“Let’s judge the team when they play together.” Arsenal’s technical director Edu explains the clubs transfer business this summer and says they have been unlucky missing players at the beginning of this season https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1434062826302230529/video/1
What’s he talking about?
The squad is no better than it was last season, when we finished mid table and we still have the same decision makers running the club.
They haven’t strengthened the any of the positions that needed strengthening so how can he defend our transfer policy?
Anyone thinking that Arteta and this clown know what they’re doing is deluded.
They are clearly winging it and it’s embarrassing to watch.
I think it was a quick pivot after finishing outside Europe last year. They looked at the squad and realized we were in deep doodoo.
@InvincibleDB10 they know the squad isn’t stronger but they’re gambling on young talent getting better. Or at least that’s what they’re saying. There’s no doubt that the squad was a disaster when they took over so I have some amount of sympathy. But some of these moves, even in the context of “gambling on youth” or “investing in youth” are head scratchers. The player profiles don’t really seem to add up to anything coherent beyond them all being young. White is a back three CB who can’t jump but can carry the ball. Ramsdale is a long ball keeper. Tomiyasu doesn’t do anything to solve our extreme left sided attack bias. Ødegaard is really the only one that made sense to me considering how he fit into the system last year.
I mean, good on Edu for fronting up even if it’s a lot of empty corporate speak. I think it’s going to be a really long season. We’re stuck with Arteta unless there’s another November meltdown.
They need to look at themselves, squad may not be title winning quality but excuse do they have to finish behind, a Spurs who went 3 months with out a manager, Leicester and Moyes West Ham? Not like they got world beaters. We finished 2 points ahead of Everton and Leeds could of easily finished 10th. It is totally unacceptable for a club of this wealth, following and stature to finish a season like that and both of them should of been out of the door at the end of season. This whole one for the future is just a way of saying he we going to be shit this year and the year after so don’t watch that. Fuck these clowns
Chelsea flamed out under Mourinho and Conte. Both fired. Major reinvestment and the team bounced back.
United flamed out under Mourinho? He’s fired. Major (albeit questionable) investment and the team has (eventually) gotten better.
We’re spending a shit ton of money but the idiots who delivered us two consecutive eighth place finishes are the ones spending it! There’s a world where this reinvestment strategy looks and feels better to fans because the people leading it aren’t total hacks.
Yes exactly, with the exception of Willian who cancelled his contract, all the players they have “moved on” have cost us money, then they’ve spent £150m with out actually improving the first team. It’s just unbelievable how not only are these clowns tanking the clubs assets but the club is just hemorrhaging money and the Kroenkes are just letting it happen. For the money we spent and the players we let go, under a semi competent DOF and Manager we could easily improved the first team. The gross incompetence at this club is really something else.
I don’t think the squad was that bad when Arteta took over.
He had players like Saliba and Guendouzi who were good enough but his lack of man management skills meant we couldn’t use them and the decent players we had, he has ruined them.
He and Edu have chosen the players and spent around 250m on strengthening the squad since they arrived and it looks no better than it was.
Arteta has been given more time than almost any other club would have allowed and there is no difference in our style of play, if anything, we’re worse.
They’re supposed to be building on young talent and the club are saying this is a transition period but we’ve been hearing that nonsense since we moved to the Emirates.
Like you say, some of the players we’ve invested in, as well as the cost, don’t make sense.
It wasn’t great but I agree, it wasn’t as bad as some make out. Probably 5-7 best with some promising youngsters. So now we are underachieving and have similar quality overall squad that is around 4-7 best but will likely underachieve. And we have spent a lot for Arteta to build on.
Its clear and has been. Edu and Arteta need to fuck off.
I disagree with their thought process, logic and strategy but they do deserve credit for being open with the fans directly explaining things to this extent.
Would Wenger have ever given a window debrief like this? Fans wanted transparency and we’re getting it agree or disagree with their plans.
Yeah it helps but results are weighted about 10x transparency in my book. If we were battling even for forth reliably and I had some optimism about the football, this transparency would be great. Now it feels a bit like “let me show you how this big ship is captained” while it’s sinking.
I think that’s fair, the only real issue for me from what he’s said is the minimization of expectations because of this “project”. Sky pushed him on that point and his answer wasn’t convincing
I get why Edu can’t commit to finishing in a certain position but European football not being a clearly and openly stated goal for this season will leave a lot of fans angry. It sounded like cover for Arteta more than anything
Probably feels his prospects for continuing are tied to Arteta so perhaps feels he needs to protect him… if they both set the bar low enough even they can achieve it. Reality is, the fanbase isn’t buying it. We aren’t expecting titles atm, but neither are we accepting of underachieving and wallowing at mid table… For all the talk of only being 6 points from 4th, we were also only 2 points from 10th and 6 points from 11th.
We need to be hitting 5-6th this year or it is disaster as far as I am concerned and I see zero chance of that…
I like our squad atm and overall I think this was a pretty successful window in terms of incomings. If Mikel is not the guy to take this group forward im sure there will be many coaches eager to work with this bunch.
We are not winning CLs and PLs in the near future so might aswell watch the young blood expressing themselves instead of your Willians and Lichsteiners stinkin it out.
When he says there are reasons we are in this position he’s absolutely right.
It’s him, cone collector and their bosses.
Think he’s a complete wanker so no surprise he won’t put his knackers on the block by even committing to a top 10. More corporate politics as he makes more excuses to fail and keep on the gravy train.
Not that I want to defend the guy or Arteta at all, b/c I can’t stand either at this point, but i will say in his defense on the non-answer - it is incredibly common in US sports for coaches to notoriously say nothing and avoid like the plague prognostications of their season performance.
“Coach, where do you realistically see your team finishing this season based on last season, the additions and training so far”
“We are focusing on the next game and hope to compete as hard as we can in that game.”