When will Arteta be sacked by

[KSE Comedy Club]

Fair.

I mean, I was just comparing this season with the same stage last year. That's always a bit dangerous but there was a 12 point improvement which seemed pretty significant.
I admittedly didn't anticipate us collapsing quite so pathetically. NQ would say that's because I have a short memory. It's not that, I just saw the way we were playing and there seemed to be a bit more about this lot.
Apparently not

I think it was fair as at the time the results were looking a bit more steady and consistent at the time.

[selassie]

From a personal perspective (that I suspect is shared by a number of Arsenal fans outside the online community), the last 3 games feel disillusioning because they have highlighted what I feel are clear shortcomings with the manager. I said on another thread that even when we were winning games, in the main a number of our victories felt somewhat lacking in conviction - but it also felt that there was a team cohesion and a game plan that represented progress.

What is clear now is that with a fully fit first team we are a marginal top four side, but we do not have a squad that can cope with any adversity. We also have a manager that is conservative to the point of handbreaking his own team, who seems unable to deviate from a rigid game plan - albeit that that game plan has been effective with all key players in place.

What we are seeing in this regard is nothing new. We saw it in spades last season before the new influx of players in the Summer - players seemingly unable to innovate/switch up when the game state required it - and Arteta's record of failure to come back after conceding the first goal is testimony to this inflexibility.

The other really worrying trend is Arteta's management of fringe players. He has time and time again refused to give back up players time on the pitch - and worse failed to nurture their confidence - meaning an 'eggs in one basket' approach that in hindsight has affected us badly now key players are injured. We have now seen how failure to manage his squad properly spells disaster even when we only have one game a week - which frankly bodes badly if we do manage to secure European football next season.

Funnily enough it is the above trends that I find myself resenting Arteta for - not the Aubameyang situation. One thing that the manager has clearly fostered is squad (or at least first team) unity - and if it were only the obvious risk of leaving us short in the striker department that was an issue I remain behind the principle of not signing a striker for the sake of it.

On the other hand, and trying to be positive amongst all the hand wringing, there are obvious mitigating factors here. Inconsistency is to be expected amongst what we need to remember is the youngest squad in the EPL. The manager has taken risks that appear to have blown up in his face, but this is not necessairly a reason to throw out the whole project. Top 3 aside - there is a complete lack of consistency in the chasing pack, and this speaks to a far more level playing field in the league, where there are almost no 'gimmes'. I am convinced that the realistic aim for the club at the beginning of the season was top 6, and if we get there then we will have achieved this expectation and i am prepared to see what we can do with another Summer of recruitment and a proper striker. I have written off top 4 - now lets see if we can stop the rot.

The only bit I query is whilst the aim was top 6, realistically top 4 is / was very achievable given our competition or lack of it. Not only that but Arteta has absolutely failed, the past 3 performances and results have been a disaster and a lot goes back to Arteta.

I am personally giving Arteta until the end of the season, but I am leaning to him being given the boot to be honest.

[Bumble]

4th place back on... Artetas job is same until the next game

[LDG]

Why is it so black and white, depending game to game on how furious you are?

This is a long term thing. Massive setback if we don’t get CL, and we absolutely must have it. But if we don’t, sacking Arteta would put us back 3 years, not move us forward.

The long and short of this season is the January gamble. Do you strengthen and put pressure on the finances if we still fail, or do you leave the team facing fatigue or injury with your fingers crossed?

We chose the later, and after a good run of form, you have to expect a bad run when you lose key players and people get knackered. What matters now, is whether we can use this result as a recovery from a short dip, and whether we can utilose the lokes of Elneny and co to get us over the line

[selassie]

Why is it so black and white, depending game to game on how furious you are?

This is a long term thing. Massive setback if we don’t get CL, and we absolutely must have it. But if we don’t, sacking Arteta would put us back 3 years, not move us forward.

The long and short of this season is the January gamble. Do you strengthen and put pressure on the finances if we still fail, or do you leave the team facing fatigue or injury with your fingers crossed?

We chose the later, and after a good run of form, you have to expect a bad run when you lose key players and people get knackered. What matters now, is whether we can use this result as a recovery from a short dip, and whether we can utilose the lokes of Elneny and co to get us over the line

Let's hope we kick on now, I have a horrible feeling we won't be happy come tomorrow afternoon after the United game. They are welcoming back the likes of Ronaldo and Varane so will be pretty much close to full strength. United are very inconsistent, you could even call them shite, but I think tomorrow's game will be very difficult TBH, i'm expecting a loss.

[Mac76]

One thing's certain, Ronaldo will be wearing a t-shirt under his Moan U shirt with a slogan about his son and will be dying to score to dedicate the goal(s) to him

[Letters]

Why is it so black and white, depending game to game on how furious you are?

Are you new here?

I've always tried not to overreact to one off results. But I was ready to hop back on the Arteta Out bandwagon after 3 defeats in a row.
We are supposed to be in a Top 4 fight, Auba going in January was the right thing to do, he was trouble. But it left us very lightweight up front.
We were getting away with it for a while but losing 3 in a row really wasn't good enough. Two of those were winnable enough and especially that last one when Spurs had lost, it was the perfect opportunity to stamp our authority on it again and it was "same old Arsenal" as well flat on our stupid faces.
I thought that was that, Wednesday's result was a nice surprise and does put us back in it. So let's see where we go from here.
I don't think it's as black and white as "Top 4" or Arteta Out. But I'm expecting us to fight for it. If we miss out then so be it - the Top 3 are miles above us which only leaves one credible space and there are a few other sides fighting for that. I just want to feel like there's progress. For a while I was seeing that. Right now I'm not so sure. I think Arteta's going to be here next season come what may now, there's a big summer coming up - everyone knows we need a striker which means we're not going to get one cheap. I do see some good signs in this team, and having a young team costs you points. With the right additions in the summer we could push on. I think Arteta deserves a chance to do that but if we completely collapse again I'll be less sure about that. Always feels like 2 steps forward, 3 steps back with this lot.

[Marc Overmars]

Expectation ebbs and flows with every result, that’s just the nature of the sport. However considering Southampton got hit for 6 and lost to Burnley, either side of our result there, shows how careless it was from us. Brighton had not won in 6 games either until they done us over as well.

It isn’t 4th place or bust, but I get the feeling there’s also a passiveness at the idea of finishing 4th because it wasn’t necessarily the goal in August. If an opportunity presents itself you take the bloody thing because there’s no guarantee it’s coming again next season. There have been many occasions over the years where the bar has been low enough for us to do something unexpected and this is one of those seasons. It’s not black and white but wilting under the pressure is not a good look no matter how promising something might be too.

[Globalgunner]

These are exactly the same arguments being made this time last year and I guarantee we will be making the same this time next year IF Arteta stays. United have a new manager....with proven pedigree not some romantic former player with a seawave of goodwill behind him instead of actual chops. Will City or Pool lose form? I doubt it. Chelsea may even give Tuchel the heave ho given the epileptic nature of this season. Zidane is on sabbatical but may be open to persuasion by the right project. In the meantime over at Arsenal we are measuring progress with a Vernier caliper.

If we lose to both United and Spuds then what exactly is the purpose of our internship of Arteta. 7th this season and maybe 6th next season?. Progress is progress I guess.

TBH I was frankly shocked by the Chelsea game, but if we get good results against United and Spurs. I will have to concede we may be going somewhere

[Xhaka Can’t]

I think Arteta needs to go, but we don’t need to be taking lessons from Manchester United when it comes to the managerial role.