Emery is football’s gold/blue dress meme. What do you see?

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Unai Emery and his situation at Arsenal is the gold/blue dress meme. You can look at yesterday as a beastly flogging from Lady Luck, with Emery having to navigate a tough game with Sokratis busting his ankle, followed by Koscielny breaking his jaw (get well soon). Or you can look at the deeper patterns that have plagued our season. Poor setup, tactics unsuited to the talent we have, meshed in with sloppy in-game management.

It’s hard to absorb losing two defenders in an important game, but it’s an interesting spin to suggest that we’d have survived that game with any defensive combination when you consider the unsolved structural issues that have not been addressed in 8 months, even after a five player £70m injection of fresh blood. We were ripe for the picking yesterday. We played a high line against an electric group of forwards despite having a collection of very slow players in our backline. A recipe for failure that played right into the hands of a United that sat back and waited to sucker punch.

Sure, we had a lot of possession, but that was part of the Ole G game plan. We’re a toothless force moving forward and very predictable. Emery doesn’t like to play through the middle of the park, instead, he prefers to cycle the ball until he can attack from wide positions for a cutback. Sometimes it works, most of the time it’s bland on toast and fairly easy to control.

The game looked extremely Wenger-ish. Emery didn’t manage his tactics or his subs well and he failed to adapt as the game slipped away from him. After United scored their 3rd, we didn’t register a shot for 20 minutes.

Yes United has better players (gold), but weren’t we hiring in a coach who could help us punch above our weight? If the only issue he had was players, what was the point in spending £17m to ship Wenger on? Stupid question: The issue was coaching (blue), that’s where the low-hanging fruit was. We have £223m worth of talent in a squad packed with internationals. We beat Chelsea with ease a few days ago, we beat Spurs in December. We should be harder to topple.

Arsenal players are the kings of the individual error (gold). Petr Cech had a shoddy game, Xhaka is a bag of mistakes, and Mesut Ozil dropped another middle finger to a coach he clearly believes he can outlast. Our defence was utterly clueless, but again, my question is this: How can coaches of pony clubs with next to no budget set their defences up to be more watertight than ours?

The manager looks bereft of ideas on the touchline. I wince every time I see him pull that petrified look like the police have just pulled up on his drive after he bought a bag of something naughty from the dark web. It doesn’t inspire confidence. Body language is important. He looks lost out there.

However, I accept that this is a game of opinions. Some of you see patience as a virtue and believe in the norms of football that suggest we should give him more money and time. Others are taking a more pessimistic view, seeing the absolute lack of improvement all over the pitch and wondering how we walked right into another nightmare manager scenario.

Pep, Poch and Klopp all had time and all spent money. On paper, it would be fair to give Emery the same chance. Question is, do you honestly believe that would reap rewards? Do you see Emery with a ceiling as high as those three? Plenty believe so and that’s fine. You are gold, I am blue.

That’s the beauty of football my darlings.

Onwards we go… Europa and #Top4 is the target!

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Champagne charlie

Pedro

In Madrid good sir, just getting back from a brutally good Venezuelan restaurant. Worse things to do on a Saturday night.

Nelson

Canada here

Marko

I can say with certainty that Arteta would have been a failure. No experience taking over a lackluster club with a poor squad. You think Emery is doing an awful job with our defensive players imagine what Arteta would have been capable of.

Champagne charlie

Marko

Yea, and there’s why you’re not someone to take seriously.

‘You absolutely don’t know Benitez would’ve done a better job’

and at the same time..

‘I can say with certainty Arteta would have failed’

I’ll leave Un na to lay it out for you as per.

Champagne charlie

Are you east coast pedders?

Pierre

What’s with all the doom and gloom on Le Grove. look on the bright side …Ozil will be back in the starting line up on Tuesday night .that’ll cheer Marko up . Maybe Mhkitaryan back as well hopefully , leave the headless chickens ( iwobi and Ramsey) on the bench and play Aubamayang,Lacazette, Ozil and Mhkitaryan and watch us rip them apart . No need to worry about our defence as Cardiff will be so worried about our front line that they won’t want to commit too many players forward. If Mhkitaryan is not fit then bring Saka into the… Read more »

Valentin

@Pedro, Tactically Emery wants to hunt in pack, retrieve the ball high up and then use pacy wingers or fullbacks to create an overlap wide and then score from the cut back. Not only it is dull, but it is also predictable and worse still lately not very efficient. Very few of our goals came from that setup. It has been either set pieces or individual brilliance. It was exactly the same at PSG. What was also the same was an inability to beat well drilled team setup for counter-attack. There is no shame in getting beaten by Barcelona, but… Read more »

Marko

Also I’m not sure about this idea of Benitez being this great defensive solid coach. He lasted mere months at Real, Inter and Chelsea. At Napoli in 2 seasons he conceded 52 and a whopping 82 goals (didn’t qualify for the Champions league knocked out by Bilbao) hot damn. Actually makes you wonder why Benitez even came up honestly. No real point of looking at his defensive stats at Newcastle I doubt it makes for good reading honestly

Champagne charlie

Pedro, only here for a week seeing a couple of friends. Southeast of the UK beckons soon enough so making the most of it.

I never ventured that way when in the states, hear good things about that neck of the woods and south of that still.

Marko

Charlie I can say with certainty re Arteta because neither Wenger or Emery could get anything remotely decent from the likes of our lot and there’s nothing to suggest that he can. But I’ll play along. What makes you think that a total unknown and assistant manager could sort out our defensive performances? Over say two experienced managers

bennydevito

Champagne Charlie,

We’ve all seen what Benitez can and can’t do from the tears we’ve watched him as a manager.

We don’t know what Arteta can or can’t do because all we’ve seen of him is having chats with Pep in the dugout, so Marko is in a fair position to make that call in his opinion.

I’ll leave Un na to lay it out for you as per.

bennydevito

Valentin,

Kronke doesn’t take any money out of Arsenal into his own coffers so I don’t know what you’re talking about there.

Negation

Atlanta is pretty, and they have quite a few football fields over there.

Charlie George

Valentin

And with regards to your interpretation of Emery s tactics.. (hunting in packs, etc)

He wants to do this over 38 league matches?
Europa cup matches in far flung places?
League and FA Cup matches?

Is he stark raving bonkers?

We will have every player on the treatment table…..

bennydevito

Is true about the Leeds Manager though, can’t dispute that, and he doesn’t speak a word of English either and has a penchant for long trench coats and binoculars.

Charlie George

Valentin 2

He bought lichsteiner to do overlapping on our big pitch??

How about a coach that plays it to our strengths…

Plays direct to our excellent centre forwards.

And when we get in front. Get Ozil on and keep hold of the ball..

Champagne charlie

Benny

You’ve not seen Arteta in a managerial position therefore Marko is fair to say he’s *certain* Arteta would fail? That’s utterly illogical.

By stupid contrast, the one time Benitez was manager at a London club he won the Europa League. Therefore we missed out on a guaranteed Europa with Benitez. Logik

bennydevito

Isn’t that what Pep had city doing though when he took over – hunting in packs? Seemed to work for him and he’s the Jesus Christ of tacticians.

bennydevito

CG,

Fair point, we can’t say it’s certain, agreed, but we know what Benitez brings and imo it’s not good. Arteta is a complete unknown stab in the dark from any managerial based evidence, although Pedro has eluded to hearing good things of him on the grapevine from people who would know. Accepted.

Charlie George

Bd
Pep has an unlimited budget – and inherited a 400 million team.
If Liverpool win the league .
He would have won the league 1/3 attempts.

If the mighty Pep is struggling to win the league this way- no chance for anyone else..

Valentin

@bennydevito

Paying yourself consultancy fees is what I call taking a stream of revenue from the club.
We also know that he tried in the past to extract a dividend. He could not because he did not have full control. Now that he has full control and no obligation to fully publicly disclose Arsenal books, he will find a way to get some money from the club.
Not the eye watering charges than the Glaziers have impose onto ManUtd, but still money out of the club rather than into the club.

Marko

Benitez was manager at a London club he won the Europa League. Therefore we missed out on a guaranteed Europa with Benitez. Logik

True? Dodging questions though. But it’s fine go enjoy your holiday we can can continue this tomorrow. You know where you talk about how poor of a job Emery is doing and how Benitez and Arteta would have done a better job even though there’s zero evidence of the latter and the former has awful defensive stats.

bennydevito

Valentin,

I get you. Good point.

Valentin

It is a well known fact that Bielsa suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. That makes him an oddball not some kind of pervert.
Also his condition explains his obsessive behaviour and level of minutia in preparing a dossier on his opponents.
Obviously he is odd but he is also smart enough to hire people who can transmit his ideas to the players.
Personally I’ll take a coach who knows his opponents strength and weaknesses and prepare his team accordingly over any chancer or hapless incompetent.

bennydevito

Charlie GeorgeJanuary 27, 2019    01:14:38

Bd
Pep has an unlimited budget – and inherited a 400 million team.
If Liverpool win the league .
He would have won the league 1/3 attempts.

If the mighty Pep is struggling to win the league this way- no chance for anyone else..
>>>>>>>>

So basically CG you’ve just completely exonerated Emery and have admitted he’s in an impossible position and have just epically self owned yourself even moreso than Pedro thinks Marko has just done?

Am I right?

Freddie Ljungberg

You don’t think Emerys tactical “choices” with creating overlaps from the fullbacks is because we have exactly 0 wingers and no functional CAM?

Yes he could have brought some in the summer but for what money exactly? We had so many gaps to plug we had to start somewhere just to stop sinking.

Pierre trolling again, smh.

Do you think he’s not playing Saka because he’s not his type of player or because he’s a 17 yo kid with no top flight experience whatsoever when he’s under pressure from impatient fans to win every game? Honestly, have a word.

Marko

Very true Pedro. We know absolutely fuck all about how good or bad Arteta is as a manager (he’s never managed) and therefore the obvious argument is that he would have been a better hire than Emery. Meanwhile Benitez would obviously sort out our defence even though he’s had 5 jobs the last 8 years and in the two seasons he had at Napoli he conceded 130+ goals. I mean come on it’s so obvious

Freddie Ljungberg

CG

I know you’re a bit(lot) slow so I’ll repeat this slowly for the umpteenth time:

We didn’t buy Lichtsteiner, no one did, he came in for free.

Champagne charlie

Marko I can both enjoy a holiday and drop a comment on a football blog, I don’t get rattled by extended bar talk ffs. I don’t need to cheerlead Benitez, his CV is living proof he has sauce to his management. His Liverpool sides were just shy of excellent and only Klopp has resurrected and surpassed (in performance) those sides imo. The Chelsea job he did was top shelf classy if you ask me, got stick by the chav fans all season, dropped a Europa league title and plodded off. He’s one of the real good guys in football and… Read more »

Valentin

Pep have a 7 seconds rule. When his team loses the ball they have 7 seconds to hunt and get it back. After those 7 seconds they have to get back into defensive position. If you can’t get back into position straight away, then commit a tactical foul to stop the play and give the team a chance to regroup. That is completely different from what we are doing because it means that you should not be in a situation where the opposition can launch a counter attack via long ball. Which is exactly what we faced against West Ham,… Read more »

Marko

I can both enjoy a holiday and drop a comment on a football blog, I don’t get rattled by extended bar talk ffs.

Same. I’m watching a movie with a Guinness. Not extended one bit

Marko

I merely accept what’s being touted by those more in the know

Unless those in the know have said he’s a whizz at whipping defences into shape then his name shouldn’t come up. Benitez I’ve always had a soft spot for but no way he’d fix our defensive woes. Not with any certainty that’s for sure. Conceded a tonne at Napoli concedes a tonne at Newcastle and lasted mere months at Inter, Real and Chelsea. I firmly have my doubts on him

Charlie George

Bd Was referring to the impossibly difficult way Emery sets up his team to play Goalkeepers passing out to defenders – making nonsensical angles. Pressing here- pressing there If a team managed by Pep with his spend struggles to win the league doing it this way ( 1/3?)… why is Emery persisting? E.g.. Leno giving away a corner in the cauldron of Anfield after 55 seconds because he has misjudged a pass to his split centre half defender. Play expedient football. Play to your strengths. When coaches get ideas in their head – they invariably fail… E.g. Wenger with all… Read more »

Charlie George

Pep can have a 7 second rule at Barca/Bayern/City all he likes…

If he was at a Newcastle – That would go out the window.

Charlie George

The greatest manger ever on these shores
Alex Ferguson
( Fergie never played this way.)
I know the game evolves- but it was not that long ago….

What did he used to say.
Football management is like making a cake.
You have to have all the right ingredients to get perfection.
Not too much sugar, not touch butter etc
It seems
Emery is making a a very unappetizing paella!

Negation

@ Valentin

I’m a big fan of Bielsa’s, but he wasn’t this successful at Marseille and Lille – what do you think happened?

Charlie George

I think if Fergie was still around.
Pep would have gone all Kevin Keegan!
Fergie would have sussed him..

Marko

True Pedro. One less goal but 23 points behind. He’s certainly a good shout I’ll give you that. 54 goals last season… I’m back to having my doubts that he would improve us defensively

Tony

“I like how people are making conclusive statements about the direction the club is going in when in the space of 10 months we’ve changed manager, brought in a DoF, lost a CEO, sacked a head of recruitment, looking to bring in a Technical Director, have spent a measly £64 Million on a 6th placed team, have been restricted by an out of control wage bill in a league with massive spends and some of the best manager’s around. Talk about a f*****g joke. It’s like critiquing someone’s rowing style when they’re just trying to stop their boat capsizing because… Read more »

Tony

How about we pay the useless Lich off and replace with Valencia for the rest of the season – could probably get him for £90K a week?

Newcastle are looking at him and some here think Newcastle’s defense is better than ours, so they’re probably right to want him.

bennydevito

CG,

What a terribly boring and unimaginative cliche racial stereotype you’ve just used there. Do all Spanish people make or eat paella?

Crikey.

gonsterous

you know the posters here are idiots when red truth is the logical one.

gonsterous

CG

I am a firm believer players win matches.
Not prima dona coaches..

well we finally get to the bottom of this conundrum. Turns out Charlie George is bald and is just jealous of emerys thick curls.

Tony

Gons
Either idiots, trolls or just plain anal – take your pick

azed

“If we were going to go with a transition manager, Rafa would have done a better job.”

So why is Newcastle close to relegation with a negative goal difference?
With a team that was assembled by Benitez himself?

azed

“There is no shame in getting beaten by Barcelona, but there is when your team fell big time again for the exact same tactic a year later by Real Madrid to eliminate PSG in the Champion’s league. ” Wasn’t Pep’s Bayern Munich team knocked out by Barcelona and Madrid? Does that make Pep a bad manager or does that rule only apply to Emery? Oh by the way, Pep went Man to Man vs Barca and Bayern was obliterated in the opening minutes Pep had to change formation. I don’t see y’all saying Pep is a bad Manager. All Pep’s… Read more »

azed

“Also our tactical fouling is poor. We hack people out of desperatation when they are near our penalty box or ready to cross instead of committing fouls before the situation reach our last 30 meters.”

Don’t you think this has to do with the intelligence of our players?
Xhaka vs Fernandinho
Ozil vs KDB
Iwobi vs Sane?

Do you think Pep can play his kind of football with our team? Or even Klopp?

azed

“Marko, couldn’t fix our defence, but has a better GA record for Newcastle right now than us… not sure you’re helping yourself here.” Newcastle have conceded less goals than the teams from 5th(including UTD) down to the bottom of table with the exception of Leicester. But there’s a reason why they are 17th and that’s because the teams above them have scored more. Goals win games and Newcastle might be higher up the table If Benitez was willing to conceded more by being more adventurous attacking wise. PS: Marko put Benitez’s defensive numbers when he was at Napoli. A team… Read more »

Slade

I’m with Pedro!
Emery has been here for 8 years and no improvement….get rid…
Champagne Charlie with you too!
Your caustic sense of humor is so on point….8 years of Emery is enough !
Get him out and get Pedro and Charlie in……they know!
Get rid of the Yank Cunt too….Pedro knows…..

DivineSherlock

Why give FA cup that much importance when no one really gave a fcuk when it was won under Wenger. I say its a good thing , Lets see how Ole deals with CL and PL plus FA cup rotations . As for Emery , I would like to see him playing with all of his defence available , I dont think any manager in this PL can cope with the loss of 3 CBs long term and hope to win with Mustafi ( horrendous) . The Chelsea and Spurs game tells me he is tactically astute , but more… Read more »

Nelson

Anyone saw Sanchez’s poster: I AM LEGEND (I AM BACK)

He came back to play the piano. THEY FACED THE MUSIC.

Paul Mc Daid

Sanchez and Lingard better be sorted in the league game, Maybe Bould could trip them up in the Tunnel because he does absolutely nothing else, The defensive shambles belongs to him and him alone.

Guns of SF

Could it be that we deal with Inter, in part, for Ozil as part of the Perisic deal?
Rumors were that Inter wanted Ozil…. or loan or some such thing.
All of a sudden an Inter Winger on our list?
hmmm

Ivan

If we manage to flog Ozil for Perisic my faith in Raoul and Vinai will be restored.
Perišić is better then anything we have on wings, and Ozil for all his talent just dont have a spine to play in PL.

And that move would show positive direction for club dealings (clear indication that they do try lower wage bill, and flog toxic players).

Unai

Pedro, are you trolling on your own blog or just trying to destroy your own credibility?

Arteta now Benitez….

You’ll be on the bring back Wenger bandwagon soon.

I’m fine with Emery out if it’s quality in but nobody has a sensible alternative, not one.

loyika

@ Bennydevito

These are my answers to your questions above (and I don’t even need to wait till season’s end)

1. No
2. No
3. No

Emery will be given at least 1 more season by the BoD but I would really be surprised if he is still here by the end of next season.

Imho he is a transitional appointment and won’t move the neddle forward interms of our league placing or our style of football.

Lets see how things pan out in the end. I trully wish him luck for the rest of his time here as Coach.

loyika

@ Unai There are sensible alternatives out there. Emery is not the “Golden Child” who has no replacement…thats a lazy option the club has chosen to follow. The question you should be asking is if Stan K will sanction such a move and be willing to release more funds. If not then they should just get Paddy and make it a long term project. The supporters will be all up for that and will be more willing to give Paddy V as much time as he needs (unfortunately there is no emotional connection with Fan to Unai Emery and i… Read more »

Graham62

Tony As you know, I have also become “indifferent about Emery”, after my initial joy at seeing the back of Wenger. As for Kroenke,that’s for the fans to decide. Nevertheless, any owner who is incapable of communicating at a club AGM and who continues to treat the club as his own personal piggy bank, is not fit for purpose in my eyes. Any fan with an IQ above ten, must realise that Wenger and his crew created one humongous shitfest for any incoming manager to deal with. Kroenke had an obligation after Wenger left to communicate these evident problems to… Read more »

Unai

Loyola, I agree that there are alternatives, I also said yesterday I don’t think Emery will make 3 years. The problem is the alternatives we can currently attract are either punts or not that attractive in them selves. Maybe in a year or 2 with new income and a reduced wage bill we will attract top tier but until then every option is a transitional one imo. Currently we have Arteta, Paddy and Benitez as suggestions and whilst I would have been ok with Arteta in the summer I doubt he would be fairing much better with our situation. Emery… Read more »

loyika

@ Graham Blaming fans and all is all good and dandy but see it like this…you live and die with your family regardless of how they are. You can get rid of friends but you can’t get rid of “Your Blood” (ignore them yes, but you can never change the fact that they are family) The Fans are the life blood of any team….take away the fans and you have no Arsenal FC. When Stan K and Emery and whomever is long gone the Fans (in whatever shape) will still be here and going for matches rain or shine. So… Read more »

Unai

I’m all for blaming Stan though, it’s his inaction over the years that has caused this.

Our chance of a painless transition from Wenger slipped by 5 years ago, it’s going to take nearly as long to get back.

We are in the mire now, I’m surprised more people don’t acknowledge it.

gonsterous

I actually liked rafa when he was in charge of liverpool. But he has his limitations. He got schooled by Wenger a couple times. Don’t know if it was the players or his tactics.
Him taking over arsenal will be bland. He did win the europa league with chelsea and won a couple of CL titles with Pool, so that’s a positive. Any manager that gets hired for real Madrid, must be doing something right, right ?

loyika

@ Unai and Graham My thinking is that everyone of us supporters just needs to realise that right now we as a club are going through a transition phase and throw any major expectations out the window (not that we shouldn’t expect improvements, but we should recognise where we are right now as a club and be at Peace with it while pushing the BoD to implement changes needed) Thats where I agree with Graham on the negligence of Stan K and his lack of leadership as our owner. This is really a sad phase in our history and one… Read more »

Unai

You have to wonder why Stan doesn’t step in.

His investment has been poorly managed, it’s assets are devalued and it’s on the brink of major regression that will undoubtedly cause a drop in value.

You have to speculate to accumulate sometimes particularly as without investment the plan is as likely to fail as it is succeed.

Valentin

Most clubs have their own version of the 7 seconds rule even Newcastle. What is different is that Pep codified and quantified the rule: 7 seconds then retreat. No club is continuously pressing any more. Liverpool realised that last season they mostly lost against low placed team that picked them on the counter-attack. This season, Liverpool gegen pressing has evolved. They don’t press that much any more. Also they always keep one or two CM back, behind the ball. So if the central defender have to help out wide, there is always a CM to slide in the center of… Read more »

Unai

Imagine Stan loans us the money to pay off the contracts to Ozil, Miki, Mustafi.

We’d both be able to sell them and reinvest and fix our contract issues in one go.

The trade off for Stan? He’s getting his money back no matter what, we’re much more likely to get CL money and take other winnings and the image of the club is restored. His business because more valuable.

The only reason you wouldn’t, in Stans position, is if you didn’t give a shit.

Self sustaining is a myth, all business take investment at some point or other.

Un na naai

MarkoJanuary 27, 2019 00:56:22 Charlie I can say with certainty re Arteta because neither Wenger or Emery could get anything remotely decent from the likes of our lot and there’s nothing to suggest that he can. But I’ll play along. What makes you think that a total unknown and assistant manager could sort out our defensive performances? Over say two experienced managers Marko For heavens sake. Have you not been watching at United?? 3 super experienced managers failed. Two of them have won at the highest echelons of the game. Solkjear has come in and wiped the floor with everything… Read more »

Valentin

@azed, Those game were completely different. Pep tried a brand new approach. He realised quite quickly that it was not working and made some changes. He still lost the games. He did not go with the same tactic that had failed numerous time before. Einstein’s definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. But trying something different does not guarantee either a better result. Emery’s tactic have sussed out and going forward expect most clubs to follow the same template: sit back, soak up pressure and hit back with long ball over the… Read more »

Unai

Solkjear has come in and wiped the floor with everything that came post Fergie. No pedigree and with only semi pro player experience.

Firstly, OG has a track record and secondly, he’s not wiped the floor with anything yet, he’s been there 2 minutes, there is no guarantee his run will continue.

We couldn’t get Allegri and Carlo and Benitez are just a safe pair of hands.

The problem with the Emery out idea is all the alternatives are just as shit.

Un na naai

Unai We could have had allegri but he would tow the bullshit line with the suits at the club. If we really wanted to be a success we could have had klopp pep or allegri but we don’t Kroenke wants champions league money coming in and that’s it. Emery is there to deliver that. Anything else is a bonus. If Liverpool could hire Klopp then we could have hired Klopp as they weren’t even in the Europa when they secured him. Solskjaer hasn’t won any thing but he’s made an instant impact and transformed a shit boring side into an… Read more »

Un na naai

Wouldn’t tow the line

Un na naai

Emery is our David Moyes. It’s clear to anyone who understands the game that he’s just making too many silly mistakes.
Aborting our 3cmf formation for united in favor of his embarrassing attempts at 4-2-3-1 again and this ridiculous high line.
Why bring it back against a pacey front line?

Watch us get decimated by city next weekend doing the same predictable crap.

Un na naai

Firstly, OG has a track record and secondly, he’s not wiped the floor with anything yet, he’s been there 2 minutes, there is no guarantee his run will continue. Unai He has a track record in a Sunday league. It’s no track record at all. And yes. He’s wiped the floor with moyes LVG and Jose already. He’s lit the candle and showed the way for united playing to the style and traditions of the club. Safe hands don’t work at clubs like arsenal and united or even Liverpool. The only time Liverpool have loooked any good is when they’ve… Read more »

DivineSherlock

wow so much hate for the manager , but it is LeGrove so its expected. Emery has flaws yes , no one is denying that . But he is a winner , Europa League 3 times. you dont win that on fluke. Emery isn’t getting the selection right . Also I believe fitness is an issue but that will get sorted out. Already we’re seeing that when he benched Torreria . He is just trying too hard , maybe focus on one thing at a time.

TR7

Djokovic has Nadal’s number, toying with him in the Aus open final.

Chris

I’m not saying Emery is the answer long term but some on here are very quick to belittle his achievements after we lose a game. Like him as a coach/man or not, he has won many trophies. He is getting things wrong, and quite worryingly repeating those wrong choices, but it is a complex situation where there has been over 20 years of one coach and now a complete change of operations where inevitably there are teething issues. Getting worked up by teenager rumours is a bit daft because they are likely just that, rumours. No one knows for sure… Read more »

Chris

Teenager = transfer (!!!!!!!)

TR7

Djokovic absolutely scintillating, looks on course to surpass Federer’s record.

Graham62

TR7

Agreed, Djokovic was incredible today. Playing on a different level to anyone else at present.

If only he had played within the rules over the years, he would be considered as good as Federer.

You know – 20 bounces of a ball. 30 seconds + between points. Injury time outs at convenient times. Ah well, can’t be perfect.

Unlike Federer.

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