An HONEST Conversation about Arsenal.

[@konman26]

dont worry guys we will sign another defender and goalkeeper this january

[@battymanandrobin]

a leftback wouldn't be too bad of a signing but we need an attacker

[@Gadity351]

and renew Gabriel Jesus’ contract

[@ibranoor6168]

Yh Pablo Mari can do the job😅

[@harishsridharan8098]

Lol

[@milindmatang]

that Chelsea gk Sanchez look good doesn't he..and don't write off saliba and mudryk swap deal.

[@mustaphamustapha4363]

Alex this is directed towards you, i feel because of the way the fanbase could be negative you feel the need to constantly be positive or not attribute blame to arteta accordingly and it hinders your analysis. It’s okay to say arteta is the reason we are out of the trenches but his weaknesses are also what are stopping us from winning the league.

[@markygti138]

Is it though? I feel like the reason we are stuck at the moment is injuries and an additional attacking threat. I know the fashionable narrative is to blame the manager but is it actually his fault?

[@jacobs3722]

@@markygti138apart from Bournemouth and Newcastle this season he has coached wins , players not knowing what to do in the final third ain’t on him

[@markygti138]

@@jacobs3722 I agree with George that our biggest issue is fullbacks not available that run past the wingers. White and Calafiori overlap which pushes Saka and Martinelli or Trossard closer to the goal.

[@SovietNyanCat]

But I think that's what makes him such a brilliant analyst though. It's not just his mind - otherwise he'd be at a football club - but the fact that he can break it down in a way that lets people make their own conclusions. It takes serious intellectual talent to be able to do that, as it allows you to access his intelligence and see the game on a deeper level. If he went out and stated obvious conclusions then a lot of people would simply switch off. Instead he leads us to the conclusion that he believes, and lets us get there ourselves. His approach at the current time is the correct one.

[@milindmatang]

@@SovietNyanCat Up there with Copenhagen interpretation

[@mustaphamustapha4363]

Striker or not we should not be in a position where we can’t score a goal in open play against everton and fulham it’s inexcusable. In 22/23 we didn’t have the striker but we were still able to score

[@BetaFax]

Only a few minutes in, but some up top quick fears: - Mikel and Co will look at the stats and feel like the team was almost there. And that’s vindication of the system (which is not untrue). At some point, though, you’ve got to be able to try meaningfully different approaches. The team was supposedly built to be flexible, to be able to do multiple things. We’re not seeing it. Did we get the wrong players? Is Mikel and Co not giving them the correct instructions in these moments? Are they not responding to the instructions? - The second fear, that I’ve been saying for a while, is that we are too obsessed with control / dominance and, by proxy, a certain balance. Sometimes it’s best to use your specialized tools in the fit for purpose areas. Additionally sometimes it’s ok to welcome a transition game, although tbh that might not be a core (hah?) strength. - Third fear is that if we get someone in to address our box efficiency…does that mean everyone else’s finishing will improve? It has been widespread woeful sans Saka. Funneling chances into one person has its flaws, and we are a team that has chances fall to a lot of players. A lot of the season’s story so far changes if we finish (‘easy’) chances. This would be an interesting season for an All or Nothing type thing. Just to get a peek.

[@CutsCity413]

Arteta spent more time worrying about pick pocketers, should have had him teach them how to make a run for a teammate.

[@NakulKrishna]

18:15 so keeping this in mind: Do you think Arteta is focused on the stats side of things too much. He said we were dominant, but I agree with your aforementioned point about the “stats will read dominant but the game didn’t indicate dominant”. He’s always saying we dominated when a lot of the times the dominance is just on the stats side but the game didn’t showcase obvious domination if at all. We barely create clear cut chances and if by some miracle we do now, the players are missing sitters(barring Saka). We’ve needed “box efficiency” for the past 2 years. Who exactly addresses this? Sterling? The guy who’s notorious for not making decisive moves to conclude his actions? The frustration comes when the problems were obvious to all of us, stated by the manager and club, solutions seemingly available in hindsight and yet here we are yet again. If youre going to use Partey as a RB too, do you really then believe we have enough RELIABKE midfielders(or defenders given Parteys history)? Because Timber had a huge injury, and he’s also being used as Lb to replace the most injury prone bunch of Lb’s we’ve probably ever seen in Calafiori, Zinny, Tomi, and Tierney. I just don’t get some of the trust in some of these players and then he’s ruthless as fu** with Rambo. Somethings aren’t adding up, and for me it’s seeming more and more like Mikel doesn’t have enough opposition within the club and has a real Stat based bias that affects how he views these performances and subsequently how to approach the windows. Everyone could see even though we did well last season run in, we needed moments players in mf and attack. We sell 100m worth of our players and acquire an ageing and maladaptive Merino, Calafiori who for me personally looks defensively shoddy and now injury prone already(but potential is high), a loan for 2nd keeper who can’t play cups, and the last thing we needed in Sterling(yet another wide forward/false 9 who can’t finish). Didn’t go for a 9 because Kai had a good run-in but hasn’t ever really displayed consistency. SERIOUS ptsd from those years that City and Chelsea fished all our best players because the club didn’t match their ambition. And now there’s rumours we aren’t planning on any purchases in January. The 2 damn years that we could’ve won, City have their best luck and now will be deemed cheaters just as we wobble. We’ll watch our best leave one by one if we don’t win this season or max next season.

[@jacobalexander4167]

I don't think it's any of those things, personally, I think Arteta should be blamed but other than Saka, our attackers are below per and most of us didn't see this coming, yes we cried for a striker, but none of us thought both Martinelli and trossard would be average. I think we need a breathe of fresh air, like a new signing in January e g mamoush

[@RichardJones-p2z]

Were u at the game on Sunday?

[@DuaneWest-o1y]

@@jacobalexander4167 Another clueless Affy boy

[@Reesa89]

Spot on with every point

[@alekseifedorov949]

impossible to create clear cut chances with whole team in their box. 3-4 impossible saves from Pickford are pretty telling, aren't they?

[@Lukas_1996]

I don't think Arteta should be sacked but i want two things to happen.1) I want him to have a honest conversation with his coaching stuff about what can they do better to make us more unpredictable and lively in attack and if nothing comes out of it hire a new assisten with fresh view/ideas or attacking coordinator. 2) I want him to communicate directly to the board\owners that we need level raisers in attack and be specific on profiles and traits. Maybe thats wish full thinking but we all know he will get another year so just hope they will maximize this time with the best strategy and squad possible.

[@cursive1805]

I think Arteta should be sacked. He's a rookie. 4 years, 4 months 16 days since our last trophy.

[@richardphipps2789]

Always looking for our favorites as the heroes. Tierney? That’s your solution? First Rice, then Merino, now Tierney? See a pattern here?

[@popham11]

Can you please do a Scouted on Jamie Bynoe-Gittens? I feel he would be a great January winger option and should be gettable with Dortmunds bad form. Has a lot of attributes that we are currently missing from our squad. Bags of pace, 1v1 specialist, can play on both wings and is a great ball striker. Would also count towards the home grown quota! I like George’s shout of Semenyo and they are both very similar profiles. But whilst Semenyo is a good dribbler I feel he’s more of an efficient dribbler as appose to Gittens who has that x-factor about him and is more of a 1v1 specialist. The stats back this up also. Gittens is in the 94th & 99th percentile for progressive carries and successful take-ons, compared to Semenyo 65th & 79th respectively. Both stats are comparable across 5 bigs leagues and champions league. I know Semenyo plays in a tougher league week in week out but the Bundesliga is still a good league, and he’s doing it in the champions league also. Either would be great but I’m leaning more towards Gittens because of his incredible dribbling ability. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.

[@meSsi2y]

We destroyed that 22/23 midfield for Rice-Merino-Odegaard. we deserve everything we get

[@jshshsshshsj]

💯

[@skandamoorthy6752]

Where I think we struggle is his commitment to control over risk taking. We need transitional threat and to be fearless in attack.

[@ramakrishnaniyer6712]

I think we didn’t refresh the squad in the summer. We bought a defender to be a LB, but he’s always injured. Merino is decent but he doesn’t look like an Odegaard complement in left side. Also the squad players have really betrayed Mikel. I think this was the opportunity for players like Jesus, Zinchenko to shine but they have not.

[@TheKh65]

I remember when xhaka was getting the same treatment that Merino gets right now

[@Amberle38]

Zinchenko was decent when he appeared a few games back, problem as ever is he can't stay fit. Like most of the other left backs 😂

[@jacobalexander4167]

Merino is decent and he's doing the same things we praised Chaka for doing, the only problem is Martinelli has regressed so bad, it's making merino look like a bad player

[@RichardJones-p2z]

@@TheKh65 I remember in 2019 when you told us all that Arteta's 'gonna dominate the EPL and conquer Europe"

[@RichardJones-p2z]

​@@jacobalexander4167 "Merino is decent" "the only problem is Arteta's ruined Martinelli so bad, it's making merino look like a bad player too Ffs...

[@TheOutrageousTake-ki2oi]

I'm getting really sick of the lack of investment in the forward positions. Saka and odegaard are gassed and have no support. Edu is a criminal and we better get a decent sporting director

[@eqqu.-]

Yes and how is it our attack is worse than Fulham, Brentford, Newcastle, Brighton, Bournemouth and im not even going to mention the top6 clubs only saka gets into other teams attacks. Arteta has spent 750mil how has he let it get this bad? 5 years ago we should have signed an actual manager and given him 750mil to spend we would already be champions.

[@VtheVman]

I give Arteta massive credit for fixing our defense and our mentality. That was the essential first step of the process. Now need better forwards, wingers, and attacking midfielders. Multiple forwards including a star striker, there’s no way around it. The board are trying to win a title without making these key investments for some reason. It’s been clear for two seasons what we are lacking. They have to get it done in the next transfer window, or admit that they’re not serious about winning the big trophies.

[@Atrakis]

We all knew before the season started we needed a winger, a striker and a midfielder. Then we let ESR and Viera go. Signed a washed Sterling. We now have no new striker, no winger and lack of depth in midfield. It's not all Arteta. We need more signings. Arteta is definitely to blame for lack of balance and stupid subs, but most of our players bar Saka, have been dogwater this season.

[@RichardJones-p2z]

We all knew before the season started when Arteta spent a billion euros that we needed a winger, a striker and a midfielder.

[@mustaphamustapha4363]

Alex will do anything to not hold mikel accountable 😂 no we don’t need to look up because they gave him 65m and 300k a week player and he said he wanted kai havertz in that role

[@milindmatang]

exactly, why would kronkes give him more money he has wasted it on shit players

[@PatrickCWalters]

@9:45, Thats where Im at. Allowing myself to be okay with saying I dont know how this season will go. Engaging with only smart content about Arsenal and tuning out the noise. The fan base is suffering which I understand, but noone said it was going to be easy. I wish the fanbase was less reactionary but I can only control my own thoughts. Still believing, even though our flaws are there and need fixing.

[@alexosborn3247]

I have no sympathy for Arteta. He has/had the solutions and options in his squad to counteract these consistent problems and due to his insistence on certain players being undroppable, those options and solutions have left the club and or continually not being used. He is 100% at fault for everything that is going on right now with Arsenal. And until he can show that he is willing to change then he will continue to be the biggest problem Arsenal have. Hes done a wonderful/unbelievable job in resurrecting us to this point but his current flaws are now hindering us from further progress from base camp (to borrow Giorge's analogy).

[@Jack_AFC]

Bynoe-Gittens is the one! Unbelievable talent. Do a scouted on him!!

[@Denlar96]

My biggest frustration at the moment is that this was us last season. We had a period of time where we couldn't score goals and played average before that 2 week abu dubai trip, which ultimately resurrected our season. Going into the summer, we knew we needed more depth in the forward areas, especially with more games being played this season. We can not expect players to be at their best if they are just ran in to the ground by playing every game (mainly looking at Saka). I respect that Arteta wants the right type of profile for the team, but i feel he has really messed up here. I know injuries have hampered us for some games this season, but we dont have a plan B in the forward positions, really. I feel a Nico williams/Kudus type player, along with Gyokeres, was desperately needed for us to push forward. Instead, we paniced and got Sterling in. I know we dont know what has gone on behind the scenes and we may have tried many options. But if we havent signed someone for the sake of a £5-£10 million between valuation and asking price, it's pretty annoying. I know it's easy to criticise now, but we are currently missing out on a big opportunity. City have fallen off without Rodri and we are dropping points in games we should be winning. Chelsea are taking advantage and so have Liverpool. We should have kicked on from last season but are currently failing to do so and its looking to be costly.

[@spencerz4503]

I’ve been saying it for awhile now, Jamal Musiala was having contract debates looks like there might still be a chance to go in. He can play on the left or in the middle and give us that maverick profile.

[@CutsCity413]

You guys were using Manchester City floundering, after 4 straight championships, to compare to us not being able to score.

[@abiodun-b9]

A conversation devoid of emotional outburst, threatening to kill the manager is so refreshing. A cursory look at the results of teams(involved in CL midweek) in la liga, bundesliga, etc made for a bad reading. Even Liverpool dropped points last weekend. But some Arsenal fans have no context, no sobering reflection. Some of these fans may need therapy

[@jshshsshshsj]

arteta needs therapy from being haunted by pep, pure bottler🤣🤣🤣👍👍

[@hfn3778]

Nwaneri x Odegaard in front of Rice might be the answer.

[@14_Phoenix]

Imagine having players like rice, gabriel, saliba and playing pragmatic, slow-paced football. This is Arteta in 2024. But but but we scored 91 goals and win a lot of duels.

[@milindmatang]

@@14_Phoenix only saliba is that player out of three. Gabriel is the first one to panic and hoof it when we are under the pump. and declan rice is bang average..some fans are waking up to it. for some it will take one more season.

[@alekseifedorov949]

yes, we broke our scoring record. And it's cause of Arteta ball xD

[@meSsi2y]

Rice is the reason we are pragmatic, we've been functional/efficient at best since he arrived

[@14_Phoenix]

@@meSsi2y what a load of waffle. He's a ball winner. Play him at the 6....with odegaard and maybe nwaneri. Change tactics to attacking football instead of side to side passing, you'll see a different arsenal Since when is a 6 required to play line breaking passes every other second. Are you fr ?? There's only 1 player who can do everything in the midfield and that is rodri. Rice was brought in for his interception prowess and ball carrying. Why on earth are you expecting rodri level passes from him. Learn the game before you chat nonsense

[@meSsi2y]

@@14_Phoenix A ball winning 6 when we have 70% possession 😭 Busquets is rolling in grave! we need a creative 6 like Jorgi/Partey especially with our defence and Merino. It's Everton @ home FFS, your football IQ is embarrassing

[@simisuperstar4794]

George is right. Fans what Arteta updated or out

[@KamielSadien]

I think Mikel is a management prodigy. I also think that he's earned a bit of patience as he has turned the club around without question. That being said, and I say this with hindsight, shipping our depth and starting the season with so few goalscorers was a mistake. Luckily, we can turn it all around in January.

[@ikeobanya5138]

Partey at 6. Partey at 6. Partey at 6.

[@milindmatang]

at this point I think the identity of player doesn't matter, it is the Spanish pulis that's the biggest problem and the mediocre shkt he has signed for big money

[@meSsi2y]

Partey-Merino-Odegaard is so 22/23 but now we have a better defence a depth, just do it Teta

[@smellslikefreespirit]

Isn’t the answer whatsoever lol. Rice is and will continue to be the 6 this team needs. Especially to shield the defense. No better 6 defensively in the world than Rice. Played excellent progressive passes against Everton too, so everybody’s “he can’t pass forward” was proven to be bullshit like it always has been. The bigger issue is Arteta’s insistence on inverting fullbacks against teams who are daring Arsenal to build centrally. Another major issue is Saka carrying this offense like LeBron because he’s playing with two other guys in the front 3 who shouldn’t be starting for a title contender/UCL winning team

[@idek1680]

NBC sports posted one of the shortest PL game highlight videos they have ever uploaded 😭😭😭 it was literally 3 or 4 minutes long and half of it was highlights of Everton successfully wasting time lmao cooked. Anyone that missed that game should be happy.

[@smellslikefreespirit]

Teams are quite literally daring Arsenal to build centrally and Arteta continues playing into their hands. Conceicao and Porto gave everyone the blueprint on how to make life difficult for Arsenal in the UCL last season with the 4-1-4-1 mid block. Dyche did the same thing while shifting to a 5-4-1 low block in the final third. Arteta STILL insists on inverting both fullbacks when common sense tells you that you should probably have your fullbacks hold the width to counter that. His answer to that on Saturday was like for like subs and having Ødegaard/Nwaneri continue to drop deep and wide to find the ball. There were zero tweaks to the tactical approach. There’s a lack of fluidity in the attack. Less overlaps on the right hand side without Ben White, and there’s rarely ever been overlaps on the left hand side considering the left back has consistently inverted in this system. Lack of forward runs to push the other team’s defensive line back. Instead Havertz/Jesus are instructed to act as false 9’s against teams who stay compact and force the ball wide to then double Saka/Martinelli. Arteta needs to adapt and adapt QUICK if this season is to be salvaged. I know he loves this system that he built, but it’s been found out. I’m not saying throw the whole thing away, but don’t continue to do the same things over and over when it’s been found out.

[@SimonAfc-qb3gf]

These two know Arsenal well.

[@FranGoalartzo]

The cap is elite 🧢🧢

[@FranGoalartzo]

I meant the actual hat btw 🤣

[@ToddParker]

We need a chaos merchant or physical force that forces fear in opposing defenders. Henry won the game in the tunnel.

[@KelsieFrum]

Great content, as always! I have a quick question: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). How can I transfer them to Binance?

[@joeld685]

Thoughts on getting Kvara? Contract ends in 2027, and he’s on around €35k a week.

[@Lukas_1996]

He would be great,especially with overlap and box presence. Kvara,Davies,Sesko it theory fix our issues but just doesn't seems like something we would do.

[@10th.Q]

you can't do business with Napoli, they are worse than Brighton

[@alekseifedorov949]

he's on Antony level, I can tell you that

[@sigfigronath]

I do think sterling should be played more. That LW desperately needs someone like that. I just think that addition alone will improve the team. Cuz then we actually have a chance creator on the LHS rather than relying on Saka and Odegaard all the time in the attack.

[@rajvishnu5132]

Talk about Chelsea and their weakness, please. give me some comfort

[@ikeobanya5138]

George wants to shred Tierney's hamstrings, or ligaments, or tendons again. Let the man stay unhurt and get sold in January and be another team's problem please

[@stighølmo]

The surest choice with beste effect, but it will cost, is Isak...secko will take more time and cant be as a guarantee as Isak...and as a dream Gyokeres and Isak, both can do winger duty and CF, depending on the game need...

[@patrikcarlsson8975]

We should have moved Gabriel in front of the Everton goal at the end. He would occupy the centerbacks and give space to other players.

[@mattvarner5825]

He went forward pretty far a few times towards the end but not really that aggressively

[@RichardJones-p2z]

@@mattvarner5825 but not really that aggressively?? Do u think he should carry a knife?

[@10th.Q]

@@RichardJones-p2z please I'm not happy 😂

[@AFCbirmsy]

The summary is really how I feel. For as long as we are in contention, it's not worth discussing a sacking. Minimum expectation is a trophy. If we don't win anything he's got to go for me, assuming the replacement is better. If it's FA/Carabao, he gets another season, but it then has to be a major honour. Win a major this year and there's no questions. However, I'm not so sure the kroenkes will sack him no matter this seasons outcome. I really do think just a bit more bravery and willingness to punch passes into central areas, to the forward players, just to create some chaos amongst the opposition around the box would greatly benefit the spaces we could then find. As a more serious way of improving the team, a productive Left winger/forward is an absolute must. I cannot express how underwhelming martinelli really is.

[@RichardJones-p2z]

"For as long as we are in contention, it's not worth discussing a sacking".

[@RichardStone-xk2px]

Another weak Arteta fanboy finally waking up to reality...

[@sulaak]

After 5 years, we should start seeing the result of £750 million investment

[@VtheVman]

We are seeing the results. We are true contenders now. Just need to get over the hump and make this team truly elite.

[@michaelmatthews8180]

The truth is Arteta miscalculated this season. He believed after scoring record goals last season he could afford to get away with another season of no clinical striker. Don't get me wrong this is easy to do by any manager. Even Pep miscalculated the importance of Rodri to his team on and off the pitch. This season teams have worked us out and informed those tight games where you need a clinical finisher in the box that'll get you a goal out of nothing to break the deadlock we've come up short. You notice in games when we've broken the deadlock early we've gone on to bag more goals. I'd switch Martinelli to central striker and play Harvertz in the 8. Rotate Jesus and Trossard on the left but personally I'd play Tierney out there to whip balls in and give Fury more attacking licence. Teams are set up for our players cutting in from the wing now. Come January I'd sign Isak and Gokeresh together. Or get one in the Winter and the other in the summer. I saw Isak destroy 3 defenders triple teaming him once and decided he's best there for a big team ... think Henry for Barcelona. Those are my two cents. Let me know what you all think.

[@ibranoor6168]

I think you are living in a bubble mate if u believe we can buy those two strikers you just mention, in January

[@thierryhenry674]

Finishing is not the problem. The quality and quantity of chance creation is the problem.

[@ryanfinnerty6239]

Seriously, I’m noticing a return of attacking FB in the league that hold width/aggressively underlap rather than invert. And in all honesty, I’d want to see a Tierney, Merino, Nwaneri left side and operate with double tens

[@thierryhenry674]

@@ryanfinnerty6239 Wide fullbacks who are not technical enough to invert are rubsh. It’s not that there is a return of wide fullbacks. It’s that having the ability to both invert and run wide can provide you variations in attack. That’s why you can see fullbacks like Calafiori and Timber, who are skillful and technical enough to invert, but can also run wide to offer something different when necessary.

[@alexosborn3247]

Signing Isak and Gyokores in January? are you living in a fake fantasy world or just totally delusional. That's £200m minimum 😂

[@KaienVT]

Rice being so good as a sole 6 gives you the option to have 2 “creative” 8s move Odegaard slightly deeper and make him in charge of build up and have a better transitional number 8 ahead of him bcos this lack of transition is a joke.

[@milindmatang]

@@KaienVT may be he is the reason for no transition..it's the same thing with England's build up

[@Juicer988]

@@milindmatang 100% you are wrong. england was always dysfunctional because of southgates incompetence to pick a proper balanced lineup. just look at no left winger or leftback being picked in the euros. you should platform around rice with 2 more creative players like odegaard and nwaneri because rice is the best 6 in the world at controlling defensive transitions and very very good in general at defending winning the ball back etc.

[@KaienVT]

@ not really bcos even when he’s at 8 or not playing at all, we still have the same issue.

[@milindmatang]

@@Juicer988 tuchel will replace him with angel gomes , just wait for few games

[@Juicer988]

@@milindmatang no he wont. If anything he will play rice with gomes and drop that bum foden.

[@dlaldlaldlanutsntnstn1418]

The issue is obvious to me, we don't have city to chase, and we've fallen back with them. Which team does Arteta talk about all the time in terms of the standard we must reach? Pretty clear what's going on when you look at it like this

[@hamoudziane]

for me the 3 big things are. 1. lack of variety, it feels like we only ever attack in the same way, we rarely chang eour shape or approach. Would love to see some changes either in roles or position. 2. Lack of threat on the counter, 22-23 Martinelli was our counter scorer, 23-34 it was havertz. Often they were the only ones in position during a counter attack. Every other team Counter attacks with 3-4 players , we usually do with 2-3. 3. Lack of faith in the squad, we rotate our attack but we never actually change the dynamics of our team. KT never plays, we always build with 2/3 atb. Why not actually run a 5atb with WBs for certain games? It may be shite but it surely has to be worth a try to do something different? I get that we have a lot of injuries but what about Saka on the left for certain games? or actually playing GM as a striker? I know they see these players everyday but it feels like we've been solved this season( just like the past 2 seasons) and we don't actually try to innovate with what we have.

[@sigfigronath]

Playing Partey at RB is a form of innovation and look at how the fans are treating it, I also agree, partey should be in midfield, but then who plays RB (without playing KT). So Mikel started MLS and played TImber RB. I think its the best back line for now. Playing Saka away from Odegaard is a big mistake. Apart from that I do agree, we are very poor in the counters. Esp when we win the ball high up.

[@thierryhenry674]

I don’t care if we have zero counter attack. I want 90% possession around the opponent box, like 17-20 Man City. The difference is, when we are around the opponent box, we don’t overload the centre. We control the ball on the flanks and play around but not through the defence. We have to increase the willingness to play through the middle. To increase the quantity and quality of skillful/techncial players in the middle. This is how we should play. Sterling Jesus Trossard Nwaneri Partey Odegaard Zinchenko Calafiori Saliba Timber Raya Don’t drop deep to defend, keep the high line. Play attacking football, not defensive counter attack. Stop progressing through the flanks, stop spamming crosses. Play the most tiki taka capable/skill move capable/technical eleven.

[@sigfigronath]

@@thierryhenry674 I agree with you but why is Saka dropped ? Also regarding why Arsenal dont do it, if it was easy we would as simple as that... Agsint WestHam we did, Some teams are better at blocking the center, Brentford, Everon ect

[@Bigthink1000]

We need to buy one of these strikers or nothing. Isak - Goreska - Osiemen nothing more unless we are a jokes of team with .

[@SenorjrjrIII]

Goresaka? Do you mean Gyökeres?

[@thierryhenry674]

We need to sell Havertz and sign one of Gouiri, Vidovic, Roque, Olmo or Felix.

[@christofferskog6859]

I think it's normal for teams to have a season of regression. Liverpool under Klopp had two, even Pep has had 2 now. We didn't do enough to sort of the attack in the summer, and we keep insisting on signing injury prone players. We knew about Jesus, Zinchenko and now Calafiori, but we still spent an absurd amount of money on them. We will not compete properly until we sign a better left winger, a striker with that instinct to make runs in the 6 yard box and sort of the constant rotation at left back due to injuries. Also not overly confident in Merino or the left 8 position in general. Partey also has to go, we always mess up our starting 11 to force him in. Wouldn't surprise me if he got a new contract in the summer and spends the entire next season injured.

[@ngoni4870]

Pretty ridiculous reason for wanting Partey go

[@Mhollette]

Liverpool didn’t have a regression season until they won major trophies. It’s alarming that we’ve had a regression season when we’ve won nothing

[@jasonazyu9677]

Their Trophies came before the regression. We haven't completed step one yet.

[@jshshsshshsj]

those 2 teams won EVERYTHING. HOW CAN YOU COMPARE.

[@lbj1262]

I strongly dislike the way Mikel has used our wingers this season. In this current iteration of our system, he arguably has our 3 best finishers (Saka, Trossard, Martinelli) hugging the touch line. Feel like we need to alter who holds the width for us and get the guys more opportunities closer to goal.

[@k3deuce]

you guys point to the point correctly. let's see how our team comes across all points this season...

[@markygti138]

Alex, what do we do when the right players to sign aren’t the available players? Something isn’t better than nothing Raheem Sterling.

[@abzcarter1838]

Why is bhavs not around anymore ??

[@itsobviouswho]

The problem is that Arteta says one thing, but does another. Said he doesn't want Sterling, gets Sterling. Said he doesn't want to change people from their natural positions does exactly that. It then sounds absurd, for people who are backing him to justify things he's actively disagreed on and done. And others to complain about fans turning against him, when many of them are just holding him at his word. The only thing I'd argue is that context matters for a lot of things that have happened this season e.g. injuries & early-on referees

[@thierryhenry674]

We have a good enough squad. This squad is definitely better than what we had 2 seasons ago, and we were challenging the title playing great football. The problems are in the tactics. Why are we dropping deep to defend, and not keep the high line? Why are we not playing attacking football? I don’t want defensive counter attack. Stop progressing through the flanks, stop spamming crosses. We should play the most tiki taka capable/skill move capable/technical eleven. Look at how empty we are in the zone 14. We play 2 inverted fullbacks, we play a false 9, in theory the zone 14 should have been packed with our players. But what do we get? Players staying close to both flanks, players staying back, forming a U shape. Two seasons ago, Arteta showed that he has the ability of prime Pep (17-20 Pep). But he now chooses to be Tony Pulis.

[@thierryhenry674]

Just play the system we played 2 seasons ago. Play Jesus or Trossard as our false 9. Sell Havertz, Rice and Tierney.

[@timeisontheessence]

The system 2 years ago was just as predictable at certain point, hence why he chose different profiles. Eventually everything will click, the main issue is the fullbacks are key to his team because they facilitate under and overlaps which free the wingers more. Secondly the players need to move the ball quickly and more risky instead of playing the safe pass at times

[@brianmuchemi7111]

Dont love the coach love the club Alex , the club comes first as Henry said coaches come and go he will leave and ask ourselves what have we done 7years later 7 years of arteta and the furthest will be one fa cup, maybe a semifinal in ucl , or maybe one carabao if we even beat palace in the first place

[@abhishekbose6989]

Nonsense. Arsenal are one the best coached teams in the world which is missing killers atm.

[@khal8951]

We are doing a Champions League and Carabao Cup double boys don't worry ;)

[@RichardJones-p2z]

On your XBox

[@tompopham5676]

Merino technically is too slow on the ball, physically he is very heavy and slow footed and in the prem when you’re getting pressed much quicker and transitions are much more common he is lacking. So far he’s been hiding too far up the pitch as he looks worried about getting pressed and losing the ball

[@EmiratesEra]

Alex and George. We’re stale right now, we need to change this attack up.

[@Jim_Milton29]

If Arsenal can only sign one player it has to be an Elite RCM. A Musiala/Wirtz kind. Move Ødegaard into a rotational left 8 role with Merino. That alone would fix 90% of the issues.

[@DavidSmith-eh7rs]

"Searching for certainty in something that can't be certain." This. And yes, it's true for both sides. That said, I do feel the people acting like the season is over, certain players are absolutely the wrong players and Arsenal will never win anything under Arteta are the ones erring more on the side of being overly certain.

[@SenorjrjrIII]

Or maybe they're just looking at the now. The team and the players haven't been good enough so far and many of the problems we're seeing were foreseeable. The fans are watching things that they didn't expect to work not work and that's frustrating, especially since it feels like these are problems that have lingered for a long time and now have come home to roost. Many felt we didn't do enough in the summer and the summer before and there's been disquiet about matching our stated ambition to our activity in the market.

[@VARMOT123]

We barely make any open play chances for strikers. You could have lewy and it wouldn't matter and they wouldn't even fall to him

[@Juicer988]

At this point most frustrating thing is the lack of bravery from arteta and being risk averse. idk if its inferiority complex to pep and losing titles to city in the past or getting done in the champions league but something has happened. The domination arteta talks about is in reality just playing the percentages to get as much upside with as little risk as possible. Just look at our reliance on set pieces and avoiding to play through the middle in fear of giving the ball away centrally and opponents hitting us on the counter (like when city put 4 past us at the etihad a while ago). it is less risky to play through the sides to our wingers who try to get a corner but im sry thats not good enough to win anything major. You must take risks to get rewards. that is an inherit key part in any sport. There is no perfect 100% guaranteed safe option to win. 100% I blame arteta risk avoiding setup of the team and our recruitment for not getting in an attacker

[@eqqu.-]

I just cant undestand how arteta and edu let this get so bad only player from our attack who would get in to other teams attack is saka. I dont like the kroenkes but i would not even blame them if they refuse arteta funds seeing how he has wasted the 800mil hes had.

[@mustaphamustapha4363]

I have a question for you. If you are the board, who are not man city with oil money. In 22/23 you buy jesus for 50m and 265k a week. The next year you sign havertz for 65m and 300k a week i’m sorry but they have a right to sorry we have invested in you go and figure it out. It’s a business at the end of the day

[@SashaWalicki]

Demerits is a word

[@TheKingSkillsBW67]

Imagine if we also studied your sad stories like you’re telling us all about Arteta’s challenges…😂 Otherwise I remain 💯 defiant in the conviction that Arteta’s Arsenal are the best team to go all the way. Everything is looking very good. Once we get all our players back, nothing stops us to go on a winning streak. I’m glad during our bad problems, none of the teams that are a serious threat have been successful.

[@DonAnthonyLezama]

Arteta may not be the coach for sesko. Should we consider that alot of the issues stem from. Over coaching or too rigid of coaching/strategy

[@tasrifm208]

Oshimen -Havertz any day

[@adventurerwannabe]

Merino is absolutely bang average. A fine bench player but nothing more...its specially bad because he is not only not the level raiser but worst of all he was never the type of left 8 we needed...we need a much more creative left 8...high touch player...not a slower Havertz with better touch

[@thierryhenry674]

@@adventurerwannabe He is better than Rice. More technical and creative. Should play Merino or Partey as 6. And then play a 10 where Merino was playing.

[@DonAnthonyLezama]

Isn't oshimen gonna be 65mil ?? We can't spend that?

[@mickynjx1699]

Guys there is no need to beat about the bush or try to be "correcct" to whoever or whatever. Due to Arteta's specificity in strategy n selection (now predicate by some managers) especially regarding players n what he wants them to do on the pitch, we have to really dig into the January window. There's no garnishing that fact. Adaptability is not Arteta's strong suit (unlike Slot, Maresca n maybe Amorin). The entire management (team manager n executives) have run out of excuses. With all the "Arteta" improvements that have been done to the team, if our main/only obstacles for the past 2 seasons (ManCity) r struggling we should be on top n not behind teams who have been constantly behind us for the past 2 seasons n whose major upgrades the past window were their mangers, who by the way r first time managers in the epl. We've ended the past 4 seasons clapping our hands to ourselves with tears in our eyes n hopes n promises for next season. Well most fans r tired of that n want a major trophy this season. End of. I love Arteta n he's also responsible for this sense of entitlement I n most fans have with his past two finishes. But noone can accuse Arsenal fans of being impatient. IF n IF any of Liverpool, Chelsea, ManUtd win the epl ahead of us this season, fans will be LIVID! No PR campaign will placate. Regardless of what channels they use. I strongly suggest they use the January window eefectively n get what we need to make us winners. No dilly dallying. We r sick n tired of the rigidity, stubbornness n inconsistencies. We've backed the process long enough n now we want trophies not further promises.

[@CutsCity413]

And Arteta saying we should have won against Everton shows he's a coward.

[@diehardgunner4844]

Liverpool Newcastle Fulham Everton all games were we tried Rice at CDM. We haven't won any of these games. In fact 3 of these are possibly our 3 worst performances of the season. Coincidence? How about we srick to the CDM that has been successful. Free Thomas Partey!!😂

[@ikeobanya5138]

Arteta does not buy the players. The board isnt getting him what he needs.

[@Jim_Milton29]

Another pod without an Odegaard Convo. At this point, it has to be black magic. It makes any discussion borderline unwatchable when the biggest issue in the team is overlooked while galaxy braining n number of significantly less important POIs.

[@RichardJones-p2z]

But he's "world class"

[@spacetime34-dx7wt]

Therapy pod

[@ottoabrams4667]

How long has Mikel been saying we need box efficiency. Bloody broken record

[@bradleycostello9077]

Needed a left winger right winger to compete with saka and some kind of mobile forward that will make runs and try to score unlike jesus or havertz

[@herminio9961]

George got great teeth

[@adamandrews5169]

The analysis of our weaknesses is pretty accurate.. however the recruitment part is pure football manager/ FIFA takes .. we could not buy a game changer in the summer, in fact no top side in the prem did really, clearly wasn’t out there this year, we choose not to buy another plan B.. it’s gamble but just buying anyone is building up further issues.. we need top drawer .. just another fan fiction podcast.. Arsenal vision still the most realistic out there lads. Take note

[@Cafez27]

Couldn’t agree more, super sensible comment chap

[@alekseifedorov949]

i'm sorry, but bringing up KT is an immediate red flag for a podcaster. He's finished for out type of football. Poor on the ball

[@jshshsshshsj]

@@alekseifedorov949 calamari and binchenko are shite👍👍

[@alekseifedorov949]

@@jshshsshshsjCalafiori is brilliant and rewriting history (facts that Real, PSG and more wanted him) doesn’t help to believe you. Zinchenko is better than half of players of the league on the ball, but he’s limited of course. But he doesn’t play not cause he’s not the level but cause he’s done fitness wise.

[@stevecallais1713]

the way Mikel sets up is not good for strikers. Arsenal is a strikers graveyard. he cant coach or set up systems to complement a striker. He gets them to be the glue, not the goalscorer. he needs a rethink. So no matter who you put in its not going to work.

[@maltlickytexas]

Arteta is not the man to take Arsenal to the next level. Sorry.😂

[@siya.bonga_mabuza]

1:32 you didn't miss much mate, the game was boring like almost every arsenal game this season

[@JR01015]

*Sorry I’ve been watching RB Leipzig and Sesko has been nothing but underwhelming. Not any different than Havertz. Misses absolute sitters.*

[@diehardgunner4844]

From a possible 48 pts we have 30pts. That means we lost 18pts. 9 of those points were lost with Rice playing CDM in the four games we have tried hom there. Cam we stop trying that please. Where is all the talk about our best midfield? Are we still sticking with that nonsense?

[@harishthiruvengadam7511]

Is Paul Pogba an option ?

[@tatahabdudarma7239]

George has absolutely sold me on Antoine Semenyo. I totally want him now. Bring him. Give me a Semenyo - Havertz - Saka frontline.

[@Lukas_1996]

Bro,if you heard him 4 years ago talking about Aouar and Soumare you would think they are Iniesta and Yaya Toure. He have a tendency to over exaggerate when he describe players he likes

[@jshshsshshsj]

@@tatahabdudarma7239 bro still wants havertz

[@milindmatang]

for someone who talks football for living and that too in the smugest way possible, it is embarrassing to get so much so wrong...may be trusting your eyes and cognitive faculties help more than squinting on meaningless stats and pie charts.. Every manager in new job has to move someplauers on, brings in new coaching staff, deploy his "style", it is nothing new or special. it isn't called "transforming the culture of the club" two eight place finishes, losing every meaningful game without exception, no attacking plan..it is just obvious to see. yet some idiots believe he transformed arsenal..if anything he has destroyed whatever good left of old arsenal.

[@richardphipps2789]

We don’t have dynamic width because they are tired..playing defense; tracking back; covering for incompetent wing backs or inverted backs. Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard, Saka Jesus are tired by 50 minutes…hence the lack of dynamism.

[@richardphipps2789]

Favorite 2 fanboys. You guys were clamoring all season for your dream midfield Ø, Rice and Merino. Well you got it and it was uninspiring, lacking creativity, incision and purpose. Waiting for the excuses now. The fact is Partey, and Jorginho are still our 2 best deep playing midfielders. Rice is ok but; not what you lot make him out to be; he’s not elite. Think it’s still too early on Merino; but for now not anything special. Time to stop the delusions and fantasies; and agendas.

[@TMDude815]

Alex don't pick your teeth on camera....it's disgusting.....just a note.....keep up the good work.😊😊

[@briansmith975]

You guys have become the cheap fans. Up and down like fiddlers elbows

[@RichardJones-p2z]

Says the Australian social benefits cheat

[@cedyosha3505]

George needs to stop talking about Martinelli... Your Martinelli take is flat out wrong broski

[@imodine284]

#ARTETAOUT #GEORGEIN

[@Bigthink1000]

İt's not about Arteta İt's the players Martinelli , Jesus, Merino, Ziny , Sterling, Trausard If all these players played to their full potential we will Win the league.

[@hgoose95]

If one player gets worse it's on the player, if 6+ players get worse, it's got to be on the manager - either for not setting them up for success, or for not seeing their cliff coming and recruiting around them to not be a point of failure

[@jacobalexander4167]

​@@hgoose95it can't be on the manager when jesus want to be guaranteed game time while not scoring goals as a striker, no tactics in the world should stop Martinelli from beating his marker 1v1

[@thierryhenry674]

Except for Martinelli, most of the players you have listed are extremely skills moves capable or extremely tiki taka capable with silky and tekky touches and close control. You can’t ask Messi, Iniesta and Busquets to park the bus and try to head long ball. They will not perform well in a defensive system.

[@RichardJones-p2z]

@@jacobalexander4167 "it can't be on the manager when jesus want to be guaranteed game time while not scoring goals as a striker" Who paid for 50m for the clown??

[@thandokhumalo4932]

#LoisOpenda

[@xxthekingfish]

Not so uppity now are you now? Worries about Liverpool a d you shouldve been worried about your damn selves.

[@richardphipps2789]

Notice the names…White, Tierney, Rice, Merino…total fanboy stuff lacking any sense of reality…utter gosh.

[@joeparas]

There is no one in world football I'd trade Havertz for - that doesn't mean I wouldn't bite your hand off for another player to spell him or play with him. Lads, we don't need a smaller squad...

[@thierryhenry674]

Sell Havertz, he is rubsh. Buy Gouiri, Vidovic or Roque. Olmo or Felix would also be good, but they seem to be impossible to get.

[@joeparas]

@thierryhenry674 zzzzzz