Whatever your views on Arteta, there’s basically zero chance he gets sacked now, so the question is: what do we do? It is almost trite to say we need better players, but we absolutely do. The squad is a mess.

But because Arteta, and with him Edu, is under pressure to perform, I’m really worried that they will lean into the safety of “proven” players. And honestly it’s just the last thing we need.

As shit as things have been this season, there is the nucleus of a talented group in Saka, ESR, Martinelli, Tierney. Maybe you can add Saliba and Balogun to that. Put the right pieces around them, give them a platform to grow over the next 3-5 years.

And that is going to take some visionary leadership from the top. Edu? Someone else? Joshua Kroenke? This is what really worries me. There is nobody is there.

I keep coming back to this point. I’m completely sanguine on Arteta because earnestly I don’t think sacking him will make us any better, just like sacking Emery didn’t make us any better.

The club needs a visionary. At a managerial level, that is an incredibly narrow pool of people (ironically of course we did have one, even if he lost his way a bit in the end). Ralph Rangnick is the only person I can think of, and even then maybe at DoF rather than manager.

This doesn’t even need to be read as critical of the existing hierarchy—all of Arteta, Edu, and Venkatesham are complete novices in their role. At that point in his career, Arsène was managing AS Nancy to relegation.

Which is why, if we are apportioning blame, I really can’t look past the idiot who thought putting three people who have never done the job before* in charge of a club with champions league pretensions. Just brainless.

*appreciate Edu had done a somewhat similar job I suppose

Obviously now I have a load of angry teenagers telling me I’m responsible for the club’s ruination by backing Arteta. So let’s be clear: I couldn’t give a shit if the club sacks Arteta, he deserves it, the season has been an abject failure. It just won’t fix anything.

Unless we strike it lucky with 1996 Arsène MkII. Which I profoundly do not believe the powers that be at Arsenal have the ability to identify.