₦airaland Forum

Jodera:
Thank God we never got Conte. Imagine how Arsenal would have been if Conte was the one who replaced Emery instead of Arteta. As much as Arteta was a rookie, he should be applauded for turning around this club which many Veterans would have found it difficult to even do—Unambitious dressing room/players, poor mentality, disgruntled and divided fanbase, COVID happening which makes it difficult for proper implementation of his ideas due to the break and so much more— yet even as a rookie who haven't even managed any club on his own, he turned everything around both in mentality and performances.

I believe Conte met Tottenham in better situation than how Arteta met Arsenal yet one is throwing a fit and ranting about mentality and owners.

Special Appreciation to Arteta and what he has done and he's doing to this wonderful club. I just pray may his oil never run dry!!


COYG!!!

Amen! Especially on the mentality, thats where we needed an urgent change and indeed he has brought that back.

Jodera:
This our front 3 fluidity dey give me joy
Trossard In CF just reminds me of Jesus with his interplay and exchange across the front line.
Now, that Jesus is back, Omo we're really ready for this 2nd half of the season ooo

Meanwhile, Congratulations to Zinny for winning Arsenal's player of the month (back to back like Xhaka)

Omorr, Arsenal dey give person joy this season sha

COYG!!

Too much joy!!!

Sad we did not get caicedo but glad we did not pay any bloated amount for any player. Once our structure is right, we will not be bullied into paying over the odds for anyone. We will only but at the price we feel is right and its take it or leave it.

I am so happy we got Trosaard cos that was one player like i said reminded me of a prime Nasri.

Another player i hope we can still from fulham is Paulinha. I know some other teams are eyeing him but in case he is on our radar, i would hope we bid for him.

The performance levels just gives me joy, these players really know whats at stake and they are not relenting at all. This is the mentality we have been wanting to see for a very long time. They are bringing back the fear factor again as teams are just prepared to defend for their lives rather than having a go at us.

Just good times and i hope every true fan that has been on this ride of many years are enjoying it.

Unto the next game. COYG!

[quote author=Roland17 post=121686677][/quote]Lol! una don start again....

Jodera:
I really trust the mentality of this team Tbh. You could see the way they carried on with the first goal. Prodding for the equaliser even with all the bus parking. Even when the 2nd goal was scored against us, you could still see that the players still didn't give up. I'm not a biggest fan of Nelson too(in fact, it's this season he's impressed me most) but what he did ystdy deserve commendations and more minutes too, even if it's from the bench.

As for the bolded, I always knew the coaching staff and Arteta would turn it around and find a way against bus parking teams and I'm really glad they did. The way we dominate teams and intense pressing, I just knew it's just some tweaks here and there and we'll get back on track again.

The players and staff are really thinking of the titles. January transfer window proves so!!

COYG!!

I concur 100 percent!

What a match! The Highbury feeling of the glory days is back again. Personally it's the performance that makes me so delighted in this team. Game after game, the performance remained consistently optimal even when the results did not come.

I just always believed that this performance s deserved better results and this is what we witnessed yesterday.

Not Nelson's greatest fan but shout out to him for coming in to change it when needed most. Nothing beats a player standing tall at crucial times. Indeed he deserves all the accolades.

Great to also see that the technical team were able to assess what was needed to break down stubborn defensive teams hence the front three rotation with trossard coming in. That shows that they are really working hard to push for this title leaving nothing to chance.

Alll in all, a brilliant game of football and it's unto the next. COYG!

Lol it's like some of us are calming down small on Jorgino matter.

Honestly he has not done badly at all considering how our transfer business was conducted. Also happy to see sambi doing well at palace and it's all win win for is.

Crucial game tonight and hopefully the performance can deliver the desired results.

Abeg help me with streaming link . Can't find the last one posted which was very good.

Spy360:
I love you guys.

See as only me dey face all of you. I answer all your questions but none of you can answer my questions.

You guys need to engage more people for assistance.

Roland17 and Obaigwe can you help them? Jencejyde what about you?

Just enjoying the banter but also learning a thing or two.

Jodera:
Hopefully, we'll get to see this boy before the end of the month.

I really miss his presence in that frontline

Truly a big miss

I remember vividly in the early years of pep managing city where fans were moaning about him not adapting to teams packing the bus.

He made it very clear that he would not change his style under any circumstance as this is what has brought him success over the years and the fans should be patient enough to see the performance translate into results else he will walk if they are not content.

Well fast forward many years and the only thing missing his a champions league for city.

I am in no way saying Arteta has someone who learnt under pep should or must do the same thing but hopefully he can find his own to get beyond defensive minded teams using his own style as long as the performance is there.

It's been way too long seeing An Adrenal side dominating games and that feeling is really beyond measure considering all we have gone through post Wenger.

Just hoping and believing that this team will not lose their heads at this time when results are hard to come by and find a way to get beyond it.

Well this one is done and it's unto the next. A critical review of the last three games has to be done to know how to prepare against teams that will setup the way Brentford did today

Personally the only thing Arteta lacked as rightly pointed was the in game management. Obviously every team in the Epl has tapes of our games and well studied too.

The onus has changed from teams coming to play us without fear to teams coming to play us with respect and just pack the bus.

One would have expected a tweak to the formation but it never happened , but the performance I am absolutely proud of. Been in this since 1990 and have seen everything in this team. The good the bad the ugly.

Apart from the chances that Brentford missed , we were totally dominant, at a point even ramsdale was near the circle. I cant fault the performance even though it was not the desired results.

It sucks to not get the points knowing how long we have waited to be in this position again but a team that beat city at home all of a sudden turning to Voltron against arsenal is really interesting to say the least.

I am sure this is what we have to contend with week in week out and it's down to Arteta to go back and watch the last three games and see how and where he can make the adjustments necessary to break down these type of defensive structures.

Again player management will be key here as games will be coming thick and fast but that performance must not drop. That's my only fear.

If we go to city and get played off the park, that would be a major concern and put major dents on the title aspiration but I want to stay optimistic that this team will not disappoint in that regards.

Sadly these are the times when it's all or nothing and me personally I just want to believe that this team will do whatever it takes to win this tittle and that can only be seen by the performance on the pitch which hopefully translates into desired results.

mostob:
score808tvdotcom

Thanks

COYG! Abeg who get better streaming link

This is also where the team Physcho earn their pay. They need to get into their heads to prepare them mentally reminding them consistently that the prize ahead is there to be won.

Just watched some parts of the second half and kudos to Everton for being resilient and disciplined to deny us the points.

Well said at Jodera!

Sometimes I just feel for fans but sometimes I personally look inwards from the player perspective to see how it feels.

Unfortunately I did not watch the match due to naija problems if you know. But I noticed that the uproar on the loss was not about our performance as if to say Everton played us off the park but it was more of us not being clinical enough to get into the game and break them down to get the results.

This is what gives me joy as a player to know that the Performance was there but the result was not in our favour.

The consistency of performance is what some of us have always loved about this team and get irked about when we lose games in an abysmal manner as if there was nothing to play for.

I for one am not bothered about a loss or two here and there as long as that mentality to always perform from any member of the team is consistent. What will other me is the manner of our loss and if players are dropping their standards, that would be a real concern but lately bar 1 or 2 players the team has been doing well enough even though results have not been in our favour.

Let's not get deluded that we will win every single match from now till the end of the season but let's back this team to ensure that the consistency of performance which has given us a chance at the title remains till the end of the campaign.

Sometimes we just have to put ourselves in the shoes of these players and wonder if truly they too want to win it or not.

I have played games where my coach is just lost as in he simply has no answer to the opposing team and it's just down to pure mentality and tenacity of the team to grind out a result. I'm sure we would be wondering what's happening to liverpool right now and that's just football in it's many cycles

The only thing that has to remain consistent should be the performance and in not time the results will follow.

If there are some players that need a rest or are not performing optimally then its best to leave them out for now so as to get them back in shape

Once Jorg appears in the red and white on matchday, then it's nothing but support from me personally.

He his far better than Sambi and even though his signing is not exactly lightning up our expectations, we just need to back him to succeed with us.

What this has taught me is that our scouts need to learn from smaller teams on finding raw gems at small prices
We really cannot survive on buying players at inflated prices in the long run.

We need our team to move out there and discover these talents asap

One thing is for sure that we have money to plan for the summer and not recklessly spend it due to desperation.

For now the focus is the next game and how our new recruits can integrate well enough to help our cause. Trossard is already giving me joy and hopefully the other ones can get running quickly.

Spy360:
My Thoughts On The Jorginho Deal

I felt very much disappointed when the rumours broke out. But I also knew that my disappointment was based on my expectations for Moises Caicedo joining us. Unfortunately Brighton rejected all the offers and improved offers made up to the tune of €75m. That's absurd considering that they got the player for less than €4m just a year ago.

The next question is, does it worth it spending such amount for a player who is largely still a potential? The answer can only come as a matter of time. The likes of Tchoemeni and Camavinga have excelled despite having similar statuses.

But that deal was always looking unlikely to happen as Brighton insists he is not for sale this window.

Then comes Jorginho.

What has he got? Experience, leadership and a typical stereotype for the lone DM Arteta loves. We are told Arteta even wanted him when still an assistant at Man City. There was also an approach last summer. This was Arteta not Edu.

What else?
£10m plus £2m as add ons- if we win the league and a 1.5year contract. Not bad.

We now have two experienced players to fight for one position. If he fails to perform, we offload him next January (knowing we still have Partey). If he performs we win the league. Either way we save money to do a proper deal to either go back for Caicedo at a much lower price or settle for Declan Rice.

It's a risk worth taking.

Well said! Truly well said

Jodera:
Same him oo
Palmeiras said they'll be open to sell him to arsenal this January for 30m, yet arsenal didn't go back

Haba,I thought after the whole Luiz Douglas fiasco, we should have just gone back and pick him up. How did they let that slip.?

And the price was good enough...well they are still learning. Just hope these inconsistencies do not mess us up given the position we are in right now.

sod09:
Can we now accept the offer from Monaco for that useless boy he must not survive this transfer with us

As for elneny no more renewal, he can fvck off after season end

Lol which useless boy be that?

sod09:
Everyone knows we need partey backup from the beginning we allowed Danilo sign for forest this is someone we were scouting since last season
We always put ourselves in difficult situation all the time, that midfield is very important yet we gamble on it and hope for insha'Allah

Is it that same Danilo that forest just signed??. Wow watched him the other day and not bad at all. Never knew they did not go back for him..true them no try there at all

Honestly let's say Nketiah failed to perform in the absense of Jesus, by now we would be looking to buy a striker and midfielder which only God knows how much we would have to spend.

But credit to that young lad after all the critism he faced to come out and deliver for the team and yet another one who has same opportunity is there whinning.

Sadly I can not fault arsenal recruitment on this one. No one expected that Elneny will have this type of serious injury and Sambi that they thought will do a cover Job is absolutely unreliable.

I for one am not sold on the exhorbitant price that Brighton are placing on Caicedo. The reality is that if we have no fears on parteys fitness and mo was healthy , this would not even be considered right now.

But should we now spend everything for Caicedo, I mean let's not get too emotional here.

Am I sold on gorgihno? Definitely not but he is far better than Sambi as a stop gap measure in case we need parteys to rest.

Where I can say the team did not try was that they left it too late to get in a replacement and that was due t o sudden season ending injury to mo which no one expected.

This is where it disgusts me that Sambi who should see this as a golden opportunity to make a name for himself ala Nketiah type performance in absence of Jesus is really doing nothing to cover himself in glory.

Opportunities do not come every time and those saying the manager would put a shoulder around him can now see clearly from all the deals we are trying to secure that they too do not consider him reliable in this title run

Sebi apari sef don put him favourite cancelo for market. Men this is about glory and winning and no one wants to lose.

I'm sure if Arteta and edu really had there money they would pay the maga money to Brighton but only because the person they hoped to deputise is not reliable at the moment

What a situation we find ourselves

And less I forget, let's hope nothing happens to Odegard as well cos fabio sef is not there yet to cover him properly..

For me personally if Brighton play too much hardball, I'd say call their bluff and make do with what we have.

We cannot selll the whole of arsenal just because of Moses.

And if Kronke is feeling generous them we should just swallow it and pay up, no need dragging this up and down.

I also remember this was same sambi that was angry with the then Belgian coach for not selecting him for the world cup. And I ask myself that who does he even intend to bench in that Belgian midfield or what has he done to deserve a spot there?

I mean it sounds ludicrous to be honest and smacks a bit of pride. Well honestly I pray he calms down puts his head down , be ready and humble to learn and with time he will excel.

Spy360:
@Jencejyde

Ok let's leave Odegaard aside and look at Lokonga's reaction. Walking away from the pitch without waving to the fans.

How do you see it?

The way I see it was that obviously he was not in a right place mentally at that time.

Footballers are humans and could also feel deeply hurt at times. But these are the situations that take you to that next level of maturity.

Did he do well by not acknowledging fans that go through thick and thin spending hard earned money just to see the team? No he did not.

But here is why I said it's now down to the team and senior heads to meet with him during training and make him understand that whatever happened was not to castigate him or drain his confidence.its all for the good of the team and anyone can be spoken too at that time if they are also not doing what's right.

I feel if he has good advisers he should use his media presence after his head has cooled down to apologize to the fans and assure them that he is all for the team and even if we have lost the fa cup game, we intend to come back stronger challenging for the competitions we are still in and he also hopes to help the team with better performances. Simple!

His reactions has already divided the fan base and that's not what we need right now so it's on him to help calm the issue and move on quickly

Trust me as long as Sambi is a gooner, we will have nothing but love for him but that must translate into consistent performances.

Xhaka is testament to how fickle we are as fans and he has let his performances do the talking rather than fighting on social media.

Maturity also plays a part and I hope this will help Sambis maturity process.

Spy360:
Like I said before I am not really into how Lokonga should react, rather I am interested in how Odegaard handled the lad. Note I said the lad and not the issue. You cannot beat a child and still show the child how to cry. You see, in leadership you deal with the issues but you handle the individual.

I cited the case of Xhaka too. But we know that if not Arteta's handling, Xhaka won't be here today and we (probably no one) would know how good he can be as we know today.

If every player barks like Odegaard I don't think the team will be as united and strong as they are now. It's a lesson to learn. I also believe that being a good leader himself Odegaard will ensure that the boy is taken care of.

Again I get you very well. The lad in this case is a 23 year old professional who plays for Arsenal football club earning weekly pay. He is not a child.

Again from a player perspective in the context we are talking about, there is nothing wrong in my opinion of how odegard handled the lad, absolutely nothing wrong.

If you are citing xhakas case which is altogether something different then I will cite how Xhaka has responded. This situation has nothing to do with xhakas case.

Baba the field is not an office environment where you have the luxury of writing query letter and putting a panel together before taking action. All you have is 90 minutes or more, the earlier you let it out to players not in position or not concentrating enough, the better will be your chance of getting the result.

Even pep recently called out his underperforming players as cited by Ake . Read paper talk on sky sports. Please forget all these politics of managers press conference talks, no manager wants to lose and if any player causes them losses they won't take kindly to it.

You may say you are not interested on how sambi reacts but I am firmly of the opinion that how he now reacts matters. Does he keep on whining and keep animosity with odegard and decides not to put a shift in or does he dig deep keep his head up and light the stage with performance after performance and shame his critics.

Baba all players bark at each other on the field,if you played the game or even witness normally football set, we do that all the time and it just because no one wants to lose. The thing here is that it should not be construed as critism or lowering confidence, if that's the way a player sees it then they are not ready for the big time or prizes in this game.

Jens Lehman screamed and barked all the time during most arsenal games and that has not lowered any players confidence that played with him at that time. It's communication and sometimes the way it comes out may be with more than necessary adrenaline.

No need to flog this issue because I believe even odegard at the next training session would have gone to meet him to explain and all will be good.

But make no mistake that if sambi were to play again and not do his job, they will still come at him.

johnjunior39:
Xhaka came out publicly to accuse his fellow players of not doing enough and don't have fighting spirit last season, bros that is an entire team.

Again, I am not one to criticize Lokonga generally but after watching that clip , he was uninterested and that my dear friend cannot be overlooked bro. Let us not be giving he is not loved kor kor kor talk abeg.

Shey they should buy cradle till when he want to wake up from slumber.

How on earth do you ball watch who is in a dangerous position and be moving back?

I was actually watching Danilo for Notheingham Forest doing same thing and I was saying thank God.

Now look at it this way, Do you ever think that even him playing a DM position sometimes is do his own good?

Omo, we cant baby lokonga forever

God bless you for this response

iamoyindamola:
You get time they reply that one sha

Haha I no even see the moniker before replying.

Spy360:
Please note that I do not intend to make you change your opinion as leadership is very subjective.

Mine is that knowing how Lokonga has come under criticism in recent times, that action can make him go low.

I remember how Xhaka felt after fans were calling him out while on the pitch and then suddenly the coach decides to sub him. The reaction of the fans became more intensed which led to Xhaka throwing his shirt away damning the consequences.

We saw how Lokonga walked away from the fans?

There are better ways to handle such issues and as Roland said, Arteta had to take the initiative and leadership to protect his man.

That's the area we are looking at.

Well said on the are we are looking at and I'm glad you agree that issue of leadership is subjective.

Of course the manager will want to douse the tension which is right but then again from a player perspective, on that pitch during a game pdegard in my opinion did nothing wrong.

Of course I can relate to the troubles of Xhaka in the past and that's why I said that the onus is on how the player now reacts to the challenges . Xhaka has reacted wonderful with performances on the pitch and I expect and hope that sambi does the same.

See title winning teams are not based on emotions or baby carrying players. It's based on tough mentality to thrive in good and bad times.

This little issue as I see it may be just a trying time for a sambi who by the way is 23 , but it's now up to him to rise above this for his own sake and that of the team, there is nothing more to be said after this.

TradingGod:
For God sake why will this useless racial stereotypes still persist in this era? :-/

Because Lokonga is a black midfielder means that automatically he is partey replacement?

Like WTF, they don't even play the same position yet we blame him for trying his best in a position that is alien to him just because he is black does not mean that he is a DMF like partey


Lokonga is more of Xhaka understudy than partey, that is why when Xhaka was playing partey role, we saw how useless he was in ghat position.


Abeg make una they add context before passing judgements, because this young man is trying his best in a position that even your great Xhaka flopped big time

And you guys forget that this young man rarely get a game time which is not normal for a player of that age and when he finally get the opportunity to play, he will be playing out of position just because he is a black midfielder


Being a black midfielder does not mean that he can play that DMF role effectively like Partey, Kante, Bissouma, Makelele, Essien etc.


Give him consistent game time in Xhaka role and watch him blossom into a start that he was destined to be


Abeg make una stop this useless racial sterotype because that young man is not a DMF but a CMF


So stop blamimg him for a role that is not his.

Even Odegard that is shouting like a market woman on heat, if he rarely get game time in his favored position and when he finally get the opportunity to play he is being played as a 9, tell me if odeggard output will not drop too

Where is the racial stereotype in what I said, where did I mention he his a replacement for partey? Did you read my comments to even know what he context in which I supported Odegard from a player perspective?

That's why it's pointless having discussions with some of you. The argument was simply based on whether it was right for Odegard to point out Sambi the way he did or not and nothing more. Bring out something positive to support your own opinion in that regard,that's all.

Managers will always be managers and as much as Arteta may want to protect the kid,it's that same Arteta that will not hesitate to bench him or have him sold if he ruins his chances of winning silverware.

Let's not delve into the politics of we will sort it out internally. I have lived it over many years of playing and it's nothing. All mangers want to win and have bragging rights. The one person who shows his own the most is mourhinio. Well looking at his records of success we can see how that worked out for him.

Tuth is that whether Arteta praises sambi or not for press purposes, he will never be happy with him if his performance cost us big time and then it will fall back to the captain as to why him as a senior man did not do the needfull. Baba dont believe all this press statements too much especially after a loss. These managers bleed when the lose especially to rivals

For me personally it's unti the next game and if given a chance , I just want the last to keep his head up and perform. No stories. We are here haling Xhaka today but forget how much he cost us in the past . All he has done now is forget that , put his head down and perform, he ven rejected captainship just to focus on being the best he can and now it's rewarding.

I pray Sambi does the same and overcome any advesary the incident may portray to become a better player.

Roland17:
I think Spy360 already addressed some. This isn’t about Awilo’s response, obvious poor play or mentality but about Odegaard’s reaction as CAPTAIN. For all I care, Turner, Xhaka, Gabu or even Saka can chew the kid up with that type of obvious reaction but not your captain. I mean even if he was upset, which he has every right to be, his outbursts, flaying of hands is the wrong reaction because you have ended up singling him out.

We saw Turner’s performance yesterday and in previous games, why is he not going to yell at Turner? Leadership is different bro, it is totally different on so many levels. I have nothing against chewing the kid out and giving him an earful but that was not the place or how to do it. That was a teaching moment for Odegaard to help Awilo with his confidence and issues. You think Awilo doesn’t know he played poorly? You think he isn’t aware he let the team down in some ways?

We have fragile fans who watch at the stadium and historically can be toxic, even though they have gotten better this season. The Arteta we know before will not hesitate to throw Awilo under the bus during the press conference but he has matured and rather spoke glowingly of the kid but that doesn’t mean he will be kind to kid in training or dressing room. He just knows that he is supposed to protect the kid and his team first!

I get the point of leadership in all ramifications as head of a unit in ICT for my organization. In fact structural leadership to the core.

But here it's about Football. Our results are determined on the pitch after 90 mins or more. There is no better place given the context for him to display it. Again as I pointed out that we all have different meanings to what leadership is all about but we have to look at the context in which it is being or has to be displayed.

Even as captain I have nothing against what Odegard did and I pointed out that Ramsdale does that to his defenders all the time.

You may be seeing this as a fan but I am seeing this as a player. I will not be doing shuttle runs pressing down players only to look back and see my teammate not doing anything, no matter who that teammate is. That not happening with me.

You may say why not Saka or someone else but did those other people do poorly enough to warrant that? Sure some players had bad performances but they have been consistent enough to earn the trust of their teammates that this was just one off. Sambi has been no where consistent to earn that...

Spy360:
The point Roland made was not about how Lokonga should react to the outburst, but if Odegaard acted well as a captain. These are two different things.

Baba I get the point clearly and like I said looking at it purely from a player perspective,I do not believe Odegard acted wrongly as a captain. In fact I personally feel he had to do it to instill back concentration and confidence.

Sometimes as fans we will say our team is not doin well and there is no leadership because it seems everyone is just playing anyhow but when a player decides to show some leadership right there on the pitch, we bemoan the fact that it was done openly and could dampen the other players confidence.

I'd rather bark at you when on the pitch in the heat of the moment so as to ensure that we walk out that pitch as winners rather than keep quiet and lose only to meet you later to say you could have done this or that.

It's pointless after the loss.

We are all entitled to how we feel leadership should be displayed but in this context based on what happens on the pitch, I believe Odegard did what was best in not just sambis interest but for the team.

I believe you also see Ramsdale do this to his defenders. This is football and you can ge5 to some extreme adrenalin levels in a high stakes game . It's only normal to let out steam especially when you feel or see that another team mate is not pulling their weight in support of the cause..