Arteta doesn't perform in big games

Chris · October 3, 2008

Why not?

I can't figure it out. He seemed to play all over the pitch last night but never really did anything other than lift the ball over a player for Pienaar to run on to. His set play was woeful too(again).

I was biting my finger nails when we got that last corner last night. Then I saw Arteta stepping up and I actually groaned and knew there was a very highly likely chance he would spoon this at the near post defenders knees.
He did.

Has he reached his potential? He just doesn't seem to show up against better opposition at all. Fine against lower teams though.

Robin Sisland · October 3, 2008

Was he any good against Blackburn (twice), Stoke and Hull ?
Looks to me like someone wanting to go home. For which you can't exactly blame him given the non-summer.

TsarDiniyar · October 3, 2008

something i've said since the turn of the year when he was apparently injured.

harry · October 3, 2008

What so called big games has he been [Poor language removed] in?(do you mean prem games against the top teams?) if i remember right he wasnt half bad against fiorentina last season.

Namdrater · October 3, 2008

I dont agree. Hes been fantastic against any opposition over the years. He has off days, but they arent particularly in the big games.

evertonianstu · October 3, 2008

Over the piece, a good player for us. The thing that irks me though is his delivery sometimes. Recently, the amount of times he has not got the ball past the first man from corners has been shocking.

ToxtethBlue · October 3, 2008

What did he do wrong yesterday? The only poor part of his game yesterday was his set pieces, which to be honest are always poor.

In terms of his all round play he did okay. He looked for the ball alot, he kept us ticking in the middle and he was trying to make things happen.

People have to be realistic, Standard where more or less sitting in there own box and cutting off all the space. There was no movement, and players even more creative than Arteta would struggle to open things up.

He did nothing wrong, I seem to remember his corner kick being involved in Jags goal aswell. How awful he was.

He's the least of our problems but he seems to be an easy target nowadays. He did far more than the likes of Osman and Cahill.

Again I think people have to be realistic, Arteta is a very good player who can still improve. I think people have known for a while though that he will never be world class. He just lacks a few things in his locker.

GrandOldTeam · October 3, 2008

Desperately short memories.

My only issue with Arteta is his set pieces - nothing short of a joke.

toffeebhoy · October 3, 2008

his form hasnt helped at a time when badly needed i think he has been averagwe to poor for a while now ...in the summer we were given the line of his nigglin injury prevented him but now he is fine ...i think he should change doctors

his delivery at times is pure [Poor language removed] how many times does his corners/ FK hit the 1 st man if that was neville we would been havin blue murder over it why should it be any different for arteta??????

Chris · October 3, 2008

GrandOldTeam said:
Desperately short memories.

My only issue with Arteta is his set pieces - nothing short of a joke.

His set pieces last night were 90% terrible.
But where were the through balls, the direct balls. Infact where was Ossie as well. I know Ossie has a bad knee, but Pienaar did more at cutting through their defence than either Ossie or Arteta did.

It's not a case of the opposition defence closing down the ranks, there was no attempt at trying the through ball, the direct ball to feet to Yak.
The only person that tried it was Yobo when he came on and he promptley gave it away and got caught on a break, because of the hole behind him.

There just wasn't enough Arteta or Ossie in the game.

I don't have a short memory at all. I've been saying this for a wee while. Arteta has bad games more than good. I'm not saying get rid, or he's crap or anything, I just don't get why he is the way he is.
He DOES have good games, but last night he just didn't turn up. You can't tell me he was giving his all for the team last night because if you do you were watching a different game!

kenada_blue · October 3, 2008

He was the [Poor language removed] boss against Florentina at home -- he was injured as well.

He's just the main creative outlet. And when you clamp down on him, what can the team do?

Happens to Ronaldo, both been accused of not performing in big games. But one man doesnt make a squad. You have a full squad of Arteta's then we'd win everything -- just as long as we dont have any corners.

ToxtethBlue · October 3, 2008

Chris said:
His set pieces last night were 90% terrible.
But where were the through balls, the direct balls. Infact where was Ossie as well. I know Ossie has a bad knee, but Pienaar did more at cutting through their defence than either Ossie or Arteta did.

It's not a case of the opposition defence closing down the ranks, there was no attempt at trying the through ball, the direct ball to feet to Yak.
The only person that tried it was Yobo when he came on and he promptley gave it away and got caught on a break, because of the hole behind him.

There just wasn't enough Arteta or Ossie in the game.

I don't have a short memory at all. I've been saying this for a wee while. Arteta has bad games more than good. I'm not saying get rid, or he's crap or anything, I just don't get why he is the way he is.
He DOES have good games, but last night he just didn't turn up. You can't tell me he was giving his all for the team last night because if you do you were watching a different game!

The thing is no one turns up in the big games for us, certainly not the midfielders. Why is this? Because of the football we play, we don't retain possession and get them on the ball in attacking positions enough.

Against Liverpool Arteta very rarely saw the ball, when he did get it he was very deep and that's not his game. He likes to be further up the pitch where he can do damage.

If we kept possession and got Arteta on the ball he'd work his magic and make things happen.

It's hard to play an through ball when the two forward players are static and because Standard where sitting so deep. They basically had 6-8 players behind the ball every time we where in the final third, they where sitting so deep that is was impossible to play the through ball. We need a little bit of luck or a mistake and that didn't happen.

People keep forgetting that Standard also have a very good defense, they are good tactically and very organised. The likes of Gerrard, Alonso, Beneyoun, Babel etc struggled to break them down and Liverpool are alot better than us.

Why was he not giving his all? I don't get that to be honest. He looked for the ball alot and he retain possesion well. He tried his best and sadly didn't have the magic on the day to open them up. I can't doubt his effort though, he didn't hide at all.