The only reason I’m still backing Arteta after Everton debacle is because Arsenal don’t have a good enough striker

ARSENAL and football seldom make me angry… well at least not as often as they used to.

When you have lower expectations and accept that, for the present at least, the Gunners are a cup team at best, there really is no point in getting angry.

And this acceptance is easier when you are filled with pride by the emergence of homegrown talent and see some genuinely top- drawer new signings. 

Having said all that, while one may admit our current station is below the Premier League elite, two things are still required. To use a term our manager is fond of using, these are my non-negotiables: that Arsenal play attractive, progressive football and I can identify a tangible plan to take us back to where I want us to be.

In short, if I accept that my team is not going to challenge for Premier League, my minimum requirement is to enjoy watching the style and brand of football.

Sadly, this is too often simply not the case this season and the debacle of Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Everton was right up there with the worst nights for Arsenal in recent years, and certainly under Arteta.

What makes this loss 0 and indeed the loss at Old Trafford – so galling is that both teams were struggling and devoid of confidence until Arsenal came to town.

Everton have an average squad pulled together by a plethora of failed managers and it was our style and approach to the match, particularly having taken the lead, that gave a team on a huge winless streak a belief they could come back.

Our lack of belief gave them theirs!

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Arteta, by a combination of inheriting a talented group of Hale End products and shrewd purchases, has begun to build a half decent squad – but there appears to be a disconnect between their talent and self-belief and how they approach matches.

It is hard to believe that 10 outfield players collectively take their foot of the gas and sit back on a slender lead so often by mistake. 

Part of the issue, or perhaps most of it, seems to be an inability to carve out regular opportunities for our strikers, combined with a lack of form and confidence from those individuals to take the chances we do create.

This factor is probably the sole reason why I am still willing to back the manager because I do feel he does not have the potent striker he needs or indeed the style of forward he wants.

Aubameyang is devoid of confidence, has lost a yard or two of his once frightening pace, is uncomfortable with the hold-up and link play needed for the 4-2-3-1 formation, and most worryingly is not truly making vital runs in behind.

Conversely. Lacazette has the hold-up and link play but rarely the speed or even the instinct to get involved in the box at the end of any move and is leaving us anyway.

There is no sense in building our future around either player, given their age.

So the question is whether Arteta believes Martinelli can play centrally, and I for one, would like him given an opportunity.

And it’s bizarre to give Nketiah game time, directly after he has confirmed he is not signing a new deal.

Although the strange selections do not stop with the want-away England U21 striker.

Sambi and Maitland-Niles have both shown steady form without errors, but Partey stays in the team regardless of how poorly he plays.

I have no idea where the player from pre-season is but, given he presumably will be off to AFCON, if the Ghana coach is not watching Arsenal, Arteta needs to plan for that eventuality NOW.

Why he would completely disregard one record signing in Pepe, due to underperforming, and yet ignore the Ghanaian’s woeful sub-par displays, cannot do much for squad harmony.

Xhaka, Sambi and Maitland-Niles are not going away in January so let’s at least try combinations of those three now.

The problem is I like Arteta, I always have. As a player I wanted us to sign him, and I expected a player who read the game so well to become a top coach and perhaps he will.

I am impressed with his signings of the last window, and I love our back 5. I also have no issues with Smith Rowe, Saka and Odegaard but they need better support from the midfield two and a better target of a striker who can combine the best of Aubameyang and Lacazette (circa 2018/19). 

The question for the fanbase and the club is, do we have the faith Arteta can bring in the central midfielder we need or the ability to get more from those we have and crucially the striker the 4231 deserves.

Or perhaps should he switch back to 4-4-2 or 4-3-3? I hope the Spaniard is the man, I honestly do, but many more performances devoid of strategy, invention, or belief as we saw at Goodison, and it won’t just be me coming off the fence.

Mikel – let them play and express themselves when we go 1-0 up please!!

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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk