I wonder how much more good faith remains in the tank for Arteta

[Peter]

Our entire adult lives, experts have been telling us that in England, we must learn to do precisely those things if we were ever going to win anything again. It's what all those foreigners do, they said; it's how they beat us.

Yes, you must learn to do all those things. But in addition to playing football, not instead of it.

[Rich]

We did. Largely thanks to an incredible run in the second half of the season, post Dubai. The first half of that season we were really poor and took 40 points from 20 games, playing stodgy, largely ineffective football. Which we reverted to last season.

So, over the last two seasons we have seen 18 games of consistent, top quality football, and 56 games of largely this kind of average, top four standard stuff.

You know that first season where we challenged for the title, we were soft, we were short on depth, we were a bit vulnerable. But we could have won that title if we'd hung on at Anfield. We played some fantastic stuff that year, and that first hour at Anfield we looked ****ing great.

I wanted that team with better players and more depth. But we didn't get it... we got this.

And now I am sitting here wondering whether Arteta wanted Gyokeres, or Eze, or Madueke. I'm wondering what his relationship with Berta is like.

Eze is a magnificent footballer than surely any manager would love to have available. Madueke too has all the quality to go and become a superstar.

Gyokeres... well the less said the better imo. And we have Jesus and Kai to come back who are both outstanding players (and Arteta clearly loves them).

[Peter]

Eze is a magnificent footballer than surely any manager would love to have available. Madueke too has all the quality to go and become a superstar.

Gyokeres... well the less said the better imo. And we have Jesus and Kai to come back who are both outstanding players (and Arteta clearly loves them).

You do wonder why we waited so long with Eze....

[redgunamo]

You do wonder why we waited so long with Eze....

Simply because, ultimately, it doesn't matter so long as you get him.

I do understand though, that there were one or two technical, administrative issues that had to be allowed to play out in order for us to be able to secure the best deal.

[redgunamo]

Eze is a magnificent footballer than surely any manager would love to have available. Madueke too has all the quality to go and become a superstar.

Gyokeres... well the less said the better imo. And we have Jesus and Kai to come back who are both outstanding players (and Arteta clearly loves them).

You don't like the new centre forward?

[redgunamo]

Yes, you must learn to do all those things. But in addition to playing football, not instead of it.

Some say that is football

[Rich]

You don't like the new centre forward?

He's not for me, r.

[redgunamo]

He's not for me, r.

Fair enough, so long as he's there or thereabouts in May.

I agree about all the others though. Very exciting,

[Peter]

Some say that is football

Yes, but they have just been sacked by Fenerbahce.....

[Peter]

He's not for me, r.

I'm far from convinced but willing to give him a chance.

Of course, if we keep refusing to put the ball anywhere near him we will never know.....

[7sisters]

You don't like the new centre forward?

We?ve all seen many players go from unused subs with a paucity of on field runouts, transformed under a new manager. Why, there?s that fella recently, who was repurposed under wotsisname at Spurs. I?ve seen it often.
I?m not giving up on him just yet.

[Rich]

I'm far from convinced but willing to give him a chance.

Of course, if we keep refusing to put the ball anywhere near him we will never know.....

He just looks like a bit of an oaf to me. Odeagaard played the most wonderful ball into him at Anfield but he was stuck on his heels and didn't anticipate it at all.

And what I really don't understand is how he is so bad at shielding the ball. Someone as phyically strong as him should be good at it.

[Rich]

We?ve all seen many players go from unused subs with a paucity of on field runouts, transformed under a new manager. Why, there?s that fella recently, who was repurposed under wotsisname at Spurs. I?ve seen it often.
I?m not giving up on him just yet.

I hope he does come good but from what I have seen he is well out of his depth in the PL.

[Peter]

He just looks like a bit of an oaf to me. Odeagaard played the most wonderful ball into him at Anfield but he was stuck on his heels and didn't anticipate it at all.

And what I really don't understand is how he is so bad at shielding the ball. Someone as phyically strong as him should be good at it.

I don't think he is that bad at shielding the ball. He is just coming up against better defenders. He's won a few free kicks doing it so far.

Seen so little of him over the 3 games. I need to see more.

[Rich]

I don't think he is that bad at shielding the ball. He is just coming up against better defenders. He's won a few free kicks doing it so far.

Seen so little of him over the 3 games. I need to see more.

Not concerned that when fairly simple balls are played into his feet; they often end up out for a throw-in by virtue of a clumsy touch?