Oh COME ON, I have to shake out of this. YOU have to shake out of this. We have to pull through this together.
It’s just football. It doesn’t matter what the others do. We’re not going to be the obsessed bitter ex from down the road.
Arsenal head to the MIGHTY Valencia tonight. The Spaniards ripped 5 goals in a single half at the weekend against a team that sounds like a dodgy shot of tequila, Huesca.
We really shouldn’t have that much of a problem against the Spaniards this evening, the problem is we’ve been ugly on the road and we unfortunately don’t have the team metronome that was Aaron Ramsey.
Now we’ve fucked the business end of the season there’s no reason we can’t play all of our players, unless there’s some mega redzoning going on on. Tonight, we must play our best hand which should at the very least be enough to stay level for the first half.
We don’t need to be the protagonists this evening, we simply need to keep a clean sheet. All we need to do is replicate our GIANT performance in Napoli and we’re in.
Thinking back to that last game, it’s quite amazing how across both legs we stuck to a game plan… if anything, it was all a bit boring in the second leg.
I LIKE BORING
I’ll take boring, like the slow drawl of Alan Shearer reading the back of a cereal packet, or putting furniture together with a Spurs ‘nearly did it’ highlight reel lightly buzzing the background. I don’t need exciting. We just need the final, then we can truly go for it.
After the last two games we’ve watched in the Champions League, it’s hard to take anything for granted. These stats by the BBC make for grim reading if you’re a fatalist today.
- No team has lost the first leg of a Uefa Cup/Europa League semi-final by two or more goals and gone through since Espanyol did it against Club Brugge in 1988.
- In total, five of the previous 28 teams to lose the first leg of a Uefa Cup/Europa League semi-final by two or more goals have ended up progressing.
- Including finals, Arsenal manager Unai Emery has won his past 18 Europa League knockout ties, last being eliminated from the competition in the 2011-12 semi-finals -with Valencia.
- Arsenal have never lost a European tie in which they won the first leg by two or more goals, progressing from all 27 previously.
So many records there to be broken.
Unai is talking about the trophy like you’d talk about an unsightly frocked beast in an old pub in the suburbs back in the day…
“It’s an attractive title and it’s getting more attractive,”
Yes it is Unai, after 5 pints of Ye Olde Battering, the Europa is looking like a young Kate Moss right now. He needs the trophy, the fans need the final, we all need a little whisky chaser of something to get us through the potential horror show gearing up in June.
“I first competed for this title when it was still the Uefa Cup and was a lesser title than it is now.
“It has grown and I have seen that shift. Giving teams a Champions League place through the Europa League is a fair reward and it’s a title they all want to win.
“It’s an important title for those teams not in the Champions League – and for some who drop into it as a second chance, like Valencia did this season.”
I think if there’s any critique about Unai this season, it’s that he chased personal glory of being the Europa mega title holder over just doing what was sensible in the league. We know he loves this cup, we know he wants to be the most titled guy in history… just like Wenger wanted to beat Alex Fergurson for tenure.
Well, now we’re in a space where this isn’t a bonus, it is an absolute MUST.
No Champions League is a disaster for our finances, but it’s also a disaster for his reputation with the fans. We didn’t just drop out of contention, we plunged out of the sky with all 4 engines on fire against weaker opposition.
This is his way out for most fans… again, it’s a single data point of glory, as a single point of data it’s positive but clouds little… but it’d certainly plaster over the doom of the reality and it’d make whatever goes on with ***** a little easier to digest.
The final is on a platter. Are we going to be greedy and eat directly from it like some sort of dirty wilding, or will the team have public buffet fear like me and my siblings because of years of being hounded by our father for being fat c*nts if we took from the tray? Let’s hope not. Buffet PTSD isn’t cool and I’ll chuck myself out of a window if we lose this tonight.
Excuse me? That is a horrible thing to say. You’d miss me if I were dead.
BIG GAME, let’s see you ALL in the comments.
x
Marko, let’s not flat earth soft tissue injuries. This blog was the leading voice in injury prevention pre-Shad. Most muscle injuries are seen as preventable by the experts, hamstrings absolutely.
Pedro, I still am. And I’ve explained why, I just think the arguments being used against him don’t stand up, are very deliberately unfair and extremely ott. But I still think he’s a good coach a nice guy who tries hard, I just don’t think he has that X factor or special sauce that Klopp and Poch do have. I’m not disputing both Klopp and Poch haven’t done amazing jobs, they have, I’m just disputing the metrics being used against Emery and above all the oy fair argument would be to give Emery the same time and money net or… Read more »
Pedro Sure, he should have rotated with elneny! On the hamstring injuries being preventable bit, sure they are, if you sit in the sidelines and do nothing. Here is a little snippet on hamstring injuries: “Why is it common in football? Hamstring strains are common in football due to the nature of the game, which requires players to rapidly change pace at frequent intervals during a match. Most hamstring issues occur when players are sprinting – an activity which sees more tension present in the muscles.” So maybe we should just wrap him in cotton wool and mail in the… Read more »
let’s not flat earth soft tissue injuries
I’m just asking if you’re trying to blame Aaron Ramsey’s injury on Emery mate
Sid, Emery pulled the Ramsey contract in Septemeber and tried to sell him in January. He wanted him gone. He broke him in a little over half a season. … and yes, cotton wool is the approach you use. Have you ever met anyone in high performance football? Have you ever spoken to anyone who works in football? Are you telling me things based on your feelings about something you haven’t investigate. My guess after seeing that quote is yes. Marko, the management of players workload is on Emery. If they are fatigued, that is on him. It’s not a… Read more »
Pedro just so I’m clear you are in fact blaming Emery for Ramsey getting injured correct?
Benny: “and I don’t like the way CC goes at everyone in his patronising know it all way. I don’t like people like that and I will always stand up to them.“ Also Benny: “No it isn’t because Emery has only had 1 season whereas Klopp’s had 4 and Poch 5.It’s not that difficult to understand is it?” “I’ve completely proved you wrong and outwitted you with your own arguments. It’s all there for everyone to see.” “Everyone here can go through what you’ve written and what I’ve written in response and see my arguments are 100% sound and factual… Read more »
“Sid, Emery pulled the Ramsey contract in Septemeber and tried to sell him in January. He wanted him gone. He broke him in a little over half a season.” I know better than to ask you for any scintilla of evidence about these loaded accusations. Maybe he didn’t play Ramsey because his head wasn’t right after the collapse of the contract. It’s plausible that the player was pissed off…and rightly so. He broke him? … by giving him match-time? People went crazy when Emery played Everton with Guen and El-chicken-neny. He was trying to rest Rasmey. He is damned when… Read more »
Also, also Benny:
*hears sound of tongue on glass*
Pedro?
We have seen enough of Ramsey now to all admit that he is and injury prone player.
I’m sure he won’t have to play as much in Juventus since they have a nice pool of central midfielders. He was our go-to guy this season.
Had Ramsey been fit we would have qualified in the top-4 very easily. That’s how important he was.
Dissenter, expose my sources and evidence to a man who can’t accept the literal facts on Emery?
Really?
I could take you space and you’d still be telling me the earth was flat.
Marko?
Dissenter, he was dropped out of the squad in September when emery decided he didn’t like him.
Europa boy. Facts.
Pedro are you blaming Ramsey’s injury on Emery?
Absolutely. Emery mismanaged Ramsey’s fitness.
“I love the idea that Emery’s relevant body of work as a manager isn’t what someone should look at when considering him as a manager for the task at Arsenal.” And “I don’t recall many fans buzzing at getting top four, same outcome as winning the EL….” CC , you do realize winning the EL carries about 40m in prize money don’t you. I mean for someone to bemoan letting Ramsey walk away on a free the way you have, to shrug off 40 m plus bonus is quite rich. Also, I would argue that Emery’s body of work was… Read more »
I sleep with Megan fox
Fact.
This GOT season is not a damp squib
Fact
Sky is green
Fact
Apparently all it takes in this day and age is to write ‘fact’ next to something to turn it into one.
Chitom
Not the premise being argued though was it?
Did we celebrate merely attaining CL football under Wenger? No. Because ambitions went beyond that, the sort that Emery’s body of work shows no signs of achieving.
So you think Emery was hired because of his EL penchant? Ok, well I look forward to him winning it for us, meeting his requirement, then being replaced by someone capable of making us competitive again in the league. Glad we agree
Chitom,
I’m not sure Raul, Sven and Ivan sat around watching the greatest presentation on earth looking for the manager to go one game further in the Europa League.
They hired a coach to improve us. Across every metric, he has us in worse shape (Bar EL).
Did the pundits expect that?
No CC you’re the one who’s tied in knots.
Valencia has probably 1/10th the budget of arsenal.
We aren’t in the same league.
Valenica isn’t buying aubu , laca or paying ozil 300 k a week or wasting 35 m on xhaka and mustafi.
We are in a completely different league to them and emery will get a lot more resources at arsenal than he ever did there
And when he did have resources he every trophy at PSG bar the one league when Monaco had a 95 point season.
We are not Valencia. We are the fucking Arsenal
Pedro.
When other managers are spending our total spend on one player (vvD etc) then yes I would give him another TW and funds. But then I can also see the shit show wenger left us in. Can Kroenke?
But you’re right why look at Klopp’s 500m. Emery spent 70m and may win just as many trophies in his first season as Klopp has in 4 years at Liverpool( if they both win cup finals).
Joe
Again, cheers for the insight. So we’re not like Valencia, but let’s use Emery’s time at PSG to bolster his credentials for what he’ll deliver at Arsenal?
Because Arsenal and PSG have all the similarities, all of them.
Joe, so the way you’d assess a manager is literally look at a good manager, see what they spent and give it to them?
And the only way you assess performance is trophies?
Pedro that is a ridiculous thing to say frankly embarrassing in fact. Here is a link to Ramsey’s injury history. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aaron-ramsey/verletzungen/spieler/50057 Has you can see he’s had 14 muscular injuries while at Arsenal 7 hamstring injuries alone accounting for 200+ days. It basically illustrates that surprise surprise Aaron gets a lot of injuries of the muscular variety he’s quite injury prone. A manager can’t be blamed for that. Here is some detailed stats of his game time this season. https://www.transfermarkt.com/aaron-ramsey/leistungsdaten/spieler/50057/saison/2018/plus/1#gesamt In this you will find that he has in fact completed 90 mins once in the league and once in… Read more »
Joe
I’m done for the night but I’ll leave you, and anyone else, with a question that you’ll hopefully answer honestly.
Given the assumption you don’t want Arsenal in the EL the next two seasons, is it fair to say our ambitions aren’t to win the EL over the next three seasons? I’m assuming yes to this.
Ok so here it is…
If you cast aside Emery’s EL wizardry, what’s his defining achievement as a manager that makes you think he’s the guy to take us from B back to A?
Pedro
I’ve agreed that our defence hasn’t improved and that our playing style is suffering, I just don’t agree with the unfactual points others are making that don’t make sense or add up so I’m not really sure what you’re saying.
the sort that Emery’s body of work shows no signs of achieving. After one season no doubt. Klopp’s first full season they finished 4th no sign of being capable of challenging for the title. Let’s be honest it wasn’t until last summer and 160 million that they had some expectations about them. Poch’s first full season 5th obviously no sign of them being capable of mounting any title challenge. My point is that any expectations or perceived ambitions weren’t met in the first season these guys were afforded time. And yet Emery is expected by some to show that he… Read more »
CC,
You’re now saying we can’t use Emery’s previous career achievements as a gauge on future success at Arsenal so considering he’s not been at Arsenal for 1 season what can we use?
Klopp finished 8th in his 1st season at Liverpool minus 8 premier league games and 4th in his first full season so once Emery’s been at Arsenal the same amount of time we can use that yes?
Worth noting as well whoever takes over for Emery will not be expected to show that he is capable of winning major honours in his first season. The assumption is that he’ll be get time to show that capability
Marko, when it comes down to it, your opinions are based on searching the internet for things you think map back to your ill-informed views. I actually speak to people that work in and around elite sport on a regular basis. That’s why the blog is interesting and tracks well with the reality of what’s going on.
Your argument for managing fitness is two links to a public website. If we’re hunting out what is believable, why would anyone side with what you think is ridiculous?
… and that’s why you go in the bin, Joe.
You can’t help yourself, just like Bamford.
CC,
Not really sure what you’re trying to do by quoting my comments that are literally destroying your arguments.
Also if you can hear the sound of your tongue on glass that would explain your inability to grasp how stupid you are and you better get yourself off to the Drs because unless you’re a dog why on earth would you lick a window?
Right, on that note… 9am post.
See you then xx
Benny, you’ll have to tell me which facts you don’t agree with.
This article here is a tough one to argue.
Have a good night.
https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2019/5/8/18536887/xgunners-judge-me-in-may-unai-emery-arsenal-stats-premier-league
Chitom, I’m not sure Raul, Sven and Ivan sat around watching the greatest presentation on earth looking for the manager to go one game further in the Europa League.They hired a coach to improve us. Across every metric, he has us in worse shape (Bar EL).Did the pundits expect that? That one further thingy happens to be a European trophy which most observers rank third most prestigious after League title and CL. Yes , I too am disappointed with the lack of progress across almost all metrics but vis a vis top six, the only difference is Im not scouring… Read more »
What’s Joe said that warrants going in the bin? Citing Klopp spending £500m and that Emery could win 1 trophy inside 1 season vs Klopp winning 1 in 4?
I actually speak to people that work in and around elite sport on a regular basis Isn’t that convenient. Whether what I show is public or not is irelevent it shows mins played days injured whatever. You have from what I can tell nothing to show for your opinion that the manager overplayed Ramsey to the point that he got injured. As for my ill informed views mate you’ve been on the warpath all season long with this agenda driven biased nonsense you’re rarely objective you allow misinformation and the occasional falsehoods be said around here cause it fits in… Read more »
tracks well with the reality of what’s going on.
…
Sporting A
Vorskla A
Blackpool A
Those games mentioned were in October November and January. What relevance does it have to an injury in April?
Up all night on here, don’t you have mail to deliver in a few hours?
Joe binned again
Haha
Joe out
Hahahaha.
Benny
He’s said Pedro has a mangina
Un nai,
Lol! Didn’t see that. In that case fair enough. Abuse the punters but not the landlord.
Watched the game this morning and the extra time and penalties of Chelsea’s game. What a great night for our long suffering away fans to remember. So we have a 50/50 final in Baku. Does that change my thinking about the season? Not at all. It just raises more questions about Emery regarding his many managerial and motivational deficiencies. Emery is going to get a 2nd season, so no point pointing out his short comings in full here; they will be glaringly evident again next season because Emery is only a proven cup team/competition manager – not a competent enough… Read more »
RIP Freddie Star brilliant comedian in his pomp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8dMECjI1B4
This body of work talk is ridiculous Harry Redknapp took spurs to the Champions league quarterfinals In his first season Pochettino didn’t finish in the top four and finished on 64 points. Let me ask what other manager has outperformed Emery at Valencia since he left? Three successive top 3 finishes. Yes his league form at sevilla was bad yet something still got him the PSG job. Everything Pochettino has done at Spurs he has no history of doing, mid table team finishes mid table at Southampton isn’t really a miracle. Nor is mid table side espanyol finishing bottom mid… Read more »
Savouring the fact we have reached a “meaningful” final, for the first time in 13 years.
Thank Christ for Auba and Lacazette.
Fancy us against Chelski in a one off.
If we had played Frankfurt( who deserved to win last night) the pressure would have been on us big time.
Today is about Arsenal FC, not doubts about Emery.
Emery has proven with heavy investment he can win a league title.
The availability of money is the issue not how Emery spends it.
Receding I’m not 11 mate, also I don’t see a EL win as anything more than a bacon saver so apologies for not doing somersaults. I don’t recall many fans buzzing at getting top 4, same outcome as the EL legends trophy. It’s something we desperately need, not what we want. Unless you’ve reimagined our level to match Everton. I’ll continue to aim a touch higher if it’s good all the same. Jesus H Christ Charles, you never aimed higher than 4th and Europa league trophy when Wenger was in charge. in fact I remembered you wanting us to win… Read more »
No matter what it will be deadwood out deadwood in again by the look of the previous purchases.
We saw in this match that Monreal is indeed past his best.
He got caught out on his heels and not aware enough for both Valencia goals.
No great concern going forward as he is gone in the summer but maybe a concern in the final in Baku.
Graham “Savouring the fact we have reached a “meaningful” final, for the first time in 13 years.” last year you was calling it a meaningless trophy , what’s changed.? We also reached a meaningful final last season in which the competition was much harder in Chelsea and Man city… I am of the opinion that it is a great achievement to win any of the 5 trophies so well done to Emery to get us to the final , a performance to enjoy , thanks mainly, as you say Graham to our exceptional strikers that many on here think we… Read more »
Wow great result last night.What a pleasant surprise!!! After so many poor performances recently in EPL who would have expected yesterday’s performance? Aubameyang and Lacazette were brilliant and destroyed Valencia and whatever the outcome this season we need to REBUILD Arsenal around these two players. What I learned from yesterday and the previous games against Napoli is that Arsenal have the potency to win one off games as we have seen all season. We have not only performed well in Europa Cup, but also in games against Chelsea, Spurs and Man Utd. The problem has been all season that we… Read more »
Didn’t some flat liner think that Vardy was better than Auba & Laca? Some absolute pearlers quoted on here….
Lol @ Grovers. Being in the Europa final is great and we should want to win it as its a trophy at the end of the day and thats what being a football team is ultimately about, winning things for your fan base. However lets not pretend that Emery is the man to get us anywhere beyond this…he isn’t. He is a “Cup Specialist” which ironically Wenger became in the end, only difference is that Emery’s special saice is in the Europa while Arsene’s was restricted to domestic cups having not being able to do enough to get beyond the… Read more »
Good game. Glad the doomsday merchants were proved wrong.
Come what may, I’m glad we are in the final. Chelsea next and it’s a fairly 50/50 game with Sarri and Emery both trying to end their first season on a high. If Wenger was at the helm I believe he would have tried for both the 3rd spot and the EL and may have come short on the EL as he was always a man who prioritized the PL, and over playing his team. Emery on the other hand seems to have prioritized the EL especially since he plays mustafi in the league and not in the EL. The… Read more »
A cup specialist who happened to win a league title last season lol
Tony “Let’s face it we played a more direct game last night and Ozil was once again: anonymous, but we are stuck with him.” Yes Ozil was generally quiet during the game ( due to us pumping long balls up to our strikers) , he only touched the ball once in the first 20 minutes. Howevern, there was a marked improvement in our game once Ozil became involved in the game . We controlled the game from the 20 minutes mark thanks to Aubamayang ‘s excellent strike and Ozil’s ability to retain possession and pass to a team mate .… Read more »
We saw in this match that Monreal is indeed past his best
Totally agreed.
Right*not left
ES Your post would be perfect if we had football success orientated owners and senior management who would find a manager to realise their combined vision for the club. We don’t where the current suitors’ visions are either money or agenda (money & power) driven. We have an inconsistent manager who doesn’t learn by his mistakes and over thinks his tactics. As I said before Emery has moments of genius but more periods of mediocrity and error ridden poor judgement with a real lack of man management skills and as a motivator. As both Loyika and I posted Emery is… Read more »
Le grove is probably the only place on the internet space I’ve visited since we got into out first European final since god knows how long that is full of people sneering at a European trophy, one we haven’t won since Alan Smith. Place is a very weird place I’ll give you that filled with people who only care about being right or having a reason to moan….
Well done to Emery and the players, now let’s bring that long awaited European trophy home and relax and watch Liverpool beat the scum
Samesong
“Totally agreed.”
And I agree with this guy for signing at LB. Demote Kolasinac as squad player. But I fear his asking price may just be beyond the reach of Arsenal’s finances with a few other players needed as well.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/unai-emery-should-target-the-andrew-robertson-of-bundesliga-marcel-halstenberg
Oh and if the only trophies you care about are the league and champions league, the you’re probably supporting the wrong club as we don’t have ambitious enough owners and Arsenal fans can’t do jack about it so you better temper your expectations and enjoy what you get, moaning all day on the internet won’t suddenly make the Kroenke family more ambitious with us
“Place is a very weird place I’ll give you that filled with people who only care about being right or having a reason to moan….”
Poster a couple up was obviously a big Wenger fan.
You get this. They accuse others of having an agenda but are transparent in the way they talk themselves.
I mean it’s not like we have some sort of European heritage to talk up really and this is sports, whether it’s Wenger or Emery or Mourinho, as fans, the only thing we care about is winning trophies, the millionaires can sort themselves out
@Batistuta For years myself and many on here mocked the europa league. I’d be a bit of a hypocrit now to suddenly pretend the europa league is something special. It isn’t. So much so, that to jazz it up a bit they allowed teams who fucked up in the CL to participate in the later stages after being booted out CL. So sorry if I’m not doing cartwheels but it’s not a big thing to me. Years of mismanagement from kroenke and wenger have really left me feeling a bit bleurghhh about Arsenal these days. I will always love them,… Read more »
Ishola A good intelligent / fit left back is key to the system Emery plays if he is going to use wingbacks. Kolasinac for me is very inconsistent. His passing is very erratic at times and defensively! Was he even ever taught to defend lol. Anyway I’ll be over the moon if we beat Chelsea in the final or in any sort of competition, even if it’s a friendly. They have always got on my nerves as swarmy fans that think their shit don’t stink. No one not mentioned Loftus Cheek but he can be key for them in the… Read more »
Strikers pulled us out last nght. Midfield were never closing down properly and the amount of times that valencia got in behind our two full backs was far too easy. A bigger concern for me though would be keeper clearances. All the really good sides now play out from the back using their keeper as an extra man. With Cech its just a hopeful hoof down the field. Worse is the fact that because his legs seem to have gone these punts can often be very wayward. If Cheslea have a strength it is that they are strong n the… Read more »
This reserve keeper to start cup competitions was started by Wenger.
Also the multiple captains.
These are a few things Emery can cut but has decided not to thus far.
Reading the blog this morning, feels like we lost?
Tony Sorry I have to disagree. The problem is not the Manager, but the culture that has existed at the club over the last decade. You are not going to teach defenders new tricks if they are not listening to you and are going “guns ho up” the pitch and are constantly out of position. What we have learned this season that Arsenal can occasionally produce a decent result but our squad lacks the consistency and depth to maintain performance in EPL. Incidentally Tony there is a most interesting article in today’s Telegraph by Daniel Schofield which analyses the revolution… Read more »
TYAG how you doing mate?
If we play AMN in the final, Hazard going to rip him apart. We will loose badly if Emery does not focus on our defence.