The Goon Thread

[Kandi1977]

Alonso? Then again he’s still not got over the line yet with Leverkusen. Simeone has won more medals but would they accept his style of play?

Still don’t think it’s out of the question that they could win the title, unlikely yes, but city don’t look as strong and Liverpool are rebuilding. If Arse signed a striker who is better than Nketiah and Jesus (which isn’t hard) then surely that would improve them.

I'm not so sure a striker would be the answer to their problems. Arteta is weird, and are putting players in positions and situations that they just don't cope with. He's playing Tomayasu at full back and asking him to be a creative central midfielder, which he certainly isn't!
Honestly, it seems like he's copying Ange lately, with how their full backs are playing now, but they completely lack the skill set required.

 

[Jurgen the German]

I'm not so sure a striker would be the answer to their problems. Arteta is weird, and are putting players in positions and situations that they just don't cope with. He's playing Tomayasu at full back and asking him to be a creative central midfielder, which he certainly isn't!
Honestly, it seems like he's copying Ange lately, with how their full backs are playing now, but they completely lack the skill set required.

Having a striker who can finish would get them more goals than Jesus and Nketiah you’d have to think though?

I think Arteta like Pep is too clever for his own good or tries to be.

 

[Lemonade Money]

I'm not so sure a striker would be the answer to their problems. Arteta is weird, and are putting players in positions and situations that they just don't cope with. He's playing Tomayasu at full back and asking him to be a creative central midfielder, which he certainly isn't!
Honestly, it seems like he's copying Ange lately, with how their full backs are playing now, but they completely lack the skill set required.

I'm not sure Ange lucked out with a squad with the required skill set, part of it is good communication that we were up and running so quick.
The amount of time it took Arteta to get a tune out of his squad would suggest it takes a while for them to understand what he wants.

 

[Kandi1977]

I'm not sure Ange lucked out with a squad with the required skill set, part of it is good communication that we were up and running so quick.
The amount of time it took Arteta to get a tune out of his squad would suggest it takes a while for them to understand what he wants.

Can Royal do the same thing as Porro? No. Tomayasu doesn't have the technical attributes to play as a ball distributing CM, and that's basically what he's asked to do. In addition they just get in the way and takes away space for players like Ødegård

 

[Raziel]

I'm not so sure a striker would be the answer to their problems. Arteta is weird, and are putting players in positions and situations that they just don't cope with. He's playing Tomayasu at full back and asking him to be a creative central midfielder, which he certainly isn't!
Honestly, it seems like he's copying Ange lately, with how their full backs are playing now, but they completely lack the skill set required.

Arteta is way overrated (and I get brick for this all the time)

- The good? his teams are well coached, patterns of play, possession based. Arsenal has spent a lot of money improving the level of their squad

- The bad? they are a b version of Pep's tactics 7 years ago, they bottle brick all the time (5 or 6 of the top 10 statistically worse bottle jobs of PL era are Arsenal)

Arteta had a very good side that overachieved last season (the goal contributions by players that could not be expected to do that season in, season out, was crazy). The issue last season was sometimes soft in the middle, lack of a clinical finisher but great defense

Rice was a smart buy, the fudge was Raya and Havertz. Rice helps the middle of the park, especially with no rapist, no Xhaka, Havertz just fudges up the balance of the midfield from last year, they lack real creativity with Rice & Havertz and the only plan is wide (Saka). The goalkeeper brick is a joke and has unsettled the whole backline which you could accept if Raya was some kind of prime Buffon but he isn't. Toney would help score more but it will unbalance the system even more and I don't think Arteta knows how to adjust.

Yes, I'll get the brick about it, but lets see at the end of the season how good Arteta is.

p.s. Am I the only one to have missed the story that the gold trim on current kit is because they expected to win the PL this season?

 

[Kandi1977]

Arteta is way overrated (and I get brick for this all the time)

- The good? his teams are well coached, patterns of play, possession based. Arsenal has spent a lot of money improving the level of their squad

- The bad? they are a b version of Pep's tactics 7 years ago, they bottle brick all the time (5 or 6 of the top 10 statistically worse bottle jobs of PL era are Arsenal)

Arteta had a very good side that overachieved last season (the goal contributions by players that could not be expected to do that season in, season out, was crazy). The issue last season was sometimes soft in the middle, lack of a clinical finisher but great defense

Rice was a smart buy, the fudge was Raya and Havertz. Rice helps the middle of the park, especially with no rapist, no Xhaka, Havertz just fudges up the balance of the midfield from last year, they lack real creativity with Rice & Havertz and the only plan is wide (Saka). The goalkeeper brick is a joke and has unsettled the whole backline which you could accept if Raya was some kind of prime Buffon but he isn't. Toney would help score more but it will unbalance the system even more and I don't think Arteta knows how to adjust.

Yes, I'll get the brick about it, but lets see at the end of the season how good Arteta is.

p.s. Am I the only one to have missed the story that the gold trim on current kit is because they expected to win the PL this season?

Rice has made them so much better, except they concede more, score less and win less points.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Alonso? Then again he’s still not got over the line yet with Leverkusen. Simeone has won more medals but would they accept his style of play?

Still don’t think it’s out of the question that they could win the title, unlikely yes, but city don’t look as strong and Liverpool are rebuilding. If Arse signed a striker who is better than Nketiah and Jesus (which isn’t hard) then surely that would improve them.

Yes I really like the look of Alonso, but I suppose at this stage he’s got quite a similar profile to Arteta.

I was a bit surprised I guess that the Arteta out calls had started and wondered if it was a real movement in that direction or not?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Yes I really like the look of Alonso, but I suppose at this stage he’s got quite a similar profile to Arteta.

I was a bit surprised I guess that the Arteta out calls had started and wondered if it was a real movement in that direction or not?

I’ve got friends and family who support them and they all seem to be behind him. Whether that’s representative of the wider fanbase I’m not sure but I’d also say their expectations have gone up this season. No one thought they would challenge for the league last season whereas this season they expect to give city a good run for their money and possibly win it if things go right for them. If they finish more than 6 points behind the eventual champions then I guess some of them could get restless.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Arteta is way overrated (and I get brick for this all the time)

- The good? his teams are well coached, patterns of play, possession based. Arsenal has spent a lot of money improving the level of their squad

- The bad? they are a b version of Pep's tactics 7 years ago, they bottle brick all the time (5 or 6 of the top 10 statistically worse bottle jobs of PL era are Arsenal)

Arteta had a very good side that overachieved last season (the goal contributions by players that could not be expected to do that season in, season out, was crazy). The issue last season was sometimes soft in the middle, lack of a clinical finisher but great defense

Rice was a smart buy, the fudge was Raya and Havertz. Rice helps the middle of the park, especially with no rapist, no Xhaka, Havertz just fudges up the balance of the midfield from last year, they lack real creativity with Rice & Havertz and the only plan is wide (Saka). The goalkeeper brick is a joke and has unsettled the whole backline which you could accept if Raya was some kind of prime Buffon but he isn't. Toney would help score more but it will unbalance the system even more and I don't think Arteta knows how to adjust.

Yes, I'll get the brick about it, but lets see at the end of the season how good Arteta is.

p.s. Am I the only one to have missed the story that the gold trim on current kit is because they expected to win the PL this season?

I think he’s definitely improved them. Didn’t happen overnight but they’re not really missing that much to prevent them from being able to topple city IMO, a striker and a top drawer keeper and I think they’d be closer to them. That said, they have bottled 4th place and the title on his watch. I’m more worried about them nicking the champions league than the title as it’s not always the best team that wins that competition.

 

[Raziel]

Yes I really like the look of Alonso, but I suppose at this stage he’s got quite a similar profile to Arteta.

I was a bit surprised I guess that the Arteta out calls had started and wondered if it was a real movement in that direction or not?

I don't know but is it really all that off?

- They have spent a lot of money and he's been given a lot of time
- Last season and this are moments, City & Pool have been off, Saudi Sportswashing Machine will eventually buy themselves into contention, Chelsea and us will get better, United? who the fudge knows ..

It comes down to what is his mandate? what are the club expecting in return for that money and patience.

 

[Raziel]

I think he’s definitely improved them. Didn’t happen overnight but they’re not really missing that much to prevent them from being able to topple city IMO, a striker and a top drawer keeper and I think they’d be closer to them. That said, they have bottled 4th place and the title on his watch. I’m more worried about them nicking the champions league than the title as it’s not always the best team that wins that competition.

He has, but how many managers wouldn't have with 4 years and £600M+ ?

 

[glasgowspur]

Arteta is way overrated (and I get brick for this all the time)

- The good? his teams are well coached, patterns of play, possession based. Arsenal has spent a lot of money improving the level of their squad

- The bad? they are a b version of Pep's tactics 7 years ago, they bottle brick all the time (5 or 6 of the top 10 statistically worse bottle jobs of PL era are Arsenal)

Arteta had a very good side that overachieved last season (the goal contributions by players that could not be expected to do that season in, season out, was crazy). The issue last season was sometimes soft in the middle, lack of a clinical finisher but great defense

Rice was a smart buy, the fudge was Raya and Havertz. Rice helps the middle of the park, especially with no rapist, no Xhaka, Havertz just fudges up the balance of the midfield from last year, they lack real creativity with Rice & Havertz and the only plan is wide (Saka). The goalkeeper brick is a joke and has unsettled the whole backline which you could accept if Raya was some kind of prime Buffon but he isn't. Toney would help score more but it will unbalance the system even more and I don't think Arteta knows how to adjust.

Yes, I'll get the brick about it, but lets see at the end of the season how good Arteta is.

p.s. Am I the only one to have missed the story that the gold trim on current kit is because they expected to win the PL this season?

He was an intelligent player, worked under and was well respected by three top coaches, absorbed methods, systems and is well versed in the game.
It's his personality and mentality that let's him down. His people skills are lacking, he struggles to get his message across (mainly because imo he doesn't have a clear message), he'd be a fine assistant, but he's not cut out to be a top manager.

 

[Aldo]

Rice has been a huge disappointment so far IMO. He’s not playing anything like he did at West Ham, I’m not sure if Lego has told him to play in a different role but he seems to be playing within himself, coasting games. Just stays deep, picks up the ball from the defenders and plays it sideways, small ineffective passes.

There’s no energy from him, no passion, no vocal drive, no presence, no driving runs through the opposition, no assists, no goals.

Half the time I forget he’s playing.
Nowhere near a £110m player so far this season. Long may it continue.

 

[Baleforce]

Rice has been a huge disappointment so far IMO. He’s not playing anything like he did at West Ham, I’m not sure if Lego has told him to play in a different role but he seems to be playing within himself, coasting games. Just stays deep, picks up the ball from the defenders and plays it sideways, small ineffective passes.

There’s no energy from him, no passion, no vocal drive, no presence, no driving runs through the opposition, no assists, no goals.

Half the time I forget he’s playing.
Nowhere near a £110m player so far this season. Long may it continue.

Sounds just like him at West Ham to me.

 

[markysimmo]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1742173891299062027

 

[Trixster]

I wholeheartedly agree with the last part "What's man talking about?" - Indeed, wtf were you talking about? Does English exist anymore?

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

I don't know but is it really all that off?

- They have spent a lot of money and he's been given a lot of time
- Last season and this are moments, City & Pool have been off, Saudi Sportswashing Machine will eventually buy themselves into contention, Chelsea and us will get better, United? who the fudge knows ..

It comes down to what is his mandate? what are the club expecting in return for that money and patience.

I said at the start of this season there's a good chance this will be his last.

 

[Rorschach]

I'm not sure Ange lucked out with a squad with the required skill set, part of it is good communication that we were up and running so quick.
The amount of time it took Arteta to get a tune out of his squad would suggest it takes a while for them to understand what he wants.

Nobody could speak lego.

 

[tommysvr]

He was an intelligent player, worked under and was well respected by three top coaches, absorbed methods, systems and is well versed in the game.
It's his personality and mentality that let's him down. His people skills are lacking, he struggles to get his message across (mainly because imo he doesn't have a clear message), he'd be a fine assistant, but he's not cut out to be a top manager.

Totally agree with this. He seems to work almost solely on emotion and passion most of the time. Playing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before Liverpool, getting the kit man to give his pre-match speech v Spurs, his referee rants etc. It works sometimes, but it definitely won't work all the time.

However, I hesitate to write them off too much. I hope they continue to fall apart, but it happening now gives them a chance to re-evaluate and potentially strengthen in January. Would rather it in March or April.

 

[Dicko]

Apparently Brentford are worried about their form and injuries and are thinking it might be best to keep hold of Toney until the Summer now. I'd be delighted if Arsenal don't bring in a striker this window