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Mikel Arteta: Top Of The Klopps

Kav

Established Member
The main criticism I have of Arteta ball is the insistence on playing out from the back and the lack of chance/ shot creation our team delivers. We are seriously lacking in chances created and shots on opponents goals. Add in that we still have issues defensively (@RB) we need to do more offensively to at least get a draw.

One thing Wenger Always stressed was that if you can’t win at least draw the game.
 

Manberg

Predator
I cannot fault the tactics or the selection. We deserved a point at the very least. Willian as a centre forward was a tactical move and I think it worked better than we realise. Our best attacks came with Willian on the pitch.
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
I cannot fault the tactics or the selection. We deserved a point at the very least. Willian as a centre forward was a tactical move and I think it worked better than we realise. Our best attacks came with Willian on the pitch.

I want to like but I can’t agree deserved a point at the very least. I do however think this is a far better performance than being given credit, we created two big chances, allowing two or two and a half, and had much more dictation of the play than we have in these games last season (41% possession, controlled during certain periods).

It wasn’t a revolution today but it is an evolution. Slowly we are getting there. The evolution is slow and steady instead of thrilling and full of highs and lows, and that is a reflection of Arteta’s personality and disposition. We are getting there though, personnel wise we are missing that one creative focal point—why o why couldn’t it be James!—and tactics wise we are evolving into a more dominant play style as allowed by our personnel.
 
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sdotzdot

Established Member
Fantastic manager.

building from the back, building for long term success.

Not rushing it or going gung-ho for instant success (and still managed that with an FA Cup win)

Already have our long term manager in place, few more seasons and a few more transfers and we can finally be back up there.
 

Red London

Anti-Simp Culture
Trusted ⭐
Was poor today. What on earth was this Willian at striker ****?? We questioned why he played Lacazette up top vs an extremely high Liverpool line. What ends up happening to Liverpool the next week? They get decimated because Watkins was getting put behind.

Arteta not only sticks Auba out wide, he plays Willian up top. When I saw the team sheet I was excited but this was so dissapointing. Auba threatened when he ran through the middle, so I don't get it.

And why on earth did we just seem content with the 1-0 loss? I would rather lose 2-0 and maximise our chance of getting a draw.
 

9jagooner

Well-Known Member
The only way I can explain the negative style of football is maybe he is building the team from the back. We've strengthened the back and the midfield. So maybe come January or next summer, we will strengthen the forward line.
 

AmsterdamGunner

Active Member
We will never finish top 4 if we keep playing 3-4-3/5-2-3. It’s just not good enough.

But I’m really afraid Arteta doesn’t want to play 4-3-3 and that 3-4-3/5-2-3 is his style because the U23’s also played in a 3-4-3/5-2-3 formation today. That only makes sense if that is the formation the first team wants to play so that the younger players can adjust to the system. If that really is our system than Arteta isn’t the right coach for Arsenal. I really hope I’m wrong because I really like Arteta.
 

Manberg

Predator
This is of course clearly a false statement.

Whether you agree with it is another question—I’m not sure I do—but there are myriad reasons to put Willian centrally and Auba wide (and let’s not act like Arteta is the only one who does this—look no further than Guardiola in CL with Foden centrally Jesus from the left).

Among them: central forward is the press setter, does more running (Arteta seems to prefer to save Auba for running off the ball and scoring, limiting his donkey work, and Willian is a better presser besides). Willian has better close control and better able to hold the ball up in tight spaces centrally. Willian playing centrally, like Laca, allows Auba to make camouflaged runs from the outside and also provides us with an outlet down the left for Xhaka and Tierney which in the past has proven fruitful in these games.

Now, this worked out with City funneling the ball into Auba’s feet and Willian quite uninvolved on the ball, scarcely getting a touch, and Auba getting touches in playmaking positions where you’d much rather Willian on the ball making those decisions. Hence why I say whether it was the right decision is quite arguable. But to say there was no reason to do so is demonstrably false and clear hindsight is 20/20 syndrome.

Another point to add is that Willian nullified the spaces which Rodri likes to operate in.
 

Penn_

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Arteta being exposed today. I understand the idea of playing safe last season because the defense was weak but now he has Gabriel and lots of options in midfield so no more excuse.

Seems like there is no plan B. We can only attack from the back and with long balls.

It's time to play football so stop with this 5 at the back non-sense. We need to play with a high line, attack, press high and stop being scared of losing and conceding.

Lots of options in midfield?
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
Well I'd rather we stay competitive in big games than be smoked out in the first 20 minutes.

I think people are forgetting how dreadful we looked under Emery and late Wenger away to the big sides AND STILL got destroyed.

Sure Arteta is conservative at the moment but I do expect that to change as Gabriel is looking solid and Partey should hopefully be enough presence in MF that we can start looking to dominate rather than drop back.

EDIT: Willian at CF was dogsh!t though, no getting away from that.

If KDB was playing we would have been destroyed, they lack creativity without him. The game was theirs.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
Fantastic manager.

building from the back, building for long term success.

Not rushing it or going gung-ho for instant success (and still managed that with an FA Cup win)

Already have our long term manager in place, few more seasons and a few more transfers and we can finally be back up there.
Great coach, but I think he’ll be off soon if Barcelona or City want him. This long term thing you’re going on about isn’t going to happen with Arteta working on some mid table budgets.
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
Fantastic manager.

building from the back, building for long term success.

Not rushing it or going gung-ho for instant success (and still managed that with an FA Cup win)

Already have our long term manager in place, few more seasons and a few more transfers and we can finally be back up there.

Oh god no can't be watching this dreadful football long term, my eyes will start bleeding/
 

Aevi

Hale End FC
Moderator
Didn't like the team he put out nor the subs. We did a solid job preventing City from putting together the final ball but we never looked particularly close to scoring ourselves. 1-0 was a fair result but still feels like City wins this game 9/10 times.
 

sdotzdot

Established Member
Great coach, but I think he’ll be off soon if Barcelona or City want him. This long term thing you’re going on about isn’t going to happen with Arteta working on some mid table budgets.
I don’t see him leaving anytime soon, he still technically has a lot to prove to the footballing world if you’re just considering it from his POV, so I doubt he will get poached from one of the super clubs.

Also, he’s come into this as a project, knowing it will be a long term thing. He wouldn’t have accepted this if he didnt have the intention of seeing it through.
 
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DUFFMAN

Crybaby
Didn't like the team he put out nor the subs. We did a solid job preventing City from putting together the final ball but we never looked particularly close to scoring ourselves. 1-0 was a fair result but still feels like City wins this game 9/10 times.
We never looked close to scoring???
 

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