We were out of the League and FA Cup by January last season. I suppose there was Europe though.
The problem is that we are potentially in yet another season of of failure but the difference is we will have spent 150m to get there.
There is no excuse for being outplayed and embarrassed by a Champions side.
Our fringe players should have been raring to go out and prove the are good enough to play for the first team but instead they looked unmotivated and clueless.
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Every time I start to think Arteta might be good after all we put in a dreadful performance or two or three or more.
This really was a horror show today. After our last visit there surely the players could’ve got up for it today.
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We started without six of our usual back seven players. We should have them all back other than Partey for Liverpool and Spurs.
Mainly this match showed that we only really have 11 reliable field players (our usual starters plus ESR) and as soon as we start going outside of that we’re in trouble.
This is pretty much how I feel as well. Obviously, it would have been good to have a long Cup run, especially given our record but it happens.
Two things that bothered me about this defeat to Forest, the drop in quality between the first and second string players is massive. Players like Patino, Tavares, Lokonga, Soares, Nketiah are either not good enough or not ready.
Second, it just felt that we didn’t give Forest the respect they deserved. We didn’t put in a shift like we did against City. They were the better team for the whole game. Somehow, I got the feeling that Arteta underestimated Forest quite a bit, and that also reflected in his team selection.
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That drop in quality after the first XI is really the story here for me. Basically, we had our starting attacking midfield but everything behind it was second string except for White and that’s just too much dross, especially for a system that relies on being crisp in possession. I’m not sure Arteta really had a choice though - Partey, Xhaka, Tomiyasu, and Gabriel all ended up unavailable. And it would have been harsh on Nuno and Leno not to start them in this match.
In the end, we’re paper thin in central midfield and defense.
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Imagine having the 8th most expensive team in the entire world, and not being able to bring in 4 or 5 players off the bench without it all falling to shit. No I think this is simply a situation where the manager can’t coach any coherent attacking football to save his life and relies simply upon the quality of players if he could manage a coherent system we’d have at least registered a shot on goal against Nottingham Forest I imagine.
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A lot of focus will be on Partey coming back from AFCON to save the midfield.
I’ll bet Fiorentina just added another 5 or 6m to their asking price.
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Does anyone have the numbers on how many Red Cards we’ve received since Arteta took over ? And how that compares to the rest of the league ?
Someone posted it in the matchday thread.
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13
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Closest after us was Southampton or Brighton with 9. Then it was City and one of Saints, BHA with 8
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Resolute performance. Very gritty defensive performance and very organised.
Absolutely delighted with the progress in our mentality. We didn’t fall apart.
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This team presence and accountability is fucking legit. This is all Arteta and his team.
Well fucking done, lads!
fuck you Xhaka.
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Pandemic Arteta!!!
But… but… he was on the side of the pitch (unlike the City game when he was home) shouting at our players to drop back and not express themselves…
Fair fucks to Arteta. He’s nearly turning me back.
I’m very impressed over the past month
Sorry, you’re too late. We’re not accepting any new members at the moment.
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barring the Forest shitshow :pepe1: