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Message: [QUOTE="DS3, post: 6671106, member: 407846"] Well, that was a horror show - no one on the team looked like they wanted to be there – in my opinion the worst performance of the season. That said, one silver lining was that last night Arsenal technically secured a Champions League place for 2023/24. However, what this run of games have highlighted is Arteta’s lack of flexibility and creativity. Arteta is beginning to look a lot like Wenger – give creative players a lot of freedom and ‘things’ will just work out. Plan B, nowhere to be found. For instance, fans had been discussing all week the main goal for this game was not to lose. With that in mind options had been discussed around playing a solid back four and midfield to cope with the injuries to regular players. In defense...Tierney. Gabriel, White (his actual role) and then Zinchenko at right back. Then Jorginho in for Xhaka but playing a deeper midfield role next to Partey. Additionally give serious consideration to playing Trossard up front instead of Gabriel Jesus. But, absolutely no changes. Again, like Wenger, Arteta has shown odd personal preferences all season. He has played Saka into the ground (70 plus games in a row) until at this point he looks physically and mentally spent. But, Reiss Nelson, who has looked like a live wire every time he has been subbed on has only played very limited minutes and not started a single game. All season the rumor has been Arsenal would let him go on a free at the end of the season as his contract is finished. This has annoyed so many fans. Likewise Kiaran Tierney, one of the best left backs in the PL, frozen out for some ludicrous ‘inverted’ role Zinchenko has been allowed to play. Statistically, Zinchenko is not the key influential figure he has been lauded as. What he does is primarily weaken the defense. Meanwhile, Tierney now wants to leave and teams are lining up to sign him (Newcastle said to be the favored team). Finally Trossard. Trossard has been as important a figure as any in the team since his signing in January. But when Gabriel Jesus returned to the team Trossard was benched. Sort of understandable and Jesus did score goals. But he is not playing as well as before his injury. More importantly, with Trossard featured we won a long string of games, with Jesus back we have drawn three in a row and then lost. Trossard should have been starting. In some ways I wish Man City had already risen to the top of the table so a certain amount of pressure was off the team and they could play with the confidence (maybe) they had throughout the season. But, I sense there might be further stumbles yet. This run of game have been appalling but I suppose all you can hope is that lessons have been learned...but as many are pointing out, Arteta for all his coaching skills seems really lacking when it comes to changing tactics and in game management. Still, Champions League next season. Gotta look on the bright side. [/QUOTE]

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