HUGE day for Emery + Guest piece from @HeartOfTheHolte

by .

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.

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vegas gooner

we must be the easiest team to tackle in the entire football league.

Luteo Guenreira

Un

I must have struck a nerve, you’re acting like a preteen again. All I ever do to you is say, “Hey it be like that sometimes” and you throw a fit as always.

Again. I didn’t think it was a foul either. But I don’t find the need to throw a tantrum either. Have some perspective you fucking child.

SUGA3

Here we go. Pepe with a pass to his imaginary friend.

Un na naai

Visit Rwanda

Can we send emery there with his stupid wonky chin and manky teeth
Sylvester Stallone’s skinny ugly brother

useroz

What now? No fucking contact with tat guy’s’ ugly face by Ceballos. What’s Moss talking with Ceballos for? Prick.

Cesc Appeal

Arsenal don’t look interested

vegas gooner

take Pepe or gwen off and bring on Ozil.

Graham62

Irrespective of today’s result, Freddie to take over from tomorrow.

Paulinho

Emery deserves stick for sticking for sticking with certain players, but there is (mostly) equally as poor footballers to come in.

We’re unbelievably similar to United. Ole looks just as clueless with a similarly lame bunch of no-hopers.

Un na naai

No urgency at all to counter

We are dead man
This is worse than the end of wenger
Fucking abysmal
Spanish moyes
Exactly as I said a year ago

Bullet now

Rambo Ramsey

Looool,

As I thought, Receding buttcrack is on and still reads the comments. Dished out a lot to anyone who dared criticize Emery, didn’t you? Just too much of a cowardly cvnt to put himself out and take the fire.

Dissenter

We were shit 11 vs 11
No way we become organized with one man down.

useroz

Don’t like it when Guendouzi jogging’ pace when under counter.

azed

Xhaka and Pepe out!!

Wenker-wanger

Cannot believe this shower of a performance…..the team is rudderless….
Ok I felt emery needed 2 seasons….but this is SO BAD….it’s not a question of time…it’s now a clear cut quality issue.
I’m afraid emery clearly has communication and man-motivation issues….this current arsenal showing is dreadful. This form is relegation level. Emerys time is up.

Champagne charlie

For a player that was a barber at one point Ceballos has a shocking trim, looks like his mum did his hair for school.

Un na naai

Ceballos has been fucking average too.

Couple of shimmies here and there and that’s it.

SUGA3

Chambers does not even try to run. Not forward, not back, after spending six mi utes on the pitch. Cunt.

Cesc Appeal

Absolutely no midfield coverage.

Garbage.

Upstate Gooner

Leeds
We were playing poorly before the red card. The red card is nothing but a convenient flack jacket for Emery to hide behind.

Exactly.

useroz

Still too slow in building up.

Samesong

Aubameyang passes are so shit.

Danish Gooner

Time for Maureen not glad to admit it but he will at least get us going defensively.

TR7

Cesc I don’t watch as much European football as some of the other posters on here do, so I can only talk about the few managers whose work I admire. Naggelsaman is my first choice – young, tactical and inspirational. Luiz Enrique will be another great option if he is available and willing to take the job. If we want someone who knows the league, can speak English and hit the ground running then Pellegrini and Brendan Rodgers will be good options. If we looking at former players I would rather we gave the job to Freddie than to Viera… Read more »

Nelson

We can’t break through the middle

vegas gooner

Emery out and Freddie and Bould in.

Wenker-wanger

Emery good at tactics….clearly a nonentity communicating his ideas…

MGooner

Is this the soft Wenger underbelly or something else?

I can now understand why Enrique turned us down. No top manager would want to manage a side with a midfield and defence like this.

We need Holding back and Xhaka replaced by Chambers if we want to get some confidence back.

Paulinho

Don’t why we’ve ditched three at the back.

Don’t go near 4-4-2 unless Bellerin and Tierney are available.

useroz

Did Auba manage one pass? Guess not.

No matter when he scores a few.

Graham62

TT

In a normal footballing environment, you’d think so.

We all know though that normality hasn’t existed at Arsenal for many years.

Emery doesn’t know what to do.

Embarrassing.

Nelson

Why Pepe plays through the middle. It is too crowded.

Cesc Appeal

TR7

Yeah Nagelsmann is my pick.

Have to have a caretaker manager though until the end of the season.

Dissenter

Who scouted Kolasinac?
I mean…is he even good enough for Villa?

gazzap

Freddie should take over. Emery is clueless

Champagne charlie

I love how every player just becomes shit by virtue of us playing wank.

Monreal was a little beast year after year, and one season under Emery saw fans want him mailed to China.

There’s no plan at all, some of you are fucking brilliant to decipher player X and Y aren’t doing their job when you couldn’t name their role. Hats off

Danish Gooner

Pepe the over expensive Kaba Diawara.

Danny

Maybe just maybe

useroz

Kolac is pure meatloaf and not amounts to much esp when his cut backs don’t work.

Pepe disappears in the 2H so far.

Where are our shots.

PEN…………

Nelson

Hopefully Auba scores!

DUIFG

Getting a draw here would be a good result. Fuck we are average. This team isn’t stacked full of shit there is the odd bad apple but a lot of this is the manager and system. Even with first tamers we struggle in both phases of the game! Even if only one was working you may give him time but literally the entire thing is regressing.

Rambo Ramsey

I like this boy, Guendouzi.

He’s smart.

raptora

Guendouzi the god.

Paulinho

Monreal got injured. He started the season as fine as ever.

Marko

A great manager is doing more for us than any one great player signing. No brainer

Yeah Allegri’s still going to need to spend money to replace certain players though.

Spanishdave

We used to win games with ten men, we had spirit and desire.
Now we are a team with no idea and a greasy diago manager.
Unfortunately Emery will not go until it’s too late to rescue the season.

Dissenter

Problem is doing a care taker manager till the end of the season means that you’re writing off this season.
It’s only 6 games into the season

useroz

Pepe better scores.

Ok he did.

Generous AND gutsy of Auba…..when we’re one down.

Ok Restart. Go and win this.

Edu me a favour

For me , I’d have to say this team needs clear english from the man in charge – not from a go between – I’d love nagglesman but if he doesn’t speak a word , then we need to look elsewhere

Cesc Appeal

Guendouzi did really well there

karim

Come on !

SUGA3

Good for you Pepe

raptora

Pepe is through! Let’s go!

Rambo Ramsey

What a shite penalty that was. Lucky boy.

vegas gooner

holy fuck. we scored.

Samesong

Rambo Ramsey

Lol

Un na naai

Emery is so jammy
We do not deserve a goal

TheLegendaryDB10

Sokratis with some great wrestling moves again. Still shit at defending though.

He needs to be sold to WWE not to a football team.

Pepe …. glad to see him score the pen. Hope that builds his confidence up.

Luteo Guenreira

Let’s goooo!!!! Let’s fucking win this thing!

Samesong

Omg.

Rambo Ramsey

Lololol.

I’m sorry but you have to love this.

SUGA3

Oh fuck off. Spineless team.

karim

Typical

Danish Gooner

And Villa score again

raptora

Emery out!

karim

Didn’t even have time to rejoice

Un na naai

Well in Pepe
He’s off the ground
3-1 arsenal now come on

Fuck off emery

useroz

Fuck off. I was typing Chambers is so damn slow and before I finish typing, we conceded another straight from Chambers failing to keep the Luiz pass….

Rubbish defence.

Cesc Appeal

It says something though that it’s a 19 year old taking matters in this own hands.

As TR7 said, Guendouzi should be given a floating role.

Nelson

That’s what you got when you play Xhaka and Guen. Both are bad defensively.

Champagne charlie

Yea Marko, you don’t believe in coaching, you believe in Santa, you think the world is flat. Everyone knows

Goona

Totally pathetic….

Cesc Appeal

Can’t say it’s not fair.

Deserve that.

Champagne charlie

Emeryball

Guns of SF

Guen looks like about to cry

MGooner

Posters on here saying they’d give the job to Maureen and the likes.

Wake up guys, its the post Wenger era, we have not been in the CL for some time and are not getting there soon. We are 10th in the table. Maureen is being linked to Madrid. If you want another manager, look for someone withing our new standards – Big Sam, Rodgers, or some second fiddle from a foreign league.

This team is spineless.

Not something I did not expect though 🙂

Un na naai

Joke

Fucking joke

TheLegendaryDB10

And we concede again after having just scored. How very Arsenal.

Luteo Guenreira

This habit of conceding right after we score goes back to last season. Smh. Shameful really.

Upstate Gooner

LOL. You can’t make this shit up. Our defense is a complete joke.

Danish Gooner

Two precious minutes and we throw it all away ,,,,,,,,,,,,,again.

Cesc Appeal

Board need to make a decision.

Spurs are shit, United are shit, Chelsea have issues…we can’t throw this away being equally shit.

raptora

Emery hasn’t changed anything after a year and 3 months at the helm. It’s the same spineless old Arsenal of the last almost 10 years. Tragic stuff. #emeryout tonight!

Paulinho

Dear god Guendouzi the new James Maddison.

Dissenter

At this juncture, there has to be a near unanimity for an Emery-out movement.
I don’t see a single gooner anywhere still defending him

Redtruth, not even you will defend Emery now, right?

bennydevito

Ffs! Grealish just walked past Xhaka like he wasn’t even there! Crapah made no effort to tackle him or anything!

Rambo Ramsey

Receding Hairline, Highbury Bellend

Emery will be bringing the whip, lads. Get your Vaseline ready.

Guns of SF

Villa doing us a favor. We lose this one and I hope its curtains for Emery

Danny

All summer to fix the defence and on the last day of the window El-Dicko buys Luiz who is so fuckin’ past it. He’s now cost 3 maybe 4 goals in 5 matches.

salparadisenyc

Unreal

useroz

We are not robust and quick enough.

30 min to Emery out time….

Daz

Emery needs to go as soon as possible

Dissenter

Mustafi isn’t playing because in retrospect we may have scapegoated him last season.

karim

Luiz must be joking

Un na naai

A promoted team upped the gears and down we go

Even villa can score at will against emery’s arsenal

raptora

Don saying we don’t the deserve to score. You are some fan. Ridiculous stuff really.

TT

Well that did not last long…..

Daz

We have actually managed to be worse defensively than under wenger

Kay

Emery should be sacked for playing xhaka. Emery should be sacked.

I haven’t seen such a useless player since the likes of cygan, senderos.

Xhaka is an Idiot and he is our captain.

Peckobill

I really don’t see how emery can continue after today . Change the manager now before the season is another right off . He should be sacked after this game

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