Arsenal vs Chelsea: A needed springboard opportunity for both managers

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Unai Emery is now well and truly out of the Christmas crush. Arsenal have problems, they’ve been well documented this week, the only way out is world class thinking and a new approach to issues that have haunted us all season.

We go up against Chelsea, a team also in transition, a team that boasts a batch of issues not to disimilar to some of ours in the past.

They are creating chances, but they can’t finish. Midfield isn’t offering many goals and worryingly for them, it’s not offering up much in the way of fight. Jorginho is a passing machine, but his style isn’t producing enough on the pitch. Morata has been a total flop, Giroud is working hard to make shooting seem like a mainstream idea he’d like to eradicate. You’d imagine if we combined the two squads, there’d be something special there.

They need an away win, but it’s far from a cut and shut case like it has felt in the past (even though we had a good record against Conte).

The question for Emery is how does he want to play? Chelsea are good in posession and if we go toe-to-toe we could find ourselves on the back of a spanking. Chelsea have struggled against teams that pack the midfield and defence. They don’t have a striker, so finding openings is tough for them.

Our issues are the opposite of Sarri’s. We’re creating fuck all, but we have two electric strikers who can finish from anywhere. We lack width, Chelsea have great wide players.

My worry tomorrow is Hazard is always a disaster for us. One of the best in the business against an appalling defensive unit. The other player we might have to watch out for his Hudson-Odoi, who had a good preseason against us. The wantaway English wideman has a point to prove, he’s fast, direct and he will be licking his lips at the though of terrorising us today.

We have some secret weapons that could spice things up. We can call upon Mesut Ozil, who is always good after an extended holiday (Leicester springs to mind) and he had a fucking blinder against Chelsea in the league cup last season. We can also use Aaron Ramsey if we fancy. The great thing about these two players is they are both incredibly fresh. Which other teams in the top 4 have two of their best players August ready? None. We need to make something work.

The defence needs to be tight tomorrow, we need to play with discipline and the manager needs to pick a team that can stand the test of 60 minutes without a change.

I’d really like to see a plan tomorrow. This cannot be a rerun of the Liverpool game. The players didn’t believe they’d come out of that game alive, it’ll be very interesting to see how they’re feeling about tomorrow. This game will be a good indication of how the rest of this season plays out.

If we lose, we’re doomed to 6th. I’d suggest that Emery takes a new approach. Test out the kids, see how good they are, allow us to make better bets in the summer.

Right, that’s me done. See you in the comments you bastards x

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grooveydaddy

What about Jordi Osei-Tutu at right back?

He made the bench a couple of times at tell end of last season. Is he ready for a call-up?

Leftsidesanch

Hopefully Emery has the blueprint moving forward in terms of formation. Would like to see the same team start again on Friday.

Cesc Appeal

Maitland Niles is going to be the RB, he is a RM really and looks best when he’s going forward.

Emery’s teams play with attacking full backs and also practically seeing as we have no wingers at all we are relying on our full backs.

Defensively a worry though.

Particularly so for United, against Spurs you could see Trippier was having a terrible time of it against Martial and the way United look to get in the channel between RB/LB and CB and he is a far superior RB.

Alone + Easy Target

> Can anyone name a previous Arsenal director who has put their own money into buying players?

>>> Charlie George

Hmmm I wonder why….

englandsbest

un na naai It’s a two-way street. What Sarri meant was that if his players had played with the same commitment and determination as Arsenal, his method would have worked. And he may well be right. His mindset however is unmistakable: personnel and attitude are far more important than the tactical plan. A view shared, I believe, by every top manager. I could go on endlessly citing examples starting with Pep and Klopp , but that would only lead to more boring stuff about tactics. I loved Andy Gray. Robert Key would bring on the counters, and to oblige him… Read more »

Guns of Hackney

The only thing broken on Bellerin is his fashion sense.

Thank you.

Un na naai

England is best

Well it’s not like their short of quality
Many of these players have won the league here and abroad

Tow World Cup winning first teamers
Eden bloody hazard

It’s not like they haven’t backed him financially too as he’s been handed a fortune to bring in the midfield he wanted

Giroud and morata both expensive forwards and dropped for the ineffective Eden hazard

He got it wrong
Had they started with hazard at no10 or wide and Giroud up top they may have given us more problems

bunga party

“Nowadays we get know-it-alls like Gary and Thierry (until he left for Monaco) repeating the same tedious mantras.”

At least Gary talks a little sense. Thierry? Why bother?
Alex Scott can do Thierry’s job and she’s easy on the eyes.

Marko

Alarm bells should be ringing out when a club of Arsenal’s stature loses a player in the starting 11 to a potentially 6-9 month injury and there’s no consideration for the transfer window. Not like the alternatives (AMN, Jenkinson and Lichtsteiner) are good enough. If that happens at another club they’d address it. Not like we’re talking about prominent players in attacking positions who won’t move midway through a season or talking about a player who would cost a tonne of money we’re talking about a RB ffs. Also says alot about the state of our squad that an injury… Read more »

Charlie George

Freddie L How is it ….. Arsenal paid £30 mill in HMRC tax last tax year and Liverpool did not pay a penalty? Only recently Vinai and raul – were coming out of that self sustainable ‘socialist ‘ drivel. This is just repeating the Gazidas mantra. (you only pay tax on profits? What profits have we had?) When Dein was in charge- he used to say- ‘ we are always on the lookout for talent etc- and the money is there’ Off course -there will never be any money – If Vinai/Raul plug this line- and adhere to this adolescent… Read more »

Freddie Ljungberg

They have been in charge for a couple of months and you’re blaming them for a policy that’s been in place for decades? Not very bright is it. I know you have your only british agenda but that’s just stupid.

Marko

I dunno if you’re being purposefully dim or negligent of facts because it helps your xenophobic angle that you have on practically every point you have but we’ve been self sufficient or self sustainable for as long as I can remember. It’s been as ingrained in Arsenal as marble floors at Highbury or the pitch at the Emirates. It predates foreign lads like Gazidis or Raul or Sven or Vinai or Stan.

Marko

We’ve been cheap and English since before I was born

Marc

Marko

It would be useful if the clowns who slag off the concept of a self sustaining model could explain the other alternatives outside of a rich sugar daddy i.e. City and PSG – Chelsea no longer operate on this model.

Charlie George

Arsenal – have often broke the transfer records.
the peerless Alan Ball for example. (early 70’s)

i wanted Arteta in charge or Anclelotti or Vieria in charge before the underwhelming Emery appointment. That should quash your xenophobic angle.

the reason i have mentioned Raul/vinai is because they are the ones – who repeat this self sustaining model nonsense.

Does any other club repeat this tosh?

Marko

That should quash your xenophobic angle

It doesn’t considering everything else that comes out your cunting mouth. You’re like the KKK member who says he can’t be racist because his binman is black. You are and it’s so blatantly obvious and you’re too stupid to be more subtle

Charlie George

you can off course be self sustaining – but you can not do it on an ANNUAL BASIS you do it over 5/10 year models. Arsenal fail- because they operate on such a ‘short time frame’ basis. Eg If Arsenal signed LOUIS Suarez they would have made more money and maybe won more. Gazidas baulked at a couple of million. (sheer incompetence) therefore the club loses money. (millions) Everything in life is to do with competence, We know Kroenkes are competent. They are successful billionaires. Dein was competent Made personal fortunes out of Arsenal and brought huge success. We ,… Read more »

Charlie George

Arsenal do their accounting on such a short term model. Thats why they are hit with the biggest HMRC tax bill.

Other clubs , other businesses would have deferred this tax…..

You only pay tax on profits,
When did Arsenal last make a profit?

Marko

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2009/jul/02/ivan-gazidis-arsenal-chief-executive https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2054470/amp/Arsene-Wenger-backed-Arsenal-board-self-sustaining-policy.html https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/09/24/2134153/sparkling-arsenal-financial-results-reveal-arsene-wenger https://arsenal-mania.com/forum/threads/arsenals-board-cash-in-after-30-expense-free-years.24969/ Over almost 30 years not one director or shareholder of Arsenal has put a penny into the club itself, while they have made vast personal millions for themselves out of selling their Arsenal shares. Hill-Wood last week said that as directors, “protecting the ethos and spirit” of the club was “a key responsibility”, so they were selling to Kroenke because they are confident he will be a “safe custodian”. Secure that they were doing their duty, Hill-Wood banked £4.7m for his shares, Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith £116m and Danny Fiszman, who was terminally ill by then and… Read more »

Marko

When did Arsenal last make a profit?

Mind blown

Charlie George

this self sustaining model nonsense talk – came in- as a consequence of Roman Abrahowich at Chelsea.

Wenger termed the phrase’ financial doping’.
Since then- to gain the moral high ground. Arsenal under Gazidas and wenger have made out their self sustaining model is the way forward.

Pre Abrahaowch.
When Arsenal bought Jose Reyes from Seville
or Sol Campbell from Spurs.
It was never ever spoken…or applied.

Bamford10

Charlie You’re a bit clueless for an old-timer. The self-sustaining model was adopted by the Arsenal board a long time ago. The men running things — Raul, Vinai — function under it; they aren’t the authors of it. Further, the s-s model doesn’t prevent us from spending more money than we are generating in revenue at the moment; this is why it was possible for us to incur an operating loss (of some 40m?) last year. All that the s-s model dictates is that we ultimately operate and compete on the basis of our revenues and that we not rely… Read more »

Marko

Pre Abrahaowch.
When Arsenal bought Jose Reyes from Seville
or Sol Campbell from Spurs.
It was never ever spoken…or applied.

Sol Campbell was on a free and Reyes was 17 million. You cannot be this stupid. Everything was self sufficient there’s nothing you can point to in the past 20-30 years that disproves that. We’ve been prudent/cheap since before Johnny foreigner got involved at Arsenal

Charlie George

bamford

off course- the club has always been self sufficient

but not an an annual basis.

over the longer terms.

how comes Arsenal paid more tax than anyone else.
And yet have made no profits whatsoever,

eg liverpool £00

Charlie George

Bamford

“money than we are generating in revenue at the moment; this is why it was possible for us to incur an operating loss (of some 40m?) last year.”

why then according to Swiss Ramble we are paying HMRC £30 mill?

Marko

off course- the club has always been self sufficientbut not an an annual basis.over the longer terms.

Oh well that’s technically speaking true then. 132 years and counting mate

Bamford10

A good Skysports article points out that deploying Ramsey, Lacazette and Aubameyang together was key to our wins against both Spurs in the league and Chelsea yesterday.

The author wonders why Emery went away from this set-up after Spurs.

I imagine it may have had something to do with Ramsey’s contract situation, though I’m sure there were other factors Emery was considering as well.

Strange that we are letting Ramsey go despite his being so obviously important to our success.

What say you, anti-Ramsey crowd?

Bamford10

Charlie

We aren’t s-s on an annual basis. That’s nonsense.

China1

Un na I don’t think anyone gets pleasure from berating kos. I agree with you he’s been our best CB since sol (not as good tho). But he hasn’t been top class for about 2 and a half years. During wenger a last two seasons he was mustafi level error prone. Some of the dumb mistakes he was making last season were head in hands shit Then this season he’s come back from injury and had a couple of stinker performances and a couple of OK ones. By all accounts he was class yesterday which is awesome, but he’s coming… Read more »

Dissenter

The people who are pleading for Kroenke to spend his money are the same ones who despised Usmanov because his money was dirty.
Pity because it was Usmanov who was publicly offering to inject money into the club. At the time, this offer also clashed with Wenger’s values, as we know, as Wenger goes…so do his minions.

Kroenke needs to stick with the values he met at the club, the finest traditions of self-sufficiency.
We have to sell to buy and only depend our own income, so be it.

Bamford10

Let’s hope yesterday means Koscielny is not past his best. We have enough other issues, esp. now with Bellerin out. If Koscielny and Sokratis could form a solid CB partnership for the second half of the season, that would really help.

Marko

A good Skysports article points out that deploying Ramsey, Lacazette and Aubameyang together was key to our wins against both Spurs in the league and Chelsea yesterday. The author wonders why Emery went away from this set-up after Spurs. Started Iwobi Auba and Mhiki that game. Assume a heavy fixture period over Christmas and rotation might have had something to do with it. I get what you’re trying to say but no. Strange that we are letting Ramsey go despite his being so obviously important to our success. You see this is where the no comes in. Some fans have… Read more »

Bamford10

Some talk that we might be in for Gelson Martins. I think this would be smart.

Marko

It also has nothing to do with anti-ramsey anything it’s common sense. He was very good yesterday but he was non-existent against Liverpool. Consistency is his issue… he’s never had it

Dissenter

Bamford
“Let’s hope yesterday means Koscielny is not past his best. We have enough other issues, esp. now with Bellerin out. ”

Someone made the point that Chelsea have the worst center forwards in the top 6. Then you add on Sarri’s obstinacy in complicating the Chelsea team.

I wouldn’t trust Koscielny with a teams with a pacy center forward. I wouldn’t even trust him with Wolves or Watford. He’s at that phase where he has to move at the end of the season, just like Vincent Kompany is leaving city for greener pastures.

bunga party

Think we have been for Gelson Martin last 2 years.

But we will not sign him.

Marko

Koscielny had his best game in an Arsenal jersey in about 2 or 3 seasons yesterday which was very much welcomed after having some of the worst performances by an Arsenal defender in recent memory when he came back from injury. He’s finished though. Hopefully we can get enough decent performances from him until the end of the season but he’s got to be off in the summer

Dissenter

Wasn’t Gelson Martin available on a free transfer last summer after the free for all at Sporting Lisbon.
Atletico want to turn a good profit on him after 6 months?

Terri Maaki

Same Gelson Martins struggling at A. Madrid… Allow that

Dissenter

Ryan Babel still has some juice left

Dream10

Bamford

Emery changed style after the win vs Spurs because injuries started to accumulate. Very difficult to play like that regularly. We use that style to compensate for our of lack of technical quality in the side.

Charlie George

I would suggest we need a robust right back before anything else.

Dissenter

Llorente has an immediate impact filling in for Kane
Excellent goal…into his own net.

Marc

CG

For once no argument.

Spud home goal!

Marc

Dissenter

It was a strange one as well – makes it even funnier.

Rambo Ramsey

I come back to Le grove after days and see that Marko still has his fat arse perma stuck to this space.

Charlie George

by applying this ridiculous ‘ annual s-s-model ‘ simply means thus:

the next ronaldo down the line is available for £41 mill from xxx Club

But Arsenals ANNUAL budget is £40 mill.

Arsenal ( under the terms applied by Raul/vinai) wont be able to buy him.

The player then goes to spurs for £41 mill- because although they TOO are still a self sufficient club- but they apply better business acumen and see the longer term advantage, etc

Arsenal do things on such a short term basis- THEY WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL

Marc

It will be interesting to see if Sarri’s outburst has the desired effect against the Spud’s in the week or if it completely back fires. Not as if this Chelsea team has never downed tools on a manager before.

Marc

CG

You really can’t attempt to make a point about good business practice and then use the Spud’s as an example.

Tried to save money on the new stadium by managing the project themselves and costs have ballooned. Never mind it’s only costing £1,000,000,000.

Un na naai

God marko You’re such a little bitch. Hissing through your teeth. They say there’s no snakes in Ireland, I’ve found one. Ssssssss If Charlie George would prefer to a have a few English players at an English club then why not? It’s ok for Italians Spaniards and Germans but not English You cunts are burning down hotels over migrants so I’d cast my eye a little close to home pussy boy China Yeah he has been fucked with injuries and Wenger completely imploded in the last two years so I don’t think it’s a coincidence Put him in a defensively… Read more »

Un na naai

Marc

Twice in 3 years they’ve downed tools. Right bunch of pansies.

Marc

Un na

I know – I’m wondering how long before Hazard decides I’m off in the summer anyway so why give a fuck.

On which note I should also praise Ramsey for yesterdays performance – really put himself about.

Un na naai

Rambo RamseyJanuary 20, 2019 16:20:38
I come back to Le grove after days and see that Marko still has his fat arse perma stuck to this space.

He has fuck all else going for himbhut being an irritating little worm. Constantly agitating for the attention I suspect he was denied as a child.

Un na naai

Marc

He’s really improved under emery. More than anyone else I think. His game has gone back to basics and he’s flourished. Shame we are letting him go now. It should have been Mesut

Un na naai

Koscielny had his best game in an Arsenal jersey in about 2 or 3 seasons yesterday which was very much welcomed after having some of the worst performances by an Arsenal defender in recent memory when he came back from injury. He’s finished though.

Feck off marko you dopey eejit. Bet you can’t even kick a ball. Bet you were the daddy at camogie though

Charlie George

marc
spurs could sell 3 players and their stadium issues would be over.

we cant sell 3 players!

they are well run brilliantly on the footballing side
we aint!

it used to be the other way around.

Marc

Un na

I can’t make my mind about Ramsey – can still be great one day and a waste of space the next. Ultimately he’s off and if he puts in performances like yesterday between now and the end of the season I wish him luck unless he playing against us.

Marc

CG

Er how much would those 3 players bring in?

Batistuta

Brilliant Emery post match interview yesterday has gone a bit under the radar. He said that we want to play at the same intensity like we did against Chelsea in the first half, both home and away, but at this moment we cannot do so. Translates to ‘Till I get my own players in.’

Un na naai

Marc To me he’s a better fit now than ever. Yes he had THAT season where everything he touched turn to gold but he was given free reign at the expense of the team. He’s nit half as prolific as he think he is but he’s great in this riole for emery when he simplifies his game. Once he brought in the silly turns and flicks and the fucking incessant goal hanging his game fell off a cliff. I was watching an interview about his debut in a pre season game for us and he was at all the flicks… Read more »

Dissenter

Calum Chambers has been working with Scott Parker, one the Fulham coaches to adapt to the centra midfield role.
He looks assured and a lot better than Elneny already.
We can keep him as a utility payer next season.

Un na naai

Cg

You’re right. As a football club they are run so well. Their youth set up is excellent. The players they sign turn out to exceed expectations. They operate above the sum of their parts and are a shining example of how to do it.

If Chelsea and untied took a leaf out of their book they’d be title contenders every year

Zfree

Chambers having quite a game

Dissenter

Chambers has improved a lot on loan at Fulham. His passing and reading of the game looks a lot better.

Graham62

Chelsea haven’t “downed tools”.

Sarri should be questioning himself.

Playing with no out and out striker is bloody ridiculous and having Kante play out of position is fudging insane.

Also, who wouldn’t go walk about playing for Mourinho.

Marc

Graham

No one said Chelsea have downed tools – the comment was after Sarri’s comments yesterday will they – they do have a PTR in this after all.

Zfree

Dissenter – I thought his loan spell started at rock bottom. Some terrible performances in defense, not that Fulham seiving goals was only on him.

But watching him today he does look improved. Small sample size though from the little I’ve personally seen, but it would be huge if he improves and we sell for north of £20M

Zfree

I don’t think I really want Chambers featuring in CM for arsenal though… rather we just sell and reinvest

Un na naai

Dissenter

I thought he’d been doing well in dmf

He played well against Chelsea there a few weeks back.
Wenger always said he saw him as a ball playing centre half or a defensive midfielder. Ranieri is no fool and he clearly sees something there

He’s had Chelsea at 3rd and 2nd in the league and won it with Leicester so he’s no mug

Marko

If Charlie George would prefer to a have a few English players at an English club then why not? It’s ok for Italians Spaniards and Germans but not English Is that what was being discussed you dumbshit? Reading and comprehension a serious issue for you obviously so I’ll help you out. What was being discussed was another thicko connecting our self sufficient model to that of foreign ownership and foreigners in management which is wrong since we’ve been self sufficient for god knows how long. Blame those fine English gentlemen before them I say. Yes even David Dein who was… Read more »

Marc

Look if Chamber’s is doing well we either get a better player back or a decent fee. No point in arguing what’s going to happen in 6 months on something like this.

bunga party

Wow
A martian is playing for Fulham.

Un na naai

Zfree

But look at Kane. Didn’t impress that much on loan and went back to spurs and set the world on fire. It can and does happen
Ashely cole was another.
Deli Ali came from lower league
He did well at boro if you remember too. I remember his first few weeks at arsenal he was magnificent. Then Wenger shunted him out to right back in a god awful defensive set up and he crumbled.

Un na naai

Marko

Shut up you little fanny. Stop acting like a four year old girl

Un na naai

Every time I’m on here you’re niggling and bitching at somebody. You obviously don’t talk like that in real life or you’d get those little chunks of corn you call testicles kicked in.

Un na naai

You’re calling him xenophobic because of his past comments dumb dumb. Not because he didn’t like our financial model.

Bet they called you lightning at school didn’t they clever clogs?

And no. I won’t blame David from for the current administrations failure to spend the money at their disposal on the team. He’s been gone for 12 years ya feckin eejit

Un na naai

David Dein

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Lovely little back heel from chambers to set up Babel…

Marko

If Chelsea and untied took a leaf out of their book they’d be title contenders every year

Brilliant idea Don. If only Chelsea who won the league title twice in recent seasons and United the most successful club in the premier league era could replicate what Spurs do they’d be title challengers every year. Spurs who haven’t won a league title in what 58 years mind you. It’s genius stuff

Thomas

Lol at everyone bigging up Chambers. Fulham is his level. Doesn’t mean he’s good enough for Arsenal. If he was he would have had at least a bench role at this stage.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Torreira. Chambers

With MG

In front playing the Rambo role….

Better tha xhara

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Thomas

Van Dee sar
Berbatov
Louis Saha
Demble
Smelling…

Want more

All players that found their feet at Fulham…

Why not chambers

Marko

I won’t blame David from for the current administrations failure to spend the money at their disposal on the team

Or Arsene. Anyway I’m going to stop talking to you now because you’re having a hard time keeping your train of thought and you’re really really stupid. I mean everything you say. But I’m not surprised

Un na naai

Marlo

You’re going to stop talking to me because every time you do I put your leashes on and talk you for walkies

bark away little doggy

Marko

Don the last person you outsmarted was your wife.

Leftsidesanch

New post.

englandsbest

We can, after all, say ‘Well done, man’ about Silent Stan. No more Chips with everything, no more bling from the Carpet King. Just the sole owner and his Officers. I am starting to think maybe Mr Kroenke has lost his marbles. it can happen to smart people as they get older. He has metamorphosed into a risk taker. A mighty big one if you take a look at the deal he made with Deutsche Bank. He borrowed £557 million on a short term loan. He put up KSE as collateral. ALL of KSE, which, apart from Arsenal Holdings, includes… Read more »

Takin the Mhik

Bennydivito

“The ref wasn’t being lenient at all and didn’t give out yellow cards because none of them warranted it, simple.”

I’m pretty sure Xhaka could have been booked at least 3 times for stopping Chelsea breaking forward. The ref was lenient.

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