The final hurrah of Nacho Monreal sadly will NOT be scoring a 32-yard screamer against Spurs tomorrow. The Spanish left back will instead be heading back to sunnier climes, choosing Real Sociedad to see out his career.
I think I speak for most Arsenal fans… no… ALL Arsenal fans, even you @BREXITGOONER1 (my dad), when I say: Bit of an odd one, this.
We’re banking on Kola learning how to defend, and we’re putting a lot of chips on Tierney 1) Adapting to the league like VVD 2) Breezing past his fitness challenges of the last year.
Still, it is what it is. Nacho is getting on a bit and his hamstrings and body parts will all be a touch more brittle than in the past. I’d imagine he’s at that age when you grunt when you pick up a slipper and he’s at that age when the slipper is probably his. He’s also probably wearing those slippers to the newspaper shop as well. Age is a bitch, but damn, we’ll do it in M&S levels of comfort.
I get the logic behind not having 3 left backs as well, we can’t keep pumping money into the ether. I just thought that if anyone set a great example for professionalism at the club, it was Nacho. He never let us down. He was a true warrior. He was an excellent player.
I remember about 5 years ago, Arsenal let a bunch of us interview him. His English was a bit broken and he was asked a question about what he thought we needed.
‘Someone who can score more than 20 goals a season regularly’, then his agent whispered something to him and he backtracked as hard as his words would allow. We went off the record so as not to cause a stir. But today, I’m causing a stir because Giroud is at Chelsea and who really cares this far out?
Manchester United drew with Southampton today. A great start to a big weekend for Arsenal. Only thing that’s bothering me there is that OGS is going to end up getting sacked before Christmas if he doesn’t pick things up a little. Would love him to have the whole season. Give him a chance, Ed.
The news coming out of the Spurs camp is delightful. Poch is unhappy. His team is disrupted. He has four players angling for an exit, names like Aurier, Eriksen, Vertonghen and Toby. Their squad is finally picking up injuries, there should be no Ndombele, Dier or right back tomorrow. The press were asking if he’d leave this week.
Spurs are there for the taking.
My hope is that Emery can avoid being timid in this game. I don’t want to see us lined up with a deep block on the edge of our box. I don’t want to see us persisting with playing out the back if it looks like Spurs have that sussed. I don’t want us playing for a quick counter-attack at home.
We have the tools in our squad to play to win. Spurs are in a bit of a hole, if we gift them too much respect, we’ll make it hard for ourselves. When confidence is shaken, strike hard and strike first. Test their collective resolve.
I talk like Spurs are totally shite, chances are they’ll turn up because of the magnitude of the game. I just hope we’re positive. Emery plays with too much fear and indecision in big games. I hope that’s just Liverpool jitters… because the fans are not going to gift him a 50/50 split on tomorrow regardless of what he does tactically. It’s a must-win against a team that finished 1 point ahead of us last season.
Win this, and we’re telling the league that we’re here for the top 3 this year, lose, and you’ll start to worry if Emery has the beans to push the squad forward this season.
Our underlying stats have been poor this season. You only have to take a cursory looks across the numbers sites to see that we’re not in great shape. This from Statsbomb.
‘It’s well known that shot rates tend to increase as matches progress, so even when you see a 30-plus shot beatdown, most of the time, the shots get racked up in the second half. And that’s true here. Only four times in 2018-19 did a team reach the half time point having allowed 15 or more shots.’
That number above is quite staggering to read when you’re setting up to stifle attempts at your goal. Add to that, Arsenal has turned the ball over in their own half more than any other team in the league, and you can see a problem brewing. I say brewing because Liverp0ol was a particularly bad execution of what could be passed off as a new strategy against a new rule (I am reaching so badly for the Emeryista here).
A pal in my ArsenalMensSupport chat groups pointed out, Arsenal’s lack of expenditure at the back this summer points to a club not taking defence particularly seriously. The statistics early on this season point, mapped against last, point to a manager not capable of creating a defensive structure that can serve an elite team.
I don’t know what the exact solve is, but my amateur thoughts have led me to this:
- Be less predictable. If you play out the back every time, you make it easy to set up against. Being dedicated to an idea is commendable, but if it’s not working, mix things up. It shouldn’t take 80mins for a keeper to go long once. Even mix up the variety of how you do it. You can play from the back and have a more vertical approach.
- Do it faster. If you are slow and methodical at moving it out the back, you let teams reset, which again, makes it easy to play against you.
- Stop playing staff that are prone to being targeted. Xhaka is well known to be awful when put under pressure. Stop playing him.
Let’s see what Emery has in store tomorrow. He’s a tactically flexible coach, he needs to think a little deeper about what he wants from his defence this year. Hopefully, there’s a simple solution he can adopt.
In other news, Elneny is off to Turkey. Nice guy, about as useful to the squad as a motivational bus driver. Mustafi did not leave, an absolutely disgraceful indictment on his passion for the game. I really hope Emery doesn’t start using him. Keep him frozen out. Mesut Ozil also didn’t leave, he’ll be a bit part this season until he moves on to DC. Say what you will about the German, he’s at least useful.
Finally, listen to our pre-Spurs pod.
Rubber hands Leno, what’s wrong with him
Xhaka is the dumbest fucking cunt I’ve ever seen in my life
Xhaka what a twat.
Joke of a team
Stupid foul by Lacazette
Seriously, relegate Xhaka to the reserves tonight. Unbelievable.
Now is over
What was Xhaka doing there
Here we go again
Xhaka has to go
Gung ho tippi tappy.
Fucking hell
An Xhaka .. does what Xhaka does.. of course.
Agreed Un, the idea was right but just mishit. The game will settle hopefully and give us more time on the ball.
Keep wondering why Xhaka isn’t out the door
Charlie defend Xhaka again.
Xhaka is XHAKA
WAITER go to the kitchen
Fuck this shit. Should’ce just go no nonsense instead of being cute risky pass from the back.
Fuck Emery fuck you for still trusting Xhaka bith are indefensible.
Sokratis is lost on the right side of a pair
Different player entirely
WTF is Xhaka again. Why Emery still play him…
Long hard season ahead
Fucking sell Xhara before tomorrow’s EU TW deadline.
Fuck off.
I was saying it all along
Xhaka has to go
Not even gonna watch the rest. Got better stuff to do. Absolute embarrassing shit.
Lol Xhaka cunt.
Yeah, but Xhaka is integral to the way we play.
Rubbish !!!
Xhaka strikes again ffs
Naive tippi tappy.
Xhaka with a braindead moment but I didnt’t feel sorry for Wenger and I won’t for Emery because of the relentless persistence with him.
2-0. There you go on a plate for Spurs. Well done Arsenal.
xhaka. If you can’t see it, you shouldn’t be in football.
Last game for the Swiss or I’m Emery out.
Why did he dive in like that in the box???
Emery chose to play Xhaka so this is on him
Would Klopp but up with so many terrible players
My sons B day is ruined
Emery master tactician and experienced selection manager of players.
Lolz. Let’s hope this is the last we see of Emery and his £200m forwards.
Xhaka. Lolz.
See you guys in 2020.
We have to get one back before the break
We have to get one back before the break
Laca isn’t a good game
Xhaka cannot change
What’s the point of having Xhaka????
Pathetic from Xhaka.
Guendouzi shouldn’t have played such a tight pass in that area either.
Xhaka – the first name on Emery’s team sheet
Xhaka is the dumbest fucking cvnt I’ve ever seen in my life.
Agreed. Them long passes though. LOL!
Emery has to go and today
Ceballos, Willock and Nelson need in
We need James maddison and Youri tielemans of Leicsiter thats 150 mil next summer.
My sons B day is ruined
Fucking hell this hurt me a bit.
Xhaka the Wanka diving like a lunatic and costing the team.
Who could have seen this coming?
Anybody with a braincell.
Xhaka too late to go. But Spanish Waiter has been an obstinate ARSEHOLE.
Period
Sell the whole fucking squad. Burn it to the ground and start the fuck over.
Xhaka again nearly countered.
FFS Kane is 10 and 10. That’s it then I’d imagine, I can’t see us pulling 3 back. Nice one Xhaka.
How many fucking times do we have to see xhaka on the fucking pitch. How many times does that cunt screw us over ffs. Emery out. 100000000 percent Emery out. I think most of us realised 3 years ago xhaka was an average player at best.
This is why I never got in board with ALP or PAL shite.
It’s all too rushed when they play. They lack quality in terms of cohesion so we need to play at a contrived high pace to for them to be effective high up the pitch.
As a team we look a mess as a result. Rushed and stodgy. Horrible combination.
They could and should be 4 up
That’s the dumbest challenge you’ll see in 2019, what a twat.
But we get what we ask for, we’re fucking garbage defensively and in panic mode the second a team is 30 yards from goal.
Fuck off
I just dont understand the constant support for Xhaka. He always comes straight back into the team as soon as he’s fit. usually plays 90 minutes etc. I just dont see ANYTHING in Xhaka. Nothing. I fucking hate the guy and any manager that uses him.
Xhaka almost cost us again
That was fucking dumb
I just knew the second was gonna be a give away
Just like last week
Welcome to emery’s arsenal
Fuck off
Pepe a very expensive Kaba Diawara.
The midfield is non-functional, even I could tell before the game started. Emery is clueless.
Should have kept Monreal and sold off Kola.
What a useless player. His crossing is atrocious
Not as if Unai doesn’t have options, yet persists w/ Xhaka.
If it wasn’t for Leno it would have been a massacre by now.
Emery has to go because he somehow likes Xhaka. Especially that now he has Guen, Torreira and Ceballos.
Xhakhalamity!!
Someone said earlier don’t let Xhaka near today. Absolutely shit!!!
Get him off now and call this game his last for arsenal in the premier league
Emery.
Last season’s deficiencies are starting to show again. So many players have to go..
Xhaka not disappointing again and again
Poor all game and some here supported Xhaka selection whilst those of us voicing concerns were labelled Wengerites.
So will Ceballos start the 2nd half?
fucking amateur hour
How many times have we got to see this shit from Xhaka.
Absolutely retarded challenge in the area.
As said before no sympathy for Emery when he keeps picking Xhaka
Xhaka is one of the 4 Horseman of the apocalypse.. Fuck it might as well bring in Mustafi,Ozil and Miki now and reunite the Axis of Evil.
If I see Ozil come in the game Ill turn the TV off fuck!
Xhaka, that thick cunt, is once again conceding a goal. In this case a penalty.
He really doesn’t kniw How or when to tackle.
When can we sell him???
Go on then, Spuds.
Smash in a few more goals.
Hopefully this shuts up likes of Receding Buttcrack.
Dreary gormless cvnts.
Yet Emery keeps fucking playing him. Sorry, Emery out tomorrow. Not good enough. Different personnel yet defence is still shit. Mikhi and xhaka and ozil still in the team. Emery out
Emery is a clown cunt. This season there are no excuses.
Xhaka, Torreira and Lacazette. three players in their prime ages that should have been sold this summer.
Xhaka needs to be subbed.
He’s lost it in this match
Take Laca off and bring in Ceballos
Spuds are that good. We can still win the game.
…if we don’t go three down by half time.
Spurs are gonna shut up shop now
The front 3 had better pull their socks up
We’ve been here god knows how many times with sours down the years? We can do this
Xakha has to come off.
Luiz has better play it safe
No more diving in
Sokratis and Leno been shaky
How on earth a manager plays with a back 4 and 3 DMs and yet his team looks porous as a sieve.
Emery caught on camera stroking his droopy turkey chin thing out of concern. Cue the memes.
The midfield is non exsisting.
Emery will still roll out with Xhaka game after game and that big dope will be one of the reasons he’ll be out of a job.
Sokratis and Leno right off the boil
A Spurs mate of mine just texted me saying they could still lose this!
Not sure what this manager sees in playing Xhaka and Guendouzi.
Emery looks a defeated man on the touchline
I blame Emery 100 percent. Most of us don’t get paid a couple of million a year to manage a team. Yet most of us could see how shit xhaka is. He costs us at least 15 points a season. Fucking joke. Fuck off Emery
I agree, Laca needs off,,, has done not much the entire game.
Move Auba centrally and put on Nelson and Ceballos to suppirt
Luis at least release the fucking ball quickly
Rest of the pack plays as if we were 2 up
Auba is the man I’m telling you.
PAL vs MOM
The battle of good vs evil!!!
As soon as a good deed is done, it is catastrophically brought down by the mighty evil genius of MOM!
Lacazette has been dogshit as well.
First attempt on target on 43 minutes.
What was Torreira doing at the rebound? Should that not be a striker there.
XHaka. Twat. The ball was already gone though. pen?
He loses at home to spurs and he’s not going to get let off the hook
Not this time
Yea the whole PAL or APL thing is horrible at the moment simply because it leaves Auba on the wings and he’s no good to us there. Laca has been disappointing today and the less said about Xhaka, the better
I still can’t believe Xhaka made that challenge
How could he?
What on earth was he thinking?
Does he even engage his forebrain?
How the fuck was it not a yellow??