Arsenal v Southampton/Arteta player ratings

Quote:

Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn

You’d have to point to where I’ve said he was the only person giving the ball away, I think the only reason I mention it is because I think with a lot of players it was fatigue, but with others like Eddie and Vieira there was a bit of a lack of finesse.

It’s not just the lack of goals. He scored in the home game against Bodo but was exceptionally wasteful given the positions he got himself into.

Feels like either a lack of confidence or is trying too hard, and it’s hard to know whether being played more than he is, is the solution or not.

Well possibly start him against Forest, with the added consideration that if Jesus gets booked he misses the game against Chelsea

Fair enough. But I think as much as anything else that the style of football we want to play - high tempo; high precision; 'telepathic' football requires absolute 100% both physically and mentally, and IMO both facets dropped by the second half on Sunday. Eddie came on (too late) when the team was already ragged, and I don't think its fair to judge him as a sub playing on the left (not where he should be playing for best effectiveness), and in these circumstances.

The bottom line is that Arteta gave him a big contract and he has to trust him as deputy for Jesus. We have seen in the past how not trusting replacement players has come back to bite the manager when they inevitably have to be called on, and I don't want to see the same mistakes made. I have defended Arteta - but there is a blind spot when it comes to draining confidence from players by not trusting them.