Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has offered up a slightly bizarre explanation for his side’s current woes as he used a string of unconvincing percentages to justify recent results.
The Gunners have made their worst start to a league season in 46 years under Arteta, who surely has to shoulder more of the blame for this rapid decline we’ve seen from his team this season.
Arsenal initially looked strong when Arteta replaced Unai Emery last season, with the inexperienced Spaniard quickly leading the club to a victory in the FA Cup final in August.
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However, he has quickly undone much of the good early impression he made with some shocking performances so far this season.
Arteta won’t be doing himself any favours by resorting to this strange use of statistics as well, as quoted in a report from ESPN.
Seemingly pointing to unknown bad luck factors, Arteta said: “Everybody is worried and everybody is suffering at the moment because we want much more. The unity is there. Is there 100% unity around the club? It is impossible in any club even when you win because players who aren’t participating are always more difficult.
“But when you look at the perspective of how we are losing football matches and how we are we, it is pretty incredible. Last year, against Everton we won the game with 25% chance of winning supported by the stats.
“You win 3-2. Last weekend, it is 67% chance of winning any Premier League in history and 9% of losing, and you lose. Three percent against Burnley, and you lose. Seven per cent against Spurs and you lose.
“There is something else a part of that. It is not just the performance, it is something else that has to go our way but at the moment, it doesn’t.”
Arsenal fans surely won’t be convinced by this and it only seems to suggest more and more that the 38-year-old’s grip on the situation may be loosening.
Arteta’s problems at Arsenal are self inflicted. His persistence on keeping to a style of play that isn’t working. The players can see how ineffective his tactics are, and look to me like they are getting fed up and frustrated with it. Stick to my plan A, as there is no plan B.