The Unai Emery rebuild has been drab; a touch like watching builders plaster your walls. Except it never ends. You’re waiting for the paint to go on so you can think about new furniture and all the sexy Ikea artwork you’re going to put up, but it never happens. The plasterer is still pointing out the mold, blaming Arsene Wenger for not looking after the basics from way back when. The Watford showing felt like us revisiting a familiar damp problem that never really went away.
The game was par the course for Emer-enger. We created very little. Our defence was porous. Our midfield couldn’t match up physically and didn’t offer any cover. Our transitions moving forward were fleeting and stingy. There was no leadership on the pitch. There was no style to speak of.
It was very Unai Emery, the ultimate footballing plasterer.
I am trying to offer up more balance to the way I report on him, but it’s tough. As you know, I was highly sceptical of the search and select process. The owners clearly didn’t do their due diligence / the job spec was wildly off. Emery struggled to control egos at PSG, he was painfully pragmatic, had no pedigree for building a defence, and couldn’t speak English in his interview. His hiring was about as rational as a petrol station birthday present run… NOW 47 in a plastic bag type scenes.
That said, I have to be fair, he had an excuse last season. He was picking up the pieces of a legendary manager that had lost his mind. The club lacked a winning culture. The professional footballers he inherited needed tactical education, they needed fitness, and they needed focus.
… he found the cure immediately and we all celebrated it. We went on a 22 game unbeaten run. The real issues came when Emery’s ideas settled and he’d beaten the last of Wengerball out of the squad.
It’s now been over a year. We can’t continue to make those excuses anymore. We have to judge what we see and we have to hold the manager accountable. So far, it’s very hard to excuse what we’re watching. Yesterday was a dark day.
Arsenal has conceded 96 shots so far this season. That’s the most of any club in the top 5 leagues. We shipped 31 shots against a team that was rooted to the bottom of the league. We have NEVER conceded that many shots in a game. Sure, many of those were speculative, but the reality is, no club should feel comfortable enough to rifle off that many attempts at your goal. No midfield should be gifting so much freedom to below-average players.
We created very little moving forward. Emery’s system lacks imagination and the players don’t seem to know what they’re doing. The brilliance of Auba continues to rescue us. That is not a sustainable plan. If it is the plan, then we need to be brutally solid defence so his goals from nothing count for something.
Arsenal were bullied physically. We couldn’t out-fight Watford for the full 90mins. It’s so simple to get at us, just pressure our defence and midfield. We struggle to play out of the back, our transitions are wildly inconsistent, and when things start going wrong there are no leaders on the pitch to drive us out of the mess.
We are still making individual errors. David Luiz had another poor performance, but look, how can you critique him, the midfield in front of him has no shape or structure. They let Watford bypass them all day, how are centre backs supposed to mitigate zero protection? The midfield was either in the backline defending too deep, or nowhere to be seen.
We are an absolute mess at the minute. Emery has picked up this season where he left off. He has better players, but he’s just as confused about the system he wants to play, and he’s totally out of his depth on how to fix our chronic issues. The job is hard, yes. But what top job isn’t? Did we not hire a coach? Did we not hire a master tactician who could outthink the opposition?
The reality is this: Emery lucked out landing the job at Arsenal. He is not top class. He’s an above-average manager – Everton levels at best. He’s a Quique Flores, a Marco Silva, or an Eddie Howe. He is not an innovator, he’s not a charismatic leader, and he’s not the next level we hoped for.
There’s no philosophy behind what he’s doing. There’s no style of play. We’re moving from game to game just trying not to lose. There’s a view that Arsenal fans can’t cope with pragmatism and that anyone of Emery’s mindset would face the same harsh criticism… maybe that’s true, but the reality is we’re suffering all the blandness of a pragmatic manager, but we’re not reaping the any of the rewards. We play 3 holding midfielders and we leak shots and goals. Today, we played a more attacking line-up and played like we had 3 holding midfielders. We are being slapped with stale football with the defensive rewards of a peak Kevin Keegan starting 11.
Allegri might play dry football. Conte might drill his teams in a robotic way. Peak Mourinho was cancer of the eyes… but they answered the critics with progress and results. Their philosophies earned clean-sheets, wins and trophies.
We’re a year into the new manager who has some beliefs.
No one liked the playing out the back thing last year, Emery persisted, then gave up. We’re back to square one again this season and he’s introducing the 2.0 version. It has been a tactical disaster and it cost us 2 points today. He’ll give up on it after a while, I’ve no doubt, because he doesn’t know how to coach this idea to success. Same with the pressing. Where has it gone? We don’t do it. We’re meek. Characterless. It’s so tough to watch.
Take the coaching out of the equation, let’s talk about what it takes to create a high-performance culture. To achieve this, you cannot have a single bad egg in the mix. One average person brings the entire place down. Elite talent is highly sensitive to shite. If they can smell it, and if it’s tolerated, it destroys the whole culture. That’s in the backroom team, that’s in the squad, that’s certainly in the first team.
If we’re truly trying to create a high-performance culture, tell me this, why is Granit Xhaka anywhere near the captaincy? The most important person on the pitch is the most error-prone, the most likely to throw a teammate under the bus, and the most likely to say beta male things in the post-match interviews. He’s even getting sideswiped by our best striker. Auba had this to say.
‘You could say that us attackers could have killed the game off and score a third goal, so I’m not going to say it is someone’s fault. It is a shame to concede goals like we did’
That is as subtly veiled as turning up to a Tinder first date wearing a condom on your face. When your captain and your best player are taking jabs at each other, it’s hard to believe the training camp is in great shape.
Xhaka is a mistake junkie, his skills are unsuited to the Premier League, and he is so far from high performance it aches my soul.
We still have the psychologist at the club that has overseen a cataclysmic decline in mental strength, we still have the motivational bus driver on the bench, the one that was banned for fighting at Palace, we still have all the bad apples at the club that were there last season. We collect average.
Having a good attitude and loving football does not make you elite. We need new ideas, we need an identity, we need someone that can communicate a vision, and see it through.
The start of the season has been bad. Objectively bad. Everyone excused Liverpool, but the warning signs were there. No one paid attention to Burnley having 18 shots because we won, but that was footballing equivalent of hearing rattles in the Utah lowlands (snakes Terry, snakes). We cannot continue to pretend that what Emery is doing is normal or transitional, because it’s just plain fucking bad. We’re struggling in a nice 26-degree heat to a bottom of the table team. If we don’t sort out our problems now, they will be amplified to a far more dangerous level when the cold sets in. This has to be addressed.
We’ve apparently spent next years money on delivering Champions League football, nothing else is more important than making top 4, the consequences for failure are unthinkable.
Over to Unai. See you in the comments. xx
The most important thing when it came to naming Wenger’s successor was someone who will unite the fan base. Emery didn’t do that from day one and it has been downhill from there. Messed up a chance for a third place reason which would have been remarkable then lost the final. This season hasn’t started well. I feel he is fighting a losing battle and it’s gradually dawning on him. It hasn’t been all bad as some will have u believe mind you. Nor do I even see what Mkhi scoring yesterday has to do with anything as he was… Read more »
Sorry but I can’t agree that going long is similar as bad as playing out of the back for this team for several reasons Firstly if you go long and lose it you lose it in the oppositions half with most of your team behind the ball. It’s zero risk. Playing out from the back badly on the other hand is a horrendous risk but what are the rewards? Sometimes we keep the ball at the back for more than 10 seconds then ponderously play it towards the halfway line. Is that a victory of sorts? No Secondly you don’t… Read more »
Luiz – 4 games – 2 penalties
My Chelsea friends are fuckin’ laughing at me FFS.
Worst Arsenal manager ever!
Its clear what the problem is with AMN.
He thinks he’s made it.
Needs a kick up the backside from someone and preferably, as hard as possible.
Over to you Freddie.
Under Wenger we need the Spine
Under Emery we need spine and a captain with Balls and one who is not scared at Watford.
AMN is temporary. He will have a reality check with Bellerin is fit again. He is now without a competition, but that happiness wont last long. Same goes for Klos when Tierney becomes available. But what do we do about our Captain with No balls problem. Emery doesnt believe anyone can displace NoBalls.
Danny
“No no I won’t have it. There’s a guy in Eastbourne”
Sorry, couldn’t resist a bit of Fawlty Towers.
Compared to Emery, Arteta looks like Ferguson.
I know this maybe unpopular but I’ll have Mustafi at RB than that waster, AMN. Move Chambers to partner Sok, bench Xhaka and Guendouzi, then move Luis to midfield with Torreira. Ozil/Ceballos at 10. Matinelli at LW. And our game should be to our players strengths.
We were scared… of the Mighty Watford. With a 2-0 lead.
Fucking lolz.
Under every other coaches Xhaka would not be allowed to wear the armband anymore… how can a professional player can said things like that after a game ??
Graham62
————–
I just saw Cleese in his solo show last week, great stuff!
Where’s the Emeryista’s now?
Its been clear for quite some time Emery wasn’t the next level, even when he was on his opening patch of winning we were chasing most of those games after not getting the starting XI right.
He’s literally moved the needle zero from Wenger, one could argue defensively this side’s gone backwards.
Think Raul impressed us all this summer, curious to see how he handles Emery who looks to of lost most as its become ever apparent he’s out of depth.
Xhaka aka the Monty Python from Switzerland.
Except that he’s NOT funny at all.
@salparsomething : you saw it coming long before everybody, we understand, thanks.
Hmmmmm Half the Axis of Evil … Xhaka and Ozil start and we capitulate a 2 goal lead.. shocker… Not. David Luis is terrible and was worried about that from day 1.. he makes shocking decisions same as he has done his whole career. Expecting a different result is the definition of insane as they say…. At this point it really is on Raul and Edu to figure this mess out .. I would say Emery is drowning … badly as a manager.. has been since end of last season.. and the Europa final… He has learned nothing. Talk of… Read more »
Highbury
Many didn’t buy into what Unai was selling with that the abuse has been thick and fast on here enough to drive some locals out, interestingly a reverse effect of Wenger with many who slung those arrows getting very sensitive toward Unai’s treatment.
Any Chance we sack Emery before the end of this season?
Whatever we say or think is immaterial. However, if Raul, Vinai and Josh are not thinking of getting Emery his P. 45 then we’re in trouble. I don’t know if I was the only one that saw it but it looked like Willock was playing left wing at a stage. He had the ball with a man in the box and simply turned back. Ffs if that was Saka or Martinelli that would have been our breakaway goal no matter how undeserved it is. And the idiat said he removed Ceballos because the weather was hot? Is he an albino?… Read more »
“Any Chance we sack Emery before the end of this season?”
Nope.
*Papering not pampering
“And I saw a shocking stat: Luiz: Chelsea career – 163 games 2 penalties, Arsenal career – 4 games 2 penalties.”
lol
Surely this is our best lineup…at the moment Nelson/Martinelli/Auba…. Auba/Lacazette…. Pepe ……………..Ceballos/ Ozil LT…………………………….Willock/ Matty G Kola…… Papa…… Chambers …… Amn Leno Until we get Tierney and Bellerin and Holding back.. Not sure why Emery wants to make it so complicated. Having both Ceballos and Ozil in … makes no sense.. one or the other .. I prefer Ceballos obviously. and as soon as he took both of them off we had no control over the midfield.. Terrible substitutions. and bad choice of lineup. . Luis has shown he can’t be trusted. Papa not much better but we have no… Read more »
Actually its Chelsea career – 163 games 3 penalties, I know that makes all the difference……
“CC, I can see u trying hard to make Torreira look bad. Guy wasn’t at fault for anythimg. It’s rather surprising Emery doesn’t rate him but Xhaka whom u are trying hard to defend.“ I’m not defending Xhaka, he’s not been noteworthy at all. But I’m bored senseless reading is if he’s the cause of all woe and he’s stealing a spot in the side from someone else. I point to Torreira because the guy has been muck since Jan yet there’s a soft clamouring for him to come in and be this player he’s yet to show himself capable… Read more »
A Watford player once said our players had no cojones, now our captain has confirmed that we were scared of Watford.
Matter put to rest.
Receding
Fair comment.
How do you see things unfolding?
“Surely this is our best lineup…at the moment ”
Personally, I think the problem is biogger than the individual players. I don’t disagree with Midwest’s choices.
But pick any 11 in the same disorganised, spineless, poorly-disciplined, laid-back team and we will get the same results. The biggest problem is the management of the players – not necessairly the individual players (Xhaka excepted !)
Important to note we played Newcastle away with Sok and Chambers and that was the most solid we have been this season. Once Luiz entered the fray it went to shits. In 5 games he’s been directly or indirectly involved in us conceding 5 goals out of 8. Luiz is 32, was shit as a 26year old defender, is even shitter now. Will never understand why Arsenal fans celebrated the signing of this dude. First thing to do, give Xhaka and Luiz breaks. Like 2 months each. Too much bad noise about them. When Holding gets back also give Sok… Read more »
We are the EPL’s top team in defeating ourselves… we throw away points game after game.
Error strewn, mentally fragile and without discipline.
Mesut also need a break.
(sorry…)
(lol)
I am still seeing Luiz at midfield as options. Luiz SHOULD be out of the team. Never should have been signed. And, again, someone needs to get hold of Unai real quick. He’s overthinking and over tacticalizing. Pepe is not a striker and won’t be a striker even though he played there before. How can a coach that loved with now have a very potent wide man and then play him in a front two? What happened to pressing? This diamond midfield is really making me go nuts. Okay 433 godamit!! Unleash these guys. Look at what Fati is doing… Read more »
Play* width* fuck*
That post should have included fuck somewhere so yea, the non inclusion is a typo
CC will you pls stop this nonsense about Xhaka. What else do you expect from Xhaka before you agree with the obvious? Xhaka is a liability from every angle. He can’t defend. He can’t hold the ball under pressure. He is too slow to run back when being countered. He doesn’t have any problem bringing people down inside our box. And now he badmouths our best players and went one level up to say the whole team was scared of Watford. So what else do you want CC? You believe we have to wait until Xhaka appears at the Emirates… Read more »
“Paul Merson highlights Unai Emery’s failure to sense danger at Watford”
Unai even succeed to give sense to an ex alcoholic player’s words …
Gentlebris
What’s nonsense? Enlighten
“until Xhaka appears at the Emirates with gasoline and burn it all down?”
If only he could mostly put gasoline on him…
(sorry, dark humor, couldn’t resist.)
(lol)
@highbury legend
He’d probably fucking miss himself the daft cunt
CC you were obviously making efforts at convincing us that Xhaka is an ok player. That’s high degree nonsense.
“CC you were obviously making efforts at convincing us that Xhaka is an ok player. That’s high degree nonsense.“
I said there’s no shiny player in waiting that’s offering more. If you disagree with that be my guest, but let’s avoid the dismissive crap because you’re armed with an opinion and nothing more.
It’s now agreed among Arsenal fans that Emery has no business being here, good. Let’s see how we move from point A to B on that.
@TYAGN : Ah ah ah, probably.
Otherwise… Dear, oh dear Nicholas :
1 goal, just 1 fucking goal. Is it too much to ask for, I mean, considering your price ?? lol
‘I said there’s no shiny player in waiting that’s offering more. If you disagree with that be my guest, but let’s avoid the dismissive crap because you’re armed with an opinion and nothing more.’
Any player that leaves that Brighton player heading no where alone and choose not to make those CL qualifying three points impossible is for me a ‘shiny player in waiting that’s is offering more’
“Any player that leaves that Brighton player heading no where alone and choose not to make those CL qualifying three points impossible is for me a ‘shiny player in waiting that’s is offering more’“
You think it “impossible” to beat bottom of the table Brighton at home because we gave a pen away to make it 1-1 with 30 mins to play?
Yea that just about does it on the subject for me.
Emery did not prepare the team at halftime for the upcoming onslaught.
The handbags before halftime only added fuel to Watford during halftime.
Id like to be a fly on the wall in that locker room compared to ours…
I wonder what Freddie is thinking this entire time? Must be thinking just a matter of months before he is in charge perhaps
The players were scared!!!!!!!!!
Can’t wait until Haloween
The author of ‘we finished one point behind CL places’ has done a 180 too?
Good, better than hopelessly trying to keep the bullshit going 😁😁😁😁
Xhaka must be dropped and captaincy stripped from him.
Under NO circumstances should a captain tell the press the team was scared, even if it was true.
Captains need to take a lesson in speaking to media…. what they think comes across as honest, can be a disaster PR wise.
After a loss, have the standard lines memorized…
Anyhow, he is too dense to probably understand this point.
Glad to see Sokratis taking the blame but doesnt help anything. Luiz still doing Luiz.
Panic defending or no defending at his finest
The real problem is Ozil.
Impossible not to be scared when you look him in the eyes.
Ozil is always scared. That is a fact.
Hell even Auba was coming back to help defend in the latter stages of the game.
I wished Pepe would have dropped back to help when we were getting run over.
He really needs to get a clue fast.
‘You think it “impossible” to beat bottom of the table Brighton at home because we gave a pen away to make it 1-1 with 30 mins to play?’
We were already doing the job, then your homeboy gave them a goal to level and since the other guys are not robots, Xhaka’s atrocity probably went under their skin and they lost motivation.
Gentlebris
My homeboy? You must be 11. Run along now.
‘Xhaka must be dropped and captaincy stripped from him.’
And you expect a man more horrible at his own job to effect that?
‘My homeboy? You must be 11. Run along now.’
You clueless unreasonable punk, must you always throw insults when your bullshit is being exposed?
Gentlrebris
I expect Raul and Edu to get in Emery ear about Xhaka. Its plain to see. IF there is no response, then it needs to be noted. Emery is on thin ice as it is… with the players at his disposal he should be taking it to other teams, especially the last placed one.
Ive also given him time, before putting judgement on him, but he tinkers too much when not needed and when needed, doesnt do much
‘The real problem is Ozil.
Impossible not to be scared when you look him in the eyes.’
Well, well.
Just that Emery has more of that than Ozil.
Emery sacked yet?
CG was right. Bring him back.
I think after this performance . The priority this window should be selling Xhaka buying Docoure. Overran,overfought, overkilled our midfield on his own.
Gentlebris
I disagree with CC 90% of the time here but on Xhaka, he’s right.
Xhaka may be a slow, brainless wanker, but the alternatives and not better.
Torriera has been average at best since the start of the year and I don’t think starting him would make us any better except the Emery switches to different system.
For all their differences, Wenger and Emery both pick Xhaka when he’s fit… There’s a reason why..
I think the Xhaka experiment is over.
His comments are absurd. His play is turpid
Enough is enough. The team moves better without him. We are faster and better defensively. This has been clearly documented.
‘I expect Raul and Edu to get in Emery ear about Xhaka. Its plain to see. IF there is no response, then it needs to be noted. Emery is on thin ice as it is… with the players at his disposal he should be taking it to other teams, especially the last placed one.’
G of SF,
The only problem is that Raul and Emery are pals. Yes Raul could whisper one or two words in Emery’s ear, but that would lead nowhere unless Josh begins to get heavy on Raul which I don’t see happening any time soon.
What is this weird clamouring for a poster who openly wanted us to lose games?! If you want a windup who has entertainment value then RedTruth is your go to here.
GEntlebris
I think there is more going on behind the scenes. Raul IMO, should be a little worried that his hard work last summer is not paying dividends on the field.
Who is the blame? Who is the one who picks the team and tactics?
Why constantly play from the back, and tinker with other things that are working.
Emery’s shield is slowly cracking… IF we fire him I hope its soon to bleed the new coach in.
Another stupid game like this, and I think the knives will be really out.
Gentlebris
Take a look in the mirror. My “bullshit” is a POV I have of a player and situation, one you disagree with and subsequently coin my “bullshit”.
But I’ll be the one to worry about being unreasonable. As I said, run along, I’ve nothing else to say to you we’ve danced this dance already. You’re one to skip.
Azed,
CC is wrong.
Xhaka is an accident waiting to happen anytime, you can’t say same about Torrey.
Wenger played Xhaka because he’s a manager who put more value on attack and less on defence, Emery plays Xhaka because he doesn’t have a clue himself about what he’s doing.
People say Xhaka shouldn’t be starting not just because of his very limited abilities, but because he’s a time bomb. Out of nowhere Xhaka is very capable of gifting the opponents a final ball or a PK.
About Ozil’s eyes… that was sarcastic humor.
Nevermind… lol
With regard to the midfield , our most effective combination this season was against Burnley. We played 4-2-3-1 , willock and Guendouzi put in very disciplined, effective performances in centre mid and Ceballos was excellent as the CAM. Nelson and Aubameyang were the wide players and Lacazette up top.. This system, used correctly , gives protection to the full backs and central defenders and allows the offensive side of the team to flourish. Strangely enough, since the Burnley game we have not used the 4-2-3-1 formation which is quite surprising. Last season during our unbeaten run, the system we used… Read more »
Talking about Ozil… lol
This season we have seen so many passes in our box that are errant. Ceballos, Guen, Sokratis, Luiz, AMN, Kola Its a major issue. It happens every game. id rather we just hoof these passes down the field if there are no options to pass to, or put under serious pressure. The defense needs to become stable for a few games. When panicky mistakes happen like this, its like a virus that spreads to the rest of the team… we need calm and composed all around… Lets play to our attacking strengths- perhaps that can help relieve the pressure of… Read more »
Axed
The reason Wenger and Emery both picked Xhaka speaks volumes for their understanding of the game.
Xhaka is just not good enough, irrespective of what they may think.
To make him captain and spokesman for the team is a joke.
Remember Mertesacker? Culpable for so many goals and yet our so called leader.
Is Emery really that naive?
After yesterday, it seems so.
Sad day when I agree with Pierre.
Emery should stick to a 4-2-3-1 on offence and 4-4-2 on defence.
‘But I’ll be the one to worry about being unreasonable. As I said, run along, I’ve nothing else to say to you we’ve danced this dance already. You’re one to skip.’
Just shut up CC, you always resort to tosh talking and insults when you have no substance on the subject.
You are notorious for pot scrapping here and if you asked me I would just say you come across every bit a nobody.
So just get out my face pls.
Pierre, though I like that setup, I’m not sure it did much to stem 18 attempts at our goal!
“Just shut up CC, you always resort to tosh talking and insults when you have no substance on the subject.You are notorious for pot scrapping here and if you asked me I would just say you come across every bit a nobody.“ You waltzed in and have chapter and verse about my POV on Xhaka and CM. I told you I’d rather not bother after your ridiculous claim about us having an “impossible” task to defeat Brighton at home following the pen. Still you’re yapping on and have the bollocks to claim I’m stirring? Have a word with yourself you… Read more »
When Bell and Tierney are fit, this should help. Our mids do not all need to push up as high as they do. Both these players can attack and defend better than what we have … im hoping that Holding comes in as well. Seems a cooler head thank both Sok and Luiz Pepe needs to really understand how he can help the team. His spins that lead to nothing. Im getting a little sick of it. HE needs to drive into the box, shoot or lay it off for someone else. And do it fast. He takes a second… Read more »
#WeCareDoYou have to add an additional few lines to their open letter to Mr Kroenke.
“It has also come to our attention that Mr Emery is clearly out of his depth and is failing to adapt his methods and style of management,whatever that is, to improving the teams standing in the game”
“Pierre, though I like that setup, I’m not sure it did much to stem 18 attempts at our goal!”
Pedro
After playing 4-2-3-1 for a while, muscle memory kicks in. The players would know where to stand, when to go forward and all that..
With that, you can iron little mistakes..
and what is this nonsense of david luiz being poor???? he is the best centreback at the team. period. a premier league champion. you dont win it by being carried. delusional to even think that he is a liability in this team… put any central defender in the league to withstand nonstop assault from head on like him and socratis have gone through for the last 3 games when there is nobody protecting them (the great noballs captain going avol) from the front and anyone would get destroyed sooner or later. and put any central defender in this league to… Read more »
Abysmal showing in the second half. Even the fiance asked why there were never any Arsenal players near or around the center of the pitch. I was watching the Spanish telecast of the match, left to the bathroom to take a shit at 1-2 and when I heard Spanish exclamations from across the apartment I knew it wasn’t Arsenal that had scored. It was lack of hope based on concrete visual evidence from moments before. Wonderful feeling It’s a new season so forget about last year, but Arsenal haven’t had a good showing as a team yet this season. Comments… Read more »
When we signed Luiz everybody said hes hopeless one on one, He has to play in a back three. So what do we do!
“Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored on his Roma debut as the Italian side beat Sassuolo 4-2. ”
Of course…
T
David Luiz, as we all know, only seems to turn up when he wants to. It’s always been a part of his remit whether he was playing for Chelski or Brazil.
He was not the answer to our problems.
“Comments like the one made by Auba are not good for a squad cohesion”
I have missed that, what did he said ??
Luteo
I hate to admit it but that “disconnect” stems from one person.
That’s right, the Manager.
Graham It’s not just that. He was the worst culprit and capatain during Germany’s annihilation of Brazil at home in front of his fans during the World Cup. There’s no way he didn’t want to turn up for that. He’s just not as capable as many Make out His intermittent excellent seasons have been down to too coachjng and organising as much as anything to do with him. If you use him the right way in the right system he’s an asset If you don’t he’s a liability You can never say that about Adams or Campbell or keown. They… Read more »
If this weeks games against Frankfurt and AV pan out in a negative manner, I have a feeling next week will be very interesting.
Has Receding buttcrack shown his face yet? Lol
I think Auba’s comments were excellent.
Basically he was saying to Emery “sort this shite out or suffer the consequences”
Are the ‘values’ of the club spoken of in the past partly in relation to playing attacking guns ho football? If so I would be happy to see a hard reset on that philosophy. Let’s become a rock solid, hard as nails, no nonsense outfit once more that has the attacking flair to take care of itself. We arguably have that with PAL, and perhaps the beginnings of dynamic, modern midfield. We need the next Simeone to drill a defence that gives little to nothing away. Start there and become more expansive if we can be trusted. More than happy… Read more »
I have had my reservations about Emery from the very beginning but got to say he is getting worse week by week. Earlier the team used to press albeit in spurts but yesterday everyone was sleep walking. No desire, no passion and no intensity in our game. Ironically Emery gets the team to perform a tad better against better oppositions but against inferior teams we often look flat. Emery also seems to struggle against teams with physical midfielders.
Like I’ve said numerous times, it’s a merry go round of blame among the same players for their “faults” instead of looking at the conditions they’re playing in. We’re a mess, we shit out pants when under pressure because we don’t know what we’re doing. Elite sport is about conditioning people to revert to a discipline under pressure. We haven’t had that drilled into them so it’s 6’s and 7’s or as I termed it a couple of weeks ago to ridicule….a state of flux. Cc Exactly!! The sad thing is that he stumbled across a winning formula and broke… Read more »
Graham
You’re right. They’ve got to keep xakha away from the media
Two weeks and two major gaffes.
First blaming the strikers vs spurs and now this. While I agree that the team was scared it’s shone a negative light on him again as captain.
The fella is just not anywhere near fit for the armband. I don’t dislike him as many others do here so I’m not jumping on his back but he’s not the captain.
“The fella is just not anywhere near fit for the armband. I don’t dislike him as many others do here so I’m not jumping on his back but he’s not the captain.”
UN
Unfortunately, the only captain material in the squad is Rob Holding and he’s currently not fit to play.
So, assuming Aubameyang will be rested for Frankfurt, who will play number nine? John-Jules, Balogun, some 13 year old ripping up at on the under 15’s?
Decisions, decisions. Emery spoilt for choice with this great top four level squad.
Did everyone see what Luciano Passirani said during an Inter match?
“I don’t see any other player in Italy now like Lukaku… I really like him.
“The only way to stop him is to say: ‘Here are 10 bananas that you can eat.”
He’s been axed apparently but fucking hell that country needs some work.
https://news.sky.com/story/romelu-lukaku-football-pundit-suspended-over-racist-remark-about-inter-milan-star-11811463
“Decisions, decisions. Emery spoilt for choice with this great top four level squad.”
Good grief, still going for the poverty squad line? Really?
Is Emery good enough? Can you put your cards on the table and actually answer that one just so we’re clear?
This makes for particularly grim reading:
https://www.football365.com/news/20-ridiculous-statistics-to-sum-up-arsenals-form
N5
I bet that guy was so confused after he got booted. Like, “I gave him a compliment! What was the issue, I called him the best player! Did you not hear ‘ten bananas’? That’s like two bunches! It’s not like I offered just one.”
The discrimination runs thick and deep in some places.
Unaai/TR7
It’s beggars belief at this point, there’s so much evidence stacked against him now it’s going to make the next 10 game a fucking chore – moreso than the opening games of the season.
It’s been dishwater outside of a period that can be classified as us playing with a ‘new manager smell’. We’re pony, made all the more laughable by this game of pin the tail on the donkey amongst the first XI. It’s the guy on the sidelines ffs, he’s a wizard with powerpoint, not elite footballers.
N5
Fully expect another statement from the Inter ultras to appease Lukaku and explain how it was a mad compliment lol that’s outrageous.
@Luteo Ha ha, exactly! he said 10 not 1 WTF is the problem!!
People complain about Russia and it’s institutionalised racism, but Italy and Spain aren’t a million miles away from them.