Mikel Arteta has made some commendable decisions in the past, but not all have gone according to plan.
The decision to sell Emi Martinez instead of Bernd Leno is one that most supporters will insist was a bad one.
During the summer, Arteta faced a significant dilemma regarding the future of Folarin Balogun after his outstanding campaign on loan at Reims.
The youngster emerged as one of the leading scorers in Europe during his time in France and returned to Arsenal as an established player.
Expressing a reluctance to go out on loan again, Balogun gave Arsenal an ultimatum: either use him or sell him.
Arteta decided that he wasn’t up to par and subsequently sold the American to AS Monaco, a move that raised a few eyebrows considering Arsenal’s need for a striker.
However, recent reports via Sport Witness suggest that Balogun has struggled in France, with claims that he is a flop at Monaco.
The report indicates that he needs to rediscover his form soon, a situation that some might argue is proof that selling him was indeed the right decision.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Selling Balogun despite the hype surrounding his form at Reims last season was a risk, but Arteta studied the situation very well before making his decision.
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Ahh, so I would assume those very same people consider Havertz a “flop” as well, after only a few months at Arsenal?
Not everyone has an instant impact like Rice; seeing steady improvement or a significant difference by the end of the season needs to be accounted for.
So far we lack the balance and productivity of last year’s midfield, but Kai should have the chance to show if he can do the job or not. He has shown good moments and dreadful ones as well; time will show which is the accurate depiction.
Balogun should have the same patience, and over the course of the season will show how able he is as the main striker.
What if he scores 12 or 15 goals in the 2nd half? Is he suddenly prolific and a top striker in Europe? Does that me he lived up to the “hype” whatever that was?
The media and their fish wrap articles know that doom and gloom sells; butterflies and rainbows don’t get clicks or subscriptions.
This is nonsense. There are so many reasons he has had a difficult start in a negative and poor team. Biggest of these was being kicked out of your boyhood club after proving yourself on loan in a foreign country.
Had he stayed and been coached properly, he would have continued to be prolific at Arsenal.
And to add to your nonsense opinion piece, Nketiah has 5 goals in 19 league apps, Jesus has 3 goals in 15 league apps. In an attacking team where their manager showed faith in them. Balogun has 4 goals in 15 league apps.
And then what did Arteta do with that all that comnendably made 25 mill? It covers less than 1.5 years of Havertz’s salary, not even the 65 million paid to get him, just over a year of his 18 million a year salary.
Commendable stuff!
Stupid logic
Using the same logic then why did we sign struggling Havertz
Balogun made the ultimatum that he would not go out on loan. Martinez made the ultimatum that he be granted #1 GK status. In any case, imo this is not a good comparison with Balogun early in his career and Martinez well over a decade into his. Other effective comparisons of MA’s good and bad decisions could be made (just see the comments, lol), just not this one.
I still struggle to understand why KH was signed for £65 million plus a £70 million contract. Arteta should be fired for that alone.
Paying such a sum for HAVERTZ, a three years Prem underachiever when at Chelsea, can accuratrely be called a bad error.
Bit then paying him £280k, pw can be accurately described as a catastrophic error, one that greatly harms our current ability to bring in a much needed top quality striker, for reasons of FFP and lack of money available.
I do not of course go along with ME 2 who writes in silly style “Arteta should be fired for that alone”, which would be a still worse error, but fortunately, one that will NOT be happening.
Kroenke at least understands that MA has far too much personal managerial credit in the bank to be fired for one mistake, however woeful a mistake – which it IS – it proves to be.
It must be said though, that though I totally disregard the many posts that accuse MA of poor man management and an ego, both of which are COMPLETE NONSENSE of course, he HAS wasted a great deal of Kroenkes money on players who ought NOT to have been bought.
He has also retained several who ought never to have been brought here at all,(some by predecessors, some by himself) and foolishly kept them here or on loan but unsold, unproductively, virtually never played them and a great deal of wages also wasted on unneeded players.
I’m only adding to the condemnation of this warped logic. You are only as good as the players around you and no one knows yet what Balogan is capable of. Does this make Arteta’s decision making inspired? We’ll never know what Balogan could have brought to Arsenal because he simply wasn’t given many opportunities. We do know however that Arteta’s decision making is suspect with regards to Nketian and several of the signings he has made.
I wonder how arsenal fans sometimes react to players when they aren’t doing well, Liverpool bought three midfielders and they aren’t doing great but they still get support that they will come good soon Dominic Szoboszlai has played 20 games that’s and that is 90% of Liverpool games scored 2 and provided 3 assist,Gravenberg the other one ziro goals zero assist in 17 games the other one is Endo i wouldn’t talk much about him, and when it comes to Kai Havertz who is actually new to playing at CM unlike the three i mentioned he is actually doing fine considering the change in position from playing as a false nine to being played in midfield he currently has 4 goals and 3assist that’s better than the three guys who have been playing in midfield for years while still learning is new role, and when it comes to transfer Dominic Zsoboszlai was bought for 70m,Havertz64m,Gravenberg 40m,Endo 20m.