Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal so of course the supporters are still backing him, while the tactical differences at Liverpool are laid bare.

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English no more
There is not a single Manchester United player in the England squad. I am not even English, and this seems unnatural. The club & all it’s English players should hang their heads in shame to have brought the club to this state. The reason I supported England & Manchester United since I was a child because I saw Beckham playing at the Euros. And then I become a United fan.

It was a joy to support England when a majority of the squad was filled with world class Manchester United players. Then I slowly turned to supporting England in tournaments, loved even players like Gerrard when they donned an England shirt.

And now, I have to most probably watch England at a major tournament with no United players, because that’s how bad it has gotten at United. Maguire, Rashford, Shaw, all have regressed so badly that what used to be a guarantee pick is now a club that has none of the top 25 players in the country in which it plays.

Maybe, I am overthinking it.
Aman

Why Arteta is backed
Hi Barry (Perth), it’s an interesting question about why Arsenal fans like Arteta so much.  It’s simply to say we are on the right path and that’s all you can ask for, at any football club.  And to be honest, I’d take where we are today, over where anyone else is presently.  Also, we’re still not out of the running for the quadruple.
SC, Belfast

Barry, if you just re-read your own email a couple of times, you would have your answer.

Why do you think we support a manager who has taken us from 8th to 2nd – achieving our two highest point totals since 2004 – delivering our best football in that period (with exceptionally talented players backed up by a rock hard defense not seen in these parts since the late 90s) whilst our traditional rivals outspend us and look worse?

Do you think it might have something to do with the fact we win more often? In general, and against teams that used to pump us? And even when we don’t win, we give as good as we get? That our manager is now the blueprint every time a coach comes in and asks for time?

If you’re questioning whether this is as far as Arteta can go, I can at least understand (although clearly I would disagree – I think we still haven’t seen the peak of this Arsenal team) but to ask why we would support so strongly a coach whose winning % for Arsenal was – at the end of last season – the highest of any manager of ours ever, the quickest to 100 wins and had achieved the biggest club transformation since Klopp’s Liverpool, is just weird.

It’s 10 games man. We’re 7pts from top having ended 30% of our games down to 10 men, having played 7 out of the 10 top other teams in the league (5 of which were away). Hilariously we play two more in the next two league games. We’ve conceded only one goal in Europe in 4 games, having played the champions of France, Italy and the Europa League winners, and that was a penalty. And we’ve not played our general consensus best XI once this season.

So yeh, wouldn’t mind us picking things up a bit, but we can probably cut him a bit of slack.
Tom, Leyton

So sick of all this Arteta nonsense. Arsenal were absolutely brutal for a few years, I began to lose interest. Singing terrible players and playing awful football and this includes Artetas first two seasons.

We were miles behind everyone else and it didn’t look like we were even close to being a CL team, barely even Europa League.

It was obvious it would take time to fix it as there was so much deadwood in the squad. Which basically addresses Barry’s mail. Our netspend isn’t helped by the fact we had to sell so many players on a free to get them off our books and others were just released – Aubameyang, Bellerin, Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Lacazette, Pepe, Cedric, Ozil, Chambers. These were all first team and pretty much starting players when Arteta arrived. It was obvious it would take a while and that we wouldn’t receive good fees for these.

Arsenal have had this problem for years where we are shit at selling players and it’s only looked to have changed lately with us getting like 80m for Nketiah, Ramsdale and Smith-Rowe. I don’t really see this as Artetas fault. You point out that Arsenal are third in net spend but City and Liverpool had already had their teams assembled at this point and somehow get ridiculous fees for even their reserve players, although Liverpool not so much in recent times. You’re acting as if he’s some flop because he can’t win the league against the best side in PL history. It’s pretty difficult to do and only one team can win the league.

I can’t fathom how ridiculous you sound when you ask why Arsenal fans are so unwavering in our support of him? Because he’s had us challenging City for the last two seasons while playing quality football. We are great defensively for the first time in a few decades. I actually like most of our players which wasn’t the case 5 years ago. Their is a good general vibe about the club. Players seem to really want to join us and nearly all of them cite Arteta for this. Last year was our first season back in the CL, and we got knocked out by Bayern.

It’s annoying but it’s not any reason to think Arteta isn’t doing a good job. If unwavering support means wanting my manager out because he’s come 2nd then you’re mental. I don’t want to be one of those clubs that keeps switching managers. I like stability. I’m not going to start losing my mind if we aren’t winning the league this year. City are the favourites for a reason. Your nonsense about new manager bounce FA Cup win just shows how little you know. For starters, new manager bounce isn’t a real thing. And then there’s the fact he won the FA Cup like 9 months after he was appointed. Some bounce that is.

Arteta is not without his faults. I do get annoyed at how passive we can be at times, but I trust him. We have come a long way under him and there doesn’t even seem to be rumours about us losing our best players. I would rather you write in emails like this when we are doing well. It’s easy to jump on him when we are in a bad run of form.

The “putting the pressure on” thing is just lazy. Spurs overachieved. They were a great side to watch. At no point were they favorites to win the league. I hope we can do better than they did and it not end up like Poch but regardless I’m just happy that Arteta has made supporting Arsenal feel fun again. I’m annoyed and shocked when we lose now. I expect us to hammer teams and sneak last minute winners. I don’t know why you want Arsenal fans to be annoyed at a manager who has literally improved them.
Dion, Arsenal. 

Slot it away
Garey Vance’s latest email is the height of performative outrage. Setting himself on the throne to decide what is or what is not a good response. Any deep tactical email is going to be way too long for a letter. This was cut back by abo it 75% and is still probably way too long – but here goes.

When we say Slot is showing more control it doesn’t mean more possession, which Garey seems to equate. Slot adopts a more controlled pressing strategy than Klopp. While he encourages pressing, it is structured and measured, allowing for better defensive stability. His teams typically press with fewer players, maintaining an extra body in midfield to balance the play. Liverpool aims to control the tempo by circulating the ball among defenders and midfielders. Slot looks to spread the backline wide to stretch the opposition’s press, creating gaps in central areas for attacking players to exploit. Klopp’s gegenpressing emphasized high-intensity pressing and quick transitions  aiming to win the ball back immediately after losing it, creating rapid counterattacks. This approach often led to a chaotic and fast-paced game.

Slot’s method is intended to bait the opposition’s press before launching a direct pass to attackers often through the middle. Klopp hoped to get the opposition to cough up the ball and get a quick counter before they had a chance to reset their defence – of course, when the press failed, the same was true in reverse, and with the high line, led to conceding more goals – and in the last season, going behind frequently.

Slot is more fluid tactically, starting a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 but uses a 3-4-4 formation, in game, which allows for dynamic shifts between defense and attack. Slot has his goalkeepers step up to act as the additional center-back during build-up, so Liverpool can create numerical advantages against pressing teams. Slot’s Liverpool are tactically more flexible enabling them to adapt the shape dependent  on the opponent’s tactics. And we have seen this several times during the second half of games.

Slot’s Liverpool seem to be more synchronized so that players are positioned to support or exploit spaces created by team mates movements. A complete contrast with Klopp’s more reactive style of play – hoping to pick up second balls from pressing. As opposed to balls through the lines. Slot’s style is an attempt at a deterministic method to break down a low block versus a hopeful method.

Slot incorporates pressing into his tactics, but it is more structured than Klopp’s high-intensity pressing system. He instructs players to hold off until they can effectively cut off passing lanes, waiting for the opposition to make a second pass before engaging. This allows Liverpool to maintain defensive shape while still applying pressure.

Slot focuses on turning defensive pressure into offensive opportunities by manipulating the opponent’s marking schemes. This involves outmaneuvering defenders and creating mismatches that can be exploited quickly during transitions. Again, this could be seen both defensively and attacking against Leverkusen. Leverkusen attempted to force Slot’s hand by pressing Liverpools right and cutting off passes to TAA and Macalister but the shape change at half time opened up the centre of the field for Liverpool to play through.

Unlike Klopp’s reliance on wide play, Slot prefers creating opportunities through central channels. Wingers are encouraged to tuck in and create overloads in midfield, allowing for intricate passing combinations that can break down defenses.

Slot’s forward line frequently interchange positions, causing confusion and creating space for through passes. This makes Slot’s a little harder to defend against as not playing set patterns.

Hopefully Garey can put his pearl necklace away now – and I look forward to reading his detailed analyses of each of the United mangers since Ferguson left.
Paul Mc Devitt

Should he stay or should he go now?
I was so happy Gary O’Neil saved us last year after Lopetegui walked away. The way he talked, the way we played, yeah the season ended bad with all the injuries.

Fast forward to today, I’m sitting here wondering if I want Wolves to lose Saturday just to get him sacked? Tough games so far, scoreline not too bad losing 2-1 to city and Liverpool etc

But as much as a nice lad and as much as the players like him … we have shown some shambolic defending and I know they say Kilman was sold, but surely it’s the tactics. A set piece manager was hired and then fired that has us in this position

I think I want him gone now and old uncie Jorge Mendes to get us a Nuno v2 with a Neves v2 level of players again
Colin WWFC Dublin (Sorry think I just needed a vent)

Goal a game legends
In yesterdays Mailbox Nick MCFC posed the question if it’s easier to score these days due to the phenomenal goal records of the top strikers and their near a goal a game records. Having wracked my brains over old World Cup videos watched as a kid and a quick look through Wikipedia I can see the best of the best have also managed to reach these heights. I encourage you to take a look at the goalscoring stats of Gerd Müller, Mario Kempes, Johan Cruyff and Eusébio. Mate, these lads knew where the back of the net was!

Alan Shearer’s goalscoring through his Blackburn career and his 1st season at Newcastle are sublime. Not quite a goal a game but considering the teams he played for just incredible.

Gyokeres didn’t invent the wheel when it comes to doing bits in Portugal either. Jardel averaged more than a goal a game in the league over 4 seasons for Porto, then after 22 in 24 for Galatasaray returned to Portugal with Sporting scoring an insane 42 league goals in 30 games!

The argument for it being harder way back when would be defenders could kick lumps of attackers and got away with more. However todays players are far superior athletes so even if they could kick them, would they get close enough to manage it? Pitches can’t be compared as they are far superior now but did this also mean more mistakes from defenders and keepers leading to chances when they were worse? Balls are lighter and move more but the keepers are also bigger with gloves on another planet to those in the past. You could go on and on.

So is it easier now? Like any sport where you compare era’s, it’s ultimately impossible to tell. What I would say though is that these goal a game monsters have always been around and always will be. Ronaldo and Messi were truly mental though!
Adam (Leeds)