Slavia Prague (h) - Instant Reaction

A young manager taking a project like this Arsenal team comes with the same qualifiers as a young player when you play them there’s a risk factor caused by the lack of experience you have to account for, plus Covid has been a massive and unprecedented impact on both manoeuvrability in the transfer market and pre-season preparations in that there weren’t any, conditions which he very precarious nature Arsenal have been in made the club particularly poorly adapted to deal with. For example: We’re the only club that cut player wages. Sacking him before he’s had a chance to have a full pre-season would surely be pre mature. The post Wenger era has been a series of false dawns, with the managers and behind the scenes, eventually you have to stick with one. The up factor with a young manager and a young player is that what you lose in the near term you make up in the long term as they have a much greater capacity to learn and improve from experience. We should beat them in the return leg, but even so the season was always otherwise going to be a write off, even if we did get in Benitez now what would that get us 6th, 7th? What difference would that make? Sub should have been earlier, we were timid, but a total branfart by Soares and a bad finish from Lacazette cost us two goals, it nearly worked.

Poor guy. Unfairly maligned earlier this year when his performances were decent, but now falling fast along with the rest of the squad.

Based on what do you say that? This isn't a "couple of mistakes", it's continuous poor decision making all season. He's ostracized good young talent at the expense of under-performing players, constantly picks the wrong teams and can never react properly during matches to change anything. And I don't buy the argument that "he is young and he'll learn", he's had enough time to get his feet on the ground and he should be doing a much better job than this. A young talented coach shouldn't take this long to get a grip on in-game management and how to affect a match from the bench, and that's just one example of a major flaw he has.

I think Arteta is young and he will come good. We have to have patience. He made a couple of mistakes and forgive him. On to the next game.

Stephen Lambert

In the spirit of the pre-match livestream (really enjoyed it by the way!)....Hot take I think I might believe: Arteta is no better at tactics or man-management than Emery, he just speaks much better English so fans and players relate to him more 😬

Tom Laverick

Pretty clear he’s a big fan of the manager and is willing to overlook his shortcomings in hope of his potential, he said he wouldn’t trade Arteta for Klopp ffs

I hope so but I don't trust Arteta or Edu with contracts, poor track record and they are damaging youth progression

I think. Arteta's incredibly lucky there are no fans in that stadium. His stubbornness and ego are becoming a big problem and he's losing the fan base fast, I feel the players won't be far behind them.

I don't think we will be going through, that team is not a team that could comfortable beat Leicester and rangers, and when that team shows up in the 2nd leg and defend deep, and break on counter, we will be out, cause they don't need to win, they just have to defend

Don't really understand why Paul seems to be so okay with the performances of late. The manager is getting it wrong. Even west brom look good every once in a while and they're going down. Results business and the way the ball slowed down once it reached the left side really hurt us yesterday. Brilliant as always gentleman!

Frustrating 😡😬

Loved your rant Elliot at the headlines 😁 Also spot on about the flawed players. Arteta isnt at City anymore where the buy and buy until the fit in the perfect football. Arteta should improvise to make the most of what he has. He won't, I fear.

Im still behind the manager, but u make some great points. Im also having trouble, maintaining my passion for this modern game. Hate VAR, and i also hate the new goal kick ruling. I'm hopeing its the lack of fans & atmosphere in the stadiums. Cant wait for next season & hopefully some normality . Wat ever that is.

As Paul said months ago... Are we in the culture business or the results business? Right now neither are happening

At least we haven't given our selves the chance to have Emery ruin our pursuit of success this season when we would meet Villareal if we qualify. Arteta has at least dodged that bullet! For the first time since I've supported in 20 years I'm embarrassed by the club we've become in the last 3 years.

Paul makes a good point, we created a lot of dangerous crossing positions. The problem is that out of the FIVE guys making the crosses (saka, hector, cedric, ESE, Willian) only one of them was doing so from their natural side (hector) Arteta just refusing to simplify in any way

My problem with Arteta is.. What's left of his teams when the don't or can't execute his perfect and nice positional, build play like his mate at City loves? Players are so over instructed in way it takes out all adventure and passion. In numerous games now its led to us being sterile going forward and giving away clumsy goals from buildup, like yesterday. If Arteta is waiting for us to sign the 6 or 7 players he still needs to play that game.. We're in big trouble and personally I hate that robot football. Arteta out? No, but he should rethink a lot of stuff.

You know what’s the best thing that happened this week? Management will no longer even consider giving Laca a new contract and buying Ceballos.

Abhilash Singh

Can’t believe everyone on the pod said we’ll go through. I have a horrible feeling in my stomach the tie had to be won tonight (especially with Tierney and Ødegaard out through both legs).

Arteta is not the only problem but is big part of the problem

What Tim was saying re Thomas Partey had me actually feeling sorry him. From being a Champions League mainstay to most likely not even qualify for Europa next season.... Simeone must be pissing himself laughing. But that fat contract probably cancels the regrets of club switch

I really think we should start Matt Ryan against Sheffield and if he does well then start him in the second leg.

Abhilash Singh

Arteta just seems determined to make this as hard as possible. Get out of your own way!

I'm done with Arteta.

Willian offers nothing. Elliot has it spot on.

Do you know what I realised today....in the main we play average/poor football equally balanced by terrible and great moments, we give excessive contracts to old players and then play them out of position (Auba, Willian), we manage our investments poorly and damage their confidence (Pepe, Auba, Saliba) we mistreat key young players (Saliba, martinelli)...The list goes on!!! I remembered Elliot and Paul arguing during the last pod and it annoyed that Paul made out like Elliot was having a knee jerk reaction after yet another unacceptable game. We have been conditioned to accept this and in my view Arteta is out of his depth and needs to go.

Considering we're now playing pre-boxing day football despite having 2 good number 10s, i'm now led to believe it has always been a management issue rather than a personnel one

Cai

Lots of focus on Arteta. How about someone on the pitch finish a chance. TONS of chances left out there and I don’t see MA with boots on.

We drew 1-1 with Benfica after the first leg. It’s half time lads. Let’s keep going.

Sad day lads 😔

delete club

Sagar Patel

Arteta is done

jcooper1711

I'm exhausted with this team

Lacazette should not start for us again this season!

It’s simple play auba....up front!!!!!!

javaughan clarke

What a club

Oh boy!