When will Arteta be sacked by

[Mac76]

I still believe we can win the title.

I'm sorry it's pretty much gone and AFAIC it was like that after the Liverpool game

I still believe we should win the title.

I don't know about 'should' if we've not been good enough - I'd love to break the big money hold on the PL title but it's not happening IMO

But Arteta needs to get his act together and work on his weaknesses and the teams.

He won't - maybe it's a bit of a curse that we have done so well this season and there's so much at stake, as he's now frozen and doesn't trust squad players or even his own ability to change a game, instead of just relying on his original team selection until it's too late

Coming 2nd or 3rd or and wining 1 trophy with only 1 final in 4 years is not enough progress for me.

Got to say I'd have been happy with top four and finishing above Spuds, to have been challenging like this has been a real bonus, albeit it's now really frustrating to see how we've thrown it away

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

(I think)

the last line confuses me but i think you're saying there's nothing wrong with constructive criticism or pointing out the manager isn't perfect, yes?

Yup, IMW constructive criticism only strengthens this team, instead of spending day and night lamenting on how we can't compete with a team that only fields 11 players on the pitch, shock !

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I'm sorry it's pretty much gone and AFAIC it was like that after the Liverpool game



I don't know about 'should' if we've not been good enough - I'd love to break the big money hold on the PL title but it's not happening IMO



He won't - maybe it's a bit of a curse that we have done so well this season and there's so much at stake, as he's now frozen and doesn't trust squad players or even his own ability to change a game, instead of just relying on his original team selection until it's too late



Got to say I'd have been happy with top four and finishing above Spuds, to have been challenging like this has been a real bonus, albeit it's now really frustrating to see how we've thrown it away

Well I can't pretend, a top 4 finish was never and will never be my barometer of success.

Just hearing "top 4" gives me nightmares of the "top 4 trophy" and I don't evere want us to be a club that just participates in competitions that we don't believe we can win.

I hoped we'd win the league this season (think I stated it in season thread) and believed after the first 9 or so games that these group of boys could pull it off.

Its been an enjoyable season, but all of this will mean nothing to me if we don't win it.

That's just me, don't feel everyone else has to feel the same way.

Won't give up till its over, but with the way we are capitulating, its becoming more of hope now but I blame only us for this.

[Mac76]

I'll remember being at some great games, watching some great football and actually believing for a while, albeit with a voice in my head telling me no team which relies so heavily on a player like Xhaka is ever going to win the league

[LDG]

I think if you’d have told me we would be top with seven games to go, albeit toe to toe with City, I would have bitten your arm off and probably your legs.

I’m proud we are where we are, from where we’ve come from, and with a young squad too.

Champions League is not what we should be aiming for, but in terms of revenue, and attracting players, it’s essential for the club going forward.

Competing for the title is what we’ve all wanted all along, so we can’t say anything other than it’s been brilliant to waych even if it ends in disappointment.

Every game now should be 100% front foot using our stregnths until the game is beyond doubt, or we need to hang on.

Gutted as I am, it’s been an amazing season. One I didn’t expect at all. Lets just enjoy that for now and throw everything behind the boys and see if where we end up.

[Letters]

I think if you’d have told me we would be top with seven games to go, albeit toe to toe with City, I would have bitten your arm off and probably your legs.

I’m proud we are where we are, from where we’ve come from, and with a young squad too.

Champions League is not what we should be aiming for, but in terms of revenue, and attracting players, it’s essential for the club going forward.

Competing for the title is what we’ve all wanted all along, so we can’t say anything other than it’s been brilliant to waych even if it ends in disappointment.

Every game now should be 100% front foot using our stregnths until the game is beyond doubt, or we need to hang on.

Gutted as I am, it’s been an amazing season. One I didn’t expect at all. Lets just enjoy that for now and throw everything behind the boys and see if where we end up.

That's exactly how I feel. If someone had said to me before the season that we'd not only be in the title race but still have the title in our hands with 7 games to go then I'd have laughed in their stupid face. Some other seasons there have been little signs of improvement but never consistently. This year the improvement has been palpable, I'm feeling a lot more confident about our ability to stand up in big games and win the routine ones. The slip at West Ham was very much the outlier in the context of this season.

So if City do mow us down, as seems increasingly likely, then I'll be simultaneously gutted and proud of our efforts this year. My worry is that this could be our best chance. We will surely strengthen in the summer but City aren't going away and other clubs are building or rebuilding.

[Mac76]

My worry is that this could be our best chance. We will surely strengthen in the summer but City aren't going away and other clubs are building or rebuilding.

I'm beginning to think this more and more - while our young players will get stronger and more experienced, I wonder how much more depth we can add in the summer, as I'm thinking we need quote a bit, much as I like Holding he's too much of a step down now.

This year the title challenge came out fof the blue and (most of us) got behind it, but next season I don't think exiting all the cups so early will be acceptable, especially the CL, so we need that greater depth

But also I do think Arteta has a LOT to learn about bhow to use his squad, in a number of ways, and if he doesn't work it out then I think we will carry on falling short.

[selassie]

I think if you’d have told me we would be top with seven games to go, albeit toe to toe with City, I would have bitten your arm off and probably your legs.

I’m proud we are where we are, from where we’ve come from, and with a young squad too.

Champions League is not what we should be aiming for, but in terms of revenue, and attracting players, it’s essential for the club going forward.

Competing for the title is what we’ve all wanted all along, so we can’t say anything other than it’s been brilliant to waych even if it ends in disappointment.

Every game now should be 100% front foot using our stregnths until the game is beyond doubt, or we need to hang on.

Gutted as I am, it’s been an amazing season. One I didn’t expect at all. Lets just enjoy that for now and throw everything behind the boys and see if where we end up.

My thoughts too. I just hope we build on this and really improve the squad so we are able to manage CL and put in a meaningful title challenge again next season.

Don't get me wrong winning is everything and I will be gutted if we don't win the League this season, but what is just as important if not more, is improving the squad and coming back stronger next season.

[Marc Overmars]

They will come again no doubt about it. Whatever happens over the next few weeks I think the experience of this season will only do them good. It’s not a very battled hardened group of players, with the exception of 2 or 3. Majority of the squad have their best years ahead of them and there’s no real reason to think they’re suddenly going to disappear from the conversation.

CL football and the pull that comes with it, we should be confident of further improvement. I see this as the start of our journey now. Of course if things fall to shit next season then we’ll act accordingly but I don’t fear this is a now or never moment like some do.

[selassie]

Maybe we need to put a reply to all button, because though I was replying to your post, there were several people who shared similar sentiments that I was addressing in my reply ( which I don't think was personal anyway).

Why I picked you in particular to respond to was that in your initial reply you stated clearly that my post suggesting that we had cooled talks for an extension to Mikel's contract was "astonishing" and "crazy", seeing that he is doing a great job. Obviously, as shown in this post you have firmly deduced I want the manger out...but we'll come to this later.

In your initial reply, though you agreed the team bottled it you seemed to absolve the manager of blame, saying subs were 'inconsequential" and saying things like "Arteta was not responsible for Partey having a bad day in the office" suggested to me that you are shifting the "blame" to the players and not their leader the manager, who had set them up properly and given them all they needed to win as evidenced by the 2 nil leads in both matches.

This was obviously my disagreement as both you and me have been here long enough to remember arguments in the AW days of how the "players" were letting AW down", "AW is a proven winner and its the players who don't have the winning mentality" bla bla bla. The point is trying to excise the players performance from that of the manager is a totally unhelpful exercise that has cost us 19 years in the wilderness. That is my opinion and most things I will say are my opinion unless I explicitly say so.

The breathtaking football that got us 2-0 nil ahead in 10 mins was down to Arteta and the team, the shameful retreat that got us back to 2-2 was also down to Arteta and the team.. not sure my reply said anything else.

Now back to me saying we ditch Arteta, kindly point out where I said so IBK? The post you referred to does not indicate we are ditching him (unless you did not read the post nor the story), it says we are not rewarding him with a contract extension till we see how the season goes. Please what is wrong with that? If you remember correctly, AWs last contract extension was signed by these same owners after an FA cup win with a majority of the fans still against it but they said


Look how that went.

So I ask again, how were the sentiments I expressed "astonishing" or "crazy" and where do I try and fanshame you in the rest of my post?

BTW, I do not blame you because theirs a self hating coward lurking in the shadows trying to brew something up to make himself some sort of internet hero.

Those who have followed our debates and his petty vendettas know the same hypocrite was the one who demanded Arteta be sacked earlier this year and unfortunately I responded to him asking him to calm down, then he went all ballistic. A poor weak minded creature pretending to be some sort of He-Man.

Anyway:

I still believe we can win the title.

I still believe we should win the title.

But Arteta needs to get his act together and work on his weaknesses and the teams.

Coming 2nd ( or 3rd ) and wining 1 trophy with only 1 final in 4 years is not enough progress for me.

I will say it a thousand times even if all fans don't feel the same way.

Simple.

We can win it sure, but we have to go to the Etihad and St James's Park without Saliba, that is a big issue in my book and makes both of these games extremely difficult. With a fully fit first XI I would be a lot more confident going to either place and getting a result of some sort.

Not only that, but the recent 2 goal slips have put massive doubts in me for the durability of this team, to an extent this came out of nowhere, but it has happened in consecutive games.

I personally think we will end up falling short.