It’s not often I’ll concede and take a fat L, but today, I must.
Aaron Ramsey’s agent has only gone and done it. £140k a week NET fam… which works out at around £280k a week GROSS. That’s good cash. Baldwin, you’re the British Raiola, and we’re proud to have you raping the game for all it’s worth.
Well played.
As for Aaron, it’s over. The much-loved Welshman is ducking out with a huge win. He’s going to one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, he’s playing for a top 3 manager, and he gets to live in Turin.
God speed.
This goes down as one of the worst episodes in a long line of Game of Thrones like transfer catastrophes. Arsenal could have tied Rambo, Ozil and Sanchez down to longterm deals 4 years ago after we’d just beaten Villa in the FA Cup final. We dithered, wouldn’t pay out wages that outstripped Wenger, and the rest is history. We let one go for £35m, lost one on a free, and stuffed ourselves with the one that cared the least for £350k a week.
What a disaster.
It was the right decision though. A Europa League team cannot keep on dishing out £150k+ a week deals. We’ve made a total hash of those sort of contracts already. Ozil, Lacazette and Mikhi spend most of their time on the bench. Aaron is a good player, but I don’t believe in him as £300k a week player. If he’d been Pep trained from 20, sure, but he’s been schooled in the woods for 8 years. I also don’t think we can afford that sort of luxury anymore. We need Torreira players. £25m in fee and £65k a week in salary.
The big fear that I have now is how we get out of this absolute mess.
Our wage bill is fucked, we have no saleable assets, our youth players are good but there are no Cesc’s bubbling up, we have an ageing defence and most importantly… there’s no fucking money to pull ourselves out of the problem. Oh, and we also fucked our managerial appointment.
The pain is real.
We’ll have to unfuck ourselves first, then we’ll have to reset, then we’ll have to pray for diamond eyes to come good.
It very much looks like we’re going to be out in the wilderness for a long time.
Such a shame we spent the banter years hoarding money, buying shit players for big money, as well as sheltering an utterly dross coaching staff.
Anyway, needed to get that out my system.
Onto more positive tones tomorrow.
Listen to the damn podcast.
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Pedro Under you example your average manager is coming in save a club from relegation. Mourinho gets the sack from everywhere after 2 and a half years but he’s taking over clubs that are 5% under performing. We’re in a position where we are conducting major surgery on all areas of the club – it’s not going to happen over night. Could another manager get us playing better – possibly but without a huge cheque book you’re severely limited on suitable candidates with no guarantees. I will once again point out that against the equivalent fixtures last season we’re 7… Read more »
‘Not a single Pundit, Football Commentator or even opposition fans have criticized Emery ..’
This doesn’t give Emery immunity from criticism. Every manager and player will always have their admirers and detractors. You are very touchy about even measured criticism of Emery.
It’s also not true TR7
Sancho, you don’t commit to something that’ll fail. Unai Emery was not brought to Arsenal to win us the league with a 70m spend..no he was not. He was brought in to get us back in the Champions league through one of two possible avenues and as it stands We are three points off fourth and Still in the Europa league I do not understand this assurance of failure you have been giving out since. You really think Emery should be sacked at this point?? Cos i am not sure i get what your point is if i am being… Read more »
Pedro
Appointing Southgate and going with our English contingent
Willock,Iwobi,amn, Smith, holding, and some others , foden etc surely would excite..??
Marc, I’m not putting all the problems on Emery, but if you can’t coach a better defence or extract the most out of the attack we have, there’s an issue when you’re 6 months in.
CG, Southgate is a wet lettuce of a manager. Just look at what he did to Boro
You are very touchy about even measured criticism of Emery.
Check up the meaning of the phrase “measured criticism”
I don’t get the heated arguments against Emery, if he’s still doing this next season he won’t be here. We will in a better condition off the field and in terms of our squad and a new manager will be appointed. This isn’t the days of Wenger where you keep some failing manager for 10 years because reasons. There’s nothing to be angry about on that front. Secondly, given that we had next to no money, given the mess Wenger left us in, who better than Emery was coming in? The fact that a lot of the people ragging on… Read more »
CA, I think you massively underestimate the appeal of Arsenal. Money, City, Stadium, history, training facilities…
Marc, I’m not putting all the problems on Emery, but if you can’t coach a better defence or extract the most out of the attack we have, there’s an issue when you’re 6 months in. We have only been outscored by Liverpoool (by 3) and Man city so i will say the attack is ok. buy then you have always maintained the xG not the actual goals scored is where it’s at. As for the defense, i study a manager before making conclusions, Emery was never a defensive coach, he depends on certain things happening higher up the pitch to… Read more »
I think Boro fans would look at his tenure quite fondly in comparison to where they are now…
He shown his mettle in the summer.
IF he is no good – get shot.
Don’t want coaches building empires any more
Want to see improvements on pitch
Pedro
I agree Emery’s struggling more with the defence than attack but I think the two are tied together.
The thing we have to remember is that the squad as it stands is either Wenger’s or guy’s who have had 6 months in a new county and league, 2 of which aren’t first choice starters before Pierre goes on his 5 defensive additions rant.
Sancho, you don’t commit to something that’ll fail What commitment? As I’ve said several times if Emery fails he’ll be sacked. Even if he performs halfway decent if our ambition is greater than that (as it should) no doubt we’ll go for a better manager in due time. No doubt a better manager will come if the club isn’t in shambles and won’t need a £250m investment straight away. Wenger is gone, the dictator era is over. Your trauma is understood but you have to stop seeing it in terms of one person taking over for the next decade. It’s… Read more »
Pedro I think you’re trying to distort what actually happened to make it look like Arsenal picked Emery out of a whole bunch. The choice was Arteta or Emery and Arsenal made the absolute right decision. It would have been negligence to have given Arteta a deal. Who was coming then that we just thought ‘nahhhhh’ to? Which of Allegri, Ancelotti, Enrique etc was coming in once we told them what there budget was, what was happening off field, when they could see the state of the squad, the massive wage budget that left little room for movement, a team… Read more »
Watford sacked Marco Silva last year mid season.
No one batted an eyelid!
Why give him time?
Leakiest defence since the 60’s!
You keep saying ‘Gazidis’ bland hire’ as well.
Gazidis wanted Arteta!
“Southgate is a wet lettuce of a manager”
Pedro
I think that’s incredibly rude to wet lettuces. England are and have been fucking useless for decades.
– We sold Serge Gnabry, the best player at the Olympics, for £4.5m, hes now worth £40-50m
– We spent £35m on Mustafi, when Alderweireld and VanDijk combined wouldve been £22m
– We spent £35m on Xhaka when Kante was available to CL clubs for £20m
Scathing stuff from Arsene. Or bemoan Stan if others are to be believed
Cesc hitting the nail on the head.
Pedro ask yourself how many business with a £300 million turnover that need a huge restructure would give one of if not the most important positions in the company to someone straight out of Uni with no real work experience. That is essentially what Arteta would have been.
What commitment? As I’ve said several times if Emery fails he’ll be sacked. Even if he performs halfway decent if our ambition is greater than that (as it should) no doubt we’ll go for a better manager in due time. No doubt a better manager will come if the club isn’t in shambles and won’t need a £250m investment straight away.
Simply put….but be careful, you will be accused of living in Emery’s colon or some nonsense
Almost like Pedro needs a new agenda to keep this place buzzing and he’s thrown his hat into being “the first to say it” with regards Emery which is quite sad.
You English lot have a long way to go to better understanding his this football thing works
Marc, Barcelona did it. Madrid did it. Benfica hired Mourinho as an assistant then gave him the job. He was a fucking translator!
if you can’t coach a better defence or extract the most out of the attack we have, there’s an issue when you’re 6 months in. I’m not sure anyone could get much better out of the defenders we’ve got. As for the most out of the attack bit what’s your problem? Aubameyang not scoring enough? Maybe your issue is with Lacazette? Surely not by how some people around here talk about him. I believe Iwobi’s numbers are up. How about Ozil well you can’t really blame Emery for him he’s been on a downward spiral for the last two seasons.… Read more »
Almost like Pedro needs a new agenda to keep this place buzzing and he’s thrown his hat into being “the first to say it” with regards Emery which is quite sad. I’m pretty sure that’s what he’s doing, and it’s quite genius actually. The odds that Emery stays for more than a couple years is slim. He won’t win a title most likely, the road back to the top was too long. Pedro knows that. He’s just playing the long game and he will be able to dig out 18 month old quotes saying “I told you so” when we… Read more »
“I don’t get the heated arguments against Emery, if he’s still doing this next season he won’t be here.“
Well I don’t get the sudden blasé attitude to having the right guy in charge.
If the signs are here now that Emery isn’t getting the change hoped for then why should we shelf the action until the middle of next season?
6 months is long enough to see some clue of what the future holds. Hardly whetting the appetite for things to come with a shit defence and lack of identity as a side.
Roy hodgson sacked after 13 at Liverpool because he was PALPABLY wrong choice.
They have kicked on nicely since
Firstly :
With the British appointment of Rogers and then upgraded to A+++Klopp!
I can’t wait for when Arteta actually gets an actual manager job. I literally cannot wait.
Wonder how it long it will be before he comes out from behind Guardiola’s skirt and his excellent tutelage where when you have a problem you throw £300 Million at it.
I’m sure that will translate to the clubs that might, maybe, perhaps give him a chance.
Hipster things are just the most annoying things in the world.
Batistuta, you are really questioning whether I have an understanding of how football works? Pretty much everything I have campaigned for has come to fruition at the club in the last two years. You can even go back to when I made the case for injuries being a result of Wenger overtraining and overplaying… which led to Shad F coming to the club.
Supporting a bland hire because I didn’t like Wenger was never going to happen.
When it all goes to shit, which it will, I’ll accept your apology.
‘Barcelona did it. Madrid did it.’
Yeah.
Exactly the same thing.
‘hipster’
Please.
And what some of you lot call “measured criticism” with regards the new manager is nothing but pure BS if you all are being honest with yourselves with regards the poor state of the squad and the club in general. No wonder most Arsenal fans are referred to as over-pampered unrealistic fans who are quick to throw a fit when things don’t go their way, i mean people even go to great lengths to say Kroenke’s only fault is his failure to sack the previous manager and that the cash that has been available or even made available is enough… Read more »
Pedro
Who did Barca and Madrid do it with?
‘Please.’
Come now, you are the most hipsterish hipster that ever did hipster.
BERTIE MEE won us the Double in 1971
HE was the physio, before
Bob Paisley didn’t too bad( another phsyio)
Face facts – we made a huge ricket not going for Arteta
Too late now for him, tho
Pedro with the daily Emery/Arteta stuff all you’re doing is showing how incredibly biased YOU are. It goes beyond a genuine criticism someone like gambon might have. It’s far too obvious. You’re going to give yourself a tummy ache if you keep this up
CA, how bloody dare you… one chai latte does not make a hipster.
Marko, I don’t start it. And funny you should mention the tummy ache, I nearly shit myself talking to a colleague this morning. Not a good day for me so far.
CG, you gotta give it up with the English managers…
The knives are out for Emery already? Why? He has inherited shit. He is trying to make changes. 22 unbeaten and you lot are screaming bloody murder when Liverpool kicked our asses. What did we expect? The team is suffering injuries etc. He has no money to spend. Thanks goodness he came out to state it as such instead of us fans dreaming. I appreciate his saying that, as now my balloon has popped and I can get back to reality. The guy is in a rut. Give him time. The only knock I have on Emery is the Laca… Read more »
Ok, so let us all keep blaming Wenger for another 2 years while keeping absolutely mum on all the mistakes of Emery, shall we ?
Surely ‘we want the next Cloughie, Stein,Shankley, fergie,Kendall, Graham don’t we.?
Don’t we believe things go around in cycles?
Well I don’t get the sudden blasé attitude to having the right guy in charge. If the signs are here now that Emery isn’t getting the change hoped for then why should we shelf the action until the middle of next season? Seriously fuck off Charlie. It’s been 6 months and ONE heavy defeat and we should get rid? And you still make excuses for Wenger when that horrible cunt had us declining for at least 5-7 years. You’re shameless I swear. 6 months is long enough to see some clue of what the future holds. Judge him in may… Read more »
‘Ok, so let us all keep blaming Wenger for another 2 years while keeping absolutely mum on all the mistakes of Emery, shall we ?’
Are you not keeping up with the conversation? Or are you deliberately missing the point?
When it all goes to shit, which it will, I’ll accept your apology.
Define shit. We’re already shit and I have my doubts Emery is going to have us slip further down to brown town
Marko
Leakiest defence since the 1960s!!
Games against the hammers,Chelsea and man u on the horizon
…
Interesting times
I nearly shit myself talking to a colleague this morning
It can happen…to others… not me
Ok, so let us all keep blaming Wenger for another 2 years while keeping absolutely mum on all the mistakes of Emery, shall we ? No one besides maybe Joe has been blindly been in support of Emery, and even him you can tell it’s an overreaction to some of the anti-Emery, pro-Wenger narrative that lingers around here. Emery is not perfect. Defense needs to be addressed. Tactically has made some questionable moves over the course of the season. Rotation is odd some days even considering Ozil and Ramsey nonsense. Can’t seem to decide what his best 11 is, although… Read more »
Marko just skip me mate, I’ve not got the patience to deal with a special cunt on here who needs a carer.
I’ve not called for Emery to be sacked, I even said as much when directly asked by Dissenter. Of course you’re the only idiot to think otherwise.
I ‘still make excuses for Wenger’ despite you never having any of them at hand. More boring lies from Marko the moron.
Take your own advice and fuck off.
Bad teeth and no English. = C rate/EMERY
Great teeth and impeccable English = A rate KLOPP.
and that’s the difference.
CA
I.am keeping with the conversation alright.
Batistuta posted this :
‘And what some of you lot call “measured criticism” with regards the new manager is nothing but pure BS if you all are being honest with yourselves’
So If I say we haven’t improved our defense one bit and our game lacks fluency even against average opponents that would be nothing short of pure BS as per Batistuta.
Ok, so let us all keep blaming Wenger for another 2 years while keeping absolutely mum on all the mistakes of Emery, shall we ? Nobody’s keeping mum on any genuine criticism of him. The defence while not being totally his he’s been criticized for it and the first half performances are totally unacceptable and a worry but in saying all that how can Wenger be excluded from any criticism when the problems we’re having this season are the same problems we’ve had the last number of years under him with most of the same players he brought in. Problems… Read more »
is their a good Dentist in London for Emery? Also, are their tanning booths?
Aside from that, he dresses well, and Im sure is already enrolled in the local college English Language learner program
besides that- he is ok
TR7
So If I say we haven’t improved our defense one bit and our game lacks fluency even against average opponents that would be nothing short of pure BS as per Batistuta.
No I think that is actual measured criticism and doesn’t need to be put in “quotes”.
Tr7 I’m not sure anyone has said we shouldn’t blame him for certain things, a lot of posters who say he needs more time and definitely more funds have at certain points doubted whether or not he’s fit for the job and some rather weird subs and starting 11 choices he’s made recently but then we also acknowledge that the man has also inherited a huge pile of crap and considering where we at and how many points off our target of top 4 , I’d say he’s done better than most of us who saw the cluster fuck of… Read more »
Sancho
I don’t think except one or two guys anyone here has called for Emery’s sacking. People are well within their rights though to think Emery perhaps is not the right guy.
If the signs are here now that Emery isn’t getting the change hoped for then why should we shelf the action until the middle of next season? 6 months is long enough to see some clue of what the future holds. Of course you wouldn’t come out and say it bluntly that would be too much for you but it’s pretty obvious what you’re saying. And I’ve given you numerous examples of you making excuses for your master. It’s easy not a day goes by without you making some sort of an excuse for him. Yesterday it was blaming Stan… Read more »
Criticise him sure, we all should but saying you want to see massive improvements and because you haven’t he should be sacked or replaced is just pure nonsense or comes from someone with an agenda like Pedro
I don’t think except one or two guys anyone here has called for Emery’s sacking
A lot have already judged him though and you and I both know that’s it and they won’t change. Pedro’s vendetta is already on. Pierre wants him gone before Ozil (good luck).
Ranieri won the league with Leicester
Emery inherited better players than Emery.
Ranieri got the best out his team immediately
Emery has gone out of his way to do the opposite
Ie. Ozil, laca and rambo allienation
Like wise conte…
Marko -please face facts.
HE is not good enough for us.
CG Forget Rambo and Ozil- not good enough for us. Laca is the only cirticism I have of Emery… I think that we will see more of Laca in the second part of the season. No additional wingers or attackers means more Laca… and he works well with PEA. Im happy he is treating Ozil the way he does. Ozil is shit, a primadonna, and a money suck…. Rambo while a good chap, is not what we need. Much has been written about his shortcomings- the fumes of his 10 goals season have vanished now. Youth, high ceilings and cutting… Read more »
I don’t think except one or two guys anyone here has called for Emery’s sacking. People are well within their rights though to think Emery perhaps is not the right guy. To be honest I wouldn’t even say anything to someone saying he should be sacked if they had good reasons, and being unable to sort a defense is actually an acceptable reason. But it’s not about Emery most of the time around here, it’s about Stan, Arteta, Wenger, foreigners, politics, money. If you don’t see that or say otherwise you’re being disingenuous. My position isn’t against the criticism of… Read more »
Sf
Re; rambo
Good enough for allegri and 8 times in a row Juve tho.?
CG Arsenal better make sure Rambo signs on the dotted line with Juve asap before Allegri changes his mind. He is not worth the money they are giving him. He is undisciplined, does not know what position to play in, slow and tedious on the ball and bombs forward exposing his teammates too many times to mention. he runs slow and TBH, is not as technical with the ball as we expect. He is a good lad, obedient, and works for the cause- he is just not what we need to push ahead. His best days are behind him but… Read more »
Marko
“Pierre wants him gone before Ozil (good luck).”
That goes without saying ……
Preferably I would prefer Emery to come to his senses and realise that alienating players like ozil(and Lacazette to a lesser extent) will only create factions in the squad…….
Players are not stupid, they know who are class and who are not…..listen to any Arsenal player talk about Ozil and it is obvious they respect him for the quality of his football and for what he has achieved in the game.
Corect analysis Pierre.
Sf- juve investing 36 mill clearly do not believe your flawed analysis..
Cream always rises to the top!
@Sancho Mazorla
FWIW I don’t value Mkhi at 35 at all. For all intents and purposes, it was a like-for-like replacement. Both Manchester United and Arsenal didn’t spend a single penny on a transfer fee involving the two then 29-year olds.
Even if we ignore that, a lot of the misquoting seem to be from the premise that we got cash in addition to Mkhi. That is simply not true.
CG
I appreciate your enthusiasm for British players but really… ?
Rambo will be the superstar off the bench- just you wait.
With the Juve midfield name me one player who is worse than Rambo
Sancho, fair enough. Point well taken
RH: “As for the defense, i study a manager before making conclusions, Emery was never a defensive coach, he depends on certain things happening higher up the pitch to relieve pressure on the defense, as of now it’s not working to plan.”
This is the only meaningful comment that I read. I remember Emery once said that he prefers to win 4-3 instead of 1-0. Maybe that’s why he wants to sign an attacker first in this TW. I really would like to see Emery succeeds to play his system, his football identity. Then, I’ll give my judgement.
I’ve said from day one that Emery is working arse about face with his tactics. He started with the stupid tactic of cech playing out from the back, which was a total disaster . He started with Ramsey playing ahead of our strikers and running around like a headless chicken , which was a total disaster. He started without Lacazette in the side …….ditto He started with the full backs so advanced in a back 4 that they were often both in the opposition penalty area………ditto He started with Torriera on the bench …….ditto What he didn’t start with was… Read more »
Nelson, interesting that you think Emery’s strategy is that he needs more goals to make up for our shit defence… despite saying that sorting the defence was a priority.
What are the vibes on AMN. Future hit… or Justin Hoyte?
Dissenter: would you sack Emery right now?
Me: no.
Marko: you really mean yes, fuck off.
–
If I’m a peach, you’re the biggest melon on here.
Pedro
Somewhere in the middle for AMN I think, squadman like Iwobi. Hoyte was never bench material, but those guys could be coached into good servants for the club.
If stupid were a crime Marko would be on a life stretch
The way Pierre goes on about Ozil, you’d think we were still in 2010
Pierre
The only tsctics you know are Wenger’s jumpers for goalposts tactics.
I think AMN has enough qualities to be a success; technique, speed, composure but he needs a position. Even though he’s been injured for a chunk of the season he’s already played in defence, midfield and attack! Very useful squad player due to his adaptability.
Cc
You don’t like Carrasco? I like him. Quick feet. Tricky. Maybe too wishy washy for the prem. May set it on fire. Bobby and over mars were doubts at first for different reasons.
At least emery is getting his guys. Once it’s his team there are no excuses for failure to kick on.
Bob
I rate AMN
great engine. Never faxed. Plays well wherever she’s put. Loves a tackle. Energetic. Good touch. Sees the pass and executes it. I like him.
The way Pierre goes on about Ozil, you’d think we are back in 2010 when he was this crown jewel every team wanted
Fuck
Never fazed
Plays well wherever he’s put
If Emery plays the precocious AMN in his naturally centre midfield position-
instead of left wing back as he did 1st game of the season( where consequently- suffered predictable serious 10 week injury) we have a player of MEGA Proportions.
He has talent ooozing out of him.
Nelson, interesting that you think Emery’s strategy is that he needs more goals to make up for our shit defence… despite saying that sorting the defence was a priority. This is true but maybe he thinks he can sort out what he has already. Maybe the targets he wants just aren’t available for those positions yet and he’s biding his time and in the mean time using acacia love funds to secure other targets that he can acquire this January Or maybe he’s fucking up and front losing the team stupidly when our Defence needs to be addressed. Was a… Read more »
Un na
I don’t like his profile and his attitude to be honest. He’s talented beyond belief for sure, just doesn’t sit right with me that he chucked a career at Atlético for money.
He does strike me as a very inconsistent player I must say. Great games when he fancies it but nothingness when he can’t be bothered. Those sorts have historically been chewed up and spat out in the prem.
If we get him I’ll be excited at the potential, but dubious at what I’ve said. He’s quality though
CG
I agree. Every time he plays he surprises me. I didn’t rate him at first but he’s grown on me and made me have second thoughts.
Could have serious midfield with him Torreira and Guendouzi in future
If Ozil is more Eddie McGoldrick than Robert Pires….he can fuck off.
If Emery was a bold coach…
He would make AMN captain tomo
And sign him on a 10 year contract.
Radical, granted – But we need radical thinking- not la liga cast offs!
AMN is shit and Swindon bound.
This new charlie character is something though
As for Maitland Niles, he’s a championship level player at best, lots of younger more skilled players in the academy I’m afraid
Cc
I get your point
Mkhitaryan was the don in Germany and a jellyfish in the prem.
But then look at hleb and rosicky
Hleb was amazing with us but nosedived post arsenal.
Time will tell. Would love him to succeed though. We sorely miss a bums off seats player. So fucking dull since Sanchez and cazorla (and jw) went off the radar.
CG
Er…..
“If Emery was a bold coach…
He would make AMN captain tomo
And sign him on a 10 year contract.”
Loooooool
Batty goal
As for Maitland Niles, he’s a championship level player at best, lots of younger more skilled players in the academy I’m afrai
As there was when Adams, parlour and Cole came through.
It’s about mentality. Not just skill and technique. Look at Lampard, Keane, becks.
All were not the most gifted players of their generation but they worked hard to elevate themselves into the upper echelons of the game.
Not saying AMN is as good but as a point of reference it’s a good example to follow for a young guy trying to make something of his career
Pedro
What do YOU think of AMN?
No but he is not bold
But he is tepid,
Still fannying around with his x5 captains twaddle.!
Un na naai, I really like him. I think he could do a really good job as back up for LT. I think he works hard, has a tremendous energy, but is a little functional.
Willian for Malcom? I know who I’d prefer if I were a Blues fan
You: “If the signs are here now that Emery isn’t getting the change hoped for then why should we shelf the action (sacking) until the middle of next season?”
Not peach more weasel I’m afraid