I agree with you, and I put cutbacks into that tactical category. I'd have no problems seeing us do that, along with high crosses. But we have to have good targets and we to be able to take our chances... neither of which we've excelled at this season.
I'm pretty sure AMN, Willock, ESR, and Ceballos are all playing in the midfield right now, and I don't hate it.
Whose fingerprints are on the Runarsson signing? He's looking poor and not good enough for an Arsenal #2.
Our GK coach. He worked with him at a previous club. According to one of the Arsecasts from earlier in the season, they didn't really see him as a #2. They brought him in as a #3, but we unable to land Raya from Brentford. Bad signing, but our GK coach has worked wonders on Bernd and Emi, so I'm not gonna throw him under the bus.
@bandwagongooner Unfortunately, I cannot speak to the stats on that, but from what I observe Tierney is left with everything to do, he has too much on his plate, and it looks like the players are going through the motions without knowing what to do precisely, which I think explains the hopeful high crosses from those more difficult positions. From a tactical standpoint, I think it's more about pulling defenders wide. The more dangerous those crosses, the more the opposition will be forced to pull defenders wide. Even if the opposition play an extra center-back in response to those holes they might otherwise leave in the middle, that tilts the pitch to Arsenal's favor and the opposition are left having to defend a shooting gallery.
Early diagonals into the box will be counted as ‘crosses’ and also yield much more fruit than crosses from outside the width of the 18 extended. Nothing we do is early. One of our problems is we are doing crosses the dumb way, but Arteta worryingly seems to be conflating all crosses.
I can't find any data right now, but I'm pretty sure the highest value of passing is generated inside the box close to the byline and from outside the box in the middle of the pitch.
I love Vieira (sorry forgetting the second "i" triggers me) but I don't know that he'd be any better than Arteta. Howe? Never understood the hype---still don't. The last three I'd take, especially the two long shots.
I don't know if we can realistically look at having managers for more than 3-4 years at a time. The club wants another 20 year run from one guy, but that's not how teams operate. Wenger and Ferguson were anomalies. Trying to find a replica is foolish. I'd take Rafa in a heartbeat. By 2024 we'd be in good shape and ready for a new manager to try and make a run at the title.
This is not working. Arteta needs to go. He has lost the dressing room, and made too enemies with the likes of Ozil, Saliba and Etc. This is a team too divided. We need a new manager ASAP. Not a long term one but someone who can fix our problems now. We are free falling right now
I think Rafa is a great manager who would make us better, but we’d only be in great shape after a few years of him if the shit show above the first team coach/manager changes for the better.
I agree, but Arteta's weird and stupid alienating of "Emery's players" is just killing him. We're a better team with Guen, LT, Sokratis, and Ozil. The club is still in disarray, but they're 8th place bad, not 18th place bad.
Naglesmann of Leipzig is someone Arsenal could look at as a long term solution. I think he will eventually land in England managing any club of his choice almost.
Exactly Douzi, LT and Ozil are better than any of our current midfielders except for Partey Like I'd rather have that midfield 3 than our current lineups
Is it that surprising really? Arteta's whole career was about being disciplined, in all aspects of his play. But, he had Cahill causing havoc in front of him at Everton, and Ramsey, Carzola, Wilshere, Giroud here. I don't think he actually knows how to attack or has no attacking instinct. Ozil-Douzi-Partey is a quality midfield, next season we have no one who can do what Ozil can, even if we keep Douzi the midfield will be lacking. When we got on top of Everton instead of adding more to the attack he waited for the pressure to ease and then made his traditional conservative like for like sub. Everton had gone to one striker, we should have gone to 3 at the back and pushed AMN and Tierney higher, wouldn't have even taken a sub. No killer instinct. Say what you want about Pep's record with City in the CL but he knows how to kill a match.
This one got me thinking. Maybe Arteta needs to change his approach to player management especially with talent like Ozil. Arteta needs to judge players on effectiveness on match day rather than work rate imo
Supposedly the extension that Raya signed at Brentford will make it easier for him to move to Arsenal next summer. But signing and using a non-homegrown roster spot on a keeper like Runar doesn't make much sense. Either find a homegrown GK who is just as good or do something short-term for a capable #2 like Alphonse Areola on loan from PSG.
The fact is that Arteta would always have "growing pains" as a new manager. IMO he doesn't have the standing of either experience as a manager, or reputation as a player and right now he needs to figure out how to manage personalities. Him and Pep love "choirboys" and the truth is sometimes you gotta manage big egos. That is your job, that is what you are judged on and what your compensation is for. I didn't like Guendouzi's attitude at times but he was def a motha********er and you need those types of personalities throughout the team. With that said, the league is a shambles 2 or 3 wins on the trot and the squad is where imo their level is. Now the bigger issue for me is do you trust the footballing braintrust to make the right decisions regarding personnel going forward. Is there a coherent plan/philosophy to create a blueprint for Arsenal first team. Personally IF I was in charge I'd fire everyone in May, and drive to Southampton and import the entire footballing structure from Manager to Dir of Football. Since the true station of Arsenal isn't a "big club" but more like a development club with a sprinkle of big transfer. Southampton have clearly perfected that and should be models of what Arsenal should be like. The Kroenke's lack a network, as much as I defecate on em they have done a great job with the Rams because they have a better insight into American Football culture and coaches and front office types. Don't overthink it, Hassenhutl and the entire staff. Bet you in 3 years we are competing for major honors. I rate him that highly
I think my hope with Arteta was always that we’d somehow get the man management of Arsene with the tactics and structure of Pep. So far it seems we’re just getting the man management of Pep without the requisite transfer spend. Like @DutchCane said, Pep only deals with choir boys, he ships out the rest. Problem is that choir boy wingers and creative players are incredibly expensive.
Pep loves choir boys who probably have a hematocrit of 57%. I love the idea of just importing all of Southampton, but I still don't think anything positive will happen unless Kroenke sells