After a week of starving out in the wild, picking through the bones of poor Danny Welbeck performances, scuttling around in the bin of international football like a mangy door mouse, today, daddy has come home with a bag of delicious Kentucky Fried Premier League football, along with that garlic dip you like so much.
Feels good to be back… let’s gorge.
Unai Emery is apparently REFUSING to roll deep with a translator in the Arsenal dressing room. The Mirror have reported this story without quotes, noting that the Spaniard has a translator at press conferences mainly to help him if he gets stuck. I did hear an amusing whisper through the grapevine that the reporters find Emery very dull and uninspiring over at Colney. Make of that what you will. You’ll find out how much they like him when the club goes through a nasty rough patch.
The boss has to be thinking about 4 very important games this week, we take on Newcastle who could be troublesome, then we have to deal with a Europa League game in Ukraine, followed by a very tricky game against Everton at the weekend, rounding off against Brentfordelona.
“After the Champions League, the Europa League is the most important competition. If teams cannot play in the Champions League, it is very important,”
“I have proven with my experience to know the best way to manage the players. Now it is very important for me to think first the match against Newcastle, we need to win the three points, and then think the same for the Europa League.
“My idea first isn’t to change 11 players for one competition and the next competition. Each match is giving us information for how we can play.”
Sure, Emery knows how to win the Europa League, but he’s only managed that in Spain. I think England is a different kettle of pescado, but hey, we have to give him a chance. I really hope we don’t see a repeat of the dark Wenger years where we throw the same 13 players at each match until they start breaking.
There are some people that come into a new workplace and take advice, some who like to learn the hard way.
‘If Dave from transport invites you for a beer in the warehouse, say no, ok?’
That’s where I’m hoping Darren Burgess has managed to wrestle some influence over his new boss, he and Shad will be able to advise the new coaches on workloads, the big question is whether the new fitness coach, Julen Masach, who has the ear of Emery will care to listen. If he doesn’t, we’ve seen plenty of times how the December injury pile up can decimate your season. We’ve been through the Tony Colbert years of TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN, my pretties!
Players need to be rested is now an obvious thing to state. Additionally, you need to put game time in other players legs, firstly to keep them match fit, but also to keep them mentally in touch with the rest of the squad.
Players are just like you are in the office. If you see Jamal getting all the sweet spreadsheet duties, and you’re stuck there doing sandwich runs, you’re going to switch off after a while and feel undervalued. You need the squad to feel included so when the call does come, the players are flying out of the traps. You also don’t want to have to give squad players 6 games to get match fit mid-way through the season. Better to rotate bodies in at the start of the year, than in December.
The manager is focused on the now though.
“Now I want to win Saturday, I want to win Thursday, next Sunday [at home to Everton ], and against Brentford in the Carabao Cup [the following Wednesday]. It is the reason we are looking forward to playing every match and thinking every match about the best performance.
“I think each match if we can find the best performance with the first XI but with different players on the pitch.
“I am looking behind me on the bench for players who can also stay in the first XI and it will be a good moment, because we will be more competitive for each match.”
It really is of huge importance to start the second phase of the season well. I know the League Cup isn’t really that important, but with all those fancy kids we have in the squad, it’d be remiss not to use them. Smith Rowe really needs some games and it’d be great if the new setup could get us feeling like 2007 about a trophy we’ve not won in a very, very long time.
Today I’m hoping that Emery has had some time to work with the defence. I hope he’s had a deeper think about how to unlock creativity in the front 3, whilst giving some stability to the back, and I hope we see a much more fluid Arsenal. Things need to pick up in this phase of the season and we need to continue to chalk up the wins.
We have 13 games between now and the next international break. The big games really, are Everton, Liverpool, Watford and potentially Wolves. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be kicking around top 4 sitting pretty in all comps by then. The theme of this phase has to be about consistency. The manager needs to work out who is his best 11 is, and how he operates when he doesn’t need to go all guns blazing.
I’m very excited to see where this goes!
Catch you in the comments! x
So people trying to downplay Arsenal’s 3 game winning streak. Saying that if it were Wenger, people would be saying its just West Ham, Cardiff and Newcastle. But here’s the thing, Emery beat West Ham at home, Wenger beat West Ham at home last season, Emery beat the 2nd placed promoted team (Cardiff) away, Wenger lost to the 2nd placed promoted team (B.H.A) away, Emery beat Newcastle away, Wenger lost to Newcastle away. What emery achieved so far, Wenger couldnt get done last season.
Pierre, we always played decent once the pressure was off under Wenger.
it’s not like Sokratis or Lich are decent either.’
Sokratis has been more than decent so far, get your eyes checked
Pierre, we always played decent once the pressure was off under Wenger
Spot on gooner.
How many times did the akbs get the Wilk pulled over their eyes with an end of the season purple patch. Oh wenger got it right. Next year we will challenge
Blah blah blah.
I don’t understand Auba. Upfront alone, not effective. Wide today, not effective.
Omar
Yea and Arsenal haven’t had a clean sheet in their first 5 games for the first time since 1989 I think I read, so I guess Emery did something Wenger didn’t there too.
Honestly the tit for tat with Wenger is sad as can be, he’s gone and if Emery replicates his trophy haul everyone will go mental. Bit of perspective. Playing this game vs that game is daft.
This is not about Wenger vs Emery, it is about getting a really better coach once we were eventually rid of Wenger after that long-long agitation!
If you will be honest to yourselves, you will see that Emery is an average coach.
It will take at least a season to remove Wenger’s toxic stench from Arsenal.
Red
That is the bare minimum!
VicVic
So if Emery is an “average coach”, what did that make Wenger?
I think we all know the answer to that question.
Your assumption regarding Emery is based on what exactly?
Bearing in mind what he was stepping into and after only 5 competitive games, do you honestly think any other manager could have done any more?
This guy, whatever way you look at things, has been one of the top managers/coaches in Europe over the past few years.
He is definitely not “average”, not by a long chalk.
Wenger”s children are heartbroken Arsenal won today.
The more whinging the more Emery must be doing things right.
Redtruth
Unfortunately, Wenger’s “toxic stench” will go down in history.
Vic Vic
He won 3 Europa leagues in a row with half the team wenger had and wenger couldn’t come close last season
If Emery is average , wenger is a buffoon.
Wenger would not win the league with PSG.
Wenger”s children are heartbroken Arsenal won today.
The more whinging the more Emery must be doing things right.
Haha spot on Res
They, meaning akbs like Pierre, will always find something to bitch about Emery to make us think “ careful what you wish for is ringing true”.
Pathetic
All I will say now after shit loads of pints is: The Arsenal Onwards and Upwards! This is all I want for my club!!!
To be fair Wenger probably would win the league with PSG only he’d do it with about 75 points and having conceded about 45-55 league goals in the process.
We all want our club to do well………..right? Then why is it, after so many years of decline, some fans actually seem to want us to fail? It’s funny, towards the end of Wenger’s reign, I actually wanted Arsenal to fail, so that we could get the French parasite out of the club. The reason I wanted us to fail was because Wenger was destroying the club. Now we have a new and dynamic manager at the helm and rather than cheering from the rafters, some fans actually want him to fail. One manager they sit and tolerate for far… Read more »
Wenger would not win the league with PSG.
No chance.
Anyone watching the Alvarez and GGG fight tonight?
The press looked pretty effective today. We won the ball back very nicely and controlled most of the game.
Mustafi displayed no awareness of the other team’s forwards late on. Not difficult plays to deal with really, twice late he just fails to mark the man behind him and gives away free headers.
LT looked very sharp yet again.
Reiss Nelson scored in his first appearance with Hoffenheim.
Pretty good little Saturday overall for the Arsenal. Onward
Funny for the last dozen years some posters on here would say after not playing well and winning that’s it’s a good sign and all top teams pull out wins despite playing poorly.
But Emery does it and they rip apart everything about him
No agendas though. Nope.
Careful what you wish for ….
ZFree
Great Saturday for The Arsenal
3 points away at a tough ground. A lot of other managers wouldn’t have won 3 points.
3 wins on the trot. Bring on Everton!
Emery is slowing getting it together.
Tied with spuddies and Man U. Close to
Top 4. Couldn’t have asked for more from Emery in his first 5 matches.
Can people understand that criticising Emery does not equate with being an AKB. During the first half Emery got a tactical lesson by Benitez. If Newcastle have had better strikers (at least last season they had Gayle and Mitrovic who were pest) Arsenal would have been at least two goals down. Building from the back cannot work if the opposition knows you will never go long and half your defensive team (Cech, Sokratis, Moustafi) is terrified of the ball or are slow and can be bullied of the ball (Xhaka). If you just look at the result, then everything is… Read more »
People should not comment on PSG when they have no idea of what went there. Emery is after all the coach who lost Ligue 1 title to Monaco despite the array of talents at his disposal.
There are reasons why Emery was not renewed and none of them make him look good.
Looking how things are going in Ligue 1, it does not look like they’re missing him. Au contraire.
Emery is after all the coach who lost Ligue 1 title to Monaco
beat out 5 top managers to win the PL. what’s your point? Klopp beat our Bayern. Diego beat our Madrid and Barca.
It’s happens.
Looking as how things are going at The Arsenal. We aren’t missing le fraud
Au contraire
*ranieri beat out
Good win yesterday and another step forward for Emery & most of the players. Always said that I’d give Emery 10 PL games before passing any judgements, but certain players are not doing themselves any favours. Auba was apparently angry he was subbed, but he was poor, very poor yesterday and can have no complaints. Auba hasn’t got his season going yet, and I voiced opinions/concerns that he would quickly get found out by PL defenders at the time we were in for Him. I expected goals from him on his arrival, but wasn’t convinced he could step up his… Read more »
Tony
I’ll go on record and say we will not lose to Liverpool.
Reiss Nelson scored on his debut for Hoffenheim. With his first touch as well, I think.
RR Tank? I’ll take that. I’m 63 – 175cm with 33 inch waist and 80kg with 11% body fat. Yes I do train most days especially kickboxing a suspended 100kg bag. I also make no apologies for enjoying successes from 40 years of hard work and extremely long hours such success has afforded me and my family. I guess similar to others here who enjoy sitting & drinking around their pools or like Gambon and others who consider buying PP watches at £40k+ a pop. Equally such success also funds my wife and my work for the under privileged &… Read more »
Joe
I’m feeling a lot more positive than many, too.
We weren’t that far away from getting something out of the City game, and should have buried Chelsea.
Apt song: Change of the Season
Jason told me the beginning sequence clouds cost US30,000 from Spielberg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgZJHW8a0U0
Dated now, but was a platinum selling first album in the States.
“I’m 63 – 175cm with 33 inch waist and 80kg with 11% body fat. Yes I do train most days especially kickboxing a suspended 100kg bag.”
Sadly none of it can compensate for your 4 inch penis.
Fire away though big guy, continue to big yourself –you, your physique, your properties, your money, your wife, your lifestyle etc etc etc– in front of total strangers.
Can’t deny an old man his pleasures, even though how bizarre those are. Though therapy might be a good idea.
Boxing is a fucking joke, shit’s rigged.
WE
Unless there was a clear KO/TKO, it was always gonna go this way on Mexican Independence Day wasn’t it?
Oh well. The 3rd payday awaits…
The one statistic, which you cannot ignore is that Arsenal continue to concede goals and after five games we have still not managed to produce a clean sheet. Sofar we have conceded nine goals, which is a] not top four form and b] would in normal circumstances if we were not scoring goals put us in bottom quarter of EPL. Personally I believe that we still need to look at right side of our defence plus the goalkeeper position. The Ramsey situation needs also to be resolved once and for all. If he is not going to sign new contract… Read more »
When PSG sacked Emery, I said he was someone we should be looking at given his experience… along with Luis Enrique and Carlo Ancelotti who all available at the time (and listed their accomplishments). I thought it was incredulous that Arsenal was flirting with a neophyte like Areta on Pep’s say so alone. Granted it’s early days but what has the season taught us? Arteta, has opted for the safety blanket of Man City even though numerous jobs were available (including Everton and Rangers where he was much more of an influential player than he was for us). Either he… Read more »
If someone like Cuadrado was available — an attacking winger with experience we should bring him in to teach and nurture Emile Smith Rowe… so he could be ready without the pressure of doing so in 18 months to two years time. This is what we should have done with Wilshere. We should have eased him in and brought in mentors for him. (Having said that Mkhitaryian and Özil should be doing this already). Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson if properly managed and nurtured will save us millions. Not to mention Eddie Nketiah and Joe W.illock. The youngsters coming through… Read more »
Great result yesterday after an average first half. I’m not getting the, drop guendouzi for torriera theme from a few posters, so that legs of granite can stay in the team. Guendouzi was asked to cover for bellerin and xhaka again and still managed to do his own job. His passing range is very good and was covering all over the pitch again. The sooner him and torriera can start together the better. Xhaka might have scored and got a pre, pre, pre assist?. But was awful for most of the game. Watch the first five minutes again where he… Read more »
But then again if arteta would come in and we would still be conceding like we do, he would be praised rather than criticized like emery. We would be hearing the ” support the club or fock off” line again. Along with the “if pep likes him, he must be good”.
Every club that arteta has played for Real Sociedad, PSG, Everton, Rangers and us all needed a new manager in the summer.
But only Arsenal were interested?
If we were going down the inexperienced route at least Vieira had been a manager in the states for two seasons.
No body else was clamouring for arteta and there were plenty of jobs available.
we started auba and laca together but we should have gone 2 up top. Play one of mhiki and ozil. 4-3-1-2 would work. go for a flat 3 in midfield or a diamond. Play torreira just in front of the defence and choose either ramsey or Chaka to pair Along side torreira. Play ozil or mhiki CAM with 2 on top. Shake things up in jan when we can get in a winger to play the 4-2-3-1 that we are doing right now or maybe go three at the back with wing backs. More defensively stable. As the three CBs… Read more »
Leedsgunner
Your 6:29 post is spot on.
Emery can take us forward.
It was pointed out by @VicVic yesterday that Emery is an average coach, which I disputed.
The enormity of his task spans far greater than what we see each week on the pitch. Behind the scenes he had to to encounter a minefield of substandard systems and structures that must have been a massive shock for him.
He needs time. More importantly though, he needs our respect and understanding.
pair alongside torreira and matteo **
60M for PEA was such a massive waste of money. The guy is just another Theo Walcott. I kind of half expected him to go missing against many good sides but he is failing to impact games even against mediocre teams. Need to sell him to a Chinese club and cut our losses.
Stroller
It is pretty obvious that Bellerin is not up to the task defensively.
Yesterday, in the latter stages of the game he failed to play the back line and was twice caught out of position with back post crosses.
One resulted in a goal and the other was saved by cech.
These are elementary errors by Bellerin and I will be very surprised if lichsteiner is not first choice within the next couple of weeks.
These are the basics for a full back…
Arteta was approached by other clubs, but once it was known Arsenal was after him, all the other clubs went for other candidates. Frankly if you were Rangers do you seriously think that you had a chance to entice him over Arsenal? So the argument that his previous clubs did not want him does not wash. That does not mean that he would have been a great choice. The difference between choosing Emery and Arteta is down how willing were the club to gamble. The club knows the maximum uplift with Emery, a steady top 6 places with no impact… Read more »
A lot of people are now reporting that Arsenal are after Pepe the Lille striker not the Portuguese defender. Some also link Auba with a depart mid season for the Chinese league. That makes sense as that would open a place for a non-EUropean player in the squad.
I am sure that his petulant reaction to being substituted will only increase that speculation.
The sensible thing to do which eliminates a lot of the problems is to switch to a 352. Bellerins lack of defending, shaky defence, ozil/Ramsay not tracking back, not having any wingers, and needing to play two up top. A 352 solves all those problems. With three at the back it solidifies the defence without worrying about fullbacks being caught out of position. You can still play two defensive midfielders, and it frees up ozil/miki or Ramsay to create and to get into the box. And it also means playing two strikers in the box which helps split defenders to… Read more »
Valentin,
Unless your artetas agent, how did you know other clubs were in for him, and if so, out of interest who were they?
I didn’t see one newspaper, sports channel or website linking arteta with anyone.
What I do notbunderstand in the second half tactical change is why Xhaka stayed on the pitch. When Toreira replaced Guendouzi, Xhaka switched position to be the deep laying midfield. The other changes made sense. Auba to play closer to Lacazette as a proper second striker and Lacazette to move slightly more on the right between the central defender and Newcastle left fullback. Because Toreira played faster and more vertical balls, suddenly Arsenal attack was better. However playing Xhaka at the base of our midfield meant that we were even more susceptible to quick counterattack on the wings. He does… Read more »
If someone like Cuadrado was available — an attacking winger with experience we should bring him in to teach and nurture Emile Smith Rowe…
Cuadrado? Formerly of Chelsea and now Juve?
Sorry, you don’t want to go there.
I have seen a lot of his recent games from the world cup and the Serie A to know he is a nothing player.
Unless you want to end up with Mikhi II
Up4grabs 3-5-2 would suit bellerin that’s for sure and we could bring lichsteiner in as the right side of the 3 at the back …he could do that role with his eyes closed. However,it doesn’t look like Emery is keen to use that system. There are a few changes that Emery will make in the next few weeks to improve the balance of the team …..I can’t see him continuing with 1)Ramsey a our no.10 ….we have ozil and Mhkitaryan who are much more adept and intelligent for that role…the only possible reason he is continuing with Ramsey up there… Read more »
Pierre,
I agree about auba and ozil, auba will go on a little run like most strikers do, but definitely needs to play with lacazette.
Ozil should be fine against the lower team’s, since he doesn’t do it that often in the big games I’m not expecting him to turn into a world beater.
Wouldn’t mind seeing the litch or the the young Greek kid play as the third centreback until koz returns.
Pierre,
Ramsay maybe in the side because of the contract situation.
Torriera maybe just being eased in by emery but I think he’s had enough time to adapt now.
The Leno one still makes no sense to me though?
Morning gents. @Pierre I think you’re right with your upcoming changes. Emery obviously was attempting to get some cohesion by not changing things to fast.
The most important to me is the Bellerin change. He’s been positively awful this season and we know he’s better than he’s shown. To be fair though, other than West Ham Monreal hasn’t been great in his games either. Emery needs to manage to full backs better as they don’t seem to understand their current roles.
Country boy, I agree Cuadrado flatter to deceive. His end product and final ball can be erratic. He will show flashes of brilliance, but also a lot of brain fart. He has not progressed like expected in the last couple of years. I am not sure that he has not already reached his peak. Some players look like world beaters at 18 with lot of potential. However they never reach the high that were expected of them. Sometimes it is because of laziness and lack of dedication. Sometimes because they are not mentally ready to be professional. Sometimes it is… Read more »
Joe/Michael24,
Pls don’t tell me you sincerely believe that Emery is playing well at the moment.
Don’t tell me that you don’t remember that Wenger won the premier league unbeaten but yet you remember that Emery won Europa league three times in a row.
Like I said, this is not Wenger vs Emery thing. This is just calling out Emery soon enough before he becomes another problem.
Ramsey should be exactly the kind of player Emery loves. Dedicated, Full of running with an eye for a goal. The problem is that Ramsey has absolutely no discipline nor tactical awareness. It was telling that against Cardiff with 10 minutes left and a slight lead Ramsey was still playing further up than Lacazette. This time when he started to attempt silly passes and take unwarranted risk, he was hooked. I think that unless he starts to listen he will be sold in January. Also Arsenal are already burden with one player with a gold contract, bar 6 months a… Read more »
Fullbacks are a bit of an issue (as is most of the team if we’re being honest)
Bellerin has regressed, as mentioned that 352 swap would help both fullbacks as the pressure to bomb forward and get back to defend then isn’t there.
Long term we need a replacement for monreal and the litch isn’t a long term solution at right back either.
Throw in our ageing forward line and defence and there’s a lot of rebuilding to do over the the next two years.
Michael24, ‘The enormity of his task spans far greater than what we see each week on the pitch. Behind the scenes he had to to encounter a minefield of substandard systems and structures that must have been a massive shock for him.’ A massive shock…….exactly! What were we doing hiring a guy who would find the job a massive shock! Looking away from that, based on the fact that our guy Emery likes watching video, has he not seen enough video before he took the job to know that Ramsey can’t play 10, assuming that being here over the months… Read more »
“Arteta was approached by other clubs, but once it was known Arsenal was after him, all the other clubs went for other candidates.
Frankly if you were Rangers do you seriously think that you had a chance to entice him over Arsenal? So the argument that his previous clubs did not want him does not wash.”
Source(s)?
Alex, I asked that as well with no reply.
I did a quick Google search and with the exception of one tenuous link to girona after emery was announced, not a thing.
With hundreds of jobs out there and five previous team’s of artetas available and looking no one was linked other than us.
Did not see the first half, but enjoyed the second quite a bit. Shame about no clean sheet, which sends the wrong message.
Sure, we were not really trying to keep it at 2:0 and got caught.
9 out of 9, not bad. Now let’s see what we can do against Everton. We are about their level right now.
Grabs, agreed mate. The full back thing is a big issue. Bellerin needs someone fighting for his place to kick him up the ass and Monreal, as you rightly said is no spring chicken. There is a lot of work to do, but the base is there.
Better instruction is required for Bellerin as well though. The man is a headless chicken half the time. Cech could maybe keep him informed where he needs positioning. but that’s what I’d expect of a fresh out of the youth team player not an established 1st teamer.
Just saw ozil being interviewed after the match……transparently critical of Wenger and supportive of Emery…..
Now that IS good news.
Let’s hope Emery can get ozil functioning to max effectiveness. The new Chelsea boss is getting the best out of hazard, without hazard tracking back much……ozil has a similar specialization…..if Emery gets half the improvement from ozil that sari has already got from hazard, it will be very noticeable for arsenal.
Vic Vic…..criticizing a manager after 5 games and still singing the praises of the washed-up incompetent fraud that strutted his charlatan stuff for 10 years and was correctly labelled the specialist in failure.
Are you sure???????
Logic should tell you to wait just a little longer to assess Emery. ( Like a season!!!!)
I was congratulating Emery to have the courage and honesty to hook Ramsey as soon he was starting to lose the plot. Yet it is now revealed that in fact Ramsey asked to be substituted. He was tired from his exertion with the Wales national team. Does that means that next game with a slender lead, the Welsh Boy Wonder Roy of Rover will be allowed to continue roaming forward and leaving us exposed at the back? If it is, then it means that Emery like Wenger is playing favourite and letting some players getting away with murder. I could… Read more »
Wenker-Wenger
“Ozil has a similar specialization to eden hazard”
Huh???
Valentin
You’re not a plumber by any chance are you?
All quiet on here when we win isn’t it?
Almost like nobody has anything to moan about… fancy that.
N5
Agree
The full backsituation does need addressing in the summer but we do have four full backs short term and two long term so we are ok for now. Who would you suggest?