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
Alumide
Exactly
Pierre
You are getting your wish. Torreira on for ….. Guendouzi. Xhaka still on the pitch.
What is the blind spot to Xhaka? Ffs
Guen was the best player on the pitch in the first half and gets subbed…
Torr in but for Guen?!?! Fkin wot mate?!
Terrible weighting on that pass from Xhaka. Emery has again gotten the starting XI wrong. Formation is also wrong. Glad Torreira is on now though.
People don’t get it yet, Torreira is not Xhaka competition, for now. Both on the pitch seem to always make us better
All for changes and addressing the game as and when, but constant half time changes suggests you’re not clued up about what your XI is…
Cmon Unai this is getting a bit odd :/
Fuck me, Xhaka!
Xhaka you pile of dog shit, you finally dis something useful.
Wankaaaaaa
Get in!
Class from Xhaka. One of the few in our team who can hit a ball cleanly. Lovely stuff
2 shots, none on target. I’ve been patient waiting for Wenger to go so I can wait for another season to see how it comes together.
I still don’t understand the starting line up.
Mysticleaves
Agreed…
Best player off.
…and this guy knows what about football?
Goddamn it…he must have kissed some serious derrière to get the Arsenal banta gig.
Xhaka does a goal!
Lovely hit from xhaka. EMERY KNOWS
LOL EMERY KNOWS BEST MAYBE?!?!?
Well well….. look who scored
Great free kick from Xhaka. I’m not sure one of those in every one hundred tries redeems his overall poor play, but I’ll take this one.
Xhaka is this century’s best midfielder.
This obsession that Emery has with Xhaka has done for me. How can he not have seen enough that Xhaka is a liability and a weak link in the side? I think we can forget top 4 this season. With Emery’s approach it ain’t going to happen.
Put him in more advanced position and let him shoot from long range all match that’s all he’s good for.
Torreira made an instant impact
Finally Xhaka does something useful. Good strike.
Lol well Xhaka can be useful! Well we are 0-1 up. Let’s build from there cos NU are not that great.
Lmao… back in your boxes
Only Huddersfield have lost more matches than arsenal in 2018
Wenger. Tactical genius.
Torriera in. Keep Xhaka on
Guess Emery is a tactical genius.
If our midfield works better with xhaka and torreira then I’ll accept that (pending more evidence) but one thing is clear torr must play
Pierre would have pulled Xhaka off at half.
Emery knows Pierre!
Charlie I agree that he’s very good tactically but I think the days of him getting top jobs might be finished. Just not sure about his tactics on the offensive side. Certainly he probably would have come in and improved us on the defensive side straight away short term but long term wise I’d worry about him
Guendozi injured
Should have hooked out one of ozil or Ramsey both been utter garbage so far
Ozil is awful today
Told you that Xhaka was good.
*groans*
There’s still time for a Xhaka red card and an og.
Lol Charlie when xhaka consistently plays well, people will gladly get behind him
2 years on and we haven’t seen that yet
Maybe it’s all part of emery’s masterplan…lull the opposition into a false sense of security by selecting an unbalanced team ..
Xhaka’s goal changes nothing. He is not the kind a player a team that wants top 4 football would put in their line up. Too many errors, too many shortcomings.
As usual, Xhaka is the scape goat. He hasn’t been poor at all today. I keep saying it, people see what they want to see and run with it
Every time torr comes on we look 50% better
Newcastle fans all look like they’ve come from a gulag.
Marko Yea maybe, but he laid he foundations for Napoli’s recent successes and got a raw deal at Madrid. I think he’s top draw personally, and I don’t think we’re a top job in the same way a City is at present. Long term is an ancient concept too these days, a 3 year stint is about the norm and Rafa for that length of time could’ve redressed the balance for us imo. Hopefully Emery proves to be the same sort of influence, but he’s still got his own set of adjusting to do to England’s there’s an element of… Read more »
…..and then he scores
It’s Xhaka the pre-assist master la.
Xhaka with pre pre pre assist for ozil. Bugger me!
Great strike — this team can create a lead readily. This is not a problem. The team’s real weakness is that it can’t defend.
I would be more than happy for one nil to the Arsenal, boring boring Arsenal would suit be just fine if we could bag three points.
Second straight away win.
Fvcking cvnt Emery
Should be enough to see us through.
Yup Emery is a dud Pierre.
Only dud is you
China
Not interested mate, people are moaning about THIS game and he’s currently the difference maker. It’s a nothing comment, just shut up and watch the game for a change some of you
Well well. …… look who else scored !
How dare Emery win two games in a row away from home?
Pierre you POS
Banta! Ozil and Xhaka.
One couldn’t make it up.
I’ll call off the mob I had assembled for the witch burning.
Get in Ozil! Let’s hope this goal actually wakes him up!!!
Haha if Ramsey can score then the triangle of frustration will have all done it and a black hole will open up, swallowing the universe
Xhaka pulling an Aaron Ramsey here. Generally really poor but pops up with a goal so all is forgiven. Also Lacazette is having a shocker today. So was Ozil but he’s just scored so all is forgiven.
Playing better with Torreira on the pitch who knew. I swear if he doesn’t start the next league game Emery should be sacked. Lad hasn’t started a game for us but he’s so obviously our best CM
The two vilified players….one from Ramsey and the trilogy is complete
Joe
“Pierre would have pulled Xhaka off at half time”
No I wouldn’t as I have always said that I prefer 2 holding midfielders,guendouzi is a decent player but a little lacking in discipline .
Xhaka and torriera always looks a good balance to me ,but that is only my opinion
Lovely stuff from Mesut.
Torreira/Xhaka pairing for the next PL match.
Guendouzi has struggled for the last three matches. Let him play on Thursady in the Europa at home
Good goal from Mesut.
Emery is already improving him
Torreira needs to start. Very simple. And we need to ditch this 4-5-1.
Questionable Torriera is not starting games. Questionable. Emery needs to do better.
China
Good one. Funny.
Marko
I can’t understand why Torreira is not a starter.
Sell Guendouzi, O-O, he comes off and we go 2 up.
Amirite
Triangle of frustration lol.
How did Auba miss that ? !!!!
Arsenal much better now with Torreira in the side
See Ramsey the glory player. He was so eager to be in the box for that miss by Auba
Very good build up play. Very good movement. Ramsey with genius let go proving he isn’t selfish.
2 away wins for Emery.
Double what wenger got in 2018
Tactical genius!
Leftsidesanch
You slagged Emery and the team off throughout the first half.
Torreira is the magic juice that somehow polishes a team of turds into something resembling quality
Both Aubameyang and Lacazette have been poor.
Much better since the start of the second half.
Look like they are buzzing now after going 2-0 up.
And my boy Xjaka was the one that gave out a bit of individual play to light the touchpaper that wasn’t entirely expected.
Should be game over as Newcastle really do lack quality in their team.
Xhaka pulling strings here, few temper tantrums to come…
Just get the three points on the board. That’s all that matters.
Great to actually feel like a fan for the first time in a decade.
Who’s saying “two away wins”?
It’s not over yet.
Triangle of Frustration – great name for a heavy metal band
Pierre
Just because we’re 2-0 up on Newcastle doesn’t mean Emery’s doing a good job. Newcastle are poor. He got the starting XI wrong again. Nothing about our shape or play looks in the least bit convincing.
Really silly take.
Paulinho
“Great to actually feel like a fan for the first time in a decade.”
That I agree with.
Dissenter
4-0 to 4-4 only happens with one manger
mystic
“As usual, Xhaka is the scape goat.”
Nonsense. He’s not a scapegoat, he is a poor performer and has been for a long time. He isn’t good enough. Not one top six side would touch him with a bargepole.
Boris ,,,
He was taken off an we score 2
U do the math
“Xhaka pulling strings here, few temper tantrums to come…”
And wet panties too, it looks like. All of it from the same person
With Auba we’re a man down.
Xhaka “pulling strings”. More hilarity.
Ramsay has stunk the place out. Our worst player today.
Torreira is the magic juice that somehow polishes a team of turds into something resembling quality.
China stop it your killing me! Lol
Difference is, I want what’s best for Arsenal and you want what’s best for our former manager “Pierre”.
Guendozi looks busy every game and then does almost nothing with all of it. whenever he exits there’s a calm and specialty that comes to our overall play.
*pls don’t comment dissenter*
Pierre
Are you on a wind-up
Do you believe 1% of the stuff you write here about Emery?
Just because we’re 2-0 up on Newcastle doesn’t mean Emery’s doing a good job. Newcastle are poor. He got the starting XI wrong again. Nothing about our shape or play looks in the least bit convincing
Shut up bamford and get behind the team.
It’s a work in progress. And we are on our way to 3 in a row
Joe
Answers on a post card to who that manager is,,,,,
Yea maybe, but he laid he foundations for Napoli’s recent successes and got a raw deal at Madrid This is true but to be fair it took Sarri and his approach before Napoli actually came close to winning serie a. I’m not a big fan of the short term stuff because it means having to change manager and players every time but in saying that I’m under no illusion about Emery he’s not here long term wise we’re not winning a league title under him. He’s likely here to improve our standing and our squad before someone else improves us… Read more »
Not enough magic juice to polish Ramsey’s stains tho init
Mystic
:-). 🙂 🙂
How are you doing mate?
lol Cech a proper sweeper keeper now
Mhki for Ramsey?
How can anyone say Laca has been poor?
Marko
Sure about that? Seem to recall Benitez achieved more at Napoli than Sarri despite the latter being known for pretty patterns.
Banford
Only hilarious aspect is you continually skirting around Ramsey and his continued wank passing to nibble at Xhaka bait 🙂
This 2nd half show, should make the “quickfire”” critics take a real look at their opinions on Xhaka, and particularly Emery.
Yeah I’m no great fan of Xhaka, but I kind of attribute that to him being wengerised. He plays well for the Swiss and has always had a great shot and pass.
The trick is to utilise him effectively….and that is the managers task.
I think Emery will frustrate the fans until he can shape and coach the team into his design and prove its success.