The way the press have gone on, you would think Arsenal’s slow start in the Premier League was the first time one of the so called “Big 6” had a sluggish start to the season.

This is simply not true.

Just last season, Tottenham had 14 points from the first 12 games of the season. They were 14^th. One place ahead of where Arsenal currently sit, with just one point more.

The week before, with 11 games played, Manchester United sat 14^th with 13 points from 11 games.

Manchester United finished 3^rd, Tottenham 5^th.

In 2015/16, Chelsea were 16^th after 12 games with just 11 points. There struggles would continue throughout the season as they eventually finished 10^th. The season after they would win the league.

And in 2014/15 Liverpool were 12^th after 12 games with 14 points. They would recover to finish 6^th.

Finally in 2008/09, the first season under the ownership of the Abu Dhabi United Group, Manchester City were 13^th, with 13 points from 12 games. Below them in 16^th were Tottenham.

Arsenal are currently 15^th with 13 points from 11 games.

It is not good enough, but every other side has been in pretty much the same position over the last dozen years.

Every one of those sides recovered from their slow starts to win trophies over the next few season, except Tottenham.

Onwards and upwards.

Keenos

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— 🎗 ///SHE WORE/// 🎗 (@SheWore) December 12, 2020

The players, not the manager, are not the problem.

Yes, Mikel Arteta picks those players, and has perhaps been to loyal to too many of then, but his hands are tied.

Arsenal have a huge amount of money tied up in players who simply are not good enough. And then many of those who would be good enough have had a huge drop off in form.

We have amassed a squad of players who do not have the talent to back up their egos; who are more interested in their own PR, social media, etc than putting in performances on the pitch. They have over inflated opinions of their own ability.

The same set of players let down Arsene Wenger in his first season. They downed tools for Unai Emery at the back end of 2018/19 leading to his sacking towards the end of the year. And are now doing similar to Mikel Arteta.

Graeme Souness summed it up during the post game punditry. How many players in this Arsenal squad are actually good enough? And not just in terms of ability but also in character.

The upcoming summer Edu needs to work miracles.

We have some players naturally leaving as their contract expires. He also needs to get as much money as possible selling senior pros, as well as cash in on some of the Hale End youngsters who are not really that young anymore.

So who should stay and who should go?

Bernd Leno is a decent number one keeper, but Runar Alex Runarsson has proved to be a bit shaky in the Europa League. Runarsson will do a job as a 3^rd choice keeper, but we need to try and find a quality, home grown back up to Leno in the Premier League.

In defence, time has run out for Hector Bellerin, whilst the contracts of Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis and David Luiz will mean the back of them. Sead Kolasinac needs to be sold and one of Rob Holding or Calum Chambers should be sold.

That would leave Arsenal with Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Cedric Soares at right back, and Gabriel, Pablo Mari, William Saliba and one of Rob Holding or Calum Chambers ate centre back.

We would then have to add another right sided central defender next to Gabriel whilst Saliba continues to grow.

At left back we would need to buy cover for Kieran Tierney.

Moving into midfield, Thomas Partey is the foundation we need to build it round, whilst Mohamed Elneny is a decent, hard working squad player.

We need more players like Elneny – he might not be the best but he is humble, quiet and just gets on with things.

Time is up for Granit Xhaka whilst bringing back Dani Ceballos for a 2^nd season on loan now looks like a bad decision. Miguel Azeez is a talent, but we should not expect too much from him.

That means we need to go out into the market and buy another 2 midfielders to provide cover and competition for Partey.

We also have Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi out on loan. One (or even both?) of these could return. Would midfield options of Partey, Guendouzi, Torreira, Elneny and Azeez be that bad?

But then Guendouzi is one of those who is a poisonous personality and Torreira has never really settled. Cashing in on both and buying replacements feels the best option.

Time is probably running out for Joe Willock.

He turns 22 at the end of the season and has been found wanting in the Premier League. Alongside a couple of other young Englishman, it might be time to cash on him and start developing the next in line (IE Azeez).

Nicholas Pepe gets the rest of the season to show what he can do, whether he can come back from his show of petulance against Leeds United. He has performed well in the Europa League and could be a breath of fresh air on his return.

Bukayo Saka is also going no where, whilst Emile Smith Rowe should be given the chance sooner rather than later.

Realistically, Willian is going nowhere so we have to include him.

Reiss Nelson is injured once again. Whilst he has shown glimpses, he has struggled to get in ahead of Pepe or Willian, and Saka is now levels ahead of him. Like Willock, it is perhaps time to cash in, and use that money to fund someone who is a level ahead.

We need to add creativity in the middle of the park. Someone to replace Mesut Ozil.

Up front, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should be kept.He will return to form. His captaincy is a discussion for another blog.

Aubameyang should be backed up by Gabriel Martinelli and Folarin Balogun. That would see Arsenal cash in on Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah. The later in the same boat as Willock and Nelson.

Take the money for Nketiah, invest it elsewhere and promote Balogun as 3^rd choice striker. If we can get him to agree to stay.

That will be at least 14 players leave:

6 Contracts Expiring:

Matt Macey

Sokratis

Shkodran Mustafi

David Luiz

Dani Ceballos

Mesut Ozil

5 Senior Pros:

Hector Bellerin

Rob Holding or Calum Chambers

Sead Kolasinac

Granit Xhaka

Alexandre Lacazette

3 “Youngsters”

Joe Willock

Reiss Nelson

Eddie Nketiah

It would then see 7 players come in (GK, CB, LB CM, CM, RW, AM). Although some of these places could be taken by those out on loan (Mavropanos, Guendouzi, Torreira).

It would leave us with a squad of:

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/1338481939217604608

Keenos

The Arsenal Quiz book.

Now on pre-sale.

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— 🎗 ///SHE WORE/// 🎗 (@SheWore) November 2, 2020

Throughout what has been a disjointed and inconsistent first quarter of the season for Arsenal, Thursday night wins have become routine, with the Gunners beating Dundalk 4-2.

The only team to win all six of their group-stage matches in European competition in 

2020-21, the Gunners breezed through to the last 32 of the Europa League but have not won a Premier League game since 1 November. 

Now, with no more continental football until February, Arsenal must translate their accomplished performances in Europe into the Premier League. 

Playing in the Europa League has given Mikel Arteta and his players some much-needed confidence after going more than a month without a win in domestic football, which was evident in the way Arsenal went about their business in Dublin. 

The chance for academy graduates to impress Arteta has continued, with the likes of Folarin Balogun, Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith-Rowe and Miguel Azeez all impressing under the Thursday night lights. Hale End products continuing to shine in the first team also has the added benefit of putting pressure on some of the club’s more established players, who have been underwhelming in the league.

At the Aviva Stadium, Arsenal moved the ball with purpose and precision, intent on breaking down the Dundalk defence. This is in stark contrast to their past two league matches, where they looked lost for ideas against the discipline and determination of Tottenham and Wolves respectively. 

They will come up against another resolute side on Sunday, when they face Burnley at Emirates Stadium. If Arteta needs any inspiration for his game plan, then he should continue the policy of picking a mixture of young talent, blended with experienced heads. The Spaniard must send a message out to the squad that no player is infallible, and a smart way to do that would be by including youngsters who have shone in Europe. 

Indeed, after netting against Dundalk, Nketiah is now Arsenal’s top scorer this season, with five goals. In addition, Willock is the first Arsenal player to reach both three goals and three assists in a European campaign since 2016/17, when both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil did so in the Champions League, according to Opta.

Arteta has also been bold with his choice of formations in Europe, often favouring an unorthodox 3-5-2. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Arsenal have looked far more dangerous in the Europa League, with 20 goals from their six matches. 

With goals hard to come by against admittedly tougher opposition, Arteta should not be afraid of tinkering how Arsenal set up in the Premier League, where they need to inject urgency and fluidity into their play. The Spaniard has preferred a more rigid structure in domestic fixtures, but the extra emphasis on his players’ shape has left them devoid of any attacking instincts. 

Arsenal currently sit 15th in the Premier League table and have a favourable run of fixtures heading into Christmas. As well as the visit of Burnley, the Gunners host Southampton before a trip to out-of-form Everton. These matches seem like the ideal time for Arteta to try something new that gets his team amongst the goals again. Even if wins have to be ground out in the dying minutes, rather than achieved with glitz and glamour, anything will do for Arsenal. 

Just as Arteta got the best of his players by guiding them to an FA Cup trophy, he must lift the squad again, as the focus now shifts to an improvement in Premier League performances after getting the job done in Europe.

Zac Campbell