Match Reaction v Man City (neutral)

[I am invisible]

Mustafi isn't good enough for any club with any real aspirations for sustained success and don't let anyone on here forget it

Oh, God yeah. He's damaged goods, like most of our senior players, and needs to be upgraded asap.

Right now, we're playing in a way that's designed to minimise exposing our many, many, obvious weaknesses, but it's hugely restrictive and I guarantee you that Arteta doesn't want to be lining up like this or basing his entire footballing strategy around damage limitation. I doubt very much that he wants to have to sacrifice a midfielder because we don't have any 2 CBs who are good enough in one-on-ones to play in a back two. I doubt he wants to be reliant on an immobile, one-footed central midfielder who can't carry the ball and who can only play a pass from deep when no one's pressing him. I doubt he wants to play his best forward on the left because there's no goals coming from anywhere else in the side unless he plays another CF. And so on, and so on.

I'm sure he's absolutely genuine when he says he's been impressed with the way the players have responded, and with the level of commitment and fight they've shown, but I think you can acknowledge effort and commitment when you see it on the one hand, and yet still acknowledge that we need massive amounts of upgrading. Most of his interviews are always laced with a heavy dose of "the gulf in quality [between us and the top sides] is enormous" and "we need to invest / improve the squad".

Right up until the moment these players actually leave, I think you'll hear Arteta talking them up, 1) because he needs to boost their value and make them more saleable, and 2) because he knows that we may not be able to shift them and that he might have to work with them right up until their contracts expire. But I think you need to read between the lines on this - no matter how much he might talk up or praise certain players, the fact remains that we can't improve the squad unless players go. We can't afford to keep them all, and we wouldn't be able to register them all to play anyway, so there will have to be outs if he wants ins.

[Mac76]

This is a good read

https://arseblog.com/2020/07/tactics...-and-patience/

[Chippy]

Oh, God yeah. He's damaged goods, like most of our senior players, and needs to be upgraded asap.

Right now, we're playing in a way that's designed to minimise exposing our many, many, obvious weaknesses, but it's hugely restrictive and I guarantee you that Arteta doesn't want to be lining up like this or basing his entire footballing strategy around damage limitation. I doubt very much that he wants to have to sacrifice a midfielder because we don't have any 2 CBs who are good enough in one-on-ones to play in a back two. I doubt he wants to be reliant on an immobile, one-footed central midfielder who can't carry the ball and who can only play a pass from deep when no one's pressing him. I doubt he wants to play his best forward on the left because there's no goals coming from anywhere else in the side unless he plays another CF. And so on, and so on.

I'm sure he's absolutely genuine when he says he's been impressed with the way the players have responded, and with the level of commitment and fight they've shown, but I think you can acknowledge effort and commitment when you see it on the one hand, and yet still acknowledge that we need massive amounts of upgrading. Most of his interviews are always laced with a heavy dose of "the gulf in quality [between us and the top sides] is enormous" and "we need to invest / improve the squad".

Right up until the moment these players actually leave, I think you'll hear Arteta talking them up, 1) because he needs to boost their value and make them more saleable, and 2) because he knows that we may not be able to shift them and that he might have to work with them right up until their contracts expire. But I think you need to read between the lines on this - no matter how much he might talk up or praise certain players, the fact remains that we can't improve the squad unless players go. We can't afford to keep them all, and we wouldn't be able to register them all to play anyway, so there will have to be outs if he wants ins.

I hate my new sense of optimism around Arteta and the team because we are all used to the wheels coming off soon after.

However, if Arteta can get Luiz and Mustafi playing well he should do very well with Saliba, Holding, Chambers and Mari.

In addition, and as mentioned above, our transfer funds will need to come from the players he moves out. Therefore, the longer he makes Mustafi and Luiz look good, the more money we should receive.

We should then focus on shifting out wasters like Ozil. We will be able to put that £350,000 a week to good use. Maybe shift Pepe as well.

[selassie]

I’m starting to think Martinez could actually be better than Leno. At the risk of jinxing him, it has to be said that he looks like a beast. I can’t remember the last time we had a keeper so commanding and the fact he doesn’t parry shots either is even better. Tidy as fuck.

Totally agree. His performances have been near flawless, he is a good shot shopper, commands the box very well, his distribution is very good and he makes me feel confident TBH.

Leno is a very good keeper in his own right, but if Martinez continues with these level of performances then he's first choice for me no question.

[Mac76]

Maybe shift Pepe as well.

No, i think he'll come good, he was very influential yesterday

[Letters]

Waaaah!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53479675

Dry your eyes, Pep

[dazthegooner]

Ah bless 'em us clubs blessed with a history not filled with Oil (chelski excluded) not pandering to Citey's every need

[Marc Overmars]

Fuck him. Chequebook manager who’s never had the bottle for a proper challenge.

Good on every club who pushed the case. It’s also obvious they wanted no delay so they knew if they could play for 5th or not.

Bald cunt.

[Letters]

Pretty much

[Penguin]

Imagine a manager of a club who bought their success trying to take the moral high ground.