I feel you have to be fair to Arteta here, Xhaka was out what, 2, 3 games? We saw Sambi in every one during his absence.
It really looks like these younger players haven’t been bought this summer just to dance around the peripheral, even Tavares is getting a little bit of a look in.
I don’t think Arteta is under any illusions of who are his best midfielders, I suppose you could say the same about his defenders too. The last 3 games have shown who he wants to play with, before that those were players he had to play with.
I’m not saying you’re doing that but it feels like people perpetuate a myth that Arteta wants to play with guys like Elneny, Holding, Kola, etc when in reality we’ve just been slow to transition them.
Tbf Arteta has done some strange things with those fringe/unwanted guys. Contract u-turn on Holding, signing Cedric and Mari after meh loans, rumors of Elneny getting an extension, a reluctance to drop Willian last year. It appears he’s transitioning away from those guys which is good. He’s learned to lean into the younger players. I’ll definitely give him credit for learning even if we all saw it earlier than he did.
It’s easy to pretend that we’re all that much smarter than Mikel but no one ever seems to take the time to look at his constraints.
I’ve always preached that Mikel is suffering from the sins of his father but you can not deny that getting rid of Ozil, Mustafi, Kola, Elneny, Laca, Torreira, Bellerin has been a really difficult task.
I’m even willing to give Edu a little slack on that matter.
There was never a reality where Arteta axed everyone from the squad even if he wanted to, we aren’t that kind of team, we don’t have the financial firepower.
What Arteta has done is be brave and stood by his convictions, yes he ate shit with his horrible Arsene/Emery Frankenstein squad, but at the very least he pulled an FA Cup out of that monsters asshole.
Now he has his team, as Adams said today the balance is there. Are you honestly going to stand there and call Tony Adams a scumbag liar? I know I won’t.
The only conviction he’s stuck by is Xhaka in the XI and it didn’t blow up today.
He gets total credit for today’s result and if we keep turning in games like this I’ll reevaluate whether I can believe in him again. It’s hard because he really lost me last season with some of his decision making and comments. I want to believe in him because I want to believe in the club.
People are so dismissive of what Ramsdale coming into the team has meant for our intensity, especially in regard to how we play out from the back.
ESR over Pepe was huge in this game, it allowed Saka to feature on his favoured right, after a few displays where he -Saka- was actually worse than Pepe. That decision won us the game in the first 30 minutes today.
Obviously these facets of todays game won’t matter to those who have already decided Mikel ain’t the one but still, it was a good day for him and the players. If people are willing to leave their agenda at the door.
People won’t admit it but today’s result was something that Arteta has been working towards for a while.
I see the Xhaka agenda is still alive and well (this isn’t aimed at you btw, more anyone who is pleased he’s injured). But truth is the Xhaka Partey midfield pairing is class. Xhaka being out is far from a good thing, especially if it means Elneny or AMN get more minutes in midfield. The Xhaka Partey pivot is effective. Haters will always be blind to what he brings to the team though
I’m gonna have to see a lot more before I’m willing to label this midfield pairing as being class. Lots to prove on that front, for both players in fairness.
Glad he’s finally getting vaccinated, but I’m a little concerned that he’s having his child do it and not a medical professional.
It’s one thing giving your child the house keys, another thing entirely to let them undertake medical procedures on you. No child is that responsible, not even the progeny of the OG House Keys Merchant.
Not gonna lie, I kinda wished for it.
This is the chance for Sambi Lokonga or AMN to come in and take the position for good.
Only good for us long term.
ESR & Saka were forced entries into the team and now they are integral. We have to use such absences as a means to prepare for future.
If we fuck it up, then only we are to be blamed to be so reliant on Xhaka in a summer when he was actively trying to move away.
