Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

[Daydreamer]

So you'd rather be languishing in 8th (consecutively) with an FA cup rather than where United are right now?

I dunno what TJ's response is, but my opinion is... yes.

On the romantic side, a trophy is a much cooler memory than a third-placed finish followed by a second placed finish.

But even pragmatically, I'd rather be in our position. The word transition is chucked around too much and it usually actually means "currently unsuccessful". But we actually bit the bullet over the last couple years in terms of moving players on and dramatically lowering the average age of the squad. The reason a lot of Gooners were excited by the victory over Spurs is because they can see that these players have a future. We had experience in our double pivot and leading the line but the other eight players were 24 or under. That will become hugely beneficial in the years to come and it nice to see some long-term, joined up thinking.

Finally, I would swap our trophy for second and third place... if those seasons included title challenges. But only City, Chelsea and Liverpool have actually challenged for the title in years. Being a runner-up miles from the actual Champions isn't all that appealing.

Ole is in a tough spot as he has now built a team that has to win something big (or come damn close) this season. Ronaldo, Cavani and Varane obviously aren't interested in a project in the way that our signings may be.

 

[TJ Reid]

So you'd rather be languishing in 8th (consecutively) with an FA cup rather than where United are right now?

That is a false dichotomy and a silly comparison. However, I’m optimistic given the potential of our young squad whereas its difficult to perceive any grand design in your team’s plans. Your player acquisitions seem opportunistic rather than coherent and you are the least convincing member of the top 4.

 

[TJ Reid]

I dunno what TJ's response is, but my opinion is... yes.

On the romantic side, a trophy is a much cooler memory than a third-placed finish followed by a second placed finish.

But even pragmatically, I'd rather be in our position. The word transition is chucked around too much and it usually actually means "currently unsuccessful". But we actually bit the bullet over the last couple years in terms of moving players on and dramatically lowering the average age of the squad. The reason a lot of Gooners were excited by the victory over Spurs is because they can see that these players have a future. We had experience in our double pivot and leading the line but the other eight players were 24 or under. That will become hugely beneficial in the years to come and it nice to see some long-term, joined up thinking.

Finally, I would swap our trophy for second and third place... if those seasons included title challenges. But only City, Chelsea and Liverpool have actually challenged for the title in years. Being a runner-up miles from the actual Champions isn't all that appealing.

Ole is in a tough spot as he has now built a team that has to win something big (or come damn close) this season. Ronaldo, Cavani and Varane obviously aren't interested in a project in the way that our signings may be.

Valid points, especially the last one where you quite rightly question the motivation and hunger of players at the end of their career who have already achieved so much and who are likely more than happy just to pocket a final big pay packet.

 

[Red4Ever]

Giddiest fans on the planet

At least at United most of us understand we are still not there

these guys are so crap they are resting on european weeks

 

[SuperiorXI]

That is a false dichotomy and a silly comparison. However, I’m optimistic given the potential of our young squad whereas its difficult to perceive any grand design in your team’s plans. Your player acquisitions seem opportunistic rather than coherent and you are the least convincing member of the top 4.

You started it!

You can be optimistic all you want, take a look at the actual evidence over the 2 years under Arteta and I can tell you with a straight face, your team is a laughing stock right now and won't be taken seriously until you can put some results together over a longer period of time against decent opposition.

In regards to the "grand plans" at United, there has been a clear change in direction when it comes to transfers. In the last window for example we addressed two major areas of concern and if reports were to be believed we were trying for the dreaded DM position of which we are sorely lacking. Ronaldo was a 'sprinkling on the cake' type signing granted, but at least we can attract players like that while Arsenal could only dream of it right now. In terms of the coaching staff and style of play it is a major concern and talking point amongst United fans, we know it is a problem and it is discussed every day, on the flipside one decent result against a crappy Spurs side and you lot are doing cartwheels. Have some perspective and calm down.

 

[Daydreamer]

Giddiest fans on the planet

At least at United most of us understand we are still not there

these guys are so crap they are resting on european weeks

T

You started it!

You can be optimistic all you want, take a look at the actual evidence over the 2 years under Arteta and I can tell you with a straight face, your team is a laughing stock right now and won't be taken seriously until you can put some results together over a longer period of time against decent opposition.

In regards to the "grand plans" at United, there has been a clear change in direction when it comes to transfers. In the last window for example we addressed two major areas of concern and if reports were to be believed we were trying for the dreaded DM position of which we are sorely lacking. Ronaldo was a 'sprinkling on the cake' type signing granted, but at least we can attract players like that while Arsenal could only dream of it right now. In terms of the coaching staff and style of play it is a major concern and talking point amongst United fans, we know it is a problem and it is discussed every day, on the flipside one decent result against a crappy Spurs side and you lot are doing cartwheels. Have some perspective and calm down.

There seems to be a lot of unnecessary animosity in this thread. A question was asked if fans of an opponent would rather be in United’s position. The honest answer was “no”. Surely that’s means everyone should be happy, right?

It’s a bit like asking a dude if he would swap his girlfriend for your own. He might genuinely not be interested - even hypothetically. There might be things he finds appealing that aren’t really plus points for you. People are different. You could follow up by telling the guy to “calm down” and that no one “takes you seriously”, I suppose. Would be a bit odd, though.

If you’re happy with the direction your team is going in - great. Just enjoy it. I am.

 

[TJ Reid]

You started it!

You can be optimistic all you want, take a look at the actual evidence over the 2 years under Arteta and I can tell you with a straight face, your team is a laughing stock right now and won't be taken seriously until you can put some results together over a longer period of time against decent opposition.

In regards to the "grand plans" at United, there has been a clear change in direction when it comes to transfers. In the last window for example we addressed two major areas of concern and if reports were to be believed we were trying for the dreaded DM position of which we are sorely lacking. Ronaldo was a 'sprinkling on the cake' type signing granted, but at least we can attract players like that while Arsenal could only dream of it right now. In terms of the coaching staff and style of play it is a major concern and talking point amongst United fans, we know it is a problem and it is discussed every day, on the flipside one decent result against a crappy Spurs side and you lot are doing cartwheels. Have some perspective and calm down.

Well, let’s agree to differ. Ours is a long term project yours, I’d argue shorter term and OGS probably needs to win something this year. Time will tell.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

The problem with arsenal will be if they performed too good and consistently well most Of those youngsters will be tapped up by Bayern real Barcelona city psg in one or two years.

Have to stop talented kids to move away from your club in my opinion. If that's happened then one or two additions you can challenge for top 4 in next two years.

Kids maturing and adding two three very good additions to the squad yes you can challenge for top 4 in my opinion.

That is a problem for all clubs that don't pay the highest salary and don't have the resource to build a squad that can challenge trophies every season. In EPL only Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea don't have this issue, Real Madrid for La Liga, Bayern for bundesliga and obviously PSG. It is something all "smaller" clubs have to live with.

Nothing you can do to stop talented players to move away. If Arsenal pays top salary and challenge for trophies every season then players will stay.

 

[Hansi Fick]

Well, let’s agree to differ. Ours is a long term project yours, I’d argue shorter term and OGS probably needs to win something this year. Time will tell.

"Long term project"

Yeah right. What's the long term plan? Reach relegation after six seasons?

 

[cyberman]

Whether my optimism is misplaced or not. The last 2 years was always going to be difficult given the change of manager and the need to get rid of our deadwood. At least we won a trophy. What did you win?

A lot more games of football than your lot?

 

[TJ Reid]

A lot more games of football than your lot?

…and sadly, nothing to show for it…

 

[roonster09]

Well, let’s agree to differ. Ours is a long term project yours, I’d argue shorter term and OGS probably needs to win something this year. Time will tell.

"Long term strategy" is an excuse for current failures.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

Arsenal has been implementing a ‘long term strategy’ for more years than I care to remember.

What’s there to prevent an exodus once the big boys come knocking? Wenger certainly couldn’t and that was when CL football was a staple.

 

[roonster09]

Arsenal has been implementing a ‘long term strategy’ for more years than I care to remember.

What’s there to prevent an exodus once the big boys come knocking? Wenger certainly couldn’t and that was when CL football was a staple.

The famous "10 year" plan was brilliant.

 

[cyberman]

…and sadly, nothing to show for it…

So your idea for planning long term is to crow about a trophy won in the short term that, as time passes, shows what a fluke it really was?
I wish you all the best. Maybe it’ll dawn on you that the limit of your long term planning will to be where Ole is now but who knows

 

[MO_Football92]

Arsenal has been implementing a ‘long term strategy’ for more years than I care to remember.

What’s there to prevent an exodus once the big boys come knocking? Wenger certainly couldn’t and that was when CL football was a staple.

We had to sell under Wenger to pay off the stadium debt between 2006-2013. That was our strategy back then, develop Europes best young players and sell them on.

Right now however, I'm just unsure where we're going under Arteta; he's poir tactically and lacks any track record of player development. I'm not swaying my view based off one game; Emery, who was a far better manager also won the NLD but still ultimately flopped.

 

[Dancfc]

Well, let’s agree to differ. Ours is a long term project yours.

That exactly the narrative Kroenke, Edu and Arteta wants you to pedal.

Arteta has suddenly come under severe pressure, the "he took over a mess" narrative is running thin and all of a sudden it's "project youth" to buy him even more time under the guise it will take a few years for them to peak.

If that's not blatant PR I don't know what is.

 

[TJ Reid]

"Long term strategy" is an excuse for current failures.

You’d know - like you’ve actually won anything recently…

 

[GoonerBear]

You’d know - like you’ve actually won anything recently…

How to make friends & influence people.

 

[Bondathon]

You’d know - like you’ve actually won anything recently…

Won the PL more recently than Arsenal.
Won the CL more recently than Arsenal.

And yet, most United fans are either outright unhappy about our recent performance, or at least slightly apprehensive. Just shows what a fall from Grace Arsenal have had. Or what a shambles their fan base is…

 

[roonster09]

You’d know - like you’ve actually won anything recently…

Ofcourse we know, laughing at Arsenal for 15 years and their deluded "long term strategy".

 

[Rajiztar]

That is a problem for all clubs that don't pay the highest salary and don't have the resource to build a squad that can challenge trophies every season. In EPL only Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea don't have this issue, Real Madrid for La Liga, Bayern for bundesliga and obviously PSG. It is something all "smaller" clubs have to live with.

Nothing you can do to stop talented players to move away. If Arsenal pays top salary and challenge for trophies every season then players will stay.

You have to challenge yes.This slow building team and nurturing young kids need time but once those kids finding feet they wanted to move away either for game time or challenging trophies.

Its a problem not only for arsenal but most clubs. I didn't say it's only arsenal problem. But arsenal investing long term then they have to arrest the kids from moving away problem. Or should have adequate plans to replace them then only it will get to stage where you can challenge for bigger trophies.Or this rebuilding phase will go forever.

 

[roonster09]

You have to challenge yes.This slow building team and nurturing young kids need time but once those kids finding feet they wanted to move away either for game time or challenging trophies.

Its a problem not only for arsenal but most clubs. I didn't say it's only arsenal problem. But arsenal investing long term then they have to arrest the kids from moving away problem. Or should have adequate plans to replace them then only it will get to stage where you can challenge for bigger trophies.Or this rebuilding phase will go forever.

It works in FM where you sign young players and they all develop into good players all at once.

In real life it never works like that.

 

[Pexbo]

Well, let’s agree to differ. Ours is a long term project yours, I’d argue shorter term and OGS probably needs to win something this year. Time will tell.

Is this the “5 year plan”?

Since Wenger started your original 5 year plan in the early 2000s, virtually all of the academy players he earmarked for a role have retired let alone transferred away and you’ve slipped down to mid table consistency.

 

[MO_Football92]

Won the PL more recently than Arsenal.
Won the CL more recently than Arsenal.

And yet, most United fans are either outright unhappy about our recent performance, or at least slightly apprehensive. Just shows what a fall from Grace Arsenal have had. Or what a shambles their fan base is…

Had a much higher net spend during those times and have spent millions more since 2015. I said in the summer; both United and Arsenal have been as bad as eachother.

 

[GoonerBear]

Think people are exaggerating the long term plan, but the plan of mainly buying 22-25 year olds & trying to nurture & add to them to improve year on year is tried & tested, it's not exactly rocket science. If you can add in a sprinkling from the youth team that helps with the build as well.

Look at when Klopp took over, bought the likes of Robertson, Mane, Wijnaldum, Matip, improved the team first couple of years, managed to spend big money on the likes of Van Dijk & Allison to take them up another level. Trent, Gomez, Jones all coming through as kids as well.

Even Solskjaer has spoke about he was given 3 years to challenge, signed Wan Bissaka, Maguire, James, improved & steadied the team, Bruno improved them further which enabled them to go & get world class players like Varane & Ronaldo to try & get them to really challenge. The likes of Greenwood coming through to add to that.

Even Chelsea done similar under Lampard, adding the likes of Pulisic, Werner, Havertz, Chilwell over a couple of windows & bringing through Mount, James etc. However, they also decided on a change of manager to improve them. That has allowed them to spend big money on mostly Lukaku to try & springboard their challenge.

It's not exactly a vanity project, or a PR project like folk have claimed. Sometimes depending on the wealth or standing of the club its just done at different levels.

 

[roonster09]

Think people are exaggerating the long term plan, but the plan of mainly buying 22-25 year olds & trying to nurture & add to them to improve year on year is tried & tested, it's not exactly rocket science. If you can add in a sprinkling from the youth team that helps with the build as well.

Look at when Klopp took over, bought the likes of Robertson, Mane, Wijnaldum, Matip, improved the team first couple of years, managed to spend big money on the likes of Van Dijk & Allison to take them up another level. Trent, Gomez, Jones all coming through as kids as well.

Even Solskjaer has spoke about he was given 3 years to challenge, signed Wan Bissaka, Maguire, James, improved & steadied the team, Bruno improved them further which enabled them to go & get world class players like Varane & Ronaldo to try & get them to really challenge. The likes of Greenwood coming through to add to that.

Chelsea have done similar, adding the likes of Pulisic, Werner, Havertz over a couple of windows & bringing through Mount, James etc. That has allowed them to spend big money on mostly Lukaku to try & springboard their challenge.

It's not exactly a vanity project, or a PR project like folk have claimed.

Look at the age of players Liverpool signed when they went from top 4 challengers to title challengers. They signed players in the 24-28 range

You take any example, you will see young players will be supported by very good peak players or experienced players.

For Werner, Havertz you also have players like Kante, Jorginho, Azpi who are core team.

 

[Rajiztar]

It works in FM where you sign young players and they all develop into good players all at once.

In real life it never works like that.

That's the challenge arsenal have to over come. If they invest further in next two windows then they will fight for top 4 from next season but need to tie down saka but other youngsters also want the same reward.

Will be very interesting to see how Arteta manage pressure but also develop the present group.

 

[GoonerBear]

Look at the age of players Liverpool signed when they went from top 4 challengers to title challengers. They signed players in the 24-28 range

You take any example, you will see young players will be supported by very good peak players or experienced players.

For Werner, Havertz you also have players like Kante, Jorginho, Azpi who are core team.

Exactly. But first they needed to become top 4 challengers. Arsenal aren't even that yet. Liverpool bought in young, hungry players that gave them the basis of a good squad in the image of Klopp, & through selling Coutinho, could afford & also attract a few top signings.

If you improve with the younger team, it's easier to attract more peak / experienced players as they buy into whats building. It's how Utd got Varane & Ronaldo back in my opinion, they believe the team is going on the right direction, & they could be among the final pieces to take them there.

Chelsea are slightly different, because they already had a good core, but they were underachieving.

 

[roonster09]

Exactly. But first they needed to become top 4 challengers. Arsenal aren't even that yet. Liverpool bought in young, hungry players that gave them the basis of a good squad in the image of Klopp, & through selling Coutinho, could afford & also attract a few top signings.

If you improve with the younger team, it's easier to attract more peak / experienced players as they buy into whats building. It's how Utd got Varane & Ronaldo back in my opinion, they believe the team is going on the right direction, & they could be among the final pieces to take them there.

Chelsea are slightly different, because they already had a good core, but they were underachieving.

Liverpool didn't buy young players like Arsenal, they signed players who were about to enter their peak years.

Also I don't see any long term planning, I said the same for us too. Without short term results there is no long term plan.

 

[redshaw]

Arsenal squad doesn't make for a good comparison but the media was always trying to pump up Lampard and Spurs 1-2 years ago. Spurs at that time was said to have a better squad and finish above us, we only had Martial as a striker. Lampard had a huge squad of top players and was suppose to be much better than Ole yet were looking to not make top 4, they wouldn't have won the CL or made top 4 if Lampard stayed.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

Liverpool also struck gold by signing one of the best forward in the world for a pittance. And have one of the best coaches in the world who have gone through a similar process before.

So many things can go wrong with these ‘project youth’. Half of those players may turn out not good enough, one of two really good one might get itchy feet, someone may get a big injury or many niggling ones that set him back a few years, the coach may get fired and new coach doesn’t fancy what he sees, then some important positions may see players winding down or the replacement not up to filling the void. Then what?

Looking at the Arsenal team at the moment, Lacszette wants out, and Aubameyang even if he doesn’t want the same have been rotten for a good 14 months or so. What happens if he doesn’t regain his form, who is a good striker at a good age you can buy to guarantee the goals while the rest of the team matures? Is Kroenke even willing to open the purse string for that replacement, or you have to bank on flogging the deadwoods?

That’s to say nothing about the culture of excellence built by a squad required to compete year in year out. One of the lasting damage Moyes did to this club that we haven’t managed yet to recover from is the loss of that demand, that expectation to excel from everyone involved with club. Can you bank on Edu and Arteta to build that mentality for Arsenal, when neither of them were even close to possessing that during their playing career?

 

[Hansi Fick]

Liverpool didn't buy young players like Arsenal, they signed players who were about to enter their peak years.

Also I don't see any long term planning, I said the same for us too. Without short term results there is no long term plan.

Exactly. That's the crucial point here.

Now, you can define what exactly you consider realistic short term results, but the notion that somehow it's going to get better in the long term when the person in charge doesn't show good work in the present is completely non-sensical.

It's not like Arteta can only field 7 players in games right now, because he's still missing 4 and has to buy them in future windows. He's perfectly in the position to show how he can coach, set up and motivate a team, here and now, no need to point to the future. Having the team play like shit for a good 50% of games just isn't good enough for any kind of temporality. A mediocre manager won't become excellent just because you keep him around for more years.

 

[GoonerBear]

Liverpool didn't buy young players like Arsenal, they signed players who were about to enter their peak years.

Also I don't see any long term planning, I said the same for us too. Without short term results there is no long term plan.

Ramsdale 23, White 23, Odegaard 22, Tomiyasu 22 are the main first team signings & aren't exactly kids, & they all have a decent amount of experience & first team minutes for their age as well.

Lokonga & Tavares are younger but playing a more squad role.

Agreed about the results, so let's judge him on if the team improves position this season or not. I've consistently time & time again said that as well.

Liverpool also struck gold by signing one of the best forward in the world for a pittance. And have one of the best coaches in the world who have gone through a similar process before.

So many things can go wrong with these ‘project youth’. Half of those players may turn out not good enough, one of two really good one might get itchy feet, someone may get a big injury or many niggling ones that set him back a few years, the coach may get fired and new coach doesn’t fancy what he sees, then some important positions may see players winding down or the replacement not up to filling the void. Then what?

Looking at the Arsenal team at the moment, Lacszette wants out, and Aubameyang even if he doesn’t want the same have been rotten for a good 14 months or so. What happens if he doesn’t regain his form, who is a good striker at a good age you can buy to guarantee the goals while the rest of the team matures? Is Kroenke even willing to open the purse string for that replacement, or you have to bank on flogging the deadwoods?

That’s to say nothing about the culture of excellence built by a squad required to compete year in year out. One of the lasting damage Moyes did to this club that we haven’t managed yet to recover from is the loss of that demand, that expectation to excel from everyone involved with club. Can you bank on Edu and Arteta to build that mentality for Arsenal, when neither of them were even close to possessing that during their playing career?

I did point out the selling of Coutinho as helping to allow them get the players they want.

Like I said, I think folk are exaggerating Project Youth. It's a young team, but many of the signings have good experience for their age. How many games has Odegaard Ramsdale played already for instance. It's not anything new for teams to target signings in the 22-25 bracket to help build.

Of course many things can go wrong with a project, but that's the same with every project, every managerial appointment even. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try dwork to some sort of plan, in fact we've been criticised for not seemingly doing so in the past.

I don't get your last paragraph? How do we know about mentality as players? Edu was a member of the Invincible team, & FA Cup & Copa America winner. Arteta was a captain of FA Cup winning teams the Pep headhunted from Arsenal when he was retiring because of the qualities he seen in him.

 

[Mastadon]

We’ve played a grand total of 6 games there isn’t really too much you can infer from that. We have been the worst run big club in the last 5 years that’s for sure, probably alongside United, but we are in the right direction now. Expectations are rock bottom now so the pressure is off let’s see what Arteta can do.

 

[SuperiorXI]

We’ve played a grand total of 6 games there isn’t really too much you can infer from that. We have been the worst run big club in the last 5 years that’s for sure, probably alongside United, but we are in the right direction now. Expectations are rock bottom now so the pressure is off let’s see what Arteta can do.

The pressure is off? Wait until you lose the next game... Arsenal fans will flip flop back to hating the manager and the pressure will be back. It could even be today.

 

[Daydreamer]

Liverpool also struck gold by signing one of the best forward in the world for a pittance. And have one of the best coaches in the world who have gone through a similar process before.

So many things can go wrong with these ‘project youth’. Half of those players may turn out not good enough, one of two really good one might get itchy feet, someone may get a big injury or many niggling ones that set him back a few years, the coach may get fired and new coach doesn’t fancy what he sees, then some important positions may see players winding down or the replacement not up to filling the void. Then what?

Looking at the Arsenal team at the moment, Lacszette wants out, and Aubameyang even if he doesn’t want the same have been rotten for a good 14 months or so. What happens if he doesn’t regain his form, who is a good striker at a good age you can buy to guarantee the goals while the rest of the team matures? Is Kroenke even willing to open the purse string for that replacement, or you have to bank on flogging the deadwoods?

That’s to say nothing about the culture of excellence built by a squad required to compete year in year out. One of the lasting damage Moyes did to this club that we haven’t managed yet to recover from is the loss of that demand, that expectation to excel from everyone involved with club. Can you bank on Edu and Arteta to build that mentality for Arsenal, when neither of them were even close to possessing that during their playing career?

These are all good points.

Liverpool are interesting. They recruited brilliantly at the start of Klopp’s tenure despite not having CL football. Many of their signings (plus TAA from their academy) became key parts of PL and CL winning side. But they still need Barcelona to give them a ridiculous Coutinho windfall to bring in Alisson and van Dijk.

I think Arsenal have done the first bit. All six of our summer signings were on the pitch by the end of our last match. We’ve seriously strengthened both our squad and our 1st XI. But we need another window where we focus on a couple high-quality lynchpins (like Alisson and van Dijk).

It would need to be buys like Liverpool’s because while we can afford fairly high transfer fees, we don’t have the financial firepower to pay the sort of wages United and Chelsea do (plus we don’t have City’s lawyers to hide our true wage bill).

That (along with not currently offering CL football and lack of resale value) is why we targeted White when he was more expensive than Varane.

There is still a lot of work to do and there is no guarantee of success - but there is a clear strategy in place. Our owners didn’t spend £150m on a PR campaign as has been suggested in this thread. I would love it if our supporters had that much influence over the Kronkes - but that is famously not the case.

There are many ways to improve the fortunes of a football club. In an age of mercenaries, I’m personally enjoying watching a team full of players whom playing for Arsenal is clearly an honour. I’m not alone in that. I was at the Emirates for both games last week. We had over 50,000 for a League Cup game against lower league opposition and the crowd was buzzing. And the atmosphere against Spurs was literally the best since the move to Emirates. The players and fans have bought into a project. However it works out, surely it’s a good thing for football that a club like Arsenal is attempting to rebuild their team in a sustainable and methodical way?

It’s cool to get excited about signing Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo. But it’s also cool to be excited about signings with high potential that require coaching to reach their potential and be moulded into more than the sum of their parts. You can’t moan about petrol-rich clubs wrecking football and also laugh at the fans who are proud of their club for trying improve their club more organically.

 

[Mastadon]

The pressure is off? Wait until you lose the next game... Arsenal fans will flip flop back to hating the manager and the pressure will be back. It could even be today.

You mean Arsenal fans don’t hate him now?

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

I don't get your last paragraph? How do we know about mentality as players? Edu was a member of the Invincible team, & FA Cup & Copa America winner. Arteta was a captain of FA Cup winning teams the Pep headhunted from Arsenal when he was retiring because of the qualities he seen in him.

Edu had one good season out of 4 and ended up making only 80 apps over 4 years. It’s like if Owen Hargreaves becomes our DoF tomorrow, I can’t speak for others but from my POV that doesn’t qualify as someone who would know what to demand from his subordinates to build that culture.

Arteta was an above average player for an above average PL team, who got panicked bought by Wenger and went on to have a decent but unspectacular career in a team that regularly got trounced out of the CL and fight for top 4 PL. If you think one FAC and a couple of years setting cones for Pep is all it takes then sure, it counts.

Of course, that’s not to say that a stellar playing career is any indication of future coaching success, the Fergie school of coaches has rather dismal graduates from Bruce, Keane to the Nevilles and Ole, just as Henry and Viera for Arsenal. But if you are building a young team without senior players who can impart that mindset then it has to come from somewhere, and the goonsquad you have in charge doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

 

[TJ Reid]

The pressure is off? Wait until you lose the next game... Arsenal fans will flip flop back to hating the manager and the pressure will be back. It could even be today.

All clubs have an element of the permanently disgruntled…even yours. Regardless of today’s result, I am feeling more optimistic than I’ve been in years, so let’s revisit this in a couple of months and assess progress then. Let’s also contrast and compare then how your team is developing.