
He appeared to learn from it by the 2nd half, when Rice was pushed back into midfield.
Quite right to criticise it, of course, it was unbelievably stupid. But equally, unlike a certain prior French manager we had, Arteta has shown to ability to learn from his mistakes so credit to him.
He worries me. I get he was trying to be brave, and i applaud that. But from kick off, he had hatched some cunning plan of moving Rice out to the right flank when we were in possession. Seemingly forgetting that the recent switch to place him between the centre backs when the ball is there is the thing that has transformed the way we progress the ball. Changing that was stupid.
The substitution was a development of that plan. Having Rice at right back is not, of itself, idiotic. The reason you cant do it is that we have to have him at the heart of the midfield. How does he not know that?
He scares me. Now is not the time for cunning plans. It may appear bold but to me it is the coaching equivalent of an Aaron Ramsey backheel. The illusion of confidence and bravery masking a fuddled mind.
He left us with a lopsided team for the last hour and cost us several substitutions.
We won, it is done. But I am praying he has seen all his errors in that game and doesn't repeat them.