swider I suspect the new DoF, whoever he may be, will have enough on his plate this summer without trying to help replace a manager who got us to 89 points last season.

I get everyone's pissed off, it's not been fun for us true believers either, but think Arteta has more than earned the chance to course correct in the summer. Only one team in the Premier League has beaten us when we've had 11 on the pitch - we're a better team than we're given credit for, but we're missing all our threat. It shouldn't be a surprise we look like we're playing with water pistols at present.

Also, a point away at the team directly below us is really not that bad a result.

      GooneriC yep some on here are probably happy to give Arteta a ten year contract but next year is last chance saloon. Can’t go 6 years trophyless, we are not Spurs and I wont accept this.

        RocktheCasbah fuck 89 points. What did we win? This guy dining on something that we didn’t even win. Can’t dine on that forever. And it’s not even silverware/tangible. Next season is the one.

            • naz

            • Post #123

            The dof better fucking sign some forwards. Enough with the midfielders and defenders

              Sicario2 - Tier 1 all I'm saying is this is not the summer for changes. Given the depth of feeling her around the board at the moment, do you trust them to get the right replacement? Another year like this one, his contact renewal will be on the agenda and maybe would be the right time to part.

              I think he's earned the opportunity to go again - especially as the problem which has really derailed us is the one he spent all of January talking about.

                  We are basically saying the same thing, I think. I'm just being... me about it.

                  RocktheCasbah Another year like this one, his contact renewal will be on the agenda and maybe would be the right time to part.

                  ???

                  It would be insane for us to part way with a coach right after he won us two Champions League titles in a row.

                    RocktheCasbah I’m in agreement. He gets one more season otherwise we are in danger of things getting stale. Only so much the same guy can motivate the same players coming 2nd.

                      The club demonstrated their level of ambition in January. It’s really hard to want more from the club when the powers at be don’t. We’ve got nothing left to play for this season and this feels like the start of the end for Mikel. The attacking personnel are cooked and we need a complete overhaul which we won’t do.

                      naz I really hate this framing.
                      We literally need the midfielders and defenders we’ve signed. We have had a lotjammat left back but that should be settled over the summer. The real problem is not signing other players we need. It’s that we did not sign a good forward.

                        I guess that's the final nail in the coffin for us now. It's hindsight but Watkins for £60m in January looks a really missed opportunity.

                        I thought we generally played okay, at least better than vs West Ham but that lack of cutting edge up top is really hurting us. Merino coming on up top for 20 minutes as an aerial threat to chase a goal is okay, but I don't think we should be starting him there.

                        I'm not massively keen on Trossard at false 9 but at least he has a little bit of pedigree there and has moments of class.

                        I quietly thought Sterling on loan would be a clever bit of business for us but man, he's washed. I almost feel sad for him at this point.

                        Get Saka and Martinelli back after the break and we'll look much more threatening even without a proper striker. Shame all of this has cost us the title though.

                          Dom play for penalties because Raya... wait . No

                            Dom we will beat them. I think this brand of haram football will actually suit the CL. We can 0-0/1-1 it until we get Saka back.

                                • swider

                                • Post #135

                                RocktheCasbah
                                On the other hand we invested a lot in the squad and Arteta had been here for quite a few seasons, so we had a lot of stability. In this circumstances having a single very good league season is rather expected than surprising, especially that we didn't do much in the cups or CL.

                                  I mean Arteta has been backed significantly and while last season was a great run it didn't deliver us a title when things were running for us and it might end up being the high water mark. The summer was a really bad one, we bought two players who may have added depth but they did not improve the team. At the same we gambled too much on martinelli, havertz and Jesus being enough in the front line. These were decisions made by Arteta and he got them badly wrong. I think that should lead to an assessment at the end of the season but I recognise maybe lots of people aren't there.

                                  But next season has to be the final straw. We look very good but falling into the same old problems Arsenal have faced since our last title. Most opposition fans recognise we are good but we'll never win it's just not in us and psychologically that will sleep into the team. I worry about PSV it would be typical arsenal collapse to go out meekly at this point.

                                  • naz

                                  • Post #137

                                  Keep the boat floating until Saka and Martinelli are back

                                  this season is completely forgettable. we've been turgid before and after the injuries.