View From The Armchair on All or Nothing: I'm onboard with Arteta's Arsenal project

Having Amazon cameras to capture every little detail is a master stroke says View From The Armchair on All or Nothing



View From The Armchair on All or Nothing: I'm onboard with Arteta's Arsenal project


The opening scenes of the new series of episodes that have dropped are ones of misery and despair, doom and gloom right from the start.

A 2-1 defeat against Everton and Arsenal's back is against the wall, Auba has reported back late from a trip back home and we are witness to, the thought processes of the boss up close and personal in detailed explanation.

In many ways having the Amazon cameras in behind the scenes to capture every little detail in and around the ground is a master stroke.

Not least it means Jeff Bezos might just have a little bit less money to blast off with in his big blue rocket which nearly gets into space.

Better it be spent on a fly on the wall documentary covering the mighty Arsenal. Arteta’s vision is refreshingly clear in his team talks, go and play and go and win, he expects the same commitment in training as he does on match day, he doesn’t treat the players like toddlers, he respects them and knows how good they are, and he is willing to take the tough decisions.

This is clearly in evidence as a storm emerges as Auba is disciplined for returning late from a sanctioned trip to France. Much to the dismay no doubt of the Amazon cameras, Arteta makes all the right calls each and every time, it’s clear to to see who is the boss and who is in charge, Arteta calls a team meeting and explains to the players that Auba is no longer club captain nor involved with the squad, lawyers are being called to decide how best to terminate his contract, and as we now know, Auba was shipped out too Barcelona - and Piers Morgan was proven to be wrong to defend him at the expense of the harmony of the team.

Martinelli is about to go on a hot streak, the goals are about to return along with some good from, and 12 months down the line Auba appears to be on his way out of another dressing room.

Martinelli is shining in episode 4, his English is already very good, the coaches are speaking highly of him, my only worry for him is for his ACL’s, watching him throw himself into every tackle in a fighting 0-0 draw away from home up at Anfield. But before that West Ham arrive at the Emirates and are dispatched in one of our finest performances of the season, the boss gives a barnstorming speech after the game to let the players know this is the standard, this is the benchmark that needs to be hit week in week out.

Leeds are easily swept past at Elland Road despite a covid scare, Martinelli on the scoresheet again with a brace.

This is probably just about the right time to have a good hearty guffaw at the supposed expert opinions of the AFTV brigade, the ones who want to kick this team when it’s down, want Auba back in the team,or crazily want Arteta out.

The wins keep on coming and we are six points clear of Spurs at Christmas, What this fly on the wall documentary is showing is the elite level thinking that goes on behind the scenes from all of the team involved at Arsenal.

Everyone knows their roles and what is expected of them, from Edu down to the masseuse. Manchester City arrive at the Emirates and Arsenal are up and at them with a dominant first half show.

However, a weak performance from the referee in the second half and 45 minutes later City are leaving with three points in the bag having done what champions do. Elite level mentality, that’s what’s on display, despite the defeat Arteta delivers his team talk at the end of that match from home remotely and is not too despondent at all, rightly so, it was a great performance from not only the team but also from the fans that day - the unison between fans and the club has rarely been tighter by this point in the season.

There’s a little bit more understanding and patience from the fans it seems, hopefully the block button is working on Twitter as well for you as it was for me at this point of the season, I have very nearly blocked all signs of negativity and expert punditry out of my life completely.

Every now and then a video might sneak past spewing its bile for clicks and likes, but a swift ‘block’ and another negative voice I didn’t ever need to hear is silenced. This, you see much like Arteta, simplifies the goal, my goal, as a supporter is and has always been crystal clear to me, I get behind the team, win lose or draw that’s my job, that’s my role, albeit screaming at the telly now from afar.

Eddie Nketiah enters into the fray for the first time, let’s show Eddie some love this season yes, that’s your job now, he’s carrying a lot of weight on his young shoulders and he will have his part to play.

Negative bile spews from the 'why aren’t we Invincible' brigade are and they are lining up,to shoot him down - you know it, I know it - but resist it, support him, get behind him, make a song for him, cos rest assured it’s not your job to chew him up and spit him out. The boss will do it himself as he did after the abject display up at Nottingham Forest.

Arteta visibly angry letting them know that this is not acceptable, if you had any doubts he’s not seeing the full picture before witness his destruction of bad attitudes after the Forest defeat.

Sheepish looks all around the dressing room as every single one of the, gets ripped a new one. ESR is lining up the Nando’s and Auba is getting some game time at the Afcon’s, it’s all about Auba Auba Auba, and it’s clearly becoming a distraction.

Decisions are made, the right ones behind the scenes by a fella who is a director who has an amazingly impressive spam head the likes of which I’ve not seen since seeing Max Wall on stage as a kid.  

The Amazon documentary focuses in on Granit Xhaka’s misfortunes from a few seasons ago, clearly looking to cause more division, they paid their money and they are taking their chance to get some drama.

Xhaka duly delivers getting sent off unfortunately in my opinion away at Anfield, but Arsenal come away with a creditable 0-0 draw that I was fortunate enough to be present at last season, my one and only trip out to see our mighty Gunners.

Despite being sent off Xhaka gets a pat on the head to lift his spirits from the boss when none of the other players are present or looking,

Elite level mentality man management, he didn’t have any other choice to go the ball as the last man running back, Jota held onto his foot, and the Arsenal fans  are heading home happy with the clean sheet they delivered for us.

It gets a little bit snippy between Bukayo and Granit in the gym in the week after the game and we are treated to a glimpse behind the scenes of his beautiful family living in North London. It’s clear to see his passion for football - and I for one am glad he’s bounced back from his dark times and has delivered some solid performances for us in the not too distant past, he is going to be an important part of the team this season if we are to have some success.

Arteta explains that the trust is shattered between player and manager when it comes too Auba and his time is coming to an end, rightly so in my opinion at the time - and only galvanised by watching these behind the scenes images this documentary is bringing to us all.

Rob Holding once again assumes the role of teachers pet in this series, I’m left with the view that if we were in a classroom as teenagers, it would be Holding's hand going up Saying “miss miss, Ainsley didn’t work hard in training today and Pablo didn’t track back at all” as four more heads hit the chopping block in the January window.

Still, all of the talk is of Auba Auba Auba from the press, by this point I’m a little bit tired of seeing it all, Barcelona are lining him up and a game of high profile poker is commencing. Auba Rocks up in Spain and Edu gets In touch with his agent to tell him to get his butt home.

It’s clear to see he can be a disruptive influence also a mercurial genius with a big smile and a big heart at times, but my response when he had departed at the time was Aubamawho? 

His time is done. I wish him well, but the club marches on - and no one is bigger than the club Jeff Bezos included. Piers Morgan cried a few thousand rivers and once again the Amazon documentary focuses in on the toxic nature of the why aren’t we invincible again brigade.

Yet, Arteta remains clear, concise with his reasons for his departure and the good results keep on coming with a cheeky 1-0 win away win at Wolves despite a bizarre sending off of Martinelli.

There’s never any beef from the away fans at all, any problems with our fanbase come from the home supporters, but the wind is changing, we are seeing a more united link between the fans and the club.

This documentary should be proving to anyone observing that this team is united, something is bubbling, you can feel it.

If the fans can do their bit this season, home and away, that’s when the magic happens. You have your part to play, these players are playing for you - but they need you, behind them, onboard each and every game.

Ivan Toney delivers the team talk for visit of Brentford, 2-1 win in the bag and it’s onto the next one, nice kick about with the lads indeed. Not a convincing performance, but Brentford like last season showed they are no mugs by dismantling Manchester United 4-0 home at the weekend.

Incidentally why not take the opportunity to have a chuckle to yourself whilst reading this article about United - they have their own problem No7 with a big ego and a massive wage who needs moving on themselves, and a completely disjointed dressing room full of superstars and politicians around him.

I’m not expecting top four this season, until it’s mathematically impossible. The goal is simple it’s to finish at the top, No1, numero uno.

Last season our poopah went towards the end of it, as we closed in on top four, those episodes are still to come and I can probably reveal to you before they are aired, that there are bound to be some juicy quotes from our toxic fanbase to keep the Amazon cameras happy.

Take it as a given, they rarely fail to dissapoint. But despite all of this the dressing room remains tight. Wolves arrive at our place and Laca Delivers with a last minute winner, one nil down at half time Arteta picks up his troops, “now is the time to help him”  he bellows with a hoarse voice, he made a mistake and his team needs to pick him up referring to Gabriel in defence, Pepe.

The world's greatest player to ever lace up a pair of boots purely just by having the name ‘Pepe’ on the back of his shirt duly delivers with a goal and an assist off the bench - why hasn’t this man got a song of his own yet ?

No stone is left unturned in our search for success and I am loving having this glimpse behind the scenes at the vision of the club and the infrastructure on display.

The last few episodes are bound to be bit bumpy watching our end of season collapse, but if the players can focus on finishing first, top four will follow as a nice little bonus, I don’t want to see the players celebrate it too hard, it’s top four, your games are going to get tougher for you next season, that’s your reward, there’s zero room to celebrate.

I’d like to see the club employ Tony Adams just to bring him in to stop the players from celebrating finishing in the top four completely, he wouldn’t have allowed it in his dressing room back in the day and there’s a statue of him outside of this new stadium for a reason.

That said I guess we better have a gander at his cha cha on strictly this year before we go jumping into any rash decisions.

Arteta boils his vision down to one simple picture, do you see a duck or a rabbit ? Some see the rabbit but I’m with him when he sees the duck.

I’m completely onboard with project Arteta have been since day one, if he asked me to quack in the stadium I would do it for him, that’s the role of the match going punter, no one needs your dissent, if you’re seeing the rabbit and you think you know better, go take your coaching badges, start off at grass roots level on your journey and good luck and god speed with it - cos we don’t want you belching that vision from the stands, we all need to be seeing the duck.

Two wins on the spin into the new season, a few more and I’ll be eating stale bread thrown to me if need be.

Enjoy your game time at the stadium but get behind the boys, roar them onto success and good things will follow, remain resolute stoic and strong in defeat, resist the temptation to pile in.

Together we are stronger as one, then and only then can the success we all crave be delivered.

COYG. See you next time x


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