Match Day Thread Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion - Matchday Thread

Yep. It's theirs to lose now.

It really does suck that we're having to watch things come together for them at the right time of the season, while we're tailing off at the worst time of the season.

This is going to be a horrendously painful end.

Roll on Summer. Please.

 

Genuine question...

No way is top 4 done and dusted imho...if you win all your games it's yours...same with us but IF you end up finishing behind us after being 6 points ahead with a game in hand with just 10 games to go, should Arteta be sacked?

Even if you come 5th?

 

If it were up to me, I would personally prefer if we looked at other options in the Summer, as Arteta's obsession with positional play has its limitations with the players we have (who are inexperienced) and we need very specific profiles to play the way he wants. It's too precise. But if we get back into Europa League, I don't see him being sacked - as that was the target at the start of the season.

We all thought City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd would fulfil the first 4 spots. Then it would be down to West Ham, Leicester, Arsenal & Spurs to fight it out for 5th and 6th spots.

As it turns out, Arsenal have probably done better (results wise) than many people anticipated up until this point. And Leicester and Man Utd have fallen below expectation, particularly the latter.

On the one hand, it will be disappointing if we don't get 4th, considering the position we put ourselves in. On the other hand, it was never the expectation and the inactivity of the January transfer window suggests to me that the club preferred to have rolled the dice, than commit to any transfers, because we were performing above our level for where they projected us to finish.

So to answer your question: no, I don't think he gets sacked if we get Europa League.

 

to answer your question: no I would not sack him in the summer for that scenario. What should happen is, for me, very simple:

If we get top 4 give him his contract extension.

if we finish 5th or 6th, let him have the last year of his contract and one final chance to get us champions league football, which if he doesn’t get next season, then we part on amicable terms at contract end.

If he finishes lower than 6th, sack him this summer citing no improvement/progress.

 

Yeah I would agree with that. If we completely capitulate and come 8th again though - I would say he has to be fired. Maybe re-hire I'm in 5-6 years when he's got bit more experience as a manager.

 

Who would you want, Brunel?

High profile or another project one? Or a wildcard option?

 

I did want Erik Ten Haag, but he's off to Man Utd now, which I'm personally gutted about because he's got potential to be an excellent manager here. If he's given the time and control, I think there's a very good chance he could get Man United back to where they want to be in several years. Key words being if they give him the time. Because he has a lot of work to do. But I like what he's done at Ajax and the fact he's got them competitive in Europe.

Christophe Galtier is another option I do like. Won the league with Lille last season, which was very left-field. Their 1st title in 10 years. Now he's at Nice, has them 5th (1 point off 4th) and in the French Cup final. He could lead them to their first piece of silverware since 1997. The only issue here is that he's never managed/been outside of France, so it'd be a gamble on someone where language barrier (no idea if he speaks English) could be problematic.

Other options I would like/would be open to are Luis Enrique, Graham Potter, Ralph Hassenhuttl and even Thomas Frank - all of these guys are excellent tactical coaches, know how to build combative/competitive sides and try to play attractive football with limited resources (bar Enrique).

 

Potter was who I wanted at Spurs before realising we actually stood a chance of getting Conte. Think it’ll only be a matter of time til he gets a big gig somewhere. Only so much he can do at Brighton now without added resources. I’ve said on our board that I think he and Steve Cooper are the best young British coaches around at the moment and I can see Cooper in the Prem very soon, with or without Forest.

ten Hag was also someone high up on mine and other Spurs fan’s lists at the time but there’s been valid counter points to getting him too, so I’ll be intrigued to see how he does at a Utd side that’s currently a laughing stick.

Gaultier’s an interesting shout for reasons you’ve mentioned.

Jury’s out on Enrique for me. Didn’t set the world alight with Roma or Vigo but then took over a Barca side that was still elite at the time. Wouldn’t be someone I’d initially want to go with if I’m honest.