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Thread: Subdued Winning Reaction vs Saliva plrr

  1. #21
    Member I am invisible's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by IBK View Post
    C'mon guys. That's too subdued for me. I have as many doubts about Arteta as most on here, but let's enjoy a lovely win.

    For once, the manager realised that Laca is effective up front with mobile runners in support. I was in 2 minds about whether Martinelli should have started on the left but Pepe in front of Xhaka worked well, and I don't think Xhaka gets the credit for being really solid out of position there. I was worried about Ceballos in MF but the manager as right to keep the set up that won against Sheffield. Giving Partey that responsibility for anchoring MF really suits him. Also - look at the benefit of keeping a well working CB pairing - even if Luis and Gabriel may be better individual 'footballers'.

    So he resisted changing too much, and we looked really well balanced and mobile - albeit that Sparta were poor, both in approach and execution.

    I'm not going overboard, and I will not believe that Arteta has turned a corner until we have played well against proper opposition and shown some consistency. We need to see what happens when Luis and Auba are fit...and it'll take more than this to break the manager's Willian fetish.

    But let's at least acknowledge the success that the manager has made of a mix and match team with 4 previous nailed on starters out. Can't remember us being this devastating going forwards and secure at the back for a while and it felt great.
    It’s so hard to know what to make of Arteta sometimes? You can see that there’s a really bold, innovative coach in there, who can find interesting solutions to problems and get a team to play fast, sexy football, but he only ever seems to emerge when his back’s against the wall? How do we get that Arteta all the time?

    Tbh, I’m not expecting much in the way of consistency between now and the end of the season - I just don’t think we have the quality in depth yet to be able to casually absorb and manage things like the fatigue, loss of form and absence of key players, so we’re probably only capable of 3-, maybe 4-game runs before something blows up. I’m just looking out for moments that hint at what we’re trying to do and what we could be with a bit of clever recruitment.

    Cracking performance though - it’s really easy to like a lot of this team and a lot of what we’re doing when they play like that.

  2. #22
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    Quick shout out to Pepe too - I’ve been indifferent towards him at best up until now, but he’s quietly dragged himself up to double-figures for the season and is starting to look consistently dangerous. More importantly he’s starting to look like he’s part of the team, and not just doing his own thing out there.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by I am invisible View Post
    Quick shout out to Pepe too - I’ve been indifferent towards him at best up until now, but he’s quietly dragged himself up to double-figures for the season and is starting to look consistently dangerous. More importantly he’s starting to look like he’s part of the team, and not just doing his own thing out there.
    I really like Pepe, he's proving to be really good on the left and showing that if he gets regular game time he can play at a consistently high level

  4. #24
    Member IBK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by I am invisible View Post
    It’s so hard to know what to make of Arteta sometimes? You can see that there’s a really bold, innovative coach in there, who can find interesting solutions to problems and get a team to play fast, sexy football, but he only ever seems to emerge when his back’s against the wall? How do we get that Arteta all the time?

    Tbh, I’m not expecting much in the way of consistency between now and the end of the season - I just don’t think we have the quality in depth yet to be able to casually absorb and manage things like the fatigue, loss of form and absence of key players, so we’re probably only capable of 3-, maybe 4-game runs before something blows up. I’m just looking out for moments that hint at what we’re trying to do and what we could be with a bit of clever recruitment.

    Cracking performance though - it’s really easy to like a lot of this team and a lot of what we’re doing when they play like that.
    Having reflected further (I need something to do rather than debate the Super League), I think that Arteta has consistently shown his lack of experience by his indecisiveness and his own decision making inconsistency. So - decide whether or not you are going to priritise the Europa League over the EPL. If yes, then don't play your top striker who doesn't tend to react well to being overplayed, and think about overplaying your best player (Saka), at least for starters. If no (and this shouldn't have been the case), then try to maintain momentum and don't start with Ceballos and Elneny in MF and change 4 of your back 5.

    Again - if you have been shown what your young players can do - give Martinelli, Nketiah or Balogun a start up front. If a player (Pepe) is excelling at LW, keep him there).

    More generally, don't take a stand with Auba and then play him even though his form sucks. Don't see Willian stinking up the place but pick him time and time again when others have impressed.

    Its funny how some things (playing out from the back); not making subs early enough and dumping certain players seem to be absolutes, but this attitude has not been shown with choosing players. Or how the manager seems to change up playing on the front foot so often to revert to caution, and continually tinkers with formations which prevents the telepathy that we play with when on form...
    Putting the laughter back into manslaughter

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