Erik ten Hag | 2022/23 & 2023/24

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It us unbelievable that it would take us that long to challenge. Arteta and Conte has accomplished that with less in the short time they have been at the club. Things can change this season if we hire Michael Edward or Monchi, then Pochettino if ETH doesn't change things fast. All ETH has to do, is emulate the formula of arteta and Pochettino. Bin the divas and players that refuse to work hard and start using our youngster. Iqbal, Garner, ganaucho, etc should be starting along with some of the more senior players if things doesn't improve. I still hope ETH can turn things around, but his first two games shows a manager that is still learning on the job. Even the fans on this forum knew that Fred alongside eriksen and Bruno was a bad idea before the match even started. Moreover Martinez in a two man cb
 
It us unbelievable that it would take us that long to challenge. Arteta and Conte has accomplished that with less in the short time they have been at the club. Things can change this season if we hire Michael Edward or Monchi, then Pochettino if ETH doesn't change things fast. All ETH has to do, is emulate the formula of arteta and Pochettino. Bin the divas and players that refuse to work hard and start using our youngster. Iqbal, Garner, ganaucho, etc should be starting along with some of the more senior players if things doesn't improve. I still hope ETH can turn things around, but his first two games shows a manager that is still learning on the job. Even the fans on this forum knew that Fred alongside eriksen and Bruno was a bad idea before the match even started. Moreover Martinez in a two man cb
Arteta is challenging for the title?
 
It us unbelievable that it would take us that long to challenge. Arteta and Conte has accomplished that with less in the short time they have been at the club. Things can change this season if we hire Michael Edward or Monchi, then Pochettino if ETH doesn't change things fast. All ETH has to do, is emulate the formula of arteta and Pochettino. Bin the divas and players that refuse to work hard and start using our youngster. Iqbal, Garner, ganaucho, etc should be starting along with some of the more senior players if things doesn't improve. I still hope ETH can turn things around, but his first two games shows a manager that is still learning on the job. Even the fans on this forum knew that Fred alongside eriksen and Bruno was a bad idea before the match even started. Moreover Martinez in a two man cb

Agreed. Been saying this for ages but nobody would acknowledge what Arsenal have done. They've done it right, we've been too scared of giving up a top 4 place temporarily to go through it. And in the process we've ended up the 6th best team in the country at best! Shambles.
 
We haven’t signed nor spent any money on De Jong. We lost 6 first team players on a free transfer, freeing up huge sums from the wage budget including big earners like Pogba, Cavani, and Lingard.

The money is obviously there for the club to use, it was reported pretty much everywhere that the transfer fee was agreed on between both club, it's just the they chose not to spend it in the hope that De Jong will sign. It's not a matter of budget, it's a matter of choices.
 
You can't possibly make such a confident assertion given how utterly rudderless it has been all summer so far.
We’re about to sign Rabiot. There’s one. Agreed a fee for FDJ. If not him that money goes elsewhere. So yes. I think when the manager publicly states we must sign players and there’s clearly money there it means we will sign players. The right ones? feck knows.
 
Agreed. Been saying this for ages but nobody would acknowledge what Arsenal have done. They've done it right, we've been too scared of giving up a top 4 place temporarily to go through it. And in the process we've ended up the 6th best team in the country at best! Shambles.
What exactly has Arteta done till now ? Genuine question
 
At this point, bend over and just cover the 17mil Barca owes FDJ. Maybe that would get him to come. It's not like we've never over paid before. But after yesterday....yikes.
 
What exactly has Arteta done till now ? Genuine question

Rebuilt their squad with a lot of youngsters.

They are far better now than when he took over. You'll point to his spending and say he should win stuff, but that would be bollocks. City and Liverpool etc were already miles better and continue to spend big. It'll take a while for them to catch up, but if some of these players fulfill their potential and stay at Arsenal, then they could get there challenging soon.
 
Rebuilt their squad with a lot of youngsters.

They are far better now than when he took over. You'll point to his spending and say he should win stuff, but that would be bollocks. City and Liverpool etc were already miles better and continue to spend big. It'll take a while for them to catch up, but if some of these players fulfill their potential and stay at Arsenal, then they could get there challenging soon.
For everything, they still haven't done anything relevant and that's the key. That topic holds good only when they qualify for CL (bare minimum )
 
Rebuilt their squad with a lot of youngsters.

They are far better now than when he took over. You'll point to his spending and say he should win stuff, but that would be bollocks. City and Liverpool etc were already miles better and continue to spend big. It'll take a while for them to catch up, but if some of these players fulfill their potential and stay at Arsenal, then they could get there challenging soon.
He’s doing a good job and has got them back into contention for a CL place but they are a mile off City/Liverpool
 
The money is obviously there for the club to use, it was reported pretty much everywhere that the transfer fee was agreed on between both club, it's just the they chose not to spend it in the hope that De Jong will sign. It's not a matter of budget, it's a matter of choices.
And that’s why we’re scraping for Rabiot, Arnautovic, and Kalazdjic? The money isn’t obviously there. Losing 6 first team players hasn’t added any serious impetus to the club to spend more. We’re working on a limited budget.
 
All these stuffs coming out is good as PR.

But if we are trying to be reasonable, he should be horrified at how we could not score a goal as a team for two games in a row (own goal aside) though. Four goals flattered Brantford and it is down to two or three of our players fecking up greatly. The question is would his tactics have been good enough as well?
 
Rebuilt their squad with a lot of youngsters.

They are far better now than when he took over. You'll point to his spending and say he should win stuff, but that would be bollocks. City and Liverpool etc were already miles better and continue to spend big. It'll take a while for them to catch up, but if some of these players fulfill their potential and stay at Arsenal, then they could get there challenging soon.
Well, when he took over he won a trophy with that squad. Let's see how this season goes.
 
It us unbelievable that it would take us that long to challenge. Arteta and Conte has accomplished that with less in the short time they have been at the club. Things can change this season if we hire Michael Edward or Monchi, then Pochettino if ETH doesn't change things fast. All ETH has to do, is emulate the formula of arteta and Pochettino. Bin the divas and players that refuse to work hard and start using our youngster. Iqbal, Garner, ganaucho, etc should be starting along with some of the more senior players if things doesn't improve. I still hope ETH can turn things around, but his first two games shows a manager that is still learning on the job. Even the fans on this forum knew that Fred alongside eriksen and Bruno was a bad idea before the match even started. Moreover Martinez in a two man cb

Ten Hag is playing Fred, McTominay, McTominay and Eriksen in central midfield because he literally does not have any other options. The club has been unable to acquire a single CM or DM when most agreed they would likely need 2 or 3 before the window closed.

He's been absolutely pilloried for playing a 24 year old CB with several years of professional experience and training because he's 2 inches shorter than average. I'm not sure playing some gangly teenagers with little to no professional experience is going to go well, especially against Liverpool.
 
Does he have any options? Lindelöf & Wan-Bissaka?
There is Varane. Since you mentioned AWB, I’m going to throw it out it, hilariously, AWB switch to cb and varane go into RB which he has played in but it would obviously be a fecking bizarre tactical move.
 
Arteta is challenging for the title?
Arsenal are doing the best they could be doing with the resource and squad at the disposal. It is like saying Villarreal should be challenging for the title in la liga when realistically a squad of their size and talent could best hope for a fourth or third place finish in the league. The formula they are using if implemented at United with a much bigger resource and pool of talent will result in a title challenge much earlier than 5 years. If Ole with this squad can challenge for a title, it should not take 5 years for a good manager to challenge for it. We should get top four and challenge next year if we follow the right formula and get better at recruiting player. But, I m not seeing that at the moment. This transfer window seems to have taken us further backward despite spending already around 70m on players.
 
Arsenal are doing the best they could be doing with the resource and squad at the disposal. It is like saying Villarreal should be challenging for the title in la liga when realistically a squad of their size could best hope for a fourth or third place finish in the league. The formula they are using if implemented at United with a much bigger resource and pool of talent will result in a title challenge much earlier than 5 years. If Ole with this squad can challenge for a title, it should not take 5 years for a good manager to challenge for it
Arteta is not in a title challenge now and never has been at Arsenal. They are battling for 3/4th place.
 
Although the players are to be blamed for the disastrous performance, ETH has a part to play too because he is the one that chose the lineup. I wondered if he only started watching the players play few months back. All the fans can identify the players' issues below but that doesn't seem to be apparent to him.
If he continues to play nice and not rock the boat, he is going to pay for the non performing players.
De Gea - Lack of command and refused to come out to collect the ball. Martinez should not be blamed fully for the goal if De Gea collects that in air.
Dalot - limited player but at least you can see him putting in the effort. Good squad backup. Only started because we don't really have better alternative
Maguire - ought to be dropped. Can't command and organise his defence even make risky passes to teammates and put them on unnecessary pressure captain should be doing the opposite
Martinez - give him benefit of doubt but needs to prove he can survive in EPL
Shaw - deserve to be dropped. Couldnt defend or attack. Looks tired and slow. Can see significant improvement after Malacia subbed on
Fred - Squad player as well. Hard to trust him to defend the line. Might be good just to be higher up and do pressing job.
Eriksen - need to get up to speed asap. Still look rusty
Sancho - feel like he is played out of position. Seems to be better on left side
Fernandes - deserved to be dropped and let him earn his way back. Offers really nothing. Might be better to put a more combative youngster to press and win balls.
Rashford - dont understand how he can last the whole match. Feels like playing with a man down when he is in the team. No longer see the drive when he just came onto the scene. Garnacho deserves a chance over him.
Ronaldo - can't blame him if there was no support given at all. But Martial may be more suited to ETH tactics if he can show the form during preseason.
 
For everything, they still haven't done anything relevant and that's the key. That topic holds good only when they qualify for CL (bare minimum )

It will take time. They've spent a decent amount recently but, like I said, there starting from much further back. And their team consists of some very young players. We'll have to see how it goes.
 
Ten Hag is playing Fred, McTominay, McTominay and Eriksen in central midfield because he literally does not have any other options. The club has been unable to acquire a single CM or DM when most agreed they would likely need 2 or 3 before the window closed.

He's been absolutely pilloried for playing a 24 year old CB with several years of professional experience and training because he's 2 inches shorter than average. I'm not sure playing some gangly teenagers with little to no professional experience is going to go well, especially against Liverpool.
I am sure people shared that same sentiment for Ferguson back then and arteta recently. Liverpool might not be the best game to try that, but could things get worse than losing 4-0 to Brentford and being outplayed at OT against Brighton? It is not all about just playing the kids, but finding the right balance. Against Liverpool for example, I would go for a three in the back and stay compact and counter utilizing some of the pace and energy of our youngest in the attack
 
These players have heard it before many dozens of times. Just a new headmaster in town.
He's not just telling them though, he's making them run the extra miles :lol:

I think he gives chances to the players but I guess (could be wrong), that he will get rid/permanently bench those who don't step up very soon.
 
And that’s why we’re scraping for Rabiot, Arnautovic, and Kalazdjic? The money isn’t obviously there. Losing 6 first team players hasn’t added any serious impetus to the club to spend more. We’re working on a limited budget.

The only reason why you're scrapping is because the club keeps the De Jong money. Let De Jong go, spend 25M on Fabian Ruiz, 50 on another quality midfielder and the team will look very different.
 
He's not blameless either though.

We should be happy with ETH for losing 4-0 to Brentford? It was 4-0 after 35 minutes too. They took their foot off the pedal.

There's a whole load of options between placing blame on him, and being happy with him losing 4-0. Why do people insist on being so absolutist?

He's got a monumental challenge, and has to choose between bad options and worse options, and is ultimately one cog in a structure that has been mismanaged for close to a decade.

I don't think he's safe from criticism, but I don't think he's really worthy of blame yet. It's two games in, reserve judgement and assess how he attempts to change this team. Sure, he probably underestimated the PL, and probably underestimated how poor our players are technically and psychologically when the pressure's on. Its the same for any manager in a new league, with new players. Hopefully he learns and adapts quickly, and hopefully the board back him to give him the best chance.
 
The only reason why you're scrapping is because the club keeps the De Jong money. Let De Jong go, spend 25M on Fabian Ruiz, 50 on another quality midfielder and the team will look very different.
So you agree there is a budget? This was a redundant conversation then.
 
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