Match Reaction v Wolves (away)

[I am invisible]

I wonder if our 4th win in a row will mean a thread about a win gets past 3 pages. Generally losses here lead to 7-10 pages of moaning, negativity and recrimination. Wins generally pass without much comment.

Arteta is doing a great job and he's been a breath of fresh air. He's not a magician but things are finally moving in a positive direction.

I think Arteta’s doing a great job considering what he has to work with, which is basically bits and pieces of a side - been quietly impressed with how he keeps finding uses for problem players, and ways to limit exposing their weaknesses.

It’s not exactly sexy football - probably won’t be until he starts building his own side out - and we’re probably going to get schooled a few more times along the way because, frankly, there’s some much better sides than us in the league right now. But I’ll be happy for the rest of this season if we can keep getting wins in the games that we stand a fair chance in.

[Mac76]

Anyone would think we won at the etihad the way you're talking, wolves had enough set-pieces and moves on goal to have scored more than once, but lucky for us they were utter trash whenever they got anywhere near our penalty area, they'd be relegated if they played like that every week

Good take from saka and one or two good moves but still not that great really, i think we can maybe overtake wolves but we won't catch any of the other top six teams

So it's the EL again for us

[Unai Tea]

I'm just beginning to feel like amidst the wreckage and detritus of this season, and probably the last few, we have some pieces which, if you look hard enough, could become a decent team. There is a nice cadre of young up and coming players, a world class striker, a couple good keepers, and some players who have been re-purposed, recycled and re-invented. On top of that, I think we have a young, bright and talented manager who has a plan, has an ability to communicate that plan, and has been resolute in focussing on building something, rather than patching things up and floating around to different ideas and different principles based on expediency.

Green shoots of promise only at this stage. We still need to add 3-4 high quality players (maybe Saliba is one of them), and ship out 3-4 players who are dragging us down. Then time and hard work should slowly allow us to work our way back to respectability. I think Arteta is doing what needs to be done on the pitch and on the practice field. My biggest concern is the backroom - can they step up and recruit well, manage our contracts more effectively, and generally, give Arteta the ammunition he needs to implement his plan.

[LDG]

Arteta is a good manager. It’s clear he has given the team a shape and we’re starting to make it harder for the other team.

However, you can only do so much with some of the crap we have on the pitch.

Kolasniac and Cedric were appalling yesterday. Can’t pass, can’t defend.

The passing in general was absolute dogshit. To play posession football with any potency, you need to be able to move the ball quickly and with forward momentum. Our lot mostly pass backwards and sideways, with too many errors costing possession.

It’s easy for the opposition to break up play where square passes are the norm. We lack the brains to carry out the instruction.

Saka, Willock and Tierney are class. They give loads of hope...fingers crossed we can shift a few players for cash and reinvest in players who can make Artetas vision reality.

Green shoots

[Penguin]

Arteta is a good manager. It’s clear he has given the team a shape and we’re starting to make it harder for the other team.

However, you can only do so much with some of the crap we have on the pitch.

Kolasniac and Cedric were appalling yesterday. Can’t pass, can’t defend.

The passing in general was absolute dogshit. To play posession football with any potency, you need to be able to move the ball quickly and with forward momentum. Our lot mostly pass backwards and sideways, with too many errors costing possession.

It’s easy for the opposition to break up play where square passes are the norm. We lack the brains to carry out the instruction.

Saka, Willock and Tierney are class. They give loads of hope...fingers crossed we can shift a few players for cash and reinvest in players who can make Artetas vision reality.

Green shoots

Our passing is appalling. Arteta said he was going to give us back our identity but from the looks of it he won't be able to with the current squad. Lack of quality all over the pitch, not just the defence.

Hopefully we can make some shrewd signings in the summer, if we go into next season with the same core of players (maybe even minus Auba), Arteta has no chance.

[Master Splinter]

The league table in 2020:




It reflects what some have already pointed out, in that the Brighton result was a blip. The two defeats on top of one another made the situation appear worse than what it was. We really shouldn't have lost to Brighton, but in both that and the Citeh game, we lost players to injury and were victims of self-harm and dreadful officiating.

The fact that Arteta has done all this with a ramshackle squad and so many injuries is really impressive. You hear so much about all-conquering perennial 5/6th placers Manchester United, Lamps' wonderful "youngsters" and Brentan's Leicester, but Arteta is outperforming them all.

And before the inevitable nuance-less miserablist responses, no-one thinks we're a brilliantly run club and that our football is attractive at the moment, but it can't be denied that Arteta is doing some really good work so far.

[Niall_Quinn]

Spuds