Arsenal PR scramble to sell Emery as coup, not a last minute panic hire

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It’s really amusing to read the opinion police out in force when they read something they don’t like. I think the Unai Emery hire is bland, I laid out my reasons if you don’t like them, it’s really not a problem.

Here’s the thing, Emery is going to be far better than Arsene Wenger because anyone would bring improvements to us. I’ve been telling you for years that our ex-coach was dated and past it, so it’ll be really hard for anyone born of this era to not improve on 6th, no real analysis, no pressing system, and a poor grasp of coaching.

What I do find interesting is the lack of interrogation people are giving this signing. I mean, I guess people just want to feel safe knowing we’re going come out of hibernation as a club, which I’ve no doubt we will.

My issue is that Emery feels every inch the panic hire, namely, because he is.

Firstly, the reason no one had his name on their lips is that Arsenal was not interested in him until Emery’s agent took a punt on the job. The Spaniard has been in the consideration loop for about a week.

Mark Gonnella is feeding a narrative to the press that this was a well thought out and all part of a thorough process, but I’m struggling to see how you can claim that when your decision was to hire a manager who can barely muster a word of English.

It’s also being widely reported that Emery is planning on bringing at least 4 of his coaching staff and some analysts who also likely won’t be able to speak the language.

Think of the divide that causes from the off. English speaking players who can’t speak Spanish or French are on the back foot straight away, because all the comms will go through others.

For a man who is famed for his complex ideas and a rigid dedication to extensive video analysis, he certainly has his work cut out trying to educate players in an unfamiliar language. Neymar hated the 12 hours of analysis for every game, imagine how our players will feel having to do that through translators so early on? Also, you can’t take a translator into the dugout.

Carlo Ancelotti was very firm in his book about the importance of being able to speak in the native tongue. It’s an absolute basic of any job in a different culture. It’s also an impressive attribute that says you were focused on working in that country. If Emery was being considered properly, we’d have put the feelers out months ago when it was clear PSG were done with him, so he could start the English lessons.

People fob of the language as a footnote, but you only have to look at the good PR Pep got when he rolled out fluent German when he arrived in Munich. Scolari tanked at Chelsea having not mastered the language, legendary names like Neville and Moyes failed in Spain because they didn’t speeeeka da lingo. Bobby Robson had poor Spanish at Barca, and let Mourinho translate his tactics, rumour has it they used to reimagine the instructions in his own vision with Pep.

Explaining complex systems to players who have never worked in them, in Spanish, is going to be tough. Think back to what it was like being a kid in school learning how to say ‘my dog eats baked goods’ in German. Now imagine having a tactical masterclass explained to you in a foreign language?

Now multiply that challenge through the coaching staff he’s bringing and you can’t quite believe they’re doing this. If there is one unifyer at a club, it should, at the very least, be the language.

Who is vetting his coaching staff and analysts he’s bringing with him? Did we interview all of them in a week? Seems odd that the club went from wanting to own the infrastructure, to simply handing it back to the new manager by letting him replace the coaches we just fired. Also worth mentioning his assistant Carcedo wasn’t liked at PSG, Hatem Ben Arfa was caught shouting,

“You hurt my head. You are shouting too loudly. Let us play. Why do you shout like this?”

Old school journo’s and pundits will lap up that type of carry-on, but is that really the way to deal with players? Who knows. But our players are closer in persona to PSG than Sevilla or Almeria than they are to a tin-pot selling club in Spain. No one has mentioned that he also tanked at Spartak Moscow, getting fired in the dressing room. Did he know the language there? Notable that his main successes have come in La Liga, where he can quickly grasp the culture and express his ideas effectively.

It certainly didn’t work at PSG where they went backwards. The press bluster about this being a masterclass hire, or a coup seem self-aggrandizing.

‘Emery is meticulous’ they tell us, because apparently, he does 12 hours of video analysis before each game (try listening to an hour of a tactical podcast). Here’s the thing, all managers are meticulous at that level. It’s only exciting to Arsenal fans because Wenger wasn’t (despite furious denials when I told people that over the last ten years).

The club would have been prepared under Jardim, who bossed Emery in his first year at PSG with kids.

The club would have been well prepared under Antonio Conte, the so-called serial winner, who not only knows English, he’s won the Premier League.

For me, this signing is about Ivan protecting himself. It could be great, it could be terrible, my guess is it’ll be ok. A bit like Brexit will end up.

Regardless of what I think about the hire, ultimately, we’ll be seeing something very different this season. It sounds like the future is going to be built around Ramsey and Auba. I mean, I don’t know why people find this notion so groundbreaking… but what was interesting about the snippet of info that came from The Sun is it didn’t include Ozil.

We’ll see subs before 70minutes, we’ll see a change of tactics when we’re losing, we’ll see the ball played out of the back, we’ll learn how to press, we’ll be far more competitive, and I suspect we’ll probably win the Europa League in our first season.

Arsenal has hired a manager who, language skills pending (and the ability to adapt to the best league in the world), will be able to stabilise the decline. He’s going to coach players, they’ll learn under him, and they’ll have to work hard to survive. He’s a manager who makes players go to war for him, and I’m telling you, we’ll see a massive improvement in the effort, attitude, and footballing output.

Worst case scenario, the next manager will have a group of players who are far more prepared for the rigors of elite football than they are now. Manager who takeover after LVG usually succeed becasue they’re fiercely disciplined, and just need a bit of love and a warm heart (which is why United should have hired Poch, not Mourinho).

My critique of this whole scenario is really centred around the fact that we could have been more ambitious. This is a low-hanging fruit kind of job for anyone; we were ripe to take a chance on a young coach, and we’d have been even more ripe for an elite coach. We opted for a solid operator, the middle ground, a manager at the back end of the top 10 in Europe. If it goes well, we’ll be top 3. If it goes badly, we’ll have to hire a so-called big name to appease a rabid fan base.

I worry we did what’s best for Ivan’s job security because the move was nowhere near the ‘bold and brave’ he promised. My biggest fear? Ivan Gazidis is the new Arsene Wenger. He’ll just plod the club along, hoover up that fat paycheck, and always create as little risk on a new manager as possible so he can put his hands up and say ‘I tried’ if things go wrong. You don’t make it in this game without taking a risk, either financially, or with personnel. Pep G famously told the Barca hierarchy, ‘you don’t have the cajones to hire me’, and the rest is history. Can’t help but think we blew it with Arteta, and blew it on the experience card. We hired a safe pair of hands when we needed to take a strategically sound risk.

Nice to see that Arteta didn’t lose out after Arsenal shafted him late in the game. The owner of City and Pep called him after the news broke, that’s good leadership and constitutes bold and brave planning for the future. They want him takeover after Pep, that’s the exec team who ran Barca during the good years. I think we’ve made a mistake there, but it is what it is. Not like Arsenal haven’t made a living out of passing-by elite coaching talent over the last 5 years.

In other news, I am very excited about Per Mertesacker looking after the kids. He’s a really smart player, and I can’t get enough of reading about the way he thinks. A modern leader who understands that mental health is important, and understands deeply what it takes to maintain levels in the game. I love his incredulity about players not asking him for advice, bringing in kids who have a curiosity about what it takes to succeed will hopefully inform the recruitment process.

Right, that’s me done. See you in the comments.

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Leedsgunner

First impressions are very very good as far as I’m concerned. Determined and straightforward.

Cheney10

Well… His English isn’t great but no worse than Poch’s when he arrived!! Also, has one of the best records over the past 5 years… Full interview process with date was outlined too and he isn’t that much of a mug to do that then 8 people come out of the woodwork to deny that… Pedro, I think you need to ease up on the negativity buddy… I think Gazidis said that there will be several ITKs that you yourself have condemned… Think you fell into the ITK bracket on this one and took your knowledge from the press… Lets… Read more »

WengerEagle

Dissenter

It’s not hype, as stated he’s had them as a top 3 club in France for the 4 years that he has been there all the while competitive in the CL, with a QF and SF run in there, better than we have managed I may add.

And beating PSG to the title was incredibly impressive.

OleGunner

I must admit Pedro’s bitching about Emery’s English coming back to bite him in the arse is just icing on the cake after his Arteta propaganda push lmao

Danish Gooner
Rob The Goon

People forget Poch’s English wasn’t that great when he first came over

gonsterous

didn’t know the signing was official. welcome amery. (I can’t pronounce his first name )

Leedsgunner

“Going forward, it will be a team effort.” Gazidas.

“It’s a new opportunity, we have to look forward.”

Marc

He’s doing all right for a guy with no English, the journo’s trying to set traps for him on individual players / transfers / budgets and he’s side stepped them nicely.

OleGunner

Uhh I think Gazidis just hinted we have more than 50m quid to spend.
Says the journo’s should look at the public Arsenal accounts and realise that money is there to be spent.

Hmmm…

Samesong

The Hammers got Pellegrini even in their state,

Erm isn’t he getting like 10m a season. Pure money move.

Paddy got bored

I just heard Dick who Le Grove say can’t speak English just face the press in English..

Leedsgunner

Gazidas confirming that we will continue to run on a self sustaining basis.

Thanos

Goonsterous it’s pronounced oooonaiii

OleGunner

Emery saying possession and and highly aggressive pressing is his style of play

gambon

Emery said he is very demanding of his players, and wants the team to press intensively off the ball.

Halleh-fucking-lullah,

The opposite of Wenger ball.

OleGunner

Emery citing great chemistry developed within three hour meeting already between him, Raul, Sven and Gazidis.

Arsenal2174

Get over it Pedro for fuck sake…..

Freddie Ljungberg

WE Just saying, people are so obsessed with managers winning trophies here, taking no account of the team they’re managing or the opposition they face. Emery is getting flak for not taking Valencia above 3rd in the league, forgetting that Barca and Real are so dominant there, even more so at that point. Or that he didn’t win the CL with PSG, when he was eliminated by the 2 best teams in the world. The manager is not all powerful and he doesn’t play the games, he can prepare them as best he can and change things during the game… Read more »

Thanos

Press is coming to the Emirates fantastic

WengerEagle

They mentioned anything about money available to spend?

gambon

Eagle

Ivan just said “check the accounts”

As in….Stan isnt putting money in, but its all there for the manager to spend.

Thanos

Ornstein pushing Ivan on what we can do

kc

Emery’s 73.7% win ratio and 2.37 points per game ratio were the best ever seen in League 1 by a PSG boss. This idea that he failed in Paris is rubbish.

Dissenter

Wenger Eagle
Has it occurred to you that Monaco have the second deepest pockets in Ligue 1. Jardim is hardly pulling up trees.
Jardim’s league win was amazing but that squad had a striker [Falcao] who’s earning 400k weekly. It was not as expensively assembled as PSG but their wage bill is considerable for the French ligue.
Under Jardim, Monaco got blown apart by PSG every single time this season.

Marko

His English is fine. He can get his point across fine it seems. Pedro you were worrying about nothing

Marc

Leeds

Can you explain to me what you consider to be a “self sustaining” model?

HighburyLegend

Well you are very welcome sir Emery, can’t wait to see what you will bring to our beloved club.

(But take some f*cking English lessons ffs!!)

Pierre

I like the comment from gazides
“those who know, won’t speak and those who speak, won’t know”….

Leedsgunner

What would be successful you?

1. Developing…. battling for every title.
2. To be among the elite.
3. To make the fans proud again.

He was erudite in Spanish, his mother tongue. He will be fine.

He wants to inspire the players, for them to feel some of his excitement of working for the Arsenal.

Daz

I think its difficult to judge our defence given the lack of support they have received over the years, will mustafi look a better player when he actually has players in front of him defensively switched on when the team is actually set up to be solid or is he just shit?

WengerEagle

FL Agree to a certain extent and look, I don’t think anyone is bagging on his Valencia stint where he improved them domestically, think they finished in 10th the season before he took over, behind his newly-promoted Almeria team who finished in 8th no less. His away record in his final season in Seville is concerning, also the fact that they suffered a big domestic drop-off in his final season there from finishing in 2014/15 with 76 points to just 52 points in 2015/16. And he hasn’t overly impressed in Paris, sure he won the league this season but with… Read more »

Leedsgunner

Marc

I would imagine Gazidas would say keeping our spending and selling in rough equilibrium. Not defending it, just reporting what was said.

WengerEagle

gambon

Any idea on the kind of numbers that we’re looking at?

jwl

I am just excited to be able to watch Arsenal matches again, ive been half assed viewer past three or four years, can’t wait for new season to kick off.

Bolo

Those who know won’t tell. Those that tell don’t know.

So Pedro you obviously didn’t know anything. Btw he can also speak English, maybe not perfect but I give the guy credit for trying. Seriously I’m done with your blog. It’s always negative. Under Wenger it was fine but come on we are moving on. Leave the doom and gloom behind now. Aren’t you a Arsenal fan? Or you just enjoy creating divisions within the fans? It’s now a new era. Good vibes only.

Dissenter

Poch was known to avoid talking to the press by feigning poor English when he spoke passable Engllsh to communicate with his staff and team in training. I’ve always thought most of these press conferences are fluff. For now he can do his commercial commitments in Spanish. Real and Barca are some of the biggest commercial earners even though they do most communications in Spanish he will e fine. Most of out players speak more than one language so he wont problems provided he gets an assistant who is fluent in both languages. He will get an expensive English teacher… Read more »

Marc

Leeds

I wasn’t attacking you I just get confused when people use this as a stick to beat the club with. Outside of City what other PL team currently doesn’t run on a self sustaining basis?

Ben D

Having listened to him in front of lights and cameras, I think his English is good enough to tell the players what he wants them to do. It will only improve as he’s going to live in London. I’m excited. #welcomeEmery!!!!!!

Marko

Also I don’t read too much into his 0-15 H2H vs Pep and Jose but that is pretty remarkably bad regardless of them managing RM and Barcelona.

Well I hope you wouldn’t. At Valencia he came up against a Pep Barcelona side considered to be possibly the best club side ever and at Sevilla he went up against Mourinho at Madrid. It’s not a big worry for me this current Barcelona team isn’t the best they nearly went a season unbeaten but I wouldn’t criticize Marcelinho for his record against them. I Wouldn’t read too much into it

TheLegendaryDB10

I hope that Pedders is contrite in his next post and apologises for all his BS that Unai could not speak English. He did alright, and I am sure, with time, his English will improve.

Made me chuckle that question about Ozil and his absenses… Unai nicely sidestepped the question though.

UTarse

Hats off to our new manager. He demonstrated confidence to speak a foreign language in such a high profile pressure environment and didn’t read it off a script either in his opening speech. Back to the drawing board for the doomers.

I love him already !

Receding Hairline

@ Dissenter

I thought i was the only one getting uncomfortable with the Jardim thing. He was no miracle worker, that team was loaded with talent. The prices they got for their players alone confirmed that.

Marko

Arsene still getting a shout out in press conferences. I mean come on he’s fucking gone let’s stop the flirting ffs if he was still good he’d still be in a job

Rob The Goon

FYI on that £50m:

@OsmanZtheGooner: David Ornstein & Rory Smith on BBC 5 live discussed the so called ‘£50m budget’ and said it’s kind of misleading. They say in their opinion it’s what Arsenal can pay in cash this summer knowing most transfers are not paid full payment but rather in 2 or 3 installments.

IMO, we have money.

Its PR so that we dont pay over the odds for any players

WengerEagle

Dissenter They did in 2013 under Ranieri until they decided to abort the mission and sold James Rodriguez and loan out Falcao for big sums. Falcao came back a shell of himself after two feeble seasons in the PL. Since then they have consistently sold their prospects/big players (Martial, Carrasco, Abdennour, Kondogbia, Kurzawa,Toulalan, Bernardo Silva, M’Bappe, Mendy, Bakayoko) and yet there has been no huge drop-off, in fact they have improved season after season culminating in winning the league and their SF run last season, and this season despite losing 4 of their starters and best players have finished second… Read more »

gambon

WE

Think I worked it out previously at c£70m PA if we dont get back int CL. That would include agents fees and signing on bonuses, so the £50m is probably not far off.

That said its easier to be creative. If for example we have already agreed £50m pa with Adidas, then we know we have a £20m increase next year. You can easily spend next years money now.

We will need to sell though to avoid making an accounting loss and to keep the wage bill realistic.

zaco

Gazidis: “We analyzed & looked through, on the basis that every coach in the world would be interested, & made a long list of eight coaches, all of whom were interested & who took place in extensive, in-depth interviews with the three of us. None of them withdrew their interest.”

Obviously Arteta was not as close to getting the job as many people thought

Leedsgunner

Draxler and Rabiot next?

WengerEagle

‘Outside of City what other PL team currently doesn’t run on a self sustaining basis?’

Em… United and Chelsea?

Rob The Goon

This saga has shown that the newspapers know f**k all – TBH, I dont even know why anyone would read them.

Only Guillem Balagué and David Ornstein are genuinely ITK

Leftsidesanch

Guillem has a fancy accent but even he’s usually off the mark, but he did call this one first as far as I’m concerned.

gambon

WE

Man Utd is 100% self sustaining. Our model is just a crap version of theirs.

Chelsea too these days. They no longer make huge losses.

Leftsidesanch

Emery eyeing title tilt
I believe the players who are here, the objective is to work hard. With this talent of player, we be a candidate to be a challenger for the title.

It’s very important to the club after being out of the Champions League for two years.”

WengerEagle

gambon

Right so not huge sums, going to need to be a bit clever with who we bring in.

Hopefully Sven’s up to the task.

Hard to imagine that Emery will want to go from working with Neymar and co to the likes of Welbeck, Xhaka, Elneny, Mustafi, Iwobi so there’s hope that we see quite a bit of squad turn-around.

Gunner2301

This is classic Pedro

“Carlo Ancelotti was very firm in his book about the importance of being able to speak in the native tongue. It’s an absolute basic of any job in a different culture.”

BUT

fail to mention that its an absolute basic of any job to have had experience in that job unless youre a trainee of course.

I think he had his Tommy Cooper hat on when he did the post today.

Leedsgunner

Poor Pedro, it looks like you were played man. Ivan, or someone inside Arsenal.com played you good and proper.

Marc

gambon

If we were to unload Xhaka (just not cut out for the PL) and Welbeck (think he’s an OK squad player but with the English premium could replace like for like with better for less money) you could add £40 – £50 million to what we already have.

Guns of SF

Again with the English thing Fuck Pedro can you lay off with this? You sound like a trump trumpet The English media had to find some shit to throw and you keep eating this up Lets give an English exam to zidane Jardim Allegri Sarri and emery to see who scores the highest? To me the entire not speaking English thing is a low blow and without any merit. Many posters on here have quickly countered this false and damaging argument Yes many players speak Spanish or other languages. Do you complain when a world class player is brought in… Read more »

WengerEagle

gambon

Chelsea tbf have sold quite a few players for decent sums in Costa, Matic, Cuadrado, Begovic but who have United sold?

They’ve spent an obscene amount since Fergie retired, I’m going to harbour a guess that it’s no less than half a billion pounds.

WengerEagle

Ornstein’s great, guy must have amazing sources.

Marc

Leeds

As Pierre has already said I liked the “those that know won’t speak and those that speak won’t know”.

WengerEagle

Mustafi’s another one that I think would fetch suitors in a different league, he did very well for Valencia so maybe some Spanish team coughs up for him.

I mean Gabriel was worse…

Marko

Sky Sources saying Besiktas is interested in signing Welbeck. Please yes

Marc

WengerEagle

As others have said Utd are completely self sustaining they just operate on a much higher turnover etc, Abramovich has been reducing Chelsea’s dependence on his piggy bank for some years now.

Dissenter

Wenger Eagle, “Why does their H2H vs PSG matter so much to you? Emery is 0-15 vs Pep and Jose.” My point is that PSG were routinely spanked b big score lines so how can Jardim be considered a master of organizing defences. We scorned the fact that Arsenal lost games by huge scorelines so how can we be celebrating manager that his second place team lost to the first place team 7-1 and 5-0 the same season! The league winning season was a one-off, like the Leicester team. The has a collection of super-gifted talent- Jardim was the beneficiary.… Read more »

WengerEagle

Lol, Besiktas will want him on loan they’re notorious for that.

Mario Gomez, Aboubakar, Anderson Talisca.

Fuck that, sell him off to a lowly PL club for £20 million.

OleGunner

Leeds,

Yeah Pedro has been stitched up like a kipper.
He’s angst over getting Arteta wrong has thrown him into a miar of despair.

Marc

WengerEagle

Lacazette is also a possibility, not saying he’s a bad player but if we’re going to play one up front having a £50 million striker on the bench would be something. If Greizman leaves At Madrid they might have some cash to spend.

Samesong

Sky Sources saying Besiktas is interested in signing Welbeck. Please yes

I’d sell him to brighton for £2

Marko

I mean Gabriel was worse…

He had a very good season just there very good partnership with Vezo. It helped having Kondogbia and Dani Parejo

Marc

OleGunner

I’ve heard he’s going to do a few guest pieces for Untold!

(sorry Pedro just kidding)

Dissenter

Receeding hairline
I agree with you.
i bet people will be pointing out Jardim’s flaws had we signed him.
He speaks atrocious English as well.
He too has a pretty poor season considering they ate the second wealthiest club in France. The have the advantage of operating in a tax haven which amplifies their wages.
Monaco got pounded over and over by PSG. It demeaned the French league.

gonsterous

looks like ivan and co want us back in the CL for next season, so why not get a manager who knows how to tackle the EL whilst knowing how to play attacking, attractive football …

OleGunner

Marc,

Now that would be something 😉

Zfree

Pedro

Do better than the past few posts. Own your mistake with this language bullshit. Eat a little humble pie, won’t hurt you

Marko

I wouldn’t want to sell Lacazette to be honest. He’s a very useful player still young enough and in this market it makes no sense to sell a striker for 50 million cause you’ll likely have to go out and find a replacement for around the same money.

WengerEagle

Dissenter The 5-0 defeat he had a bunch of kids playing in the Cup- no Fabinho, Sidibe, Glik,Moutinho, Lemar, Falcao, Balde Keita, Lopes, etc. And the 7-1 was a bit of a freak match, PSG scored 7 goals from 7 shots on target while Monaco just missed a heap of good chances. PSG obviously demolished them but if you watched the match there was context to it. AW was beaten by humiliating scorelines a bunch of times, hardly comparable. You say the league triumph was a one-off which is laughable and actually compared it to Leicester, who finished mid-table the… Read more »

Marc

The Poch has to get out of the Spud’s right now – if Emery was to win a trophy before the Poch it’d do some serious damage to reputation.

Suddenly I just feel closer to St Totteringham’s day.

WengerEagle

Marc

If that were the case wouldn’t mind a player swap for one of their defenders in Gimenez or Lucas Hernandez if we were being cheeky.

I too would take that amount for Laca even though I reckon there’s a lot more to come from him. With Auba there it just doesn’t make much sense to turn down a big money offer that could improve the midfield or defence.

Receding Hairline

“i bet people will be pointing out Jardim’s flaws had we signed him.” Natural human failing Dissenter …grass is always greener on the other side sought of thing Even the Almighty Allegri has his failings …managers are not gods and we should stop expecting them to be All i ask for is a manager that pushes his players to play to the best of their abilities , we have not seen that here in years. Shout out on pointing out our game against Monaco here it was said Jardim schooled Wenger, replace Giroud with a less profligate striker and we… Read more »

WengerEagle

‘He too has a pretty poor season considering they ate the second wealthiest club in France.’

You keep saying this which is funny because they spend fuck all.

And they were smashed by PSG once with their proper team, nothing like exaggeration eh.

WengerEagle

Marko

Exactly my point.

Mustafi also flourished over there, could pick up a good fee for him given his age.

Leftsidesanch

Interesting people thought there wouldn’t be an interview process until season end. Emery had his initial interview from 3 on 10th May before the season concluded.

Marc

Marko

It was only a thought, as for a replacement costing £50 million – We have Sven – Lewandowski cost 10 million euros, PEA circa £12 million, Dembele circa £13.5 million.

You don’t have to pay over the odds it’s not compulsory.

WengerEagle

RH

We had Sanchez and Ozil, they had Dimitar Berbatov up front.

UTarse

Marc,
The anticipation and excitement is back. Finishing above Spuds and Manure next season would be welcome progress…. for now.

DM

Just finished watching the press conference (forgot about it so had to catch up). Very impressed overall. I’m 100% behind Emery, and for the first time in a LONG time, I’m so excited about Arsenal FC again. It doesn’t mean it’s all going to be dandy from here on, but I’m confident that we’re actually gonna give it everything we got. That’s all we can really ask for.

Bring on the World Cup, then bring on next season!!

Leftsidesanch

Receding,

True, was at that game . What was more irritating than Giroud’s misses throughout the home tie, was that he kept smiling afterwards. Probably in disbelief at his wastefulness – but annoying nonetheless.

We have about 3 weeks approx till the world cup, too much to ask for to have a player or two signed by then? It’s been very quiet so far altogether, you could be forgiven for forgetting the transfer window is open.

Park Chu-young's left testicle

Emerys english is better than Steve McClarens dutch.

Elmo

Bayern – Kovac
PSG – Tuchel
Arsenal – Emery
Dortmund – Favre
Napoli – Ancelotti
Italy – Mancini

Where does Sarri go (Chelsea?)? Where does Conte go? Is the Real manager seat about to become available?

WengerEagle

Marc

A lot has changed in this crazy transfer market since Lewnadowski was signed for a pittance 8 years ago and Aubameyang 5 years ago though.

Steals are far harder to come by.

WengerEagle

Is Ancelotti taking over Napoli?

Big news if true.

OleGunner

Really get the feeling Ramsey could flourish under Emery’s approach. The all action, aggressive pressing style should suit him to a T.

I know he’s got a year left and is a prized asset who can fetch some great dough for us but I dunno I’m inclined to keep him personally.

Receding Hairline

“We had Sanchez and Ozil, they had Dimitar Berbatov up front.”

Thanks for buttressing my point

Just out of curiosity are you saying Jardim is a better manager than Emery? And if yes based on what?

Cos if punching above ones weight is your criteria, Emery has been doing that before Jardim, PSG was his only plum job

Marko

It was only a thought, as for a replacement costing £50 million – We have Sven – Lewandowski cost 10 million euros, PEA circa £12 million, Dembele circa £13.5 million. Different time Marc. Even up and coming talented strikers like Maxi Gomez at Celta Vigo or that Korean lad at Red Bull Salzburg Jwoon or something they’d likely fetch upwards of 30-40 million easily. Very hard to unearth young potential strikers for cheap these days. Even Lautaro Martinez how much did he go for? Timo Werner my absolute favourite young striker in world football won’t go for anything under 60-70… Read more »

Marc

WengerEagle

My guess is Sarri will be at Chelsea. If Madrid win the CL will Zidane keep his job? Evening if they do win it after finishing 17 points off Barca I wouldn’t be surprised.

Bye bye Poch.

Marc

Marko

But they’re already on some bloke on a blog’s radar. I’m hoping for a little more from our new highly paid head of scouting.

BillikenGooner

I’ve always felt that with the atrophy and stagnation that has happened at Arsenal over the last decade, we were never going to be able to have a “hand him the baton” kind of next manager. Whoever it was going to be was going to have a tough time and probably not make it through the rebuild and transition. Maybe it was on here, but the lifespan of managers now is like 3 or 4 years. We weren’t and aren’t going to get another 10+ year manager. So Emery is probably a good choice to take the blows trying to… Read more »

WengerEagle

Marc

We’d have to be looking in the leagues outside of the top 5 and at clubs that haven’t had European exposure like RB Salzburg as Marko mentioned.

Tough ask as you’re hugely dwindling the talent pool.