Bournemouth reaction and player ratings

[IBK]

you're ignoring the core of what i said which is that managers like Arteta and Emery for different reasons feel a need to prove themselves and belittle players who don't do the teachers' pet act.


yes there needs to be discipline but a manager with genuine gravitas is bigger than to put the captain out of the matchday squad because he was late, or criticise Pepe in public for being sent off then turn a blind eye when Xhaka gets a red - it's inconsistent and shows he is biased

you guys can carry on putting pictures of Arteta and Xhaka on your walls if you want but there's plenty of people on here and in the wider fan base who can see Arteta and Xhaka's relationship for the unhealthy arrangement that it is

Again, hyperbole. I am not particularly a Xhaka fanboy, but it does frustrate me that he is regarded as a fundamental problem, when the evidence suggests otherwise.

Every manager needs to prove themself. You are making a massive assumption that Arteta and Emery have sought to do so by backing 'teachers' pets' irrespective of their performances on the pitch, but this makes no sense. Sure, every manager will have a playing style that suits some players more than others - for instance I have sympathy with Pepe whom I think has real talent going forwards but has never looked a fit for Arteta's teams - but this doesn't speak to personal bias.

You talk about managerial gravitas, and by implication criticise Arteta for not having this. There have been planty of managers with so-called 'gravitas' who have not done particularly well in the EPL. What is more important IMO is that a manager gets his team playing well - and whatever your criticism of Arteta he is achieving this. Even more importantly at Arsenal there was a crying need to change the club's culture. Dropping a player who was consistently late or flouted club rules is key to this, and persevering with a player who has been sent off fewer times than his rep would have it (as I point out above) is not inconsistent with this. It depends on what other qualities make up the whole, and for all your criticism of our successive managers it is far more likely that Xhaka has qualities that are regarded as valuable to the team than that they have all kept faith with him simply for being a sychophant.

[Mac76]

I agree the team is playing well - who wouldn't - but that doesn't make me blind to the fact that Xhaka is our weakest link and at some point will cost us again, as others here point out - it's in his DNA and to ignore it is foolish

[Globalgunner]

Being played all the time by different successive managers doesn't mean youre a good player. Harry Maguire has seen about 4 managers. He is crap and now at last a manager has the clarity of vision to see it. If Xhaka reinvents himself this season I will start to believe in Angels and Pixies. He has a lot of work to do for me. He will be 30 this season?, time may be what rids us of him.

[Niall_Quinn]

Watched this game. Was the wrong place at the right time I guess.

Two shit teams who can't play football. Neither could string a pass. Dire stuff, apart from the few moments when Jesus got the ball - he at least demonstrated some degree of skill exists in the game, or the other City bloke touched it, he was man of the insult to football match by a mile, he demonstrated a basic understanding of the purpose of football still exists in some players. Apart from these two, WTF? What's up with that White guy? Has anyone seen a less capable player when it comes to an inability to pass a football even when there's no pressure whatsoever? And that Odegard bloke, or whatever his name is. Yeah, two goals don't cover for. cowardly performance where he did absolutely everything within his power to be out of position and unavailable for the ball. That dick on the wing, that Martinelli bloke. Fuck, now there's a player that has gone downhill. Along with Saka who now takes 5 years to make the simplest and most obvious decision.

Damn, it was hard work watching that shite. I couldn't believe how slow the clock was ticking. But I stuck it out because I promised somebody I'd watch it with them. I want a medal now, for enduring it.

The other team, lol, fuck? Seriously? Premier League? Has to be a joke, right?

[Niall_Quinn]

I agree the team is playing well - who wouldn't - but that doesn't make me blind to the fact that Xhaka is our weakest link and at some point will cost us again, as others here point out - it's in his DNA and to ignore it is foolish

Xhaka? LOL. You must have missed White's entire performance then? Or Martinelli.

[Globalgunner]

White is another teachers pet. Arteta wants to put him in the team by all means. He is not a RB yet Arteta plays him there just to include him. He needs to rotate his 3 CBs and make them all flexible and interchangeable and put Tomi in at RB. Thats what a smart manager would do. Let every player know he is valuable and integrated. Tomi needs the game time as he is our best RB, occasionally let Cedric play against weaker opponents.

Arteta is yet to convince me of actual credentials

[mandela8]

Aye, hopefully Arteta does some rotation tomorrow. He's an absolute melon when it comes to this "stick with a winning team" nonsense. It's entirely self defeating.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Aye, hopefully Arteta does some rotation tomorrow. He's an absolute melon when it comes to this "stick with a winning team" nonsense. It's entirely self defeating.

I actually agree with you

Not clean….not clean

[I am invisible]

Aye, hopefully Arteta does some rotation tomorrow. He's an absolute melon when it comes to this "stick with a winning team" nonsense. It's entirely self defeating.

Yes, this is the next big thing he has to learn as a manager - how to trust his squad and get a tune out of different options (esp. now all the options ones he’s chosen).

[IBK]

Aye, hopefully Arteta does some rotation tomorrow. He's an absolute melon when it comes to this "stick with a winning team" nonsense. It's entirely self defeating.

Good point. This was a real weakness last season, and has to be addressed if we are to sustain our improvement.