For me, I wouldn't drop Ode for the 2nd leg, despite his limitations, he should definitely be replaced as our chief creator, but I don't think starting an 18 year old in a champions league semi final at a hostile ground while we're chasing the tie isn't a good idea. We're basically gambling the tie and his further development mentally; what if he fails to perform or is overawed by the atmosphere. Y'all may not know it but Ethan for all his talents has a had a very sub par game against United in the 1-1 draw where he had to be subbed at half time
You are absolutely correct. It will be like throwing him under the bus. But talking about his performance again united and his supposed substitution, I will add that if arteta has been that ruthless with odegaard, I doubt if he will have featured in more than 20 second half games where he has started this season let alone completing 90 minutes.
Hilarious Tom.Dont give up your day job .your stand up routine still needs some work.Maybe Tottenham could employ you? I’m sure they’d love another comedian mate.🤫😂
Watch Arteta roll out everyone including Saliba, Rice, Saka and Timber in a nothing game, that does not matter in the least, for a 2nd place that may or may not come.
Need to keep our guys rested, in recovery mode, and ready for the biggest game this year, by miles, and that is the bottom line.
I have no agendas. I call it like I see it. I have always said he probably is the the best #6 in world football "on the ball".
Off the ball though, he has been responsible for costing us games at times. It was happening when he came back last season too.
I admit I have been a bit harsh on him. But my biggest ick in footbal is players who won't run and switch off that cost goals on a consistent basis. Especially defenders and DMs. I still have nightmares about Holding, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Denilson and even Song at times.
I loved Gilberto Silva, and Bacary Sagna. I am more harsh on defenders than attackers.
Partey has improved recently and hasn't been responsible since that Villa switch off. So he has shut me up.
Some players deceive by just running. The best players conserve their energies for when they get the ball. What is the point of getting the ball and having not energy left to use it. For defensive midfielders, positioning is the key. You need to be able to read the game well and predict the move of the other team. Great players like Bosquet and pirlo thrived on reading the game than running all over the place. But players like odegaard deceive you by just running around.
People are often very impressed by busy players when in reality not a particularly high percentage of the worlds best players in any position need to constantly sprint
It’s amazing to have a great engine and pace, a real advantage when combined with a willingness to press.
But players with those qualities do tend to be overrated if that’s their primary strength. I see players like Gallagher when he was at palace and Chelsea (haven’t watched him this season) and what I see is a 6/10 player with a 9/10 engine and work rate.
But the real elite players can be 8 or 9/10 without the constant sprinting and chasing the ball around the pitch like a mad man. Their intelligence, positioning and reading of the game has them magically in the right place at the right time over and over again
For a defensive equivalent I’d liken it to those all action CBs who are in the wars every game. Doesn’t impress me. 90% of the best defenders can totally dominate calmly and quietly. You think of players like mustafi running through walls and making last ditch sliding tackles. Finishing games with mud streaks up his chest and a cut on his head. Genuine quality players rarely need to do that because they rarely let themselves get exposed in the first place. I think it was maldini who famously said if he has to make a tackle he already fucked up. Shouldn’t even be necessary
You just compared Partey to two of the greatest CMs of all time. One was do good on the ball that he redefined the DM position. Everyone knew what Pirlo could do as well.
Partey is class on the ball but he isn't Bousquets or Pirlo. And Bousquests wasn't costing goals at his best. Even if he did, it would have been negligible at times because what he did on the ball was better than anyone had ever done in that position.
That is why those players were worth the risk at times. Otherwise you need terminators that are good on the ball. Rodri, Fabinho in recent seasons. We also had those type of of players in our hey day. So did United and Chelsea.
The Odegaard jab is also hilarious. He was just "running around" when he was class for two seasons straight, so much so that majority of fans voted him as their player of the season.
He is playing like crap now. Especialy the past two months. Just funny to see everyone talk like the past two seasons didn't exist.
I think Partey is comparable to both players. Not in skillset but in terms of importance to their respective teams at least.
I always found it hilarious you focused on Partey's one or two off the ball lapses and made it into a theme when he never needed to do that in almost the entirety of his Arsenal career prior.
He's never been a physical beast. And sometimes when he needed to, he'd sprint the whole pitch to make a recovery tackle and it would go under the radar still because that wasn't what he was supposed to be judged by.
When Partey is on song, the team dances. But I understand that some fans want to see certain attributes from players. Give Partey a new deal anyway. He's the best of this generation.
He wasn't a beast physically but he was never a liability in the past. My biggest problem with him was fitness before the end of last season.
What annoyed me was instances of him jogging at times. That infuriated me. Because it wasn't as if he was limited as Jorginho. He could do it and it felt like he didn't want to.
You might be surprised but I was one of a few of us who were campaigning to sign him that summer when the saga of Partey and aouar was raging. He is class on the ball. All I need from him is just to run enough to cover attacking spaces. If he does that, what he does on the ball is worth it. But not if he is bypassed.
I already admitted to being a harsh on him. players that jog infuriate me. Which is why I have never been a fan of Rashford. I was a big fan of Ozil but my love for him lessened with every effort he didn't put in. I still give Martinelli a lot of leeway because he is a team player.
And when it is in a crucial position like defenders and DMs that costs you goals. and I hate that happening through lack of effort.
He has been great this season if you take out those issues though. available, playing well most of the season and being reliable enough. I don't want to give grief to players because of Agendas.
Arteta on what we’ve achieved this season with so many players unavailable throughout:
“The thing is that we live every day with what we have. I was very shocked just before the game against PSG at home because I was walking into the dressing room and suddenly I saw all of them together sitting.
It was Tomiyasu, next to him Calafiori, next to him Gabriel, next to him Thomas Partey, next to him Kai Havertz, next to him Gabriel Jesus, next to him Jorginho. I said, that’s a starting line-up.
And we don't have them. We haven't had them for many, many months. And then I felt joy about the team and what they are doing and how they're trying and nobody's talking about it in the building at all.
But it's happening and I felt pride about how the boys and the staff and the club are reacting to these situations.”
He is just saying that to prolong his stay and cover his ineptitude. Partey, Gabriel and jorginho, yes. But the rest is completely his fault because he has all the time to strengthen the team. For calafiori, we don't miss him.
Most managers despise press conferences, but Arteta is in his element. He can waffle to his heart's content, and no one will ask him any pressing questions.
we shouldn’t have pulled Merino back in midfield last game. Trossard doesn’t cut it for me even though the odd good game. Great for coming off the bench when second half needs pick up.
Odegaard is the issue - there is almost no creative spark in him now and that should be the criteria we judge him by, not the supersonic pressing.
I know he will play but a shame Art isn’t ballsy enough to drop him and play Ethan
My hope is more on Partey returning. That reshuffle will be a major bonus. Merino uptop is a different proposition. We can go long when they press us like Rabid dogs like they did at the start of the first game. And if they drop, Partey can play his stuff while Rice runs around like a maniac. The first game they pressed us for 20 minutes and when we went long, it just kept coming back to us. And after that we started to play out well enough but 3 of our front 4 were holograms.
Having Trossard upfront (who is mid in general play and is there for his finishing), Martinelli's poorest game in a few weeks and Odegaard playing the worst I have seen him play were major factors. I am a major Odegaard fan and I don't subscribe to the "sell him, he is crap" crowd. Infact, I think that is crazy. He has earned the leeway from me after two seasons of excellence. It is worrying but if he keeps playing like this at the start of next season, that is when my patience will run out. But he has to be dropped for the game in Paris. We need players in form and he isn't in one. Nwaneri will want to show he belongs. Give him the run out.
Do those things and it is still possible. But Arteta has to make those ruthless calls. Form trumps seniority.
PSG have failed in Europe , I don’t think anyone will deny it, but if you look at whom they lost to over the years only Dortmund seemed financially disadvantaged.
All others were Bayern, Barca and the like.
Now look at who we’ve lost to in Europa league under Arteta and it’s not a pretty picture.
Holy fuck those comments from Mikel's press conference is littered with red flags. To the point where I actually think he might actually see Zubimendi as helping with our creative struggles. Also if you thought Odegaard was going to be pushed in any way to get better think again. As long as he puts in a shift he's safe
Zubimendi definitely not the creative solution for us in the PL. . . Breaking lines isn't the same as creative capabilities in the final third! Xavi Simmons is one, of many
Well according to the data Zubimendi this season is 2nd for breaking the lines in midfield in laliga with Pedri being the first. And one thing I noticed about him is he releases passed 1st time when there's the chance to or when he spots a runner. In our build up I've noticed Marti or Saka even rice at times make runs into space but whoever is on the ball just seems to ignore not see them. We need to be more direct when we're in possession. That's where I have my gripes with Our captain, once he receives the ball in attack, his first instinct is to dwell and get the players into an attacking shape that's been overly rehearsed in training hence why our attacks are predictable.
I am still angry and have lost any faith in Arteta if I had any, I WANTED DESPERATELY FOR HIM TO TRUST NWANERIE, it is more than due to do drop Odegaard !!
For me, I wouldn't drop Ode for the 2nd leg, despite his limitations, he should definitely be replaced as our chief creator, but I don't think starting an 18 year old in a champions league semi final at a hostile ground while we're chasing the tie isn't a good idea. We're basically gambling the tie and his further development mentally; what if he fails to perform or is overawed by the atmosphere. Y'all may not know it but Ethan for all his talents has a had a very sub par game against United in the 1-1 draw where he had to be subbed at half time
You are absolutely correct. It will be like throwing him under the bus. But talking about his performance again united and his supposed substitution, I will add that if arteta has been that ruthless with odegaard, I doubt if he will have featured in more than 20 second half games where he has started this season let alone completing 90 minutes.
Completely agree. And if Ode continues to stink out the place then he should be subbed off for Ethan
Joke Friday
Bingo night at Positive Pete’s place.
While the wife’s busy in the kitchen preparing tea and biscuits for the guests, Positive Pete engages in a small talk.
My wife and I went to this new restaurant down the street, he says.
It was quite lovely, I highly recommend it, he adds.
Oh yea, what’s its name?
Asks one of the guests.
Positive Pete looks at him, and scratches his head semi- confused.
After a short but awkward minute, he leans forward and says: what’s the name of that pretty flower with a thorny stem?
You mean a rose?
Says the guest.
Positive Pete’s face lights up , he turns towards the kitchen and yells out:
Rose, honey , what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?
Hilarious Tom.Dont give up your day job .your stand up routine still needs some work.Maybe Tottenham could employ you? I’m sure they’d love another comedian mate.🤫😂
Watch Arteta roll out everyone including Saliba, Rice, Saka and Timber in a nothing game, that does not matter in the least, for a 2nd place that may or may not come.
Need to keep our guys rested, in recovery mode, and ready for the biggest game this year, by miles, and that is the bottom line.
Strange things happen but Habesha pining for Partey in our XI just about takes the crown
Lol, this is funny.
I have no agendas. I call it like I see it. I have always said he probably is the the best #6 in world football "on the ball".
Off the ball though, he has been responsible for costing us games at times. It was happening when he came back last season too.
I admit I have been a bit harsh on him. But my biggest ick in footbal is players who won't run and switch off that cost goals on a consistent basis. Especially defenders and DMs. I still have nightmares about Holding, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Denilson and even Song at times.
I loved Gilberto Silva, and Bacary Sagna. I am more harsh on defenders than attackers.
Partey has improved recently and hasn't been responsible since that Villa switch off. So he has shut me up.
Some players deceive by just running. The best players conserve their energies for when they get the ball. What is the point of getting the ball and having not energy left to use it. For defensive midfielders, positioning is the key. You need to be able to read the game well and predict the move of the other team. Great players like Bosquet and pirlo thrived on reading the game than running all over the place. But players like odegaard deceive you by just running around.
I agree with this comment
People are often very impressed by busy players when in reality not a particularly high percentage of the worlds best players in any position need to constantly sprint
It’s amazing to have a great engine and pace, a real advantage when combined with a willingness to press.
But players with those qualities do tend to be overrated if that’s their primary strength. I see players like Gallagher when he was at palace and Chelsea (haven’t watched him this season) and what I see is a 6/10 player with a 9/10 engine and work rate.
But the real elite players can be 8 or 9/10 without the constant sprinting and chasing the ball around the pitch like a mad man. Their intelligence, positioning and reading of the game has them magically in the right place at the right time over and over again
For a defensive equivalent I’d liken it to those all action CBs who are in the wars every game. Doesn’t impress me. 90% of the best defenders can totally dominate calmly and quietly. You think of players like mustafi running through walls and making last ditch sliding tackles. Finishing games with mud streaks up his chest and a cut on his head. Genuine quality players rarely need to do that because they rarely let themselves get exposed in the first place. I think it was maldini who famously said if he has to make a tackle he already fucked up. Shouldn’t even be necessary
You just compared Partey to two of the greatest CMs of all time. One was do good on the ball that he redefined the DM position. Everyone knew what Pirlo could do as well.
Partey is class on the ball but he isn't Bousquets or Pirlo. And Bousquests wasn't costing goals at his best. Even if he did, it would have been negligible at times because what he did on the ball was better than anyone had ever done in that position.
That is why those players were worth the risk at times. Otherwise you need terminators that are good on the ball. Rodri, Fabinho in recent seasons. We also had those type of of players in our hey day. So did United and Chelsea.
The Odegaard jab is also hilarious. He was just "running around" when he was class for two seasons straight, so much so that majority of fans voted him as their player of the season.
He is playing like crap now. Especialy the past two months. Just funny to see everyone talk like the past two seasons didn't exist.
I think Partey is comparable to both players. Not in skillset but in terms of importance to their respective teams at least.
I always found it hilarious you focused on Partey's one or two off the ball lapses and made it into a theme when he never needed to do that in almost the entirety of his Arsenal career prior.
He's never been a physical beast. And sometimes when he needed to, he'd sprint the whole pitch to make a recovery tackle and it would go under the radar still because that wasn't what he was supposed to be judged by.
When Partey is on song, the team dances. But I understand that some fans want to see certain attributes from players. Give Partey a new deal anyway. He's the best of this generation.
He wasn't a beast physically but he was never a liability in the past. My biggest problem with him was fitness before the end of last season.
What annoyed me was instances of him jogging at times. That infuriated me. Because it wasn't as if he was limited as Jorginho. He could do it and it felt like he didn't want to.
You might be surprised but I was one of a few of us who were campaigning to sign him that summer when the saga of Partey and aouar was raging. He is class on the ball. All I need from him is just to run enough to cover attacking spaces. If he does that, what he does on the ball is worth it. But not if he is bypassed.
I already admitted to being a harsh on him. players that jog infuriate me. Which is why I have never been a fan of Rashford. I was a big fan of Ozil but my love for him lessened with every effort he didn't put in. I still give Martinelli a lot of leeway because he is a team player.
And when it is in a crucial position like defenders and DMs that costs you goals. and I hate that happening through lack of effort.
He has been great this season if you take out those issues though. available, playing well most of the season and being reliable enough. I don't want to give grief to players because of Agendas.
"All I need from him is just to run enough to cover attacking spaces. If he does that, what he does on the ball is worth it."
You're talking about a top 5 DM in the world btw. Like he's barely cutting it.
Joke Friday
Hab on Partey: "I admit I have been a bit harsh on him."
Lol don't do that to yourself man
I don't even know who were playing this weekend. Just waiting for Wednesday 😅
Bournemouth at home on Saturday.
I didn't know either.
We don't have a game this weekend
Luck is essential in all sports , captain obvious, but if you have to rely on it over two legs, then you probably don’t deserve to go through.
Tom Wojtyga
Fact
Fact. We won’t need luck on Wednesday Tom!
Unless your name is Madrid
Arteta on what we’ve achieved this season with so many players unavailable throughout:
“The thing is that we live every day with what we have. I was very shocked just before the game against PSG at home because I was walking into the dressing room and suddenly I saw all of them together sitting.
It was Tomiyasu, next to him Calafiori, next to him Gabriel, next to him Thomas Partey, next to him Kai Havertz, next to him Gabriel Jesus, next to him Jorginho. I said, that’s a starting line-up.
And we don't have them. We haven't had them for many, many months. And then I felt joy about the team and what they are doing and how they're trying and nobody's talking about it in the building at all.
But it's happening and I felt pride about how the boys and the staff and the club are reacting to these situations.”
Excuses, and mote excuses
He is just saying that to prolong his stay and cover his ineptitude. Partey, Gabriel and jorginho, yes. But the rest is completely his fault because he has all the time to strengthen the team. For calafiori, we don't miss him.
Arteta should stop watching movies and start analyzing clips of how PSG play. You'd think it's part 2 of Any Given Sunday
😂
Relax bro. I'm on your side. Ask Rap
Joke Friday
A group of mates were discussing the pettiest reasons they've ever stopped sleeping with a woman when one chimed in, "Extremely long arms."
"We were going at it doggy style, I asked her to pull her cheeks apart..."
********
"..then she reached around and pulled apart mine."
Most managers despise press conferences, but Arteta is in his element. He can waffle to his heart's content, and no one will ask him any pressing questions.
Because he knows his job is safe no matter what anyone might say.
2nd in Premier League, in a CL semi final... but what we need is him to feel his job is under threat so his pressers are better.
Nice one guys.
Nah.Cos he knows what a bunch of two faced c**ts they are.
Max Dowman being mentioned as an option must mean Arteta is planning to use him next season. That is a lot of trust in a teenager if so.
we shouldn’t have pulled Merino back in midfield last game. Trossard doesn’t cut it for me even though the odd good game. Great for coming off the bench when second half needs pick up.
Odegaard is the issue - there is almost no creative spark in him now and that should be the criteria we judge him by, not the supersonic pressing.
I know he will play but a shame Art isn’t ballsy enough to drop him and play Ethan
Trossard is a weak link in big games..He might score in some games but his overall contribution is below average at best
Is this Bitch slap,longstuff Sid or a new Sid with double d?
Theres only one Sid
My hope is more on Partey returning. That reshuffle will be a major bonus. Merino uptop is a different proposition. We can go long when they press us like Rabid dogs like they did at the start of the first game. And if they drop, Partey can play his stuff while Rice runs around like a maniac. The first game they pressed us for 20 minutes and when we went long, it just kept coming back to us. And after that we started to play out well enough but 3 of our front 4 were holograms.
Having Trossard upfront (who is mid in general play and is there for his finishing), Martinelli's poorest game in a few weeks and Odegaard playing the worst I have seen him play were major factors. I am a major Odegaard fan and I don't subscribe to the "sell him, he is crap" crowd. Infact, I think that is crazy. He has earned the leeway from me after two seasons of excellence. It is worrying but if he keeps playing like this at the start of next season, that is when my patience will run out. But he has to be dropped for the game in Paris. We need players in form and he isn't in one. Nwaneri will want to show he belongs. Give him the run out.
Do those things and it is still possible. But Arteta has to make those ruthless calls. Form trumps seniority.
Summed up perfectly Habesha.
PSG have failed in Europe , I don’t think anyone will deny it, but if you look at whom they lost to over the years only Dortmund seemed financially disadvantaged.
All others were Bayern, Barca and the like.
Now look at who we’ve lost to in Europa league under Arteta and it’s not a pretty picture.
Holy fuck those comments from Mikel's press conference is littered with red flags. To the point where I actually think he might actually see Zubimendi as helping with our creative struggles. Also if you thought Odegaard was going to be pushed in any way to get better think again. As long as he puts in a shift he's safe
Zubimendi definitely not the creative solution for us in the PL. . . Breaking lines isn't the same as creative capabilities in the final third! Xavi Simmons is one, of many
Well according to the data Zubimendi this season is 2nd for breaking the lines in midfield in laliga with Pedri being the first. And one thing I noticed about him is he releases passed 1st time when there's the chance to or when he spots a runner. In our build up I've noticed Marti or Saka even rice at times make runs into space but whoever is on the ball just seems to ignore not see them. We need to be more direct when we're in possession. That's where I have my gripes with Our captain, once he receives the ball in attack, his first instinct is to dwell and get the players into an attacking shape that's been overly rehearsed in training hence why our attacks are predictable.
sadly. his constant running seems to merit him being a captain and starter always
Mikel Arteta on Kai Havertz returning this season:
“I think so, if everything goes the way it's going at the moment, he will have a chance to play a few games before the end of the season.”
________________________________________
Please do the remontada in Paris ffs!
I am still angry and have lost any faith in Arteta if I had any, I WANTED DESPERATELY FOR HIM TO TRUST NWANERIE, it is more than due to do drop Odegaard !!
WHO's NWANERIE? No need to 'shout!