Quote Originally Posted by Mac76 View Post
I think you're being a bit simplistic about that

Sure, the night before a game you don't suddenly say - 'we're going to change everything' - but a good manager surely coaches his team to play in different ways against different types of sides and has a Plan B and even a Plan C if Plan A isn't working

Tierney is a very good example - Arteta should value Tierney because he can come on and play differently to an MLS, in that he will be more of an orthodox LB going up and down that side and putting in crosses etc, which in certain game states could unlock teams or at least present something different - instead he rejects him because he can’t do the inverted LB thing to which Arteta is so rigidly wedded

A lot of players are more adaptable than you're giving credit for and I think there's enough signs that actually we do have players who could, if encouraged by the coach and the system, transition far more quickly than they do




This is blatantly untrue – look at Everton, a load of turgid shite under Dyche and then Moyes comes in and transforms them into a team which is far more positive in its approach, scoring goals and winning games – all without their nominally preferred striker in DCL
If you’re talking about the left back position. Tierney’s best attribute to my mind is that he’s the best crosser of the ball at the club. Great, probably should have played him more earlier on in the season when he could have tried to have found Havertz.

Calafiori is being played at left back rather than MLS as a tactical tweek. If Arteta was prioritising defence he’d play MLS, instead he’s prioritising the player who is better on the ball and can add a bit of uncertainty, such as turning his man in the box and almost scoring but for the post. The risk factor is that he’s slower than MLS and lacks positional discipline so like with West Ham on Saturday, he’s getting cooked for pace. But when it’s said as is often said that he’s overcautious, I’d say right there that’s a counter example to that.

We live in an era where players are coached to death, any variance in routine is likely a result of hours if not days of adaptation at the training ground, it’s all about instilling muscle memory.

It is entirely possible tactical tweaks will happen but they will take time. I think also people seem to think I’m insulting our players when I say they can’t do x or y. They do loads of different things better than most other players in the league do and that’s why we are second. But you can’t put petrol in a diesel engine and look anything but silly when you get exasperated when the car breaks down half way up the road

Arteta has encountered this problem when trying to shoehorn Partey in at right back, it doesn’t work

With the last bit, to clarify I mean winning as in winning trophies. Sure there’s enough leeway for a manager to change things and change a club from 17th to 12th. But ultimately most of the time, it’s the club with the best players and the most money to spend that wins the big things not the team with the best coach, apart from anything else 95% of what coaches do is largely all the same anyway.