Make or break December

by .

So here we are, entering phase 4 of the season. The last international break of the year has passed, and we’re about to hit a traditionally muddy part of the season. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the next few weeks will go a long way to deciding our #Top4Fate.

We’re currently high off the fumes after an exhilarating hit of unbeaten. 16 is a big number, a crazy amount of games no one really thought possible this early in the project. However, the statistics point to us being in a bit of a bubble. You can cover your eyes, you can hide behind the couch, you can scream SHUT UP AND BACK THE MIRAGE, but ultimately, it’s clear we’re at a crossroads.

We’re 11th position in the xG league. That you dislike the metric of measuring luck matters not. Simple fact is, the methodology is sound enough to be used by elite management and it states we’re overperforming. Sky ran numbers yesterday showing our save percentage of 72% was the best in the league (about time) and our conversion rate is about 23%, which is again, the best in the league. That’s not sustainable, and we all know it. If our level drops on either one, as we’re currently playing, there will be an almighty correction.

This weekend, we play Bournemouth who sit 4 points behind us in the league and occupy 5th in the xG league. They’re where they are because they deserve it. This game is going to be very tough, especially after a fairly drab run of draws. Bournemouth are going to come at us. Teams don’t really fear Arsenal, we’re wide open at the back, we’re easy to get in behind and we’re susceptible to the basic counter. This is a massive banana skin.

We absolutely have to win, because we have Spurs and United coming up. The shape of the league this year looks very much like the top 4 are going to pull away from the chasing pack quite early on. If we have a disastrous few weeks and find ourselves 7 or 8 points back, that could be very hard to chase considering the lack of quality we have in the squad compared to the others.

This is the phase of the season where I think we’ll find out whether the ideas have settled. The ideal is that in the next month, we see that the defence has settled. Hopefully, the manager finds a way to bring composure to the back line, and works out a way of integrating Mesut into the side so we release his attacking prowess at the same time as finding a way for him to defend. Hopefully, we can find a way of being more creative as a team, because at the minute, we’re winning because we’re unbelievably clinical in front of goal.

There’s a lot we’re going to find out. Bournemouth is the perfect test. Let’s see what Emery has in store, and let’s pray he’s found a formula that brings us home a December to remember.

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Champagne charlie

Graham

Good to see you start your day as you mean to go on…

Maybe our Korean finds simply mirrored everyone else’s until they produced a half decent talent capable of excelling in one of Europe’s top 5 leagues. Or is that what you remember?

Graham62

CC

#1 highlighting a fact as far as Son is concerned.
#2 highlighting an engrained opinion, which will never waiver, as far as the rest is concerned.

Cheers.

Onwards and upwards.

Graham62

Tough game today.

Faster tempo that Bournmouth play out may suit Arsenal, as long as everyone’s at the races.

2-1 or 3-2 to “The Arsenal”.

Champagne charlie

Graham

Interesting that you promote yourself as someone capable of having an opinion that will never change. Quality trait that is..

Oh back on the onwards and upwards garb after a dig at the past? Maybe do with changing it to onwards and upwards, backwards and sideward. More accurate of you

gonsterous

Jesus, how shit were chelsea s defence last night?
Spurs have firing power, hope we have our strongest back line available next week.

China1

Was son injured earlier in the season?

Seems like he’s barely played. Whilst the usual names always get the plaudits at spurs, I think he’s their best player. He’s got something like 50 goals in 150 games despite being utilized as a utility player, often off the bench and across several positions

He’s fast, has technique, an excellent shot and he’s not selfish either. I don’t wax lyrical about spurs players often but he is quality and I’d love to have him on the right wing at arsenal. Would be a substantial improvement

Graham62

CC

Why does it bother you so much what I think?

Remember, this is an opinion blog on everything Arsenal, good or bad. That’s what it’s all about.

Your daily policing of the airways is rather tiring, telling people what they can or cannot say.

Bob N16

CC, got in there first.
Graham, a man who likes to share his ‘opinions’ which unapologetically never differ- jaundiced bore.
‘Onwards and upwards’ , yeah right!

Champagne charlie

Graham

What did I tell you to say exactly? I responded to a comment you left, that’s what happens when you put opinions out there on a forum. In your head that’s policing obviously, to express a different opinion to yours is to police matters. Brilliant stuff

Nobody disagree with Graham, that’s not allowed on here.

“Remember, this is an opinion blog on everything Arsenal, good or bad. That’s what it’s all about.”

Remember opinions lead to discourse and debate, instead of thinking your opinion can’t be met with any of the above.

Leedsgunner

This view no doubt will be in the minority and unpopular but Park Chu Young was criminally underused and treated badly by Wenger. The player was a mainstay and a top goal scorer for the national side before he came to us after he left us he was ridiculed for wasting his best years on the bench with us. He began his life with us as a panic buy and he was never really given a proper platform on which to prove himself. In doing so, Wenger damaged our relationship with the Korean market such that any player who is… Read more »

Graham62

CC/ BobN16

It also makes things interesting.

Pretty tedious existence if we all agreed on things.

As far as my opinions on “Arsenal’s history post 2008”, that’s set in stone.

Suck it up!

raptora

Emery: “When I work with players, whether their level is higher or lower, for me the most important thing is to know the person, what is in their heart. My first thing with every club I have worked in is to get a personal relationship with the players, and then build a professional one. And the best success for me is not one trophy, it’s not harmony, it’s when players improve and grow.” Sounds nice. If he manages to make that special connection with his players, and they are ready to go to war for him, that’d be a huge… Read more »

China1

I’m of the opinion that literally all of the Asians we bought were specifically bought as a cheap way of selling a few more shirts in Asia I doubt it’s a coincidence that the three or so we’ve signed have basically been refused any opportunities to actually play. They were never bought to play. They were bought for cheap financial wins and I’ve few doubts they more than achieved that Call me cynical (I am) but I’ve believed this ever since our first Japanese signing who was actually a very solid player but couldn’t buy an opportunity to play. These… Read more »

China1

I’m still not sold on this xg stat It has some meaning but it’s far too much of an oversimplification to build a major argument on Winning ugly and taking your chances is a sign of actually being quite good. Because it means that when you are actually on better form things will be easier rather than harder. There’s nothing bad about being efficient. That is a dream scenario. Rather than be disappointed that we were winning without playing teams off the park, I’m impressed that things can get easier as we find better form. Honestly I’ve seen enough dominant… Read more »

useroz

Our worse results coincide with needing to play with makeshift full backs. Kolac has been poor and shows vintage side/back passes during late Wenger times. Not to exonerate Xhara but wtf Kolac made that silly back pass all the way from the Wolves half? Could easily have bring it further upfield. That’s self inflicted and up there with the ones Laxazette did. 3 stupid back passes ended with 3 goals conceded one way or other. Cut it out and we’d be fine for now. AFC must do some deals in Jan though. Sell some and grab a 2 to 3… Read more »

gonsterous

China

son came back late from the world cup and then went away for the Asian games. So he’s missed a huge chunk of their games but on the upside, he’s been playing a lot of games. Been over used by the Korean national side and I’m sure he’s going to either drop in form soon or get injured.

Cesc Appeal

This will be a very tough game today. We know that Bournemouth will start the game with a lot of intensity and look to rattle us right away. We need to put a lid on them and move the ball quickly up the field, we cannot afford any passengers. Quite an interesting discussion last night about formations, whether it should be a 4-2-2-2/4-2-2-1-1 or something like a 4-3-2-1 with Lacazette taking a more CAM/CF/ST type role. But we are likely to see a 4-2-3-1 today. If we play Aubameyang at LM we’re going to struggle, these are the type of… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

There are so many links to Arsenal and players in January.

Some are no doubt click bait, but I think there’s too much smoke here.

I read that how we enter January will govern how much the club spends, if we’re in the top four or within touching distance the club might spend more freely gambling on UCL football, if not then not so much.

Why did we wait this long to change things? Look at the position we’re in now.

Goobergooner

China1 “I’m still not sold on this xg statIt has some meaning but it’s far too much of an oversimplification to build a major argument on Winning ugly and taking your chances is a sign of actually being quite good. Because it means that when you are actually on better form things will be easier rather than harder. There’s nothing bad about being efficient. That is a dream scenario. Rather than be disappointed that we were winning without playing teams off the park, I’m impressed that things can get easier as we find better form.” I absolutely agree with this.… Read more »

Goobergooner

Haha a lot may argue that Kane’s goal wasn’t a fluke, so another example would be mkhis cross that ended up in at the far post curling over everyone.

useroz

Not a single decent pass from Mikki. The latest to Iwobi, Bellerin. Poor shots too.

Ddkingz

Mkhi is a complete waste……….

Ddkingz

45mins….
Kolasinac is totally awful
No pass from mkhi..
Auba is awful, no off the ball movement… can’t hold the ball…. Totally ineffective game…

Note….
Anybody that laments more about mkhi and auba understanding and chemistry….. Please pedro, do everyone a favour by totally blocking the poster….

Wenker-Wanger

yh i agree with many that say we have quite an incomplete team…many flawed players….some with weaknesses that you would worry about against the top teams.
But how do we keep on being unbeaten?
why didnt liverpool thrash us in the first 25 minutes?
simple! A manager that is very astute tactically and has the players confidence in everything he tells them.
Im very impressed with emery….we are to some degree punching above our weight.
The contrast to the mr magoo we had a year ago is stark.