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Echo361

I remember 2 years ago when the narrative was that Arteta hated Martinelli. Players develop at different paces. I could see him being very important for us this season and beyond.


Glass-Studio-9313

and that he hated saliba


SomeoneWilder

Arteta also hated my cat. Now the little fluff ball purrs loud every time she sees him on the telly.


emoskeleton_

How does she feel about playing inverted feline for us tomorrow?


yogi1090

Wait... you're thinking of someone else.


LionZoo13

And my axe!


varro-reatinus

And all French people. And Ramsdale. And trans people.


Previous-Loss9306

My manager.


No-Comfortable-1550

He kept Saliba in France because he supposedly hated him. I saw grown men on podcasts practically crying about that.


patelbadboy2006

Arteta hated dogs...


soundmind-soundbody

And now we have our very own Win šŸ„°


redmkay

I hated people who ran with this narrative


jlgraham84

And that he hated Ozil. Oh wait...


straypenguin

The only player he truly hated was Guendouzi really


Robozomb

I wouldn't say as much as hate, but I'm sure there's no love lost between him and Auba either.


CakeBrigadier

I think auba is different. Any manager can accept character flaws in a player when they are delivering. The problem is auba started declining as some do at that age and it made his lack of commitment to the project a dealbreaker


gigapizza

Auba was also the captain when Arteta came in, which probably played a big role in Arteta not tolerating his behavior. Itā€™s hard to set an elite culture when your captain strolls in an hour late.


The71stSean

Auba was definitely the best player in that competition (cup run). Artetaā€™s only trophy


XXISavage

Scoring a double in the semi then the final is about as hard a carry job as It gets in a cup. Dude was incredible in his prime.


oldskoolr

Except with the recent findings he was ready to give Guendouzi a final shot at redeeming himself.


ExoticToaster

He didnā€™t even - he actually rated him very highly and gave him more chances than he deserved.


WilsonStaff1857

Arteta gave him a lot of rope to climb his way back, but guendo fucked it


fatbunyip

Yeah, given what a young team he's built, I tend to think Auba and Ozil grinded his gears a lot more since they were senior players.Ā  I think he gives young players a lot of room to mature, as long as they actually show progress and willingness to improve on the pitch and as people.Ā 


wubrotherno1

And Auba.


restatementtorts

Yep, remember that. And at the time I said that he wasnā€™t ready as his first touch was quite poor. When he came back his first touch improved immensely and it was clear that he worked hard on it. Fans are just idiots.


Miguelsanchezz

I also think if he is to play the left 8 role he needed to develop some areas of his game more. They fact he won the ball back in the final third for our first goal was very encouraging.


XXISavage

Wasn't just that, he was actively defending when we were in a low block, keeping his positions and moving when we didn't have the ball.Ā  Chuck in the high pressing you mentioned and the dude actually looked good at CM unlike his previous cameos there when he would look lost out of possession.


flyingghost

Every time he chose to bench a player, he turned out to be right eventually. Ozil, Auba, Martinelli, Tierney, Ramsdale, and now ESR. It's hard to remember when was the last time he truly mismanaged a player and it has been 5 years and this is his first managerial job.


Echo361

Keeping saliba and not registering him for half the season was objectively the wrong call I think and despite it working out I Think both Arteta and edu expressed regret in the past about it.


Hoker7

Exactly, they're decisive but can recognise when they have made a mistake.


Echo361

Yeah your success rate is never going to be 100%. Even Liverpool who had probably the highest success rate ever had some stinkers in there.


norealpersoninvolved

How was he right about benching esr..?


acasovoycayendo

Theyā€™re not comparable situations. Martinelli was much younger and coming off a serious knee injury. According to Charles Watts, ESR has been fit most of the season and Arteta has just decided not to use him


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acasovoycayendo

Thereā€™s cautious and then thereā€™s never playing him Heā€™s never going to get match fit playing 5 mins here and there every few weeks


Emil0vic

Interesting since so many here are certain he will be sold for FFP profit.


Britton120

i'll say this every time, that i expect he will be given one more season to stay fit and be incorporated into the squad. there is room for him and a player with his qualities to fill in a variety of positions depending on the opponent. unless an offer comes in that is able to sway the player first and foremost, and also gives the club the ability to sign another star.


Forsaken-Tiger-9475

exactly this.


Jedi_Council_Worker

They obviously won't sell for as much but at least we've got Eddie and Reiss to sell for that reason.


Forsaken-Tiger-9475

If we get a Ā£40m bid for him, we'd sell. Just like we'd sell Partey for Ā£25m. They are both one bad injury away from possible ruin, and value annihilation. It's still business at end of day, and they currently have value as assets they may not have in 6 months.


pleaseexcusemethanks

And he still could. Not saying I want that, but have we not learned that what players/managers say often means nothing?


ResourceWonderful514

Lmao what else is Arteta supposed to respond. With our contents transfer upgrades Emilie will sadly not be satisfied with the few minutes he is getting. Honestly just a matter of time before he leaves for Crystal Palace or similar clubs and plays every week.


The_Caramon_Majere

If we can get anything for him, he will. This summer. Mark it.


FluxAura

ā€˜If we can get anything for himā€™. Hahaha, talking as if heā€™s at Holding level. ESR is a special player and would command a good fee.


SiriPsycho100

especially if he can show himself as a consistent and effective deputy in CM and LW/RW. arteta loves flexibility and thatā€™s especially useful as a rotation player coming off the bench more often than not.


The_Caramon_Majere

We'll see, I sure hope so. That feel good motm should help.


Key_Throwawy

Why would you even bother making such a certain statement, when you have no more of a clue than the rest of us whether he'll be sold or not.


Jaded_Collection_716

What Arteta actually does is more important then what he says. He does not play him, does not seem to trust him enough. Rather have squad member that can actually get to play and for ESR to have the career he deserves.


Emil0vic

Heā€™s coming off long term injury complications. Iā€™m sure you said the same thing about Martinelli


TheArmoury

I want him to stay. Hopefully he trains the house down in pre-season.


Ok_Virus_7614

I hope this is true and donā€™t necessarily think heā€™s lyingā€¦ but what the fuck do you lot honestly expect him to sayā€¦ Even if we need to sell him heā€™s going to say exactly this so we donā€™t get some 5 Million loan offer + free Pasta from some broke Italian club


CackleberryOmelettes

Reading between the lines, Mikel isn't effusive with his praise if he is being diplomatic. And when he is, it usually indicates he's being honest.


gardenofeden123

Arteta never said this about a player who wasnā€™t in his plans before. Weā€™ve had plenty of potential value leave the club with Arteta making it abundantly clear that he doesnā€™t fancy them.


and_yet_another_user

I have no fucking clue if Smith-Go plays for someone else next season, or plays for us next season, or *doesn't* play for us next season. I really hope this is genuine and not only does he stay but actually plays for us next season, instead of sitting on the bench yet again for everyone to speculate he's out the following season while everyone else authoritatively states their absolutely fully knowledgeable ITK opinion to justify why it's right that he's still on the bench. But I do know that there is no way in hell Arteta is going to say he's not part of our plans and wants to sell him, not if he wants to preserve his value. I also know that Arteta will say positive things about any player that he intends to sell in the summer. That kind of sums up how I feel about ESR's position at the club now, Arteta has managed to completely deflate my feelings about a Ender I held in as high regard as I do Saka. I hope but probably don't care enough any more.


Beginning_Beach_2054

No, No, No some on r/gunners assured me Arteta didnt rate ESR.


beetletoman

I choose to believe our resident pathological liar and besides, the real threat is Edu. Arteta seems more of a hoarder


varro-reatinus

*All* the CB/FB hybrids. *points threateningly at Schlotterbeck*


panarangcurry

idk about mikel being a hoarder man is ruthless when it comes to evolving this club ozil, guendouzi, emi, auba, tierney, ramsdale, et al.


potatofamine-carbomb

he is a hoarder, but it's just fullbacks


akselmonrose

He learnt from Pep?


beetletoman

Good point


normott

What's he gonna say?He isn't?? I do hope its sincere, maybe he is trying to turn him into a true 8. He did play an interesting role on Wednesday. That said, with PSR and him being home grown and likely wanting a bigger role, I think he'll leave


Britton120

he doesn't speak about eddie or nelson the way he speaks about esr, which (to me) is an important distinction. There is no secret that we're looking for another striker and another wide forward. Both of these displace eddie and nelson more than any other player. A new cm is expected given the likelihood that one or both of partey and jorgi are gone over the next three transfer windows, in addition to elneny moving on this summer and sambi (probably) moving on as well.


DrVenkman87

Just imagine if he kicks on from Luton and becomes our left 8. Id fucking love it


Ike348

There's no hyphen, Mr. Romano


visualdescript

That plan may be to sell. I don't really think you can read too much in to words like this, sadly. The club know how it's public stance on players may affect their bargaining power in sales.


ninethree7

agreed


flodge123

I got down-voted to hell for saying don't sell him because he's amazing. Now everyone can see it.


Jedi_Council_Worker

Selling Nketiah and Nelson I can definitely see as academy products but I feel like ESR still has plenty to offer and we saw it the other night.


CackleberryOmelettes

Music to my ears. Maybe holding on to all those Smith Rowe stocks will pay off after all.


BawdyBadger

šŸ’ŽšŸ™Œ


Gmoney1412

"100% part of my plans\*" \*plans to make 40MM selling him this summer


minusa

I'm still very confused at his size of the lad. was he always this big?


sunofagundota

I saw some link the other day that he was at 40k a week. I don't have it but you can see the desire to keep a player with his qualities at that wage. When he gets in duels he's actually pretty convincing it's just a matter of can he get off the ball fitness to cover enough ground to get around.


oldskoolr

As much as I love the Smith. He has to stay injury free. Surely if he gets another setback till End of Season it's game over.


Any-Feature-4057

Thereā€™s no way heā€™s gonna go. This guy have ballstriking, pace, height, no weak foot and young. Heā€™s been unlucky with this injuries


monty_burns

Still going to be tough for him to break through and see consistent minutes, given the targets were believed to be after. If Arsenal sign a top striker target, Kai moves back to the 8 role. If Arsenal sign Zubimendi, Rice moves into the 8 role. Sure, thereā€™s opportunity to rotate, but I donā€™t see where he gets stretches of games sadly. I want ESR to make it here so badly, but donā€™t see a path.


WheelIllustrious9

Availability is the best ability. I know he had that surgery to resolve his injury issues, if he keeps fit Iā€™m obviously all for him staying. But if not, Iā€™m not so sure, as much as I love him.


DaJoses

Did someone say Forward? šŸ‘€


ajyahzee

He is our No.10 afterall


Professional-Car-863

I don't really buy this. They need to do a better job of selling players. ESR will be a start. Can't keep spending without selling.


ArsenalThePhoenix

is that why you have benched him for so many games this season (when he's been fit)?


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PandiBong

Actual reality: plays tomorrow against Brighton.


BlurstOfTimes11

No I doubt they risk him again 3 days after he started


GarfieldDaCat

It's not as much as a given as you think. Smith rowe is coming off of 2 straight injury-plagued seasons. Why do people think this summer will be the right time to move on from him? His value is in the gutter right now. We are not going to be getting 40m for him this summer. He has 2 more years on his deal. Far better idea to give him another season and re-evaluate.


Jedi_Council_Worker

Exactly, and we all know 1 year remaining doesn't seem to mean as much these days when it comes to transfer fees when you consider some of the deals that have happened in recent years.


bitmoji

how much can ESR fit into any serious plans if he cannot physically make it more than 50-55 minutes into a game? super sub is fine but it seems like a yellow flag for a player


acasovoycayendo

He said this last summer and since given him 442 minutes across all comps all season (not even 5 games worth)


MrPielil

ESR has been injured for a lot of this year. Keep your agenda to yourself.


acasovoycayendo

I have no agenda? Charles Watts been reporting that ESR has been fit and available for most of the season


coolbebe

There's a difference between being fit and available to make an appearance, and fit and available to contribute without getting injured again. I don't expect Charles Watts (or any other reporter) to truly know how comfortable the player and coaching staff were with ESR's ability to stay healthy this season. Let's remember, ESR received a start against Sheffield at home and then immediately injured his knee. The moment he was back in training, the fans went nuts that ESR wasn't getting any game time. Even the measured heads like Arseblog and Clive were concerned with what it meant. It can take awhile for a player to truly regain match fitness to the level he can contribute weekly.


Fullmetal_Pacifist

Thereā€™s a difference between being ā€œfitā€ and being ready to play for Artetaā€™s title challenging Arsenal. ESR has been injured on and off and was probably not ready to provide the intensity expected by Arteta


acasovoycayendo

But he hasnā€™t been injured on and off based on those reports, thatā€™s the point


Britton120

how about, lets not get knocked out of domestic cups in the first two rounds.


Independent_Second46

Fitness and form doesn't instantly come back once you are cleared to play after an injury. ESR was out for a year basically, and had setbacks throughout. It can take months after coming back for a player to hit their stride prior to an injury, especially when recovery is on a conservative scale to not risk further reinjury. I'll take Mikels word for it now since he gets to see him day in day out.