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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Redtruth

“Like Del Bosque once said (not verbatim) “I don’t need to be jumping up and down like a clown to get my point across or celebrate a win”

That’s probably more to do with his fat belly than anything else.

London gunner

Bale what a goal zidanes is still better though

Redtruth

“First manager in HISTORY to win 3 consecutive UCL”

He’s also first manager to win two in a row…………you lemon

Dissenter

Salah could be out of the world cup
Very sad, if he has a dislocation it will take at least 4-6 weeks without surgery.
What a tragedy for Egypt

Daz

He’s dodging all the trophies
He’s never going to stop
He’s a trophy dodger
And his name is Jurgen Klopp

steve

@London gunner

Don’t be too hard on Aubergine. He’s a special needs Wenger groupie.

loyika

@ Red

Maradona is as fat and still jumps up and down?

Champagne charlie

Just want to keep some perspective in the Liverpool/Klopp love affair.. – He’s lost 6 consecutive finals. – Finished 8th (taking over in October), 4th, 4th again (1 point worse than last season.) – hasn’t addressed their awful defence – plays intense football and shows pashun Just curious how many Arsenal fans would embrace 0 trophies, a bottlers tag in finals, and 4th place over Emerys 2-3 seasons in charge? As long as we play devastating stuff at times, and he goes mental on the sideline. Now I rate Klopp, but the hero worship needs a firm simmer. Liverpool came… Read more »

Marko

Emil Forsberg, Seri, Rabiot, Dembele, Sokratis, Koulibaly, Leno et al all linked to Arsenal but it’s dimissed by you. Instead using the very same tenuous links of other clubs to somehow signal superiority.

I mean they actually have signed Naby Keita. And their superiority is pretty obvious no? Champions league final…Europa league semi-final…4th place…6th place. I don’t know what’s going on with you Charles I assume it’s boredom. I just admired Liverpool targeting players like Keita and Fekir real statement type players

Marko

Now I rate Klopp, but the hero worship needs a firm simmer

You’re one to talk. The fucking sentiment towards Wenger who done fuck all for about 10 years was ridiculous. A different kind of worship I suppose. Klopps doing a good job he’s getting consistent champions league and looks like is slowly getting ready for a title tilt.

Liverpool came 4th this season, and earned less points than last, with one of the best ever PL performances coming from a forward in Salah.

Van Persie scored 30 goals one season and we…did not challenge for the title

Arsnil

Everybody is dissing Karius and rightly so but how can any team expect to win a Champions League final with the likes of Wynaldum and Lalanna. Truly shocking players.

Champagne charlie

Marko

Don’t try the slippery pickle shit with me, you weren’t simply admiring names they’re linked with. You were putting Arsenal down and propping them up because that’s your weird mantra as a supposed arsenal fan.

Van Persie didn’t have Firmino and Mane alongside him either.. what’s your point? You wanted Wenger gone for much of the same “achievements” Klopp has had in his time at Liverpool, so maybe less of the hypocrisy.

As I said, would you be licking Emerys nuts with the same record over the next two years. Smart money is no.

Marko

Don’t try the slippery pickle shit with me

What the fuck is that? You creep. If you’re asking would I be happy with champions league football and a champions league final appearance from Emery in two years I would be yes.

HillWood

If you play Real Madrid and lose your star striker to a cynical foul, your keeper concedes two howlers and Gareth Bale hits you with a wonder goal is that really the managers fault ?

Champagne charlie

Marko
Hilarious how the remit has changed suddenly. I’m not surprised.

Hillwood
Behave mate, crushing night for Karius and you’ve got to feel for him on a personal level, but they’ve not had a GK for how long? That’s Klopp, and the oversight has been underlined, rammed home, and remailed all in one night.

loyika

@ CC Its usually the grass is always greener across the fence with most Arsenal Fans. Granted we all want our team(s) to do well, in the end of any campaign, and anyone will admit we haven’t acheived what we could have over the 2nd phase of Arsene’s reign (for sure at least 2 league titles were within our grasp since 2004) but its as if folks shift the goal post in what constitutes success when it comes to other teams in relation to Arsenal FC and I doubt this mentality from some fans will change even with Emery as… Read more »

loyika

@Hillwood (Lol)

Klopp did say though that if they won its on the players and if they lost its on him. So folks are taking him at his word.

Anyways its a footie game, shyte happens. Small margins win or lose a game and Karius will have to live with his mistakes and Klopp will need to still address his defence regardless.

HillWood

Cc
You conveniently overlooked the deliberate dislocating foul and Bales wonder goal . Mate

DaleDaGooner

People still licking Klopp nuts. I recall we were top 4 with no trophies, CL q/semifinals and people bitched. Top 4/5 with FA Cup people still bitched. Emery hasn’t even managed a game and some are licking nuts of other team coaches

DaleDaGooner

And Ramos is a dirty cunt! Always has been. I hope someone ruins him during the World Cup

Guns of SF

Hope salah recovers for Egypt
Ramos is a dirty player and he plays games
Just remember how he got cuadrado sent off in last cl final. He feigned injury for a big strong man he is a coward and cheat.

Not sure how the draws are made but would love to see Egypt v Spain is only for someone giving him a swift kick or elbow

Step on his foot too

What a dick

China

This is why every top team needs a top keeper This kind of fannying about you it’s keepers, much like at arsenal, specifically will cost you trophies Very few teams win the big trophies with clowns in goal. If arsenal still think cech is good enough to be first choice there is no hope for us. He’s made so many howlers this year and you can count on one hand how many games he made the difference to help us beyond the minimum expectations Arsenal, please sign a fucking keeper otherwise next year, if we get to a final, there’s… Read more »

Guns of SF

Leno dude China
Who else

Dissenter

Why didn’t Karius just punch the shot that led to the third goal
That’s what goal keepers are taught to do.
That was really bizarre

Rambo Ramsey

“To be fair Alan pardrew would have won that final with the real Madrid have.Zidane doesn’t deserve such strong plaudits”

Ridiculous comment.

Nobody in history had won it twice in a row and Zidane has done it three in a row.

The best in the World( embarrassing) Pepsy Fraudiola couldn’t do it with a better Barca side.

Its shocking the level of disrespect aimed at Zidane the manager.

gonsterous

kloops been at pool for 2 seasons. Wenger was stagnating for 10 years, why are we comparing the two ??

Guns of SF

Karius hurts more than no salah

Guns of SF

Who lives in the us here ?

Guns of SF

Dissenter
The first goal was criminal
Second legit
Third just poor poor error
He let in 2

China

Is Leno up to much? If so, great. If not let’s please not gamble on him. Keepers, like CFs should be match winners who can bail you out of trouble and steal you points the team hasn’t really earned. We have suffered for such a long time for the lack of a match winning keeper. Even Almunia didn’t actually make that many mistakes as he wasn’t actually bad per say, but he never won us any fucking points. The last time we had someone serious in goal was Lehmann in the 06 CL run who was monstrous that year No… Read more »

Moray

Wenger got to the CL final once in 22 years and he managed to lose with one of the best teams the club has ever had.

With the financial power of the Manchester clubs third and fourth should be the realistic ambition of clubs like Liverpool and us..

Klopp has done well. He is building a strong side there and Keia will make them even tougher.

DivineSherlock

That was absolutely the worst UCL final in terms of quality . Worst I’ve ever seen .

Moray

Sherlock, it made me think everyone is trying to play football at too high a pace these days. No patience.

Champagne charlie

Hillwood Deliberate dislocating foul? Could you possibly reach more… It’s very simple, Karius is poop and Klopp paid the price for not addressing the glaringly obvious. That’s what defines matters over the course of a league campaign, or at the very highest level in the crunch games. So by all means deflect blame from Klopp, but it’s bizarre given he’s lost 6 consecutive (no ‘deliberate dislocating fouls’ finals in all) and finished 4th twice. If you can’t bring yourself to be critical then that displays a level of hypocrisy. As Loyika says, roles reversed and people like yourself and Marko… Read more »

TR7

Another undeserved UCL victory for Real Madrid. They should have been knocked out by Juve in QF, shocking referee decisions bailed them out. Bayern thoroughly outplayed them in both legs In SF but didn’t take their chances. And now dirty art from Ramos combined with Karius’ magnanimity hand them another title on the platter. And perhaps another undeserved Ballon D’or for Ronaldo, sickening to think he will end up with more Balloon D’ors than Messi when he hasn’t been half as good as the Argentine. P. S : Funny to see so many posters labeling Klopp a failure. I thought… Read more »

TR7

Rambo

‘Nobody in history had won it twice in a row and Zidane has done it three in a row. The best in the World( embarrassing) Pepsy Fraudiola couldn’t do it with a better Barca side.Its shocking the level of disrespect aimed at Zidane the manager.’

Zidane’s team hasn’t won a league title in 3 years, so fair to say RM hasn’t been the best team in Spain, let alone in Europe.

Sanmi

Yesterday’s loss, was all down to klopp, no questions in my mind.
If it were wenger, you’d all say it was down to Wenger.
Atrocious midfield. No plan B, besides gengen press. Apparently the press is useless without MoSalah to conjure magics.

Sanmi

Lest I forget, I have always said Firminho, is a useless player. Salah made them look good.
Mane on the other hand doesn’t need Salah to perform

China

I like Klopp a lot but we can’t say when their keeper plays shit it’s bad luck and when our keeper plays shit it’s bad recruitment/coaching Klopp is a very good manager but has totally neglected to take the gk position seriously and as a result of this it costs them points in the league (and subsequently positions) and has potentially cost them the CL final. You can’t really call it bad luck when a not particularly good player gets selected and then doesn’t play well. It’s like the apologists on here who also isolate mistakes from our guys when… Read more »

Ishola70

Before everyone gets too critical of Liverpool they have just reached a CL final something that Arsenal have only done once in history and Arsenal fans would love to be in a position atm to be contesting CL finals. Also Liverpool finished double digits ahead of Arsenal in the league.

Yes Klopp has been negligent in the GK position and Karius was a bomb waiting to explode but if they get in a new capable GK in the summer most would fancy them to have a better season than Arsenal again next season.

Some perspective.

TR7

Yes, Klopp has grossly ignored the GK problem, that’s a fair criticism but to say he is a bottler/failure is ridiculous. Simeone lost two CL finals as well, bottler?

China

Managers don’t need to have future vision to suspect that a shitty player could play shit

It’s like rolling a dice and hoping it’s not a 1. Sooner or later you’ll roll a 1 and sometimes twice in a row. It’s inevitable

Ishola70

It’s been bad negligence by Liverpool no doubt regarding their GK position.

What they shouldn’t do is focus solely on the injury to Salah in why they lost that final.

It was a hammer blow to them to lose Salah in that match but they also had a booby in goal that was also a handicap to go along with losing Salah.

China

Yeah I’m not on the anti Klopp train. He’s doing well and if he sorts out the keeper and defense they could become a very serious team indeed

But I just don’t want people to excuse his lack of attention to the gk position

Sanmi

In the last 4 seasons, Wenger is more successful than klopp and Pochettino combined. What’s your point?

Ishola70

In the second tier Sanmi.

Chelsea just won the FA Cup.

Do we all think Chelsea had a good season overall? No they have just bombed out of CL and came in for plenty of criticism.

It’s what table you are eating at Sanmi.

Ishola70

I’ve been impressed with the Liverpool full backs,

Klopp has done well in that regard.

It just shows that you don’t need seasoned experienced players in those full back positions.

As long as they have a certain standard and are attuned to the team way of playing and system.

TR7

‘In the last 4 seasons, Wenger is more successful than klopp and Pochettino combined. What’s your point?’

Was Roberto Martinez more successful than Wenger from 2005-2013 ?

Ishola70

Chelsea couldn’t eat at the top tables this season.

There was no room for them at the EPL top table.

No go as well at the CL top table.

Shit we are we going to eat? Can’t sit at these top tables.

Well sir we have a side room where you can go. Pleasant enough but not our highest end option here.

Rambo Ramsey

“Zidane’s team hasn’t won a league title in 3 years, so fair to say RM hasn’t been the best team in Spain, let alone in Europe.”

Get your facts right.

They won it last year.

Ishola70

Arsenal need to sit and contest at the top tables.

Not glutton themselves in the side room.

loyika

@ Ishola Hogwash Bro! No 2 seasons are the same, no one can honestly tell if Pool can replicate this seasons run in the UCL same way we couldn’t get to another after 2006. Cup runs always carry an element of luck in them, like with R Madrid this season. Pool got lucky twice as well in the 2 games against Citeh in that some decisions on goals had gone Citeh’s way (which were wrongly chalked off) the games might have been different. They almost got done by Roma and if that game had gone on for 5 more minutes… Read more »

Mark

What Ramos did was cynical but sly. It was a deliberate attempt for the player to get injured in that fall or fall awkwardly. Similar to a Judo throw. Locking Salah’s arm then falling, releasing the arm on the way down effectively flipped him over onto his left shoulder. Ramos is a dirty Cunt! From then you just knew it wasn’t gonna be pool’s day. Karius is done at Liverpool , you drop 2 Clangers like that in a UCL final there’s no coming back from that. Tangerine -Dreamer14, no Ramos isn’t a hardman for doing that, he’s a dirty… Read more »

Chika

Klopp prefers the taste of silver medals, I heard he licks them..

Ishola70

Not just cup runs Loyika.

Liverpool showed more in the EPL this season and Arsenal have catch up to do in that respect.

Liverpool look to be in a better place than Arsenal atm.

We will see if Emery can bridge it.

HillWood

Charlie
I am not a Klopp fan. I am not a Liverpool fan. My comments where purely based on last nights match.
To be honest I really don’t care that Liverpool lost

loyika

@ TR7

Simeone lost UCL finals but has won several Europa Cups, remind us again how many Klopp has won?

I love Klopp as a Manager and the person he comes across as (could do without the antics on the touch line though) but he is not as brilliant as some are making him out to be if we hold that the ultimate aim of the game is to win trophies.

Way way better than Poch though in that regard (lol)

Ishola70

Loyika

Why keep banging on about the second tier trophies FA Cups and Europa Leagues?

The truly great managers are judged on domestic league title wins and CL success.

loyika

@ Chika

That was savage!!

@ Ishola

Lets see what Emery can do. Like you said, he has some serious catching up to do. I just hope the intensity if our league doesn’t come as a shock to him same way it did Pep in his first season at Citeh. And whatever he does, he should not allow himself to be drawn in any mind games with Jose in whatever way, as I am sure Jose would see him as a “New Toy” to play with. (as thats how he now seems to get his kicks)

Ishola70

Loyika we were all told on here that Emery is a second tier manager.

He is not seen as real top tier.

Why is that?

In your reckoning he must be top tier because he has eaten up a few fair trophies at PSG and he was known prior as the Europa League specialist.

And we know how you love these second tier cups. He must be top tier in your book.

Ishola70

Fair comments Loyika on your last post.

Nothing to disagree with there.

loyika

Brilliant @ Ishola!!

So then Zidane is “Great” and Klopp and Poch are not. (well at least Klopp won the league in German, so he is potentially great. Lol)

Couldn’t have said it better myself Bro.

Rambo Ramsey

Lets get something straight here.

Even if Liverpool had two Salahs’, they wouldn’t have beat Madrid.

Ishola70

Zidane is in a nice place and club where he can win the big ones but you have to credit him for getting them over the line not once but three times in a row.

So yes he is judged higher than Klopp and Poch.

Sanmi

Ishola, There’s no such thing as catch up. A season isn’t the cummulation of previous seasons, we all start on clean slate every season. One season Chelsea is 1st, another they are 5th with virtually same players. A long term injury or a match ban to Salah can ruin an entire season. Arsenal could be 2nd, and spurs or utd could be 5th. The one true team that’s above everyone else is city, and it has little to do with the players, but much to do with the coach and system. Liverpool is all about salah, Mou, has a hit… Read more »

Ishola70

Sanmi People can have an idea of what is needed to be done to improve on from the previous season. Atm Arsenal are becoming predictable in their league campaigns and not in a positive sense. Clubs like Liverpool look to be standing at a stronger point than Arsenal atm. They have been obviously improving while Arsenal have been standing still/regressing. Chelsea are what they are a turbulent club but even in turbulent times such as this season they can finish higher. Spurs have been improving over time. There is catch up to do. I hope Emery doesn’t have the same… Read more »

Ishola70

Wenger has seen to it that there is catch up to do.

Pierre

I think it’s time to bring a stop clock into the professional game as the last 10/15 minutes of a match can become a farce with all the time wasting, feigning injuries, substitutions etc, leading to frustration from the players and fans and ruining the spectacle. The spanish teams are the masters of gamesmanship, the 2 Madrid teams have it down to a fine art, very frustrating as a football fan to watch. The simple thing to do is after 80 minutes a stop clock should begin showing 10 minutes plus any injury time, say 2 minutes, making a total… Read more »

Pierre

Ishola Though I can understand the usual negativity towards The Arsenal, I dont believe it’s all doom and gloom. The gap at the top can be overcome despite the gap in points last season. Our home form is up with the best, our attacking third is up with the best, so it’s obvious where the deficiencies lie… Centre mid and centre defence. The manager also has to decide if a new keeper is needed.. Will a new keeper immediately provide stability to the defence.. It did with city though of course they spent about 200 million on their defence, which… Read more »

Ishola70

That’s right Pierre

Problems in certain areas of the pitch.

But also we have fans excited and pleased that Emery has come in and is actually talking tactics and talking about other teams tactics.

We have posters stating that Wenger was lax and stuck in his ways regarding coaching.

When you add it all up it is hard not to think that catch up is needed and that is just for top four.

Wenker-wanger

Agree with the description of Ramos…..dirty nasty cnut….ok great defender,….but life is bigger than winning football matches. The smirk and laugh after the tackle was evil.

Receding Hairline

find it funny the length some posters on here go to defend other teams. Bottom line is Klopp came to Liverpool to help them challenge for the league title…they have not even pretended to do so in his time there. He has lost two European finals, yesterday’s loss Madrid didn’t have to come out of second gear. You can talk about Arsenal being a million miles away from them if that makes u feel better, but we know that is simply not true. Last season owed a lot to our atrocious away form, i mean Spurs played the whole season… Read more »

Sanmi

There’s no such thing as catching up. A season has no bearing on the next, otherwise Leicester should never have won the league if that was the case after being almost relegated.
How be it, a player can make a difference either by being extremely good a la messi or having a brilliant season a la salah and vardy. But even with their brilliance, teams still have a worse season than the previous.

There’s no such thing as catching up.

China

Zidane has benefitted from a world class squad but you can’t win the CL three times in a row just by having a good squad

Peak Barca from a few years back we’re quite a lot better than this Madrid squad and still didn’t manage anything like this level of dominance in Europe

China

Damn I it’s definitely true that the assumptions that next year all the other top 6 clubs will improve is almost certainly mistaken

Everyone says it every year and every time one or more shit the bed.

But we should be building our team in expectancy that they will because to expect that some of the others might have a worse season is the wrong way to think about it

We should be planning for the worst, which is that all those teams will improve

Marko

Zidane’s done a great job doubting that but it kind of helps that Barcelona and Bayern aren’t as great in Europe as they were a few years back and the likes of United and Chelsea aren’t as good either. In saying that Madrid have been much better in the past too. It’s just experience of winning with so many players on that team

Ishola70

Why was a managerial great as Gazidis described Wenger in his recent presser had his contract terminated if there is no catching up to do?

Surely a managerial great would have been able and allowed to see out his last year if there was no real catching up to do.

Sanmi

Good point china,
Just a good buy or a player stepping up, can make the whole difference.

Imagine Maitland having a superb season as a Dm, and we sign a CB that sorts of the defense

Frankie Coffeecakes

Yeah, thats right Pierre – Lets turn Football into the NBA where the final minute of play in a game can take 10+ minutes to play.

Running a clock down is part of the game, like it or not. Introducing stop play will serve no purpose as the fianl 10-15 minutes will seem like an eternity under the very same teams you mention.

Time is with the referee, their call as it should be.

Ishola70

If you can’t come to terms that at this time Arsenal are lagging then it can make it a little more difficult to improve.

It’s needs to be recognised to improve matters.

Foolish pride I suppose.

Marko

So we’re not catching up? We’re on equal footing with City Liverpool and United? Thank goodness for that thought we had some work to do

Receding Hairline

“Surely a managerial great would have been able and allowed to see out his last year if there was no real catching up to do.” Wenger was sacked because he was not maximizing the resources available to him. End of Your catching up theory holds little water. Man united finished 6 then 2nd Chelsea finished 10th then 1st Leicester finished 16th then 1st then back to mid table Every season comes with its own complexities, this seasons particular hindrance was our inability to win away from home We did not loose to stoke, brighton,bournemouth, southampton because they were better than… Read more »

Ishola70

Receding

We won’t know whether Wenger was not maximizing the resources available to him until we see what happens with Emery.

And you have the cheek to call me out on stating things as facts lol

Marko

Does anyone see us improving next season without signings? And I’m talking significantly because we’d need significant improvement after finishing 5/6 the last two seasons

Sanmi

So a Liverpool that can’t make it out of group stage last season, suddenly gets to final this season, they have suddenly caught up with barca or bayern?

Hell no, what makes you have a good season, has nothing to do with last season, not even having better players guarantees you a better season.

Ishola70

Gazidis implied in his recent presser that all Arsenal needed was a few little tweaks here and there and they would be back in with the big boys.

Nonsense.

He wouldn’t have been party to Wenger’s sacking and the clear out of most of his back room staff if all that was needed was a few little tweaks here and there.

Embrace that there is catch up and work to do. Best for Arsenal to do so instead of this foolish pride.

Receding Hairline

“We won’t know whether Wenger was not maximizing the resources available to him until we see what happens with Emery.”

Even a five year old knows he did not so i don’t get what you are driving at

“So a Liverpool that can’t make it out of group stage last season, suddenly gets to final this season, they have suddenly caught up with barca or bayern?”

Please answer this question Ishola

Marko

Hell no, what makes you have a good season, has nothing to do with last season, not even having better players guarantees you a better season.

Are you stupid or what? Explain their season then dummy. Go on try to explain Liverpool this season without mentioning the signings of Salah, VVD or Robertson

Receding Hairline

Well i am not embracing your defeatist view Ishola

So do have a lovely day.

The Liverpool i saw yesterday looked as average as they come.

Frankie Coffeecakes

In order to have “caught up” one needs to match or exceed those above them and stay with them year over year. Arsenal need to play “catch up” with those above them how, and stay with them.

Is this what is meant by “catch up”?

Akilan

Klopp has spent 75m on VVD though. If they sign a proper GK, their rebuilding is complete I think.

Remember their defense has improved a lot in the second half of the season(VVD impact).

This is still his 2nd full season. Granted he hasn’t won anything, but they’re the ones that are best equipped to challenge city next season. Despite the league table, I think they’re the second best team in the PL.

Marko

It depends on what kind of goals you have. If you have desires of challenging for the top 4-6 then yeah just a couple tweaks here and there. If we’re to legitimately challenge for the league then big changes are needed. No way we challenge with that midfield and defence and with Iwobi and Maitland Niles as important squad players

Ishola70

What is defeatist about it Receding?

Am I implying that Emery won’t be able to get to work and improve matters and bridge the gap? Not at all.

It’s you who have the problem in not recognising there is work to be done and catch up is necessary.

FFS just look at the EPL table it is staring you in the face that catch up is needed.

12 points behind 4th, 14 points behind 3rd and 18 points behind 2nd.

Wake up man.

Receding Hairline

“In order to have “caught up” one needs to match or exceed those above them and stay with them year over year. Arsenal need to play “catch up” with those above them how, and stay with them.”

The catch up theory only works if it is a given the teams that finished above will perform at the same level or even higher next seson

That is not a given

Who saw Chelsea finishing 5th??

With the way United started who saw them finishing so far behind City??

George

Emery is both accomplished and has something to prove. It’s an incredibly intelligent decision by Arsenal.

Sanmi

Marko,
You silly Muppet, before the signing of salah, would you consider him a better player than pogba, Lukaku, Morata or Lacazette? Looking in hindsight, you think he’s a better player.
He simply had a good season, the only one he’s ever had.
I explained this earlier, having better players don’t guarantee you better season. Salah was not on their level before this season. Some players raise their games in a season. Which buttresses the fact that gaps between teams is imaginary. A player having a good team makes the gaps irrelevant

Marko

There’s every impression that Klopp will sort out the keeper situation he may be a bit slow doing it but VVD and Robertson show that he does eventually address squad issues. Certain types critical of Klopp seemed to have no problem with Wenger who for years failed to address squad issues for some reason. Persisted with Almunia for years always targeted weak shit defenders and never properly addressed the DM situation

Paulinho

Liverpool are a much better team than we are – and look set to improve even further with Keita and Fekir. They are better coached and have more well-rounded dynamic players in attack.

So, yes, they are way ahead of us at present,and Emery has it all to do to bridge that gap.

Frankie Coffeecakes

“Who saw Chelsea finishing 5th??”

With Conte and his antics, pretty much everyone saw it coming, Receding.

As for United, they finished second which means they are back in with the top 4 pack and meaning they have caught up. I fully understand what you are saying, but am of the belief that sustainment of performance dictates whether one has “caught up”.

Receding Hairline

@ Ishola

Not a single Arsenal fan has denied the work that needs to be done.

I Like the way the poster above you has just dismissed Niles and Iwobi

Well Robertson played for a relegated Hull city while Arnold came from the reserves. They had good coaching. Whisbh is what Emery is here to do,

Sarri, the man Chelsea fans are swooning over once called the transfer market the refuge of the weak, he said give me a player and i will bring out the best in him