the most disappointing part of this season especially is that we had all summer to plan for effectively one target: league success. no trips to tiny eastern european cities in a secondary uefa competition to worry about. 1 game per week. and our performances have been mostly abhorrent. we lack the energy and drive, we don't take the initiative, and we get outworked so frequently. the NLD looks like a mirage in the desert at this point, because that performance was a massive outlier.
you can cover up a lot of faults if you outwork your opponent, win more 50/50s, get to more loose balls first, etc. its why squads that are significantly less talented than us are able to get results against us. it isnt because those teams have tactically brilliant managers, or moments of world class brilliance. its because they outwork us and outhustle us.
if the players have just had enough of arteta's bullshit (and how could they not?) then someone needs to have a word with edu. because the current malaise is going to be harder and harder to break the longer we drag this on.
