Klaus wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:
And anyway, that's besides the point. If you're forced into having to play half a team of really average players then your not going to be a very good team no matter what you do. And Arteta has had no choice every single time he picks an XI but to play an average centreback, and for the most part, two average centrebacks. For the vast majority he has had no option but to pick between 4 or 5 average centre midfielders. Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles and Cedric have probably played more at left back than Tierney.
Tierney has started 18 games in the league this season. No one has all their best players available all the time. We have an absolute truckload of good ones compared to most of the teams that are above us.
You're acting like Arteta isn't the one who signed a fuckwit like Cedric, went out of his way not only to sign another fuckwit in Willian but also make sure he played all the time, that he favoured Kolasinac, chose to give Luiz a new contract, chose to not play Saliba a single minute, froze out Maitland-Niles when it's plain to see that he's the best option in at least two positions.
These are decisions that come back to haunt us; doubly so right now when Maitland-Niles is across town to get minutes we refused to give him and Bellerin isn't fit to lace his own boots. You get judged on the decisions you make, that's just life when you have a job that comes with expectations.
He didn't favour Kolasinac, he had no choice but to play the useless muppet! Just as he has no choice but to play Xhaka, Bellerin, and the others I mentioned.
He signed Cedric as a back-up right back, so what? Who cares? He was free, is no doubt on peanuts and given it was January and the club weren't spending, it seems reasonable to point out that he was hardly picking between signing Cedric and signing Hakimi at that time. On top of that, Arteta had to sign Cedric because the kid you adore, Maitland-Niles, is a jumped up little plonker that basically sees himself above playing as a right back. I listened to his first interview with WBA the other day, they asked about where his best position is and he oozed cockiness when replying that he was a centre midfielder. For me, that sums him up.
Willian was at the time, and remains, a bad call by Arteta. I agree entirely. And it needs correcting in the summer. Just as Bellerin needs moving on, Xhaka must be sold, Lacazette too. Arteta is not the only one that has to make these things happen... but he needs to make them happen.
