via @Arsenal Instagram
Good morning and welcome to another Sunday edition of Le Grove.
Watford’s ‘new manager kick’ didn’t last beyond a single game. Manchester City absolutely trounced our St. Albans neighbours with a performance so brutal, it should have had a 9pm watershed. 8-0 is not a Premier League score.
… but don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare draw parallels.
I’m actually weak from finding out my dad is a Bud Light drinker. He went out of his way to purchase them as well. How do you live life knowing that your dad is drinking soft beer like that behind your back? The alpha male theory is a fucking charade, I promise you.
Anyway, it’s all about Arsenal and what the manager can offer up to solve our very clear frailties today.
I would personally play Saka. He had an electric game in the week and looks more than ready to do some damage to lesser teams. His pace and directness could be a real asset at the moment. He’s ready, give him some game time in home games of this level.
Secondly, the theory that Emery plays Xhaka because he’s tall seems to hold weight. What do we think about the potential of moving Luiz forward when Holding returns to the first team? Couldn’t be any worse, could it?
Ideally, we’d have LT in the pivot tomorrow, but we’ll see.
Villa have the potential to bother us, they’ll work hard and menace us start to finish. That said, we have enough firepower to make a weak defence look silly. We need a performance, one has to drop soon, hopefully today is that moment.
I know I have been beating on Emery for a while, but I truly believe he can at least offer up a sustained run of wins. He’s average, he’s not bad. Today needs to be a stake in the ground. Let’s see a positive formation. Play our best attacking players, go into the game confidently, and try and impose some sort of vision on the day.
Huge game. Let’s see what he has for us.
Before you go, Dan, from Heart Of The Holte, has penned some words for us on Aston Villa. It’s a good read. Enjoy and give them a follow @HeartofTheHolte.
How would I rate Villa’s start to the campaign? Above or below expectations?
It would be fair to say that overall our start to the season has proven somewhat frustrating. There have been plenty of positives, and most games have shown plenty of good things that can be built upon, but ultimately the cold hard truth is 4 points from 5 games isn’t the return we would have hoped for. It’s probably a start we could have expected as a newly promoted team, but there is certainly a feeling we should be at least a couple of points better off. There’s plenty of room for improvement but there’s also enough ability and desire in the squad to improve.
How would I gauge Dean Smith’s first year in charge? Are things moving in the right direction or is there any pressure forming?
Dean Smith has been in charge for almost exactly a year now, and it has been quite a ride so far, which gloriously reached its peak in the record-breaking 10 game winning streak which propelled us towards the playoffs and promotion in May. You’d be hard-pressed to find any fan who’d have a bad word to say about Smith and things are moving in the right direction. We do need a few more points on the board and to become a greater goal threat but overall, there’s a real togetherness and spirit right now which resonates from the pitch to the stands which instills confidence that we’ll get to where we want to go.
How do Villa strike a balance between their strengths and weaknesses?
For the most part, Villa are a decent unit and with all the new arrivals this summer, the gelling of the squad has been pretty seamless. We have a solid defensive foundation in fan favourites Tyrone Mings and Bjorn Engels in front of the experienced safe hands of Tom Heaton, we have a pretty dynamic midfield featuring last season’s key lynchpins of John McGinn and captain Jack Grealish, and there’s promise in big target man Wesley. Our weaknesses lie in our wide positions, particularly in attack and the consistency of performances in our wingers and their defensive tracking back. We also have a tendency at the moment to try and force things a little and give away possession cheaply. Nevertheless, the promise and the talent is there and as we develop and start to really click as a squad we should grow into a very difficult team to play against.
How do I think Villa will set up on Sunday? What are Arsenal’s weaknesses that I think Villa can exploit? And what are Villa’s weaknesses that I worry can be exploited?
As with most teams who have played Arsenal so far, Villa will have to find a way to get at the defence, Arsenal have shown a softness under pressure at the back and their commitment to almost suicidally playing out from the back is clearly an area to attack. But we’ll have to we wary of the lightning pace and lethal finishing of the front three. Stopping Aubameyang and Pépé will prove a huge task for any defence and our wingers will have to do a lot of work in defensive support too, which I fear may not always happen. We will also have to be better in possession when we do have it and seek to shut down Arsenal’s countering capabilities by avoiding sloppiness in possession.
How do I think the game will go and what are my predictions?
Our recent matches against Arsenal, particularly at the Emirates, have hardly been memorable and yet we still have the third best win rate of any current premier league team there, so it’s not hopeless. We’re a very different team (club even) to the sorry visitors who insipidly lost 4-0 on or way out of the division in 2016. Arsenal are obvious favourites and are pretty good at home so the realist in me expects a defeat, but the fan in me is hoping we can grab a point. So with my heart ruling over my mind, and seeking to be optimistic, I’ll go for a repeat of the first-ever match at the Emirates. 1-1.
Emery’s main weakness is that he is trying to keep too many people happy.
Graham
No. It’s not. It’s that he doesn’t know what he’s trying to do or what he wants us to be and how to get there.
End of last season I was of the opinion that UE shoukd be judged on 4 parameters this season 1. Get top 4 2. Reduce goals conceded by 20% 3. Increase goals scored by 10% and 4. Increase points total by 10% .
So far the 20% reduction to goals conceded stat is going down the shitter. Defensive we might be looking worse that last season, if that’s even possible.
– Hello Stan, it’s XXX from London
– Whaddya want?
– Loads of fans in media want Emery sacked
– Where is Arsenal on the table?
-4th.
– What about that European thing?
– Won the toughest game in the group on Thursfay night away from home.
– (line goes flat)
– Stan? Stan?… Josh?
Still don’t see it with Xhaka, would be much better to give the Torreira Guendozi Ceballos(Willock) more game time together than have Xhaka in there. It’s not even scapegoating as even for Switzerland he’s quite literally the same thing so yea Emery should go ASAP but can’t fathom any system at all would work with Xhaka at least not in the premier league, dude doesn’t cut it and I’m sure about 99% of Arsenal fans would rather the other options we have play rather than watching Xhaka get turned and pulling the man back and getting booked all because he… Read more »
Rocky
You’re aiming a tad high.
Any improvement whatsoever
Some kind of visible improvement. A vision a plan, something tangible.
Anyway. It’s clear now there won’t be much at all to get excited about until the end of emery so I’ll just have to focus on brexit
That tackle from AMN was never a 2nd yellow. He got the ball clear as day and if anything thr Villa player should have had the yellow fir fouling AMN. Just watched it on motd, never a yellow. How the fuck did VAR give that??
Seriously, wtf was Crapah doing allowing Grealish to stroll past him? Dia fucking bolical.
The ball hitting Sokratis shoulder wasn’t a penalty, good call. It has to be below the shoulder to be a penalty.
Should have been a penalty in my opinion. He leans into it and it strikes the top of his arm.
I don’t like Emery’s tactic for the winger. Saka spent more time in the middle than on the left wing. You don’t want to jam the middle against teams packing the bus. Pepe did spend more times on the right wing.
I like Luiz’s long passes. He can start a fast counter.
We can try Torr and Willock as DM and Guen in front of them. Ceballos as left inside forward. That should work.
I’ll try Luiz and Chambers as CB and Mustafi as RB until Bellerin is ready.
Liverpool’s 2nd goal shouldn’t have stood as that was never a foul for the free kick, the Liverpool player ran right into the Chelsea defender when he was jumping to head the ball.
Absolute scandalous decision that one.
Pedro, you ban posters for questioning your integrity yet you allow posters to come on here and openly mock, laugh at, and wish for arsenal to lose.
This is not the first time. Liverpool 4-1 last season was a disgrace, some of the behaviour on here from supposed arsenal supporters.
Victorious, yet again. Rambo ramsey.
How can these people call themselves supporters.
How can you condone their behaviour.
Yes we aren’t happy with emery but to laugh at players getting sent off and conceding goals?
benny
Anytime a player dives in and results in a collision, whether the player hit the ball first or not, the ref. will give a yellow. It is a dangerous play.
Jay
They are known to be SPUDS supporters. No one takes their post seriously. Sometimes seeing how ugly they can become, can be quite funny.
All these guys still burning on Wenger hate are really pathetic.
I wanted Wenger gone just as much as you did but that has not tied me down to being obsessed with a man who has moved on with his life.
Emery is much poorer than Wenger, even if the stats don’t show it….but the stats show it!
Jay, I don’t see all the posts, but I agree, wishing Arsenal to lose is normally a sin bin offence.
Graham, Emery’s main weakness is that he’s average.
Pedro
You must’ve felt like a prophet first half after than GcGinn goal lol I’m no Emery fan but it got really close that game to serious thoughts of an immediate sacking as a genuine out ball.
This is going to be a slog if that’s the level this season, can only hope this sparks something of a wave to ride.
Jay,
People react differently to issues. You can’t teach a man how to support a team he willing adopted. If they laugh at a goal being conceded it doesn’t mean they are happy about the situation….. that’s just how they want to react to it.
Coming on a man’s blog and trying to purposefully ridicule him is another disco entirely.
Support Arsenal how you know to and let others support Arsenal how they know to.
You didn’t choose Arsenal for them remember?
Rambo RamseySeptember 22, 2019 17:53:36
Lololol.I’m sorry but you have to love this.
Dunno, sounds pretty happy to me.
Nelson,
Fair enough but I honestly don’t think it was a dangerous tackle, his foot was on the floor when he got the ball and even on the follow through it was only up a bit and didn’t make contact, the Villa player stepped on his other leg, but in this day and age those tackles are being phased out in preparation for men and women to play together.
Arsenal’s first premier league game at the Emirates was against the mighty Aston Villa and it ended: Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa
Gilberto equalized for Arsenal with six minutes left.
Guendozi, what a prospect! Tackling and defending may not be his biggest assets and he often gets beaten easily but he plays without fear. Future Arsenal captain for sure, if he stays here long enough.
And I’m loving Willock. He drives forward with the ball with purpose. I hope he gets plenty of game time and opportunities to show what he’s made of.
AMN won the ball first but the way he flew into the tackle would have been deemed dangerous. VAR is eager to not repeat the mistake that was made with Tielemans.
“but in this day and age those tackles are being phased out in preparation for men and women to play together.“
Lol…wut
Or this:
Rambo RamseySeptember 22, 2019 16:54:01
Yeass, you go Villa.
Or this:
Rambo RamseySeptember 22, 2019 17:52:17
What a shite penalty that was. Lucky boy.
Guy hated that Pepe scored. ?!?!?!????
Raptora
VictoriousSeptember 22, 2019 16:55:49
Oh there you goWhat a disgraceCome on Villa make it 3..help us get rid of the charlatan
Come on villa make it 3!?
Really?
We’re only a few games into the season, but except for Klopp and Guardiola, every other manager has been average or below average so far (at least compared to those two). Spurs aren’t looking and playing great at the moment. Leicester were poor against a poor United last weekend. Although it’s Westham’s best start to a season in four years, Pellegrini should be doing more with the squad at his disposal imo. Everton? Bournemouth will be Bournemouth. Chelsea may get a lift from having Lampard and should improve but they’re leaking goals. I would say Emery’s in good company. It’s… Read more »
Don I almost never comment during a match, it’s full of knee jerk idiots and fans wishing us to lose to get a manager out that has a contract expiring at the end of the season, it’s not like it was with Wenger when he absolutely had to go and that was the only way for the owners to realise it, Emery doesn’t have any leeway, if he doesn’t meet the targets he’s gone, good riddance. The comment section during games are pretty embarrassing really, bunch of AKBs wishing us to lose because they feel this is the same as… Read more »
Xhaka had an absolutely dismal game as usual. Not even just when under pressure or whatever. He just kept making dumbass mistakes and was a huge hindrance to the team. It really beggars belief that we have people on here who desperately peddle the xhaka is a decent player bs. One stat I would love to know is since he joined arsenal, how many times has he won MOTM in total? He’s been here what 3 and a bit years or so. Yet I’d hazard a guess he’s not won it more than a couple of times in those 120+… Read more »
Fred
You are right , an Arsenal supporter should never want the team to lose.
I believe this is a knock on effect from numpties like Graham and Tonyd who, a couple of years ago , were wishing the team to be defeated and couldn’t contain their excitement at seeing the opposition score.
They will probably deny it but one must remember that they have memory lapses due to old age..
Pierre
Nice trolling, try harder though
“The comment section during games are pretty embarrassing really, bunch of AKBs wishing us to lose because they feel this is the same as what was done to their lord Wenger”
Not in anyway comparable to anything going on under Wenger, a decade of regression is not the same as 1 year of transition. We don’t have to lose every game for Emery to leave, if we’re not improved enough by the end of the season he goes, same could not be said about the last guy.
Re guen all his best stuff happens when he aggressively carries the ball forwards and tries to make things happen. He’s not top class off the ball (tho he is improving) and he’s present a lot during some of our defensively vulnerable moments. What we need is to have an elite DM alongside him (I’ve honestky no idea if torreira is the guy) and basically have guen as generally sitting deep as an extra body to help the defense, but with freedom and instructions to aggressively play forwards regularly when he gets on the ball. He often receives the ball… Read more »
Jay I posted a similar comment earlier, just didn’t name names. At least your post got some attention. Xhaka has been a liability for us since joining. I really can’t remember him having a stand out game. The occasional long range pass and even less occasional goal is the best you say about him. It’s mind boggling that he has been first name on the team sheet with two managers. Captain with the current one. He couldn’t lead a dog on a leash. Guen led the comeback. You could see the frustration in his eyes after their second goal, it… Read more »
Watching the highlights, gwen was a big.player again last night. But wtf is going on with the score line? We should be beating team’s like villa at home. COACH has definitely lost the plot.
– Hello Stan, it’s XXX from London
– Whaddya want?
– Loads of fans in media want Emery sacked
– Where is Arsenal on the table?
-4th.
– What about that European thing?
– Won the toughest game in the group on Thursfay night away from home.
– (line goes flat)
– Stan? Stan?… Josh?
Lmao😄😄😄 this is absolutely brilliant. Where do y’all get this energy from
What might happen this season is that any serious team outside of the top 6 (only Leicester so far) can make the top 6. The bigger boys are just not interested in winning consistently
This could aslo be the momentum we need for the season. I see us easily doing a number on United at OT. But Willock has to start. And Torreira has to play and Guen seems undropable these days. Why you look at me Xhaka?
It certainly looks like this season will be another 2 team league with the other big 6 teams all a little bit shite to varying degrees
75 points will likely get you 3rd
Sok Luiz AMN and Xhaka were all awful yesterday. I know we have loads of injuries so there is hope yet, but how bad is it to have 4 players out of 8 in a defensive unit (if you include the keeper) play badly each week? We don’t need to be world class at the back to be a good 3rd place team, we just need to be average defensively tbh. Instead we have been absolutely trash. A frightened, shit DM who can’t defend or contribute to the attack (sorry CC), AMN making dumb defensive mistakes, and Sokraris and Luiz… Read more »
4 our of 7 defensive players actually. Even worse
Also lol at those pathetically hoping to see Pepe fail He hasn’t adapted very well so far for several reasons. But why are some of you wasters rubbing your hands with glee bout that? Criticizing him for finally scoring his first goal – a moment that might be a good stepping stone on towards more confidence and better form. Honestly some of you lot are plain weird Arsenal spent a fortune on him and he’s still settling. Why on earth are arsenal fans acting like vultures hoping he’ll fail? What’s in it for arsenal – or even for you? Absolute… Read more »
China
I thought Luiz had a reasonable game. Best of the back 4(5) for me.
China
I think there are a few trolls here who don’t support Arsenal. Come here to ridicule or abuse. My scroll-by list is growing by the week.
I liked to see the passion from Auba yesterday
He really is a fabulous player. Not only is he nailed on to score every single game with or without chances (screw you XG stat bs lol) but he brings a really positive influence to the feel of the attack. Watching him grab Pepe and talking to him after Pepe scored you could see he was really full of encouragement and support for Pepe to finally get one.
And there were people here who would’ve flogged him for Wilfred fucking Zaha in the summer!
He was better than Sokratis and AMN but iirc he was at fault for the first goal
Tbh I don’t think we should renew emery’s Contract even if he gets top 4/ wins the EL unless we look a much better team doing it than currently
The other 3-6 clubs are all wank so it would be now amazing achievement to get top 4 with this squad, it should be expected we get at least 4th and I’d say we should get 3rd.
But if we do that and you still can’t see us pushing on to the next level what’s the point in giving him a new contract?
It would not* be an amazing achievement
Bob N16September 22, 2019 20:01:19 Good post as with your following posts. Charlie Not sure where you’re going with the Xhaka love; it’s a bit emperor’s new clothes of you. I’m right with you regarding Emery being fired, but a new manager is not going to improve Xhaka: he just needs to go to a slower league, such as Italy or back to Germany. Apart from your dedicated follower, sex (hookers), drugs (unknown god help us if it’s meths or hallucinogens) and rock & roll Un, I haven’t seen anyone sharing your Xhaka defense views. Have a review of the… Read more »
Other than the ring rusty excessive handling errors and needless penalties from England, Bob, I thought it was a perfect start/test for England.
We should dispatch USA with relative ease with rugby not being a majorly followed sport or there being professional grass roots set up in the US. Maybe that’ll change in the future but it will take years to develop.
Argentina were dogged against France but the class divide was telling in the end. The Tonga v Argentina game should be evenly balanced and great to watch.
Woodward’s below article seems happy also, which is a rarity.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-7491921/Englands-Manu-Tuilagi-getting-prime-brace-against-Tonga.html
Scouts should keep an eye on this keeper, but probably one to avoid.
Leno on steroids
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7491231/Egyptian-goalkeeper-goes-viral-incredible-acrobatic-recovery-save.html
Tony
Very catty aren’t we? Think you’ve been spending too much time in the company of those lady boys.
Embarrassing on here reading Vics comments and RR who is just abusive and unpleasant. He offers nothing here at all.
I understand why our midfield has so much problem. When Emery arrived at Arsenal, he explained that he wants to press high and he wants to play a high defensive line. Now he is still trying to press high but due to our slow and weak defense, he stopped playing a high defensive line. The result is that the space between the defense and attack is too big for our midfielder to cover. To make the situation worse, only the slow Xhaka usually stays back and the other two CMs advance high up to support the attack. For each counter… Read more »
Tony, was on Hackney Marshes yesterday morning, thought I’d recorded the rugby but hadn’t, watched last 10 minutes. Gather we’re not peaking too early!
Is Watson looking like he should play 15 instead of Daly? Hope Nowell can get fit to play right wing. Daly can be on the bench as an attacking option….worry about his tackling.
Un
Care to share your experiences with said lady boys? I mean you were a self confessed radical hippie – so I’m guessing the free love thing we read about gave/gives you carte blanc to try everything males and females, especially in your druggy world.
Not so in us more conservative types – you know – the types that prefer girls rather than males no matter how they’re dressed as.
Question is, Un? Are you the porker or bitch?
I bet you could tell some stories……………..
🙂 🙂 🙂
Red truth
Correct me if I’m wrong, but are Arsenal not above Spurs, Chelsea, Man Utd and just 2 points behind Man City….
You are missing the point and as usual, not seeing the bigger picture.
Emery is tactically inept. It’s not about being 2 points behind Man City but about being 5 years behind them in terms of our quality to compete for a title. Arsenal are mentally and defensively weak. Yesterday was a horror show despite the comeback.
Emery is the Spanish David Moyes
Pierre
Ref: Your 01:46 post
There is only one numpty on here and we all know who that is.
Imo, England will be found out against either SA or NZ.
Hopefully I’ll be proven wrong.
Emery out. That’s it.
England will not win the WC with Australia, New Zealand and the horrible racists, South Africa still there. No chance.
Mind you, imagine the double if you had England for the cricket and rugby WC.
Tony Whatever have you the idea I was a hippie?? 😂 I’m married to one. Doesn’t mean I am. Check yourself old fella But yes. I have had an experience with a lady boy actually. He never made it past first base before I clocked Best looking man I ever met. Why so defensive? I’m sure you’ve slipped in a few times being that you’re in the lions den and presumably have been far longer than I? And er excuse me? Druggy world? Not a chance old fella. If you are referring to me jesting on a drug and hooker… Read more »
Well done Emery and the boys for that second half performance. To utterly outplay the opposition with only ten men shows great strength of character.
Some so called Arsenal “fans” are just fucking embarassing in their blind hatred of Emery. Yes, he might not be the right man to take this team further, but to waste your energy on trying to put a decent man down, instead of getting excited at riches of talent this squad posseses tells me that those people are either not real Arsenal fans, or don’t understand football at all.
Bob hard to say who is best for full back. Both Watson and Daly offer different skills with both not the complete package. Daly fluffed a golden try scoring opportunity missing a pass to the open Slade. The DM had Daly at a 5.5 and Watson got a 6 match rating, which was probably about right. Heinz looked solid enough on the world stage. He has a bit of the old Gregan in him imo. One to watch. Not a fan of the Ford/Farrel axis, especially as I think Ford will be too lightweight against the top contenders. We have… Read more »
There you have it, Emery still sees Xhaka as important for his plans whatever they are.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7492069/Xhaka-important-player-Unai-Emery-defends-fire-Arsenal-midfielder.html
“Question is, Un? Are you the porker or bitch? I bet you could tell some stories……………..”
Alita battle angel lololol
An analysis of Arsenal’s season in EPL sofar reveals that we have 11 points after 6 games. Realistically 13 points at this stage of season would have been probably the maximum expectation. The real concern is not the number of points, position in the league or goals scored but the fact that we have conceded 10 goals in those games most of which were avoidable and our defence is not only brittle but frankly horrible. Every team who plays us are totally unafraid to attack us which is why there are now so many shots conceded on goal. When you… Read more »
Stroller, Realistically 15 points is what we should have expected. In fact 15 pts is the points tally Arsenal took in those same game last season. We are 4 points worse off than last season. We beat Watford 1-0 away. The only clean sheet away. We beat Spurs at home 4-2. In both games, stupid tactical decisions cost us a victory. The excuse that it is the start of the season and the team needs to gel, because we are on the continuation of exactly the same downward trajectory than the tail end of last season. Our defense is getting… Read more »
Valentin I suggested that 13 points was the maximum of expectation. Perhaps I should have said ‘realistic’. We dropped 2 points against Watford, which was a game we should have won. Yes we could argue that we should have beaten Spurs as well, but that was not necessarily an automatic outcome based on a previous season’s result. I don’t disagree with your assessment about team selections and tactics. These have been horrible over last three seasons. If you follow what I have written since the opening of the summer transfer window I suggested that our defence should be a complete… Read more »
Stroller, I don’t think that the defensive issues will be fixed by new better players. Better coaching would. With our players the defense should not be as bad it has been. I also don’t think that all of our defensive problems are due to our defenders. It is more a general combination of static midfield and overloaded defenders. Nobody is switched on when facing late runs into the box. In fact defense and midfield seem to be easily confuse by diagonal runs in the penalty box. Both goals against Villa are diagonal runs where the marker is asleep. Guendouzi for… Read more »
Going to find out soon how much Wenger Emery has in him. If he persists with Xhaka even though it’s quite clear he has a massive negative impact on the team then it can only be stubbornness or fearing for his ‘confidence’ if he was dropped now. Would be a very Wenger move. The energy, covering and dynamism in the midfield when it was Torreira, Willock, Guendouzi was night and day to the midfield of the first 75% of the game. Liverpool have shown your midfield doesn’t need to be spectacular, it just needs to do and job and cover… Read more »