I had doubts too initially, but when we dispatched everything in front of us during his first season, I thought: fair enough, he’s not a guy I’ll ever love like Klopp, but he knows what he’s doing. My doubts started to re-surface after the title was won, when he missed the opportunity to take a look at the academy players at a moment in time when his first team players showed first signs of being exhausted.
The worst part was our loss of identity on the pitch which ensued. That’s why he was sacked in the end. I’d be very surprised if the same happens to Iraola. He seems to have clearer ideas about what he wants to do. Also, the fact that he has had to go through rough patches during his manager career, but still came out of them by keeping faithful to his ideas, is a good indicator for what is to come.
Slot on the other hand was really found out in that regard.
The last time I became approving was when we bought Fabinho as I actually knew a very little about him. He didn’t let me down until his legs couldn’t carry him faster than a snail.
When it comes to managers it’s just mild interest and amazement at how silly others get.
I think due to the Slot fiasco many are going to be more serious over scrutinizing Iraola.
Even so the relief of replacing Slot is wonderful.
Yes, I was thinking specifically about the Quansah substitution in his first competitive game for us, which I agree that Slot didn’t handle well, but he did get a victory. It’s easier to look over things when we are winning. Even at the start of last season, I was thinking that it would be great once the team gels given that we were winning whilst playing incoherently.
I was reading the Guardian article on Iraola:
I agree with the gist of this, in that he should get something better out of the players available. That’s the brief that Klopp had when he came in, and it soon became obvious as to where the real gaps in the squad were.
That article seems to think that we are looking at a right-back and two wingers. Given that Bradley looks crocked and Frimpong is more of a wing-back it seems to make sense. I’m not sure what the two wingers are likely to be. Left and right or two right sided ones? Obviously, we need a Salah replacement and I would see that a second right sided winger who could cover in the centre would be useful (Ekitiké is likely to be unavailable for much of next season). On the left side, I would hope that he could get better out of Gapko, and Wirtz and Rio can both play there, so it is less of a priority.
Anyway, that’s more for the “Who would you buy” thread. At least if the bickering has stopped for now.
Was watching some of the analysis on his ideas and I like it.
But it also got me thinking a lot of it seemed like common sense.
Things like pressing in a way that forces their weaker players to have the ball or they have to kick it down the side you want them to. I do that when I play.
Fuck me, are players not all doing this? Maybe I could be a manager!
I’m glad Arne is gone for the many obvious reasons.
I’m happy that Iraola has been appointed. I’m excited to see what he can do and I can see and hope for good things.
I would have been ecstatic if Milner was part of the backroom staff but of course Iraola has decided on his own crew.
Onwards and upwards YNWA
No pressure. He has two years to match Slot but ideally the other way around. First year a Top4 finish with improved performances and maybe better Cup runs. A major trophy in his second year is a must.
Over the last day or so people have messaged the mods team asking for us to do more to keep threads on topic, so I’m going to clean up the most recent off-topic posts and ask everyone to stick to discussion of our new boss, cheers.
Shit no. Arsenal are contributing massively to my overall waning interest in football.
I said earlier that I’d hope a new coach would challenge this “new football fashion”. To be fair Iraola looks to be a good option for that.
Part of my frustration is possibly linked to the good ole days where we did things our way, boot room, and we had succession. I guess I feel we missed a trick a bit there with Klopp but the modern game is not the same.
I’ve never been one for it much. Not in football anyway. I’m a wrongun obviously.
Maybe the game has moved to a place where I’m just not as engaged as I used to be. The days of trying to copy Ronnie Whelan bending one in past a hapless Bailey are long gone I guess.
