I was wondering did I watch the same video

I think it's a reference to my statement on paycuts.

I wonder if the way we are playing at the moment is because we don't have the players he wants to be able to play a more attractive style of football or if he is just a more conservative coach stylistically. If it the latter, what would be your expectations from the season to justify that style of football? Would top 4 be enough?

I think it'll take some time getting used to for us fans because even in the dark days we played some lovely stuff under Wenger. But if this boring defensive approach gets us back into the top 4 whilst nabbing us a cup along the way then I'd be willing to put up with it. As dreadfully painful as we are to watch, winning makes it somewhat okay and it's probably the same for Atletico fans.

I think he just hasn't figured out how to balance it and errs on the side of defense.

He said previously he wants to dominate games, to press and play the game high up the pitch.
When he joined he said he wanted work rate amongst other things.

I think we tried to do this pre-COVID but the defensive issues forced a change of shape which has seen us lose a player from the attack/#10. There have been a number of impacts as a result:

• without a 3rd midfield role we see Laca now playing as a false9 and becasue our 2 midfielders are playing as DMs he drops deeper past the AM line and to where the CMs would normally be;
• again without the extra man in attack we have dropped our line of engagement in terms of our block and press;
• out impetus in attack is via the flanks to create width in the final 3rd, but we still lack midfield numbers in support to provide depth;
• the Double pivot at DM enables us to play out from the back and to create passing triangles and overloads on either flank in our half, but the lack of pace or physicality aligned with the deeper starting position means our transition is slow as they play from so deep and are not able to support the ball as it moves higher up the pitch unless it is held up waiting for the support to arrive.

The key weakness in the 343 with a 'flat' midfield 4 is the 2 CMs. Cruyff looked to eliminate this by plying the 4 as a narrow diamond with the #6 & #10 as the key roles in transition.
Arteta has been using an inverted WM to come inside to create a false midfield3, and this is usually in position as the highest midfield option and also positioned in line with the half space between the lines and the channel between the FB & CB. This is the role seen with AMN on the left, and also now with Willian also coming infield from the right.

ATM I think we see it in open play on the same flank as the ball, but I think it could be more effective if both roles looked to do so at the same time to provide the central passing options, and then used Tierney and Bellerin to provide the width for the switch of play into space on the opposite flank after we drag the defence across to counter our overload.

That said I do not think we will retain the 343 before the end of the year. Ideally this would see a return to a back4 and either a 4231 or 433 to get the extra bodies forward to reinstate our high line of engagement and more bodies forward in the press. I think Holding was likely to have been preferred to partner Gabriel ahead of Luiz as we've seen when we have operated as a back4 in open play. IF Holding is out and Arteta does not trust Luiz enough to play with a back 4 without a twin pivot at DM to provide immediate cover support, then I'd consider a 4222 or even the 3142 as Guardiola used against us.
Partey may still be key to this and may well 'need' to start as the deepest midfielder so as to provide better protection to the CBs, to also enable us to return to playing with enough players in attack until we can upgrade our options as CB, CM, WF & CF to eventually play Arteta's preferred style.

I really hope we start to see our football evolve soon. I am starting to worry a little that Arteta is a little too pragmatic for his own good. I can’t think of too many managers throughout history who have had a strong attacking, entertaining football philosophy who had such a large degree of pragmatism in their thinking too.

I find this concern a bit strange/premature. We spent a decade lamenting the fact Wenger was unable to organise a defence and had anxiety attacks over the amount of chances Emery's team gave away. Now we're questioning the fact that Arteta has addressed our number one problem!?

This is a process. We finished in our lowest league position for 25+ years last season. I'm glad we don't ship goals like we used to - even with Mustafi/David Luiz in the side! I don't think we can address everything at once though and whilst we have a severe dearth of creativity in the team right now (which we know Arteta wanted to address this summer but couldn't), I'm not going to expect us to be brilliant at both ends of the pitch. Arteta has done well (in less than a year) to steady the team and make us harder to beat. If 1-2 seasons down the line we're still not showing much in the attacking third, then we can consider our options but no need to panic now.

Addendum - we've also yet to see how Partey impacts upon our play and there is a theory that he'll take some of the defensive workload off some of our more attacking players to free them up to take more risks.

Don Pacifico wrote:

I find this concern a bit strange/premature. We spent a decade lamenting the fact Wenger was unable to organise a defence and had anxiety attacks over the amount of chances Emery's team gave away. Now we're questioning the fact that Arteta has addressed our number one problem!?

This is a process. We finished in our lowest league position for 25+ years last season. I'm glad we don't ship goals like we used to - even with Mustafi/David Luiz in the side! I don't think we can address everything at once though and whilst we have a severe dearth of creativity in the team right now (which we know Arteta wanted to address this summer but couldn't), I'm not going to expect us to be brilliant at both ends of the pitch. Arteta has done well (in less than a year) to steady the team and make us harder to beat. If 1-2 seasons down the line we're still not showing much in the attacking third, then we can consider our options but no need to panic now.

Addendum - we've also yet to see how Partey impacts upon our play and there is a theory that he'll take some of the defensive workload off some of our more attacking players to free them up to take more risks.

I think 1-2 seasons is generous. At this rate we'd still be finishing 5th-8th this season and next. There need to be some improvement this season. Not the finished article, but certainly an uptick in the chance creation stats we're currently seeing

Didn't arteta say sometime like he wanted thd team to go forwards more post man City. He said we were better when we pushed at them in the second half and thats what he wants.

Whats obvious
The team is not at the level of the other big teams quality wise. You see some technically superior players in thd teams in thr bottom half of the table.

We were mentally scared from being trashed by the big teams.

We couldn't defend or get thr ball out from tbe back

Our midfield was poor in transitions

Or forwards dont link well at all.

We've takes steps to resolve these issues at a pace faster than anyone should reasonably expect.

Gazza M wrote:

Don Pacifico wrote:

I find this concern a bit strange/premature. We spent a decade lamenting the fact Wenger was unable to organise a defence and had anxiety attacks over the amount of chances Emery's team gave away. Now we're questioning the fact that Arteta has addressed our number one problem!?

This is a process. We finished in our lowest league position for 25+ years last season. I'm glad we don't ship goals like we used to - even with Mustafi/David Luiz in the side! I don't think we can address everything at once though and whilst we have a severe dearth of creativity in the team right now (which we know Arteta wanted to address this summer but couldn't), I'm not going to expect us to be brilliant at both ends of the pitch. Arteta has done well (in less than a year) to steady the team and make us harder to beat. If 1-2 seasons down the line we're still not showing much in the attacking third, then we can consider our options but no need to panic now.

Addendum - we've also yet to see how Partey impacts upon our play and there is a theory that he'll take some of the defensive workload off some of our more attacking players to free them up to take more risks.

I think 1-2 seasons is generous. At this rate we'd still be finishing 5th-8th this season and next. There need to be some improvement this season. Not the finished article, but certainly an uptick in the chance creation stats we're currently seeing

What does at this rate even mean at the moment? 40 % of our matches this season won't be away to either Liverpool or City.

Yeah, it's definitely early, I saw yesterday as well that 20% of Arteta's games have come against City and Liverpool

Aside from not starting Pepe, I liked our approach against SU. Aggressive high line, committing numbers forward etc.

1-2 seasons is definitely too much. I'm not saying I want fantastic football by the end of the season, but I'd like to see a change in emphasis.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Gazza M wrote:

I think 1-2 seasons is generous. At this rate we'd still be finishing 5th-8th this season and next. There need to be some improvement this season. Not the finished article, but certainly an uptick in the chance creation stats we're currently seeing

What does at this rate even mean at the moment? 40 % of our matches this season won't be away to either Liverpool or City.

I was referring to our chance creation stats since arteta took over. That can't continue for 1-2 seasons. There has to be an upward trend at some point this season

To be fair Arteta himself has said pretty much the same, so it's not an unreasonable expectation.

Our inability to create chances is largely responsible for our 15 draws or whatever we had. It should be a priority now.

I think it'll be a gradual thing - we're still hamstrung by the fact we don't currently have much creativity in the squad, so it does reduce the avenues we can look to in terms of chance creation.

IMO the primary issue re chance creation in the final 3rd isn't so much about not having creativity (we just omitted Ozil from the 25 man squad), but more so about our shape and that too often our forwards need to create something from nothing whilst feeding on scraps.

A change of formation that provides both extra numbers in midfield AND closer to the forwards will see the likes of Ceballos and Partey better able to link with and support the forwards. We should also see a change in transition where we can afford to be more adventurous and less afraid to turn over possession and being exposed on the counter, as we'll also have more players going forward in a better position to play a higher press.

After this we can look to improve our quality in creative roles.

I’m kind of sad that Arteta is going grey.

His inky black hair is like a constant in life or should be

Obama and Clooney greyed beautifully. He should be just fine. Even Ken doll gets old.

He needs to shave his neck though, has a decent stubble but lets it out too long below his chin

Mirth wrote:

Good interview.

Good watch, thanks for sharing. 

On playing with Ronaldinho, "by far the best player I've played with". Also likes that he calls out Ronaldinho's charisma and how it - alongside his talent - could single handily change a club. Auba certainly has a touch of that going for him these days too.