Wasn’t sure I wanted to do this thread because it seems counterintuitive to focus on a negative after a really good win but it’s on my mind, so fuck it.

I can understand why Arteta wanted to put Willian on at 4-0 if he hasn’t given up on the player. There’s a good argument that, given the contract he is on, Willian isn’t going anywhere and it makes sense to try to get a tune out of him- when if I think Martinelli made more sense.

But I think the player is being mismanaged. He is not and never has been a left winger. You don’t play Willian on the left for the same reasons nobody ever played Beckham on the left and the same reason you don’t put Tierney at right back.

Willian is a good player, his record shows that. He’s a poor signing because the team isn’t suited to his qualities. He is the most outsidey winger that ever played. He wants to go on the outside outside outside all the time.

He also needs an overlapping right back to support him. Bellerin is asked to underlap and protect the channel not the touchline. But even leaving that aside, all Willian wants to do is beat his man on the outside and cross, either by dribbling him or combining with a wall pass.

Do NOT and I cannot express this strongly enough, play him on the fucking left wing. Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it IMMEDIATELY. All he will ever do on the left is pass sideways or backwards because he has no left foot and he doesn’t want to come inside.

And DEFINITELY do not play him on the left and ask him to do something he has never, ever done in his career when his form and his confidence are in the toilet. If you want to get the player back, ask him to do things he’s actually comfortable with in the first instance.

If Arteta thinks he can be a left winger or a quasi pseudo inverted number 10 or whatever (he probably can’t, but whatever) do that later when he is not in a unique funk in his career. Build the foundation before you start farting about with the decoration. /Fin.

Actually not quite fin. Look at two of his three assists this season. The ball for Auba at Fulham. Where does he hit it from? The right touchline. His assist for Gabriel against Wolves, where does the cross come from? THE RIGHT MOTHAFUCKIN TOUCHLINE! There might be a lesson here.