Just a quick post for you this morning as I showered you in two lots of content goodness yesterday.
A few things I wanted to add to the Monchi story.
A few people have rightly raised concerns about the nepotistic new look being sculpted at Raul’s Arsenal.
Firstly, the reason that’s a worry is the same reason it’s a worry at any organisation. You want to build a culture of excellence focused on performance, not who knows who. You don’t want to create dangerous power structures that make it hard for outside voices to be heard, whilst also muddying the waters of true performance accountability.
Arsene Wenger had a counterbalance when he started at Arsenal. David Dein was the more aggressive partner who pushed him to take chances on players. He could do this because he acted as/was seen as an equal. When Dein was pushed out of the club unceremoniously in his attempt to make Arsenal a super club, Wenger assumed full control and no one dared stop him.
He built out an untouchable backroom team that consisted of people who’d dare not challenge his authority, and he hired incompetent folk who were grateful for the underserved prestige job he’d handed out. He even had a say on who the CEO was. Imagine that, letting an underling yay or nay the person who could fire him? No coincidence the type of character he picked.
This approach works when judgment is sound, but it fails spectacularly when things go wrong. When the wheels came off Wenger’s approach and we started to sink, no one had the guts to tell him, and worse, Wenger didn’t have the quality around him to search out solutions even when he eventually wanted them.
Unai Emery has effectively brought in a partner who will make the decision to give him another 3 years, a pay rise, or sack him. Does that sound like history repeating itself? Maybe.
The big question everyone should be asking is this: how ruthless will Monchi be?
Who knows. Ultimately, this will only become a problem if things go wrong. The big hope is the reunion of the band will lead to better days on and off the pitch.
Following on from this, I totally forgot that Monchi hired in Sampaoli. The Argentine manager put on quite the show at Sevilla. He brought an aggressive brand of South American football to the club, he rejuvenated Samir Nasir, ended Zidane’s 40 game unbeaten run, and tapped out by qualifying Sevilla for the Champions League.
This is mostly interesting because it says Monchi is a man of exceptional taste when it comes to the sort of football he wants to see. Exactly what you want from the man hired to set the tone for the footballing style of Arsenal moving forward.
A Gooner friend of mine mentioned that Monchi will act as a counter to Emery’s impulse to purchase older players. I did some digging, overall, I’m not so sure.
I was going to pull the numbers for net spend, but overall, what’s the point? We know the guy is mustard at player churn.
Sifting through his last 6 seasons, it’s clear he’s a huge fan of the loan system. He likes to borrow players not landing minutes at big clubs, and he also likes young kids to get game time by sending them out on loan. Ben Knapper is going to be very busy.
The average age of a Monchi signing (purchases and important loans) over the last 6 season sits at 25.5. It’s clear the man is no Ralph Rangnick who believes players are untrainable after the age of 23 years old.
The coach says that he never signs a player the manager doesn’t want, so I thought it’d be interesting to see the average age of an Emery signing in the 3 successful years they worked together. It’s a little over 25.5, sitting at 25.8. So not quite Mourinho, but smack bang at the start of ‘prime’ football years. Key point here is if we’re looking to make money, utilising this approach means players will be here a maximum of two seasons before being sold on for profit (my thinking here is 28 is the cut-off point before sharp declines in value).
I think the middling twenties number stems from the strategy at Sevilla tending to be geared around players that had lost their way with bigger clubs. Sevilla acted as a second chance for a lot of players. Clearly, Monchi thinks there’s value in the scrap heap and he likes the idea of the ‘chip on the shoulder’ motivation that comes with being shunned.
Worth noting that Wenger also liked to do this when he was the king. He brought in names like Kanu, Overmars and Suker whilst also breathing new life into the clubs legends like Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Lee Dixon and Tony Adams. I mean, it’d be fair to say that Thierry and Vieira were also on a scrap heap of sorts, even if they were very young when they moved to us.
The Roma transfer policy has tended to follow a very similar pattern to Sevilla. His first act was to move on Paredes, Salah, Rudiger and Emerson from 135.8m euros. Quite an aggressive move considering their combined average age was only 23.75. He then added 13 players with an average age of 25.6.
The next summer he shifted Strootman, (28) Nainggolan (30), and Alisson (25) for 142m euros which was good business. However, he went full on Sevilla with the replacement signings bringing in Pastore (29) and Nzonzi (29) for 60m euros, not exactly value based signings if you’re thinking about the long-term resale value.
That said, they managed to nab Justin Kluivert (19) and Nicolo Zaniolo (19), who exciting bets for the future.
So in short, we’re hiring a Technical Director who likes to find value at the big clubs for experience, whilst taking chances on kids he can offer more playing time to than the big clubs.
Very, very Raul it would seem. Also very Emery if we think the Suarez deal was all his. Do not be shocked to see us raid Barcelona for Malcolm this summer. Just the right amount of broken if Monchi’s past signings are anything to go by.
Now, your past doesn’t always dictate your future. No one has a clue what the brief is at the minute. But one thing is for sure, I think this summer will be a whirlwind. Over 6 seasons, he’s averaged 13.6 new faces a season. That’s a far cry from Wenger’s mantra of ‘more than 3 signings and training ground will flood.’ Last season at Roma, including loans, 41 faces arrived and 44 left. The season before 52 arrived, 59 left. A lot of loans in that, but it gives you an idea about the amount of fucks given when it comes to shaking things up.
So what have we learned today? Well, I can’t write a short post when I’m interested in something. Whatever happens, this summer will be aggressive, fast-paced and exciting. Like it or lump it, we’ll be looking at a very different group of players when next season starts.
The next chapter begins… (hopefully)
Right, that’s me done, enjoy the Southampton game and we’ll talk more on Monday.
x
Bankz is here for the Tr4phy again
2 before the BOOOM
3
BOOOOM
Clean sweep.
A win today is a must.
Liverpool will most likely not lose to United at old Trafford, probably a draw so a win takes us right into 4th spot.
Even after the collapse right after the unbeaten run, top4 is still very achievable only if the team and Emery would just step up to the task.
Emery is bringing in Monchi? Wow, that’s some game of thrones level takeover he’s done in just 8 months, king of the club already. Impressive…
Good to see that Monchi isn’t afraid of player turnover, we badly need a shakeup.
Lol Pedro, just a quick post! Seriously though will celebrate monchi when it’s on arsenal.com. until then anything can happen. A few places still saying we want overmars but Ajax won’t let him go. The power grab that Wenger had in his last year’s when dein left should never be repeated, no one should hold such power again. I do think the 18- 23 approach is a route to go as long as there’s a few experienced heads as well. Also looking at Scotland and the championship for players shouldn’t be ignored. If there cheap we can take a punt… Read more »
There’s a player in Nathan Redmond – watered-down Sterling – if our coaches are willing to graft. But I know at 24 he’s at the tail end of being considered a ‘prospect’. He’ll certainly be cheaper than the more exotic names thrown about on here.
Pedro obviously wrote the headline after the content cause this is more than ‘Just a quick post’ Two sides to hiring people you’ve worked with and had previous successes with. On the one hand, it can be a foundation for complacency and lack of accountability as your friends try to have your back rather than take decisions that are in the organization’s best interests. A la Wenger Is there a likelihood of this happening at Arsenal? Present conditions suggest it’s possible. Raul, Emery and Monchi are Spanish; Emery and Monchi are buddies; and it seems the only other non Spanish… Read more »
Pedro I made the case earlier this season that the club’s management team was bound to see changes. The club put together a motley of staff most of whom were labels, but had never worked together. Kroenke was the first to leave. My gut feeling is that his departure was inevitable, because it is pretty obvious that as CEO he needed to take can for some fairly poor decision making in recent years both on and off the field. Mislintat looked also to be a duck out of water. Frankly he was not a good fit when you have both… Read more »
If you keep upsetting people, at one point you will upset the wrong person and they will try to oust you.
who exactly has emery upset ? Apart from ozil I can’t think of anyone. Footballers sulking whilst getting subbed happens in all the clubs.
3 points tonight, utd to lose and we go 4th.Happy days.
Hopefully we win and Utd don’t today.
It doesn’t matter how many players we turnover , if the manager is not up to the required level we are doomed to fail . it has been proven time and time again that the manager is the most important person at a football club . Most fans do not give a toss about the backroom staff , they see the players and they see the manager and that is who they judge . Earlier in the season our football was of a much higher level offensively,in the matches v Fulham , Leicester and Tottenham our attacking play and movement… Read more »
I think some are a little too fearful of another unshakeable fortress being built by Raul a la Wenger.
Raul isn’t a part owner or shareholder. If he and others are not performing after a few years, wouldn’t the Kroenke’s act decisively as is their want?
Whether KSE’s targets are truly titles or top four is another story.
Pierre, I think it’s a number of reasons, not just down to emery. Your right that our two creative players in ozil and miki have been injured/sick for a big chunk of that time. But also the injuries that tore the defence apart hasn’t helped. Torriera form has dropped a little, yes because he’s been asked to play further forward, but also because he’s covering for xhaka, and the world cup lack of a proper preseason has caught up with him, also playing over a Xmas is a new experience for him. Hopefully ozil better performance against bate maybe the… Read more »
Everyone should be excited because change at that level can have a devastating effect to a club, but there’s certainly reason for being reserved and casting skepticism.
We’ve yet to demonstrate we know how to piece together an outfit of suits competent enough to build from the ground up. Svens quick departure doesn’t brew confidence, so the concerns of “Monchi & mates” is a genuine one until they deliver a foundation we can get behind.
This is my first time of commenting on this blog. I’m not really excited about all this Monchi Rumours, all these Spanish build up is the reason we lost Sven no matter how any body tries to paint it. Bringing these guys together because they worked together at Sevilla isn’t really wise. Emery should be willing to take a new route, work with a different technical director, gain new visions and mindset. I’m not interested in seeing Arsenal become another Sevilla. Sevilla the club you’d want to emulate if you’re to ve among the big boys. That being said, I’m… Read more »
Dictatorship is the most efficient form of government. If you have a good dictator…
Except that it’s not emery bringing Monchi in, is it? This is a fallacy Pedro. For all the negative outcomes you mention that could come true, by labeling it as ‘emery bringing in monchi’ you are painting a patently untrue picture of who is creating this situation Emery doesn’t have the power to bring in Monchi. He only has the power to recommend him. This isn’t wenger we’re talking about, emery isn’t defacto CEO. But then labeling this as an emery power grab rather than a decision made by his higher ups doesn’t fit into the anti emery agenda, right?… Read more »
I think there is a whole difference between adopting a wait and see approach to issues and plain old scare mongering. When you hire people, you do it mostly on what they have accomplished and their vision for the new job. To accomplish the vision they need time and an enabling environment. Guardiola always seems to need money and Messi. That doesn’t make him any less the GOAT if you believe in such a thing. In fact every coach could do with a bucket load of money. But we don’t have the resources. So I believe this is Emery asking… Read more »
Well played, Peter. But I’m going to bring in some GOH realism. We ARE 100% seeing what Wenger created replicating itself…the only difference this time, is it’s happened at light speed. Emery takes over and in little more than seven months and he’s in a Wenger position. Wow. After a decade of bullshit, all I can see is another era of equal bullshit. Friends helping friends. Everyone looking after everyone. That’s not business. That’s Will Smith giving roles to the awful Jayden Smith. Or Brooklyn Beckham scoring a ‘photographic’ gig at Vogue. Arsenal haven’t learned a thing. Not ONE THING.… Read more »
“some GOH realism”
you misspelled delusion and lies.
GoH
It sounds like you need a new hobby!
Agree guns
Where there is money to make big business minded people will do that…
All they wan is cash in pocket… not the best of club.
See Paranoia everywhere.
Mourinho gets appointed. Asks Chelsea to sign Carvalho and the whatshisname right back from Porto where he worked previously. Chelsea signs them
A glass-half-full person says he is getting the right tools for the job.
A glass-half-empty person says its friends helping friends
Apparently Monchi is jobless and only Arsenal can offer him one.
Like I said scare mongering.
Please Stop.
Abeg
Pedro. All my fears are there. Its a worry. I am not inclined to expect the best. I really dont like the age demographic that you have laid out. Why would we expect Monchi to do any differently at Arsenal. There is still a huge divide between the Wenger Ins and Wenger Out camps at Arsenal. Its clear that those who were Wenger Ins will not be satisfied unless meaningless benchmarks that Wenger managed to meet are met, even if the overall picture is measurably improved. A prime example being Wenger beat BATE 5-0 and Wenger achieved top 4 for… Read more »
Claude Puel sacked by Leicester, a very poor decision in my view. If they had persisted with him one more season, he would have had them flying. Leicester have played some quality football this season.
One thing that I would note on age demographics. There is currently an unreasonably high value placed on potential, rather than demonstrated form. A young player that has yet to play in a big team, or in a big league, may have the potential to be a player worth 100m+. That potential is factored into his price as an 17-21 year old. There is a premium to be paid for that potential. However, once the player actually makes a move and has to demonstrate his potential in the real world, that value can diminish quickly. Or, if the player follows… Read more »
Country boy
A manager leaning on players he’s coached previously isn’t the same as a technical group hiring friends.
People are missing the point. There are obvious parallels between now and then and if people can’t see it, they don’t want to. Emery has done nothing to improve arsenal. We are as bad if not worse than we were last season or the season before. He’s added players that haven’t improved an already terrible team. That’s failure. So now his old buddy Monchi sweeps in…errr, why exactly? The challenge? Fuck off. Surely he’s getting a really good deal out of this. More money. More power. Of course he is. You don’t leave a job to get less than you… Read more »
CC
Thanks for pointing that out to country boy. He missed that point really badly.
GoH Of course Monchi is moving for more money and more power, who would take a step down in his position? He’s one of the most highly rated backroom staff in football and if he’s getting the job it sure as fuck isn’t because our head coach that’s been in the job for 8 months is doing the hiring above him. That’s just nonsense. Emery wasn’t fired at PSG he had a 2 year contract with an optional extra year, he parted ways after 2 years because PSGs only goal is to win the CL, something only 1 team in… Read more »
One thing is certain. A lot of changes are going to come. Hopefully, it will also get the owner to be interested in the club.
TR7
“Claude Puel sacked by Leicester, a very poor decision in my view. If they had persisted with him one more season, he would have had them flying. Leicester have played some quality football this season.”
Totally agree with you ..a very short sighted view sacking Puel , Leicester have been one of the best teams to watch this season and they could go down the road of many other clubs and slide down the divisions.
A short and succinct Sunday fable from our diligent PedRo today- and I thank him for it. the sage GoH- once again- makes some blistering points about the folly of newly formed Spanish cartel – and you cant argue with any of its thrust. What is now undeniable: raul was definitely much more influential in the appointment of emery as opposed to Arteta than first thought! emery- has wanted his chum – ( the Bearded Wonder) for weeks now: Hence the outrageous treatment of Ozil- and the pulling of rambo’s contract. Emery wants his mate- now buying the new players.… Read more »
Today we’ll know what Emery has in mind for the rest of the season:
If we don’t win today then its obvious he’s only interested in the Europa League which will mean there’ll be no point in watching the final 11 league games after today.
Interesting but hypothetical stuff on Monchi because, if he is truly smart (as some think), he won’t touch Arsenal with a barge-pole. Okay, I’ll qualify that: a hefty salary might persuade him. One aspect of the Club stands out a mile: an uncommitted owner. And Monchi (if he is truly smart) wlll have learned by now that without an owner dedicated to success, a Club is going nowhere. If he has done his homework, Monchi will suspect that little or no net money will be available for transfers this summer. And of course he must be aware that the expectation… Read more »
Why are people getting so carried away? – look at the facts:
Roma haven’t won a trophy in the time Monchi has been there
Sevilla have won the EL a few times but generally just battle for 4th place (not this again!).
Stan took a loan out to buy the club and will be siphoning off some of our profits to pay for this, so don’t expect a budget much different from what he had with Roma, even if it is slighly more it’s in a more competitve league than Serie A so needs to be just to keep up.
Interesting to read some who want Emery sacked yesterday making a case for a manager in 12th place and with a -6 goal difference. Teams who play good football don’t loose 1-4 to Palace at home.
Exactly Receding.
The owner not dedicated to success has allowed the club spend quite well over the past three years, that the money was wasted isn’t on the owner but on Gazidis and Wenger
Lol @ the Emeryista
‘EMERY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS’
Chill out chaps, we can all be adults about how this works.
Or we can just pretend it’s a coincidence?
Numbers and strategy is good for the short term… but I think Arsenal are bigger than the strategy if I’m honest.
Be interesting to see if you can pull that loan deal stuff with a £400m
Rev turnover. I mean, do you shop in thrift stores when you can roll into that fancy in Covent Garden?
Freddie
The sad truth is that supporting arsenal is not in the top ten of things I do…it was, but not anymore. Of course I want them to do well but if they lose, meh.
I just want them to be the best club they can be and I don’t see that happening under the Spanish cabal that is forming.
CC, GOH A manager leaning on players he’s coached previously isn’t the same as a technical group hiring friends. As long as you continue labeling the hires as friends hiring friends, your FEELINGS towards the issue will remain obvious. I am sure you know that most times what we call reason stem from an original feeling towards an issue. It’s what some call agenda. If you cannot find parallels in a manager signing familiar players and Emery recommending Monchi, then let me give another example. Virtually all managers when hired bring in a team of familiar technical people as backroom… Read more »
Samesong it would have been funny if it weren’t sad.
On one hand you defend a manager in his second season languishing in 12 place while in the same breath you lambast a manager in his first pushing for top four…..strange behavior
Wonder what the comments will be if Monchi was said to be heading to Chelsea or even Everton
Danny I don’t think not winning would mean emery isn’t interested in coming 4th. We are playing like shit even when we win so it’s very possible that we continue to play shit and lose. Doesn’t mean we’re not trying it might just mean we’re a steaming mess at the moment haha
TR7
I’m with you regarding Claude Puel
They have a very young squad and it’s going to take time to help.
Very short sided and dim that firing is.
I heard Leicester fans lamenting yesterday on talksports, they have some of the stupidest fans in England it seems.
I would say everyone has an agenda of varying descriptions. Emery needed a job after getting sacked. Arsenal needed a manager who wouldn’t rock the boat. The fans needed change. Monchi wants more money and probably an easier life. Arsenal over the past ten years have become a very public, soft touch. Pub level footballers get millions. The fanbase is placid. The owner doesn’t care. The staff are not fit for purpose. The list goes on. Arsenal are the place you go to get paid a lot of money for almost zero return. We are a draw, but not for… Read more »
Valentin
I thoroughly enjoyed your last posts in the previous post.’They were really thoughtful and you’re great when you’re making an attempt to be open minded.
Didn’t realise both the games were on at 2 today.
RH, why don’t you put your neck on the line an have an opinion on Monchi yourself?
Harvey Barnes, the Leicester winger/midfielder is one I would have at Arsenal.
He’s still very raw but has the makings of a very good player if he gets that last touch/finishing right.
We need a technical director that gets the British game. We should be scoring the lower leagues and Scotland for young talent.
As reported in Football Italia.
“Monchi is increasingly likely to leave Roma at the end of the season, but Arsenal aren’t his only options, as PSG and Sevilla also want the transfer guru.”
“Paris Saint-Germain are also rumoured to have made a proposal.”
Looks like PSG doesn’t want Le Prof to be their DOF.
Too much truth country boy Pedro is a smart guy, a good communicator and being in marketing gives him a pretty clear idea of how to influence opinion and actions We’ve seen in the case of emery that the vast majority of recent posts have included some kind of tangential digs at emery even when he’s not the key person in the topic being discussed. The agenda is clear that outside of an incredible turnaround, emery sucks. The problem is that people can fairly criticize emery because he hasn’t set the world alight – but this isn’t enough, so the… Read more »
Pedro
The scheduling is atrocious
Why not start the Arsenal game at 12.30pm UK time, the Liverpool game afterwards ark be followed by the milk cup final.
The premier league is beginning to make mistakes and leagues like La Lisa are closing in.
Nelson
No that wouldn’t be right? I thought Monchi is jobless, with no prospects and only wants an easier life.
What would PSG want with him?
Baffling
People say that you don’t need money to be a title-winning Club, all you need is a good manager and efficient talent scouts. And they point to Leicester City. Well, yes, they made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, but where are they now? And where will they ever be again? That slow cheap build-up process is unlikely to work at Arsenal, we fans are too impatient. And if it were to work, it would be one-season long followed by a return to mediocrity like Leicester. Of course Arsenal has (or rather had) the revenue to bring in… Read more »
If we had three London-born English men as DoF, technical director and head coad]]ch, would that necessarily be a “Spanish cabal”
This debate is slipping into a very dark place and may very well be xenophobist. It has all hallmarks of a post-Brexit society thinking.
It’s better to wait and judge them on their merits that to just leap into conclusions or assumptions so early.
Mislintat would have been great if he wasn’t intent on helping Dortmund dump thier oldies on us at full market value.
Yeah the fuss about having 3 senior managers being Spanish is literally comical As a Brit in China, I can tell you many of the colleagues who I respect and would back the most are local Chinese and for all of our shared culture, language and history, I’ve had full blown fights with fellow Englishmen out here Only a child or a xenophobe is going to make dumb, careless decisions at work simply based on the nationality of their colleague. They’re not out there at London Colney building executive walls to defend themselves from persecution from the British. Tho you… Read more »
It’s better to wait and judge them on their merits that to just leap into conclusions or assumptions so early
There is the potential for emery Raul and Monchi to become the 3 stooges but nationality is literally the last and absolute dumbest reason imaginable for this to happen
Pedro why should I have an opinion on Monchi? I prefer him to Overmars that’s for sure.
What I would prefer though is a different CEO to Raul, which is basically what he is, I am not convinced by him.
And I prefer Monchi as a TD to Sven who has always been a scout. So in a nutshell we had to choose between Sven, Overmars and Monchi and made what in my mind is the right choice.
I wonder if Arteta has received CG’s memo about only bringing English staff with him when he takes over from Emery.
Charlie George why not come up with this list of excellent English Technical directors and their achievements
Receding For me quality of work put in by a manager is more important than the league position occupied by their teams. People like Poch, Pep, Klopp, Nuno Santos, Puel are doing great work and even if their teams don’t rake up as many points as expected of them, I for one will continue to admire their work. Mourinho for me was a flop last season even as his Man United team finished 2nd and here we are now, Mourinho sacked from his job. Similarly, I find Emery to be a rank average manager and even if we finish top… Read more »
China, it’s comical you don’t think it’s worth questioning. Raul is a contacts based guy, which means he’s likely not data driven.
There doesn’t appear to have been a wide reaching search and select process.
The new guy is close with the manager.
Emery is loading up on his mates in the backroom.
You either have no idea that this sort of behavior is a huge issue in football, or you don’t care. Either way, people are right to challenge it
Pedro,
Can we have a recommend button or a vote up button.
Not a vote down button though
RH, why not have an opinion on Monchi? That’s the topic of the post?
Agree on Raul. Would prefer an experienced leader like Zorc
Dissenter
The scheduling makes no difference to fans in England as the Arsenal game is not being televised .
Foreign fans are rarely(if ever) taken into consideration regarding fixture scheduling.
Receding Hairline, oh please not another Kroenke apologist, what hope is there when we have fans who defend this guy?.
Let me spell this out to make it really simple: Kroenke gave Wenger the new contract(s), Wenger would have been replaced by an owner with ambition long ago.
Kroenke has so many other mediocre sports franchises, of which sadly, we are now one. People have to grab on to hope, just like with Sven (RIP), that Monchi is the new trump card.
It’s all bollocks, until the wig wearing parasite is gone, Arsenal are an irrelevance.
Sheikh Mansour to Pep when he signed: Listen, greaseball, no Spanish hires. This is an English club with English heritage. And tell your qualified Catalan mates to piss off back to the Med. We don’t want your winning mentality and technical proficiency here, thank you very much. Bloody immigrants taking our jobs.
Get back in the sea!
– Stewart Lee on Paul Nuttall of UKIP.
@Dissenter, Thanks. I think that today’s scheduling is not really the club or the premiership fault. Because we play in the Europa League and have agreed a voluntary 72 hours break before playing, we can only play on Sunday or Monday. The FA have rules that no other major game can take place at the same time than its flagship match. The League Cup final qualifies as such. So we can either before the game, in the evening (due to possible extra time and penalties) or on Monday. I think that Southampton rejected a 12:00 start, so it had to… Read more »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cgeXd5kRDg
Unless Leicester is hiring a much better coach, I don’t understand the timing of sacking Claude Puel. Claude Puel was moving them away from that dreadful 10 men behind the ball and kick it long to Vardy to chase. Such change was always going to take time and pain. Leicester is the team with the most minutes per teenagers. That can’t be a bad thing. If they really think that they are going to challenge top 6 again, they are seriously deluded. Leicester have been playing well, however the problem is that despite dominating game they don’t score and then… Read more »
Pedro
Even NBC aren’t showing it live on TV, it’s only available on th4 extra pay for service portal.
I’m seriously thinking of watching bin dippers because that’s a proper game. I will record our game.
“Raul is a contacts based guy, which means he’s likely not data driven.”
He’s contacts might be data driven….
Overmars had been doing good work in Holland, but then he comes up with quote that make you think WTF. He may also lack the experience to bring the star players we may want in top of the hidden gems. I am also concerned about Dutch coaches, who seems to be too intellectual for the English league. Jonckers was like a fish out of water with the London Inner City kids at Arsenal. Could not relate to them, and most had no idea what he was saying half the time. I remember a community outreach training session where he talked… Read more »
Great video, Jamie. Brilliant.
Harvey Barnes Leicester.
Brooks boy at Bournemouth who someone
posted last week both raw exciting talents.
Trouble is buying them and us being Arsenal
Well multiply everything by 2.
The Messiah returns.
Welcome back.?
I’m all for a big turnover of players, the club needs a massive jolt and hopefully the average players we have had for a long time will be finally moved on, it will certainly be an interesting time and that can’t be bad .
Countryboy “As long as you continue labeling the hires as friends hiring friends, your FEELINGS towards the issue will remain obvious.” Except that’s not how I feel on the matter, I simply recognise the possibility of such a thing being our genuine operational means. If so that would concern me for reasons already outlined. I’ve already stated I’m not particularly savvy on technical directors, and it remains to be seen what Monchi offers Arsenal. I’m merely skeptical because the behaviour has allowed such a thing. Whether it’s what I consider a limp managerial appointment, lack of vision from the club,… Read more »
I beg to differ on Puel. Always looks miserable and I don’t think Leicester’s football is as good as most of you are alluding.
Managers like Claude Puel are a dime a dozen.
I guess admiring Puel and looking down on Mourinho and Emery, proven winners, makes you sophisticated so enjoy TR7.
Arsenal: Leno, Lichsteiner, Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Lacazette
Subs: Cech, Koscielny, Monreal, Guendouzi, Suarez, Ozil, Aubameyang
Ramsey in for Ozil
Kolasinac for Monreal
Torriera for Guendozi.
Still 4-2-3-1
Re Monchi, as I stated yesterday, I have my reservations on his appointment. This is based on my belief that the club are trying to push UE to make top 4 and nothing more with no real push to make the extra step towards elite.
The dilemma is this: if UE makes top 4 and manages year on year, he will get his contract renewed and we will stick with mediocre football.
On the other hand if UE fails really badly it will be interesting to see who Monchi would work with a more ambitious manager.
Leicester City presently have a negative goal difference and have had embarrassing loses at home this season, Puel is in his second season at Leicester. And you are telling me he is the best they can do because they occasionally string two passes together to get the ball to Vardy
Great insight.
Pablo “Wenger would have been replaced by an owner with ambition long ago.” You do know that it is February of 2019 and Arsene Wenger was replaced by Unai Emery eight months ago in May of 2018, yes? That Arsenal are now run by Raul Sanllehi, Vinai Venkatensham, Unai Emery and whoever they bring in as a Technical Director (e.g., Monchi)? That Sanllehi and Venkatensham have stated publicly that their aim is to get back into the CL and challenge for PL and CL titles? That these men can spend whatever Arsenal’s operating revenues allow them to spend, just as… Read more »
RH “”””Charlie George why not come up with this list of excellent English Technical directors and their achievements”””” I would look at professional people- who have good instinct, a passion for football and A proven track record in The Uk( in any field- why limit to just football people?l I would target the best – Richard Scudamore is a brilliant business man who fits the criteria..and would be perfect to shake Arsenal out of its current malaise. What we are on the cusp of is – is fag packet thinking. “Mate knows a mate – who knows a mate!” And… Read more »
As for the game today, I want to see us win. Southampton are you going to be problematic because, like any other team in the PL, no one fears us and they all see us as a good opportunity for unexpected points.
Why no Mesut Ozil
Mesut stands for ‘Mose”, the one to lead the goonerites to the promised land.
He is the one that has been promised.
What is wrong with Emery?
Banford returns fresh faced and ready to deflect more from Stan.
You can almost smell the moustache oil on his breath.
Ramsey starts!
CC You’re either new, or a bit slow on the upkeep. I’ve long been at loggerheads with Pedro for some of his views about Wenger and Arsenal of the last decade. The fact I share a POV with him now won’t be dismissed as ‘following’ his view on your say so. I assure you that I am not new here. I just don’t comment much. But it’s immaterial just as your previous POV relative to Pedro’s is. What I am talking about is when you label the appointment as friends doing a favor for their friends. It aligns with the… Read more »
And Charlie still can’t make an argument.
Countryboy
How did you disagree with Pedro re Wenger?
No Suarez again…
Southampton going with a 5-3-2 with two mobile forwards? Lichtsteiner and Kolasinac.
Hope the chosen one Emery will have this XI play as “protagonists” as we have done for 96% of the season. Expecting fireworks as usual from the starting eleven and the three substitutes.