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- How Fifa handles regulations – a quick review
By Tony Attwood
Having exhausted most other topics during the WC, some of the media had turned to the number of World Cup managers who have been dismissed or have resigned during the inter-season get-together.
The number seems to be at least 15, but there is no absolute agreement in the media, and besides, more managers seem to be leaving every day. It doesn’t seem to be a very secure job, but I guess lots of the managers want to get out in time to try and fix up a new job for the start of the next season. Besides which, most countries pay a decent amount in compensation each time they sack someone. Most sacked managers get a word of thanks for their commitment and enthusiasm, and maybe even their professionalism, before a bunch of old codgers sit down and select the next person who they will eventually sack.
The problem with the World Cup, of course, is the lunatic imbalance of the countries taking part. Wales is one of the smallest participants with a population of just over 3 million, although Iceland seems to be the smallest ever to have qualified with a population of around one third of a million.
I guess this sort of thing is excusable since it is the way the FA Cup runs, starting with its extra preliminary round in August. The FA Cup usually has 14 rounds, including the final (which of course is not drawn), and that is the tradition on which a lot of cups are based.
And indeed this is how it has been since the earliest days, but it does seem a bit weird having competitions in which some of the sides are so much weaker than others. And indeed it made me wonder, as a person who has never played darts except on Boxing Day against other members of the family (and been knocked out immediately), whether it is really worth it. I mean, we pretty much know that the vast majority of non-league clubs will have gone out by the 3rd round when Arsenal turn up. But I suppose they enter, just in case they get to the big payday.
But turning to the failures of Premier League clubs, eight or nine (opinions differ) managers were sacked last season; either way that is almost half. All told, 16 went during the course of the season. Which shows two things: most of the time sacking the manager doesn’t work, and some clubs are habitual manager changers.
Of course, these numbers are a bit unfair since included in this list is Bruno Saltor, who lasted one match at Tottenham as caretaker manager. But I thought I’d include him in case he felt left out. Arteta is up to 352 games as manager and thankfully has shown no signs of leaving.
I guess that the problem for managers is that, whereas for most businesses and companies the measurement of success is how much profit the company is making (which allows lots of companies in a similar field all to be a success at the same time), in football there can only be one success in each competition, which means everyone else is a failure.
And indeed clearly some managers are much more successful than others. And although we’ve looked at Arteta’s run with Arsenal before, it is worth noting again: 8th, 8th, 5th, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st. Whichever way you look at it, that is progress, and the notion that he should be moved on is of course not heard. Why would it be?
But the notion of progress is not always clear. Consider Tottenham, for example, in this decade. They have finished 6th, 7th, 4th, 8th, 5th, 17th, 17th. Even if we build in the excuse of having moved grounds and not having the money to spend on new players, that still looks pretty atrocious. Yet the crowds cheered and cheered at the last match!
I guess it shows that part of the problem with measuring success and considering if a club should keep or lose its current manager is that results, like fans, can be so erratic. For example, in the past four seasons Manchester United have come 3rd, 8th, 15th and 3rd. How does one decide if that is real progress or just chance?
Chelsea this decade have been utterly wonky as well, ending up 4th, 3rd, 12th, 6th, 4th, 10th. While this decade Liverpool fans might be dissatisfied despite a set of finishes leaving them 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 5th, 3rd,1st and 5th, since that does include two titles, but it doesn’t really show a dominance of the league of the type that their historic arrogance demands.
Of course, there are many explanations: injuries, managerial changes, pure chance, the success of others, and which referees the club gets can all have an impact. And perhaps that is why only three clubs have retained the title. Of course ManC found a new way to do it with a level of investment that would raise eyebrows if anyone had any eyebrows left to raise, but for more normal clubs it is tough going – and impossible to continue without funding from the world’s oil supplies.
NO
Yes, they will do so. And it will depend on new signing most likely on attackers threat.
It’s something we see obvious, given one guy in Pep Guardiola, was the only coach to have managed denying Arsenal the trophy past seasons, due to his evolved tactics, but now ever since Arsenal chased City they have always ended in second position and no team managed to displace them there, it’s a clear hint that it’s possible, and to Gunners advantage, other big sides in the competition have brought in new couches, needing their players sometime to adapt to their philosophies and for Arteta with the team built in the past and still willing to add more quality than depth to already established squad, shows no reason to deny their ability, very much possible THEY WILL RETAIN.
Hmm Saka seems overly adamant about our chances of retention of the title. I think they have a better than even chance of doing so but a lot depends on how crocked our platers are after returning from the world cup.
players
History is a good lesson, even the invincibles could not retain the title.
It’s because a lot of managers fall into the trap that their team is already perfect after winning the title and change little tactically and don’t want to improve on perfection.
We had a tactical advantage with set peice unpredictability and the sharing of goals throughout the team and of course a great world class defence.
Teams will be more tactically aware of how we play, therefore we must add more unpredictable improvements this year and as George Graham once said, we have to keep evolving and improving on what we may stubbornly think is already perfection.
We can tactically improve in many areas that we need to become unbiased and more critical of our perfect team if we wish to improve.
For example:
1. We often lacked early crosses into the box with a box striker awaiting service, as our wingers usually pass back along the line or cut inward to shoot at goal rather than mix it up by supplying early inswingers.
2. We often lacked that surprise run from central midfield, whether it be a Paul Scholes direct run with an over the top ball, or a quick one two cutting short passes to break that park the bus defence, or even a surprise Freddie Ljungberg trick misdirection running sideways then quickly cutting inside the box.
3. We often lacked more dribbling and end clinical Finnishing from our left to match our right side where teams double up to mark Saka.
4. We often lacked variety in our attack against park the bus teams, where we often prefer the easy sideways and back passing across our back four, with little numbers in the box awaiting that scuffle chance of a loose ball scrappy goal.
5. More variety to our set pieces as we did show on the odd occasion, which is good, as teams will be learning to counter our moves more this year and we will no longer be adding that move as a surprise move.
It’s not easy to be tactically critical of a winning team, which is why the greats in Ferguson, Dalglish and Pep would always improve on perfection until an ageing injury diminished squad or better invested rival team would prevent them from retaining the title again.
Liverpool after winning the season 2019-2020 only spent £86m on bench warmers not good enough to challenge their first 11. They have since then increased their yearly spending but only recently have those new additions been able to challenge their first 11 for places and they also did not improve tactically, which is more so the key pending too many unforeseen and lacking quality replacements.
Sometimes an improving young injury free team is enough to retain a title, but additional tactics must always be added to mix up the predictable play, otherwise points will be dropped against park the bus defending teams that will be looking at a draw as a winning scalp against the league champions, who ever that may be, and also other teams will be improving their first 11 players, which is why it is harder to retain the title, unless you improve your first 11, (not just squad) and improve on added tactics, which we should have done with the great respected invincibles. IMO.
daveg,
That is a great bit of analysis. I agree with what you’re saying. For most of the season I was mystified by the use of Gyokeres. He thrived with Sporting by running onto balls and beating defenders. Until late Arsenal didn’t get him the ball enough and seemed as if Arteta didn’t game plan for this type of striker. Many matches I found myself asking; “why did you buy him if you’re not going to get the ball to him”? I think after a season in the team he’ll increase his scoring especially if the tactics evolve to him being a bigger part of the offense.. We need an upgrade at left wing as you point out. I wish we could combine Martinelli’s pace and Trossard’s finshing. A fantasy. Help for Declan Rice and Timber as well. No one knows if the team can repeat but they’ll be in it to the end for sure. Martin Odegaard seems to be back in form at the World Cup and that bodes well for the ’26/’27 season. Clearly he knows how to play within a striker centric attack. I’m looking forward to Arteta and Berta’s additions and the coming season. Let’s hope the WC doesn’t kill our remaining players. Get home and rest, I say. COYG!
Bill Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are unlikely to be starters for Arsenal next season . We have to hope that whoever steps in for them won’t in turn get injured. Then as ever we have the trickery of the referees to adapt to.
On the plus side we have Merino and Ødegaard back on form and a rested Ben White.
We know that regarding reinforcements Andrea Berta
and Mikel Arteta are second to none, so I’m optimistic on that front. A word or two on likely challengers : They’ll be as knackered as us at the start of the season and they’ll all be dealing with their new managers and we know that takes time.
I’m anticipating Mikel will adopt a different approach to keep the opposition guessing, (if I knew what that was then its safe to say everyone would know) .
To sum up; Our 15th championship beckons…
North London Forever.
Thanks Gooner72, you are right in saying that Gyokeres lacks that early service as our movement of the ball from midfield to inside the box should be quicker, being either an early inswinger, over the top of the bus wall or quicker pass and movement play cutting through the line.
I think you are right in pointing out Gyokeres as a prime example where tactics can be added to improve certain players like Gyokeres for next season and also balancing our left side to become more clinically threatening to help Saka being bombarded with the main opposition defence to create more space for him.
Saka also needs Oderguard back to his best and a fit Timber. Just a few added new tactics is needed and if necessary a couple of new players to implement them if it is not happening with our first 11.
I also noticed that Viera aged 26 had a great year with Hamburg on loan as they recently found his favourite position, in the advance central midfield, where Oderguard plays. Vieras STATs changed towards the second half of the season when playing in the AMC position and had a 50% goal involvement from AMC with not just goals and assists but quich one two passes and dribbling in between the parked bus line and making an even higher key passes stats.
The reason I mentioned Viera is that he can back up Oderguard as Hamburg have offered only a laughable £10m for the player. We might as well keep him as Oderguards back up along side Max Dowman as we will need those type of quick passing central dribbling players to add tactical variation to break through the parked bus defending teams against us next year, which will be at is at least 10 teams, where they will play for the draw.
I am also worried about our injury expected key players, so quality is needed.