You love misinterpreting (I'm being polite here) other people's statements don't you TG. To remind you, my comment was 'you can't help but wonder where we'd be if we'd appointed Ancelotti or indeed Rogers to succeed Emery'. Quite how that translates as them being my 'saviours' I'm not clear. Keep the excuses coming for a pig's ear of a season.

But you don’t need to wonder you can literally look at at the league table in the paper and in Ancelloti he’s not doing much better

It’s not excuses like I said I agree it’s been totally *%^@. We need to suck it up and move forward.

Interesting, and somewhat alarming, take on it from Gary Neville.

http://www.skysports.com/share/12266824

Hard to disagree with though.
I think that we have certain players who ride or fall dependant on those around them. Take Pépé for instance, rarely grabs a game by the scruff of the neck or is the one leading the charge or the one in a bad game who you say ‘well at least he was good’.... but the games he has been better in he’s almost forced to step up to the energy, tempo and high press of others around him. Put him in a forward line that isn’t prepared to work and he’ll happily slot in with that lack of effort as well.

The use of the word “mafia” by Neville is interesting

Lacazette made a comment the other week the team “disrespected” artetas game plan againest West Ham.

The footage of chambers berating Pépé was damning there.

Charlie Watt reporting Luiz had surgery on his knee but no news on Tierney which I find strange.

There was a moment in the game where Arteta could clearly be heard to tell Aubameyang to press, and I have to say the response was half hearted at best.

1. Arteta should not have to be making such instructions to a seasoned pro
2. Aubameyang's lack of effort backs up Neville's comments.

Top goalscorer or not, Aubameyang needs to either start to show he's the captain and put a proper shift in, or feck off somewhere else. As for Pépé, rare moments of one trick pony good stuff aside, he's no better than an expensive Glen Helder. In fact, I'd rate Helder above him.

If Tierney is out for a good while I think that puts a massive dent in any EL hopes. I think he's probably our most influential player who sets the tone by his attitude, his desire and his quality in the final third.

Spot on Rich.

Pépé's had long enough to 'adjust'; time to repay the transfer fee or again, feck off.

He should be the captain. You could see him being vocal enough (which you never seem to see from Aubameyang) and when necessary, grabbing others by the throat a la Adams and 'advising' them their efforts are nowhere near good enough.

Helder was a headless chicken mate, Pépé can have games where he looks decent can score and put in good crosses.

I agree he’s hit and miss but let’s not be daft here and go overboard.

Are you trying to stir the pot. I will wait and see but it is starting to look like it. Not that you are allowed to say that on this forum. This could give us significant problems for the rest of the season.

I think we probably still owe about 36 mil for him.

A bad result againest one of the best teams in Europe and Arsenal fans start saying stuff like this..

Lee Chapman was a far better striker than Aubameyang ever was !!! At least he mucked in and he was banging Leslie Ash. How can you trust Aubameyang if he can’t even nail a sitcom actress! Disgrace !

I used to think Gary Neville was managerial material. Now I've reassessed. I wouldn't mind him on the coaching staff, even Assistant Manager and having no designs on being manager (ala Pat Rice).

He can be astute. OGS should have looked at bringing him in if he hasn't. Advisory role.

Tierney exudes what I liked about British players when I first got into football as a fan. Uncompromising. Can be relied on to put a shift in, whether its Charlton or Chelsea. (no offense to Charlton ). Doesn't appear to be the type yucking it up a bit too much in training.
He had one bad injury so the stat a little skewed. I'm going to chalk it up to having to step up to a league that was a lot more physical and the pace faster than it was in the SPL.

He should be used to it. I'm hoping he's smart enough to adjust his style of play a wee bit to avoid certain types of contact with the opposition that may get him injured but not a 'necessary' tackle, etc.

With regards to Europa Cup chances, on paper we are good for at least a final I would think. But I have to assume we've been rated fairly decently by odds makers over the last few years, no? So, is this new? I know one thing. My nerves won't take a one off European cup final against Man Utd if it comes to that.

I saw a take elsewhere that said when we were rubbish earlier in the season we played 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 with 1 attacking mid and 3 forwards - it was awful, when we got better the formation didn't change but we played 3 attacking mids and 1 forward. Arteta has to get that balance irrespective of the 'name'.
Right now the best front 6 is
Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Ødegaard, Smith-Rowe, Lacazette OR Aubameyang

There is an article in The Atheltic (I can;t read it all I can only see the snippets and headlines) but the writer looked at all of the instructions Arteta was shouting during the Liverpool game and how exasperated he was getting that his team wasn't doing what he wanted. It included Aubameyang tracking Trent, Ceballos failing to track Thiago's positions and Pépé to 'move'!

Aubameyang is our new Özil. His attitude is poor.

One of the best teams in Europe that have just lost 6 home games on the bounce. Who not only completely dominated us, but outmatched our effort, commitment and team ethic by a significant margin. We’re lucky it was only 3-0.

Nobody has said that about Chapman/Aubameyang.

There’s a massive disparity between Aubameyang’s talent and his current attitude and lack of application to the team he plays for, and captains.

And my comments about Helder were slightly, but only slightly, tongue in cheek, but Pépé can do one. He’s simply not good enough for us, his attitude and commitment just aren’t at the required level.

https://thisisfutbol.com/2021/04/blogs/ ... -a-chance/

Drop Aubameyang and let Martinelli do his bit

Comparing Pépé to Helder is plain daft.

I agree with Rich, when we play badly Pépé follows suit he’s not the type to lead if we are struggling. That said I think he still probably gets in our best 11 and we looked most balanced this year when he appeared on the left. He’s provided the same amount of goals as Saka in the premier league and provided one less assist yet he’s public enemy number 1 and Saka is the golden child. I’m not saying he’s the saviour but it’s worth keeping balance and some perspective as since Saturdays bad performance I’ve seen some of the most ridiculous *%^@ ever written about Arsenal and people seem to have forgotten we were conceding 8,6, 5 goals and getting battered senseless EVERY time we played a side like Liverpool not that long ago.

Interesting how Bellerin has been frozen out of the last 5 league games.

Pépé is not fit to lace Saka's boots.

Spot on John1. If we lose, we lose, but that shitshow was a disgrace to the shirt.

Attitude wise I’d agree,

Same amount of goals in the league though? Actual output it’s similar. If Saka had been bought for 72 million our fans would be calling him a disgrace and that he’s Eddie Mcgoldricks twin.

There’s no balance we are only dealing with extremes now because it’s all a bit *%^@ right now. Partially understandable

I was interested by Gary Neville's comment when he said Arteta must be thinking 'it's me or them' after that Liverpool performance. As a young, inexperienced manager Arteta will no doubt have his ideas on how he wants the game and his teams to play, the problem with younger managers (at least those who aren't super arrogant which usually goes hand-in-hand with a certain lacking of ability) is they will naturally question themselves and perhaps not be as decisive in their actions. I think this can happen to inexperienced managers in any industry. I've certainly had this in my line of work, I used to get frustrated with myself after the event that I wasn't more stern or forthright with what I thought was the best or right way of doing something - perhaps trying to please too many people or not rock the boat too much. At the end of the day Arteta is the one who will face the most scrutiny so I do think Neville is right and Arteta needs to see those sorts of performances as 'me or them' and start jettisoning players from the team who are not willing to pull their weight or follow instructions.

We all think about the sorts of players we want Arsenal to sign, the more I've seen us over the years the more I put 'character and attitude' right at the top of any attribute, this should be the non negotiable and the background research must be done on each player. As a fan I can much more easily forgive a flaw in technique or ability if the attitude, motivation, effort are all right at the peak.

For too long we've been a team who need the exact right set of circumstances to be right on it for a match. We all know who the players are in the squad who fall on either side of this debate are. People talk about it being the manager's responsibility to motivate the team, to some degree I agree but there must be personal responsibility for each player - I really think it is something a player has or will never get, or will at least only show in flashes, but a player who can go out and give 100% every game irrespective of opposition, situation or competition is worth their weight in gold. I think I can count the number of players we have like that on one hand.

I'll have some of whatever you're smoking TG.

Presented with an opportunity to be analytical or hysterical.

Bromley chose hysteria.

The output in goals and assists may be similar but for long periods this season Saka has carried us, at times he seemed to be the only player playing anywhere close to his ability in our terrible run. He's saved us and won us games on a number of occasions with his contribution.
Of course there will be subconcious bias because he's home grown.
I'm maybe less critical of Pépé than some, I would like to see him get a run in the team with the best and most energetic players around him and having the team set up to play to his strengths, which means getting him the ball 30 yards closer to the opposition goal and not hugging the touchline AND giving him some more ability from right-back to work with.....but Saka has excelled playing in the same right-wing position.
Saka is also 6 years younger!

Marinelli, Smith-Rowe, Saka, Tierney, Ødegaard, Partey, Gabriel, Leno build around them.

Agree With your comments here Rich, I’m not saying Pépé is a better player at all. Saka looks a baller but we are now dealing with extremes

Pépé is the next Gervinho !

Screw you !!!

Pépé is the next Marc Overmars !

Isn’t the truth somewhere in the Middle where’s he’s hit and miss and can sometimes have games where he’s really effective and others where he’s equally absent without leave.

He's far more Gervinho than Overmars that's for sure.

And even if your assertion that the truth is in the middle was correct (it's not imo), that just confirms he's not good enough or committed enough to play for the The Arsenal.

You might be right you know. But he’s shown enough to suggest he has the technical ability to affect games.

I also have this image in my mind of Wilfred Zaha in an Arsenal shirt stuck on the halfway line taking receipt of pass after pass when he’s already marked rather than balls over the top to chase and thrive off

A bit like negative equity in a house then.

.....and If you bought a house in Bradford or Hull

Heard a startling stat on the radio yesterday.
In the 4 seasons before this one we have failed to score at home in the league just once.
This season alone we have failed to score at home 7 times.
If true that’s shocking.

Thursday is absolutely crucial now.
Will we stand up and be counted?
Really need to take at least a 2 goal lead preferably 2/3 nil into the 2nd leg.
Slavia Prague are decent.
Will be tough.
No way we should be giving up in the league.
Have a half decent run in.
Can still get top 7 and Europa for next season as a minimum.

Nope 12 league defeats, let alone being 10th in the table shouldn't be acceptable to anybody. A loss against Prague wouldn't/shouldn't be acceptable either Thursday.
Under the circumstances, Arteta really hasn't much choice but to pick a strong side for Thursday. Whether or not the motivation is there from the team will be from sheer cohesion, determination they aren't accepting of the club status.

Well be fair TG, your Saka / McGoldrick comment was hysterical.