Because he couldnt sell anybody due to uncertainty in the transfer market so players like Mustafi, Özil, Kolasinac, Sokratis possibly even Xhaka sat on their contracts and he couldn’t restructure and the major signing he made has been injured ever since.

Until he can remove the deadwood and bring in fresh new talent you won’t see major change that’s the truth. That’s the same for any manager.

If you can’t see the improvement with this side and the side Emery played v Man City at home in his final season I don’t know what to say. Despite our current league position our improvement is visible

I think it is valid to give the manager some leeway in terms of what he inherited and the exceptional circumstances in his first year in management but also question some of his decisions and approaches to games.
The FA Cup win probably raised expectations too much but at the same time the squad he has was better than 15th place in the league, and really the teams with the deepest squads should fair better this season where the impact of covid and injuries will be felt more than any other season, so Arteta does have an advantage over teams where we might consider their first 11 more robust than ours but with a thinner squad.

That would be fair if we are were still 15th. As it is we are rising rapidly {touch wood}. Hopefully Aubameyang's drought, which was a major factor in our languishing, is a thing of the past.

I still think Arteta is the business. But its a helluva job he's got, and he's bound to make mistakes and piss certain people off from time to time.

I think it is valid to give the manager some leeway in terms of what he inherited and the exceptional circumstances in his first year in management but also question some of his decisions and approaches to games.
The FA Cup win probably raised expectations too much but at the same time the squad he has was better than 15th place in the league, and really the teams with the deepest squads should fair better this season where the impact of covid and injuries will be felt more than any other season, so Arteta does have an advantage over teams where we might consider their first 11 more robust than ours but with a thinner squad.

The line up attached.

I wrote this: "Next a Third Round FA Cup visit to Shrewsbury Town. Before the protagonists were due to protagonise, Shrewsbury manager Arthur Rowley said 'I think we are in with a chance. Arsenal hasn't a very impressive away record.' He had a point. In the sixteen away games played at that stage of the season Arsenal had lost nine, drawn three and won just four. Arsenal went ahead through Radford, but he injured himself in scoring and had to be replaced by Neill. It was a disputed goal as he had been flagged for offside, but the referee ignored his linesman. Shrewsbury made a late rally and scored with minutes to go to take the tie to London. There was some fighting behind the Arsenal goal and reports of shop windows broken in the town centre.

McNab missed the replay. The versatile Simpson moved to full-back and Neill came in. Over 42,000 witnessed Arsenal's 2-0 victory, which Geoffrey Green of The Times found mundane. 'Those who look at life through red coloured glasses no doubt see an expanding future for Arsenal: the uncommitted neutral, however, must have stifled a yawn or two on the night. And it was not Shrewsbury who provided the Severn Bore.' The goals were scored by Sammels and Jenkins. Graham, never a cat to hide behind the curtains, was involved in a few ill-tempered moments and earned the wrath of Hackett in the Daily Express. 'Arsenal never took complete control of the game and had players who were guilty of conduct unbecoming Arsenal players...It was grim to see a player of the class of George Graham involved in an incident in which a Shrewsbury player was injured. Referee Ken Dagnall treated this with beneficent leniency...Shrewsbury men were abused again in the second-half, but only the shake of a finger rebuked the over-vigorous men of Arsenal.'

Ian Ure admitted 'Our two ties with Shrewsbury were on the rugged side, but that's not what I most remember about them. Their centre-forward, Frank Clarke, elder brother of Allan, gave me all the trouble I wanted. He moved around intelligently and was always difficult to mark.'"

Don’t remember either now but I was at both games. What I do remember was the fantastic away support we had back then. Some of my peers on this forum might remember if the late 60’s and 70’s were all ticket games but the numbers we took away were terrific. Mind you there was a fair few tough guys in our ranks....that were always up for a spirited punch up .....the name Johnny Hoy springs to mind...that wasn’t you was it OMOH?!

While down memory lane something for DHD, and others of my generation. Does anyone remember a friendly played at Highbury on the eve of the Cup Final....don't know if it was a one off or a regular fixture ….England vs Young England (or England Under 21) .I went to one and the youngsters won 4:0....(think John Sissons scored ). This was probably mid 60's.

Spurs going 1-0 up sitting back and conceding late is becoming a bit of a habit for them.
I wonder if the media will start questioning the Gareth Bale loan. He’s barely started a game for them and they’re paying his £600k a week wages

Ceballos having a really good game so far. Most encouraging.

AMN looks a bit shaky though.

Yup. Aubameyang growing into it - odds on him for a goal.