Mikel Arteta | Lego Pep watch

Donaldo said:
The frustrating bit was that we looked to have solved this in the early part of 2024 (save the ghastly Villa game). It's one step forward 2 steps back at the moment with us.
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Would you say one of the things also is that a lot of your signings, or players, are 99 players. 99 players in the sense that they're that tiny bit off from being proper world class.

I cant think of a single world class old school striker you've had since RVP, and he was an injury case for you. I dont know if you'd call players like Lacazette etc world class strikers?
 
Mogget said:
Opposition fans and the media are going to mock and criticise us no matter what, might as well have a little fun with it

Football would be incredibly boring if you're only allowed to mock your rivals if you win a trophy
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I think it actually shows how bad the mentality of the players is.

City aren't their title rivals this year. Acting like that when they're sat in 5th, 9 points behind, while the actual league leaders sit 6 points clear with a game in hand is just bizarre.

It shows that their focus isn't actually on winning the league, but petty oneupmanship against the team that's bettered them in the previous two seasons. It's a bit like Gerrard's camera kissing against us.
 
Donaldo said:
The frustrating bit was that we looked to have solved this in the early part of 2024 (save the ghastly Villa game). It's one step forward 2 steps back at the moment with us.
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The frustrating thing is our form against the 'big 6' is generally great, but Newcastle and Howe just seem to have our number.

We play right into their hands. We'd probably be better off just playing them at their own game, dropping the team 10 yards deeper and denying them the space in behind. Unfortunately teams like Bournemouth play better transition football than us, that's why they are able to do to Newcastle what we can't.
 
WhatIsLove said:
Would you say one of the things also is that a lot of your signings, or players, are 99 players. 99 players in the sense that they're that tiny bit off from being proper world class.

I cant think of a single world class old school striker you've had since RVP, and he was an injury case for you. I dont know if you'd call players like Lacazette etc world class strikers?
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Lacazette no. Auba would be the closest probably managing a couple of 20+ goal seasons before falling off a cliff post new contract.

We all watched the Bayern game last season, and the general consensus was that we lacked that little bit of X-Factor at the top end of the pitch. The PR pieces at the time were acknowledging this, that the club would look to address that in the summer.

Instead all we could muster was Raheem Sterling on loan on deadline day. So if you don't improve personnel, expect to have similar issues. Compounded when both of your best attacking players end up facing months out between them.
 
WhatIsLove said:
Would you say one of the things also is that a lot of your signings, or players, are 99 players. 99 players in the sense that they're that tiny bit off from being proper world class.

I cant think of a single world class old school striker you've had since RVP, and he was an injury case for you. I dont know if you'd call players like Lacazette etc world class strikers?
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RVP was 'world class' for precisely one season, otherwise just a constant sicknote.

Auba was as close as it gets to an Isak level goal scorer, maybe better. We should've just gone for Isak back when Arsenal twitter was tracking his flights by the second.
 
GoonerBear said:
The frustrating thing is our form against the 'big 6' is generally great, but Newcastle and Howe just seem to have our number.

We play right into their hands. We'd probably be better off just playing them at their own game, dropping the team 10 yards deeper and denying them the space in behind. Unfortunately teams like Bournemouth play better transition football than us, that's why they are able to do to Newcastle what we can't.
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Again, he built that side of us from scratch with Saka, ESR, Auba, Ode, Xhaka in 2021, and then mystifyingly refused to employ that in games where we need to in the recent past.
 
Donaldo said:
RVP was 'world class' for precisely one season, otherwise just a constant sicknote.

Auba was as close as it gets to an Isak level goal scorer, maybe better. We should've just gone for Isak back when Arsenal twitter was tracking his flights by the second.
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Remember when they were sure he was signing because an I5AAK reg Rolls Royce was spotted driving around London near The Emirates a couple of years back:lol:

Donaldo said:
Again, he built that side of us from scratch with Saka, ESR, Auba, Ode, Xhaka in 2021, and then mystifyingly refused to employ that in games where we need to in the recent past.
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The first half of the 22/23 season was probably the most fluid I seen us attacking wise under Arteta, that had Xhaka having his best season moved to that advanced left 8, and Jesus on a mission post City and pre knee injury.
 
GoonerBear said:
Remember when they were sure he was signing because an I5AAK reg Rolls Royce was spotted driving around London near The Emirates a couple of years back:lol:



The first half of the 22/23 season was probably the most fluid I seen us attacking wise under Arteta, that had Xhaka having his best season moved to that advanced left 8, and Jesus on a mission post City and pre knee injury.
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I think that scared him, tbh :lol:

For all his teachings under Pep, he remains a stoic Moyes man at heart.
 
Donaldo said:
RVP was 'world class' for precisely one season, otherwise just a constant sicknote.

Auba was as close as it gets to an Isak level goal scorer, maybe better. We should've just gone for Isak back when Arsenal twitter was tracking his flights by the second.
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I largely agree, except it was two seasons. His last at Arsenal and his first at United. Looking back, we should have kept him and let him leave on a free. We effectively traded £25m for a PL title, which is an awful deal when you put it that way.
 
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