Im happy with this if Wenger the alternative.
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Happiness in mediocrity is a valuable attribute
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Wengers issue was being far too risk averse in the market. We’ve gotten better in that aspect (kinda even tho we still make some shitty deals) with him gone so we’ve got the players now we just need Wenger’s man management and good football. That’s the balance the club always lacked and they could never figure it out.
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I think Wenger was at his best when he had David Dein alongside and complimenting his skill set. Was never quite the same after and we never built the squad Wenger needed to compete for the very top trophies like we did before.
What’s clear is our problems the last 10 years run a lot deeper than who’s in the hot seat as head coach/first team manager.
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Arteta has publicly backed Pepe so should be expected to be involved in the game today:
Asked if the 25-year-old had apologised privately, he added: “Absolutely right, he did it. He did it personally and he did it publicly. That’s done. Let’s move on. We all make mistakes, we all make decisions when we are in the middle of the heat. It’s about the reaction, what we learn from it individually and as a team, and moving on. That’s it, we need to focus on the next game.”
When it was put to Arteta that some people believe Pepe’s Arsenal career is hanging by a thread, the boss was pretty dismissive.
“No, it’s absolutely not [the end of his Arsenal career after the red card]. It’s not about that and I don’t like that type of statement. I will give Nico my full support all the time.
“He knows where he has to improve and we all know his qualities. He has some responsibility, I have a lot of responsibility, which is to get the best out of him and get the best position for him, the best areas where he can do what he can do with the ball. I cannot fault his effort at all.
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Arteta should be apologizing to all the players for being so shit tbh.
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Kept his mouth shut Sunday he wouldn’t have had to waste time on all this.
Coming across like he’s liking the sound of his own voice in that.
Simply say nothing on Sunday. Bollock Pepe in the dressing room and put it too bed. Ffs it’s basics.
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Arteta can’t win with some of you 
shouldn’t have posted it
Should have hit the target then.
Playing very well at the moment but still holds the ball a tad to long for me
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I still maintain that we have a quality player here, it’s not his fault that he has a shit manager who is trying to play him out of position, or giving him highly confusing instructions…
Put this guy in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, and I think we have a superstar in the making.
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I think other managers could get a lot more out if him, but I still think he’s way too one dimensional, has too many flaws and too slow in the mind to be a superstar.
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Pepe out for the kill today.
Auba-Laca-Pepe tripletta comeback needed.
That lineup is garbage though. Pepe’s the only one of the three with any kind of quality with the ball at his feet and that’s only when his confidence is high like this evening.
He’s been classy all night, composed and assured. Hopefully he can translate this to the EPL when he gets back from his ban.
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That was the trio that worked late last season. Then Arteta decided Willian was a better choice this season.
Looked like the right move after the Fulham performance but that was it.
Should have stuck with what was working.
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Should sell Lacazette cause he’s shit.
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Him and Cedric combined well for that 30min in the second half which is nice to see
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Only striker in the team that our wingers and midfielders can combine with effectively with his back to goal.
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I wonder if he’s under stricter instructions when we have a PL game, compared to an EL game?
I mean I expect him to perform in games against the likes of opposition like Molde but the amount of times he was ‘allowed’ to get a shot off in this game makes me think Arteta loosens the strings in this competition.
There’s no way Pepe is inept. He’s perfectly serviceable for this Arsenal team. I just wish Arteta trusted him some more or compromised his talents against his raging boner for the team’s structure.
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Agreed, and it wasn’t just shooting, the number of times in the PL when he has the ball on the wing and instead of taking on the full back 1v1 he passes backwards in fear of losing possession.
Time and time again he went beyond, dribbled past or put a cross in against Molde when he was in those positions.
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