via @Arsenal
Arsenal kicked off the new era in a painfully familiar fashion. A leaky defence, a second-rate performance against a top 6 side, star names under-performing, along with the customary zero points. Unai Emery witnessed first hand the brilliance of Manchester City and probably now realises how much work needs to be done to move Arsenal into the modern era of football Arsene Wenger steadfastly refused to acknowledge existed.
There was also a bit of a subplot with Arteta sitting in the opposition dugout, he was the frontrunner for the Arsenal job until Gazidis lost his nerve. The big hugs from Pep after the second goal hinted that our excaptain may have been given an outsized role in deciding what the plan was going to be for the afternoon (like he was last year).
Whoever concocted the strategy, it worked. Manchester City blitzed us from wide positions, Mahrez and Sterling causing us all sorts of problems, with Mendy and Walker showing off their raw power and pace. Our defence looked pedestrian at times, AMN really suffering before going off with an injury after a collision with a full speed Kyle Walker.
Their goals were standard Arsenal switch off moments. For the first, a poor Bellerin clearance found Mendy who often took up central positions, Sterling ghosted Bellerin, shrugged off Guendouzi and slammed his shot past Cech who didn’t dive. The second goal was classic Arsenal, Mendy powered the ball up the park, played a one-two with Sterling, crossed low into space in front of our extremely deep defence, Xhaka was pondering, no one in our defence reacted, Bernado Silva was first to it and rocketed his chance into the top corner.
We had some good moments in the game, but as with preseason, our transitions to attack were generally quite poor. Ourdefence looked extremely uncomfortable on the ball, Petr Cech was comical at times, nearly passing into his own net at one point. Flabbergasting that the coach wants to play with a keeper regista, but opted for Cech, who I absolutely refuse to believe has been dropping passes like peak Zidane in training. With his hands, he was excellent all game, he made some wonderful saves. However, in the new era, the keeper is expected to play with his feet. He is not the guy you want breaking the lines. It’ll be very interesting to see how long Emery sticks with that decision.
It didn’t help that we had nothing performances from Ramsey, Ozil, Auba and Mikki. Our attackers looked like they’d never played together, Ozil was particularly depressing to watch. His touch was poor, his passing was unusually shite and he just looked disinterested. Ramsey couldn’t find a way into the game either, a very bland performance for someone chasing a deal (or the exit door).
Aubamayang is an incredible finisher, but he lacks the all-round impact a striker like, dare I say it, Giroud can offer you by bringing players into the game with great hold up play. I’m not crying for Giroud by the way, I’m merely pointing out that Emery has to find a way to work Auba work in big games like that.
Still, on the positive side of things, the manager was scheming during the game about how to make us better in the second half. He subbed Ramsey on 54, a real power move if he wasn’t injured. Lacazette gave us some hope with two chances early on, one of his half-volley grazing just wide.
I thought Lichtsteiner was a real asset when he came on. He got forward a lot, he was rugged in defence and he really does bring an air of nasty to our team. What a competitor he is.
Guendouzi had a good game. I mean, he made a lot of expected rookie mistakes, but as everyone keeps saying, he never shied away. He demands the ball all the time, and despite being at fault for the first goal and nearly gifting them a second when he set Aguerro free, he was a bright spark out there on the pitch. Give me him in midfield over Xhaka every game. Telling that our best player made two shocking errors and I’m pleased.
Another telling moment was Xhaka being subbed off for a defensive midfielder when we were trailing. The Swiss was typically average. He landed a yellow card because he’s so fucking slow, he gifted them possession and he just generally looked off the pace against an aggressive Manchester City. Moving forward, he can’t be starting. He’s one of the most average players I’ve witnessed over the years, literally no redeeming qualities in a league that demands physical presence. He is a liability against anyone that presses him, and teams like Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and City will all know that.
So what have we learnt? Not a lot. We knew this was going to be a tough season, and we knew it was highly unlikely we’d be a match for the second greatest team to grace the Premier League. We won’t play teams that good every week, and by the time we play them next year, it’ll be a different story. The players will have adopted Emery’s ideas, the defence will feel more comfortable playing the ball out the back and you’d have to hope the manager will have found his true starting 11.
The big questions for me:
Are Emery’s ideas that good? Can he compete with the like of Pep, Sarri, Klopp and Pochettino? All masters of their various offerings. Another big question is how the players will react to defeat.
How enthused will they be about the new setup? The double sessions? Being shouted at like never before, but the same things happening on the pitch…
How long will it take to see progress, and how long will the fans roll with it? For me, we have to be real. It took Pep a year with a blank chequebook. It took Klopp a year, and his path is much more aligned with the challenges we face. So whatever you’re thinking now, you have to park it for at least that long.
Top 4 is the goal, it’s going to be tough because there are 7 very good teams this season.
Anyway, don’t be down in the dumps, today was the short-term cost of progress, this will get better as the year goes on, more joy to come (hopefully).
Let’s hope the reaction is great. Sarri up next. Excellent.
“The second one was making unchallenged errors and trying to creat assists for the opposition by the 10th minute. ”
Yeah if you want to nitpick, Guendozi ran the ball off a throw in unchallenged and was no where to be seen when Sterling and Mendy ran his side of the middle down all before 13th minute. Does playing in his first game exempt him from criticism?
And i think Ramsey played by design yesterday so take it up with Emery. I founit bizarre too
Deluded Pierre moaning about refereeing decisions.
Lost to the better you idiot.
The great thing is no one can hide and with Emery under enormous pressure in his first games he will be really seeing all the faults of the side to protect himself. Ozil can’t hide behind a season opening playing well against relegation fodder and then go missing, he did his usual yesterday in a big game and now has Chelsea away to disappear in. Xhaka as well can’t hide with slower paced games that Arsenal control, City and Chelsea will press which highlight his flaws. Same goes for the s**t games Mkhitaryan and Ramsey had. If I was Emery… Read more »
Dissenter
Did you say who you blame for our transfer activitiy/inactivity this summer?
Receding
Christ semantics. He sold himself and Sterling took one step and scored, why are ou dragging it out? Yea Xhaka was pony but as Mystic says, he was largely ineffectual both sides. That’s different to your errors leading to goals.
Alan why not make your posts without calling someone idiot? What does that make you?
Dissenter
I am just reminding you that you make silly comments and are off in your judgements plenty of times.
None of us here are foolproof but of course it is amusing to highlight them and I am bantering you when I bring those things up.
So I am perfectly ok about banter. I’m bantering you and your response is funny too me. It’s a self-defence response.
It’s ok Dissenter it’s only a football blog and you are not a football sage clearly.
I would really love it if we could have a cull of the mini Wengers on this forum. Pierre for example banging on about VAR, documenting by the minute tiny details that could have went the other way. Loser
Did we lose to the better team? Yes. Then shut the f’ck up.
Cesc,
Agreed with your post.
Contract mismanagement combined with keeping Wenger on for eons has set us back at least 3-4 years.
We have a tougher rebuilding job than Liverpool for example when Klopp joined because we are tight arses with the wallet and awful at getting decent fees for our players.
I’m just banking on Emery’s general competency to at least initially get us to a “normal elite”” level in two seasons. We really have to lower our expectations for a long while yet.
OleGunner
I agree.
When you think of the s**t state this team is in and the environment it has existed in for years I think you have to lower your expectations.
Guendouzi is a quality player, he should start every game if fit.
I don’t know what we’re expecting in that game against such an opponent that could put Sane and De Bryune on the bench!
It will be a miracle if we get results in the game, it used to be 3goals upward without any fight whatsoever.
Before Arsenal will really compete with top sides in the league Kronke need to open his wallet and invest, Liverpool signed and Chelsea signed just a keeper with our total summer spending!
Lacazette gave us some hope with two chances early on, one of his half-volley grazing just wide.
——————————————————-
Pedro – that half-volley as you call it, was a terrible miss. He did the same against The Scum last season, missing when it was easier to score.
Auba also blasted a great chance wide which was pathetic.
We did at least have 2 goals disallowed for offside………
Let’s be frank Manchester City are by a “country mile” the best team/squad in EPL and possibly now in Europe. They made mince meat of Chelsea in Charity Shield. In both games they could have won 6-0. My assessment is that they did as much as what was required to win this game. Arsenal’s shortcomings are plain to see. When you play against such opposition the midfield need to compete against a “pressing team”. We failed to do so yesterday primarily because the midfield and full-backs we put out yesterday are not good enough. My view is that most teams… Read more »
Ramsey was deployed high up the pitch to sit up against Fernandinho. He was always close to him. Liverpool used this tactic last year v City as a lot of city’s play starts through him as the pivot. In our case, City I think anticipated Emery would do this and we would also play narrow with 2 no 10s playing inside so they rampaged down the wings – allowing mahrez and sterling drift inside and bombing Mendy and Walker on overlaps against static passive Arsenal full backs.
Emery might have taken on too much. He should have insisted on more transfer activities, i think he got this job based on his belief he can coach some of this boys into shape. Lets see how he goes. He should have picked Torriera in place of Xhaka yesterday, Ozil and Mkhi starting against city was also a bit of, iwobi usually has decent games against City.
This is going to be a very slow process, even i myself can be accused of over reacting, but yesterday’s performance was not reassuring at all.
Your Comment Here
By the way, why exactly did we agree with Man U to take Mkhitaryan in the Sanchez deal? He’s fucking useless.
Cesc We have a hesitant player on our books who had a transfer value of 30-35 million as at Thursday last week. We failed to sell him off and have placed him in the special seat that Ozil created for bulling the club. If bungling the Sanchez and Ozil deals were tantamount to being shot in the foot, then the Ramsey deal mismanagement has to be like knee capping ourselves in the other lower limb. Ramsey will get a deal that he doesn’t deserve . A deal that will hamstring us in later years and crates a bad precedent like… Read more »
I think Emery knows he got the tactics wrong – from what I read about him he’s a real student of the game. Fundamentally, you cannot work this game plan with so many players who haven’t the engine / are too one paced to press – Ozil / Xhaka / Miki. He should have been more pragmatic – deployed a low block with midfield stuffed with legs and bite and had Ramsey, laka and auba play on the break. Torreira could have played in that – sat deep and just mopped up., no big fitness needed. When Emery played Peps… Read more »
Emirates
I agree with you.
With the exception of Liverpool who have city’s number, this city team would have comfortably beaten every other team yesterday.
Receding Hairline
“Rome is not built in a day”. Emery is not in charge of transfer business. That
is the responsibility now of others.
Arsenal’s bad luck is that we have started this season against a team that we
were unlikely to compete against.
We can form better opinions about Emery and the team when we see outcome of our performances against the next half dozen opponents.
Cesc Appeal “The great thing is no one can hide and with Emery under enormous pressure in his first games he will be really seeing all the faults of the side to protect himself.” Problem with that is these first team players he sees fault with will not necessarily be banished from the team because the squad options are not good enough. Midfield being an example. I expect to see more than enough of Xjaka still unfortunately because the options to boot him aren’t great. Amother example Bellerin. Licht was making cameo performances for Juve last season and he is… Read more »
It wasn’t exactly hard to predict that we were going to be narrow. We do not have a single winger, Bellerin has been playing like s**t for a while now and Monreal is out and ageing anyway. We have no natural width in this team which is why a lot of us went on and on about buying a winger. We’re going to be narrow all season which is why I would play Welbeck, even though he is average at best. Looking back on the summer as a lot of us said tough choices maybe needed to be made, selling… Read more »
I can understand GoH’s fury… although it is a bit exagerate.
But it was only the 1st game, and against City.
Emery is probably smart enough to learn from the mistakes.
That said, the fact that Ozil and Xhaka are still part of our squad is a real concern…
Emery went down the tunnel because he was seething at how Pep had so easily dismantled his side. Plus Pep was pointedly hugging Arteta as if to say, there you should have got the job. Rarely even in Spain with his great Barca team did Pep beat him easily. Emery will stew on this and he will not rest until he can hold his own with this City side. Emery in my view is the real deal but the toupee wearing American needs to back him with 200-300 million over the next 3-4 transfer windows. If he does, it’s actually… Read more »
Dissenter
I don’t think that Liverpool will compete with Man City this season.
They may have some good players, but they are still vulnerable at the back
based on what I saw in the first hour against West Ham before I left for our match.
They have the full and centre backs to deal with Liverpool attack and are
infinitely better in midfield as well despite Liverpool’s recent arrivals.
Receding Hairline, couldn’t agree more
Wenger loses that game by 4,
We are better Already .
I didn’t think we were actually that bad until I came on here. Simply replacing Cech with Leno would’ve relieved a lot of pressure on the defence, with a few a decisions and a bit of luck we could’ve got a result. After Wenger playing points wise the best premier league team ever I’m not sure you could realistically expect much better. I was more disappointed in individual performances tbh especially Ozil and Xhaka, I was trying to give them a clean slate but I couldn’t even last 90 minutes.
For me judging Emery will be based on how much he can change after yesterday….will he pick a better starting 11 against Chelsea? Will get the team to defend and press effectively within the next 2 months?
We should be beating mid table teams and we should be playing better against top sides but it’s very early to draw conclusions.
Emirates
I disagree about Liverpool
I really think they have a complete team now. Keita, Fabhino and Alisson have them to a new level. It also seem s that they have Sturridge fit and ready as a sub so they will score lots of goals.
They also have that attitude of knowing they are good enough to win every game.
I think they push City all the way. They have a squad as good as city’s.
A big mistake in my view was giving Ozil the reported 300k contract last January when no other serious club wanted him. That’s why he signed – nobody was interested at that level – he doesn’t merit it. Now we are stuck with a mercenary who we will not be able to sell and could stink the place out. Emery says he wants work, work, work but will he tolerate his highest paid player slacking off – what message will it send to his squad if he does?. If he is to play, play him at home / some away… Read more »
Yeah that was a watered down Liverpool team yesterday.
They still have Henderson and Fabinho to come in to play alongside Keita.
Looks a good midfield tbf.
For me judging Emery will be based on how much he can change after yesterday….will he pick a better starting 11 against Chelsea?
Yes , this is a going to be an early pointer. What does he change going into the next game.
Regarding Licht.
Emery had a problem at LB. He had to play AMN there who was not comfortable in his time on the pitch. Licht only replaced him when he got injured.
What those calling for Licht have to ask themselves is if Emery had such a problem there at LB why didn’t Licht start the match?
What those calling for Licht have to ask themselves is if Emery had such a problem there at LB why didn’t Licht start the match?
Because he is not a left back. it’s actually not the philosophical journey you are making it out to be. He is right footed and that was telling in his forward play. One thing i did not see though was Walker rampaging down his end like he did against AMN.
Why isn’t var being used? If it’s used in the pinnacle of football, the highest most prestigious football tournament that is the WC and was a great success, then why haven’t fifa made it the law and demand the domestic leagues use it to? Not making excuses for our obvious failings but yesterday’s result could have been very different and in general we tend to get the shitty end of the stick compared to those above us.
Receding
AMN is not a natural LB either. At least Licht is a proper full back and we have posters pleased with his performance when he came on as sub in the LB position and calling for him to start matches.
Answer really is Licht is clearly seen as a back-up signing and not seen as a 90 minute player and fans will realise this soon enough.
And what was with Emery talking with his hand over his mouth every time he was talking to his staff? Does he think pep g was watching the match from the dugout on his phone looking to lipread Emery’s instructions?
Lol how can you ‘not blame ozil’ for playing badly when he’s been doing so for years?
He hasn’t dropped his level because of his team mates. This is his level. Quite clearly.
Lol we don’t get the shitty end of the decisions Benny. Where did you get that from?
Apart from the Untold conspiracy where every decision in the history of football is wrongly against arsenal, what goes around comes around.
The ref has no meaningful impact on yesterday’s game even if var is generally a good thing
The officiating was good.
It wasn’t even worthy of s mention because the ref was in the background doing his job efficiently.
That said I hope the league doesn’t suffer for not having VAR. it’s like not having goal line technology in this era.
They need to develop a new cadre of VAR referees, probably from retired refs. Delaying it just allows the typical diving teams to persist.
ES Let’s not forget the fact that Emery inherited an already sunken ship. Wenger, as we all know, systematically destroyed the club over these past ten years and is responsible for everything that we now see Infront of us. AMN is not a natural LB. If fit, put him centrally where he will blossom. His attitude to get back and chase Walker down spoke volumes for the lad. That’s the sort of commitment we need centrally. Put him and Guendouzi together and drop Xhaka and Ozil. Only a suggestion. The fact that Emery walked straight down the tunnel after the… Read more »
“Answer really is Licht is clearly seen as a back-up signing and not seen as a 90 minute player and fans will realise this soon enough.”
Do you really think anybody says otherwise? Licht is back up. The kind of back up that could probably perform better than who is us deputising for
Emery, at Arsenal no less, got how much?
Maybe blame the previous manager? Pissed away a couple hundred million the last few years and got us Europa League football. And Charles don’t think I haven’t noticed you roast Guendouzi for the first goal well I seem to remember Xhaka doing almost the exact same thing last season and you defended him then. Shameless fanboy
Our next sponsor should be PC World.
We could then rename the Emirates ‘The PC stadium’.
Where have all those hardcore fans gone?
Oh yeh, that’s right, they were the ones who cancelled their memberships and ST’s.
Silly old me.
I think this is the one but honestly Xhaka is so shite and led to so many errors to goals there’s probably more
https://youtu.be/012FkPcI1uE
Alan I don’t think Kroenke needs to put £200-300m in (it’s simply not going to happen), but if he could make an interest-free loan to the club of £100m, only re-payable at £10m per season in any year we qualify for the CL, then if used wisely it may allow us to at least escape this trap we seem to be in where the squad is so run down and contracts have been so badly managed that we only really have the assets to keep the show on the road as a 6th place, sub-elite team. £100m next summer, plus… Read more »
I have to say , if emery starts xhaka against Chelsea some serious questions have to be asked because every single arsenal fan pundit and opponent can see he is a fucking horrible footballer
mysticleaves
Totally agree.
Lichtsteiner would be in my starting XI all day long.
Yep, Emery has a monumental task ahead.
Bit by bit.
Day by Day.
Things will improve.
Godbless Arsene Wenger.
Mystic
“Do you really think anybody says otherwise? ”
Seems some are a little confused yes.
They are calling for Licht.
Licht can’t be fully summoned. His aging legs see to that.
I was generally happy about our performance considering we faced the champions with a carte blanch team. the usual suspects didnt cover themselves with no glory (xhaka, ramsey, ozil). I have a few issues with Emery not seeing how dire Xhaka is whilst making him captain. I could care less if Ramsey left. Im sorry but he is a glorified cm who longs to be hazard. i would bin him. The only way i would keep him is if he becomes disciplined and understand he is better off being a defensive midfielder. I thought the defence was crying out for… Read more »
Monreal will be back soon. Licht’s 34 yr old legs are just gonna have to do until then. I mean this is quite obvious, theres no other fit option in the club aside from the banter about Welbeck playing there?
I hope Emery goes 442 against Chelsea.
Auba and Lacazette up top.
Start with Licht and Torreira.
Give Iwobi a go.
Drop Xhaka and Ozil.
Lichtsteiner is 34, not 54!!
His legs will be fine.
Fascinating to read posters hoping that Sleazy Stan will back-roll Emery with his cheque-book. Someone even mentioned £300m.
Kroenke has never invested a single penny (or cent) in Arsenal Football Club. He has only bought shares, which is not the same thing. He is on record as saying that he did not buy Arsenal to win trophies.
Get real folks. He will not be bank-rolling Emery.
Anyone would think Licht was on 60 cigs a day the way some of you are reacting.
He ain’t Wayne Rooney.
Of course I don’t know what formation or starting XI Emery will go with next week (down to the keeper), but a few things stand out as fairly obvious: Laca must start. He can do the pressing Emery wants to see and was one of the few bright spots yesterday. Torreira starts ahead of Xhaka. Now that our 1st 2nd and 3rd choice LBs are unavailable, Licht will start there. These were the 3 subs we made against city. Against Chelsea, Emery will be able to sub off the likes of Ozil if he is still putting in a nothing… Read more »
Danny
August 13, 2018 13:08:01
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I’ve been on this blog since nearly the beginning, back in the good old Geoff days, so change your bloody user name!!
Michael24
“His legs will be fine.”
Will they?
Strange that Emery didn’t start him at fullback against Man City and instead put in a much younger inexperienced player who is not even a natural fullback there in AMN.
Very strange.
He may be able to see out one 90 min match though. Or a couple. Longer term forget it.
Any news on Nacho’s injury? Not like he did much at the world cup.
No! No! No!!!
Don’t start with Ozil at Stamford Bridge.
We’d be cutting our own throats if we did this.
Also, please, no Xhaka
Steering clear of newsnow today and lightly browsed the comments section on here this morning. Glad that most of the comments I did get to read blasted xhaka, who was nothing short of dog shite yesterday. I thought Guendouzi was 1st rank against the best midfield in the league, How many tackles did he make yesterday?? what a guy. Torriera looks solid and I thought Lichtsteiner did more than enough to warrant a start in the next game. Going forward Emery needs to figure out how hes going to address our lack of width. He had a chance to address… Read more »
@Michael
Spot on.
Michael24
I said NO Xhaka starting.
I would also be a-okay with Ozil not starting but I don’t see Emery being that bold this early. See how he does with Laca and Auba on the pitch together for another 45 min, but yank him off pronto if he’s shit again.
Ishola
Don’t you think He didn’t start licht for same reason he didn’t start Torreira and Leno ?
I don’t think age has anything to do with it
Why are you trying to force this old legs thing lol
Ishola
Don’t you think He didn’t start licht for same reason he didn’t start Torreira and Leno ?
I don’t think age has anything to do with it
Why are you trying to force this old legs thing lol , I’m pretty sure he can manage one game a week , he’s not Ledley King is he
Ramsey and his agent are fuckin high if they think some club will pay £220k pw for him, even on a bosman. Just don’t see it.
I love the whole don’t play this shit player or that shit player stuff. You do realize if Mustafi doesn’t play it’s Holding if Ozil or Mhiki doesn’t play it’s Iwobi or Nelson. Xhaka and Ramsey it’s Elneny and Guendouzi. My point is that some players are just going to have to play regardless. Except Xhaka for me. He must not play anymore for us he’s totally shocking as a CM
Lichtsteiner is 34, not 54!!His legs will be fine.
Once he gets a hold of something he tends to run with it, that’s classic Ishola
Listening to him one might conclude Lichsteiner is around 65 and being forced to play football. Does he even strike u as a man who is tired?? No..he came on yesterday and at age 34 Walker didn’t think it was such a good idea to take him on.
Sorry for double post accidentally pressed post comment before I’d finished …
I just don’t get all the hate for Cech. He was excellent yesterday as a goal keeper, not a deep lying playmaker
And Guendouzi was horrendous. Not sure what game half of you were watching hit he was bloody awful. He missed A free ball in our own half under no pressure whatsoever and nearly gave a goal away. Can’t waot to see the back of Ramsey and ozil. The two symbols of modern arsenal
Yet we let sanchez and Wilshere and Giroud and Walcott walk. All much more capable players
Woo just got back from being a “total lunatic”. Thanks Ole.
Nah, was negotiating the Morrison’s car park while inbred bastards take their specially adapted smoking wagons out for a oxygen tank spin. Cretins.
Emery out. Gotta be, hasn’t it? Lose to Chelsea and he’s a marked man as far as I am concerned. Also, if he goes with Xhaka, Ramsay, Cech and Ozil…the man is as bad as the psychopath who’s just left.
£400m to fix this mess.
Buckhurst
I can see why Cech would start over Leno because he showed up better in pre-season.
I don’t understand why Torreira didn’t start but Emery obviously has been impressed with Guendouzi.
But the LB position was a different matter. Arsenal had a real problem there with selection and still Licht did not start.
Just seems strange to me and points to stamina issues over a longer period.
In a nut shell New signings have really shown that they are a class above what we have. they have the courage to fight. We need people with killer instincts and never say die attitude. New signings had them. As for Arsene’s lot, they were disappointing. Xhaka might be the luckiest guy in the world to walk into the team with two different managers. he is not Premier league level. He might flourish in MLS. Laca was the only Arsene’s player who wanted to fight. who wanted to go till the end. no idea where Ozil’s mind is. he is… Read more »
Emery out. Gotta be, hasn’t it? Lose to Chelsea and he’s a marked man as far as I am concerned.
I can’t tell if it’s a usual piss take but just in case no Emery won’t be a marked man. In fact unless things become utterly dire he’s got time on his side. Certain players don’t.
Un na naaai
If you can’t see what Guendouzi offered yesterday and factor in he’s 19 making his debut against that monster of a team then there’s no helping you
“Yet we let sanchez and Wilshere and Giroud and Walcott walk. All much more capable players”
Errr, Sanchez wasnt let go.. he forced his way out. and Arsenal did what it could do best in that situation. Cash in.
Wilshere.- i was dissappointed too when he was let go. But he didn;t do much to the team for all the years he was with us. He had a lot of hype around him. Thats about it.
Walcott. – Really…. More capable…..
Kroenke is the marked man not our Unai.
Kroenke out banners will be seen soon enough along with the chants.
Walcott. – Really…. More capable…..
Wrong symbol on my earlier post… The correction below
Walcott. – Really????? More capable????
Xhaka and Ozil are a big no no against Chelsea.
Ozil has to get his head in the right place even before coming to training ground.
Buckhurst Similar comments have been made about so many players at arsenal down the years. Holding, chambers, theo, ox, denilson, flamini. And to what end? You think beacuse we now have emery that every 19 year old we sign is going to set the world alight? He was crap yesterday. He made some tackles but that’s the least I’d expect from my defensive midfielder. His passing was cack and his positioning and awareness were sub standard. Maybe he will get better but he gave away one goal and nearly gave away a second shortly before they scored the second. I… Read more »
Unanana, “And Guendouzi was horrendous. Not sure what game half of you were watching hit he was bloody awful” If you can read, you will find that a very high percentage of posters (I would say90-95%) opined that Guendouzi was one of the few players to emerge with credit yesterday. further to that, maybe read what pundits opined and you will see it is a similar widely held view among them, Guendouzi had a good game given the circumstances. Once you do that, maybe you will find that you are in the tiniest of minorities. Then maybe you can reflect… Read more »
Ahswin Had we paid him the £300k he wanted immediately we’d have kept him and let ozil go. Wilshere was the most talented midfielder at arsenal last year. I don’t care about fitness. He would have been better on that field yesterday than any one we had out there. Walcott You can’t argue with 100 goals from right wing or the subs bench. His assist rates are very high too. He averages a goal or assist every other game for arsenal. And yes his build up play was cack but we always had the chance of a goal with him… Read more »
Marko/Ish
Yes I am speaking tongue in cheek but my concerns are valid.
I don’t think a fanbase as castrated as ours has the energy or bollocks to banner Stan. Anyway, he isn’t at the games and doesn’t bother watching so it’s a moot point.
Stan has watched his investment grow massively with relatively little outlay and zero success. Arsenal are a money making machine because of the dopey fanbase.
Give it all the time in the world but Arsenal will not be fixed without a monster investment. Fact.
Wilshere was the most talented midfielder at arsenal last year. I don’t care about fitness. He would have been better on that field yesterday than any one we had out there.
……….Sweet mother of Garrd. Bob come get this guy!
UTarse.
I didn’t listen to the pundits because i have a life. Any man who sits around listening to other men talking about football on a Sunday afternoon needs to sort his shit out.
Ishola
Early days, but I agree.
Very few pundits are as critical as Graeme Souness ..well he thought Guendouzi was Arsenal’s best player yesterday despite the mistakes.
Just saying. All this lining up to declare him green, well he will keep being green unless he gets games. I noticed yesterday Emery has taken a fancy to him, if he improves on some of his lax moments he will be some player
It is a learning experience for the manager and the players. It is a new way for us to play out from the back. But we currently don’t have the players to do it. Xhaka shouldn’t start against strong team. He is too slow and static. Hopefully, Torreira will give the defense better protection. As for the offense, they need to have much better chemistry. We have to decide on how we play Auba and Lacazette and build up the chemistry from there.
At least we are seeing something different and I am sure that it will get better.
GOH
‘I don’t think a fanbase as castrated as ours has the energy or bollocks to banner Stan.’
I’m not so sure. Until the last couple of seasons, the fanbase were divided on wenger.
In Stan’s case it’s a lot clearer cut.
Looking at our midfield we bought this summer two very promising players in Torreira and Guendouzi aged respectively 22 and 19. Neither is likely to make a major impact in EPL this season but in next couple of seasons could do so. We have in Ramsey and Xhaka two experienced players who are not as bad as some posters suggest, but realistically would be squad players at clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd. As we saw yesterday they are not in same class as those playing in starting lineup of Man City. Ozil is a corundum. We know that… Read more »
Unnanaa,
You are clearly trolling.
“Any man who sits around listening to other men talking about football”
What are you doing on here then you numpty ?
There’s going to be Kroenke out stuff irregardless of results.
Wilshere was the most talented midfielder at arsenal last year. I don’t care about fitness. He would have been better on that field yesterday than any one we had out there.
Now you are just trolling
Zfree A £35m transfer fee is the equivalent of £224k pw wages over a 3 year contract. If any club valued Ramsey as a £35m player, they could get him on a Bosman for £220k pw, and they’d effectively be getting the £35m player just for that transfer fee, without additional wage costs (say, £150k pw over 3 years = £23.4m). Letting players run down their contracts leaves clubs in a terrible position. That Wenger expressly chose not to focus on sorting out Ramsey and Welbeck’s contracts in summer 2017, even as the Sanchez / Ozil saga was reaching its… Read more »
Lose to Chelsea and he’s a marked man as far as I am concerned.
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After the Chelsea game, we’ve 8 “comfortable” games and then we play Liverpool. Let’s see where we are before that game before freaking out, as far as I am concerned!
Un na naaai Professional pundits and most of the world disagree with you – not sure what game you were watching – yep he made mistakes , which to be honest was totally expected , but he showed more than any of the other names you mentioned and he clearly , by a country mile , showed he’s a far better baller than xhaka From what I said , how did you get that I think that every 19 year old we sign under emery is going to set the world alight ! This 19 year old has shown that… Read more »
We have in Ramsey and Xhaka two experienced players who are not as bad as
some posters suggest
You keep saying that
On Ozil…he is going to have to start delivering
a performance by Christmas.
A performance…by Christmas…I hope he’s up to a single performance by Christmas
On Ozil…he is going to have to start delivering
a performance by Christmas.
Will love to know the reasoning behind this timeline…Ozil is not a new player, he knows this league now inside out. A player of his intelligence should have been able to work out a system that enables him dominate games in the premiership.
No Ozil at chelsea.
And Xhaka… please someone send him… on Mars.