Match Reaction v Liverpool (home)

[I am invisible]

Good post match interview with Arteta, he talks about how big the gap is and the task at hand.

I like him and the way he speaks. I just hope he’s the right man for the job.

Yeah, it's refreshing to hear someone actually acknowledge the problems, rather than trying to throw dust in our eyes and convince us that god-awful football is actually brilliant - that we don't appreciate it because we're not professionals - or that we're one step away from domination! Also glad he's continuing to heap pressure on the owners and the execs - these guys can't be allowed to just slide into the background this summer.

Tbh, if you've followed his interviews since he took over then you'll know exactly what he's been working on and where he thinks we are right now as a group: basically we've re-established some professional standards and accountability, given the players a crash course in fitness, shape and pressing, and at least got the players showing a bit of fight and pride in wearing the shirt again. And not too much more than that - we just don't have the players to play the football he wants yet, as he's been saying pretty much from day one. Quite frankly, if you thought we were only a different managerial hire away from immediate champagne football and the Champions League, and you're disappointed with where we currently are, then that's on you.

We're not just talking about a first team rebuild here - we're talking about a root-and-branch overhaul of the entire club: players, coaching staff, scouting, exec team, culture, identity, ambition... everything. Years of work, and we're only a couple of months into it (not counting the dead time on lockdown). It was always going to be a big enough task anyway (after no CL income for 3 years, possibly no European football at all next year, dwindling cash reserves, an astronomical wage bill, and a bunch of players who we're going to struggle to sell and who probably won't raise much even if we can), but now it looks like we're going to have to try and fund it all without match-day income too! Seriously, if you haven't already done so then reset your expectation levels now, because any progress is going to have to be gradual, and we're likely to be heavily reliant on the kids we have maturing and getting very lucky scouting talented nobodies and freebies. We're also likely to be stuck with many of the same problem-players until their contracts expire, so steel yourself for more self-destruct moments before we're done, because they're going to happen.

[Mac76]

Yeah, it's refreshing to hear someone actually acknowledge the problems, rather than trying to throw dust in our eyes and convince us that god-awful football is actually brilliant

...and it neatly deflects from his having to face up to his poor team selections in the past don't you think?

he did better having Holding and leaving out both Kola and Mustafi

and Nelson for all people's criticism did well enough

It's ironic that Laca has finally remmebered how to score goals again, although hopefully it might help us sell him

although knowing us, we'll sell the constantly-misused Auba and keep Laca who will no doubt drop back into his poorest form come next season

[I am invisible]

...and it neatly deflects from his having to face up to his poor team selections in the past don't you think?

he did better having Holding and leaving out both Kola and Mustafi

and Nelson for all people's criticism did well enough

It's ironic that Laca has finally remmebered how to score goals again, although hopefully it might help us sell him

although knowing us, we'll sell the constantly-misused Auba and keep Laca who will no doubt drop back into his poorest form come next season

Dude... we only have shit (or at least flawed / one-dimensional options) to choose from in some areas. Maybe there are no good team selections here?

I agree with you that Holding is far better than Kolasinac, but up until the sp*rs game that crazy defence had only conceded something like 1 goal in 4 games. Don't ask me why, but for some reason that unlikely combo was working. And as soon as it wasn't working, Kola and Mustafi found their asses dumped back to the bench. Hopefully Holding will now get a decent run in the side (although I do wonder whether there's maybe still some careful fitness management going on there after he was out for so long). I certainly don't think there's any personal issue there, though, or that the manager is playing favourites with senior players - just look at how often Pepe and Lacazette get benched for Nelson and Nketiah.

Oddly enough, playing Auba out wide really doesn't bother me - he still seems to bang in the goals at the same rate, so I'm easy with it. I get why he's doing it, anyway - we desperately need goals from someone and somewhere else in the side, and looking through the squad that's only really going to come from Lacazette, Nketiah or Martinelli. If Martinelli had been fit then maybe we could have kept Auba central, but unfortunately the other two will only get us goals playing as CF, so that means Auba moves.

It's not ideal, but what can you do? This is what we have to work with.

[Özim]

He was probably resting the likes of Mustafi for the FA Cup, so picking Holding wasn't a choice, he doesn't seem to fancy him so I expect he'll be dropped. I'm not saying he's top notch but Holding is the best CB, he at least does a half decent job of defending.

Likewise Torreira, he doesn't fancy him either, but he makes us more solid, would pick him over Xhaka every day of the week. We rode our luck big time, it was a combination of Liverpool having won the title and not being as focussed as they were (understandable), lady luck and some of the players he was forced to bring back helping to make us more solid. Tierney is very good too, the only issue with him is that he's injury prone, but again he can defend.

Liverpool had 70% possessions, 24 shots to our 3 and 13 corners to our 2 which says a lot about which team was the offensive team and which one was defensive.

Good win definitely and I guess a confidence boost, but it's not really indicative of where we are, the defeat by Spurs in the NLD was more so because even though it was pretty meaningless in terms of achieving something, it was a derby and thus a game you want to win.

Weekend will be interesting, I expect Arteta will drop Holding and Torreira for that.

[Letters]

Good win definitely and I guess a confidence boost, but it's not really indicative of where we are, the defeat by Spurs in the NLD was more so because even though it was pretty meaningless in terms of achieving something, it was a derby and thus a game you want to win.

I don’t think any individual game tells you where you are.
The season as a whole does that and I think we know where we are which is a million miles away from really competing.
It was refreshing to hear Arteta admit as much after the game. I like what Arteta says and while he hasn’t performed miracles did you really expect him to with our squad?
My only concern is whether he is taking is in the right direction. Few tentative signs that he might be.
We’ll know more next season.