Let’s League Cup party like it was 2008!

by .

via @Arsenal Instagram

Unai Emery needed a performance, he wasn’t going to care where it came from, even if it was against a team in the Championship.

Boy did he land one… for the first time this season, everything went right and he left the fans electrified about the possibilities.

We saw some new players, namely Keiran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli.

We saw some, ‘like a new signing’ players, step forward Hector Bellerin.

We saw some form return. Hello Ozil and Reiss.

We saw some sustained performances. Saka, Chambers and Willock.

We destroyed Nottingham Forest, even if it did take a while to make things happen.

Some points I’d like to make.

Saka:

Love the kid. What a player. He is so adept at making space. He’s aggressive, hungry to move the ball forward and he has no fear when it comes to that final decision. What a great player we have on our hands. Read that he’s a straight A’s student as well. I like that, good at sport and elite in the classroom.

Mesut Ozil:

The player that has offered us next to nothing for the last 3 years shows up against a Championship side and people are levelling criticism at the manager. Please. That’s too much. Sure, Emery isn’t an elite manager of egos, but Ozil has been dropping tame performances for us for years (Germany / and for Wenger). One good game against Leicester or Forest doesn’t change the equation for Emery… you cannot rely on him. He’s not built for the modern world. He’s antiquated. He’s an expensive quarterback in a world that needs more rounded creators. He gives us something special that we lack, but not often enough. Move on.

Martinelli:

What a fun player. He’s everything you want in a Brazilian. Audacious, arrogant, fearless and deadly. His first goal was a work of art. I think it was a floated ball from Reiss to the right, BIG CAL volleyed the ball across goal where the Brazilian wunderkind put his head on it like peak Kevin Davies. What a goal. The late strike where he smashed it into the top corner was super special as well. He’s a livewire, could he be the most exciting youth striker since Anelka? Maybe…

Tierney:

Calls for him to start against United are early, but all the signs are that he’s going to be a beast of a player for us. He’s extremely fast, he has great delivery and I think he has something very special about him. Fans are going to worship him, I just hope Emery resists the urge to blood him too early.

Chambers and Holding:

Chambers delivery and general production in the last two games have been great. I’m not sure about him as a right-back, but he does have some silk under pressure. Seems like a top guy, too handsome to play next to Sokratis, but would definitely like to see more of him if he can cut out the errors. Also great to see Rob Holding back and on the score sheet, another young player that is a leader, another player we’ve greatly missed.

Key takeaway for the squad:

Whatever my thoughts on the manager, I think we can all agree that the squad is much more exciting this season. I love all the new additions and I think the kids are fantastic. We have to support them, they’ll all have ups and downs, but at least there’s hope this year. This feels special. It’s great to feel excited about the majority of the players who might start. Big round of applause to Freddie and Per on the youth, big hat tip to Raul and Edu for the signings, big round of applause for Emery playing them.

Key takeaway for Emery:

It’s looking very good for Emery now. He has a pretty straightforward run until mid-December. We should rack up more than enough points to be sitting comfortably in the top 4 by then. We’ll be top in Europe. I think we could see a similar run to the one we had last year if we can take down United on Monday.

Over the Unai.

See you in the comments. x

502 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
HillWood

Knife crime turns to love-in between Samesong and Northbanker
How sweet !

Graham62

Be totally honest Samesong, how old are you?

I was born in 1962, as my moniker highlights.

That’s right, I’m a 57 year old codger with zero experience of life.

Chris

Man Utd pretty dismal so far against Rochdale

Luteo Guenreira

Holy shit Graham you’re only 57??

I thought you’d be 90 at least.

salparadisenyc

London is a gorgeous city, that’s not up for debate. Top three in the world.

Graham62

We are using a tool that promotes violence.

The Internet/ social media/ mobile phones are helping to create a far more violent society.

Kids now absorb far too much information before they fully comprehend its significance.

That’s a fact.

Graham62

Luteo

Thanks very much.

HillWood

Sal’s wearing his rose tinted glasses

Samesong

We are using a tool that promotes violence. The Internet/ social media/ mobile phones are helping to create a far more violent society. Kids now absorb far too much information before they fully comprehend its significance. That’s a fact.

Actually agree with this.
We are also desensitized to violence these days.

I am not as young as you think and youre not old enough to be my old man : )

salparadisenyc

Sal will always have rose tinted glasses for the finer things… London, I’ll add Kate Moss in agent provocateur , the Clash, DB10 and it would be unfortunate to not include Withnail and I. .

Dissenter

“London is a gorgeous city, that’s not up for debate. Top three in the world.”

Absolutely
It’s also one of the safest.

Graham62

Fair enough, too ashamed to highlight your age.

Another problem with society today is that people cant be honest.

Never mind.

Cheers.

Samesong

Don

Love the story. I know it’s getting worse, I was just trying to say that people were getting sliced back then.

In fact Battersea, Wandsworth (Arndale centre) Clapham junction were rife in youth crime in the 90s. Not as many stabbings I agree.

Marko

Isn’t Vic from Nigeria? If he says London’s a shithole just assume that he doesn’t know what he’s talking and that he’s a cunt.

HillWood

Sal
I’m with you regarding The Clash and DB10

Tobs

PSG losing at home to Reims 0:2

Chris

Man Utd v Rochdale gone to penalties! Bournemouth and West Ham out

HillWood

Manure go to pens with ……Rochdale

RodneyKing

Very sure ManU fans would have loved a late goal from any of their players. Off a shoulder or deflected, it wouldn’t have mattered. Now it’s down to penalties for them.

Un na naai

Same

I remember

Have many many tales of the area and the animals populating it.

You from south weezy?

Un na naai

Wk
Wz

Bla bla bla

Cesc Appeal

United almost helping Spurs but not quite.

Still amusing.

Fuck sake Emery, do not balls the selection up. This lot are total shite.

Chris

Brave effort from Rochdale, while West Ham crash out in spectacular fashion.

Let’s hope for another home draw against lower league opposition.

WengerEagle

Tuchel is the biggest managerial fraud in the game.

Managing to drop points on a near weekly basis barring Neymar’s divine intervention of late.

In the French League… With PSG… at home…

Marko

Away to Liverpool in the next round

WengerEagle

CA

On paper we ought to be beating this crock at OT but how many times have we said that in recent seasons?

Haven’t won there in PL since 2006, shameful record.

Marko

Shut it WE he’s got sauce and you know it

Graham62

Poor Jack Wilshere.

From Barcelona and potential greatness, to getting stuffed by Oxford United.

C’est la vie.

Tobs

Liverpool vs Arsenal in the next round of the Carabao cup

WengerEagle

He’s about as saucy as Subo’s cankles Marko.

WengerEagle

Happens re Jack.

Alexandre Pato was the more talented and productive out of him and Sergio Aguero in 2007/08 and look how their careers panned out, pretty much a polar split after he was ruined by injuries.

Samesong

Don

West

Northbanker

Graham

That junior eh? I’m a 1961 entrant

So like me you probably started with slagging off Bertie Mee!

Northbanker

Fuck – Liverpool!

Leedsgunner

If Liverpool play a combination of their reserve and U23 side against us in the Carabao Cup (as we probably will) I quite fancy us to win.

We have one of the best youth sides in the country.

Graham62

Ah yes, dear old Bertie Mee.

My desire to slagging off Arsenal Managers only started after the 2008-09 season.

It sort of became natural after that.

Cesc Appeal

WE

You just know Emery is going to shit the bed with the selection as well.

I guarantee that Xhaka, AMN, Kolasinac etc will all be back in the team and he will say something about playing less than 7 days ago and good options for tonight etc.

It pisses me off because the second you see Xhaka etc start you think we’re letting a shite team off the hook.

Go with energy and pace and finish them off.

Graham62

Liverpool 3 Arsenal 6.

January 2007.

Baptista.

Wow!!

WengerEagle

Aliadiere scored and got 4 assists that match at Anfield IIRC.

Good times.

Leedsgunner

If Emery goes with the same predictable tired selection that has been barely palatable in the EPL he has no one except himself to blame.

He has three mobile dynamic midfield players in Willock, Torreira and Guendouzi at his disposal. It would press the United defence and pin them back… allowing our attack to flourish…

Or he can play Xhaka and try to explain away his mistakes after the game, hoping desperately that no one notices. If he goes for the safety blanket option he comes across as a coward more and more these days.

Nelson

We play at the Pool. Oh well, we’ll focus on the League then.

Graham62

Leedsgunner

That’s my fear.

I said last week that Emery’s downfall will be his inability to be ruthless.

He wants to keep everyone happy.

Including Xhaka!

salparadisenyc

Liverpool… love it what an opportunity for the kids.

Northbanker

Forgotten all about the 6-3 win there
Wow – what a game

Leedsgunner

Any news on ESR’s injury? Is Lacazette out for long?

Thomas

‘We have one of the best youth sides in the country.”

___

Biggest myth ever.

China1

London is an incredible place to visit. I’ve been far too many times to count and still haven’t seen half of the main attractions as there are just too many Some awesome architecture as well and I love the feel of the place in many ways. Outside of football and tourism I used to go there all the time to enter street fighter (the video game) tournaments in my late teens and early 20s. But I wouldn’t want to live there unless I was filthy rich. There’s just something about the city which makes me feel on edge. The culture… Read more »

Bojangles

I can’t contribute much to talk on modern London but I have recollections of gangs terrorising London in the 50’s just before we watched the white cliffs of Dover disappear from view. The Teddy Boys were rampant on the streets and the Hoxton Gang were notorious. Violence has always been a part big city life, not just London.

DivineSherlock

What is it with Liverpool and our players scoring 4 goals against them? 😉

Tony

Bob, Never seen USA play rugby before, should be interesting to see what level they are now. I would expect us to win by a heavy margin of say 40 points and is a perfect game to give a run out for players needing game time for fitness. I did answer your post a couple of posts back, but with my time zone, you probably missed it. Our opponent game level progression should suit Jones and the boys with the next step up being Argentine and then France. Assuming we don’t get any injuries we should be in a very… Read more »

Sid

All major world cities are poohpooh and harmful to human health. Even the social interactions are unnatural.

siddharth14

For all of our teething problems, we appear better off when compared to Manu and Spurs. We are marginally better than Chelsea though. Emery is in a great position now to finish in Top 4. There can be no excuse. Spurs look as if Poch has maxed out there. I doubt he and Spurs can recover from this situation. And it’s not about this season only. Their problems are going on since the 2nd half of last season. Manu are just delaying the inevitable with regards to Ole. The problems are further compounded by the fact that they have such… Read more »

Sid

Spurs are better than UTD and chelsea they lost in the 2 games Wanyama played he’s worse than xhaka but will be binned

Emiratesstroller

Tony

I am sure that the USA will give a good account of themselves in today’s World Cup again, although I hope England will still win.

Since Rugby has been professionalised there are now many good players from
so-called Rugby Minnows are playing the game at a very high level.

Emiratesstroller

There has been some discussion in recent weeks about the issue of club/team captain. Every successful team not just in football finds a “leader” of men who can find an extra ounce in the performance when matters are not going swimmingly well. Wenger did not seem to attach much importance to that issue in the latter stages of his career and frankly Emery’s solution is in my view idiotic. Appointing five potential leaders is ridiculous. The fact that we have had to have a debate on the issue with no obvious conclusion or suitable candidate reflects to some degree the… Read more »

Guernsey Gun

We should be rolling united over on Monday but I have a horrible feeling that Emery is going to cock this up, and Greenwood is going to do a Rashford. I really hope i’m wrong but cant shake the thought.

Valentin

Stroller,

There are leaders in the squad. The problem is that most of them are not guaranteed a starting place. Either due to injury (Holding, …), Manager choice (Lacazette, …).
Naming 5 leaders is just a way to sidestep the issue.
As Xhaka and Leno were the only two players guaranteed to start, it was really only between those two. The mistake is to constantly play Xhaka not to initially name him as Captain.

The fact that Emery has delayed officially naming his captain could be interpreted as a doubt on Xhaka or as waiting how Holding will fare.

Pierre

I have always believed that passing to a team mate and retaining possession of the football is vital at any level of football. It has many benefits, including giving a team an element of control in the game and it will take the pressure off of the defence . One of Arsenal’s failings this season has been our ability to retain possession , consequently the defence has conceded more chances than anyone other top division team in Europe. Whether its forest or United, we have to take care of the ball, to squander possession so easily makes the team ragged,… Read more »

Pierre

The contribution of Willock on Tuesday night was immense, defensively and offensively he showed a great maturity in his play.

raptora

What about this stat Pierre.

With Ozil on the pitch for 70 mins – 1 goal scored.

Without Ozil on the pitch for 20 mins – 4 goals scored.

Try again.

Left testicle

There was this strange kid back in my school days. Didn’t support a team just obsessed over Peter Shilton – a bit weird!

Alexanderhenry

Sal ‘London is a gorgeous city, that’s not up for debate. Top three in the world.’ Not if you live in Neasden or Lewisham it isn’t. I’ve lived in London all my life and I have an ambivalent relationship to my city. Unfortunately, I have to say that a lot of the character and idiosyncrasies of London are now gone. High rents- commercial and residential-terrible town planning and the proliferation of high street chains have made areas of the city homogeneous, dull and corporate. They’ve knocked down buildings they shouldn’t have and they’re currently ruining the west end and soho.… Read more »

Graham62

Can’t believe that so much is being made of Bernardo Silva’s so called racist tweet to Benjamin Mendy.

‘Kick it out’ should be focusing on other issues.

I’m with Pep on this one.

The world is a crazy place.

Alexanderhenry

It’s still worth a visit though.

Pierre

Raptora
“With Ozil on the pitch for 70 mins – 1 goal scored.Without Ozil on the pitch for 20 mins – 4 goals scored.Try again.”

Of course I had already pre empted your comment ,most posters on le Grove you can read like a book .

Tierney, 3 goals when he went off…does this detract from his performance, of course not.

HighburyLegend

EdTheRed – aka EdTheJoke – was saying yesterday that a victory at Old Toilet is not vital at this stage of the season…

Considering that Manure almost been eliminated last night by a pub team, it is true that a defeat out there would not be another shameful result for the AFC, indeed…
(lol)

Drey

Pierre,

The mere fact that you have to use stats to defend your Man Crush (Ozil) shows that he is not doing his talking on the pitch.
Think we will take our chances with Ceballos and Willock thank you very much.

Face it, he is past it

Emiratesstroller

Pierre

You should know by now that you are on a losing wicket when you attempt to
justify Ozil’s performance in the team.

There is an obsessive nature in posters who wish to get rid of Ozil at all costs.
That applies also to Xhaka and Mustafi as well.

Once they are gone no doubt the mob will find some other players to target
and we will be debating ad infinitum their merits.

HighburyLegend

lol Liverpool at Anfield for the carambar cup’s next round.
That’s already 1 trophy we can forget this season.

HighburyLegend

Again you guys are still debating with Pierre ?
You still don’t get that he need psychiatric treatment ?

raptora

ES:”There is an obsessive nature in posters who wish to get rid of Ozil at all costs.
That applies also to Xhaka and Mustafi as well.”

Maybe because these players are on high salary (Ozil is on obscene salary) and their performance rarely is up to it. Aka they are regularly shit.

Also did you really call posters obsessive about Ozil? I’d rather think the posters desperate to defend him are the obsessed ones. I didn’t post a 100 line paragraph about Ozil. Pierre did.

siddharth14

Pierre, i love reading your posts. But your fetish for Ozil is bordering on the insanity ! Yes, i do agree about the relation between possession and defence. But to attribute the team performance to the presence of a certain player is downright ridiculous.

Besides, why is it that Ozil is not having a similar influence when playing with senior players or the first team ?

Left testicle

London is dead. 🙁

Left testicle

I used to dream, and I used to vow
I wouldn’t dream of it now
We look to Los Angeles
For the language we use
London is dead, London is dead

HighburyLegend

Some news from our ex-idol, trust me , it is priceless. Wenger on BeIn Sports, answering to a question about Manure’s managerial situation : “Managing Man Utd is a dream job for every manager, at least for those how show courage and confidence.” “As I said, United is a dream job for any manager. I have confidence, I have courage … and I have ideas. ” “”Despite a very difficult start to the season for the Red Devils, the former Arsenal coach said that “they were not that far as people think,” and with just four top players in addition,… Read more »

Pierre

Stroller
Ozil will never be the flavour of the day on Le Grove but there are intelligent posters like yourself, Dream10, TR7 and Wasi( and a few more) who recognise what he can bring to the team, especially as in our last 4 league games ,we have been all over the place on the pitch.

I do not expect him to be given a reasonable chance by the manager as Emery only recognises his negatives (which he has many) instead of focusing on what he can bring to the team .

siddharth14

Wenger still continues to be a compulsive liar and a miserable person. His managerial decline can be summed up by the lofty words he used to describe himself in that desperate comment.

Pierre

Siddhartha
“Besides, why is it that Ozil is not having a similar influence when playing with senior players or the first team ?”

The only league game that Emery has started Ozil this season was away to Watford in which we were 2-0 up and in control of the game until sokratis messed up …ozil was then taken off.

I can guarantee you that players like willock, Aubameyang and Lacazette would love Ozil to be on the pitch with them .

It is what it is until the manager leaves.

Jamie

Ozil chance-creator-in-chief provides 0.1 assists per 90 mins since the start of last season in all comps (in 37 appearances).

Imagine how many more goals Auba would score if he had a decent number 10 playing him in rather than useless Ozil trousering £1.5m a month.

Chambers, in his last appearance, has the same number of assists as Ozil has provided since August 2018.

Absolute waster.

Ghost

Ozil is a fantastic player. Won 5 best German player of the year but couldn’t be criticised for his performances at World cup. Was at Real Madrid and left immediately he learned he was to challenge for his position. Came to Arsenal and fired his father from being his Agent because the father didn’t milk Arsenal for more money. Especially after Ozil saw how desperate Arsenal were. Lol. Ozil got the big pay from Arsenal. Ozil only thinks about himself. If his salary was attached to performance clause he would have f$%k off to China. Pls do not waste your… Read more »

Ghost

Selfish a^&e called Ozil

HighburyLegend

He’s selfish, and he has eyes of fish.
(sorry)

Left testicle

HL
I’m sorry but you’re wrong.
Ozil doesn’t have eyes of a fish.

Graham62

Pierre Nothing like a good ratatat to start the day and, what a surprise, it’s about your friend again. Tell me, have you always been this way? You know, the only person in the room who would say a wall was painted black when infact it was painted white. Sorry can that be misconstrued as being racist? God your teachers must have been pulling their hair out when you were back at school. You do know that Ozil is finished? He ambles around showing it anyway. The fact that he’s a professional footballer means he can continue on his merry… Read more »

Left testicle

… more like a frog. 🙂

Pierre

I just prefer watching an Arsenal team that doesn’t play like headless chickens (schoolboy football) . The performance v Forest was the most controlled we have been in a game for a while. Although we beat Eintracht 3-0 , we were still exposed defensively and had no real control in the game up until the last 5 minutes. It really doesn’t bother me who plays , I just want the team set up properly and for them to have an element of composure in their play . Despite United’s poor form, this will not be an easy game . If… Read more »

HighburyLegend

Correct.
But Ozil is very fragile, and he don’t even support the water.

And fishes and frogs are amphibians… so his case is really a facinating one for the scientific world.

Graham62

If Emery continues to use his favourites, we are in the shite.

MU will be defining, in more ways than one.

Nelson

Rumor that FL was given a lot of responsibility for the set up of team against Nottingham. But when the reporter asked him this question, he purposely ignored the question. in any case, playing Xhaka as the sole DM, our midfield was an open book. With Torr and Willock as double pivots, the midfield looked much more solid. If Emery couldn’t see the difference, he is shooting himself in the foot.

I have seen Emery enough now. He is good enough fighting for a top4 spot. He won’t and couldn’t lead Arsenal to fight for the League.

HighburyLegend

“MU will be defining”

Some Le Grovers firmly disagree with you.
(NO, I will not give any names)
(lol)

Graham62

Nelson

If that was the case……….Yippee!!

Left testicle

Next batch of deadwood…

Mustafi
Ozil
AMN
Xhaka

The squad has moved on, just as they should.

Dark Hei

Emery is good enough fighting for a top4 spot…………for now.

OGS is not going to be United’s manager forever and I think Chelsea’s performances are better than their results suggest while we are the opposite.

I think if Josh wants to save some cash, keep Emery till the end of the season for an amiable breakup. We probably can ride the Spurs and Untied car crash into the top 4.

Dark Hei

LT

I have a lot of sympathies for AMN.

He saved our bacon deputizing for Kola on the left. Now he has to do it for Bellerin on the right. Something feels wrong if we just shaft him like that.

Graham62

Dark Hei

I think it’s up to AMN.

Will he take the bull by the horn and fight for his place or will he continue to show the attitude that his heart is not really in it.

Watch this space.

Left testicle

Dark Hei

Sentimentality is one of the reasons we ended up with an overpaid, bloated squad in the first place.

I wouldn’t say he ‘saved our bacon’. He’s handsomely paid to play where the Manager asks him to for the good of the team.

Left testicle

… and AMN has regressed.

HighburyLegend

“Sentimentality” is their favourite word, on Untold.

Gentlebris

‘Tierney, 3 goals when he went off…does this detract from his performance, of course not.’

Tierney, zero goal against us when he’s in the game, zero goal after he was taken off. That’s how to gauge Tierney’s impact. He’s a defender.

Nelson

Chambers played with a lot of energy. Didn’t he play midfield for Fullham. After Bellerin is back, I would like to try him as DM.