The way we play now is very very similar to LVG United IMO. Focus on playing out from the back but when it reaches the middle its dull and soulless. It's safe possession, conservative play mentality throughout and highly dependent on individual brilliance mostly to win games. Statistically its very similar too, except that they trumped in many departments due to them having better players.
Ricky1985 wrote:
jones wrote:
Being the manager even in England you're the head coach first and foremost. Edu and our scouts can also scout players, no one else can coach the team. If he wants to manage something he should look to manage his backroom staff and get in coaches to help him with the part of the game he clearly isn't good enough at.
I'm not being disingenuous even if I can tell the difference between their roles at their clubs, I just heavily disagree with your assessment of Arteta's work here by focussing on something which isn't his primary role. A handful of clubs in the whole world have the means we do, the vast majority of managers have to work with what they have.
I know you don't want to hear it but the players we have and had were far better than what they were showing under Arteta. Giving him now another three months to prove himself, talking about what Arteta 'intends' to do instead of what he's actually (not) doing, throwing players under the bus despite them showing they can be levels better at former clubs while giving Arteta every benefit of the doubt despite him never showing anything worthwhile in his career so far - I really don't see what he's done to deserve any of this support.
I disagree. It's a big 'if' still, but if Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Tavares, Lokonga and Ødegaard are as good as my eyes tell me they are (based on a small sample size, admittedly) then I think in the space of a year we've completely changed the squad around. From a total disaster zone in my opinion, with half a squad of lazy bums on far too much money and the wrong side of their primes, to a squad mostly full of very talented U23 players, and on competitive wages. And I can see a team with players that are fit for purpose in terms of the sort of football Arteta has said he wants to play. Whereas before the squad was a hodgepodge of incompatible players, overlaoded in some positions with similar players and sorely lacking anyone suitable in other areas.
I think Arteta is the guy with the vision for the team and squad he wants to build; deciding who works in that and who doesn't and which players to bring in to fit with what he wants. And Edu has then gone out and made it happen. So, I see it as big credit to them both for the overhaul. Although, the latter should have done more with the outgoings, the players Arteta has made clear are free to leave, but it I also accept it's a been an insanely difficult market.
The problem I have with this line of thinking ricks is that all the ones you called lazy bums are also the ones 3 or 4 seasons ago was deemed to be one of our best transfer windows compared to other clubs. And many of those bums that he cleared and is supposed to clear are also the ones he requested and bought. I don't give him any credit for selling players for peanuts or even have to pay them off because he marginalise them in such an extreme way he killed all their values.
Previously there's a trend here whereby every player that turned good became Arteta's credit and everyone who was a waste of money is Edu's fault. Now this window its all back to Arteta's credit with Edu helping behind the scenes. I think from the Athletic article plus some other tidbits from Watts and Wheatley that its clear that Arteta has the final say and demands what he wants. There are players like Mari, Gabriel, Partey, Tomiyasu, Lokonga, Tavares etc that Edu and our scouts pushed to Arteta for final veto and there are others (mainly those from our league where you don't need scouts) where Arteta personally pushed for. The credit and blame should be shared both ways.
