First signing ready to drop + Emery talks brass tacks, and it’s sexy

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Oh damn, there’s me just minding my own business on the net of inter, I click newsnow, jump in on a story about Emery using Lacazette and Auba together

“If the ball is in play, you press. If play stops, you reposition yourself.”

“For me, the 4-1-4-1 is the system which facilitates that type of pressing. The 4-4-2 is designed more and more for zonal positioning. It’s less aggressive, but is more difficult to get past. That’s the case with Marcelino’s teams, Quique Sanchez Flores’ teams, Saint-Étienne when we last played them…

“I am not ruling out the possibility of a 4-4-2. That’s not the idea that I privilege, but if it allows me to be more competitive, then I’ll go towards it without hesitating. We sometimes used it in Sevilla. I would put Banega in a playmaker position, and have him move to the second striker position without the ball.

“With two strong, physical players behind him, it provided me with the necessary cohesion to press.

“In my case, the idea was not to win the ball back and counter as quickly as possible, but rather to equip ourselves once we had the ball. What Guardiola’s Barcelona did magnificently.

“We win the ball off of them, but those bastards always won it back. And Pep is doing it with City now. High pressure and win the ball back to start again once in position.”

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Too far?

Please. We’ve been in solitary confinement for 10 years trying to make something out of stickmen illustrations. Emery has just dropped in with full-on Pixar like clarity.

I wrote at some point in the last 10 years that one of my challenges with Wenger was that he was never able to explain what went wrong, you’d get more clarity from him on Japanese philosophical musings about plant life than you would about why we couldn’t keep it tight in the second half against Newcastle away with a 4 goal cushion.

I always mused, if he can’t articulate what went wrong, how the fuck is he going to solve the issue?

Therein lay the problem. The manager didn’t know what the problem was, that’s why he always tried to fix it doing batshit crazy things.

The great things about Emery is he’s going to survey the wreckage of our squad and he’ll piece together a system that works for it. I’m very interested to see how quickly he can do that.

One of the things I’ve always been told about Arsenal is that the treatment of the players is next level, they are mollycoddled to the point of rolling out the cotton wall for a post-match wrap-up. I think there’s going to be a huge shock to the collective system in preseason.

Familiar faces gone, replaced with characters who know they don’t have 10 years and the protection of Wenger. The likelihood is that every single one of the staff entering in July will be gone within 5 years because that’s just the nature of the beast these days. If Emery fails, he’ll be shipped out sharpishly, if he bosses his tenure like a hero, he’ll jump back on the merry-go-round of European football.

That short-term view means there’s no time for feelings. Hard decisions will be made rapidly, new approaches will be implemented instantly, and we’ll see pretty quickly how the squad reacts to the new regime. The first year is a free pass, Emery will likely do a lot of experimenting. He’ll have to learn the pace of the league, he’ll gain first-hand experience what it’s like to play through the Christmas fixture list, and he’ll deal with playing in a league that has more than 4 good teams.

There might have to be some harsh decisions happen early without all the data needed. The transfer window shuts on August 9th this year, so there’s very little time to get to know the squad before he makes big decisions about who to move on.

My gut feeling is he’s going to sell at least one big name player, and I have a feeling that’ll be Aaron Ramsey. I’m not sure where we’re going to spend big, but I’d like to think it’s on a keeper. Or a holding midfielder. Or a centre back,

The club is already trying to give the mentality of the setup a lick of winnertivity. Apparently we’re close to signing Swiss veteran Stephan Lichtsteiner. The 34-year-old would be coming in at reserve right back. Sure, he’s old, but he’s not here to play 50 games next season. Hector Bellerin is almost never injured, but having a legend of the game sitting behind him to coach, mentor and step in for a few games is a smart move in my opinion. Also, having a reserve right back who is a right back would be nice. ALSO ALSO, he’s come from a regime that deals in complex ideas and strict dicipline. This move might be dull, but it’s shrewd.

Jack Wilshere is talking about new chapters on his Instagram feed, his agents are hawking him around Europe and the Premier League. As much as the love story with Jack is one I wanted to continue, the cold hard facts don’t paint him in the best light. He contributed very little this season, he’s often broken, you can’t build anything around him because he’s always a moment away from a year on the sidelines. Like Santi, it’s hard to not see that there’s better value to be had with other players. Jack will be wanting £110k a week. He clocked 2000 odd minutes this season, landed 6 assists and 2 goals. That’s a pretty poor return. So good luck to him, hopefully he finds his spark again.

We’ll also be needing some experience at centre back, because Koscielny is not going to be in good shape, Per Mertesacker has retired, Mustafi isn’t good enough, and we have a whole group of very inexperienced hopefuls behind him.

Lots to do, but back to my original point, finally someone who knows what they’re doing there to take care of it all.

Also, before I go, remember this: Emery sold Soldado to spurs for £30m. #NeverForget

 

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Graham62

Surprise surprise, AW is considering a move back to Japan.

China

Ofc there’s doping in football. Next to zero chance that it’s clean

I was suspicious of Freddie in our CL final because despite being a man down he was sprinting like there’s no tomorrowing for the whole game, even deep into the second half

I’d honestly be surprised if arsenal have never taken part in doping considering we used to have a virtually tireless squad for 90 minutes, week in week out for well over a decade

I pray it never happened but it was suspicious

Freddie Ljungberg

Graham62

That sounds great, if we’re lucky we could really cement our place in 6th.

It’s strange, some of the same posters that have been giving Wenger shit about signing crap players for years now expect a new coach to come in and polish the turds and make them real shiny.

Still going to be turds people…

leon

I don’t know about anyone else but I would personally sell oil and take off 350k a week off a our wage bill, we have more than enough central players. However given the fact he signed a new contract the transfer fee would be huge plus his huge wages, it is unlikely to happen.

Marko

I like Forsberg I would take him if it meant Ozil or Mhiki were replaced but otherwise no

Marko

I’d certainly say there’s been some doping in the game but I’m more inclined to think it’d be some dumb footballer doing cocaine or weed than actual performance enhancing stuff.

Micheal

One of the many things I am looking forward to in the new era is an entirely fresh approach to goalkeeping. I hesitate to look backwards in the new climate, but Wenger definitely had a blind spot about keepers. In my opinion, Wenger signed only one decent keeper in his 22 years at the club – Mad Jens. (Seaman was alreaday on the books in 1996) Against that should be set a catalogue of half-baked keepers from the hopelessly inadequate to the hopelessly unreliable. Think of Almunia, Fabianski, Szcezzer, Shaaban, Mannone, Holloway, Wright, Poom, etc. Not one is a top… Read more »

DUIFG

Fuck the guy is talking tactics and I’m getting wet.

20 years of vague talk of cohesion and mental toughness is over.

He has a plan, I’m all in.

Gooner63

Love tactics

prefer the Lime and Orange ones to the Fresh Mint tho

Bamford10

If it’s true that we’re in for both Lichsteiner and Sokratis, then it’s clear they want a bit more experience and no-nonsense defending in the squad, even if the former is only a back-up and mentor to Bellerin. Sokratis can mentor Mavropanos and instruct Mustafi.

Both are inexpensive too. The cynics will see penny-pinching, but we have many needs, and we can’t fill every need with a 50m player. We don’t have those resources.

kelvin

Marko

Just take a look at R madrid they are like machines, they would let you execute your game plans on the pitch but they would still run over you.

Am not disputing their talent pool, but its just unbelievable. They are freaks.

kelvin

Bamford

Its nice to see you positive about the Arsenal. I always thought you love bitching about everything Arsenal.

Just hope others follow suit and stop bringing this great club down at the slightest opportunity.

Cheers…

HighburyLegend

“Surprise surprise, AW is considering a move back to Japan.”

How do you say “they wants him to be back 4 life” in Japanese ?? lol

Marko

Both are inexpensive too. The cynics will see penny-pinching, but we have many needs, and we can’t fill every need with a 50m player. We don’t have those resources. Right but I’d rather we didn’t skimp on the defence only to bring in an expensive forward. It seems like an experienced (Sokratis) and a kid (Caglar) will be the targets but I’d much rather the experienced signing was just marquee better. Sokratis and Mustafi doesn’t fill me with confidence mostly because Mustafi is still there. But maybe Mustafi will be replaced and sokratis and Caglar are Koscielny and Chambers replacements.… Read more »

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Loo as much as I would like ozil to be sold it won5 happen.

My understanding is that the new contract was constructed by the new heiracy at the club. So frankly there is no chance of him being sold.

I personally don’t expec5 much to change in the personel of the team I feel that mr emery will want time to evaluate his squad the first four months.

Looking ahead I’m being positive

Dissenter

I don’t eat the Sokratis signing, if you’re to believe the tabloids
Why would we pay £16-18 million for. a 29 year old defender with one year on his contract. What would he have cost if he had 3-4 year left on his.p contract? 40 miliion.

A 29 year old defender who was never elite should,b costing that much.

The Lichtsteiner deal makes sense.inread that his wages are going to be about £44k weekly.

TonyD

In Mirror online transfer news it reports SK is adding £20 million to the transfer budget, so £70 million before selling players.

Better if true

Receding Hairline

The Girona Job is available. They are part of the City football group.

Will be interesting to see who gets that job.

Will they move Viera there?? Will Arteta be trusted?

If they move Pep’s current number two does Arteta become number two??

This will be an indicator of how highly he is regarded.

Receding Hairline

@ Dissenter

I don’t care for the Sokratis signing

Seems lazy to me. He is coming from a club where they conceded goals for fun.

He is 29 and was never considered better than average

For 16m you can do much better

Marko

Heard that. Sell Mustafi that’s another 25-35 million. Welbeck 15-25 million. Ramsey 30-40 million. Ospina 5-10 million. Wilshere’s wages. Plenty of ways to add to the supposed 70 million. Though once again I doubt that there’s a specific number we had but more of an understanding that we can’t go overboard.

Gooner63

To start with we just need to sell some of the deadwood or players who are on loan and we really wont involve

Then upgrade

Cech
Koz or Mustafi
Welbeck
Iwobi
and also actually get a DM

Should be able to do that with 70mill plus player sales

Then see what happens up to Jan

HighburyLegend

Seriously, death threats for Karius ??

“you’ll never walk alone”
(lol)

Graham62

Freddie

Never been about the players for me.

It was all about Wenger and his “crap” methods.

Imagine what a half decent coach will do.

Freddie Ljungberg

Graham62 Pep, by many regarded as the top coach in the world today has spent nearly £400 mil in 2 seasons on a squad that was already better than ours, and you think a couple of weeks of drills with the existing players are going to bridge that gap? I’m sure Emery can squeeze an extra 10-15% out of some of the players and work on our shape and tactics, still not going to be enough with this squad. We’ll see what happens, not encouraged by the transfer links so far but we keep our cards close to the vest… Read more »

Marko

Still links to Diallo. Now would Diallo Sokratis and Caglar be enough? One experienced defender two young but highly rated prospects. Could be Diallo is a natural left footed player which adds balance I think

Marko

Pep, by many regarded as the top coach in the world today has spent nearly £400 mil in 2 seasons on a squad that was already better than ours, and you think a couple of weeks of drills with the existing players are going to bridge that gap?

Yes Freddie yes. I mean Unai will get more out of some of these players currently here but some are simply not good enough and undeserving of the jersey. And why are some fans so set against signings I’ll never know.

Bamford10

Kelvin

Yeah, I’ve been very negative in the past, but never just for the sake of it. As long as the club and manager trying to make intelligent moves, trying to improve us, trying to contend, I will be supportive. My issue in the past was always Wenger and the ways in which I thought he was holding us back.

I also think it’s interesting how the new manager and the new situation at the club are revealing different divisions among Arsenal fans and different sides of various posters here.

Cheers.

Marko

Sokratis close to done. Seems we’re doing all our shopping in Dortmund. Any chance we can nab Dahoud while we’re there? Perhaps sign Pulisic before he joins Liverpool or PSG.

Bamford10

Marko I think it’s three things: one, some people believe in some of the players you don’t believe in (or in some cases are more open-minded re these players); two, some people believe part of “supporting” the club is “supporting” the players, and such folks do not like to throw scorn upon our players the way some of us do; three, some people remain committed to the principle that it is not all about spending, that there is something to believing in your existing players, building, coaching, etc. I myself think we need signings but I also believe that (1)… Read more »

Marko

Bam I get all that but some of these pages are simply not good enough especially if we want to move forward and also some of them have been so bad the last couple years that they don’t deserve another season. Wilshere doesn’t deserve another season. Mustafi after last season alone doesn’t deserve another season. Cech with all his mistakes doesn’t deserve another season as number one. Welbeck gets about 9 goals a season. Xhaka since he’s been signed one could argue that we should cut our losses there.

Marko

Pages players

WengerEagle

Sokratis would be a lazy signing as RH says.

Never better than average and he’s nearly 30.

We can do much better than that.

Uwot?

Not unreasonable to suppose club doing 3/4 cheapish buys with my guess two & no more top qualidee ones still £35 mill & above.would have liked the “deadwood” shipped out ASAP but I know diff due to the stupid wages they’re all on.

useroz

Any news on …

* Coaches Emery would bring in?

* a new physio

* the appointment of assistant manager?

WengerEagle

Wouldn’t mind adding Sokratis if he were supplementing a top CB arrival too and was replacing Mustafi.

We don’t have one proper quality CB in the while squad.

Marko

True WE. Dortmund seemingly okay with knocking off a few million to let him go. They’re linked with Diallo as a replacement. It’s not exactly addressing the issue is it. Liverpool had a problem they spent 75 million on VVD. Spurs haven’t had an issue with spending big on the defence. United either. City bought Laporte for 57 million. Chelsea are being linked with Koulibaly that’s someone we should be targeting

HighburyLegend

lol auberjune’s angry again.

Elmo

Ornstein’s announced Sokratis is close.

He’s 30 next week. I hope we are lining up one young prospect to be bought in for every one of these 29/30 year old ex-Dortmund players (PEA, Mkhi, Sokratis).

We need to be bringing in and developing those young players now, as they will have to take over the reins or be the assets to fund the re-build in 2 or 3 years time when the wall of old first team players will be in sharp decline. Mavropanos is a start; let’s get going on the rest.

Victorious

sokratis might not be world class but surely he’s better than all our CB, he is a solid signing who brings with him knowledge and experience..

see some posters swooning over players linked to rival clubs,cant make this shite up even if u tried,bet they’d be spitting the dummy if our rivals were closing in on the sokratis signing.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

So the first two signings are a 34 year old freebie and 20m for a 29 year old journey man.

Nah I’m afraid it ain’t looking good

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Vic

I totally disagree

OleGunner

Is our plan just to continue raid dortmund for players?Zzzzzz
Sokratis is an ok signing but nothing that exciting.

Hoping for more top top qualiddeee this window with our new guys in charge of transfers and scouting.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

I would go with holding chambers
With good coaching there is something
Throw in the young Greek kid

Boom were done

azed

“So the first two signings are a 34 year old freebie and 20m for a 29 year old journey man.

Nah I’m afraid it ain’t looking good”

My first thought is Emery wants to get the mentality right. Build the experience out from the back cheaply then spend the big bucks in midfield.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Screams of lazy scouting to me

Graham62

Freddie

Who said anything about trying to “bridge the gap?”

All I want to see is a team who are prepared to compete and maybe, just maybe, push for top four.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Would be good if all our deals were concluded before World Cup.

However there would be 4 weeks left after it
So ….

Freddie Ljungberg

Graham62

What was the point of changing managers then? To maybe compete for the top four?

Are you on the board by any chance?

We have so much potential and Wenger was holding us back, now is the time to go for it, not settle down into mid table mediocrity that we might never get out of.

Time to show some ambition as a club ffs…

Bamford10

Victorious

No, most here wouldn’t care if a rival signed Sokratis. He isn’t high-profile enough. I think he can be a solid signing for us as we need experienced, no-nonsense defenders (among other things), but your anti-Le-Grove take (‘you’d all be praising Sokratis if Chelsea or Spurs signed him’) is nonsense, as is, frankly, most of what you say here.

azed

With Sokratis coming, I believe one of Chambers/Holding is gone.

Bamford10

Azed

Agreed. I think it’s about getting the mentality right — especially defensively — and about getting experienced players who can both instruct / mentor some of the younger players and provide solid defensive play themselves.

HighburyLegend

So, this Sokratis, he’s he good or not ??

Gooner63

We have 70m plus player sales We arent going to be spending big on players when we dont know who will fit Emerys sytem 20m for a 30yr old to bring some experience – mainly just a 3yr experiment to bring through younger defenders – The main part of the cash should go on a DM and possibly a keeper Plus with our forwards getting on a bit i wouldnt be surprised to see a young potential forward come in Im really only expecting a couple of additions, clear out some crap, and then this season coming will be adapting… Read more »

Ishola70

HighburyLegend
“So, this Sokratis, he’s he good or not ??”

lol

Let’s just say he is within a certain price range that the club are willing to pay out for that position according to age and experience.

HighburyLegend

As long as he’s not a “wenger type of signing” player…
(lol)

Ishola70

Sokratis

Positives

Strong, physical, good passer of the ball, has leadership qualities.

Negatives

Not the quickest, rash too many times, dives in too many times.

Fans will probably like his style of play. A stopper.

HighburyLegend

“has leadership qualities.”
Sign him!! lol

Gooner63

Arsenal 16m Sokratis

Utd 200m Bale

remember the days when it was either us or Utd for the title

oh well – maybe one day we will be back lol

Ishola70

I think Sokratis is too similar to Mustafi if they were paired together.

Both hot-heated on occasions and not blessed with real pace.

Maybe he is like for like replacement who knows.

TR7

Signing cheap as well as old players who have been associated with Sven in the past? A killer strategy!

TheLegendaryDB10

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