the manager has done well is get the wage bill down. But that has only helped the owners, not the team. He will likely give Nketiah or Laca a new contract and sign a striker who doesn't score enough goals. Whoever he gets, he hasn't a clue how to attack.

depressing lurka

that contract they have just given arteta is up there with the wenger extension for the biggest own goal we have ever scored

if we got 4th then yes but why give it early, it just stinks of a lack of ambition

reading crap about how arteta is bringing us back into europe

well he is the only manager in my memory who has taken us out of it by finishing 8th.

Robbie Keane said last night if we finish fifth we should view it as a good season

Hope he was taking the piss or we are really in trouble

elneny xhaka holding still playing for us years after wenger left ,  why has that been allowed to happen?

and going into last night with eddie as our only goal threat, spurs must have been terrified

if we do get 4th we will need about 7/8 new players and we are only linked with whoever man city dont want anymore

we havent learned from taking chelsea cast offs

mentality of the whole club has never recovered since wenger viewed 4th as a trophy

ill disciplined, no composure and that's not just Holding... Arteta running around complaining like a maniac after the sending off instead of concentrating on getting his defence sorted out and getting a centre half on. His interview after the match was cloud cuckoo ranting.   It's not as if this spurs team are much cop, they can't control games and rely on counter attacking, unless a team like Arsenal gift them a game (and 4th place). Impossible to imagine Arsenal have to composure or squad to tun up and beat Newcastle next week.

Pretty dismal all round last night. Penalty was a bit soft for me, but we’ve had a couple of those this season and it evens out. Holding can have no complaints. You can pick up two yellows in a game, but to get the second so early was just reckless. Game was then over.

The debate about Arteta will no doubt start to rage again. It’s kind of a moot debate. The Board have set a direction for the club and will no doubt give him time. Atmosphere in the stadium has been the best I’ve experienced for years and the majority of the criticism is from the armchair fan.

More investment clearly needed, but the upper level of that now looks unlikely as I don’t think we’ll get 4th and have been saying so since mid March given Spurs run in. I don’t see them dropping points which means we’ll have to beat Newcastle and Everton with a paper thin squad and major problems in central defence. Big ask.

Lot of comment on Arteta’s rant last night. I think what he did was classic deflection. Politicians do it all the time. If this performance was five games in, I could have seen him calling some of the players out. But with two games left and the need to keep positive I can understand why he said what he did. I don’t believe for a minute he believed a word of it himself.

Biggest spend in Europe last summer, no midweek football, poor season from ManU & still struggling to finish 4th.

We are utter carp under Arteta.

Let's face it, if this lot get CL footy, it'll be an embarrassment after embarrassment.

We are poor against top sides: zero points v Citeh & Pool whereas Spuds unbeaten with 2 wins & 2 draws.

The best way for arteta to hold onto his job is to just miss out on champions league this season imo.

If they qualify and as wesdaq says they get Cl hammerings he will probably get the tin tac.

dont see the argument for wanting europa rather than c/l

we ve failed in that as well repeatedly aswell

the big difference is that we may be able to attract better players if in it which hopefully means the end of watching the crap we currently are

xhaka and elneny is probably the worst midfield ive seen at arsenal and ive been going since 1974 so ive seen some candidates

we should get 4th on paper, but its the fact that we are just not very good that makes you doubt it

in any other season we would roll over newcastle and everton

that interview from arteta was typical wenger at his best, blame everyone else but yourself

i know im living in the past but can you imagine adams rocky vieria keown etc going there last night in a game that important and putting in a display like that

ok we are not there anymore but surely you have to have those aspirations as an owner of a club our size, or make way for someone that does?

I don't think we'll get 4th now but you never know.

Some people saying Newc are on the beach but they've just played Pool and City. In good form otherwise, especially at home and it's their last home game. I think they'll be more up for it than Everton, as I think Everton will be safe by then. We'll need two poor performances from Newc and Everton to win both. Been relying on that to win games for about 2 months.

CL football will give us extra cash. Wouldn't trust the manager to spend it well though.

A lot of fans and the manager blaming the ref for that last night. Embarrassing and pathetic all round, always someone else's fault. It was a penalty and a red card. The second one could have been a straight red. Never the players' fault, which is why it keeps happening.

Respect

well sadly i was right all along, absolute garbage

two absolutely pathetic performances

arteta should be gone but wont be, xhaka elneny and the last remnants of the old wenger era should be gone but wont be etc

we wont recover from this for a very long time imo

how anyone can class 8th 8th 5th as acceptable just on the back of improving up the table is beyond me

The 'improvement' in league position is down to United and Leicester dipping significantly. The only reason were are in contention for 4th this late is because Spurs changed manager for the second year in a row too and we've had no midweek football, but still our squad can't hold up for a full league season.

Pathetic interview from Arteta after the Spurs game and from Xhaka last night - these are big red flags as to the lack of leadership and accountability at the club still. The manager has surrounded himself with inexperienced 'yes' men who owe their Arsenal careers to him and banished numerous talented players who didn't, buying himself more time because the team is young.

Inheriting Auba and playing a false 9 system was a big red flag from day one. Then giving him 350k a week to play left wing and another him £7m to go to Barca?!

Spending 250m to replace Auba with Nketiah, Ozil with Odegaard, Saliba with Holding, Guendouzi with Lokonga, Martinez/Leno with Ramsdale, no strikers left under contract this summer. Not only is it a complete waste of money but it was spent to make the squad worse and less experienced. Gabriel is the only good quality signing he has made. This is some of the worst financial management in the history of the club imo and it has taken us back years. But let's reward him with a new contract and throw more money at him to buy a striker, something he's never done before We'll be back to 8th with Euro football to play next season.

It's been as gradual decline for more than decade but in recent seasons the pace is picking up. As I said last week we don't have the composure, the manager or the squad to handle an occasion like Newcastle away when it really counts. I am so pleased I got to see Arsenal regularly 1998-2005 during that glorious period. This self destruct carp we play nowadays is horrible. I can certainly emphasise with what Spurs fans have been through for most of last 60 years and understand why they are so bitter.

Unbelievable amount of luck in winning so many games since Feb/March especially. Blessed to beat Wolves at home. Villa, Chelsea, United, Leeds all abysmal against us and we weren't much better. West Ham between EL SF legs.

I thought the home game against City was actually a positive turning point in terms of performance against a top side but in reality it was the opposite. We went downhill significantly in terms of performances since that game. It's still men against boys against the top sides but recently against so-called lesser sides who are up for it on the day.

So many red cards as well. Most of them for idiotic stuff too.

surely someone must be accountable for this but who will it be?

if no one then our ambition has totally gone?

I wouldn't necessarily want Arteta out for finishing 5th.

But the 3 year contract extension until 2025 they gave him the other week was inexplicable.

Even if he had got 4th it's hardly like there would have been a queue of super clubs to take him away.

A move that was very reminiscent of Man United with the Solskjaer contracts.

Now, if he is struggling in 8th/9th come November there will be overwhelming demands for him to be sacked but it will be much more expensive.

The worst Arsenal since pre-George Graham.

Pep's former cone man is out of his depth.

They never turn up when it really matters.

keep reading how 5th is an over achievement

can someone kindly run me through why we sacked emery again ?

Prior to the Chelsea home game last season we were on a PL run of P10 W1 D2 L7 F4 A13.

Prior to Emery's sacking we were on a PL run of P10 W2 D6 L2 F14 A15.

I suppose the main difference was a lack of fans in the stadium at that time. Also, the FA cup win, the media/PR difference between the two managers and the large number of hipster Arteta fans who seem to support the manager before the team.

Arteta bought himself time with the FA cup win and then spent £150m of the club's money on inexperienced players to buy himself even more time. Emery in getting us to within 1 point of 4th and the EL final set himself a high bar early on.

The quickest way out I can see is that Arteta has another poor start and Vieira continues to impress at Palace.

good analysis lurka

im not even sure emery was the answer but the mess wenger left behind made sure anyone was set up to fail
in hindsight he shouldnt have touched US with a bargepole

i still have the opinion that emery was treated very unfairly indeed, and is a manager of a level way above arteta
the bad apples in the dressing room and the ozil situation made it impossible for him and by all accounts he was not given the players he wanted
the miracles he has performed since with villarreal since only strengthen those feelings

i think he was a step back in the right direction over late wenger, but at the moment i feel we have sunk even lower than late wenger
to be fair to him at least going forward we were always good, and with arteta i dont see anything but a negative approach
in games we have to win such as the other night he is far too cautious until it is too late (see also the 0-0 villarreal second leg last year)

we have scored in the mid 50s last three seasons under arteta, whereas under wenger/emery we were mid 70s
the counter argument is that we have tightened up the defence but from what i see i would say that is questionable.

the rumours are that we are only to add 1/2 signings in the summer, and if true we are in for a car crash of a season with arteta probably gone by xmas

lets hope i am wrong !

Unfortunately I think you are right ghostly.

Ferguson & Wenger both left clubs in disarray. Somehow Ferguson conjured up one final league title and Wenger conjured up an FA Cup team, both with very average teams. Emery inherited a bad situation and if he had been given the support Arteta has got, we might be in a much better situation. Arteta is a problem, he seems to have player support but lacks composure under pressure and tactically during a match is hopeless. Arsenal look ok when things are going well as soon as there is a setback, it's total collapse. Arsenal on a very slippery slope atm and gathering pace.

the problem is we are only set up to defend a lead, and with elneny xhaka or even partey there are no goals there, only a supposed shield in front of the back four
so we cant chase a game and if we go behind we are in big trouble as i am sure the stats will back up
too much pressure on odegaard then, who i am not totally convinced about anyway

we are really are in big trouble now unless there is a major overhaul, which there wont be
while kroenke has an inexperienced manager at the helm 'who is supposed to get better' and a 'young' team he has bought himself plenty of time with our blinkered fanbase
he has us all exactly where he wants us

the club have done an amazing job in only one respect, gradually lowering and lowering our expectations over time while charging us more money while doing so
maybe they are not as clueless as it appears :-(

In Emery's case there was a very bad capitulation at the end of his 1st season. Dropping 11 out of 15 points to finish a point off 4th and then getting trounced in the EL final left a bad taste in the mouth for a lot of fans, even though he'd prob overachieved until then. All his other successful teams seem to be built on hard graft. Our players had the same attitude as PSG players to him in the end, which is laughable.

Really want to see Xhaka gone ASAP after that interview the other night. In some ways it was worse than throwing away the armband for me.

Emery definitely badly treated & let down especially when you look at who's replaced him.

We took a gamble with Arteta (which was fair enough) but now like a gambler we're now chasing our losses.

id argue this is just as bad a top 4 capitulation as emerys

if you look at the table this season after 26 games especially

plus emery had idiots like xhaka giving stupid pens away and mustafi letting zaha walk past him , and these weren't his players

arteta has had ample time to reshape this current team

Yeah you're prob right because Spurs also dropped 11/15 and United 13/15 so I don't think we were ever in control like we were after 26 games this season.

Should never have started with Holding against Spurs with White on the bench.
Starting with Tavares when you have to get a result isn't clever either, he's an accident waiting to happen.

Everyone can see this apart from Arteta. Maybe he should take a seat in the stands and see what's really happening on the pitch.

As for extending his contract before he's achieved anything beggars belief.

He could be in for a rough ride at weekend. He's got it coming.

I don't think White was fit to start v Spurs. He missed the Leeds and West Ham games with injury (not even on the bench) and Holding started both.

The issue with Holding is what is he still doing at the club when you have the likes of Saliba out on loan? You could also wonder why he spent £50m on a right footed ball-playing centre half when the club had bought Saliba for £30m?

Why did he let AMN go on loan in January when Elneny and Partey were going to AFCON? AMN could do a job at full-back either side too.

It seems clear that his ego/lack of man management skills have cost us Guendouzi, Auba and Saliba and they've been replaced, at significant cost to the club, with Elneny/Lokonga (cost twice as much as Guendouzi), Nketiah and Holding. Guendouzi will leave for £8m when he's worth at least £20m now, Auba cost £7m to get rid of and about £25m in wasted wages giving him a new contract to play him out of position in a system that never suited him. Saliba will likely leave for a low price or run his contract down.

But lets give Arteta a new contract, more money to spend and celebrate 'progress'

ive nothing against arteta personally but i just think he is totally out of his depth

he has a lot of wenger traits as well,  in that he seems very stubborn and will not change his style despite what stares him in the face.

add to that a completely inexperienced director of football in edu who seems to have his pants pulled down over transfers and negotiations (brighton apparently laughed at the ben white fee, we actually paid auba to leave in jan etc), and a board that only cares about money, and we are royally ****

i see we are pushing the new kit on social media today and wearing it on sunday , so that bandwagon rolls on while we stink the place out on field,

this just proves they dont actually give a **** and that any form of success is secondary

The question now should be who can improve us enough so we make top 4 and with the EL next season.

Go through each position player by player and get move on those who can’t help and get proper players in.

E.g

Respect to Cedric for some of games this season but he’s ultimately not good enough for the next level…move on and get a proper right back to cover for Tommy.

Midfield…Xhaka won’t take us to the next and Partey is far too injured to help us…move on and get 2 new midfielders. Plenty out there this summer like Bissouma, Neves, Arthur, Kalvin etc etc

Left back is another position…love Kieron but sorry these injuries are no good. If the medics see this as something we need to accept them move him on and get someone else. I really hope the medics can fix him.

Strikers is easy because we only really have Balogun left. So get someone.

To be honest I’d ring up Everton and ask them how badly do they want to stay up. Because we can play a reserve team if the agree a low fee for DCL or Richarlison right now today. £20m max lol. Brutal but how badly do you want to stay up?

But I think you get the general idea.

Don't think Everton will need a result against us.

I fear Tomiyasu is injury prone too. Seems to be dogged by muscle injuries.

You are not getting rid of Partey on 200k a week because no one else will pay him that and he'll run down his contract rather than leave for a pay cut (unless you want to pay him a lump to leave like Auba, Ozil etc). Cedric signed on a free on 75k a week with 2 years left, almost 31. Not getting rid for the same reason. Already talk of trying to offload Pepe (apparently not part of his plans - not very smart to leak that if true) for £30m. He's on 140k a week so prob have to pay him a chunk of any fee too.

Where is all the money coming for all of this with no CL football? We will be reliant on the owners to inject (ie loan) again this year. We'll have to spend the bulk of the budget on a striker. He will prob end up offering Nektiah a new contract as a back-up.

We are doomed with this manager and his ability to banish and trash the values of talented players and waste money on inferior replacements. For starters he should be getting Saliba and AMN back but there's a good chance he won't. They can provide cover at least at RB, CB and CM. Instead he's given Holding a new contract and is going to offer Elneny one too.

Wenger out brigade may I ask your view going forward?

Doesn't look like much hope for Arsenal at the moment.


I read about fans pinning hopes on Martinelli and new number 14.

And Jesus

Fack me

News just in my prayer was answered.


Jesus in

I like Jesus

Well done if sealed deal

The Lord Jesus, baby Jesus or Craft Cheeses?

Wenger out brigade ffs

Will people still be trotting out that carp in 20 years?

Interesting that we seem to be stepping up recruitment in central midfield.

Looking for another BEAST in Midfield... Be careful what it says on the tin... 

Saliba on tour?