The Mailbox insists Arsenal have become ‘terrible to watch, attritional and boring’ under Mikel Arteta this season despite being top of the Premier League.

Plus, Hugo Ekitike is the ‘alpha striker at Liverpool at the minute’, ref watch preview, Tottenham and more.

Watch Aston Villa versus Manchester United and mail us at theeditor@football365.com…

Mid season stasis

My first email in since the start of the season, and we’re now 45% of the way through in the Premier League. Unlike most of my usual Arsenaldiatribes I’ll be reasonably brief today following another tight squeeze, this time past Everton.

Our current style of play doesn’t lead to domination of a game. As I’ve said it’s terrible to watch, attritional and boring. The?equivalent of two tennis players staying on the base line for endlessly long rallies waiting for the other to make a mistake. I’m sure F365 readers can come up with better analogies but you catch my drift.

It wastes the strengths and abilities of possibly the most complete and deep squad we’ve had for decades. And some of those players are getting dragging into these unadventurous patterns even if their natural instinct is otherwise.

Zubimendi is a prime example. His form worries me, I don’t know why some feel he has slotted in perfectly. Five or six times today he found space well, so Raya found him, ideal opportunity to move into space up the field and beat the press, and what does he do? Wall pass straight back where it came from, riskily so at times. Mind you, he’s not the only culprit. Does anyone not shout “Turn” when receiving the ball and there’s space behind? We’re not putting games out of sight.

If we don’t kill games?we’ll leave ourselves open to an odd goal against changing a result. So lucky to get away with it against Wolves.?Even with the perennial problem of injuries, which don’t help stability,?I believe our best XI on the pitch each week wouldn’t guarantee an much of an improvement.

We need to get into the next attacking gear. I don’t even know if we’re in metaphorical third or fourth gear at the moment. Is there a fifth or sixth? How much can we actually turn it on? What is the ability ceiling of this squad (as opposed to the individuals)?

Of course I won’t care about the lack of entertainment?if we win a trophy. Being top now needs to be converted into being Winners though.?If possible Mikel, please make it the Champions League. Our current playing style suits the competiton better too. However we need to be consistently more incisive and ruthless, regardless of the opposition.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the next few weeks pan out, even if the games themselves aren’t that pleasing on the eye.
TyA, Essex

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Boring Boring Arsenal

During the game against Everton I was following the live feed from a certain website that is funded by the licence fee payer and there were a few accusations that Arsenal are boring. If you venture into the murky demonic world of online football banter then you will see similar things being said. These are not entirely without merit even if they are exaggerated.

Nevertheless, the last two games have produced maximum points. Arsenal fans know better than many that beautiful swashbuckling football doesn’t automatically mean trophies. City are a juggernaut and it’s looking very ominous but they remain in second place in spite of the battering of Nuno’s boys.

So my message is this, be as boring as you like Arsenal, grind out wins, stop teams having shots on target, win games with own goals and penalties. I couldn’t give an S!
Andrew (I do love a player who absolutely thwacks a penalty)

Ekitike > Isak

Due those odd and unconvincing moves in last summer’s transfer window, I did wonder if Arne Slot might inevitably pair Ekitike?with Isak up top. I’d envisioned two gangly praying mantises snapping in unison in and around the box, not because I particularly wanted to see it, but because poor recruiting decisions and equally poor form this season presented it as an increasingly credible idea, and a makeshift bridge to potential improvement.

Recently they’ve begun sharing time on the pitch and today they finally shared billing?on our scoresheet; it would be par for the course of how this season’s gone if Isak’s now done an ankle or ACL, and the whole thing was just a fleeting mirage of something viable. Such woe.

But either way there’s only one alpha striker at Liverpool at the minute. If one praying mantis were to decapitate the other (hopefully not post-coitally, mind) it’s clear as day who the victor would be. Ekitike is a predator of the highest order. Can’t help but love this lad for the graft, the ability, his sheer audacity in the dodgiest of dodgy rescue seasons. And he needs to see out the rest of it as the frontman.
Eric, Los Angeles ?CA ?(Btw I’ve referred to Curtis Jones as the Scouse Chalamet in these pages before.? In parallel I reckon I’ve also possibly solved EsDeeKid’s?true identity (?) but draw your own conclusions…)

READ:?Liverpool: Injury expert reveals ‘likely’ timeframe for Isak return after coming off vs Tottenham

A win’s a win, but…

Happy with the Liverpool result but shitting the bed against 9 does not augur well.
Aidan, Lfc (top 5 would be nice…maybe have a go next year)

Ref watch preview…
I have in the past emailed about the ridiculous mental gymnastics performed by Dermot Gallagher in support of referee’s and VAR’s on Ref watch, plus the ridiculousness of PGMOL statements for similar, more on that later, but I thought I’d pre-empt this weeks episode and look at Saturday’s talking points. Apologies for the length but please bear with me.

Firstly Newcastle v Chelsea, Shay Given on MOTM believes that Garnacho’s tackle is “dangerous” as IHO, Garnacho has gone over the ball, IMO these are often the most difficult as Garnacho probably knows he’s not getting the ball but is trying to block it, stupidly he does this with a raised foot and studs showing, I’m not sure if there is intent but Garnacho should know better, my prediction,? Dermot agrees with the on field decision.

Then there is the penalty, Shay is certain it’s a penalty as was Ally McCoist on commentary.? Chalobah can easily play the ball out for a corner, Gordon is not actually? in possession, but Chalobah decides to “usher” the ball out of play to prevent giving away the corner, he purposely steps across Gordon to ensure this happens but clearly fouls Gordon in the process. I am certain that had that “challenge ” been made 3 yards to the left and outside the penalty area, the foul is given, why do officials and VAR’s treat these differently? My prediction, Dermott agrees with the on field decision.

The biggest “clue” though is the PGMOL’s involvement. They deemed the incident controversial enough to issue a statement whilst the game is still being played, surely a pre-emptive strike to ward of criticism!

Reece-James deliberately grabs the arm of Harvey Barnes, Barnes is ahead of him, red card, VAR inform us that there is insufficient contact, so they agree there is, not sure where the rule book allows that.? Dermot supports the onfield decision.

Everton v Arsenal, 2 or 3 potential penalties other than the 1 given and I? think only 2 reviewed,? one is a foul not even given (i think)but VAR can only support the onfield decision as it is outside the box. 1 is a penalty given 9 times out of 10 and the 1 when it isn’t is wrong.? The foul on Gyokeres is a penalty but has little or no effect as Arsenal score 1 immediately so a 1-0 scoreline is the correct outcome.? Dermot will wax lyrical on VAR’s intervention for the penalty but then support the “minimal contact” farce once again.

Then Spurs v Liverpool,? Xavi Simmons, hilariously some comments claimed this was “accidental”, FFS, the ball is no where near him, the only thing between his foot and the ground is Van Dijk’s leg, what he was thinking is anybody guess.? My prediction, Dermott eulogises about the perfect intervention and application of VAR.

Isak’s goal, many have claimed VDV’s tackle to be worthy of a red card “anywhere else on the pitch”, I’m a Liverpool fan but still see a genuine attempt to block the ball, the issue is his “trailing leg”, something that is often used to result in a red card, personally I think this is accidental but very subjective as it’s late and contact is made with the player not the ball, yellow? My prediction, Dermot agrees no action should be tsken.

Ekitike’s goal, he puts his hands out to prevent Romero jumping, if the goal is disallowed I’m not complaining, however had it been the other way round, I don’t think the VAR recommends a penalty (incorrectly). My prediction, Dermot backs the on field decision, again!

Romero’s two yellows, stupid but valid as Dermot will confirm. Bentancur should have seen red for a ridiculously late and deliberate foul on Kerkez, my prediction,? Dermot supports the yellow.

Dermot will also show the examples of decisions correctly made, one’s never in doubt like Palace’s penalty.

All in all, ref’s and VAR’s have had another poor day but not in Dermot’s eyes and we’ve still got games to come!
Howard (don’t do away with VAR, do away with the PGMOL) Jones

Spurs

Hi,

As far as Spurs goes, I thought your PL mood rankings at the end of last week were absolutely spot on. A trip over there yesterday was a lived experience focus group of what you’ve been printing for a while.

Levy has gone. There are no confused Korean people who are slightly unsure how to get to the ground. I liked them. There’s little atmosphere. There are empty seats. There’s no longer a feeling of being lucky to be there. Games are not selling out or only just selling out. Walking up to the ground felt a bit like the Easter Monday game against Forest. That was understandable. It was a bank holiday Monday. The league had gone. It was all in on Europa. Yesterday was the bloody Saturday before Christmas for what has always been a bonkers Barclays load of fun.

I’m really not sure where we go from. Poch talked about the painful rebuild. This is just painful. There’s no sense of a rebuild. There was a glimmer of happiness from the chaos merchant getting a late goal. Talk me through why the top scorer was on the bench Thomas? The BBC has informed me that ‘The 11 league games Spurs have lost at home across 2025 is also the most in a calendar year in club history.’ Ouchy.

This is plain and simple. It isn’t good enough. But without Snake Eyes there I don’t know who to tell. Thank goodness for the catharsis of 365. Merry Christmas you guys,
Andrew, Woodford Green

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Arsenal should ‘jettison’ Mikel Arteta

Nor even a wind up people, genuinely, but my god Arsenal are a tough watch. Y’all need to jettison Legohead if you want to win anything of substance – he’s a bureaucrat. Here you are, yet again, having to strain every sinew to beat sides a coach with some nous going forward would have a squad of this quality making short work of, way too early in the season, again, too. Meanwhile, City are gathering pace at the right time, again, and second place is looking the most likely outcome for Arsenal. Again. If you’re not careful, your crown jewels will get tempted away before Arteta’s interminably long process ever gets close to delivering a league or CL title too. Even Saka will get fed up of waiting eventually.

RHT/TS x
(Netflix ought to be paraded naked through the streets and put in the stocks for their boxing coverage, and I’m not even referring to AJ’s pathetic/bought and paid for “performance” versus that world class prick)

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