I’m fine with the result.
Arsenal weren’t humiliated.
We put up a fight for the most part.
There were hints of a game plan.
We were a threat on the counter.
It’s weak sauce that my standards are that low this season, but I think the manager has some mitigating factors to lean back on. Namely, he had a disrupted preseason, we have a lot of new players bedding in, and I’m not convinced that he’s ever going to be a big game manager.
The strategy was negative. We didn’t set-up with an attacking vision in mind. We played Xhaka. Nacho started. We didn’t play a supreme brand of football, and we mostly took our chances from long balls. We tried to play out the back again.
The reality is this: We’re not good enough to be beating the European champions.
I think this game, like our two starting games last season, came too early for us to make an impact.
The manager is a militant pragmatist and we set up that way. I’m not quite sure why there’s a clamouring for Arsenal to head to one of fiercest teams in the world and go toe-to-toe with them. That was the way of Wenger. We’d have been sliced apart if we’d gone there guns blazing.
Another reality check. We conceded 18 shots against Burnley. We conceded 8 against Newcastle. Emery does not have an answer to defence in general, let alone a Liverpool one. The set up was to be expected, and I don’t think we’ll be the best team to play that way against them this season.
I thought we were better than usual with our deep build. Luiz made us more interesting, we were a touch faster moving out of tricky/self-imposed situations, we moved more long balls than we have done in the first two games. The slow build still wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t a disaster.
Pépé showed signs of brilliance that leads me to believe he could be a truly electric player for us. He’s James Rodriguez levels of left-footedness, but the way he shuffles the ball between his feet is outrageous. On a better day, he’s scoring twice and we’re causing Liverpool a real headache.
Willock looked powerful. He always looks like he’s about to fall over, but his drive and aggression tells me he’s ready for the top of the game. He’s a first-team player, no doubt. I think when he matures, he could be a 15 goal a season player. He is very quick and I reckon he’s watched some Freddie videos over the last few years.
Add Tierney and Bellerin, and we’re looking more deadly. Get LT in that midfield; playing at his best, and we’re a faster more mobile side. His late striker felt like a statement goal. He can’t be a pussy this season, Milan is a pipe dream, Arsenal is where it’s at. He needs to wrestle a starting spot, I thought his new haircut was sharp, I thought his quick passing added something when he arrived late in the game.
David Luiz has made three errors in 2 games. His presence is better for the defence, he’s imposing, he’s better on the ball than the rest of them, but he needs to start bringing a little more composure to his game. Steaming in on Salah and totally missing is embarrassing. The shirt pull for the penalty was about as subtle as a pair of Hector Bellerin silk trousers. We should be expecting more from him, and I’m confident that’ll come.
That’s a lie. I’m not confident it’ll come. I’m worried that we have a manager who is very poor at organising defences and Luiz has moved from the comfort of a pragmatic system, to the insane asylum with Kevin Keegan’s defensive protege.
Auba went missing a touch for me, he’s not quite elite levels against big teams. That said, it was a beast of a game and he was trying to outsmart VVD. 3 months down the line, maybe the game is different? Pepe seemed to always be the last man with the long balls. We’re three games in and I’m still not convinced that this one-dimensional system of Emery’s is going to make us a chance creation machine, but we’ll see.
Worth mentioning that no one is complaining Ozil was left out of the squad? We lost and I still don’t care or wonder what could have been.
Reality is we’re a proper manager away from being a serious outfit, but really, you’re stretching if you think the result was the way it was because we didn’t go guns blazing.
I think it’d be a fair argument to say that tactically, even for a pragmatist, it seemed like we’d not thought much beyond a deep block and long balls. Liverpool had 25 attempts at our goal. So we really did sit back and let things happen to us.
Things have to get better, we have to see an improvement to the underlying structure of the team both in attack and defence. We must make top 4.
No excuses for Emery.
That said…
It’s so amusing reading the folk who had no opinion on the intricacies of elite football when Wenger was failing, all of a sudden find a critical voice. Now they all understand football structure, elite performance and the power of a decentralized hierarchy.
All the things that weren’t real when the main man was in charge.
If you were blind for ten years when it was outrageously clear what the problems were; losing to the European champions can’t be the spark that gives you permission to have fire opinions on current Arsenal issues.
AKB wokeness is a thing and the hypocrisy is stunning to watch.
Yesterday was a defeat worth taking seriously. There were some nice bits that could help us push away from Chelsea and United, but we really have to make something count against Spurs next week. It needs to be more of a game and we can’t be sitting on our goal line in a home game.
Let’s see what the rebound looks like.
Huge game, but we’re more than capable of doing something special. Let me know YOUR comments in the… comments.
x
We never took our chances then they took us apart move on to spurs
Ozil Miki and Xhaka should never play for us again unless we are playing fodder at home or in UEFA
Pedro will emery drop Luiz when Holding is fit ?
Ok then first and last time ever
Fifth is where it’s at under Unai.Didn’t you get the memo??! 🙂
Mr Serge
Thinks it’s a bigger chance of Sok getting dropped.
The wait was worth it for Pedros post this time, a voice of reason at last.
Except the “we’re a proper manager away from being a serious outfit” part but that’s to be expected at this point.
We’re far more than that away from competing on a level playing field with Pool and City.
Then again,maybe sixth.My point still stands. 🙂
‘That was the way of Wenger. We’d have been sliced apart if we’d gone there guns blazing.’
Well we were sliced apart anyway.
I am trying to figure out why, for someone as skillful as Ceballos, delivered such a bad performance.
He is new to the team and he lacked chemistry with his teammates. He was confused by the manager’s tactics. He may also have to get used to EPL’s physical play.
In any case, I still prefer him to Ozil. He won’t hide. He worked harder. He needs game time to bed in with the team.
Man City were not even good today compared to what they can be capable of.
Bournemouth gave them plenty of scares.
Man City can notch up EPL wins in their sleep.
Someone who knows about the history of the Club should be conducting interviews, someone like me.
Red too has turned against Emery, ominous signs for the Spaniard.
Red… you’re turning against Emery?
Pedro, I am flabbergasted that you saw something positive in that gormfest. Our plan was let them have the ball and hope that we can nick it on the counter-attack. Yes Pepe missed some chances but so did they. In fact we were lucky that it was only 3-1 in the end. As predicted Emery reverted to type in a big game: overcooking a tactical plan, using Xhaka as a midfield lynchpin where his lack of mobility was exposed, dropping Lacazette in favour of Aubameyang who did his usual disappearing act in a big game (a flat track bully if… Read more »
Freddie really? think sok is decent although DL is a better passer Son is a better out and out defender
Freddie Ljungberg – agree with your comment. I was pleasantly surprised by Pedro post today because it not all doom and gloom but ‘proper manager’ sentence was dumb. I honestly have no idea why everyone hates Emery, he doing decent job with players he has to work with. If Arsenal hired Pep and Klopp to work as combo, they would not be doing substantialy better than Emery with our current squad. I think a lot of other top managers would not touch Arsenal job with ten foot pole at moment because we still need to do a lot of rebuilding.… Read more »
Valentin,
We had two avg full backs. An unsettled side. We gifted them two goals through errors. We missed some great chances.
It wasn’t great, but be real, it wasn’t the worst it could have been.
Low standards, sure, but I am a realist on Emery, he’s utter garbage. A good showing for him.
I don’t really believe in Emery either, he is a step up from Wenger but below what we need to progress to the top table
JWL, you have no idea about a lot of things.
The ‘no other manager would touch us’ is a myth. Same as the ‘no good players would come to Arsenal.’
Nelson
“He was confused by the manager’s tactics”
Probably was.
When was the last time you think Ceballos was involved with a team that employed a deep block and hit balls over the top occasionally? Coming from Real Madrid.
He’ll be okay though because there will be plenty of games for him like the Burnley match and not many team set-ups like the Liverpool away match.
Jwl Wenger did not retire mate he was booted 5 years too late but he was booted
I find that Xhaka’s lack of defensive awareness hurts the team even more. He’ll react to the play if the opponent is charging at him. If the play happens from the left or from the right, he can be ball watching and the play will pass him by.
Also JWL managers in the world would jump at managing us there is only 4 I would say would not and one of them is Poch for obvious reasons
Pedro
Christ 3 games in and your expectations are at your ankles 😂
All managers i meant to say bar 4 that we would consider
This ‘no manager will touch Arsenal with a barge pole’ thing really irritates me. Very similar to ‘nobody can do a better job at Arsenal than Arsene under the circumstances’.
Nelson
“I find that Xhaka’s lack of defensive awareness hurts the team even more”
Of course.
DLP innit.
Four years of it.
Pedro ‘Emery, he’s utter garbage.’ This is total hyperbole. Is he an elite manager? No. Will he win us the title? No. Is he a good manager and one of the best options we could have gone for during a ridiculously large transition, I would say so. What JWL said is not wrong either, as of summer 2018 when Emery arrived he was likely the best we could have done. Think about, an absolute disgrace of a squad, no infrastructure at the club, a £60 Million budget and a track record of laughable transfer ability. That picture has changed now,… Read more »
Wow stokes is an incredible cricketer what mentality to carry the whole team. Wish we had a player with that level of supreme mind power
Serge
If we’re going to play out from the back, which we should, I think he’ll go with Luiz and Holding eventually, far more comfortable on the ball than Sok. It’s just for the season anyway then Luiz will hopefully get sidelined by Saliba, and maybe we’ll even get someone like Upamecano in as well. We’ll see.
Low standards, sure, but I am a realist on Emery, he’s utter garbage. A good showing for him.
—————
Lol
“Worth mentioning that no one is complaining Ozil was left out of the squad? We lost and I still don’t care or wonder what could have been.” I’m complaining. To have Mikhi on the bench and Ozil out entirely was ridiculous. To start Xhaka over Torreira was ridiculous. To use an unfamiliar formation was ridiculous. To start our new signing over our best striker in a game of this magnitude was ridiculous. To not introduce our best striker earlier was ridiculous. Everything about the game yesterday was ridiculous. Effin Soton played them better than we did. But hey, it’s Emery’s… Read more »
Pedro, We had average fullbacks, but the goal came from the centre of midfield. None of them had a great game, but none of them had a bad game either. First goal, we needlessly conceded a corner from which they score. Second goal is a stupid move by Luiz because we did not close down their midfield. The last goal was us getting on the counter-attack and with Luiz already on a yellow, nobody to commit the necessary tactical fouls. Like you said low standard. I have a mediocre opinion of Emery, but still I expected more from him. At… Read more »
Pedro – I think most top managers would not be interested in Arsenal job at moment if they have other job offers as well. In a couple years when we back to having balanced squad, than I can see us being much more attractive. What manager wants to take over squad with no wingers, no fullbacks, no one to dribble and a bunch of listless players prone to costly errors? Mr Serge – I was being generous to Wenger, he retired/quit before he was publicly fired. And I don’t believe top managers would be keen to manage Arsenal at moment… Read more »
Some people confuse big name manager and good manager.
There is a lot of decent, tactically astute managers who have never been given their chance at a big club.
Look at what happen in Germany where clubs gave them their chance, suddenly a raft of new managers emerged.
Same in France where the old guard is getting put to pasture. Some of the new managers are making unfancied clubs successful whole still playing attractive football.
Valentin
I would say your opinion of Emery is less than mediocre. The perception seems to be that you cannot wait to criticise him at every turn.
JWL, Arsenal is a hugely attractive proposition. Lots of talented young players, a club record buy, a board that’s now investing and a sleeping giant of world football.
What you think about the job is irrelevant, because it’s not reality. You think any manager in the history of the game turns down a job because he doesn’t like how well the wingers are stocked?
We are attractive for players, execs, backroom staff and managers. It’s not even a point of debate.
Valentin, we need a manager with charisma and big ideas.
Emery doesn’t have either.
JWL After this summer I think more managers might be interested in us. The problem last summer wasn’t just a combination of the disgrace of a squad and low budget, it was also that Arsenal were regarded as a bit of a joke int he transfer market by most clubs. Any manager would probably think they will spend all summer waiting on players to then have one reasonably high value type buy arrive that doesn’t touch the issues of the squad. Any manager knows that we have Sanllehi, Edu, Venaktesham, Fahmy etc pulling the strings and Josh Kroenke talking in… Read more »
Forget Arsenal for one second, I have just witnessed one of the greatest ever sporting days.
Ben Stokes you are a hero.
I love Sport!
Sissoko a beast winning the ball in midfield early on.
One of the greatest innings in test match history.
Good post full of hope? I thought we were mostly shite and yes, if we’d taken those chances, perhaps things could have been different but if mother had bollocks, she would be my father etc.
Wenger was for the purists. Ride or die!
Emery is a bizarre creature. I can’t see anything in one full season and two pre seasons that make me think we have a plan.
I can’t see us past fifth or sixth. Apart from the top four/five who we’ll get well beaten by, I can see a few others really giving us grief.
We really need to add power and energy to our midfield. Watch the situation with players like Sangare, Partey, Zakaria etc.
Big, powerful, pacey and lots of energy.
Chris,
I think that Emery is not a bad or terrible coach, just a mediocre coach and manager who has been promoted over his level of competence.
The worst is that he knows it and never fancies his chance against better team. He is so deferential toward them, it is painful to see for an Arsenal fan.
I am not talking about deluded sense of belief, but if you don’t believe that you can get something from the game, then that translate to the players who won’t believe in you.
That defensive, don’t be humiliated approach is self defeating.
Graham
What a Test! How he managed the strike with Leach was incredible.
All to play for now.
Cesc Appeal – I agree, Arsenal much more attractive job now then it was last summer. I have no doubt good managers will be applying for Arsenal job in year or two when Emery leaves but Spaniard has steady the ship and now we can move forward. I just think people are going overboard when they say Emery is incompetent and any other manager would be doing much better job.
lol booking Winks.
What does he actually do.
Mop up or what.
The Strasbourg v Rennes games has some ballers in midfield.
Cavaminga for Rennes and Bellegarde for Strasbourg.
Bellegarde was available for a cheap price this summer.
Harry Winks. Harry Winks.
You what?
Valentin
“The Strasbourg v Rennes games has some ballers in midfield.”
Not another baller Valentin.
We want power.
Saint Maxim off already.
Could have been a threat.
Looks a bit of a tubby fucker.
Valentin Emery has beaten Man Utd, Spurs and Chelsea at home and last season Liverpool were pushed all the way. On the basis of yesterday I wouldn’t blame any coach for being cautious against this Liverpool side at Anfield. Better teams than us have been ripped to shreds there. Okay so the game plan didn’t work out but I think the quality Liverpool possess would have forced the outcome their way anyway. This is by no means a defence of Emery as I am not attached to him at all, but I do feel some of the criticism he receives… Read more »
Ishola,
Both clubs have 6 foot ballers.
Foot Skills of ballerina, but upper body strength of movers.
JWL I agree. Some of the criticism is way over the top. Ultimately I think Emery has done reasonably well, not great, in very difficult circumstances. I feel confident about the future of the club. Also have to say, my scrutiny of him will go up in November when Holding, Bellerin and Tierney are all in the team and players like Pepe should be settled and up to speed. Take Liverpool’s full backs away and look at them, Emery will not have had a single full back at his disposal for about 10 months by the time Bellerin is fit.… Read more »
Looks like Wolves have been done by the Ropey League curse, just as Burnley were last season.
Those smaller squads just can’t cope with playing 2 games per week starting in August or earlier.
There were hints of a game plan. A shit game plan but definitely hints.
Spurs wide open and I mean wide open.
Saved by Lloris but had two Newcastle players unmarked waiting for the cross.
Wide open
Wenger got a statue.?
Stokes should get 2
Unbelievable knock.
Chris,
Criticism is par for any manager.
Same thing with a referee, when he does his job properly nobody noticed him.
Unless a tactical master piece is what won the game, most of the time after a victory fans will talk about the players or the piece of skills that won the game. The manager will just not be discussed.
When we won against Burnley, all the good point were about Ceballos. Nothing was said about Emery.
VAR may reverse it
Good finish by Joelinton
Gooollll!
Wide open
Toon 1-0
Sanchez is shite.
Utter shite.
Lovely take for Joelinton
Sanchez has been a train wreck for ages now.
Top post from Pedders today.
Yes Emery is a decent manager but he is not the one to take us toe to toe against Klopp and Pep.
Could sense that Klopp was confident inside but couldn’t say the same for Emery.
Would need to upgrade irrespective of the position we finish this season.
Ishola
If Sanches is otter shite, then your standards must be exceedingly high.
Why do spuds dive so freaking much
Dissenter
You are talking nonsense again. It’s like you just look for an argument for the sake of it.
He has been making individual errors now since middle of last season.
wtf was that from him today for the Newcastle goal. Completely out of position yet again.
What do you find impressive about him? His physical athletic build?
Valentin That’s fair enough and I agree, as long as criticism is true and constructive. For example you yourself said that Emery is submissive toward top opponents, yet we defeated 3 of them at home in the league and ran another close last season. A defeat at Anfield against that Liverpool team, not too much energy should be expended going over why. If we are not beating say Brighton away next Feb/Mar with same conservative tactics in a futile race for top four than I will be on top of him in criticism as anyone else. Point is, 3 games… Read more »
His positional sense sucks.
Sucks hard.
High tempo entertaining game this
I’m not quite sure why there’s a clamouring for Arsenal to head to one of fiercest teams in the world and go toe-to-toe with them.
I’m not either but apparently you do that if you have a philosophy.
It’s so amusing reading the folk who had no opinion on the intricacies of elite football when Wenger was failing, all of a sudden find a critical voice.
Fucking A Pedro
ishola
Sanches is a very competent defender…a very good defender.
You seem to exist in some utopian world where defenders never make mistakes.
One could argue that pass that beat Sanches was measured so well, Sanches could do little to stop it…. but of course you had to say he was UTTER SHITE.
Definitely cinks in the Spurs armor
Good level headed post Pedro. I was wondering which way it would go. On yesterdays game we could have been in an amazing position if pepe scores with his one on one and the lob that went past the post. Dont get me wrong winning would have been a miracle, the bindippers haven’t lost at home in over two years. And we haven’t won up there in 8-9 years. But there was a lot of good to take from the game. Pepe does look a live wire, we did defend well in certain parts of the game. Yesterday.was the first… Read more »
From Spurs point of view, keep Vertonghen and Alderweirald is more important than keeping Erikson. Spurs defense not so solid without the duo.
Spurs’s defense does not look as assured it used to.
Unless Vertonghen and Aldewereild are renewing , they will have a complete rebuilding Jon on their hand next summer.
Rebuilding job on their hand.
‘Low standards, sure, but I am a realist on Emery, he’s utter garbage. A good showing for him.’
Well if you think Emery is UTTER GARBAGE, then say it like you mean it.
EMERY IS UTTER GARBAGE!!!
We couldn’t go toe to toe yet still hammered 3 with 25 shots, we really should have gone toe to toe. Last match hasn’t done a positive thing to our players but has left negative imprints on their minds.
Same people that echoed emery’s criticism as being OTT last season have already started again just 3 matches into this season. Let’s match unto our next game and see what emery dishes out.
All this talk about amazing atmosphere at the new Spuds gaffe.
It’s silent.
From Spurs point of view, keep Vertonghen and Alderweirald is more important than keeping Erikson. Spurs defense not so solid without the duo.
Yeah something’s going on there. Out of the squad for the first two games and now on the bench. Hopefully Sanchez keeps his place for next week
Alderweireld is past his best. Hope they re-sign him. Eriksens value to them increases the moment he isn’t on the field
Vertonghen is Spurs best defender.
Let’s hope Poch continues to keep him out of the picture.
The boy Sanchez doesn’t know what time of day it is with balls over the top.
Even Rose seems to have regressed in last 12 months. He used to be quite a threat in attack, doesn’t look incisive these days.
Watching us playing out from the back yesterday with 3 players over the age of 31 was like having root canal treatment at the dentist but Emery just doesn’t get it, why does he persist with this bollocks tactic? Liverpool playing out from the back reach the half way line in about 5 seconds where as we didn’t cross the half way line at all until nearly the 7th minute.
Worst Arsenal manager ever.
‘Beat the spuds next week, and this loss will be forgotten about.’
Until we get beat by Leicester, Palace and Everton when it really matters.
Should have been Torriera sitting at the base of a central 3 with Ceb and Willock and laca up front with auba and Pepe flanking.
You can’t go up against the best wingers and fullbacks in the country and play narrow. It’s absurd.
With Pepe and Auba sitting up
Level with Robertson and the RB, they would be less bolder in charging forward.
I really don’t know why arsenal can’t play for an away away draw. Baffles me.
Monaco blow a 2 goal lead, no wins this season and a red card in every of their games this season. What exactly has happened to Jardim over there?
Valentin, Karim? What’s going on with them
Until we get beat by Leicester, Palace and Everton when it really matters.
I fancy our chances more with no koscielny, mustafi and Xhaka in the side to screw it up.
Genrlebris
It’s a long old season, everyone will get beat by someone at some point
jwlAugust 25, 2019 16:30:21 Pedro – I think most top managers would not be interested in Arsenal job at moment if they have other job offers as well. In a couple years when we back to having balanced squad, than I can see us being much more attractive. What manager wants to take over squad with no wingers, no fullbacks, no one to dribble and a bunch of listless players prone to costly errors? ——- I totally disagree with this statement. Arsenal is a great club,with huge upside potential.Given the location(London), the facilities,the infrastructure, the docile fans, and our legacy.… Read more »
Hope Newcastle can finish this job.
It eases the pressure.
I don’t want to be fighting for top 4 while being 6th ten games into the season.
TR7
August 25, 2019 16:21:06
This ‘no manager will touch Arsenal with a barge pole’ thing really irritates me. Very similar to ‘nobody can do a better job at Arsenal than Arsene under the circumstances’.
… also very similar to “we cant attract the best players anymore” and oddly enough… arguably the best young wide player in the world decided to join us? 😀
Same as their game against Villa, just get the feeling that inevitably Spurs will turn it around.
The team lacks character. They were told by everyone including their coach that they were going to sufferat Anfield and they played like that. The midfield is where we are weakest in my mind, We need a physical player in that midfield whose name is not Granit Xhaka. Granite in name only. We also need a new specialist defensive coach to add to the backroom staff.
Let’s put it this way, I won’t be renewing Emery’s contract if he puts in one more dèjà vu performance against Liverpool……