Arsenal FC | 2020/21 Season

[Mamoon]

emery showed arteta whos the boss, what a terrible mistake to replace him for arteta.

Mamoon will ofcourse say villareal had better players )

Emery will probably show Ole who the boss is if he makes it to the final. He is a very good manager for a mid-table Spanish side and Europa League is his domain.

This result was expected - Villarreal is a solid team and Arsenal players have no bottle. The away match was always going to be a thumping for Arsenal but the situation is nowhere near as bad as it could have been.

Villarreal should have won 3-0 or 4-0 yesterday especially after the Ceballos red card. They would be kicking themselves for giving Arsenal a lifeline.

As far as Emery is concerned, Arsenal was not the right fit for him just like PSG wasn’t. He does not have the personality to manage big egos which proved to be his downfall in Paris.

He wasn’t a good fit for Arsenal either. There was a huge communication barrier and he was getting roasted in the press and even the players were mocking him for his accent.

It was a hostile environment for him and he couldn’t connect with the club at any level. He had to leave because at no point did he look like someone who could lead the club in the long-term.

Unless there is a takeover (which will not happen) and there are large-scale changes in the Arsenal hierarchy, Arteta is not going anywhere any time soon.

 

[topspin]

I've backed Arteta but his selections were shocking last night.

Xhaka as a LB and Pepe playing upfront?!

We are so fortunate that we only lost 2-1 last night.

 

[Firebat]

Arsenal takeover: Thierry Henry confirms Spotify owner Daniel Ek has 'reached out' to Kroenke family

Thierry Henry has confirmed to Sky Sports that Daniel Ek has "reached out" to the Kroenke family to present an offer to buy Arsenal.

Ek has written to Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and is expected to make a bid of £1.8bn for the north London club before the end of the week.

The Spotify owner is confident Kroenke will listen to the offer - which he considers to be a compelling one - and has the full backing of Henry and fellow Arsenal legends Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp.

Henry, speaking on Monday Night Football, said Ek will not give up on his bid to take over Arsenal regardless of the Kroenkes' stance that the club is not for sale.

"I know a lot of people wanted to hear about [the takeover]," Henry told Sky Sports on Monday Night Football. "It is true. Daniel is an Arsenal fan, he didn't say it for any publicity. He is an Arsenal fan for a very long time.

"He already - I'll give you something - reached out [to the Kroenkes] and already said himself that he had collected the funds to make sure that he can put in a good bid.

"They now need to listen. A lot of people have been screaming that they want the owner out. We are trying to offer a solution involving the fans and getting the DNA of the club back.

"There needs to be a discussion, but he reached out.

He added: "I think it is going to be long and not easy - if it does ever happen. One thing that I want to reiterate is that Daniel will not move away, he will be there waiting to see if they want to sell.

"That is going to take a very long time, we know what we want to do, but first and foremost we need to make sure that we can take over, if they are listening."

The Arsenal Supporters' Trust (AST) say they have held a constructive meeting with Ek, as he prepares to launch his takeover bid.

A statement read: "The AST welcomed a recent approach from Daniel Ek and his consortium partners Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieiria, and that they said meeting us was a priority for them.

"A constructive meeting was held and we were encouraged to hear their commitment to making the role of fans central to their proposals. This is very welcome and we look forward to further dialogue.

"We will engage with anyone who has a serious proposal, as it is important any current or future owner is aware of the importance of working with fans.

"We also continue to seek a constructive and meaningful dialogue with Stan and Josh Kroenke."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...r-daniel-ek-has-reached-out-to-kroenke-family

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Uh oh .. either a comfortable win or painful loss

 

[IMMY69]

Arteta has to go now.
No excuses

 

[IMMY69]

Very poor game.

The good news is that it’s easy to fix. We just need to try some, or all, of the following:

Running
Jumping
Tackling
Passing
Competing
Pressing
Challenging
Creating
Shooting
Not being scared

 

[PetroDollars]

He was always a poor manager and will always be, those thinking he was going to become a pep were living a fantasy.
Epic mistake by arsenal for replacing emerey with him.

 

[Saj]

That was awful from Arsenal once again.

Mediocre performance from a mediocre team.

More heat on Arteta.

 

[IMMY69]

He was always a poor manager and will always be, those thinking he was going to become a pep were living a fantasy.
Epic mistake by arsenal for replacing emerey with him.

Agreed.

So many mistakes as a manager.
We may not have the best players but we had good enough players to get through this tie..
We selected the wrong team in the first leg and played with the handbrake on in the first half of today game.

Tierney didn't look fit either... wasn't getting forward like he usually does.

ChAmbers went from first choice left back to being displaced by an awfully out of form Bellerin.

 

[PetroDollars]

waiting for hasan to tag mamoon now

 

[IMMY69]

waiting for hasan to tag mamoon now

Ha ha

Fair weather fans

 

[topspin]

I've backed Arteta over the last six months but unfortunately it's a failed experiment by Arsenal.

Arteta sealed his fate when he decided to copy his ex-boss Pep Guardiola with the false 9 in the first leg. We were lucky to still be in the contest after trailing 2-0 with 10 men.

I know there are bigger problems than Arteta at the club but in the 21 years I've supported Arsenal, it has never been this bad! He has to go.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I've backed Arteta over the last six months but unfortunately it's a failed experiment by Arsenal.

Arteta sealed his fate when he decided to copy his ex-boss Pep Guardiola with the false 9 in the first leg. We were lucky to still be in the contest after trailing 2-0 with 10 men.

I know there are bigger problems than Arteta at the club but in the 21 years I've supported Arsenal, it has never been this bad! He has to go.

You dont have the quality of City, no team has such a squad. Arteta needs to understand the players he has at his disposal. Previous managers bought at a lot of average players but his own recruitment and transfers have been avg, letting your best keep go to Villa was one huge mistake of many.

Arsenal need a tried and tested manager, who has won trophies & has experience.

 

[IMMY69]

You dont have the quality of City, no team has such a squad. Arteta needs to understand the players he has at his disposal. Previous managers bought at a lot of average players but his own recruitment and transfers have been avg, letting your best keep go to Villa was one huge mistake of many.

Arsenal need a tried and tested manager, who has won trophies & has experience.

Letting Martinez go was inexplicable. He helped us win two trophies and controlled our back line.
The moment he got the gloves, once Leno was injured, we started winning and conceded far less goals.

 

[Mamoon]

Ha ha

Fair weather fans

Fair-weather fans are the ones who first hounded Wenger out of the club, then they hounded Emery out, and now they want Arteta’s head.

They also opposed the ESL because of some nonsense virtue-signaling and ** football activism when the ESL would have done wonders for Arsenal.

If these white knights are so moral they should boycott the PL in the first place, because the PL was created on the same grounds as the ESL, i.e. football capitalism.

You can sack Arteta if you wish, but as long as Arsenal does not have the same financial muscle as the European heavyweights and a proper transfer market strategy that is not centered around signing geriatric players with no hunger and Real Madrid loanees, nothing will change.

Who wouldn’t love a 300m war-chest + a proper DoF + someone like Conte who is right up there with Pep as the best manager in the world?

You have to make do with what you have. No proven/experienced manager will stick his finger in this mess.

Arsenal is rotten to the core and people only see the manager because he is the one in the firing line and facing the music.

Arsenal has two choices: become a budget version of Chelsea and plough through 10 managers in 10 years, or hit the reset button and restructure the club from the bottom.

The only solution to Arsenal’s seemingly endless misery is a takeover. A rich owner who cares about results and sees Arsenal more than just a side venture that only exists to make money.

If a takeover happens and Arteta gets the chop as part of the restructuring of the club, it will not be a problem. However, if nothing else changes, simply removing Arteta will not make any difference.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Letting Martinez go was inexplicable. He helped us win two trophies and controlled our back line.
The moment he got the gloves, once Leno was injured, we started winning and conceded far less goals.

He's continued his incredible form for Villa, making a lot of important saves.

Problem for Arsenal now is a lot of top players will be reculant to join unless a famous, legendary type manager takes the bosses seat.

Meanwhile Willian is chilling pretty with his 200k contract when he's run out of steam. Made the same mistake Utd made when they took on Sanchez at 350k a week.

 

[Mamoon]

He's continued his incredible form for Villa, making a lot of important saves.

Problem for Arsenal now is a lot of top players will be reculant to join unless a famous, legendary type manager takes the bosses seat.

Meanwhile Willian is chilling pretty with his 200k contract when he's run out of steam. Made the same mistake Utd made when they took on Sanchez at 350k a week.

Martinez has had his fair share of blunders as well, but that will not be highlighted because there is an obvious agenda at play here.

The reality is that neither Leno nor Martinez are good enough if your ambition is to fight for a top 4 spot.

People are deluding themselves into thinking that Arsenal would have had contrasting fortunes if the club would have backed Martinez over Leno.

I would agree that Martinez is relatively better, but he is not superior by an extent that would change the complexion of Arsenal back-line.

It is easy to forget that Leno had a purple patch last season before he got injured and Martinez stepped up, and was arguably the best player of the season until that point along with Aubameyang.

Like in almost every position, Arsenal lacks elite quality in the GK department. Unfortunately, they don’t have the funds to buy a readymade world class GK like City and Liverpool, so they either stick with someone like Leno or get lucky with a young prospect.

 

[Mamoon]

Arsenal’s demise is one of the biggest tragedies of English football. It is unbelievable how much the club has regressed over the last 15 years.

Things changed so quickly and so significantly 2006 onwards - new stadium, new players and even a new shirt sponsor - that it felt like a completely different team and a completely different time period.

You look at Arsenal in 2005 and 2009 and it feels like there is 40 years between the two teams instead of 4.

One can only imagine how difficult it would have been for Arsene Wenger to transition in that period. Any other manager would have thrown the towel in light of a such a drastic and brutal turn of events.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

*****

 

[Hasan123]

waiting for hasan to tag mamoon now

No tagging anyone and not making any excuses. If Arteta is sacked I cannot complain and I am not going to make any excuses for any of the players or the manager. The performance was not good enough as simple as that.

I know for a fact KSE will not pay compensation to a club to get another manager in a job. So any dreams of Conte and Rodgers are unrealistic. So if Arteta is sacked it will be a manager who is out of job who replaces him.

And just one other thing. Unlike you I won't make excuses. If Ole doesn't win the title next year you will make every excuse in the book for him. If Arteta is sacked I can't complain and won't make any excuses for him.

 

[OMB]

Very poor game.

The good news is that it’s easy to fix. We just need to try some, or all, of the following:

Running
Jumping
Tackling
Passing
Competing
Pressing
Challenging
Creating
Shooting
Not being scared

lol, you forgot defending and thinking straight, was so painful seeing them y'day

 

[IMMY69]

Still in disbelief.

Absolutely no urgency whatsoever, especially in the first half, in the biggest game of not only this season but for many years as it was the the only realistic way we were going to qualify for Europe.

So next season could be the first season in thirty years where we're not playing in any European competition.

This means less money and no big player wanting to join us. So they may just stick with Arteta as there is literally no alternative.

 

[Firebat]

My support for Arteta was already on thin ice, but it broke last night. Perhaps defensively our squad is pretty terrible, but how can it be possible that Aubameyang, Saka, Pepe, Smith Rowe, Odegaard, Lacazette and Martinelli together mustered 0 open play goals across 180 minutes against the sixth-placed Spanish side? Those are good players, or at least better than what I witnessed last night.

I just can't understand it. There is a total lack of urgency and energy in everything we do. It's as if Arteta is micro-managing every single little pass and movement made in the side.

We came into a 2nd leg of European semi-final where we had to score. A chance to make a European final and for many of these players to avenge their Baku humiliation 2 years ago. A chance to save the most dismal season in memory and prevent our first Europe-less season in 2 and a half decades.

Yet, with all the possession, I can barely remember us making the Villarreal keeper work once in the first half. It's as if they forgot where they were, the stakes they were playing for, as if they weren't even trying to score.

I kept waiting for our period of sustained pressure and chance creation to come (as it has in many of our losses this year, we just hadn't taken those chances), but inexplicably, in the biggest game of the season when it mattered the most, it never came.

I'm still in shock. The most important 180 minutes of our season were the most abysmal 180 minutes of the season. Something has to change. Arteta is clearly a talented football brain, but it is just not working at Arsenal.

 

[msb314]

Arsenal’s demise is one of the biggest tragedies of English football. It is unbelievable how much the club has regressed over the last 15 years.

Things changed so quickly and so significantly 2006 onwards - new stadium, new players and even a new shirt sponsor - that it felt like a completely different team and a completely different time period.

You look at Arsenal in 2005 and 2009 and it feels like there is 40 years between the two teams instead of 4.

One can only imagine how difficult it would have been for Arsene Wenger to transition in that period. Any other manager would have thrown the towel in light of a such a drastic and brutal turn of events.

Blame Wenger for that..

Viera, Keown, Lauren, Lehman, Cole and Ljunberg were never adequately replaced. It came down to a 22 year old Fabregas having to carry the team during those years..

Arsenal were left with rubbish like Flamini, Almunia, Bendtner, Denilson, Alex Song who were all mediocre at best. That’s where the decline started when top class players were replaced with rubbish..

Selling Viera was the biggest mistake Wenger made. Not in terms of infield performance but at least for his experience and leadership that Arsenal sorely lacked all those years.

Galas was a top CB and although had a bad attitude - he was a superb footballer who should have been backed further rather than shipped to Spurs. Same goes for Adebayor who was a top class forward.

Wenger was horrible in the transfer market but the situation got worse with the rise of Chelsea and later Man City

 

[PetroDollars]

No tagging anyone and not making any excuses. If Arteta is sacked I cannot complain and I am not going to make any excuses for any of the players or the manager. The performance was not good enough as simple as that.

I know for a fact KSE will not pay compensation to a club to get another manager in a job. So any dreams of Conte and Rodgers are unrealistic. So if Arteta is sacked it will be a manager who is out of job who replaces him.

And just one other thing. Unlike you I won't make excuses. If Ole doesn't win the title next year you will make every excuse in the book for him. If Arteta is sacked I can't complain and won't make any excuses for him.

You are a lost cause, Artetas shambolic management who you kept giving excuses after excuses for has left you in a sorry state with nothing left to defend on him. You sound so depressed in this post its making me laugh.

you keep bringing up ole, but ole has never finished outside the top 10 with MU, even though he inherited the biggest mess in football history. No one expected him to finish 3rd in his first full season but he did, he was told to get top 4 and now hes taken second position to an increably strong and expensive city team. Appreciating and supporting him for this and surpassing his targets, after we had been declining post fergie is hardly an excuse. His job right now is to close the gap to city, what happens next season cant be judged till the transfer market is done, but i can see how now your trying to think ole will fail because he wont win the title next season, after you didnt even expect him to get top 4 ever, when even the glazers havnt given him that target, nice try son. When ole was hired he was not told to win the title back, but rather to close the gap to city and LP, LP he has passed and hes closed the gap on city. No one expecting him to get here where he is, your previous posts are evident of that. This was what arteta was suppose to do and he has failed miserably.

you call these excuses just shows how far you have fallen and cant take it your wrong everytime you speak

If arteta is sacked now, its not because you wont make any excuses for him, its because you wont have any left and still those who will, will look like complete clowns.

 

[PetroDollars]

Still in disbelief.

Absolutely no urgency whatsoever, especially in the first half, in the biggest game of not only this season but for many years as it was the the only realistic way we were going to qualify for Europe.

So next season could be the first season in thirty years where we're not playing in any European competition.

This means less money and no big player wanting to join us. So they may just stick with Arteta as there is literally no alternative.

They should turn to EPL proven managers like eddie howe or nuno santos, even moyes will be good for arsenal

 

[Mamoon]

Blame Wenger for that..

Viera, Keown, Lauren, Lehman, Cole and Ljunberg were never adequately replaced. It came down to a 22 year old Fabregas having to carry the team during those years..

Arsenal were left with rubbish like Flamini, Almunia, Bendtner, Denilson, Alex Song who were all mediocre at best. That’s where the decline started when top class players were replaced with rubbish..

Selling Viera was the biggest mistake Wenger made. Not in terms of infield performance but at least for his experience and leadership that Arsenal sorely lacked all those years.

Galas was a top CB and although had a bad attitude - he was a superb footballer who should have been backed further rather than shipped to Spurs. Same goes for Adebayor who was a top class forward.

Wenger was horrible in the transfer market but the situation got worse with the rise of Chelsea and later Man City

Arsene Wenger was a genius and if people don’t realize it 3 years later, they never will.

He was the sole reason why Arsenal remained a Champions League club from 2007 to 2017. Until 2013, when Arsenal were paying-off the stadium debt, he kept getting top 4 on a shoe-string budget.

He rejected Madrid both in 2005 and 2009 and had he taken the offer on either occasion, Arsenal would have suffered the same fate that they have suffered over the last 3 years.

Over the last 12 years of his tenure, he only had 2-3 great teams – 2007-08, 2014-16 that were actually worthy of finishing in the top 4. Apart from that, he kept overachieving with mid-table squads.

Apart from SAF, no one could have done the job that Wenger did for Arsenal in that crucial phase.

The fact that is that the only way Arsenal would have remained a top team and won league titles in the late 2000s and early 2010s was by getting a filthy rich owner like Chelsea/Man City who would actually care about winning trophies.

Of course he made mistakes in the transfer market. He did not need to spend more than 15m to find a better keeper than Almunia and was often too loyal to his players.

However, overall, it would be completely inappropriate to blame him for Arsenal’s demise when he was the one to keep the club relevant for so many years.

As far as Vieira is concerned, his heart was no longer at the club and there was no point in forcing him to stay. He wanted to join Madrid in 2004 but Wenger convinced him to stay for another year.

 

[IMMY69]

Hindsight is a great thing.

Wenger can buy a duck and it will drown. PEA will replace Sanchez’s goals but the fundamental problems at the club will stay put.

New signings do not excite me anymore. I am simply waiting for the Wenger era to end.

 

[Mamoon]

Hindsight is a great thing.

It is a great thing, which is why Wenger should have been replaced in 2018 by Arteta right away instead of appointing Emery who was a misfit.

The Wenger chapter had to close - he steered Arsenal during a very difficult period and did a fantastic job, but by the end of his tenure, it was obvious that Arsenal needed a new hand to right for the Premier League title.

The Leicester season (2015-16) was the defining moment and it showed that Wenger had lost his touch. With every other top 6 club in doldrums, he surrendered the title to Leicester and failed to motivate the players in spite of cutting down their lead to 1 point in February 2016.

When Welbeck scored the injury time winner against them at the Emirates, the general expectation was that Arsenal would seize that initiative and go on to win the league.

It was the same season where Wenger did not sign a single outfield player.

Arteta is Wenger’s successor. He has the same qualities as a young Wenger. He just needs full support from the club and enough funds to compete with the rest.

Arsenal fans must be patient or continue to suffer for years to come. The toxicity around the club and the impatience of the fans is not appreciated, although it is expected in this social media era.

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says his squad "needs changing" after a dismal season and insists the Kroenkes will back him in the transfer window.

The Gunners crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday after losing to former boss Unai Emery's Villarreal over two legs in the semi-final and are languishing in 10th in the Premier League ahead of Sunday's visit of West Brom with four matches left to play.

Arteta was backed in last summer's transfer window, bringing in midfielder Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid, defender Gabriel from Lille and former Chelsea forward Willian as a free agent.

But the Spaniard has also overseen a big clear-out of Arsenal's fringe players, moving on Mesut Ozil, Sokratis, Sead Kolasinac and
Stan Kroenke, Arsenal's owner, has been criticised for his lack of investment in the first-team squad since taking ownership of the club in 2011, but Arteta is optimistic there will be cash to spend this summer.

"The squad needs changing." said Arteta, who is on the verge of overseeing Arsenal's first season without securing qualification for Europe since 1996.

"There were already a lot of changes in December, something that has not been done in years, but it tells us where we were. Things are going to have to change and the owners are going to back it up."

Arteta has also made it his mission to integrate Arsenal's emerging talents from the academy into the first-team, with Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe establishing themselves as key figures in the squad this season.

While he admits there is a long way to go before Arsenal can catch up to Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, Arteta is confident the work the club are doing now will pay off in the long term.

"Time is catching up right now," he said. "It's a trend, it's years now that this has been happening. If the distance and the margins with the rest become too big, then it's almost impossible to do it.

"We are still on time, and we have put some very strong pillars and foundations in the last few months to do what we have to do."

Arsenal's fans are losing faith in Arteta as results continue to deteriorate, with speculation now growing about his future, but when asked if he still backs himself to coach at a top club, he said: "Yes".

"We know what has been going on inside here for the last 18 months," Arteta, who won the FA Cup with Arsenal last summer, said. "We know. We only know, the ones that are here. How we have built that is incredible."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...pects-kroenkes-to-back-him-in-transfer-window

 

[Hasan123]

All eyes on the summer window. Regardless of what I feel about Arteta and KSE, neither are going anywhere. I have mentally prepared myself for both of them staying anyway.

Need to strengthen the squad correctly and sell some players.

 

[PetroDollars]

if you're mentally prepared for arteta next season, you should also be prepared for no summer business.

Its the only reason why they will keep him.

Any new manager right now will demand at least 100m in transfers.

however i do belive he will be sacked, and you will have to cough out the money for the new manager.

 

[Mamoon]

Arteta is not Arsene Wenger. He will not make excuses for the mediocrity of these players and will not defend them to protect the owners who are the real problem and the reason for Arsenal’s decay. For years, Wenger copped abuse from the fans because of the Kroenkes’.

Arteta came here to transform Arsenal into title challengers. He has all the qualities to do it, but he needs backing from the owners and proper investment. It is very simple - Arsenal needs to spend money. There is no way around it. You cannot become a top team when you continuously try to cut corners by signing over the hill players for free and getting players on loan.

 

[Hasan123]

if you're mentally prepared for arteta next season, you should also be prepared for no summer business.

Its the only reason why they will keep him.

Any new manager right now will demand at least 100m in transfers.

however i do belive he will be sacked, and you will have to cough out the money for the new manager.

It's been pretty much confirmed he will be here next season so I don't see a point in debating his position continually.

And if he sacked , we go again. Players and managers come and go.

Can you stop acting like some well wisher of Arsenal? No one is buying your act.

 

[Hasan123]

Arteta is not Arsene Wenger. He will not make excuses for the mediocrity of these players and will not defend them to protect the owners who are the real problem and the reason for Arsenal’s decay. For years, Wenger copped abuse from the fans because of the Kroenkes’.

Arteta came here to transform Arsenal into title challengers. He has all the qualities to do it, but he needs backing from the owners and proper investment. It is very simple - Arsenal needs to spend money. There is no way around it. You cannot become a top team when you continuously try to cut corners by signing over the hill players for free and getting players on loan.

All the rumours are that Arteta will be backed apprentley!

 

[PetroDollars]

It's been pretty much confirmed he will be here next season so I don't see a point in debating his position continually.

And if he sacked , we go again. Players and managers come and go.

Can you stop acting like some well wisher of Arsenal? No one is buying your act.

yes because the kroenkes have personally called you to tell you hes confirmed for next season.

you need to worry about your own act now, because your own fans are laughing at you in this thread.

 

[Saj]

Arsenal do the double over Chelsea this season.

If only they could play like they did today, more often.

 

[Hasan123]

Worst manager in the league beats genius Tuchel.

 

[Rana]

I guess we are back to giving Arteta 15 more games now.

 

[shaykh]

I guess we are back to giving Arteta 15 more games now.

Brilliant for the rest of us

 

[PetroDollars]

Arsenal do the double over Chelsea this season.

If only they could play like they did today, more often.

you mean only if the opposition could gift them more goals, more often.

 

[Mamoon]

For the Arteta Out crowd....

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Only Manchester City (57) and Manchester United (44) have won more points than Arsenal (41) in the Premier League since Christmas. <br><br>Incredible stat! <a href="https://t.co/DzaR6bOFXT">pic.twitter.com/DzaR6bOFXT</a></p>— VBET UK (@VBET_uk) <a href="https://twitter.com/VBET_uk/status/1392628519654592518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[OMB]

Mikel Arteta launched an impassioned defence of his Arsenal players after their hard-fought 1-0 win over Chelsea.

The Arsenal boss was left angered by how comments in his pre-match press conference were portrayed by the media and insists he has never doubted the commitment of his players.

Arteta has found himself under pressure in the wake of Arsenal's Europa League exit to Villarreal last week, but Emile Smith Rowe's first-half goal at Stamford Bridge clinched a third consecutive Premier League win and the Spaniard feels the performance highlighted their togetherness.

"Nothing is broken. Inside, nothing is broken," he told Sky Sports. "They [the media] try to put things on me that I never said.

"You can see the spirit of the team from the first minute. It doesn't matter whether we're playing seventh, eighth, ninth. You can never doubt their efforts and how much they are trying."

Asked to elaborate on the pre-match comments in question, Arteta added: "I said that if I don't get 120 per cent off each player, it's my fault and my responsibility, but it wasn't [portrayed] like that in the press and I am so annoyed with that.

"I will defend my players in front of anybody for the rest of the time that I'm here. They deserve that because they earn it every single day.

"Every player that is here does that. If he doesn't, he is not here, because the only thing I'm going to demand until the last day is that they give me everything that they have. That is unquestionable and non-negotiable, 100 per cent."

On Arsenal's team spirit, Arteta added: "They [the media] are not going to break that. They can try, but they're not going to break that.

"Not the chemistry that we have - not only with the players but with our staff, with the board. They can't touch that.

"If they try to touch it, it can be with opinions, but not by saying something that I never said. I'm not taking that."

Arsenal's win at Stamford Bridge, their first since 2011, lifts them up to eighth in the Premier League table, keeping them in the hunt for European qualification and putting them only a point behind north London rivals Tottenham.

"I am really happy with a lot of things we've done," added Arteta. "Right from the first minute, the attitude and the desire that we showed.

"We had to dig in, which you have to against this team because they are a fantastic team. We did it and we gave everything we had to try to do the best possible job and we did it.

"It's a big win for the club, for the players and for the fans. I know how much a London derby means and it's been 10 years since we've won at this ground so that tells you how hard it is."

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/12304958/mikel-arteta-arsenal-boss-hits-out-at-media-and-says-he-will-always-defend-his-players-after-win-over-chelsea

 

[IMMY69]

For the Arteta Out crowd....

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Only Manchester City (57) and Manchester United (44) have won more points than Arsenal (41) in the Premier League since Christmas. <br><br>Incredible stat! &#55357;&#56399; <a href="https://t.co/DzaR6bOFXT">pic.twitter.com/DzaR6bOFXT</a></p>— VBET UK (@VBET_uk) <a href="https://twitter.com/VBET_uk/status/1392628519654592518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is a ridiculous stat because we've had plenty of three, four or even five month month periods in the last ten years where we have topped the points (not just been third) But the only thing that mattered then and what matters now is where we end up at the end of the season and how many trophies are added to the cupboard.

 

[Rana]

This is a ridiculous stat because we've had plenty of three, four or even five month month periods in the last ten years where we have topped the points (not just been third) But the only thing that mattered then and what matters now is where we end up at the end of the season and how many trophies are added to the cupboard.

The guy is celebrating mediocrity whilst he has issues with Pakistanis genuinely supporting Pakistan

 

[Hasan123]

Arteta is not going to be sacked anytime soon. So we may as well support him whilst he is here. Changing Arteta may not change our fortunes as there are bigger problems at the club. The owners, the football structure, and the actual quality of players are a bigger concern than Arteta for me.

 

[topspin]

For the Arteta Out crowd....

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Only Manchester City (57) and Manchester United (44) have won more points than Arsenal (41) in the Premier League since Christmas. <br><br>Incredible stat! &#55357;&#56399; <a href="https://t.co/DzaR6bOFXT">pic.twitter.com/DzaR6bOFXT</a></p>— VBET UK (@VBET_uk) <a href="https://twitter.com/VBET_uk/status/1392628519654592518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Didn't know about this. In that case I take back my reaction following the Villarreal loss.

 

[Mamoon]

This is a ridiculous stat because we've had plenty of three, four or even five month month periods in the last ten years where we have topped the points (not just been third) But the only thing that mattered then and what matters now is where we end up at the end of the season and how many trophies are added to the cupboard.

Except that this period has not ended yet, which means there is plenty to build on it in the summer and continue the momentum into the next season.

The September-December period killed Arsenal’s season. They have done very well in the league since new year and the stats show it.

It is time to back Arteta in the market and give him the players that he needs. Sacking the manager is not even worth discussing at this point because the more pressing concern is to overhaul the squad.

 

[IMMY69]

Except that this period has not ended yet, which means there is plenty to build on it in the summer and continue the momentum into the next season.

The September-December period killed Arsenal’s season. They have done very well in the league since new year and the stats show it.

It is time to back Arteta in the market and give him the players that he needs. Sacking the manager is not even worth discussing at this point because the more pressing concern is to overhaul the squad.

That's utter nonsense.

These results in 2021 are the ones that count:-

Losing to Southampton in the FA Cup in January
Losing to Wolves (they did the double on us)
Drawing with Crystal Palace at Home
Losing to Aston Villa
Drawing with Burnley
Drawing with West Ham
Drawing with Fulham (at home)
Losing to Everton (at home)

Against the big boys we got thrashed by Liverpool at Home, Lost to Man City and drew with Man United. We did beat Chelsea (only just) and just managed to beat Spurs.

Then add the loss to Villa Real, and its not just the loss but the manner of defeat... We couldn't score a single goal at home against them in the most important game of this season and it tells you that we have regressed badly.

Two years ago if the season started in January we would have won the league that year. This is not just for our team, it applies to other teams too.

 

[Mamoon]

That's utter nonsense.

These results in 2021 are the ones that count:-

Losing to Southampton in the FA Cup in January
Losing to Wolves (they did the double on us)
Drawing with Crystal Palace at Home
Losing to Aston Villa
Drawing with Burnley
Drawing with West Ham
Drawing with Fulham (at home)
Losing to Everton (at home)

Against the big boys we got thrashed by Liverpool at Home, Lost to Man City and drew with Man United. We did beat Chelsea (only just) and just managed to beat Spurs.

Then add the loss to Villa Real, and its not just the loss but the manner of defeat... We couldn't score a single goal at home against them in the most important game of this season and it tells you that we have regressed badly.

Two years ago if the season started in January we would have won the league that year. This is not just for our team, it applies to other teams too.

Again - since Christmas, only the Manchester clubs have done better than Arsenal in the PL. it is a noteworthy achievement considering the limitations of the squad.

Arteta is not going anywhere irrespective of the propaganda against him.

 

[IMMY69]

Again - since Christmas, only the Manchester clubs have done better than Arsenal in the PL. it is a noteworthy achievement considering the limitations of the squad.

Arteta is not going anywhere irrespective of the propaganda against him.

You have it all wrong. I'll be the first person to wish Arteta well, if he does well then Arsenal are doing well.

in 2021 City have won the League Cup, The Premiership and are in the final of the Champions League.
Man United have finished second and so guaranteed Champions League Football next season plus they are in the final of the Europa League.

Chelsea meanwhile are also in the final of the Champions League and will most likely finish fourth or even third thereby guaranteeing Champions League next season. Leicester are almost guaranteed Champions League next season. Meanwhile, Liverpool and Everton and Villa have all played two games less than us and Spurs and West Ham have played one game less then us.

Here is the crux. Given our squad can it be argued that we could and should have beaten Wolves, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Everton and Fulham at home?

I would say yes. Because with each draw or loss, if you go back to the threads, you will see that the main reason for that was due to team selection and/or the way we were set up.

So many times in the past teams been judged on current form or the form between jan to end of season... Its all nonsense unless the team wins the title, gets in to Europe or at least wins a trophy. If we went by these stats then we would have won the Premier League at least a few times since 2003/2004.

 

[hitthestump]

Except that this period has not ended yet, which means there is plenty to build on it in the summer and continue the momentum into the next season.

The September-December period killed Arsenal’s season. They have done very well in the league since new year and the stats show it.

It is time to back Arteta in the market and give him the players that he needs. Sacking the manager is not even worth discussing at this point because the more pressing concern is to overhaul the squad.

This summer Arsenal are probably going to have to deal with the first team departures of Odegaard, Bellerin, Xhaka, Ceballos, Leno and Lacazette at least. They need to replace all of them, and then find a way to buy a couple more players on top. And all this without any European football.

My question is has Arteta earnt the right to guide Arsenal through this lowly transition/overhaul period, or is it not better to get a proven manager in? Either way they're going to need hefty and lengthy backing regardless.

 

[Mamoon]

This summer Arsenal are probably going to have to deal with the first team departures of Odegaard, Bellerin, Xhaka, Ceballos, Leno and Lacazette at least. They need to replace all of them, and then find a way to buy a couple more players on top. And all this without any European football.

My question is has Arteta earnt the right to guide Arsenal through this lowly transition/overhaul period, or is it not better to get a proven manager in? Either way they're going to need hefty and lengthy backing regardless.

The problem is that no experienced, top manager is going to stick his finger in this mess.

The likes of Zidane, Conte, Allegri etc. might be available soon but they are not going to waste 3-4 years of their prime doing the dirty work at Arsenal when they win trophies at a heavyweight club today.

Someone like BR might be tempted to leave Leicester and try to steady the ship at Arsenal. Leicester is doing amazingly well at the moment, but few managers in the game would not be tempted by the Arsenal job while they are at Leicester.

However, then again, he could join Arsenal this summer, fail to rebuild and get sacked 12 months later. At Leicester, he has an extremely comfortable position.

If you are looking at young managers who have impressed so far, you have got the likes of Gerrard and Xavi.

There is virtually no chance of Gerrard coming to Arsenal when he is almost guaranteed to replace Klopp in a couple of years.

Xavi has done a great job at Al-Saad in Qatar and his team play breathtaking football with the same blueprint as Cruyff/Pep. Xavi could be tempted to use Arsenal as a springboard for the Barcelona job in a few years, but there are no guarantees that he will not face the same problems that Arteta is currently facing at Arsenal.

Arteta is in it for the long haul. He spent 4 years working under the best manager in the world and working for the best team in England. He knows what Arsenal need and what Arsenal currently lack.

He may or may not be capable of delivering those changes, but it is too early to make a call on that because he has only had one summer window so far, and even in that window, he was not backed by the board.

This window would be Arsenal’s most significant in years. For better or worse, come August, it will be largely a new look team.

Instead of trusting an outsider to immediately make the right calls, I would back someone who has been around the players for 17-18 months and by now must have an extremely clear picture of the changes that are required to rebuild the team.

 

[Rana]

I would take Wenger even now over Arteta with this current squad, might reach 5th/6th position which is still a massive upgrade to mid-table Mikel!

 

[bones]

I would take Wenger even now over Arteta with this current squad, might reach 5th/6th position which is still a massive upgrade to mid-table Mikel!

I think almost all Arsenal fans would. What on Earth were they thinking when they hired Arteta?

 

[IMMY69]

Arteta is a genius who has assured his long term employment by ensuring the team fails and drops out of Europe so that no one else would want the job

 

[Rana]

I think almost all Arsenal fans would. What on Earth were they thinking when they hired Arteta?

What they always do, try to get the best value on a restricted budget..times have changed, the market has changed, the competition levels have risen to another level.

 

[Hasan123]

David Luiz has decided to leave Arsenal at the end of the season.

I like him but he does make mistakes and has started picking up injuries , so it's the right call to allow him to move on.

 

[MenInG]

Brazilian centre-back David Luiz will leave Arsenal this summer.

The 34-year-old met with club officials on Friday when it was decided to sever ties after two years at Emirates Stadium.

Luiz has made 30 appearances in all competitions this season but the Gunners feel they need to look towards the future after a torrid campaign.

It is not known whether the former Paris St Germain and Chelsea defender intends to remain in England.

Luiz, who joined from London rivals Chelsea for £8m in August 2019, has missed Arsenal's last three games with a hamstring injury.

 

[MenInG]

This week has seen the conflict between Israel and Palestine intensify, with dozens killed in a matter of days.

Elneny, who is from neighbouring Egypt, tweeted: "My heart and my soul and my support for you Palestine," accompanying his message with a series of images.

One of the images featured the words 'Palestinian Lives Matter' and, as highlighted by The Mirror, has prompted an angry backlash from some of Arsenal's Jewish supporters.

The report also says that Tal Ofer, part of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, approached the club's sponsor and requested a response.

The Lavazza Group have since released a statement indicating they were to hold immediate talks with Arsenal.

"We’ll immediately reach out to Arsenal to remark we are concerned about the club associated with such a message," the statement said.

"Content of this post is totally not aligned with our company values. Lavazza Group is fully committed against racism and antisemitism."

Ofer, who is also said to have approached adidas for a comment, is quoted as saying it was "sad that Arsenal did not want to deal with this more seriously, I would expect better from them than this."

In a statement given to the JC, Arsenal explained that they would be speaking to Elneny about the post, while also making it clear that all of the club's employees are entitled to express their views.

"As with any employees of Arsenal, our players are entitled to express their views on their own platforms," the club said.

"That said, we are speaking to Mo about this so he understands the wider implications of his post.

"As a club we are committed to confronting and eliminating all forms of discrimination and continue to champion the need for equality and diversity across all areas of life."

 

[MenInG]

Spotify founder Daniel Ek says he has had an offer to buy Arsenal rejected.

Amid the fallout from the European Super League collapse in April, Ek said he was interested in buying the club.

On Saturday, he released a statement on Twitter to deny reports he was yet to make an offer for the club.

"This week an offer was made to both Josh Kroenke and their bankers that included fan ownership, representation at board and a golden share for the supporters," Ek wrote.

"They replied that they don't need the money. I respect their decision but remain interested and available should that situation ever change."

Ek is worth worth a reported $4.7bn (£3.38bn) and has Arsenal legends Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira as part of his bid team.

Swedish billionaire Ek first signalled his interest in the club following protests by Gunners fans against the Kroenkes for their role in the failed European Super League.

The Kroenkes responded by saying they were "100% committed" to Arsenal and "are not selling any stake".

"I've been an Arsenal fan since I was eight years old," Ek said in April. "Arsenal is my team. I love the history. I love the players. And of course, I love the fans.

"So as I look at that, I just see a tremendous opportunity to set a real vision for the club to bring it back to its glory. And I want to establish trust with fans and I want to engage the fans again."

Stan Kroenke, 73, took a 9.9% stake in Arsenal in 2007 and slowly built up his shareholding until it reached 62.89% in April 2011.

He then assumed full control of the club after Alisher Usmanov accepted his 2018 bid to buy him out for £550m.

He is the owner of numerous sports franchises, including NFL side the Los Angeles Rams and NBA team the Denver Nuggets.

Kroenke's son Josh is a director at the club and heavily involved in its day-to-day operations.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Mikel Arteta says it is time to move on from Daniel Ek's proposed takeover of Arsenal "for the benefit of the club".

 

[PetroDollars]

looks like Nuno is available now, after missing out on brendon rogers and others, arsenal should be snapping him up before Tottenham do.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Mikel Arteta says it is time to move on from Daniel Ek's proposed takeover of Arsenal "for the benefit of the club".

Benefit of his job. The very definition of a stooge, it's embarrassing

 

[ChTab]

ARTETA: WILLOCK WILL BE AN ARSENAL PLAYER NEXT SEASON

Mikel Arteta says Joe Willock will be an Arsenal player next season despite Newcastle United’s interest in signing the midfielder on a permanent basis.

The 21-year-old has achieved fan favourite status at St James’ Park since joining the Magpies on loan in January with six goals in consecutive Premier League games helping the club to secure its Premier League status.

After scoring the only goal of Sunday’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United, Willock confirmed that staying in the North East was an option but he’d have to speak to Arsenal about their plans for him.

It appears that Arteta has already made up his mind.

“I’m really happy that things have gone so well for him because of the potential he has,” said the Spaniard ahead of Arsenal’s final game of the season against Brighton.

“I think it was great for him to go away and have a different experience and he has grabbed that opportunity in a really positive and remarkable way. He’ll be back with us, we’ll have those conversations with him and plan the next years for him.

Asked if Willock was part of next season’s plans, Arteta added: “Well, for sure, because he has a contract and he’s going to be here. That’s for sure.”

When it was put to him that Willock’s remarkable scoring streak had significantly increased the player’s market value, Arteta diverted attention away from transfer talk.

“He got the responsibility and the task to go to Newcastle to help them go where they want and I’m telling you, because I spoke with the coaching staff there, that they are extremely happy because he was a key part to contributing to the objectives that they had. That’s a real positive for him.”

https://arseblog.news/2021/05/arteta-willock-will-be-an-arsenal-player-next-season/

 

[IMMY69]

looks like Nuno is available now, after missing out on brendon rogers and others, arsenal should be snapping him up before Tottenham do.

Reckon he's already signed up by Tottenham.

 

[MenInG]

Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac, 27, is set to leave the club this summer, with Schalke and Lazio leading the chase for the Bosnia and Herzegovina international

 

[Hasan123]

[MENTION=147314]topspin[/MENTION], I told you about Pepe. And you were saying we should have signed Ziyech who has been underwhelming.

It's time for Arteta to back Pepe next season. He has shown what he can do. Need to get him closer to goal and he will flourish.

 

[Mamoon]

A solid end to the season and overall I would give this season 6.5/10 with plenty to look forward to the next campaign.

Arteta has done a reasonable job in the context and has done enough to suggest that he should be given the next 2-3 windows to rebuild the squad and imprint his identity on the players.

Impatient and vision-less supporters can call for his head all they want, but the reality is that he has full backing from the club.

As I said previously in the other thread, the September-December period killed Arsenal’s season.

Since New Year’s, Arsenal has been one of the top 3 teams in the league and only City and Chelsea have conceded less goals this season.

With smart investments, there is no reason why Arsenal should not be challenging for the top 4 next season. With no European football, Arteta will be in a strong position to make a bigger impact in the league.

I said this 12 months ago and I will say it again - Arteta will, eventually, get Arsenal back in the Champions League. He has all the qualities of an exceptional manager.

 

[Hasan123]

A solid end to the season and overall I would give this season 6.5/10 with plenty to look forward to the next campaign.

Arteta has done a reasonable job in the context and has done enough to suggest that he should be given the next 2-3 windows to rebuild the squad and imprint his identity on the players.

Impatient and vision-less supporters can call for his head all they want, but the reality is that he has full backing from the club.

As I said previously in the other thread, the September-December period killed Arsenal’s season.

Since New Year’s, Arsenal has been one of the top 3 teams in the league and only City and Chelsea have conceded less goals this season.

With smart investments, there is no reason why Arsenal should not be challenging for the top 4 next season. With no European football, Arteta will be in a strong position to make a bigger impact in the league.

I said this 12 months ago and I will say it again - Arteta will, eventually, get Arsenal back in the Champions League. He has all the qualities of an exceptional manager.

What do you think of Buendia and Bissouma? They are potential targets. Heard that there maybe a bid from Buendia in the next few days.

 

[Mamoon]

What do you think of Buendia and Bissouma? They are potential targets. Heard that there maybe a bid from Buendia in the next few days.

Buendia would be a quality signing. His numbers are outstanding. Odegaard is unlikely to stay and Arsenal need another AM in order to not overburden ESR.

Not many big clubs are in for Buendia and he will not command a large fee. It is a no-brainer in my opinion.

Bissouma is a good player but I hope Arsenal can sign Camavinga. His ceiling is extremely high and he is the type of player who could command a 100m fee in the next 4-5 years.

He will eventually end up at PSG, Madrid, Bayern, City etc. but it would be amazing if Arsenal could get hold of him for a few years. He has all the qualities to be better than Pogba.

Nevertheless, Bissouma would be a good backup option if Camavinga is out of reach.

 

[topspin]

[MENTION=147314]topspin[/MENTION], I told you about Pepe. And you were saying we should have signed Ziyech who has been underwhelming.

It's time for Arteta to back Pepe next season. He has shown what he can do. Need to get him closer to goal and he will flourish.

Pepe has had a few good games of late but no overall he has had another flop season for Arsenal and has proved yet again that he is Gervinho 2.0

Ziyech has blossomed for Chelsea and was their best player prior to his injury issues.

I still wished we had opted for Ziyech instead.

 

[Hasan123]

Pepe has had a few good games of late but no overall he has had another flop season for Arsenal and has proved yet again that he is Gervinho 2.0

Ziyech has blossomed for Chelsea and was their best player prior to his injury issues.

I still wished we had opted for Ziyech instead.

Pepe has been playing well since January lol. He is a much better player than Gerviniho.

Ziyech has not been a good signing so far and it would not surprise me if he sold or loaned by Chelsea.

 

[Hasan123]

Buendia would be a quality signing. His numbers are outstanding. Odegaard is unlikely to stay and Arsenal need another AM in order to not overburden ESR.

Not many big clubs are in for Buendia and he will not command a large fee. It is a no-brainer in my opinion.

Bissouma is a good player but I hope Arsenal can sign Camavinga. His ceiling is extremely high and he is the type of player who could command a 100m fee in the next 4-5 years.

He will eventually end up at PSG, Madrid, Bayern, City etc. but it would be amazing if Arsenal could get hold of him for a few years. He has all the qualities to be better than Pogba.

Nevertheless, Bissouma would be a good backup option if Camavinga is out of reach.

If we aren't signing Odegaard permanently, I do not want a loan deal. We should not be developing other teams players.

Buendia is a target. He did well in the championship. I am not 100 percent convinced by him. Would rather go for Aouar or Maddison.

Camavinga would be a brilliant signing . I don't know if you are on twitter but there is an account called afcbell who are reliable for Arsenal related stuff. They said if we make an offer for Camavinga he would be interested and I understand Camavinga is an Arsenal fan.

Bissouma seems more likely and I would be happy with him.

 

[hitthestump]

A lot of changes may be needed at Arsenal but nothing is more essential than the need to find goals from midfield.

Hossem Aouar should be available again this summer and for less than he was last year. Is he willing to join a mid table team with no European football?

 

[Mamoon]

A lot of changes may be needed at Arsenal but nothing is more essential than the need to find goals from midfield.

Hossem Aouar should be available again this summer and for less than he was last year. Is he willing to join a mid table team with no European football?

I am surprised PSG haven’t snapped him up yet. Their midfield seriously needs some fresh legs and injection of quality. Aouar ticks all the boxes.

 

[Mamoon]

If we aren't signing Odegaard permanently, I do not want a loan deal. We should not be developing other teams players.

Buendia is a target. He did well in the championship. I am not 100 percent convinced by him. Would rather go for Aouar or Maddison.

Camavinga would be a brilliant signing . I don't know if you are on twitter but there is an account called afcbell who are reliable for Arsenal related stuff. They said if we make an offer for Camavinga he would be interested and I understand Camavinga is an Arsenal fan.

Bissouma seems more likely and I would be happy with him.

Camavinga would definitely be keen to join Arsenal because it is the perfect springboard for him. He is not going to start for any heavyweight at this point.

3-4 years as a starter at Arsenal is the perfect move for his career.

 

[Hasan123]

Camavinga would definitely be keen to join Arsenal because it is the perfect springboard for him. He is not going to start for any heavyweight at this point.

3-4 years as a starter at Arsenal is the perfect move for his career.

I don't see it likely him joining but it would be a brilliant signing.

In any case I do expect Arsenal to be busy in the transfer window and do expect some players to leave.

 

[MenInG]

Willian may have played his last game for Arsenal – with the Brazilian winger understood to be keen on a return to Stamford Bridge.

 

[hitthestump]

Willian may have played his last game for Arsenal – with the Brazilian winger understood to be keen on a return to Stamford Bridge.

Good news. Arsenal need him gone as soon as possible and by whatever means neccesary.

Considering Willian could easily have spent the next two years picking up an easy £200k a week it's incredibly good luck for Arsenal that he wants to leave too.