So here we are again, Mesut Ozil drops out of the Arsenal trip to Liverpool complaining of a pain in his knee.
Is it real? Could be. Is it made up? History would suggest that when Mesut thinks bad news is coming there’s often a reaction. Whatever it is, I’m not really surprised that we’re here talking about the mercurial German again.
It’s quite interesting watching a certain group of fans use this issue as something to pin on Emery as bad management.
I think fans need a reminder of what Mesut Ozil has been for Arsenal.
This is the most expensive player on our books by about £150k a week. I know people don’t like the fact I mention the figure, but that’s because it’s a baffling number when you consider his drawbacks. It doesn’t matter how you package money, in football, it should be related to what you consistently deliver to the team. ‘It’s not his fault he’s paid that much’ isn’t an argument I’m afraid.
Mesut needs perfect conditions to perform these days. Nice weather, preferably a little break before he plays, he’s no good away from home, doesn’t like to play bruisers or teams that drop a heavy press, and he also doesn’t like to have to muck in for the team, nor will he play out on the right.
We thought his issue before was having to play with Giroud, so Lacazette was going to unleash his creativity. Didn’t happen. Then we thought signing a striker with pace would help him. Didn’t happen. Then we thought it was Wenger, so we waited for the World Cup, where he tanked. Then we waited for Emery, and he once again tanked.
Not to get into the weirdness of him being given tough away days off by TWO Arsenal managers. Imagine that, being 30 years old, the highest paid player at the club, and you’re given tough games off because the manager thinks you’re lightweight? Embarrassing…
Anyone who thinks the Ozil situation under Emery is weird hasn’t been paying attention to what’s going on in football or on a personal level with the player. The game does not allow for passengers, especially when you’re a Europa League side trying to climb into the Champions League. Mesut is a passenger these days, he’s a quarterback who only wants to do what he wants to do. How does Emery have any other choice outside moving him on?
Can we beat Liverpool away in the Premier League? Likely not. Is taking Mesut there going to change things? Unlikely, he couldn’t make it past 45minutes against Brighton.
Be on the lookout for Arsenal fans using this to go at Unai Emery. The careful-what-you-wish-for contingent are stinging after their summer humiliation. They are softening fans up for questions over the manager because he’s taken all the bold decisions most people who have really been paying attention tend to agree with. Mesut Ozil has been a disaster signing for Arsenal and Emery is addressing that problem as we speak. That’s decisive, it’s bold and it’s the right decision.
If we’re going to beat Liverpool this afternoon, it’s going to be with a team of professionals dedicated to the cause. It’ll have to be a full-throttle performance from every single player. We are capable of such a game as you saw in our destruction of Spurs a few weeks ago, but even if we fail, we’re playing the Premier League leaders with two of our most talented player unavailable because of form or contract troubles.
Our defence looks ripe for destruction. I have no idea how Lichtsteiner and Koscielny are expected to survive an onslaught from the outrageous pace of the Liverpool side, outside a very deep block. In midfield, we don’t have much choice outside a bland offering of three defensive midfielders and up front, our hopes and prayers rest on Auba and Lacazette having an outrageously potent day at the office.
Liverpool’s unbeaten run can’t last forever, but I do think they’re too much for us to handle as a team today.
But, it is what it is, and I don’t think there’s any brand of Mesut Ozil that would help us through today.
Torreira struggling today like the rest of the team
great there goes Ramsey sell on fee
If you told me Lichsteiner was throwing matches on purpose I’d believe it. No footballer can be this unwillingly awful.
We need someone to play along Auba no service for the lad at all
Lichsteiner shouldn’t have started, Laca should be on….Emery is fucking about
This Liverpool team is a machine though, 43 goals scored, only City beat them with 51 but they have conceded just 7 compared to City’s 15 in second place.
You sad little fan boy. Putting the man above the club
Hahahaha
Gambon just proved what I wrote above
Settle down with the tantrum baby.
Want mommy to put you down for a nappy.
Baby gambon is too worked up and throwing all his toys out
Waaaaaaah
Licht really needs a punch on his face from Kolasinac
hard puncher I imagine…. get that stupid look off his face all the time
he is a spaz- always whining about something
Liverpool are by far the best team in this league. Comparing us to them in Emery’s first season is just foolish and agenda driven.
Lichsteiner is old and useless. Old player with no experience
It’s also something about not booting the ball out. Licth was attempting a pass and hit Mustafi.
Holding was probably our best defender and Lichtsteiner is a major liability. Defense was not good as it was but taking out Holding and introducing Lichtsteiner in any form has made our defending especially gash.
The defense now is worse than at any point in Wenger’s tenure, that can’t be ignored. Not all his fault but Emery needs to address this immediately.
‘Predictably PEA totally anonymous but people want us to sell Laca’
You want the EPL top scorer sold then in place of someone who has better hold up play but lacks his goals?
That sounds like someone we use to have and bitch about.
If we had a fucking CAM that actually worked it wouldn’t matter about his old play, a winger as well.
At least 28 goals conceded….on course for our most ever.
More conceded than Wolves, Brighton, Palace, Leicester. The same as Watford and West Ham.
Don’t tell me our defenders are even close to the level of these teams. Come off it.
Emery doesn’t know what he’s doing. It’s not in question.
Jenkinson is much much better than Lichtsteiner yet Emery insists playing a 50 year old. Embarrassing. We are back to where we were with Wenger.
How do some still mention Ozil’s name now is beyond me. He’s not even on the pitch. Lichsteiner is… and he was one of five EMERY’s buys in the summer.
I fear the worst now. 🙁
KC
Don’t bother
Can’t talk to babies when they are in tantrum mode. Just let them stomp their feet and get red in the face and laugh at the so called Arsenal supporters
Not sure what Lacazette has done to be continually marginalized by all his managers
Jesus fk Sokratis.
fuck all has changed
Diving piece of shit
Don’t these payers review video?
Why tackle Salah like that?
Sokratis, the Greek wrestler… Another Emery purchase.
Fear not, Laca will be on in the 2nd for a rally. Its a shame these twats don’t realise they need to still be in the game to make the rally effective.
Literally gifted them 4 goals.
sorry guys no ozil today to take out on
LOL, We are so shit defensively
Comedy extravaganza
Salah is a piece of shit
The defensive improvement is just amazing.
Another pathetic dive to be honest. Salah doing what they didn’t punish him for yet again. There might be something but guy wanted to fall all along and did. Fantastic decision FA. What a bunch of losers.
Salat is like rizla paper.
Don’t tell me our defenders are even close to the level of these teams. Come off it.
No one’s saying that they are but YOU have to give him time to address that otherwise you’re mental.
Sokratis pen. Absolutely clueless defending
In a way we can say FA didn’t ban Sala for the blatant dive and here we go…
That was no pen
Salah was going nowhere
I’m not wat hing another 8-2 so I’m off.
What a shit defender this Sokratis is. He is way too handsy 🙂
Raptora…..
Ramsey ?
AubamYAng….has even featured more that 2 touches?
Oh yeah
Real big fucking difference between Wenger and emery
We are totally fucked…. And this is only the first half…. very worrying indeed.
God awful defending
Lacazette has to start seeking a transfer
What’s the point of signing a £50 million striker only to leave him on the bench for the biggest games.
Fuck off Gambon … Fucking troll
Cesc, when did I say I wanted PEA to be sold. All I have been saying is our striker duo is our most leathal weapon. Play both of them together instead of marginalising Laca.
And we concede another….
Another goal that will be ignored by the EKBs
So that’s more than Brighton, Palace, Leicester, Wolves, Watford and West Ham.
Iwobi and Niles the have had alright performances in the wide areas. The rest have been poor
We need 3-4 new defenders In the next 2 windows
Sokratis is another non-starter but we have no choice……
AMN has been our best player
To go to Anfield and get pummeled every single year. Ghezus.
Kayciey jenkison is shit what are you talking about ?
pstate GoonerDecember 29, 2018 18:14:52
How do some still mention Ozil’s name now is beyond me. He’s not even on the pitch. Lichsteiner is… and he was one of five EMERY’s buys in the summer.
***********
5 Sven buys.
Salah is a cheat honestly
Emery has been brought down to earth.I said it last game.He gave me reasons to start doubting him with that Lacazette’s substitution against Brighton.
Watch him bring him on now after the break.
How do these fans keep shouting common arsenal in that stadium with this embarrassment of a team.
Emery knows our treat is only when Laca and Auba plays.So why cant he work something out??
I said we’d be 3 down in half an hour and 4 by half time. We could easily concede another 4 in the 2nd half.
lets see what the second half is like. No more goals conceded please. Make that mandatory. Licht is just too much….
GD might come into play for 4th place and this game is not helping….
-3 GD right now…. got to stop this
“This scoreline isn’t Emery’s fault. Under Wenger we would be even further behind.“
I love this rubbish, Emery the magician when on an unbeaten run though I’m sure. Wengers fault, the players fault, the fans fault when we’re getting rinsed.
4-1
Emery making his mark. Licht, Sokratis, Torreira with shocking inputs. But, but, but Emery is handicapped with shitty Wenger players who make mistakes….
Nothing has changed from our worst defensive season in the PL last season. Nothing
Sokratis and Lichtsteiner are cack
Pants
Two terrible signings
Leno isn’t much better for me. He’s the worst keeper in the top 6 by a country mile so why bother to sign him??
Iwobi and AMN our best players today
Aubameyang needs to go off because u less he’s got yards if space running onto a cutback he’s fucking toilet. Lacazette all day long
Save your silly hair cuts you mug
These guys are just useless piece of shit. Imagine a defender who’s supposed to be backing his own goal protecting it but instead got caught facing his own goal kicking sallah. Would sallah have scored from there if only u shielded him??? Useless players
I don’t understand all these hullabaloo that upstate goober and gambon are throwing up.
Emery has a short term contract for a reason.
If he doesn’t perform he’s off.
Stop showing yourselves up to be little girls struggling through their first cycles.
Another goal that will be ignored by the EKBs
Gambon.
Are you 4 years old? Serious question?
Marko
He spent £70m on the defence in the summer….and made it worse.
Are we supposed to give him £140m this summer to get it even more wrong.
Emery is a bum that spent years getting whipped by Real and Barca.
This probably doesn’t even bother him.
Yeah this game doesn’t really matter it just proves that we aren’t getting top 4. Not trying to be a negative cunt but I’ve called this all season. Main reason that the current top four are several levels above us in terms of personell but more importantly balance and chemistry. The only route I saw in a logical minded approach was to get top we would need to have an almost impeccable record against the middle and bottom teams. Instead we draw with Palace and then throw away a much needed win against Southampton. I appreciate the fight in this… Read more »
Its clear lich is useless, mustafi isn’t good enough for the prem, kolasinac is hitnmiss, xhaka is not quick enough or even switched on.
Ramsey isn’t sharp at all.
Its a makeshift team…the result of Wenger’s haphazard squad build and seemingly poor judgement in the signing of lichenstenier.
I had predicted 4-1… I think I will stick with that. Liverpool will ease up…we aren’t a threat whatsoever.
Un na nai or whatever your name is, what’s leno’s fault in these goals? Seems you are watching a different game
No different to other years at Anfield.
Going to take more than enough time to change the culture at the club and get in the required players.
Hope you are filling your pockets at least. Arsenal in away matches and the over 1.5 first half goals bet is a very good thing for some sort of compensation.
Dissenter
I think their tampons might be leaking
We need work going forward of course, but the defence has to be torn apart and started from scratch. Absolutely appaling at the back in every game.
“Literally gifted them 4 goals.”
Can’t be more true.
Not saying our CB/ RB are at their level but…
Mistakes in those 4 borderline Sunday league.
Want to play alone striker? PLAY LACAZETTE ! EMery is getting wrong badly…it doesn’t work playing PEA, against better teams
Safe option
Down the fucking pan
Anyone for arteta??
Not a fan of Ozil myself but I said yesterday he should have been in our squad. People talk about his lack of defensive effort but we are conceding loads of goals anyway.
TR7 But then when has it looked great with them both? Our 3 best performances of the season, Fulham, Leicester and Spurs we started with one of them and brought the other one on. This squad is so paper thin if you start both and they have a bad game, or the opposition defence is just resilient, by the time 60-70 minutes comes around what do you have to change it? What do you have to test those tired legs? It’s no good saying the damage could be done before that, because they simply have not looked as dangerous as… Read more »
“Don’t tell me our defenders are even close to the level of these teams. Come off it.”
You mean better or worse?
Maguire cost over £20 million, Chilwell better than any left back we have, Diop cost £22 million.
Our defenders are certainly not that much better.
This is just a horrible period with injuries and fatigue, and it is of course absolutely typical we play fucking Liverpool at Anfield during this period.
Whre are does stupid fans who said arsenal will get a win at anfield
Since we moved Lacazette from our no9 spit we’ve been far too predictable and static in attack
How can emery not see this??
Aubameyang is not a top level no9
Ishola was the only one here that got Lichtsteiner right when he was signed in the summer.
We all thought is was an astute signing of a veteran Professional from Juventus who could provide leadership.
Paulinho
Don’t try to be rational
Gambon and upstate don’t do rational.
Still stomping his feet. He’s red in the face. Toys are all out on the floor. His diaper is full of crap.
If this team had any self respect they would refuse their wages until they beat one of our top five rivals. The amount they are paid should give us at least a go at some decent pl ayers
Why blame Salah? He did what he was supposed to do. Schoolboy defending by our “best” defender aka the Greek wrestler. And that by the way, was a 100 percent penalty.
Arsenal’s defence is
Lacking in ability
Ill Disciplined
Positionally Awful
No understanding
Brain Dead
The consequence is we have conceded four goals.
Paulinho
“This is just a horrible period with injuries and fatigue, and it is of course absolutely typical we play fucking Liverpool at Anfield during this period.”
Thanks for the mature perspective. We are playing Liverpool at the worst possible time.
What is that prat Sokratis moaning about?
He’s another Xhaka, pissing and moaning when you just shut up and get on with it.
Socrates the most industrial full back since Ian Ure.
Laca will come on…. Guen on…. question is who replaces Licht. Ugh
Is Monreal in the team?
We need a shot of offense… Ramsey is trying but we have like .2 seconds on the ball before they take it. Ozil would be robbed all game.
Clearly we need CAM winger Defender….
We need a new defence.
The Sok kicking off with Dik
Raptora
“Pierre,
You can see Lichtsteiner. Guy is enough to destabilize any defence. Fkin hell, how is he even allowed to play. He’s cost us several goals already.”
Yes Raptora , you’re right in your scathing criticism of Emery …he bought him and he plays him .
Fuck we are soft defensively.
Licht is awful, kol is shit in a back 4, Mustafi is a clown, Sokratis is a mid level cb.
We need to spend 150 million at the back
We are losing Rambo – losing ozil, you will win fuck all with xacka in the team.
150 million there,
Wide areas we need 1 more 40 mil.
Up front sound.
We are europa for next 2 yrs minimum with the kind of spend we need and won’t get.
It was always going to be called a penalty but doesn’t change the fact Salah went down easy and is a diving cunt in general.
Azed
We need a new team and more importantly an owner ready to make this happen. We are going to spend our time playing catch-up with Kroenke.
at least this will hasten the Jan spending- Banega/ Defender
Maitland Niles and Iwobi our best players sums up the state of the club.
The team performance in terms of our passing, and attacking intent and mentality to execute was better than anything under Wenger the last few years.
Under Wenger it was systemic, under Emery at the moment he it is players patently not good enough making daft individual mistakes.
Vickings
Did I say he was at fault today?? Please show me where I’ve said it…..
He’s just not good enough for me. Decent at kicking and sweeping. Not so great at goalkeeping and commanding his area
I’m not a fan. I’d start cech in big games and I’m not going to change that opinion unless he ever steps up to the plate.
Started so well and gifted the game
You can’t blame Wenger for wengerising Lichtsteiner and Sokratis who’ve gift wrapped the goals today.
Just a few observations
Buy a CB to build a defence around, like they did with Sol.
No Captain, no proper Captain, they are rudderless.
Always go tappy tappy backwards to go forward, & when they do go forward it’s outwide through a defender ffs.
The next 2 transfer windows will tell me a lot about Arsenal & how ambitious it is.
Agreed CA, we can’t afford to play them both as they are our only 2 strikers!
Team is paper thin at this point, trust the plan.
Haha benega the saviour, another old man more like.
I’d rather wait for quality than buy an elney replacement