Unai Emery led his men to victory against Vorskla in a cakewalk victory. The Emirates crowd, all 16 of them, witnessed Arsenal take a 4 goal lead, only to spoil the party late on with 2 needless goals.
The starting 11 was pretty strong. Rob Holding came in for Mustafi, Lichtsteiner for Bellerin. The midfield rolled with Lucas Torreira and Elneny at the base. The front three saw Mikhi and Iwobi reintroduced into the mixer.
The style of play imitated what Emery has been doing in the league, we played out of the back with a keeper who could roll with the sweeper style, we tried to draw the opposition out of their deep block, and we made it count moving forwards once things clicked after a rocky start. I thought Mikhi was special. His incisive thinking and contributions opened up space allowing Iwobi and Auba to shine moving forward.
The Nigerian found Auba at the back post for the first with a beautiful ball across goal. The man from Gabon still had a lot to do, sliding in, somehow flashing the ball across the keeper from his arse. The second came in the second half and saw Iwobi tee up Mikhi, he played a ball so perfectly Danny Welbeck really couldn’t do anything outside score with a beautiful cushioned header.
Our third came from another Mikhi assist, he found Auba about 30 yards from goal, he looked up and cruise missiled his shot low into the bottom corner. He really does give me Thierry flashbacks when he does that. The 4th arrived after Sokratis sent a silky ball into the path of Lichtsteiner, the Swiss managed to loop a cross into the path of Ozil who tapped home with ease. Fox in the box-ish. Maybe he’s been taking Auba tips?
At that point, I think everyone was praying for a clean-sheet… but always, the old Arsenal waits in the wings. Two replica shots from the edge of the box into the top left corner within 18 minutes sent our defensive dreams up in smoke. The first came from Chesnakov who made the most of Lictsteiner dithering on the edge of the box. The second came from the same spot, this time our whole defence was defending way too deep. They all failed to track Sharpar’s run into the box. BOOM. Leno’s net rattled again.
I’m not quite sure what to make of the shotstopping. Both strikes seemed pretty spectacular, and as Leno is new, I’ll give the benefit of the doubt… but it’s a bit of a worry. Not that Cech would have done any better, of course.
Overall, you can’t argue with 3 points… but, you know, fuck the folk who want to wait until next year to make a judgement. They are boring.
Arsenal has a defence issue. That was a pub team out there yesterday and we still managed to switch off and concede 2 goals after going 4 up. We’ve scored 14 and conceded 11 so far this season. That’s a real worry, especially as we’re dropping goals against really poor teams like West Ham, Cardiff, Newcastle and now a pub team from Ukraine. The two goals we conceded were purely down to concentration, and nothing else. You could put that down to it being a second string team, and I could roll with that, but this is an issue we’re having across the board. If you include preseason, we’re 11 games in and the defence looks more shambolic than it did last season.
It’s hard to read into the overall play because the competition was so lacklustre. I thought Torriera looked very solid. He puts his body on the line, he’s aggressive and his positioning and intelligence opens play up from the base of midfield. He’s incredibly aware of where he is on the pitch, he’s always moving into space and he’s very demanding of the ball. He’ll be a great addition when he gets fully up to speed with the league.
I also thought Elneny had a solid day out, he’s not world class, but he’s very good in games like last night. He works hard, covers a lot of ground and has a positive vision of how the game should be played. A great squad player.
The two stars for me were Iwobi and Mikhi. The Nigerian looks like he’s been focusing on his end product. His decision making was strong, he played with more purpose and he looked confident. Mikhi was very good, he’s another very smart player, he uses space well, he’s incisive and he moves the ball around the pitch efficiently. I think he’s been a little unlucky to see the bench in the league.
Overall, the winning machine rolls on. The performance this evening wasn’t dazzling, but we did the job. I’m really hoping this Sunday can be seen as a turning point from a football perspective. We need a real monster of a performance. We’re still on Emery training wheels, but we’re now 4 wins on the bounce. The confidence should continue to build and hopefully the manager can pick a team that works from the start on Sunday. Everton should be an interesting spectacle.
Onwards and upwards!
P.S. Great to see Sol Campbell sitting in cattle-class last night. What a hero!
P.P.S Well done to Emery for being the most winningest Europa manager there ever was
Dog shit Ramsey
What’s the point of Ramsey?
Ramsey hasnt been useful this season has he
Ramsay and Xhaka are the axis of evil. Total dead end when it goes hear them.
How is Ramsey in this side? Won’t sign his contract and is a shit number 10.
Ramsay is shit. Might poach a goal and get man of the match
So many empty seats. Probably the snow, right?
I’d much rather iwobi than Ramsey at the moment. COuld be a halftime substitution
So many empty seats in the stadium
PEA looks like he’s lost a bit of pace since going Arsenal.
Just imagine if the new age “experts” at Arsenal sign Ramsey for £250k a week ?!!… best to let him go on a free me thinks.
If thiswas played at goodison we would lose…just feel home advantage may just count in a tight game..
N5
Universal tv HD
It’s an app
Perfect quality on the I pad
Imagine dropping £500,000 pw on Ozil and Ramshit. Lolz.
Is Ozil playing?
Should be starting Mkhitaryan regularly in the league
Playing any kind of pressing football with Ozil involved is rather silly
Cool, thanks un na naai.
Mikki is injured. His ankles can’t carry his weight.
Aubameyang has the first touch of a rapist
It’s so odd.
Very aggressive pitch positioning, yet extremely passive and lateral passing.
Complete contradiction.
Mustafi always always goes down… pathetic defender
Which is better?
Ramsey who is playing like shit or ozil who I can’t see on the pitch?
We’re a half hour in and our number ten has 3 touches, two of them errant
Both the teams building their attack from wide areas, nothing through the middle
Mustafi and Xhaka.
Can always rely on these clowns to make mistakes
Everyone sees Xhaka’s obvious problems
Why isn’t anyone talking about Ramsey being a very poor number 10
There not mutually exclusive you know.
Also Ozil is having one of those uninterested games again…
Everton have done enough to be ahead by a goal
We are being played off the park
Typical Ozil. fvcking shoot, you cvnt
Awful match so far
Marko,
“One” ?!
PEA looks like he’s lost a bit of pace since going Arsenal
Literally three times he’s used his pace to go past people. Try harder guns
Xhaka, Ramsey and Ozil are passengers we can’t afford to carry.
Mustafi has been mostly decent today. Cech has too. The problem today is that when the ball crosses the halfway line we have no attacking midfield
Ramsey has been dismal and ozil isn’t available. He can’t be found. I don’t think laca has touched the ball today lol
Mustafi. Xhaka. RamseyAll average. All wenger signings. But Emery should have us purring. Give the man a few windows
Rambo
Ramsey had been fucking doodoo so far this season and today could be his worst yet
Can’t wait to see him hooked at half time
At least with ozil he can come up with a good pass here and there
Ramsey is just a big fat hole where a midfielder should be
To the Emery fans.
What exactly are we seeing on the pitch because in over 36 years of watching football, I can’t see what arsenal are actually doing.
We are reduced to playing long balls over the midfield like Stoke city.
It could be the midweek game but we don’t look that sharp. They are beating us for sheer effort.
Marko
He didn’t make anything of it. So we may as well Compare him to Walcott then.
The Emirates is like morgue.
PEA looks like he’s lost a bit of pace since going ArsenalArteta would have brought his pace backHe’s that exciting. 🙂
Joe
Wtf
If they are shit and emery is persisting with shit then he’s no better. We have other options. I’m sure iwobi and welbeck could play
We didn’t have to lose wilshere either to shoe horn these two black holes into the side
Walcotts first touch worse that PEA. Lucky arsenal.
Ha ha, Joe. Arteta would have him playing crab football.
So Czech has been good today…
We should have kept Theo and Giroud too
Cech our best player this half
Cech keeping the team in the game.
Walcott has his eye pulled out.
What a shame
Would have loved to see Mustafi limp off
Holding should be starting over him anyway
Another emery gaff
They’re slicing us open fairly easily.
Emery still hasn’t figured out that this formation just isn’t working.
Sokratis off injured due to going to ground earlier in a challenge when he was struggling with pace from an opposing player.
Bam
What formation?
The 11 freestyle one we seen to be playing? Or the total bollocks one?
Walcott’s haircut the most interesting thing in this game so far
Some nice early passes from Xakha
empty seats must be the AKBs in silent protest (might ask Vic). would be nice if they sell their ST so that real fans can go to the ground.
Lacazette= Pony
Lava should have gone down there
WTF is wrong with him
Without Sokratis, Mutafi will look even more out of depth.
Hate to say this but we need to be patient. It’s coming.
Laca needs to be more involved.
The Emirates makes Highgate cemetery seem like a 90’s rave.
Pathetic.
Great ball Xakha again
Lets be honest here, Giroud had a better touch and control than this oaf Lacazette
Great trolling, Un nai.
Worried about Holding.
Rambo is spot on.
Lacazette is not a game winner.
Nothing about his game does it for me.
Ozil Ramsey and Lacazette have been so poor so far
Lacazette has been poor this half.
Rambo
Ramsey=pony
There’s more empty seats than at a Jeremy Corbyn Jewish sitdown meeting.
Aubameyang plays like malnourished Henry.
Aubameyang and Ramsey have been dog turd
Need to drop ozil and Ramsey and employ a 442 with Aubameyang and Lacazette up front
I fear we’re gonna concede on the break.
Didn’t touch him
Get up pussy
Arsenal are football narcolepsy.
What a disgusting simulation by Digne. Should get red carded for ugly stuff like this.
Un
The same Welbeck that can’t hit the side of the barn and everyone wants sold
The same Iwobi Everyone on here was tearing to shreds last season and wanted him no where near the team
Yeah. Make
Sense.
Good points Un
Oezil and Ramsey have been dreadful.
Relax guys, Laca generally plays well, not a great half from him so far but I see knives are out very early from usual suspects.
“Aubameyang plays like malnourished Henry.”
Loool
If your GK is the best player…you’ve played shit. Fact.
The metropolitan police needs to had put fliers at Halftime.
“Missing German Turk with goldfish eyes, contact Arsenal FC for reward if you find him “
Iwobi was fantastic on Thursday, he needs to get. >30 mins in this game.
Is anyone surprised no one is really interested in signing Ramsay
Yeah Torreira can make all the difference – lolZ.
Pathetic 1st half to say the least.
Paulinho how’s Ramsey getting on?
TR7,
Clearly you turn a blind eye to all of Lacazette’s heavy touches. They are an every game occurrence, kills so many moves.
Poor first half again
Defensive selections seem to have been ok but Ramsey and ozil cannot be in the same midfield. It’s painful
Ramsey should be off.. He is slowing off our attack..
This game needs a Mikki..
You see how the usual characters keep reminding us about his Xhaka is so shit
They know how to gloss over an equally shit player playing for the second largest wage in the club.
“Missing German Turk with goldfish eyes, contact Arsenal FC for reward if you find him “
lol as a reward I want 1 week of his salary
I’d take a draw tbf
TR7,
You mean just like they are out on Xhaka, Ramsey, Ozil and Auba?! If you play bad people are going to write it down. None of our front line did anything good in this half. On the flip side, our front line’s second half cannot be worse than this. We got this.
Being posed plenty of problems against a half decent established EPL team that isn’t in dogshit form. Anyone surprised?
Good news is that Everton haven’t taken their chances so far and Arsenal always capable in such matches to come up with a goal or two.
Useless possession of the ball. Everton have created the better chances. How does Emery want the team to play? It’s unclear to me.
We’ve heard Aubameyang is a malnourished Henry (actually been our best forward today) Ozil is shit and about Lacazette’s heavy touches and not a word about Ramsey. You’d think he wasn’t shit and stalling on a contract
We slapped Everton 5-0 last season playing class football.
We have the same defensive frailties from previous without any attacking patterns.
It is an eyesore to watch us play regardless of the result.
Hope Emery is a stopgap and not a permanent solution.
Cech has been excellent
Hopefully we continue to have the better second half.
There’s nothing good about Arsenal in the first hl
Nothing from back to front. We’ve been shit and should be behind if not for Cech.
Marko,
I think most people in here did mention that Ramsey is playing bad. Are you blind?! Lol.
Not a word about Ramsey. You for real?!
The problem we have is that we play with only two midfielders, Torreria and Xhaka. We essentially play a 4-2-4 because Ramsey and Ozil both want to be forwards and to hover around that area. That means of our 10 outfield players only 2 offer us anything close to a controlling influence. The defence is a problem, sure, but just as bad is the fact that when we play out from the back it goes to a defender, who then passes to Torreria or Xhaka who then pass back to a defender, who then pass back to the GK and… Read more »
We have been a second half team all season so expect a better second half