Its been pretty much a month since Mikel Arteta was appointed as manager of Arsenal. So have opinions of him changed in the time he has been here?
Football is traditionally referred to as a results business. Unfortunately for Mr Arteta, the league results have been 1 win, 2 draws and a loss - only a point better than the last 4 games of Mr Ljungbergs short reign (defeat on Saturday would see both having identical records from the first 5 games, but lets hope this doesn't happen).
Lets be honest, this season is pretty much a write-off unless Mr Arteta can deliver Europa League glory. Top 4 isn't out of reach due to the failings of others, but we don't look like a team that will pull a run of victories out of the bag.
So what positives has Mr Arteta brought in? Well, we had conceded 2 or more TEN times in the 18 league games preceding Mr Artetas reign (about 1 in 2 games). That has been reduced to 1 in 4 (I know, small sample size). We have also had one clean sheet in the four games, compared to 3 in 18 beforehand. Away from the stats, in general I think most would say we look more solid as a team. Better high press, more energy in the team and more players taking responsibility. Obviously there is the "new manager effect" and question marks over the sustainability of this.
The team defensive work has meant there has been no improvement in goals scored, though. 5 goals in the Arteta era (3 scored by Aubameyang, with Papa and Pepe scoring in the win). We still don't look like a team that will score 3, 4, 5 goals a game - indeed we have only scored 3 times in the league twice all season.
In terms of players, the obvious improvements have been from Torreira, Ozil, AMN and arguably Luiz and Sokratis. The first two has come from playing them in "their position", the latter from the aforementioned team defensive ethic improvement. AMN, though, has looked like he has quickly benefitted from tactical nous from Arteta. Others, like Nelson and Pepe, have arguably shown more. Again, long term these may be blips but lets judge on what we have seen so far.
We go into the remainder of the season with a very light squad - two players who have played (Mavropanos and Smith-Rowe) have left on loan, while Chambers and Tierney remain long term injuries. Two weeks of the transfer window left, but as it stands Mr Arteta will have to rely on a youthful squad and the likes of Saka, Nelson and Willock to fill in.
So, a month in, have opinions on the appointment of Mr Arteta changed? Is there more optimism, or do people think the job is too big for our new manager?
A month of Mikel
posted on 15/1/20
comment by MaineGunner (U10130)
posted 42 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 1 hour, 39 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 2 hours, 7 minutes ago
I think there is a feeling that it will click soon, and we will start seeing big wins and good performances soon. Something I don't think was there with Mr Emery or Mr Ljungberg.
Given I am back in CL, lets hope it is on Saturday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Harsh on Freddie. Think he has similar ideas as Arteta and in my view and it was visible immedialtely.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not harsh at all but we looked very very slightly better than under Emery. The same issues were there and we may have improved on the effort front, but tactically we were still abysmal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well I saw progress under Freddie. If you dont than so be it.
posted on 15/1/20
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by MaineGunner (U10130)
posted 42 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 1 hour, 39 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 2 hours, 7 minutes ago
I think there is a feeling that it will click soon, and we will start seeing big wins and good performances soon. Something I don't think was there with Mr Emery or Mr Ljungberg.
Given I am back in CL, lets hope it is on Saturday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Harsh on Freddie. Think he has similar ideas as Arteta and in my view and it was visible immedialtely.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not harsh at all but we looked very very slightly better than under Emery. The same issues were there and we may have improved on the effort front, but tactically we were still abysmal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well I saw progress under Freddie. If you dont than so be it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fair enough
posted on 15/1/20
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 5 hours, 15 minutes ago
comment by Diamondlights (U20501)
posted 29 seconds ago
why do you keep calling him "Mr Arteta " ?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I assumed his gender.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bit risky in this day and age
posted on 15/1/20
Freddie didn't really have an identity to the way he played. It was more blood and thunder (which with set of players doesn't work), no real consistency to his team selections and nothing that said long term plan (unsurprisingly perhaps).
posted on 15/1/20
Very encouraged but a little concerned about our chance creation. We really need to be more ruthless in our dominant periods
posted on 15/1/20
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 2 hours, 1 minute ago
Freddie didn't really have an identity to the way he played. It was more blood and thunder (which with set of players doesn't work), no real consistency to his team selections and nothing that said long term plan (unsurprisingly perhaps).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well Freddie overtook a team in a complete mess. Lack of confidence, individual mistakes as usual .... and, and, and. It's not really fair to judge him in the short time he was in charge. As I said....I could see a little progress.
posted on 15/1/20
My view of Arteta so far -
Prior to Arteta teams were raining shots down on our goal. Between 20-30 was the norm.
With Arteta now as manager i;ve notices it's barely going into double figures which is a great turnaround.
(apart from the Leeds game)
Lets also be honest we have dominated all PL games under Arteta and with some luck would have had 4 wins out of 4. Can't remember dominating any PL games this season under Emery or Freddie.
So far im happy.
With Auba missing it might be a blessing as we can actually play with a Wide forward instead of Auba who lets face it barely does anything apart from score. (which is great)
posted on 15/1/20
I was speaking to a liverpool supporting friend of mine a couple of days ago. He's seen all our games. He said arsenal right now reminded him of liverpool under klopp when he took over.
periods of dominance in games which we can't maintain for now. he said we look better defensively than they did though.
hopefully we can build on this
posted on 15/1/20
Going well so far. I think he has potential for a long reign. He has a very fixed idea of what he wants,and he won't tolerate anyone who doesn't buy into it. This is what we need. I worry though that once we are 'found out' and teams counter -press us like Palace did we will need better/fitter players to continue upwards. Hopefully by the summer Arteta will know who he want's to keep,and who he want's to sign. It's then up to the owners to put up the cash. If they do, I am quietly optimistic.
posted on 15/1/20
Palace might have presses us but lets face it they created absolutely nothing all game. A lucky deflected goal and a few crosses was all they gave.
Game should have been killed off in the first 30 minutes but we couldnt find that end ball.