Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

LawCharltonBest said:
Decided to look at the team in 2nd.. you haven’t played them. And when you do you’ll lose

Didn’t bother looking beyond that. United beat Arsenal with ease and that’s about the only full strength team I can recall you playing

As I say, it’ll catch up with you. Many better teams below you
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Partey was missing in that game so using your own nonsense logic you only won because we weren't full strength.
 
Mogget said:
Partey was missing in that game so using your own nonsense logic you only won because we weren't full strength.
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Careful now, you're about to get them started on the 27th analysis and rendition of that game.
 
Mogget said:
Partey was missing in that game so using your own nonsense logic you only won because we weren't full strength.
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Yup and I know that you have lots of players performing to a high standard but he's the guy that you struggle to replace the most IMO.
 
I said he is the best young manager in the world recently. I guarantee Arteta' will be one of the most sought-after managers in the world going forward. This current Arsenal is not some accidental experiment, he didnt just put the potions together at random. He has been building toward this since the day he was named manager. The only surprising thing is how quickly it has come together this season.

There is no way Arsenal lose focus this season, and thats because Arteta is the manager.

People often say who is our best player, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Jesus. When I think our best player is Arteta
 
He's doing quite a job isn't he. With United out of the race I do hope Arteta can see this over the line. Would be pretty incredible an achievement.
 
I'm actually surprised how we've just picked up where we left off after the WC. And with Jesus out too. Nketiah has been great so far and other players have also stepped up.
This focus and determination is definitely all down to Arteta.
 
Fair play to him and more importantly arsenal board.Have been a huge critique of him but he has done a solid solid job this season.

Feck Pep and city, I am backing Arsenal and arteta to win the league if not United.
 
Redanian said:
Are Citeh out of the race too then considering we’re only 4 points behind them and not even halfway through the season yet?
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If you beat Bournemouth at home, which I imagine will happen, and City falter at Chelsea, then in the Manchester derby the next week, should United win you would actually go ahead of Man City in the table.

Its plausible that could happen. As for Uniteds title ambitions, 11 points is a big margin. especially when the team you are chasing has dropped only 5 points from 48. If United were to take over City in the league table it would be more of a case of City faltering badly and leaving the door wide open for Arsenal, rather than Man United forcing their way in on a title challenge. As if City drop points to United and Chelsea it would mean they have won one match form their last five league games.

I for one dont think United score enough goals to make a deep push for the title. Believe it or not United are actually 10th when it comes to goals scored
 
With Arteta being so good and Arsenal having such brilliant players, it would have to be considered a bit of a failure if they don’t bring the league home this season.
 
Not sure how he is managing it but he has been massively fortunate this season to be facing teams at the ideal moments. Brighton yesterday did not have 4 of their starting 11 players available. They also faced Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs at the time those clubs were in a bad run of form.
 
ZainCRse7en said:
They also faced Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs at the time those clubs were in a bad run of form.
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To be fair I think if you talked to any of the fans of those clubs they would consider themselves in a perpetual run of bad form thus far this season.
 
ZainCRse7en said:
Not sure how he is managing it but he has been massively fortunate this season to be facing teams at the ideal moments. Brighton yesterday did not have 4 of their starting 11 players available. They also faced Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs at the time those clubs were in a bad run of form.
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The table doesn't lie. We've dropped 5 points all season - that is not just luck or good fortune. Yes Brighton were missing players but we also have had a big blow of losing Jesus after the WC. A lot of people (myself included) had some doubts about whether Nketiah would be able to fill his shoes but he's scored 2 goals in 2 games so far. A big part of that has to be how Arteta has prepared the team for the change. I still think we need to buy another forward player in the transfer window, but we've scored 7 goals in 2 games without our main striker. I did not expect that, and I thought this would be a much tougher game for us. But we blew Brighton away today - we lost here 2-1 last season.
 
RacingClub said:
To be fair I think if you talked to any of the fans of those clubs they would consider themselves in a perpetual run of bad form thus far this season.
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Spurs I believe were unbeaten till we smashed them. Either way dropped just 5 points after 16 games, been almost perfect. And no fluke about it. Comfortably been the best team this season, and playing some superb football, with a young team that will be around for years. It’s a great position to be in. When you think no one predicted a top 4 finish never mind a title challenge. Arteta has done an incredible job, and achieving targets way ahead of Arsenal fans expectations, even if we don’t win the league, the rise of this team and the turn around of the club and with the fan base has been meteoric.
 
I think top four is secure. I'm just going to enjoy the rest of the season without too many expectations.

But I agree that this might be the best opportunity for Arsenal to win the thing. Arsenal don't have a deep enough squad to compete in both the PL and CL and likely will never have the necessary depth.

If we qualify for the CL this year then I could easily see Arsenal getting stuck in the top four PL and round of 16 CL cycle that Wenger got stuck in till Arteta gets tired and leaves to Real Madrid/Barca.
 
ThatsGreat said:
I think top four is secure. I'm just going to enjoy the rest of the season without too many expectations.

But I agree that this might be the best opportunity for Arsenal to win the thing. Arsenal don't have a deep enough squad to compete in both the PL and CL and likely will never have the necessary depth.

If we qualify for the CL this year then I could easily see Arsenal getting stuck in the top four PL and round of 16 CL cycle that Wenger got stuck in till Arteta gets tired and leaves to Real Madrid/Barca.
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Thats the spirit.

As for our depth. Its actually underrated. Our squad is deeper than many think. We have been missing Smith-Rowe almost the entire year, where as when Jesus got injured people were suggesting it could derail the season. Reality is Nketiah is actually a good player and more than capable of leading the line. If we sign Mudryk then we can expect ESR, Jesus and Mudryk on top of what we already have, and ere not close to struggling

Then there are areas where we are extremely strong in. How many other teams have fullbacks of the caliber of Tomiyasu and Tierney on the bench?

Some of the cliches people rell off about Arsenal are infuriting. Do people still think we are vulnerable form set pieces?
 
ZainCRse7en said:
Not sure how he is managing it but he has been massively fortunate this season to be facing teams at the ideal moments. Brighton yesterday did not have 4 of their starting 11 players available. They also faced Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs at the time those clubs were in a bad run of form.
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Where as you played Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool when they were in a great run of form?

You also got to play us without Partey
 
They deserve to be where they are, though I think having that City fixture delayed was a blessing for them. They're one of Guardiola's favourite punch bags, and having 4-5 put past them in October would've dented some of their momentum.
 
Skills said:
They deserve to be where they are, though I think having that City fixture delayed was a blessing for them. They're one of Guardiola's favourite punch bags, and having 4-5 put past them in October would've dented some of their momentum.
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Except we played them off the park last season and they had to dig out a jammy winner at the end for an undeserved victory.

Things change. The caf doesn't, but things apart from it do.
 
Skills said:
They deserve to be where they are, though I think having that City fixture delayed was a blessing for them. They're one of Guardiola's favourite punch bags, and having 4-5 put past them in October would've dented some of their momentum.
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We should have at least got something from them from the fixture last season, ironically was played last New Years Day, only losing to an injury time winner after giving away a penalty then going down to 10 men.

I actually think despite the result the performance was one the light bulb moments that convinced many supporters that were still on the fence about Arteta that he was starting to build something, the first time we went properly toe to toe with one of the big 2 and could have deservedly got something out the game.

With our home record I have no fear of facing City at The Emirates just now, and I can't remember the last time I said that. Going to the Etihad will be different, but thankfully the home game is first.
 
So, is failure to win the league from here on the biggest bottle job in history?
 
People saying the fixture list has been kind to them haha come on, we're halfway through the season and they deserve to be top of the league in the way they have played and the results they have got.
 
rajds89 said:
So, is failure to win the league from here on the biggest bottle job in history?
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Why would that be? Teams have caught and closed down bigger points margins than 7 points with over half the season to go in the past, and you've been involved in 3 of the biggest, including Newcastle being 12 points ahead in January 96.
 
GoonerBear said:
Why would that be? Teams have caught and closed down bigger points margins than 7 points with over half the season to go in the past.
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Yeah. City cancelled our 8 point lead in 4 games. That's a bigger bottlejob.
 
It feels further into the season than it actually is because of the World Cup, it’s only 16 games. 22 games left to go, a lot can happen. City are still favourites but Arsenal have given themselves a good chance.
 
rajds89 said:
So, is failure to win the league from here on the biggest bottle job in history?
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“You’re only leading (nearly halfway through the season) because of the fixture list.”

“Also, if you don’t beat City (with 21 goals in 15 games Haaland) to the title you’re bottle jobs.”

Yep, that checks out.
 
KeanoMagicHat said:
It feels further into the season than it actually is because of the World Cup, it’s only 16 games. 22 games left to go, a lot can happen. City are still favourites but Arsenal have given themselves a good chance.
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This is where I am. Because it’s January it feels further into the season that it actually is. Arsenal are in a fantastic position now but there is a lot of games to be played. If they go further into Europa League that could hamper things has City has the squad depth no other club can match.
 
Daydreamer said:
“You’re only leading (nearly halfway through the season) because of the fixture list.”

“Also, if you don’t beat City (with 21 goals in 15 games Haaland) to the title you’re bottle jobs.”

Yep, that checks out.
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You can't have it both ways.. you're either the best team in the country like plenty of Arsenal fans on here and elsewhere are more than happy to tell you they are so therefore, failing to win the league from here should be considered as a failure.. or you're still in a false position and it's only a matter of time before City overtake you.

Which is it?
 
KeanoMagicHat said:
It feels further into the season than it actually is because of the World Cup, it’s only 16 games. 22 games left to go, a lot can happen. City are still favourites but Arsenal have given themselves a good chance.
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Agreed.

rajds89 said:
You can't have it both ways.. you're either the best team in the country like plenty of Arsenal fans on here and elsewhere are more than happy to tell you they are so therefore, failing to win the league from here should be considered as a failure.. or you're still in a false position and it's only a matter of time before City overtake you.

Which is it?
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How about option 3?

They are a good team with a lack of squad depth (especially in terms of cover for Partey) and a run of bad form / injury crisis could derail their title challenge easily.

The only way their season could be seen as a failure at this point forward is if they somehow manage to miss out on top 4 IMO.
 
I don't see them dropping off really. Sure the lead might be cut and city can go on stupid runs, but I'd be surprised if they don't get around 90 points. No idea where they've found this form but they've been class in pretty much every game and very very rarely have had to actually grind out a win. Fair play. Didn't see it coming in a million years. Can see them ignoring Europa League too to keep full focus on the league.v
 
If Arsenal can keep a couple of key players injury free and City continue their patchy form then they can 100% win the league. Unfortunately I don't see either of these things happening. City will go on a good run and Odegaard will get injured at some point. I do hope I am wrong though.
 
bosnian_red said:
I don't see them dropping off really. Sure the lead might be cut and city can go on stupid runs, but I'd be surprised if they don't get around 90 points. No idea where they've found this form but they've been class in pretty much every game and very very rarely have had to actually grind out a win. Fair play. Didn't see it coming in a million years. Can see them ignoring Europa League too to keep full focus on the league.v
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Yeah they've got themselves into a fantastic position. At the going rate they are on course to eclipse City's centurion record. They can afford a slight dip just because how strong they've been. Guess this is the model we need - young, hungry and talented players.
 
Fair feck to him. He will win it while Pep and Klopp are still here.
And they look good. IMHO they will trash City.
 
Mr.Hik said:
Fair feck to him. He will win it while Pep and Klopp are still here.
And they look good. IMHO they will trash City.
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There’s a lot of posts about City v Liverpool making the league as bad as La Liga so the EPL isn’t that great that are in danger of being brought up.
Maybe its because they’re called Arsenal and that name carries something but this really would be an all time shock title win
 
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