Up the Arse! Goons Thread

[kreglze]

So looking at the next 4 games.

Spurs
Burnley
Southampton
Everton

If we don't pick up at least 6 points in the league in the next 4 games there will be people baying for Arteta to be moved on. I can't see us winning any of these games on our current form, except for Burnley.

 

[windyhill]

Not sure who is the bigger s**t show ? Arsenal or Essendon

 

[kreglze]

Not sure who is the bigger sh*t show ? Arsenal or Essendon

For me, who knew between Arsenal and the Suns, that GC would be the lesser basket case...

 

[glenferry23]

Or we could have just not signed Lacazette and signed Auba and had Giroud as a secondary option to Auba.

Yep that would’ve been much more ideal, bypass the Lacazette signing completely and gone straight for Aubameyang. Doesn’t always work out that easily though unfortunately.

Speaking of Lacazette, he’s got just over 18 months to go on his contract. Not sure what will happen in the January window of next summer. But we can’t just have another player (who would still be able to be sold for a decent-ish fee) walk on a free. Mustafi and Ozil will do so next summer. Arsenal’s contract management has been very costly.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Yep that would’ve been much more ideal, bypass the Lacazette signing completely and gone straight for Aubameyang. Doesn’t always work out that easily though unfortunately.

Speaking of Lacazette, he’s got just over 18 months to go on his contract. Not sure what will happen in the January window of next summer. But we can’t just have another player (who would still be able to be sold for a decent-ish fee) walk on a free. Mustafi and Ozil will do so next summer. Arsenal’s contract management has been very costly.

Should have sold he, Xhaka and AMN in the summer just gone and raised 60-70 million pounds for other transfers. Laca had a concrete offer from Roma and AMN from Wolves.

 

[OffTheBit]

Arteta must have been told to get the best he could out of some of these players this season to try and raise their worth on the market come seasons end. Or maybe wait until the Covid stuff had eased off a bit and the money situation improved for everyone. Not many clubs were spending last window. That is the only semi logical reason I can think of (given the way we're run) as to why we didn't take what we were reportedly offered for some of these dead players and why they keep getting minutes and starting. I still can't believe Saliba hasn't been given a crack yet. I'd rather see him get a first half red than watch guys like Mustafi or Holding get spun. There's no more upside with these plodders. If we were getting a bit of league experience into guys like Saliba, ESR etc it would be a bit easier to take some of these results

 

[Tomnat Tigers]

Should have sold he, Xhaka and AMN in the summer just gone and raised 60-70 million pounds for other transfers. Laca had a concrete offer from Roma and AMN from Wolves.

This is my biggest criticism of Arteta, I don't think our results are a true indication of our season, thats not to say our points should be better than what they're but rather given the make up of the team and in some games lack of quality compared to the opposition I don't think there is a lot Arteta could do differently that would improve our results. I mean if we win yesterday we would have been equal on points with Everton who aren't our benchmark but draw many parallels with this current team and they started the season on fire. A good run of results over the next 5 games changes the outlook completely for every team from 1-16.

But what he could have and should have done that would have helped achieve better results is get rid of the guys that aren't required players and sign players who could fit the way we want to play. This isn't entirely on Arteta but the club needs to be prepared to take losses on players who haven't worked out and sign lesser known guys who are a greater chance of working out. Who gives a s**t if Lacazette is best mates with Auba, he doesn't fit the team and in all honesty should have been moved on after his first season. Kind of speaks volume when Wenger signs someone and six months later finds someone better than you who plays the same position. AMN should be our first choice right back IMO, but the way he is being used, we would have been better off selling him and asking Soares to do the same thing. Xhaka was the first midfield name on the team sheet to finish last season and we've gone and signed the ideal midfield parter for him and yet haven't used the two together, if the idea of signing Partey was to make Xhaka obsolete than he should have been sold. This is where the criticism of Arteta needs to be pointed at.

 

[5ammy]

Pains me to say it but we are just a middle tier club and have been for a while in terms of performance. Teams just don't fear us, at all.

The thing is, we seem to be getting worse which is just depressing.

I just hope Auba gets his spark back, preferably this week! Please!

 

[kreglze]

You almost hope we miss any European football next season so we can really trim the bloaty mess that is our list.

 

[bok_party]

Partey out til jan

 

[Northalives]

Partey out til jan

That's terrible news.

The team played horribly on the weekend. The team, to a man, are in wretched form.

Elneny has been sorely missed.

The January window can't come quick enough to get rid of the Nationalists (Xhaka, Ozil, Kolasinac) and some others who are just not top half EPL players.

I was very upset at Xhaka's lovey-duby attitude towards the player who went down like a sack of spuds under Pepe's handbag headbut. He was rightly sent off but how in heaven's name can an ex-captain show such comradarie towards an opponent than to his own team. The bloke that hit the deck is from that Balkan diaspora where nationality and religion are far more important to them than anything else - in this instance the Arsenal Football Club run a poor second to those attitudes and the quicker we f**k players like that off, the better.

I also reckon that some of the players who are "social media" tarts copped a real bake from Arteta over the Luiz/Ceballeos fracas at training ie. the source of the leak was on multiple fronts.

These are very challenging times for The Arsenal and the presure will make diamonds out of those with the gumption and the brittle ones will be dispensed with.

Arteta's job is safe for this year. I believe they will stick with the process that Arteta has put in place.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

That's terrible news.

The team played horribly on the weekend. The team, to a man, are in wretched form.

Elneny has been sorely missed.

The January window can't come quick enough to get rid of the Nationalists (Xhaka, Ozil, Kolasinac) and some others who are just not top half EPL players.

I was very upset at Xhaka's lovey-duby attitude towards the player who went down like a sack of spuds under Pepe's handbag headbut. He was rightly sent off but how in heaven's name can an ex-captain show such comradarie towards an opponent than to his own team. The bloke that hit the deck is from that Balkan diaspora where nationality and religion are far more important to them than anything else - in this instance the Arsenal Football Club run a poor second to those attitudes and the quicker we f**k players like that off, the better.

I also reckon that some of the players who are "social media" tarts copped a real bake from Arteta over the Luiz/Ceballeos fracas at training ie. the source of the leak was on multiple fronts.

These are very challenging times for The Arsenal and the presure will make diamonds out of those with the gumption and the brittle ones will be dispensed with.

Arteta's job is safe for this year. I believe they will stick with the process that Arteta has put in place.

Maybe for the remainder for the season, but if we finish bottom half it'll be hard for them to make a case for him to continue on in 21/22.

 

[charcoalchicken]

Can’t help but think ozil would be making a fair difference to this side creativity wise, him being left out due to footballing reasons is utter bullshit you can’t tell me willock is a better player than ozil

 

[charcoalchicken]

Still the same issues of a lot of guys at the club who are simply not good enough either though, bellerin I reckon is finished, xhaka we always knew not quite there, holding nope, ceballos nah, elneny I’m happy to have him as a squad player cause he always puts in a shift but yeah there’s still a lot of guys running around the first team that shouldn’t be there, we’ve added another one in willian too who is on high wages for three years so he’s going to be hanging around, wouldn’t of minded as much if he was rotation but he starts every week. Cedric as well, Mari we don’t know yet as injured but I’m going to say probably won’t be good enough, the list just goes on and on, there’s fewer players at the club who you can say you are happy with them at the club then not.

 

[kreglze]

As much as I hate it. Arteta needs to go back to a back 3. It is what worked late last year and us trying to go to a back 4 has been a mess.

 

[glenferry23]

Can’t help but think ozil would be making a fair difference to this side creativity wise, him being left out due to footballing reasons is utter bullshit you can’t tell me willock is a better player than ozil

His reputation seems to rise with every poor Arsenal performance doesn’t it. Ozil and his representatives have really played this beautifully, particularly with the offer to pay for Gunnersaurus’ wage.

Honestly, it’s become such a ridiculous sideshow. A bloke who was once upon a time arguably the best 10 in the world, on £350k a week is completely frozen out and will walk in 7 months time on a free.

When you look out how inept our midfield is, I cannot fathom how there isn’t a role or opportunity Ozil could slot into in there. Not sure anyone can categorically say he would or wouldn’t help or improve things, but the fact that he’s not even in the equation is baffling.

Some of the decisions that are made by the club’s leaders are just so damn difficult to understand.

 

[Northalives]

His reputation seems to rise with every poor Arsenal performance doesn’t it. Ozil and his representatives have really played this beautifully, particularly with the offer to pay for Gunnersaurus’ wage.

Honestly, it’s become such a ridiculous sideshow. A bloke who was once upon a time arguably the best 10 in the world, on £350k a week is completely frozen out and will walk in 7 months time on a free.

When you look out how inept our midfield is, I cannot fathom how there isn’t a role or opportunity Ozil could slot into in there. Not sure anyone can categorically say he would or wouldn’t help or improve things, but the fact that he’s not even in the equation is baffling.

Some of the decisions that are made by the club’s leaders are just so damn difficult to understand.

I can't understand this obsession with Ozil. For the last two years and more, he was absolute s**t at Arsenal. He needs to be in a side with 9 other superior players in the team so he can shine doing the things he does. In a side with maybe 5 players who are top half EPL standard, puting him in that side only further weekens the side. He does not have the attributes to take a game by the scruff of the neck nor is he capable of being a match winner - if he was, he would not have been dropped by Emery, Llundberg and Arteta. He has shown just how committed he is to the sport, to soccer, by opting to stay in London on a massive wage instead of going elsewhere to play the game. People are clutching at straws if they think Ozil would make a scrap of difference to the side.

 

[glenferry23]

Is a he a shadow of the player he once was? That’s a given, yes.

But can you categorically say he’d be doing a worse job than what we have at the moment?

Xhaka, Ceballos, Willock. Seriously, that’s the options we currently have. With all due respect to them, it’s an indictment on the club that this is the situation we find ourselves in.

 

[Northalives]

Is a he a shadow of the player he once was? That’s a given, yes.

But can you categorically say he’d be doing a worse job than what we have at the moment?

Xhaka, Ceballos, Willock. Seriously, that’s the options we currently have. With all due respect to them, it’s an indictment on the club that this is the situation we find ourselves in.

I agree with you Glen but the average players you cited have at least shown the manager that they can do a job for him in the short term. What would be the purpose to bring in another encumbrance? The players you mentioned have more strings to their bows than the one dimensional Ozil and they can do different jobs.

What you are alluding to is how far we have regressed over the years since Wenger's dementia and as much as I and you and everyone else would like to snap our fingers and get back to being title contenders overnight, it just does not happen like that. Some people have been stupefied by computer games (not you) to the point where reality and fiction have blended together. Some have this deluded romantic view of some players that bare no resemblance to reality.

 

[kreglze]

Ornstein saying Arsenal prioritising an attacking mid and right sided CB in the January window.

 

[glenferry23]

Ornstein saying Arsenal prioritising an attacking mid and right sided CB in the January window.

Nice, did he say that in the latest podcast? (Haven't listened as yet, just asking).

 

[glenferry23]

I agree with you Glen but the average players you cited have at least shown the manager that they can do a job for him in the short term. What would be the purpose to bring in another encumbrance? The players you mentioned have more strings to their bows than the one dimensional Ozil and they can do different jobs.

What you are alluding to is how far we have regressed over the years since Wenger's dementia and as much as I and you and everyone else would like to snap our fingers and get back to being title contenders overnight, it just does not happen like that. Some people have been stupefied by computer games (not you) to the point where reality and fiction have blended together. Some have this deluded romantic view of some players that bare no resemblance to reality.

I think you've misread what is being put forward. I don't believe anyone (here at least) is gushing over Ozil or showing blind loyalty to him over the club etc. That stuff happens increasingly with every Arsenal social media post, the "free Ozil" stuff is getting more and more toxic and shows how divisive this situation has become due to its poor handling.

I don't particularly rate Ozil, I did once upon a time. There is some serious s**t that has happened behind the scenes, and that will likely come out when he walks. He's had many opportunities yes, hasn't delivered the output that his wage would suggest. All of that is acknowledged and obvious to see. So, putting that aside for a moment.

The point is this: how can anyone irrefutably say he would not improve our performances? You can't say he wouldn't. I can't say he would. We're both speculating.

The fact that he is not even in the equation is absolutely ridiculous. Our midfield options currently represent:

- Xhaka. We know what we're getting. Most Arsenal fans seemed to welcome the news that he had one foot out the door this January, on a return to Germany. For whatever reason, Arteta retained him. And even though there was a subsequent improvement, over the balance of time you question how/why he is still a starter at Arsenal.

- Ceballos. I was 50/50 whether we needed to loan him again. Probably a good decision to go again as he knows the club and the squad, but aside from that: what's he actually done? Some good games last season, plenty of average games, and then injuries. Not sure what he is being asked to do, has been pretty average this season (as have many).

- Willock. The bloke is 21 and playing very well in the Europa League. But now all of a sudden he is (by default almost) being asked to play in an advanced/creative type role in the league. With all due respect to him, how is this even a thing all of a sudden?

None of the above give opposition teams much to be scared or intimidated about.

We have a huge hole in midfield, hardly any creativity. We're so predictable. Xhaka seems to pass backwards to Gabriel more often than anything else. We cannot break down teams, who set up and negate so easily whatever we're trying to do out there. Bellerin and Tierney and Saka from wide positions seem to create our best and most frequent chances.

There is an opportunity and need for a player like Ozil right in there. Just to try even, something different rather than the same old predictable lineup.

It is a farce, this whole situation. He continues to train with the first team, yet is not even in either squad. That is extremely confusing and divisive. 350k a week, to live tweet through a matchday. How did it even come to this? He should either play, or should have been paid out and cancelled his contract.

Arsenal have absolutely botched this through shambolic leadership. The loyalty bonus for example, so many sideshows and distractions. Why is he still even at Arsenal? If he's not even in the equation, we should have severed ties and allow the issue to end. Instead, we have this ridiculous situation where every poor performance, more and more focus is on Ozil (rightly or wrongly).

Arteta receives endless questions about it, every press conference becomes its own sideshow in itself. As much as we all like to think they're all professionals and can get on with it, I don't accept for a moment the impact a distraction like this has on the group and club itself. The way it has been allowed to become such a distraction, is disgraceful. He should either be an option to utilise in the squad, or he should be out. This purgatory option has become a fiasco and an utter failing of the leaders of the club.

 

[kreglze]

Nice, did he say that in the latest podcast? (Haven't listened as yet, just asking).

Seems like it, I picked this up from the Arsenal Reddit page.

 

[glenferry23]

Seems like it, I picked this up from the Arsenal Reddit page.

Thanks, am intending on listening to it sometime tonight.

Meanwhile, highly recommend tuning into the latest Arseblog podcast. Great listening and hones in very well on the raft of problems at the club.

I had no idea Sanlehi simply got his job via an endorsement by an outgoing Gazidis prior to him joining Milan. That is unbelievable, yet so quintessentially Arsenal.

 

[kreglze]

Arteta: "I think it's first time in the PL that we put 33 crosses. I'm telling you that if we do that more consistently we're going to score more goals. If we put the bodies we had in certain moments in the box, it's maths, pure maths & it will happen"

Arsenal press conference live as Mikel Arteta previews Rapid Wien clash

Live updates from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's press conference ahead of the Gunners' Europa League clash against Rapid Wien

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