Last night was horrible. We hoped for better and it didn’t happen. What do we hope for now? Where do we go from here? Just how deep a hole are we in and who is to blame?
More and more fans are beginning to understand the depth of the hole we are in. The idea that a new coach, and I mean ANY new coach, can bring about a quick fix is frankly ridiculous. Perhaps a slight improvement immediately, and a gradual improvement over the rest of the season is possible, but that’s it and even that is a long shot.
So why do I think we are destined to years of mediocrity? I don’t mean the 3 Fa cups in 4 years type of mediocrity that people thought was mediocrity, I mean proper midtable stuff, no cups and likely no decent cup runs even.
The ownership model of self sustaining means there will be no massive injection of fund to buy our way back into a seat at the top table. We know this. So that’s out! Personally I think that is how every club should run in principal, but if Stan wants the club to have a seat, he would have to put his hand into his back pocket. But let me reiterate, that isn’t going to happen.
In order to have a long term successful plan we need someone with a good plan to be in charge, have a vision and the conviction to see it through,and Stan has to stick by him. The problem is finding that man, the likes of Arsene Wenger doesn’t grow on trees, he was a once in a several lifetimes manager and his like will never be seen again, not least because other clubs would have first dibs.
At present the man with the vision is Don Raul, and it’s not 20/20 vision he has, it’s Mister Magoo vision, he can’t see past his contacts book. I can’t think of a single thing he has done that hasn’t knocked us back at least one step. Seriously, he couldn’t even see that the football brand had to be maintained, simply the most basic and important ethos of the club. Can you imagine any new fan choosing Arsenal now? Other clubs will be building their fan bases and we will be hemorrhaging ours. Tv companies will stop picking Arsenal games, revenue will fall, fans will stop watching and attending if the style of football doesn’t meet their requirements. Now, I can hear people screaming “plastic fans“, but that is the reality of the modern game. Especially if that’s what you started following the club to see , or that is your priority when choosing to support a club. The old “Arsenal ’till I die” fans might not like it, but that is how it works for a club that wants to be a global force.
A rebuild will require patience, Loooooooooooooooooooool, 6 days into Freddie’s term and “patience” has already run out in many quarters. Because of the “we deserve” element in the fanbase, coaches and players will not be given the support necessary to develop and build.
So what can we do about it? The answer is very little, all we can do is be supportive of the coach and players if they are trying to play the right way and doing all they can , I believe Freddie and the majority of our players are. It’s going to be a long hard road back, we must not make the journey more difficult for those tasked with carrying us, while prompting those in charge to make the changes that will give the players a fighting chance.
Positively Arsenal 
a hell of a lot of if’s, might’s, and maybe’s in this piece from the telegraph, all based on the assumption that Arsenal “might” have a lot of execs doing the search for a new head coach, and “if” Arteta is a candidate for the job, “maybe” arsenal will split up the interview process so that all the execs interview the candidates and then give their choice to the Kroenkes in the USA for a final say.
Reading the article I could not help but feel that the UK media haven’t got a clue who AFC are looking at for the job, nor have the clue what the process of finding a new head coach will actually entail, so they are making up all sort of shit, including the 12 man list of possible candidates.
Exclusive: Mikel Arteta faces ‘Apprentice-style’ grilling if he wants Arsenal job
Matt Law, Football News Correspondent
7 December 2019 • 9:06pm
Mikel Arteta is emerging as the leading candidate to permanently succeed Unai Emery as Arsenal head coach, but the Spaniard may have to pass an Apprentice style interview process if he wants to take charge of the club.
The Gunners are currently working through their list of potential successors to Emery, including interim coach Freddie Ljungberg, before holding interviews over the post.
Other than working through the names in the frame, Arsenal must also decide whether or not they will try to immediately appoint a permanent head coach or try to wait until the summer.
Arteta is now viewed as the leading candidate if Arsenal look to make an appointment during the season, but he is still likely to have to go through a lengthy interview process if he decides he wants the job.
With so many people involved in identifying the next man, Arsenal may split their executives over a series of interviews for candidates to undergo.
Sources believe head of football Raul Sanllehi and technical director Edu will pair up for one round of interviews, with director of football operations Huss Fahmy and managing director Vinai Venkatesham seeing candidates in a separate round of talks.
Arteta made 100 appearances for Arsenal between 2011 and 2016 Credit: GETTY
It is then believed that the favoured candidate would ideally be flown to America to meet with Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and his son Josh for them to finally approve an appointment.
The process would be similar to the interview round of the hit television show The Apprentice, when contestants are grilled by four separate experts who then feed back to Lord Sugar and he makes the final decision over an elimination.
Arsenal have been criticised for having so many people involved in the hiring process, which some argue complicates and lengthens the entire procedure.
There were splits over who to pursue to succeed Arsene Wenger ahead of the appointment of Emery, with some executives favouring Arteta before the Gunners eventually changed their mind at the last minute and went for Emery.
Arteta is believed to once again be interested in becoming head coach of the club he played for and captained. While Brendan Rodgers, who has signed a new contract at Leicester City, and Eddie Howe, have ruled out taking the job during the season, Arteta could be persuaded to leave Manchester City, where he is assistant to Pep Guardiola.
The biggest stumbling block would be if City or Guardiola provide Arteta with a guarantee that he will succeed the former Barcelona manager when he eventually leaves the club.
Ljungberg was made interim head coach following the sacking of Emery and there was initially a strong view inside Arsenal that he could keep the post until the end of the season, when a decision over a permanent appointment could be made.
That may still prove to be the route the Gunners decide to go down, but a draw with Norwich City and defeat to Brighton, ahead of Monday night’s trip to West Ham United, have not helped Ljungberg’s case.
Another defeat at the London Stadium would put more pressure on Arsenal to make a swift decision and find a permanent successor to Emery.
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Freddie Ljunberg has said its not his plan to throw in lots of the u23 players as its up to the experienced players to get us out of this downward spiral. They need to put in the performance, he wants to see us play for the full game the sort of level we did at the start of the second half v Brighton
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Journalists like Ornstein and Mokbel reputed to get more info than most, but doubt if even they have a clue, let alone the others. Possibly smoke, mirrors and deflection tactics as well.
Think the club would be wise to give Freddie until the summer, and see how he does, if at all possible, cannot see anyone at this stage who is attainable, available, affordable or suitable, but what do I know
Just hope they dont make a panic hiring
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we have 23 EPL games remaining this season, we have 19pts, in our last 23 EPL games we amassed 26pts, if that form is repeated we are on target for 45pts.
of course we are very capable of way better form than that, but it really has to happen sooner rather than later, before it becomes crippling on the club.
Now I would say that with out shaky form so far that we very well might see the cash splashed in January, with a couple of big big money signings made. Might need a permanent head coach appointed for it to happen, but then again, signings are no longer the remit of the Head Coach, so it might happen even with Freddie as an interim coach
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