Obviously, we all know that 2020 has been a rather exceptional year. Well, thanks to Covid19 or Corona Virus, whatever you want to call it.
But, surely we, Arsenal, have to make a change of some sort. And no, not from a management perspective, but certain players should be benched, some simply need to leave (not transfer, just leave).
I feel awful for Arteta. There have been a few mistakes that he has made. Alas, he did inherit a plethora of player issues. So, it is not like he did not know a little, of what he was walking into.
All that to say, I do not know the answers to solve the issues (besides some players just leaving). With the January transfer window, here’s hoping Arteta and Co. can work some financial miracles and such.
Just awful from us today, AGAIN!.
A couple of articles published last night in The Guardian were worth looking at; they seemed to argue that Mr Arteta has been "let down" by several of his senior players, who are not repaying his trust in them, and are failing to perform on the field, or to take responsibility for their actions, and - for that matter - are showing little loyalty to club, manager, or, of that matter, to the fans.
Now, while I am in complete agreement with this, I also suspect that the sports desk in The Guardian enjoys close links with Arsenal's management, and that this sort of observation is published with the full support of - possibly even at the prompting of - that selfsame management.
And then, there is the indiscipline - an atrocious record; Arsenal have amassed more red cards than any other team over the past year which is inexcusable. (And yesterday, candidly, they deserved a second red card).
What does seem to be increasingly clear is that - firstly - relations between the manager and some senior players are souring, and that he may be at risk of "losing the dressing room", or some section of it.
Anyway, at this stage, Mr Arteta seems to have strained relations not just with Ozil, but with Pepe, David Luiz, Sokratis, and Xhaka, among others.
Likewise, I am seeing references to how some senior players have "tuned out", or have "mentally clocked out", an ominous sign. Actually, to some extent, I am beginning to think that Mr Arteta has lost control of the team; and their red card tally is a disgrace.
Personally, I thought that the sale of Martínez - a superb goalkeeper, and a better goalkeeper than Leno - a catastrophic mistake, but the problems go much deeper.
If the team cannot play to your desired system, you either change the team - so that you find players who are sufficient skilful to be able to play to your system, or you adapt the system so that it can be mastered by the actual players at your disposal.
