The Mail Bag
Will the real Arteta please stand up!
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After watching last night's showing at West Ham, I felt so sorry for our recent hero Mikel as very little he tried came off. At one point, he couldn't find a pass and got caught in possession in midfield and had no acceleration to win the ball back or even get close to his marker.
A year or so back, if you remember, he was the most fouled player in the Prem; now to get this acolade you have to be regularly skinning your opponent. Last night, he was the one being skinned regularly. If ever we need the old Arteta to step up to the plate, then it is now.
How about giving our £75k-a-week man a few games in the Reserves to get some level of fitness back? If not then sadly it's time to move him on before his sell-by date reads 2009!!
Steve Cotton, Posted 29/12/2010 at 09:02:15
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It seems to me that the midfield is looking over crowded. I know we have played 5 in midfield for years, but last night it was more like 6 and 3 of them were trying to play in exactly the same position. Rodwell, Fellaini and Arteta are all holding midfielders.
Moyes is trying to accomadate people when he needs to be trying to play a balanced team. To be fair, from looking at the bench he didn't seem to have too many options but I would have liked to have seen Rodwell and Arteta playing in more advanced positions to stop everybody getting in each others way. Arteta hardly had a kick all night because Rodwell and Fellaini were taking up his positions.
He clearly has other concerns on his mind ? family/going back to Spain perhaps?
Our next three fixtures: Stoke, Spurs, The Shite... in which one will we emulate the City performance? ? because watching us this season is a lottery.
If he is injured, fair doos; Moyes should drop him. If he is shit, fair doos; Moyes should sell him. if he is "disillusioned" then I suggest he forfeits his £75 grand per bloody week until he finds his "illusionment" again.
bloody pathetic bunch of crybabys these modern footballers. Don't make excuses for them by blaming the manager's tactics.
Give him a break and get behind him. We need a fit and confident Mikel Arteta.
His best form was when he played on the wings. He can't play in central midfield as he's not good enough. He lacks all the skills a central midfielder needs.
Rodwell is overated and doesn't even look good enough to get in our team ? never mind United's.
I find it strange to hear people saying he has not been as good since his injury yet last season he finished very strongly getting 6/7 goals. That is not a bad return bearing in mind he didn't start a game until February.
I think he needs to be dropped. I said the same about Howard a while ago. No player should be beyond reproach. Mikel deserves to be dropped. Howard did a while ago but has done ok lately.
Give the likes of Bily, Jermaine and Gueye a fair crack. Gueye from the bench first, see what he's made of before we start him. Won't happen though, Moyes is far too stubborn.
I was really disappointed not to see Saha start yesterday. I know he hasn't scored in a while, but he has a great goalscoring record against West Ham, he definitely deserved a start.
With playing Cahill as the main striker, I think the balance of the team wasn't right. I actually think Anichebe deserves a run in the team upfront.
Against Stoke, hopefully Jags or Heitinga will be fit. I would go with Arteta on the right, Pienaar and Fellaini in the middle, Osman on the left with Cahill supporting Anichebe.
One if not all three are clearly affecting him.
It's not just that he's not going past players he is not even holding on to the ball and losing possession in that position is a major liability.
I can only assume Moyes doesnt watch him intraining because he shouldnt be near the frst team even on sentiment.
Roswell and Fellaini could work well if given the chance to settle and maybe we could afford Pienaars payrise by selling Arteta.
In addition to be selling James Vai=ughan for 2 million while saying we cant afford a secent striker and doubtful if we can get one on loan is just as dafy as letting Yobo out on a season loan when we have no cover.
To me it appears Moyes is putting two fingers up at the board and saying this is what you get when you wont put out.
Arteta is not, and never has been, a holding midfielder and that's the problem. He is totally ineffective operating so deep.
Last season both players were brilliant but at seperate times; Felly carried the team the first half of the season before getting injured just as Arteta came back where he was equally as good.
Arteta seems lost - Felly can't be dropped because he's in a league of his own, but for my money Arteta doesn't look sure what he's being asked to do? For me he he should be dictating the play in the way Fabregas does - he's got the ability but seriously lacking confidence.
And why does Fellaini get so many plaudits? He is slow, is a liability when tackling, he gives the ball away under pressure and can't deliver a decisive through ball. What is his purpose exactly?
It's also Moyes's fault that he likes to protect his favourites players.
At half-time against West Ham, Moyes' tactics should have been as follows:
Replace Arteta with Osman
Replace Rodwell with Beckford
And for the last fifteen minutes, Push Osman to the right and replace Coleman with Billy.
It should have worked ....IMO.
Neville is barely a footballer at the moment, and is the absolute liability. Arteta with Coleman overlapping from deep is a far more formidable right hand side than Coleman against two or three players with Neville standing watching. It also allows for the two wide men (Arteta and Pienaar) to switch mid game for variety.
The only argument I've ever heard for keeping Neville in is that he's an organiser. I'm afraid if the other defenders can't organise then they're not good enough and need to leave the club so we can bring in some who are good enough.
This is why we need a new manager.
WHAT! Yes, someone with no baggage plus the balls and nouse to say to Arteta, "Listen son, you're not really happy here, the Mrs isn't happy, everything's shit and it shows in your play. Tell you what, we'll rip up the contract, you fuck off back to Spain (only Spain mind you), find yourself another club, they can pay us a fee, you're back home, the Mrs is happy and we save the money you are wasting."
Yes, I know: Agents... not that simple, but why not?
That's why we need a new manager: new broom, new ideas, no baggage.
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1 Posted 29/12/2010 at 14:40:47
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However, he is in stinking form and quite frankly is a liability. He needs time out of the limelight and needs to be taken out of the first team until he gets some form back.
The worst thing to watch for me was his lack of effort. Ok you're out of form, fair enough... but at least put in a shift and work hard. Hard to take when you see him so disinterested.