Premier League debut mooted as defensive worries mount

by .

I tell you what, I’ve been listening to a lot of classical music this year. I’m not sure if that’s a sign of age, or that I feel disenchanted by the constant bickering between Kanye and Drake. Can’t you both just be friends?

Anyway, big up the classical music scene. Some absolute bangers from John Adams and Tchaikovsky pulling me through this post.

I know that it upsets people that I use references of the not-so-distant past to frame up where we are now, but look, for context, I’m the kind of guy who will make a beeline for a work colleague on a packed train, just to acknowledge that I have seen them… even if they are avoiding eye contact with headphones on. Simply put, I’m going to compare Wenger to Emery for at least another year, so get used to it.

Unai Emery showed exactly how different the mentality at the club is these days.

“I think we are doing our way and improving, but the reality is that we need more.

“Our ideas and work with the players is to learn together. All of us can give everybody new ideas.

“I think the players are open to listening to us about our new tactical work with our analysis in videos. We need to do this work quickly, but we also need patience.

If this had been 2 years ago, we’d be talking about winning the league and the big twitter accounts would be digging up tweets from 7 years ago gleefully proclaiming the victory was theirs!

Not anymore. Our manager is a pragmatist very much anchored to reality. We’re in 5th position, that’s not good enough, and even though we’re not losing, we could be doing better.

That’s a great attitude. That’s a message to players that complacency won’t be tolerated, nor will premature-back patting. We’ve achieved nothing this season and we’re still a long way off the levels City and Liverpool are bringing to the table.

This season is fierce, so many teams are on an absolute rampage. Spurs and City won again, Liverpool is likely to decapitate Jose Mourinho tomorrow when they host his shit-housing-extraordinaires. We have to keep up the pace, there’s no room for dropped points and that sort of pressure is hard to deal with.

It’s going to be very tough tomorrow against Southampton. You have a group of players who are under a new coach who is far smarter than Mark Hughes, so there’s an extra level of intrigue there. We also have a very old defence that is so worrying, you’d have to imagine even Southampton will fancy their chances. We could be rolling out with Hector, Lichtsteiner, Monreal and Koscielny. Two of those haven’t rocked a 90minutes in a while.

It’ll be very interesting to see how Emery deals with that. Do we sit slightly deeper to avoid counters, or do we just play the way we have been all season and try and drop them in the second half after going a goal down? I’d imagine there will be a tactical consideration here, because it does feel like we’re very exposed.

There are some rumours that are being fueled by Auba’s Instagram that suggest we could counter the age issue at the back by fielding Zech Medley. The U23 defender came into the side midweek and impressed in the second half. It’s risky, but these young players need game time if they’re to progress, and there’s no better way to know if a player can handle the pressure other than utilising them in an emergency.

Mesut Ozil will be back in contention for the game after a being out for a few weeks with back spasms, so we’ll see if the coach fancies him in the first team so soon… I’d imagine he’ll be benched and eased back into the first team. Aaron Ramsey is available again, which is great news. I do wonder if he’ll continue to be benched. We all want him to play, but it doesn’t make sense to get the fans used to his presence if we’re going to try and bin him in 3 weeks time.

There’s also the big NLD game that’ll be on the players minds. Spurs in the league cup on Wednesday is technically not as important as Southampton, but it’s huge one for the fans. How hard is Emery planning on going for that game? Is his priority #top4… or a trophy at any cost? So many decisions to be made!

Finally, just a few other items I wanted to check off.

People bringing Ashley Cole into the Sterling row are desperately revising history. He was an absolute darling of Arsenal football club until he betrayed Arsene Wenger in a shady backroom deal with Mourinho which he claimed was accidental. His book quotes were an abomination and a total embarrassment even for a mollycoddled footballer. Factor in the countless PR gaffs he brought on himself… like cheating on his wife with a hairdresser.

“We started having sex then he just rolled over and vomited on the floor all over the cream carpet, it was disgusting.”

“He had some mouthwash then jumped back into bed. We started having sex again but his mates piled into the room.”

For most men, that’s game over, so I have to give him credit for plowing on and being a solutions-oriented kind of guy… however, when you’re married to the most famous woman in Britain, you really can’t complain about bad press, especially when you sell your wedding to gossip magazines for a £1m.

Oh, he also shot an intern with an air rifle from 5 feet.

ALSO: Pavon and De Ligt being linked to Arsenal. Unrealistic, but damn exciting regardless!

Right, enjoy the game, I’ll see you in the comments.

P.S. I ran into an original Le Grove commenter in a New York laundry yesterday. The world is a small place when you’re a gooner!

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Redtruth

Sports Personality of the Year

Kane shouldn’t have been nominated.
Hamilton’s racing car should of taken the 2ns placed trophy, and has the Winner been drug tested yet.

Joe

Didn’t we lose
The match between the 60th and 85th minute?

Earlier in the season
Pierre was screaming us to play a 3-5-2 criticizing emery for
Not doing so.

What do the wing backs do in that system Pierre?

You’re a fool. You’re agenda is so plain to see

And yes emery knows Pierre. Because Ozil will be gone. So will Iwobi

It’s because of wenger emery has deal with a lot of these players and his hands are tied until 2-3 TWs.

That you can’t see this Pierre shows your as clueless as BOB.

Joe

Pierre

Is emery the first manager to have his wingbacks attack And defend ?

Did he invent this?

Only one to use this system?

Haha Pierre. You’re so clueless it’s blows my mind you know how to use a computer

Joe

The full backs at City , Spurs and Pool do a lot of getting up and down the flanks, funny they are not all crippled. If our fullbacks can’t handle the requirements of the modern game we replace them This Funny how they are all Still wenger players who wanted them To play tip tap crab backwards passing turtle snail ball. And still got injured. Like I said. Emery needs tw’s to get the players assessed and if they can’t ply his system sold And replaced. Emery knows Pierre. Done more in 6 months in moving our team forward than… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Arsenal lost today’s game, because we played a makeshift defence who were unfit for purpose and those who choose to place the blame on Ozil and their other pet hates in the squad such as Xhaka do the club a disservice. The reality is that our starting lineup included only one Centre Back i.e. Koscielny who was not remotely fit to play at this level. He was at fault for at least two of the three goals. Our situation was further complicated by losing Kolasinac before the game and both Bellerin and Lichsteiner late on. Frankly I don’t think that… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

‘who choose to place the blame on Ozil’

I mean talk about missing the point.

This is akin to Fellaini’s effort that lumped a medical staff member by the corner flag.

Emiratesstroller

CA

No-one misses the point. We did not lose today’s game because of Ozil.

Josip Skoblar

Let’s face it. The quality if our football has not been good. Apart from two great games (Liverpool and Spuds), we have played boring and undecisive football. I am a little worried.

Receding Hairline

PSV and Ajax both have a goal difference of 50 in the eredivisie, from 7th place down wards all have negative goal difference. Some leagues should just merge with others

Receding Hairline

Josip at this point I don’t care about the quality of our football, we are 5 points off third and have scaled the Europa league group stages, that’s what counts for me, playing champions league football next season, I don’t care how it’s achieved.

Receding Hairline

I can’t take another season in the Europa league, we don’t belong there, its depressing

Pierre

Josip
Of course you are correct but don’t say it too loudly .

And joe
For the first 3 months or more we didn’t play with wing backs ,we played with a back 4 even though our full backs were playing like wing backs hence the reason they are ready for the knackers yard.

Joe

Josip

Has not been boring

Sorry you’re wrong

Pierre

Stroller
You are correct , any team would have struggled defensively with all those players missing.
We were left with Kosielny and Monreal who were out on their feet at the end .

No blame should be attributed to anyone ……

Cesc Appeal

‘No-one misses the point. We did not lose today’s game because of Ozil.’

Someone is.

Joe

Pierre

Were you not criticizing emery for not playing a 3-5-2 earlier? Yes or no?

And I see you conviently ignored the post about other team’s full backs working as much as our and not worries about being knackered??

Doesn’t fit your anti emery agenda

You couldn’t wait for the first loss could you. To come out with your bollcks

And by the way we were boring under wenger for a decade.

We are not boring under emery

Receding Hairline

We have scored the most away goals in the league this season while playing the boring football many will have us believe we play

Sought out that defense and I think we will be fine. Add some quick and skilled players up top. Its not a six month job but we will get there.

I am not remotely worried. We were bound to lose a game and it has happened. Let’s move on.

Paulinho

As long as we have the players we do, our game will look scrappy and hit and miss at times.

Emery is trying to get us to play high octane football with carthorses in the attacking positions, and you need dynamism in those positions; Almiron type players that have that work ethos and willingness to go along with skill. There is not a single attacking player in our squad that is an ‘Emery’ player.

Liverpool under Klopp were losing these types of games with much better players three years ago. We’re just gonna have to suck it up.

Cesc Appeal

RH

I think that is exactly right.

Emery is doing what he’s doing with a massively unbalanced squad with defensive issues, no CAM fit for purpose and no wingers.

It makes you wonder what we will be able to do when he’s had a few transfer windows.

Cesc Appeal

Paulinho

I agree.

Liverpool were a very hit and miss side as Klopp slowly shaped the team he wanted.

The fact people think with the damage Wenger did and the limited finances Emery had that he could take over a 6th place team and have them competing the league when our squad assembly for the last few years has been negligent shows that people either overestimate certain players or are still defending the mess Wenger created.

Slow process, but I have every confidence we’re going to get there with the new team behind the scenes and manager.

TallestTiz

Thank you Arsenal defence for making me loose a bet payout of #748,000 naira.

Very miserable day!!

Marko

For the first 3 months or more we didn’t play with wing backs ,we played with a back 4 even though our full backs were playing like wing backs hence the reason they are ready for the knackers yard First off the difference between a full back and a wing back is about 10-15 yards and secondly and most importantly you’re not winning this you turd this idea that our full backs are getting injured/fatigued because the manager asks too much of them is ridiculous. There isn’t a full back in the premier league who isn’t asked to defend as… Read more »

Antidote

Is there a way to jump straight to Emirates Stroller comments and avoid the rest of the noise?

Cesc Appeal

‘Is there a way to jump straight to Emirates Stroller comments and avoid the rest of the noise?’

Use your eyes, brain and scroll ability.

Challenging but we all believe in you.

G8

I think the narrative is that ozil was useless in helping us control and win the game,
as he usually is most of the time, not that we lost because of ozil.
It’s obvious that our defence let us down yet again, but it’s understandable this time as wee have to make do with xhaka and kosa.
I am more concerned about our CAM situation and Auba’s pony show tbf.

HighburyLegend

“It makes you wonder what we will be able to do when he’s had a few transfer windows.” This will not come soon enough for some Grovers – those whom also post on Untold, they are easily recognisable – they want Emery to fix our shit right now, very comical they are. I’m glad Emery succeed to bring back interest, excitement and joy for the fans. And I’m ready to wait 1 or 2 transfer windows if that means Arsenal back at the top. After all, we gave the old fossile 10 years to do that, 10 years for nothing.… Read more »

Joe

I’m glad Emery succeed to bring back interest, excitement and joy for the fans.

But but but highbury

Pierre the all knowing says we are boring and he’s is always right

alexanderhenry

Pedro

Glad to hear you’ve been getting into a bit of classical music. A bit of commitment and it’s a three star Michelin taster menu for the ears and the soul.

Here’s something that you could apply to Arsenal these days:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBiL0VEttZw

Marko

That was almost certainly in the thin red line.

Marko

A quick wiki shows that I am right. Nailed it

Guns of SF

Good for Poch speaking up. About time someone said something about this. Wish Emery had a stronger reaction but oh well….

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/16/mauricio-pochettino-tottenham-burnley

China1

Racism needs to die already. It’s 2018 but we still have quite a lot of knuckledraggers and mouth breathers on this planet unfortunately Re this arsenal squad, I don’t think we’re going to see much more improvement than we’ve already seen without signing new players. We have probably the 6th best squad in the league and realistically one of the least balanced (in spite of the talent we do have) Emery has had us pulling results out of a hat by hook or crook so far and good on him, but we don’t have the personnel to do too much… Read more »

China1

On that note, it would be ludicrous to punish city for financial doping when psg haven’t been. Either enforce the rules or don’t m, but don’t pick and choose who has to follow them. UEFA are so damn corrupt Surely the way to resolve this bs is to ban sponsorship deals from companies who share ownership (or ownership ties) with the club’s owners. To boost revenue and negate FFP currently all you need to do is sponsor your own club with another company of yours. Throttle that sponsorship method and suddenly the owners would at least need to get more… Read more »

China1

Also why the hell does it take UEFA so long to take action? They’ve turned a blind eye to this for how many years now? What’s the difference anymore? Either we have ffp – ok cool savage city and psg then, or don’t – right whatever then stop pretending to do bs investigations which never go anywhere

TallestTiz

Aubameyang always trying to fancifully slot the ball home, instead of banging it in with fire in his belly, Gosh! I just couldn’t believe it. Iwobi offering more to the team than ball eyed Özil says a lot about the German. Koscielny not marshalling his line well reminded me of Wenger Arsenal defence line as a whole letting a lone striker bully them and getting free runs into our box unmarked, again reminded me of the latter Wenger days. Licht is leggy and so pony. Xhaka should never agree to play in defence again for the sake of his balls… Read more »

TonyD

Pedro I love all genres of music including classical. If you don’t have a high-end DAP, get one from this company especially if you’re serious about sound quality and are into Hi-Res (DSD & PCM) files. https://www.astellnkern.com/eng/content/shop/features.asp?mcg=CG110000&mpos=0&scg=CG210240&spos=4&tcg=&tpos=0&gcode=SC10690 I use the AK380 but all their products are audiophile quality. For IEMs there is no better than JH Audio https://jhaudio.com I’ve used the Roxannes for a few years now, , but a CEO mate bought the Laylas and was blown away. Most of my musician friends also have the Laylas. It’s all down to individual budgets but no OEM can come close… Read more »

TonyD

Very happy we weren’t playing Liverpool at Anfield yesterday.

33 attempts with 11 on target left United on a different planet

You can’t help but grudgingly admire what Klopp has put together over the last few years.

Just can’t see them being trophyless this season.

We are years behind them

Guns of sf

China
FIFA and Uefa are all corrupt
Big clubs get some bad media but in the end nothing gets done. It’s like they front at being authoritative but are not

Clubs know this

Why stop lining their pockets with that money?

Guns of sf

We need an attacker and defender
Aouar is the man for me
Pepe could work too
Young fast and technical

TonyD

“Haha Pierre. You’re so clueless it blows my mind you know how to use a computer ‘

He doesn’t he uses Siri, which is the only way someone talks to him.

TonyD

ES
“No-one misses the point. We did not lose today’s game because of Ozil.”

We didn’t draw or win either, so what did Ozil do when he was on the pitch ES?

Do tell.

Emiratesstroller

Tony D

Ozil was on the pitch less than 20 minutes. The idea that he was at fault for yesterday’s performance is plain absurd.

Okay there are large numbers of posters who want to offload this player. I
understand that argument, but surely not based on yesterday’s game.

The fact is that our defence yesterday was makeshift and Koscielny who was
the only centre back in our team was clearly struggling.

This was the first time this season that we conceded three goals since we lost to Chelsea and they were all headers.

Leedsgunner

We lost because our defence was never good enough to maintain a sustained EPL challenge. When I say our defence, I’m not talking about the makeshift version that was cobbled together yesterday but our full strength version. It will be telling whether real change has come to Arsenal if Emery urges his colleagues Sven and Raul to go boldly into the transfer window to rectify our weaknesses. Wenger used to manipulate unbeaten streaks to turn a blind eye to our shortcomings… to delude himself that he indeed had a “big squad”. What will Emery do? Will he shift players that… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

The real concern at the moment is that we are woefully short of defensive resources in the lead up to New Year with a heavy programme ahead of us starting with Spurs on Wednesday. Holding is out for season and Koscielny on evidence of what I saw yesterday is not capable any longer to play at the top level. Also Mavropanos has been out injured the entire season. So we are down to just Mustafi and Sokratis and that is simply not enough centre back resources to play two games a week. You need 4 competent players, which we don’t… Read more »

Leedsgunner

Özil played a cameo yesterday… and to his credit, tried to make things happen.

Aubameyang was poor.

Leno was naive for the third conceded goal.

Our defence was patched together with gaffa tape and sticky plastic.

Criticism of the team is fine but to blame Özil alone for the loss is not based on reality nor is it fair.

Iwobi was ok but he needs to focus on his end product rather than trying to replicate a character on FIFA. Showboating unnecessary when we needed a goal.

Emiratesstroller

Leedsgunner

Mustafi and Sokratis would not be my personal choice for starting eleven centre backs, but unfortunately such players don’t grow on trees and there are currently plenty of other clubs with more financial clout who are willing to spend £70-100 million on such a player.

For a start take a look at what is going on at Man Utd.

Leedsgunner

Leno has been ok most games but he’s prone to a glaring error which the unbeaten streak has masked. What will Emery do about it?

Leedsgunner

*prone to a glaring error of decision making or positioning in every game he’s played

Emiratesstroller

Leedsgunner Leno did not have a great game yesterday, but he was woefully exposed by what was going on ahead of him. Another point, which needs to be made is that there are virtually no quality centre backs on the market who are remotely buyable and certainly in the price bracket that we are willing to pay. Take a look at the first page of Centre Backs on Transfermarkt. Most of the 25 players listed are with top clubs. Players like de Light, Pavard, Maguire and Skriniar may well be promising, but then every other major club wants to buy… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

The real question is does the club look for another cb who is a young and cheap
option like Holding or Mavropanos coming from lower division teams or do
we recruit a solid but fairly average player a la Sokratis who is realistically priced but has only short term value for a couple of years.

Leedsgunner

What we don’t need is a panic buy like Gary Cahill.

I would rather us promote from within than buy other club’s old spare parts like him.

We need Sven and Raul to pull off another Lucas Torriera like signing but for the heart of our defence. Time for them to earn their corn and live to their reputation.

Savage

Was just listening to Tchaikovsky this morning. Piano Concerto no 1 is a terrific piece.

TonyD

ES I don’t blame Ozil for our loss yesterday but I do firmly believe Ozil should be moved on for reasons I’ve continually posted. I think Emery should shoulder much of the blame as it was a very rare bad day at the office for him. I think Jenks couldn’t have done worse than Kos, Xhaka or Licht and Xhaka was much more needed in midfield. Equally, I don’t blame Leno because he was left trying to cover too much for our absent CBs where if they had been where they should have been Austin would never have got a… Read more »

Akilan

What about the Real Vallodolid defender Fernando Calero, that we’ve been linked with? Does anybody follow that story? Apparently BVB also want him. 23 years old and has a RC of 10m. Right footed but plays as a LCB.

Is he any good? They got promoted this season and are doing OK in La Liga. Read nice stuff about him. Another Torreira esque signing?

Samesong

No one is addressing the playing out from the back. Giving away poor passes in midfield. Missing opportunity upon opportunity.

TonyD

Samesong
A simple remedy is an option A to sell the following:
Ramsey
Ozil
Mikhi
Elneny
Iwobi
Mustafi
Auba (missing too many easy opportunities)
Licht
Kos
Jenks

And replace with quality.

Or an option B

Keep the above and get a Graham Taylor type manager.

Personally, I’d go with option A

Drey

I love Aubameyang and all, but dude misses so many chances I wanna cry

Guns of Hackney

Reading Emery’s ‘Wenger esq’ quotes sends shivers down my spine.

1. We lost a game we should have won.
2. I think it will be hard to make signings.
3. Bad day at the office.

Not good.

Leftsidesanch

Auba misses chances he ought to be taking but there are loads I’d get shot of before even thinking about selling him.

We don’t have much goal threat in the team and he’s one of two genuine options.

Guns of Hackney

Yup. Our goal threat is minimal at best…if our forwards don’t score, the midfield simply does not have any goals in it.

Auba was always a concern for me. Not one genuine big club fancied him and that’s really telling. Laca was a french league bully.

I think together they are greater than the sum of parts, but isolated, neither are world class. They must play together.

Emiratesstroller

Let’s get real. Arsenal have scored sofar 37 goals in the EPL, which is more than 2 goals per game and equal second highest along with Liverpool. Okay Aubameyang has hit a slightly dry period, but there have been several attempts recently, which with more luck could have resulted in goals. We are not short of firepower up front, although the injury to Welbeck has impacted on team despite many negatives posted about him. Our attacking midfield and wing play is still rather limited. There is a crescendo calling for the offload of Ozil and also criticism of Messrs Ramsey,… Read more »

Marko

The idea that he was at fault for yesterday’s performance is plain absurd.

You’re kind of missing the point no one is blaming him for the defeat merely pointing out that he came on and did fuck all. Didn’t contribute at all. Ramsey is capable of a good cameo off the bench so is Iwobi why isn’t Ozil? In fact why isn’t he doing more to be that key man in the starting 11? You hear people say fleeting genius and when he plays well Arsenal play well then why doesn’t he do more to play well?

Dissenter

After sleeping on the game, o have to admit that Emery got too clever yesterday,p. He ought to share some of the blame. It’s true that he had to deal with a terribl defensive. Rises but he didn’t hand,e that right. He didn’t use his squad properly. He should have played Elneny in the center of the defence and left Xhaka in the midfield. He should have started Ramsey instead of Iwobi. If Ramsey wasn’t fit then why have him in the bench. I’m sure Emery learned a lot from the loss. He’s a very experienced manager who’s been around.… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

I mean just spectacularly missing the point no one is blaming Ozil solely for the loss and no one is saying sell him based on 20 minutes against Southampton. Lazy arguments I’ve come to expect over the years. Trying to pick your fight and so you pick the easiest one possible even if it doesn’t exist. ‘Ridiculous to say Ozil is was to blame for losing and should be sold because of 20 minutes of football’. Yes it is. Hence why no one is saying it. Absolute baffling I’ve seen usually switched on posters saying ‘to Ozil’s credit’ about his… Read more »

Dissenter

Ozil came on at 2-2 at a critical point in the game. He came in to support a mishmash team. What did he do when he came on? Emirates will have you think that a stupid dummy and debatable cross was a good return for his 24 minutes on the field. An impact sub should bring inventiveness and energy, Ozil brought neither. If Ozil isn’t good enough to start against Bournemouth and isn’t good enough to impact an away game at 2-2 against Southampton, then whatnthe he’ll,is he good for? Ozil is. It the reason we lost…true OZil IS ONE… Read more »

Dissenter

Emirates stroller is just being diseingenious.
He’s setting up a soapy falllacy with so many greasy words.
Ozil was brought in to win the game. He’s out star player making one of the biggest salaries in world football….and what did he do?
…. , …. , ….. wait for it …. NOTHING.
Can you imagine if Liverpool introduced Salah in that 2-2 situation?
Can you imagine if City introduced Kevin De Bruyne?
Remember when Chelsea threw in Hazard at 2-2 agajnst us?
Imagine if Spuds brought in Son or Christian Eriksen at 2-2 against Southampton?

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