Aubameyang signs new long-term contract: Page 36 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Aubameyang signs new long-term contract

Gazza M

I agree there's an arteta issue that's actually pushing us below what should a minimum standard for arsenal, which for me is top 6 pace at least

Don Pacifico

Captain wrote:
Burnwinter wrote:
Re the difficulty of Arteta's job: if it were easy to get above third or fourth place with our resources then Wenger, the greatest manager in the club's history, would probably have been achieving it.

By the time Wenger left the club had reached a state of malaise where somewhere between 6th and 10th in the table is about our baseline. I think it's more productive to acknowledge this than deny it. The Emery era was a bandaid era. Let's say he'd taken us back to the Champions League, well we still would've failed in it the following season.

Good things are a focus on youth and some continuity, clearing out or reforming things that aren't working, experimentation. Bad things are being in denial about whether the structure is in a good place (it isn't) or what can be achieved with this squad and structure (improvement maybe, but no substantial honours).

Keeping Arteta on board, no matter how shit he is, is good for continuity at a time that's important. Changing Arteta could be bad in terms of the opportunity we have for greater experimentation and dissatisfaction with the other things we're doing.

That's just not true though, is it?

Wenger's last season was an outlier that cost him his job - every other year, including Emery's we fought for (and mostly achieved) top four. Wenger missed by one point and Emery did the same.

Arteta has finished 8th twice - we can give him the benefit of the doubt in season one, because he took over late, but no such thing exists for season two. The signs are there that it's an Arteta issue.

Think you'll find Wenger finished 12 points off top four in his final season. So technically a greater deficit than what Arteta achieved last season. ;D

In any case, as much as there are question marks around Arteta, I struggle with the perspective that we weren't in decline under Wenger. That is exactly what it looked like in his last 5 years.

Captain

What are you even talking about, Don?

The post I referred to said Wenger left us in a state of finishing 6th-10th. I said Wenger's last year was an outlier, which it was (20 odd years is more than enough of an example). The next guy finished 5th by a point. Basically the trends don't support the supposition.

And now we have an absolute clown in charge who has somehow convinced important people that he needs another 400m and time to beat Brentford FC.

Don Pacifico

Fair do, I misinterpreted what you said.

Quite convenient to call it an outlier as if it absolves him of responsibility though. So I'd still maintain that season was all Wenger's chickens coming home to roost rather than a freak, unfortunate season.

Captain

Well if a dude gets the worst finishing position in two decades, that's exactly what it is. The next guy also hit 70 points - if I plot it on a graph and do my line of best fit, like we learned in year 7, then it's an outlier.

Burnwinter

Captain wrote:
That's just not true though, is it?

Wenger's last season was an outlier that cost him his job - every other year, including Emery's we fought for (and mostly achieved) top four. Wenger missed by one point and Emery did the same.

Arteta has finished 8th twice - we can give him the benefit of the doubt in season one, because he took over late, but no such thing exists for season two. The signs are there that it's an Arteta issue.

The difference between 4th and 8th might be solely to do with the manager but I don't think so. We were definitely clinging onto top four status for a lot of Wenger's whole last decade in charge. That's why the whole Prize™ thing became a thing.

Since this is the Aubameyang thread … we're in danger of lacking a top class form striker at the club.

I'm inclined to Don's view. I guess the difference is whether you think we're a quick fix or two away from consistently qualifying for the Champions League or not, and then how we'd do if we got there.

Captain

70 points is pretty much par the course. It will invariably get you 2nd-4th.

In an evaluation, one would ask themselves if this club is capable of achieving that vis-a-vis the other teams in the league. I'm personally of the opinion it is and is being held back by a crap coach, I appreciate if others think differently.

Burnwinter

The post I referred to said Wenger left us in a state of finishing 6th-10th. I said Wenger's last year was an outlier, which it was (20 odd years is more than enough of an example). The next guy finished 5th by a point. Basically the trends don't support the supposition.

I see where you're coming from, but Wenger's last year wasn't an outlier unless your model is to average position over X years and call it a reasonable predictor. Most clubs' results evolve in a more volatile way, so that's not a good model of how they go.

Wenger's last decade would be the most stable in results terms of any club in the league over the same period. We have restructured all leadership responsibilities with uncertain success since then.

lorddulaarsenal

Play him centrally

jones

Don Pacifico wrote:
Are we talking CL level or top four level? Because those are two separate things.

I certainly don't think our squad was top four level, even if they did underachieve the last two seasons.

We finished 8th but just six points behind Chelsea who finished 4th. Remember Luiz' red card vs Wolves after 45 minutes of probably our best football last season which turned the game from a certain win to 0 points? Or Laca's disallowed goal vs Leicester, or a dozen other situations that don't come to mind immediately?

Just some of those massive calls go our way and despite the dreadful football we finish in the CL.

banduan

fuck refs. Drives me mad.

TambourineMan

Welcome back Auba. Looked properly up for it and that smile is back. Let's hope he maintains this level of motivation for the rest of the season.

Klaus

Is that 6 goals in his last 6 games now?

Don Pacifico

That's a very cheeky stat.

Nevertheless, great to see him sharper yesterday. If we continue to play like we did in the first half, it will only benefit Auba as a CF. Can't help but feel that we're going to be very reliant on keeping the first XI fit though.

QuincyAbeyie

It is, although obviously it includes a hattrick against WBA's fringe players. He needs to keep scoring league goals.

goon

He's looked sharper mentally and physically all season. I think Arteta hinted at it after Burnley, that there's a difference between a player who's pressing because he's been told to and because he wants to, and you sense that sort of switch.

Gazza M

still one of my favourites. love this guy, and love that he's turned a corner. last season will be viewed as an outlier in what's been an exemplary 6-7 year stretch

Klaus

About to exorcise van Persie from the record books:

Ray

Also more goals than Lukaku this season.

goon

Love his attitude this season. Running his socks off every game regardless of how it’s going. Definitely leading by example.

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