Offical match day thread

No it hasn't. Wenger was awful and should have gone earlier. The fact we also have a terrible board is the reason things have gone so wrong. They are the ones who replaced Wenger with another terrible manager and doing so doesn't make it anything other than fact that Wenger was also terrible for most of his last years with us. We're paying the price for having an inept board who stuck with him for so long.

If I continually served you vomit on a plate day after day and then replaced it with a plate of dogshit instead it doesn't suddenly mean the vomit was an acceptable meal all those times.

However, I'll agree with your last part. We need to get behind Arteta and give him a couple of seasons to make some noticeable improvements.

 

Sometimes in life, you have to go backwards to move 10 steps forward. The rot started during Wenger's reign, the defence/midfield was allowed to fall into disrepair. Change is never easy, and anyone who thinks AW (who I have a lot of respect for) was not the architect of the rot is deluded. Also a bit disingenous to say it was a minority of the fan base who in the end wanted a change in direction. The club rarely listens to the fan base anyway, what would have upset the board was missing out on top4 2 seasons running, hence affecting their bottom line. The fans are just pawns in all of this sorry saga.

 

You are spot on sir. I love your analogy with vomit, disgusting, but quite effective!

 

Chambers is out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury. Massive blow, as he's probably been our most consistent defender this season when he's played. We absolutely need to try and get a CB in January. Relying on Mustafi, Holding, Sokratis, Luiz and Mavrapanos won't cut it.

 

I agree with you most of the time on here but on this... Whatevs. A running theme that crops up time and time again is how teams rely on the player that's conveniently out injured. Bullshit. He's been pretty good. But we said the same about Holding when was out. And Bellerin.

No team wanting top 4 will have Chambers as their best defender. Hopefully this makes us move for Koulibaly.

 

Whatever way you look at it we need another CB. We needed one anyway, but now the situation is critical.

Koulibaly would be a great signing if we could get him and if he wants to come.

Dayot Upamecano looks like it might be on the cards, I'd be happy with that too.

 

Agreed, Chambers is to all intent and purposes a squad player, would not get into most top 6 sides!

 

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it's right that Chambers has been our best defender so far this season. If anything, it's a sad indictment on the rest of the players that a slightly above average player like Chambers has outperformed them. But I would rather have had him in defence against United than someone like Sokratis or Mustafi, for example.

We absolutely need a new CB (or two) whether Chambers was injured or not. Now that he is injured, it has to be seen as a higher priority than it was before though.

 

That means they will be getting another striker or winger then! When was the last time, they did the obvious, in dire need of a cb and midfielder, they blow 72mill on Pepe.

 

Lemar next

 

He's been awful at Atletico Madrid, so I hope we steer clear!

 

Yeah - at least his price will have dropped since we last went after him.

Lemar is potentially quality no doubt, reminds me of Sterling in many ways but he's not producing the levels of conistency needed.

Besides we need to focus on CB and CM before going after any more forwards.

 

We bid £90m for him a couple of seasons ago

CB and CM are an absolute priority before we splash any more cash on pacey wingers

 

Again what do you guys think of the constant rumours about Auba refusing to sign a new deal and might be off in January. Question is can we afford to offload him in January, despite the team struggling for goals?

 

He will go in the Summer, but there's no chance of us letting him go in January unless an absolutely obscene offers comes in e.g. £90m or more (considering he has less than 18 months left on his current deal).

We still have an opportunity to do well in the Europa League and FA Cup, so the season is still somewhat salvageable. I'm not saying I expect us to go as far as we did last year in the Europa, but we've got a respectable chance. Until we're knocked out of those competitions, there is something to play for.

 

We always worry about our main goalscorer leaving. RVP, ah panic! Sanchez, ah panic! He'll leave and we'll score goals from someone else. Whatevs.

 

Arsenal: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Torreira, Ozil, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette

Subs: Martinez, Holding, Ceballos, Guendouzi, Willock, Nelson, Saka

Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissake, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Fred, Matic, James, Lindgard, Rashford, Martial

Subs: Romero, Jones, Williams, Young, Andreas, Mata, Greenwood

Good to see Pepe start. Martinez, Ceballos and Holding return to our bench.

 

Looking forward to this one. Both teams need a good result. Hoping to see our improvement continuing. Big game needed from both Xhaka and Torreira to protect that back 4.
Also pleased to see Pepe starting, hoping he is going to become a big player this season for us as he settles in

 

Anyone got a stream?

 

Pepe staying on his feet with Shaw tugging him back and not getting booked showing why players generally dive.