courtesy @allthatchas
Today, I’m here to give you all a bit of a pep talk. NOT PEP G. Just whatever a pep is. What is a pep?
I’m here to give you a textual team huddle. NO, my office cleaning lady is going to take this one.
Over to you, Esther.
*hands over keyboard*
WE ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY
WE ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY
WE ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY
Good, right?
I think there’s a lot of deflated chatter amongst Arsenal fans at the minute. The lack of leadership at the club is breathtaking at times, we don’t seem capable of making good hiring decisions and we’re short on resource in important roles.
However, there is light at the tunnel.
Arsenal CAN compete at the top of the game. We don’t need £400m to get back to our best. There are other ways outside SPEND SPEND SPEND to achieve greatness.
Don’t believe me?
Look at Spurs. Our wage bill is at least £80m higher than their one. We spent £70m more than them last summer. They have dropped about £50m net since Poch joined. They are competing.
Look at Dortmund. 2 points off the top of the league with 3 games to go. They might not win, but they have found a way to make the league competitive. They’ve been to a Champions League final. They have won things.
Look at Ajax. They have been out in the cold for years. But, as Bamford from the comments said, they are the most exciting sporting story in the world right now. Accident? No way. It was a concerted effort from a group of their old boys to get back to the top of world football. There was a vision, a plan, and the energy to follow it through.
I have written about this many times before… Arsenal’s main issue is we’re not prepared to be honest about who we are as a club. We are never going to be City, we’re never going to be Bayern, we can only be Arsenal.
That means we are constrained by the realities of business. Which, if you’re totally fair, look pretty good for us. I repeat… our wage bill is about £80m higher than Spurs. We are through the worst of the stadium debt and can spend what we make. Sponsorships keep rising for reasons not related to performance. We have an outrageous net spend over the past 5 years, 3rd highest in the league. We have a bigger net spend than Madrid since 2010!
Our wage bill is 4.8x larger than Ajax. Mesut Ozil would represent 40% of their TOTAL wage bill alone. Don’t tell me we can’t play nice football and compete at the highest level.
What we don’t have is a vision. I think we expected better from Emery. Outside the bland football, across most statistics, he’s tanking. This data from @ShivWhorra is compelling if you don’t believe your eyes. Note that he’s not comparing us to last season alone, because ONE DATA POINT IS NOT HOW YOU ANALYSE. Wenger had largely the same crop of players, and if anything, Emery has a better squad after the great additions of Sven last summer (RIP brother).
I decided to take a look at Emery’s first season in charge in comparison for the last few years. All the data here is publically available through https://t.co/lfNHyt1kp0. It took me 15 minutes, you can check it for yourself. #thread #arsenal #coyg
— Shiv Whorra (@shivwhorra) April 30, 2019
Factor in that we’re the most clinical team in the league, with facts pointing out that we’re worse defensively, our points total will not be much of an improvement over ten years of data, our xG league position has us as a midtable team. When the luck runs out, which it will (it has), what are we falling back on? There are no visible foundations that have been set in a year (bar being more competitive against bigger teams). Pelligrini has had a rough year, but you can see what’s going on there. Chelsea have had an even rougher year, but you can see what the manager is trying to do, what are we doing?
You can say all of this doesn’t matter if we make CL next season, and you’d be right on the surface. This is a game of realities not xG hypotheticals. If he makes the CL, he’s done his job. However, a correction is looming, and even if we make the Promised Land (which I genuinely think we have a good chance of), I would say it’s still the beginning of the end. Reality always catches you in the end… a bit like the trophies Wenger won papering over the shit show he was presiding over.
The players are leaking to the press. Matt Law wrote a damning piece where other players are chastising their teammate’s selection. Hugely disrespectful, but when it all comes at the same time, it’s hard to doubt there’s an agreement in the squad that they’re not enjoying what’s going on.
So, where is the light?
Arsenal are going to bring in a technical director. We know that’s on the cards. There is no way Raul is going to do a Ralph Rangnick and take the rebuild on himself this summer. We will be hiring someone and I suspect it’ll be to great fanfare like the Sven signing.
A technical director is important for many reasons. Firstly, they set the tone for the future of the club. They are the visionary film producers of football. They know what they want to make, and they bring in the people to make it happen (anyone that tells me producers aren’t important in the comments land a ban).
What I doubt will happen is anything drastic when they arrive. As many of us have experienced when we’re young, you take a big job and make big changes too soon, everyone hates you and you struggle to recover.
The new man is going to come in and assess what the fuck is going on at Arsenal. One of the things Emery has going for him is the whole club is a burning mess, there’s no way they’ll do anything drastic to his contract until there’s an understanding of what the plan is. Sometimes you have to let things break, that way, people beg you to fix it. Fix before and you’ll have doubters and moaners. Make them grateful for implementing your agenda.
For me, this new technical director needs to be grounded in reality. He can’t be an exBarca exec. They’ve lived the life of luxury. I read a great book called Principles by Ray Dalio, brilliant if you run anything, a very process oriented look at how he built the Bridgewater hedge fund. Anyway, in his book, there’s a loose comment where he’s like… ‘oh man, everyone needs an AI guy in their office’… errr… not in the real-world my friend.
That was always my fear with Raul. He’s never slummed it with an Elneny in his life. If we get a TD from Barca, and they’re like, ‘oh man, let’s get a Neymar in here’, things aren’t going to work.
We need to have someone who can assess the club for what it is. Bottom of the elite in terms of financial power, but built in the GREATEST CITY EVER, incredible training facilities, massive stadium, ability to play great football, and a wonderful heritage of winning things.
I will say this a thousand times. Our best way back to the top is to set an exciting vision of how the game should be played, i.e. Wengerball 2.0… then get the best young players, coaches and visionaries in the game to make it happen.
That’s what Ajax has done, that’s what Dortmund do, like it or love it, that’s what Spurs has done. To a lesser extent, that is exactly what the RB franchise has done (3rd in the league this year).
‘But who would manage Arsenal?’ is such a pony fucking response. Who wouldn’t! Ok, so maybe we’re not prime meat for Allegri. But why would we sign a coach that is in the top 3 in the world if we can’t offer him a reality he needs to succeed (big money / ready-made players / Champions League in season 1)?
We need someone capable of building a squad, someone who can develop players, a person with a point to prove, and a candidate with something a little special about the way they think. There are a lot of great coaches in the game, there are good options everywhere, we just have to be smart about where we look. It doesn’t have to be a big name at Arsenal. Poch came from Southampton, a massive risk for Spurs. Monchengladbach have just hired Marco Rose from Salzburg. Dortmund have been brought to greater heights by Favre. RB hired in Nagelsmann. Rennes just won the French cup with Julien Stéphan (38) and he’s been great for them in the league.
This simple approach works for the club as well. Tell Josh and Stan that we’re going to hire in a young coach with elite ideas for £2m a year and give him two hires of his own, we’re going to hire the scrappiest Chief Scout in the game that finds diamonds (RIP SVEN MISS U), we’re going to play the best brand of football in the world, we’re going to do it with young hungry players who we’ll heavily bonus, and we’re going to build out a backroom of elite coaches so if the manager tanks, we don’t lose ten people and get a massive bill.
If this works, we push into the Champions League and compete again. If it doesn’t, at least we have a squad of young players that didn’t cost a lot, but will likely still be in the top 6. We could also sell on players for massive money and build from there like Liverpool has done.
It won’t be an instant success, but if the club is honest and open with the fans, who wouldn’t buy into this sort of plan?
This technical director role is so unbelievably important. They will have their ear to the ground, they will make impartial decisions about the club, and most importantly, the brain we hire in will be the vision for the club for the next ten years.
Get it right and we’re on the way again after a sputtery start to the post-Wenger era.
Fuck it up, and we’ll slide into mediocrity and become an Everton like irrelevance.
All on you Raul, all on you. x
Gaya ideal for me, quality player.
Rambo last game at the Emirates this weekend. Sad in many ways but needed
Hopefully the team will take inspiration from him, and put forth a killer performance. Send him off on the right foot- being at home.
I think we will win both games coming up.
TR7
Disagree with that take which was being pushed by pundits last night too, I just thought that Ajax were in cruise control after HT and never really pushed on for the 2nd barring the Neres chance which he should have buried.
Wasn’t Spurs dominating or penning them back, they were just happy to sit back and absorb pressure as Spurs looked pretty devoid of creativity. Besides the odd hopeful long range punt and a cross or two, what did Spurs even create for all their supposed domination?
Ajax murdered them in the 1st half and looked spectacular doing it.
May be heretical but I’d absolutely love to have Heung-min Son. Just an incredible wide forward that’d make us so much more dangerous. A shame he plays for the scum and is in his prime.
“Why not just bring Reiss Nelson back?”
Nelson is not a striker.
Nelson has scored 7 goals from 20 shots, which means he has either been extremely fortunate, or he is destined to be the greatest player the game has ever seen.
I know what I would put my money on.
That’s a firm no on Giroud for me he’s absolutely wank these days and it took us long enough to rid ourselves of him and now we bring him back? Fuck that
Dissenter
Because Joelinton can dribble, pass, create chances for himself, hold the ball up and play with his back to goal.
He’s miles better than Nelson, as Nagelsmann seems to concur.
Guy’s a baller Sal.
Guedes too, been money the last couple of months.
WE — Any love for Tagliafico? Talk about selling clubs…
For wide players, sign Ryan Fraser and bring Reiss Nelson back as his understudy
15 million should be enough for Ryan Fraser since he has only one year left on his contract.
I’ve got that niggling feeling that Ajax are going to be punished for not scoring a second, early goal in Amsterdam and it will get nervy. Oddly the seem to play better away.
Hope i’m wrong as they possess everything that makes it the beautiful game, taking out two titanic lions of the competition along the way. Would be a disgrace for Spurs to shithouse there way thru.
gambon/Wenger eagle
We have two strikers already. One has to go to make Joelington work.
If we decide to keep both strikers, then signing Ryan Fraser and having Reiss Nelson deputize wouldn’t be so bad.
DA
Yeah but Ajax will want fuck you money for him and are already having a fire-sale with VDS saying that they’re not selling everyone ala Monaco which is the smart approach alright.
De Jong is gone to Barca and I expect Neres, Ziyech and Van Beek to follow suit they should hold onto the rest for next season.
De Ligt is 19 and their captain, can see him staying there another year unless Barca or Real grow restless.
Wheres the bar graph?
Wouldn’t be mad on Fraser now truth be told, he’s had a top season though tbf to the lad.
WE
Spurs couldn’t create chances because they were missing Son and Kane. But balance of play was definitely in their favor especially in 2nd half. Ajax dominated the first half due to 2 massive tactical mistakes from Poch – he went with a back 3 formation and he didn’t start Sissokho. The game changed as he switched back to a back 4 formation and brought Sissokho on.
Oddly the seem to play better away.
I keep hearing that but people seem to not factor in how bad Spurs have been away from home. They’ve lost 10 away this season and only have the one victory away from home against Dortmund in Europe. Conceded 9 away in Europe. It’s going to be tough for them
Actually fancy Liverpool to pull off the upset tonight although I’ll be rooting against the Bin Dippers.
If they can limit Messi’s impact then Barca could really struggle to open them up and their backline will be bricking it at the thought of Mane galloping away into oceans of space on the counter attack.
Coutinho needs to have a big game, shouldn’t need motivating in the slightest either.
Messi vs VVD tonight
If we decide to keep both strikers, then signing Ryan Fraser and having Reiss Nelson deputize wouldn’t be so bad.
It wouldn’t be great either. I don’t think playing the two strikers works and there’s still a significant lack of balance and dribbling ability and pace to our attack. Fraser alone doesn’t address this and Nelson absolutely doesn’t address this either
TR7
I honestly just think that Ajax were happy to ease off and defend what they had waiting for Spurs to overly commit themselves and hit on the break.
Spurs really didn’t create anything so there wasn’t a need to change tact. Sissoko did play well and should have started but he was more industrious than inventive in CM.
Kane and Son are their cutting edge, not sure how that translates to them lacking the ability to open Ajax up given their three most creative players in Eriksen, Moura and Dele Alli were all playing.
How do you stop Leo Messi?
It will be interesting watching Liverpool try where others have failed.
How do you stop Leo Messi?
__________
Tell him he is playing for Argentina… *Bada BIng*
That was for you Red.
Ajax had their away goal and were just happy to sit back to play on the counter.
They took their foot off the accelerator in the second half while Spuds huffed and puffed.
Fraser doesn’t dribble and we need a dribbler out wide.
Liverpool have 3 [Mane, Salah, Shaqiri], Citeh have 4 [Sane, Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez], Chelsea have 4 [Hazard, Willian, Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi], Spurs have 2 [Moura, Son].
I hope Chelsea’s ban isn’t lifted or temporarily shifted.
Keep them out of this window.
Messi is the GOAT in my eyes but he’s been neutralised and even rendered anonymous a good few times before. David Luiz did it for PSG in 2017 in their 4-0 defeat which for me was Messi’s worst ever individual performance, he was actually one of Barca’s worst players that day. Roma managed it last season, Juventus in 2017 home and away, Atletico Madrid in the CL in previous years, Chelsea back when. It’s pretty rare that it happens but there is precedent. Although it’s almost never at the Camp Nou so there’s that. He’s having a crazy good season… Read more »
The winner of Pool-Barca tie wins the CL for me.
Remember that crazy Chelsea vs Barca tie in 09 or 10 with last gasp away goal from Iniesta to seal it with all the Chav players bum rushing Scandi ref at the end.
Drog and Terry in tears.
That was pleasurable.
TR7
Its written if Ajax make final they win it. Don’t mess with the big man behind the moon pulling the strings.
Sal
Crazy how it can boil down to a particular goal but that goal was Pep’s big coming out party, Iniesta doesn’t laser that in and who knows how Pep’s story would have looked at Barcelona.
Same for Mourinho with Costinha’s equaliser vs United.
Eerie similarities between the two in fact, both stoppage time away goals to nick the tie on away goals.
In the CL vs English opposition which obviously is the media ecca of football in Europe.
media mecca
I feel like I’m in a strange position of having to root for Barca.. haven’t liked them for ages. I don’t like Suarez… And I definitely haven’t liked Shakira’s boyfriend poncing about. But I think it goes deeper then that .. While I can appreciate what they did for the game.. perfecting the tiki taka style because they had the players to do it. With Messi being unbelievable. And Iniesta. I think it ruined the overall game in general as teams tried to emulate their style including Arsenal. I much prefer a more direct pacy style and counterattacking football then… Read more »
WE
Agree that was the moment, football beat anti footie with Pep at the helm on his way to world dominance.
Loved the post today. Am sure most supporters could get behind that ‘vision’.
Not blaming Emery but his appointment has always felt very much like a stop gap.
Bring in an inspirational new coach, DoF and fu*king go for it!
With you Midwest…hope Messi comes up with another masterclass. Have a feeling Liverpool might take them over two legs though.
Mesut Ozil speaking to Sky Sports about his contract with Arsenal
“‘Yes absolutely,’ he replied when asked if he will be at Arsenal next season.
“I have two years left on my contract. I don’t know about after that but yes, absolutely. I’m 30 now and I’ve still got two years in front of me and what happens after that I don’t know myself”
This guy will extend his London vacation
If it helps Mid, the game looks to have gone back to that. Powerful athletes and direct, aggressive front-foot football is back on the menu with Real Madrid’s CL success in recent years and Germany/France’s WC wins.
We’ll never see a side like 2008-2012 Barcelona ever again. Best footballing side I’ll see i my lifetime and an incredible watch.
I wonder if further action will be taken against the Spud’s re the Vertonghen injury last night?
I didn’t see the match but from what I’ve read surely there must have been signs that he was not fit to continue.
An Ajax – Barca final would be my preference, I can then route for the under dog without the worry of knowing you’d have Scouse fans and the media going on forever about a win.
Barcelona of 2010/11 were the best footballing side I’ve ever seen, technically from a different planet and would just overwhelm teams with forward pressure and dominating the ball.
But Jupp’s 2012/13 Bayern side were the most destructive force I’ve seen, literally obliterated everyone in their path in the CL up until the Final where Dortmund gave them a good game.
Would have loved to have seen 2011 Barcelona vs 2013 Bayern Munich.
Eagle _ Yes… and I’m enjoying football more.. I would even go so far as to say Barca created the Jose Mourinho’s of the world who figured out that the way to stop Barca style teams is park the bus and nick a goal. Anti- football at times. And to some extent you could say Simeone too.. And I for one am glad the world football is going back to something resembling the football I grew up with. I have always been more RM then Barca although it helps to have the majority of the best players in the world… Read more »
Ajax-Barca Final with City nabbing the PL and we can all breathe for another year.
WE
With you on that one.
Breathe, sleep and dream.
Great post Pedro and some great comments, “Spurs got lucky with Poch” being one. Another comment about having the most money reminded me of Johann Cruyf who once said he had never seen a bag of money score a goal. Smart beats flash every time just look at MUFC to see where loads of money can get you when it is the only thing those in charge understand. I like the ambition of your vision, does the club have the patience to play a long game? If such a vision were shared with the fans how many would opt for… Read more »
sal
Live the dream!
Funny that Mid, even when they were nabbing all of our best players I was always Barcelona over Real Madrid primarily because I prefer Messi to Ronaldo but also because I respected the fact that the nucleus of their side was homegrown with Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Valdes, Pedro, Pique to an extent, Puyol while Real Madrid were the exact opposite and were reliant on endless resources on superstars to keep competitive. Times are fast changing though, Barcelona haven’t produced a quality player since Sergi Roberto which is an age ago now and they’ve gone the way of Real Madrid… Read more »
No Hendo or Firmino w/ Gomez in for Terrence Trent Arnold. Keita and Milner in w/ Fabinho pinning the MF.
Interesting Jurgen.. 442?
“Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil insists he is happy at the club and wants to stay at the Emirates next season.”
“WE ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY”
(Yeah, right… lol)
Counter-attacking side, Firmino’s not the fastest so I can see the logic in beefing up the midfield to stifle Barca with Mane and Salah being the runners to break with.
Klopp really rates Gomez, raved about him in the CL knockouts last season.
No surprise to see Vidal start over Arthur either, guy’s an animal in the middle of the park and will give anyone a tough battle in there while Arthur is more of a ball player.
It’s going to be tough for Barca, they really need to start strong and nick the 1st goal.
Here’s the problem with Ryan Fraser.
At the moment our rivals have all the best wide players
Salah
Mane
Sane
Sterling
Hazard
Son
And if we sign Fraser, our rivals still have all the best wide players.
We can’t be out there signing half decent players. We need 1 or 2 players that any team in the PL would take.
Ryan Fraser would be a Danny Ings, Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley type of signing.
Not really a fan of 442.. I suppose it could be a diamond. But 442 was so popular for so long virtually every player knows how to break it down without even thinking about it.
March 16th 2017…
Pedro/Peter
“The French league is 3 teams and the rest are kind of pony.”
A couple of days ago you said it was a one horse race just to discredit Emery lol
Red, 6 of the last 7 years have gone to PSG.
Who was managing when the richest team in the world shit the bed?
Oh…
PSG won the season before Emery with 96 points, he droped 86 in his first season.
If Tuchel wins his remaining game, PSG will have amassed 96 points, in a rebuild year.
Ligue 1 is a one horse race, usually with 2-3 ok teams… but no one can compete with PSG unless Emery is at the wheel
Sad day for paulinho,RR,Bam etc
Ramsey’s Arsenal career over!!
Heart genuinely goes out to them and my hope is they don’t take it too hard on themselves.
What would people like to see between Barça vs Dippers?
I hope a truly painful rogering is on the cards for the scouse mongers.
Messi to run riot!
I’m not about to be an Emery apologist but can we give Jardim a little credit please? Christ.
FFS Dan.
Jardim and Campos have sauce no doubt.
But Emery lost it away from home that season, as the ever vigilant Marko let me know it was 5 road losses. . That a good season but he still bottled it.
Let’s compromise and say he underperformed. Jardim with an all-timer, respect the legend.
RIP Aaron.
Fitting that he ended it injured
FIT-ting? Rude.
Dan, I love Jardim.
Don’t mention his name around Redtruth.
I think Klopp just wants to go for as many away goals as possible.
He’s going to do zonal marking on Messi
It just makes me mad thinking we could have had Klopp at Arsenal.
gambon
“Ryan Fraser would be a Danny Ings, Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley type of signing.”
I bet you were saying the same thing when Liverpool signed Andrew Robertson from relegated Hull city.
Just because a player is coming from a lower club doesn’t mean they can’t mix it with the best when they get their chance.
Ryan Fraser has had an excellent season playing for a smaller club.
Chelsea have already made a formal move for him, if you believe the tabloids.
Falcao reminding us he’s still alive.
Wonder what Jardim’s dossier said for his Gazidis and Raul interview.
We could have had Messi at Arsenal too according to Wenger soooo…. Lol I try not to get mad at all the what if’s, otherwise .. I’d just be mad all the time.
Pedro.
You are back bouncing and with the same old, same old story. Just wait, everything is coming up roses. No problem, all that the Club needs is to be run properly.
Mate, that was always the case. And all that has changed since is that Wenger has gone.
So who do we blame now for our fearful state? Why the new manager, of course.
Well, here’s a an idea worth considering, don’t you think. Could the owner be at fault, maybe? Perish the thought, it’s always the manager.
Dissenter
gambon
”I bet you were saying the same thing when Liverpool signed Andrew Robertson from relegated Hull city.”
He’s just as influential if not more than Alexander-Arnold on the other side but for some reason people go cuckoo over Arnold.
Up and down the flank all match and puts in plenty of quality crosses.
One of the best posts I’ve read on here Pedro. My biggest gripe with this season is the lack of improvement in our players. One of the big narratives with Wenger was the atrocious coaching staff not improving players – or even making them worse. That still seems to be happening. Who has improved this season from last, really? Anyone? We are still lacking elite coaches who are capable of improving players. That needs to be addressed ASAP
Ishola
I have ever seen a better cross of the ball without stopping to pick the pass.
Liverpool have made a killing from making key signings from relegated clubs- Wijnaldum, Robertson and Shaquiri in the past three seasons. .
When I mention that we do the same, people here just scoff at that notion
Why are gooners so grandiosely deluded?
As much as I am sad to see Ramsey go, has he ever made it through a season both in form and uninjured. Or even made it through a season uninjured?
Who was managing when the richest team in the world shit the bed? Pedro you continue to show such disregard to the job Jardim done at Monaco and such a lack of objectivity when you talk about PSG shitting the bed when a once in a generation Monaco team won the league. It’s actually embarrassing irrespective of PSG and Emery shitting the bed or any of that bollox you spout Monaco themselves accumulated 95 points in the league and scored 107 goals none of that had anything to do with Emery or PSG. And yet you would have people believe… Read more »
April 1st 2017 Coupe de la Ligue Final:
Monaco 1 PSG 4
April 26th 2017 Coupe de France Semi-Final:
PSG 5 Monaco 0
Lol lol
Wonder what Jardim’s dossier said for his Gazidis and Raul interview.
He wasn’t interviewed. Blame Ivan for only interviewing Emery Arteta and Vieira
Wonderful start to the game, quality football from both sides
Emery is the beast
Dissenter
You don’t see the difference between a 22 year old LB and a 26 year old attacker?
Just feel Barca don’t have the pace to counter effectively. Would love to see Dembele get some time.
Emery is the beast
If getting whooped by midtable plodders makes him a beast then we agree on something at last
Salah has the beating of the Barca full back
Really good match so far.
Salah looking a better Messi at the mo’
This is one of the best matches ive seen in a while.
Jardin was not available when Gazidis interviewed people for the job. He left Monaco after the season had already started.
Unreal level of football being played here
Makes you shake your head on how far behind we are getting close to either team
Makes you shake your head on how far behind we are getting close to either team
You must be livid with the last few years
Salah another forward that is seen as one of the best that is top at dribbling with pace as well.
Arsenal need to find this sort of striker.
Nice… Suarez throwing it in the face of the Pool fans.. cuz he is classy like that.
It took Klopp 2.5 years to build this team.
No reason we can’t do the same.
Just takes ambition, expertise and efficiency.
Get in
Suarez turned over Matip
Virgil should have spotted the run
Just takes ambition, expertise and efficiency.
And time mate.
Ishola
‘Salah another forward that is seen as one of the best that is top at dribbling with pace as well.Arsenal need to find this sort of striker.’
Ox could have been that player.